0055 Fixing a monitor that was damaged in shipping (and more!)

On this week's SMMC, we have a monitor repair video. This time a poor monitor was smashed while being shipped to my viewer from the seller. The monitor worked but then failed, so he donated it to me so I could hopefully fix another monitor with the parts.
-- Video Links
"fra-gee-lay" it must be Italian:
• It Must Be Italian! | ...
IBM PS1 Multimedia Pack CD:
archive.org/details/ibm-ps-1-...
SmartportSD Shield:
github.com/djtersteegc/smartp...
djtersteegc.github.io/smartpo...
Adrian's Digital Basement Merch store:
my-store-c82bd2-2.creator-spr...
Support the channel on Patreon:
/ adriansdigitalbasement
Adrian's Digital Basement (Main Channel)
/ @adriansdigitalbasement
-- Tools
Deoxit D5:
amzn.to/2VvOKy1
store.caig.com/s.nl/it.A/id.16...
O-Ring Pick Set: (I use these to lift chips off boards)
amzn.to/3a9x54J
Elenco Electronics LP-560 Logic Probe:
amzn.to/2VrT5lW
Hakko FR301 Desoldering Iron:
amzn.to/2ye6xC0
Rigol DS1054Z Four Channel Oscilloscope:
www.rigolna.com/products/digi...
Head Worn Magnifying Goggles / Dual Lens Flip-In Head Magnifier:
amzn.to/3adRbuy
TL866II Plus Chip Tester and EPROM programmer: (The MiniPro)
amzn.to/2wG4tlP
www.aliexpress.com/item/33000...
TS100 Soldering Iron:
amzn.to/2K36dJ5
www.ebay.com/itm/TS100-65W-MI...
EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter:
www.eevblog.com/product/121gw/
DSLogic Basic Logic Analyzer:
amzn.to/2RDSDQw
www.ebay.com/itm/USB-Logic-DS...
Magnetic Screw Holder:
amzn.to/3b8LOhG
www.harborfreight.com/4-inch-...
Universal ZIP sockets: (clones, used on my ZIF-64 test machine)
www.ebay.com/itm/14-16-18-20-...
RetroTink 2X Upconverter: (to hook up something like a C64 to HDMI)
www.retrotink.com/
Plato (Clone) Side Cutters: (order five)
www.ebay.com/itm/1-2-5-10PCS-...
Heat Sinks:
www.aliexpress.com/item/32537...
Little squeezy bottles: (available elsewhere too)
amzn.to/3b8LOOI
--- Links
My GitHub repository:
github.com/misterblack1?tab=r...
Commodore Computer Club / Vancouver, WA - Portland, OR - PDX Commodore Users Group
www.commodorecomputerclub.com/
--- Instructional videos
My video on damage-free chip removal:
• How to remove chips wi...
--- Music
Intro music and other tracks by:
Nathan Divino
@itsnathandivino

[@AndrewTubbiolo]

When Adrian works on CRTs he enters the Outer Limits. He controls the horizontal, he controls the vertical. He takes command of YOUR screen.

[@Starchface]

I'd have sworn it was the Twilight Zone...

[@AndrewTubbiolo]

@@Starchface Different network :)

[@thewi2kbug]

no that is the tagline for... "The Outer Limits!"

[@gmirwin]

He controls the horizontal. He controls the vertical too. He's gonna make a couch potato Out of you! That's what he's going to do.

[@Unfinished80]

I really enjoyed the story about your dad making a custom carrying case for your VIC-20. That must have been really cool to have him support your interests like that. Personally, I never had that experience so I'm going to just absorb the joy vicariously. Thanks for another fun video! Edit: I read this felt that my dad was awesome in many ways. Just not like that. Thanks dad!

[@jd9119]

How is this commment from 7 days ago, when the video was posted 15 hours ago?

[@Unfinished80]

@@jd9119 patreon

[@jd9119]

@@Unfinished80 Oh

[@mrfrenzy.]

It was really cool to hear that story because I started exactly the same. My dad got me a VIC-20 with Datasette when I was 6 years old, and later a VIC-64. I started learning programmin by just typing in the example programs from the included manual then modifying them and testing different things and finally making my own programs. After that we got the 8088 PC with MS-DOS and that continued my route to a career in IT.

[@paulstubbs7678]

This monitor board repair kind of reminds me of a crazy repair at work. I was in a telco repair centre, a colour PC monitor came in that a courier had dropped. The tilt and swivel base had been driven up through the base of the monitor, right through the main PCB, that was now in four pieces. It was immediately written off. One of our new trainees took an interest in it, so we gave it to him. He set about joining the board sections back together with many many tracks being patched with tinned copper wire. (it was actually proving good as repair/soldering training). All almost done, except for one transistor that had a leg sheared off at its case. This was an odd transistor in that it's case was green, Anyway we pointed him (the trainee) towards a large box of scrapped boards, he dug through and found a board with a green transistor (note, the skipping over of the concept of part numbers!) He promptly fitted that transistor, turned on the power and it just worked! Everyone there (with the exception of the trainee) just stood there with their mouths wide open in disbelief. What, No, Bullshit, how the hell.... you get the picture.

[@Starchface]

Incredibly, you are still using the monitor to this day! You were that trainee I'll bet. It's 30 years on. It's safe to admit it. Well done, trainee!

[@paulstubbs7678]

@@Starchface No, I'd long passed from being a trainee at that stage. I was with the rest saying "No way", that's why the story has stayed in my mind.

[@GarthBeagle]

❤ Love the story about your Vic 20 case your dad made!

[@pipschannel1222]

Yeah that's super cute indeed ❤

[@AnalogX64]

Let's take a moment to appreciate Jim's packing/shipping that's a proper way to do it :) and as well the letter was printed on Fan fold dot matrix printer :)

[@MikesArcadeMonitorRepair]

When looking for cracks, you can use a bright flashlight from the opposite side and the light will shine through any crack and make it very visible. Quick and easy way to find them. Nice job!

[@fluffycritter]

A note about monochromes and color sensitivity at 37:20: Amber sits between red and green, putting it at the more sensitive end of the spectrum. Blue is the end that the eye is less sensitive to (typical human eyes are more sensitive individually to red and green than blue, and there's also a lot more overlap between the two cones that contribute to red and green vision than to the ones that contribute to blue, effectively doubling the sensitivity on top of that). But the eye's sensitivity to each wavelength has nothing to do with how long the phosphors last though. I know from experience that amber phosphors burn in WAY more easily than green, so that's why amber monitors are less vibrant today than green ones. Which is a shame because amber is best monochrome.

[@kaitlyn__L]

And red seems to always be the first channel to burn in on OLEDs

[@tonyr3352]

You missed part of the nostalgia! His note was on tractor feed paper and dot matrix printed!!

[@joncrawford3485]

I believe that 8" diskette caddy (15:26) was from an IBM System/38 minicomputer. The computer had a housing on the left-hand side that contained a pair of slots for 2 of those caddies under a hinged lid - thus 20 8" diskettes could be used to load updates to the computers IPL (Initial Program Load) or OS (CPF). Obviously when IBM sent us a large package of diskettes for updates (pre-internet) we had to make sure the diskettes were placed in the caddies in the correct sequence as the updates would cycle through the diskettes in sequence... I can't see Adrian fixing a System/38 as his basement isn't big enough!

[@briangoldberg4439]

it's because the amber monitors were all used in terminals and spent their lives in the "on" position all day long in a library or something. the green ones were in people's homes and in elementary school computer labs

[@cairsahrstjoseph996]

The "field found" 64C is always my fav. restoration story

[@justovision]

Amber... is the color of her energy.

[@lancegentle6430]

Heh....heh...now you need to change that amber power LED to green.

[@deepmaze1]

Something in that green glow makes me very very calm....

[@johnpetruna8888]

I watch Adrian's videos on the big screen in the living room, and I start each one by turning on the captioning and giving a thumbs up.

[@JeremyBolanos]

I didn't get my first computer until I was 19 in the Army. I bought an Amiga 500 at the Post Exchange. I miss it. Wish I still had it.

[@kd1s]

I was 13 when I got my trs-80. Loved it. And of course I'm i.t. and info security

[@dennissdigitaldump8619]

CRT convergence really is an art. And you're doing great.

[@tridbant]

I’m a great believer in modern technology being used to replace old. So why couldn’t someone design a modern equivalent to replace the fly by generator?

[@dimitrioskalfakis]

enjoyed your brief tangent on your personal story 'into the machine' ;-)

[@stephenbelcher]

Nice Project Jim

[@Frostfly]

My first computer was a vic 20...that was a hand me down from an uncle in 1982...I was 7. Although my next machine was a Leading Edge 8088. Had Apple 2s in school, but I was already full on in DOS mode.

[@NeedGamesNow]

One of these days pool ol Adrian is gonna open a box that has been sitting there for 4 months and find a Christmas cake rotting away or something. I still remember the time he opened the bag of candy that had been in a box for awhile and a maggot was in there. UGH! lol.

[@billraty14]

FWIW - I was taught to spread the solder-braid with my fingers to make it more absorbent (some knowledge from 45 years ago).

[@rpavlik1]

I was really nervous, if that packaging had failed, there was truly no hope... Relieved to hear it had failed before being shipped to you.

[@stitchfinger7678]

the vic20 briefcase story was great and reminded me of my dad, he was always hacking together shelves and cases for game consoles and stuff for me just like that

[@ultrametric9317]

Great!!! :) Hey the heel of your thumb touched the mains voltage on the power switch when you reached for that pot. Heads up! :) Thanks!

[@archienati]

I have the same Amdek orange amber monitor! It's neat to see it with a green color instead.

[@00Klingon]

I had an Apple ColorMonitor IIc and that was fantastic back in the day on my Apple IIc. It had a monochrome pushbutton on the front for when I wanted to use 80 column mode text for things like AppleWorks and ProTerm II. It also was a color display so I could play all my games in color so I had the best of both worlds. I still have that monitor hooked up to a IIgs because I haven't yet found a suitable RGB compatible display solution for it yet.

[@cls9474]

The Amdek power LED must become green with this nice green picture tube!

[@adriansdigitalbasement2]

Definitely a change I'll need to make... to complete the look, of course.

[@cls9474]

@@adriansdigitalbasement2 🥳💖

[@stephenbelcher]

Nice ‘ Chunky’ Board Man

[@UpLateGeek]

My understanding is that the band gap for the amber phosphor is larger than for the green phosphor, which means that it requires a higher electron voltage to excite the phosphor into emitting photons. It also means it's less efficient, since you're pumping more energy into it for less photons, and that basically burns out the phosphor more quickly. Notice how the green tube was a lot dimmer running off the original electronics than the Amdek electronics? That could've just been because the original electronics needed recapping, but I'd be willing to bet the output of the flyback transformer in the Amdek goes a lot higher. And that's because the amber tube requires a higher voltage for a similar level of brightness. As for which one I prefer? Back when I was in primary school, we had Microbee computers with either green or amber monitors. I always liked the amber ones best because the colour kind-of matched the orange stripes of the cute little bee on the badge of the Microbee computers. And that's why I've always preferred amber monitors too. Unfortunately in the few years that used those machines before they retired and replaced with 386s running Windows 3.1, most of the amber monitors were slowly replaced with green ones, as the amber ones died. It got to the point where I had to rush into the room to grab one of the amber monitor machines before someone else randomly took it. Anyway, good to see you got the Amdek back up and running again, even if it's with a green tube instead of an amber one.

[@freeculture]

I also had the Apple //c and the Image writer II. That thing printed fast, but would shake the desktop sideways lol, it was a monster. None of the dot matrix printers i got for the PC later printed text so fast (but didn't shake the desktop either).

[@tenminutetokyo2643]

I just bought and refurbed a near mint CoCo 1 off eBay and fully restored it to mint cond. All new caps, all new power regs, all new ICs except the CPU, fully cleaned and fixed. And it's a low serial number - one of the first ones made - 29,000 and something.

[@danniemortensen4217]

That is one Frankenstein monitor of parts.

[@KAPTKipper]

I'd recommend a BOOTI card for Apple II owners, allows you to use Apple II HDD images off a USB key, internally. Mr Lurch did a great review.

[@tim1724]

I assume you're supposed to sandwich the PCB between the pins of the 19-pin D-sub connector and solder to both the front/back. It's pretty common way to attach D-sub connectors to PCBs on DIY projects.

[@adriansdigitalbasement2]

Indeed -- but in this case, it doesn't seem to have the pads on the PCB for this. It's ok -- I can just use a ribbon cable to a D-SUB. Hopefully I can find my DB19's -- I bought several as these are newly made again.

[@rossb2006]

The disk magazine looks very similar to that on the IBM System/36 and System/38

[@rottmanthan]

i was born in 80 and didnt have any computers when growing up, my parents eventually got me an AST advantage with tandy monitor but i dont remember how old i was, but i have some 8 bit machines now because i like them. as for game systems we had the atari 2600 as far back as i can remember because i have 3 older brothers, but i remember getting the NES new. i just remembered i did have a kids portable learning computer i guess which did have basic which i new nothing about then. it was the VTech PreComputer 1000

[@firesurfer]

Red is naturally high energy and burns out quickly.

[@retroguy4139]

My first IBM compatible had an amber monitor and EGA card. I prefer amber but green is nice. I used Apple II, II+ and IIe in high school with almost all green monitors. There was one color monitor.

[@PatricKerr]

Awsome quick video. You kept talking about 8bit dance party but no dance party 😞

[@Stoney3K]

For the SmartPort adapter, it looks like the PCB goes *between* the pin rows on J2, and the connector is soldered directly to it. Check if there is an appropriate number of pads on the back.

[@geofftottenperthcoys9944]

Wow I missed this one!

[@thomasives7560]

Would those monitor guts work in the Coco/Model-3 frankenstein computer? That would make it *even more* a frankenstein computer! Love the channel and the content, thanks for everything!!

[@adriansdigitalbasement2]

It would work -- but might be pretty hard to fit inside with that transformer. Maybe it could live under the disk drives..... it is compatible though, and would do away with te static and bad image.

[@idio-syncrasy]

Green is my favourite colour however I prefer amber for a monitor. 💚

[@Nabraska49]

I like the look of that monitor.. got the retro sci fi look ..

[@stephenbelcher]

Thanks: Adrian

[@tschak909]

Adrian: The SmartPort allows for both block and character devices of all sorts of different types. The Apple2 FujiNet implements the first working implementation of SmartPort Character devices for its network, printer, and modem adapters, while implementing block devices for the four virtual disk drives that can read/write blocks over both the network, and local storage. Rob Justice and Katherine Stark have contributed time and code to the Apple2 FujiNet. :)

[@adriansdigitalbasement2]

I just love how Fijunet is expanding to other systems! We need Fujinet on everything! And I'd love to have a network adapter for my Apple IIc. I wonder -- can you have multiple smartport devices on one computer?

[@tschak909]

@@adriansdigitalbasement2 you could, but most software would only find one of them.

[@CoCoNutBob]

Custom CoCo diagnostic rom? Could become the only one in the world with Adrian's Dance Party as a test!

[@dannystreet3727]

The eyes can see more shade of red than any other color

[@RodBeauvex]

Also, green and amber give a monitor character. White just mocks you for having a monochrome monitor.

[@didierdubos]

It's a SMARTPORT SD emulator. You can choose one 32Mb PRODOS partition out of 4 possible on a sd card. It uses an arduino nano.

[@stephenbelcher]

Have Fun Bruv😃👍

[@rpavlik1]

Wow that is a great packing job... FYI your side cutter link in the description is dead

[@tigheklory]

When you had the tube loose on the table you really should have had the ground also connected to the dag coating on the back, you can easily do this with some picture hanging wire attached to 2 of the tabs. Hey remember the Coleco Adam? That was a interesting computer. LOL.

[@andymouse]

Why ?

[@tigheklory]

@@andymouse because the charge will build up in the tube and can discharge into the chassis when there is enough potential.

[@philg56]

Correct. That cassette was for the system 36. Ours used 10 (I believe) to back up our mainframe. 100 8" floppies. Those were the days.

[@douro20]

I didn't know they had a flexible disk changer. But then if you didn't have the space for 9-track tape...

[@RodBeauvex]

Baucom's Nursery is apparently still around.

[@CapnKetchup]

Slightly disappointed that you didn't use the 70's blanket when protecting the CRT on the bench. :(

[@peregrine1970]

Hrm... I wonder how difficult it would be to remake that neck board on jlcpcb.

[@micflynn1]

I Started with a Tandy coco2 with disk drive, then a C64 with disk drive then an AMIGA 500 with 1084S and extra Disk drive, then a PC 386DX40 computer, then I added a VIC 20, a Commodore plus 4, an Atari 600 and 800 a TI994A a Tandy color computer and a MAXX STEAL robot I found in the garbage! SADLY all of it was thrown away when I moved away and started working in the world.....

[@Rorschach1024]

@Adrian, I don't ever recall you ever having C128's in for repair. Have you?

[@Kikay0n]

Dude! Baucums nursery is just down the street from me!!!! It’s huge and my Freinds went to school with their kids! What a crazy small world. Do you ever ask if info is historical and if the people might like it saved?

[@mattruddick8919]

Green forever ❤️

[@andrewscott1253]

I believe there were a few red phosphor crts.

[@ITGuyinaction]

👍👏🍻🏆👀 Congratulations! Your channel is so interesting! I think there is need for channels about retro equipment repairs... I noticed that hardware things attracts much more viewers than software... at least basing on my small humble experiences here...

[@freeculture]

A bit of combination, fix the hw, then run the sw 🙂

[@ITGuyinaction]

@@freeculture Oh yeah!

[@Dex99SS]

Sooo... you sure that apple connector doesn't solder up to J2 and the middle line. With J1 and the middle line also accommodating another style connector, if utilized that way. The pinout would allow it.

[@stephenbelcher]

I’m profiling my Chinese Chip Designer Counter part Jim, I thought I ought to disclose this to you.

[@t.w.3]

I remember back in the early 90's many people wanted to keep their amber monochrome monitors because the preferred the look and readability. Perhaps all the amber monitors were "used up" due to this?

[@HeffeJeffe78]

Does the QC electrical cleaner have a lubricant as well?

[@adriansdigitalbasement2]

Nope, it simply flushes away whatever is in there (grease included)

[@BCjeffro420]

Nice!

[@WoollyMittens]

I thought I was having a deja-vu, but you told this entire story on a gaming podcast a few weeks ago, right?

[@willallen7757]

shipping companies sure don't mind adding to the e-waste.

[@stevethompson4822]

I was wondering if you or any watchers have a commodore 1750 reu for sale, if not leave a comment where I could find one. I tried to get one on eBay but someone snipped it, I was getting it for my Birthday last Monday, thanks for your time.

[@didierdubos]

"Fragile Manier avec précautions" not Italian but French

[@godzil42]

At 1:48 "Fragile - Manier avec précaution / Fragile - Handle with care": Must be Italian. Ahem. French is definitely not Italian Adrian!

[@tmbarral664]

"fragile - manier avec precaution" ..... Adrian... Italian..... ;)

[@iamshango3005]

The bitten apple. Forever my ass. Little do people know what forever means on the internet.

[@nitroxinfinity]

Tersteeg is probably Dutch and pronounced as; Ter as in Terry (-ry, with a rolling r), Steeg as in Stay + a gutteral G (clearing your throat).

"FRAGILE. Manier avec précaution." Did you not grow up in Montréal??? ;-) There is nothing more French than that!

[@adriansdigitalbasement2]

It's from this movie: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lWG2eqigrMmWaZY

[@twocvbloke]

At least this CRT isn't going to receive a rejuvination... :P

[@Dukefazon]

32:29 - can you change that amber LED to green, to match the CRT? :)

[@adriansdigitalbasement2]

It is possible indeed :-) Maybe I'll do that

[@stephenbelcher]

Vik 10 “ Sexy machine Man✍️”

[@Jkauppa]

crt is nice (when optimized) a nano mask photolithography draw tool

[@Jkauppa]

its also a sub blu-ray dot size disc read-write head, yes like sem/tem imager, you can even look at the mistakes of a blu-ray light burner drive discs

[@Jkauppa]

I wonder if blu-ray discs could be used directly by the e-drive, and added vacuum when disc is inserted

[@Jkauppa]

I bet you could even draw colors with the electron beam, depending on the exposure, or dotter color matrix substrate, then activated to a rgbw level per dot, 3/4 pixel dots

[@Jkauppa]

ie permanently activated color pixels, more than 1-bit per pixel, the color level 0 to 255, yes like a nano/micro film, or image storage on the disc surface

[@Jkauppa]

or just deposit some amount of ions of various atom species to have them to be some value or a number base

[@stephenbelcher]

Can use Donor Board components : 2times Shematics one reverse engineered: Set Theory: { Two infinite numbers: Russell’s Parodox:]:u Man✍️

[@soteful9949]

0:40 that's what she said

[@jk180]

rejuvenation candidate?

[@andrewdunbar828]

Actually our eyes are least sensitive to blue as I understand it. They are most sensitive to red and green.

[@stephanemignot100]

You're Canadian, fragile is French :)

[@mrnmrn1]

Both Adrian and you are kidding? Yes, I'm pretty sure that fragile is a French word originally, but adapted to English as well, with the same spelling. Sting even has a big hit with that title! I don't speak French, and English is not my first language either.

[@adriansdigitalbasement2]

LOL -- kzbin.info/www/bejne/lWG2eqigrMmWaZY It's from this movie

[@mrnmrn1]

@@adriansdigitalbasement2 Aaahh... I suspected (and hoped) this must be some kind of reference. I might have seen this movie 20+ years ago, but with Hungarian dub. Now I really wonder how they translated that part. Translating language related jokes and puns to a different language is hard, often impossible. Poor translators had a hard time with the movie Airplane, for example.

[@stephenbelcher]

: { Tango Mike Charlie Bravo Screen Man😃✍️

[@Nas_Atlas]

oops i accidentally rebuilt a monitor during a mail call

[@phreapersoonlijk]

I'm an amber boy.

[@Aeduo]

Plain unlabeled cartridge? Sus. Either porn or the start of a creepypasta.

[@stephenbelcher]

:{ Beautiful Alpha November Foxtrot November Romeo Machines Man😃✍️

[@SonicBoone56]

I swear sellers are the dumbest people on earth when it comes to shipping electronics. Ironic that the viewer themselves packaged it much better. We should stop giving terrible sellers any money and make a PSA on how to properly package stuff.

[@williamsquires3070]

if (!highVoltage) { for (uint32 i=0; i

[@chloedevereaux1801]

fragile is the english spelling for the word fragile!!!!!

[@stephanemignot100]

Or French

[@adriansdigitalbasement2]

I think most people lost the joke -- it's from a movie: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lWG2eqigrMmWaZY

[@rommix0]

@@adriansdigitalbasement2 Which is sad because Christmas Story is a classic movie.

[@brianterrill9587]

ROYGBIV.

[@darkwinter6028]

Totally tubular, dude! 😜