Refurb weekend: Commodore 128DCR | Hacker News Reader

Refurb weekend: Commodore 128DCR

oldvcr.blogspot.com

Ray Carlsen doesn’t just refurbish power supplies, he created a website to diagnose just about any problems with Commodore computers or peripherals and pinpoint the component to repair or replace.

https://portcommodore.com/rcarlsen/cbm/

And I saw Bil Herd at the VCF East festival in April. I believe he said that he loved the 128D but wasn’t so much a fan of the 128DCR.

Yes, he has said the same elsewhere. He had more input into the 128D and liked it's keyboard holder and carrying handle. The 128DCR had neither.

> This was tricky when developing TOTP-C64

Oh that is soooo awesome, I didn't know it existed. I wrote my own little TOTP app, which I run on an airgapped Raspberry Pi. But TOTP on a C64 / C128 is next level. Not sure about "one disk per secret though".

Bravo. Now let's port it to PDP architectures, because surely a rackmount mini with obsolete I/O and networking is even more theft-proof than an obese luggable!

Better yet, spec out a system whose crypto can generate a code in 29 seconds. Sort of like "we've sent a code to your email! It expires in 10 minutes! Good luck searching your spambox!"

So he… replaced one fuse… and paid someone else to replace a different fuse…

I still enjoyed the read but “refurb” is a strong word for it.

Is there a modern/neat/nice/easy fix for the "vertical lines"/"jail bars" video out problem typically troubling these? My 128DCR has this issue...

Look for "ClearVision 128", version C or later (if a later version exists). There is also the "LumaFix 128".

Thanks!

I think you meant ClearVideo128. ("ClearVision 128" doesn't seem to to exist.)

https://www.etsy.com/listing/770927968/clearvideo128-for-com...

Once again, HN delivers! :)

I loved my Commodore 128, but I don't even remember a Commodore 128D being a thing. I suppose at that point I may have been fondly dreaming of the Amiga I would never get.

There's still hope.

FPGA recreations (miSTer w/miniMig core) aside, A500 sold by the millions and are still inexpensive to get today.

So cool. I love refurbing old electronics and bringing them back to life.

I volunteered at a computer museum but where I live now there isn't one :(

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