Building a VIC-20 in 2021

I'm building a Commodore VIC-20 replica based on the Vicky Twenty PCB. // Kindly sponsored by PCBWay. 4th PCB Design Contest: www.pcbway.com/activity/4th-p...
Vicky 20 replica PCB from Bob's Bits: www.tindie.com/products/bobsb...
Parts kit from the Run Stop Re-Store: retro8bitshop.com/product/par...
Vicky 20 Bill of Materials: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Penultimate+ Cartridge: www.thefuturewas8bit.com/shop...
My Sixtyclone C64 replica build video: • Building a new C64 in ...
My lazy DIY C64/VIC-20 power supply build video: • Building a DIY C64 Pow...
My better (less lazy) C64/VIC-20 power supply build video: • Building a new C64 Pow...
TIME STAMPS:
0:00 Introduction
1:47 What's in the boxes?
5:21 Sponsor Message
6:10 Soldering Setup
7:16 Resistors
12:09 Ceramic and Film Capacitors
15:57 Tantalum Capacitors
18:13 Electrolytic Capacitors
19:30 Trimmers
20:01 IC Sockets
25:13 Remaining Components
31:02 Connectors
32:34 Populating ICs
36:28 Initial Testing
38:14 Tweaking Trimmers
39:27 Final Testing
42:11 Thank you & Good night
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MUSIC by FOCUS 10 focus10music.bandcamp.com
EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS I USE: kit.co/janbeta *
TWITTER: / thejanbeta
PATREON: / janbeta
WEBSITE: www.janbeta.net
TWITCH: / thejanbeta
YT CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP: / @janbeta
This video was sponsored by PCBWay.
Thanks for watching!
* Stuff marked with "*" contains affiliate links. You don't pay anything extra and I get a little commission from everything you buy through the links (even if you buy something different there).
#JanBeta #Commodore #Vicky20

[@synthoelectro]

I didn't have rich parents in 84, so I got a VIC-20 and was plenty happy, later I got the Tandy Color Computer II, it's nice to see people suddenly revisiting the VIC-20 these last few years.

[@albertmorris4889]

Ventilation fans because "I don't want to die". I am 66+ years old, have been building and repairing electronics since I was 10, never used vent fans and usually in a smaller windowless room. I have had no related health issues and I AM still alive and building!

[@JanBeta]

I was exaggerating a tiny little bit. I’ve done quite some soldering without any proper ventilation in my lifetime, too. Doesn’t hurt to be careful about it though I guess. ;)

[@gertsy2000]

Well done Jan Beta. One for the books. Fired up first go. Was great to see how excited you were.

[@JanBeta]

Thanks! I was genuinely surprised when it worked right away. Not used to that. :D

[@BottIsNotABot]

The joy on your face upon first power-up! Love it.

[@Starchface]

A new VC-20 is born! Works like a champ. Very good Jan Beta! What kind of case will Vicky Twenty be living in? I would add a step before populating the ICs. One can check for short circuits of the power rails and measure the overall resistance with an ohmmeter. Another thing that can be done is to power the board without any ICs to make sure the correct voltages are present, and that there is no release of magic smoke. This won't catch every mistake, but it greatly reduces the risk of damage to precious vintage ICs.

[@CanadianRetroThings]

A very nice project! I like these replica boards a lot more than emulators, especially knowing you can replace a damaged board if needed.

[@hajow9303]

Enjoy your stroopwafels Jan!

[@mountainpeakonline]

Wow! That was pretty epic. Nice job Jan.

[@JanBeta]

Thank you! :)

[@painkillergko]

Jan, you have a great skills!

[@MD_il_microcanale]

Hi Jan, first of all happy holidays! that card is really nice!

[@kacikretrogracza]

Super Arbeit, Ich habe nicht gedacht das der Rechner sofort ohne Probleme startet. Suuuper, weiter so. 😀👍👍👍👍

[@JanBeta]

Vielen Dank! Ich war selbst ein bisschen überrascht, dass es auf Anhieb geklappt hat. :D

[@brostenen]

Good job.... And congrats on a new VIC-20. Can't wait to see what you will build next.

[@JanBeta]

Thanks! More builds coming soon. ;)

[@brostenen]

@@JanBeta Cool.... Cant wait to see what type of machine you will build. C64, Atari or perhaps an 8088 XT.

[@richardhead8264]

*18:59* _That metallic green electrolytic with radial leads is _*_beautiful!!_* 💚

[@JanBeta]

It’s a Nichicon Muse cap. Quite overkill for a filter cap in a computer power supply section but it’s beautiful indeed. ;)

[@richardhead8264]

@@JanBeta _Thank you for replying with the make and model of that cap!_ _I went straight to eBay and found a few of them._ _But the prices from China were so low that I felt skeptical about their authenticity._

[@curiousottman]

That is quite impressive that it worked first try. Your patience and dedication to excellence no doubt played a major role in the outcome.

[@JanBeta]

Thanks! I was genuinely surprised it worked right away myself. :D

[@antonw.zimakos8981]

Congratulation! Best regards from Kazakhstan! You are cool dude!!!

[@JanBeta]

Thanks! :)

[@pheorat9439]

Great video. Hopefully sometime soon I can do this project.

[@jeffreyphipps1507]

I love these new boards!

[@JanBeta]

Yes, unbelievable and amazing that these exist and are still being developed for more elderly systems. :) (Also thanks so much for your incredibly generous donation! Wow!)

[@michaelmiller3724]

My uncle, many years ago now, sent me a VIC 20 and a tape drive, several tape and books. It changed my life. I wish Commodore was still around, I still believe to this day that the C64 is the best computer ever made. I never had one but I could still play lunar lander and type in games in BASIC. These days I only use linux because I still feel that its different even though it's pretty stagnant. I'm sorry to say, and feel that the best days of computing are behind us. But thats just how I feel.

[@nerdygeezer78]

Great build as always 👌

[@HappyLittleDiodes]

So much fun, like shiny Lego. Great work

[@JanBeta]

Thank you! It felt a bit like assembling Lego indeed. :)

[@RobA500]

Great work Jan, just need a case and you’ve got a wonderful new old computer for the collection.👍🏻

[@JanBeta]

Thanks! I hope I am going to find a nice case for it eventually. :)

[@IanSlothieRolfe]

Looks like a fun project, we just need a replacement for the VIC chip now, those things are pretty rare. This board is a great option for someone with a corroded VIC20 PCB however, as repairing PCBs with link wires and solder bodges can be tricky if there is more than a trivial amount of damage to the board. Often rare chips can be "recovered" (e.g. repinned) if badly corroded, but PCBs can be more of a problem.

[@peacefrog5099]

There is. Adrian's Digital Basement shows it off

[@r3rossi]

@@peacefrog5099 That was for the VIC-II. :)

[@peacefrog5099]

Sorry, yes it was. I mis-read you comment. Lol

[@IanSlothieRolfe]

@@peacefrog5099 Well I'm glad theres a VIC II replacement too, although C64s are not exactly rare, restorable ones are dissapearing fast as more and more tatty ones get dismantled for parts.

[@peacefrog5099]

True. Hopefully the people doing the VIC II will make a replacement for the VIC

[@donaldblakley6796]

Nice work buddy. I love how you get so excited about it. Same here when I fix one:) I have 1 vic20 with original box and gold label with the old power supply. I also have another one with the 64 power supply with the ureo keys.. missing the f7. Has the weird blue plungers that don't work with a 64 or most vics. Just needs a 6560-101chip. It's on the back burner, but someday. I've had bad luck with ordering fake chips. Anyways love your work and dedication. Going to keep watching

[@ConsolesRetro]

C’est un projet vraiment fun! Bien joué 👍😄

[@giuseppelavecchia775]

Jan,ricordi quello che ho detto nel video dove hai assemblato la motherboard replica che hai messo nel C64c trasparente?,ti ho detto che sei un genio,ora lo ripeto,tu sei un GENIO !!,una cosa così può farla solo uno con le tue capacità.ECCELLENTE !!!!

[@ingodiekmann8321]

Congratulations, well done ! Some good Tipps for beginners too, thx.

[@JanBeta]

Thank you! Hope this inspires some peeps to try building it. Such a rewarding experience. :)

[@GORF_EMPIRE]

Nicely done Mr. Beta!

[@YogSothoth1969]

Klasse, sieht stark aus!!!! Gruss, Michael

[@JanBeta]

Vielen Dank!

[@andreiciora2765]

Very Nice video Jan . I hope you will continue to make videous like this one .

[@JanBeta]

Thanks! Yes, I have a couple similar projects on the list currently. :)

[@bits2646]

Why is it so fun to look the speed up process of soldering :DD

[@JanBeta]

I sometimes wish the speed up would work in real life. ;)

[@ojbeez5260]

Awesome video, explains it all really well.

[@JanBeta]

Thank you!

[@paulmichaelfreedman8334]

I have a nearly pristine VIC20 here, found it in the trash. Haven't tested everything but it does start up. Love the "Run/Stop Re-store" brand name, very original!

[@sdrc92126]

20 goto 10. The hello world of the 8-bit home computer era

[@jengelenm]

Great build, very nice!

[@JanBeta]

Thank you! :)

[@TODESHAMMEL]

Nice band shirt you've got there!

[@manuelomana7892]

Excelente video, Saludos...

[@donaldhoot7741]

Cool! 8 bitguy just did one too. We compare.

[@buffalodebill7986]

Roughly @0:39: To all those who do not speak / understand German - in that language, the letter "v" is read as "f" and the word it produces is similar to a particularly popular one in English language - to get an idea, keep the 'f' and just replace the "i" in the name of the machine with a "u" and you get that popular English word :-) BTW I read, that in Commodore they realized this only after some 'friendly feedback' from their German sales-rep, which - if true - would make it just a hilarious story :-D LbnL a very nice video.

[@charliezinger8104]

Amiga Bill claims your a fake and a lier. He said it on the stream live 200 people watching. He had a laugh, at your expense. It was wonderful.

[@buffalodebill7986]

​@@charliezinger8104 What?

[@charliezinger8104]

@@buffalodebill7986 see my post above, if you would like to enter a response to Amiga Bills accusations, I will deliver it. Best of luck

[@buffalodebill7986]

Amiga Bills - ??????????? Again - WHAT?

[@endlesswanderer1753]

@@charliezinger8104 This is the weirdest bait to watch some rando's Twitch channel I've ever seen lmao.

[@luisdardis5223]

liked this!! great job!! ty!

[@JanBeta]

Thanks!

[@luisdardis5223]

@@JanBeta ty 2 u!!

[@wolfi1078]

Hi Jan, nice project and very nice to watch! For bending the legs of the resistors, diodes, etc. I really recommend to use a bending gauge (German: "Biegelehre"). It costs only a vew bugs, makes the job much easier and reduces stress on the components. As a side effect it looks also more professional.

[@JanBeta]

Yes, I’ve been meaning to get one of those for ages but never got around to it… :D

[@sameregarde]

Danke Jan fuer dieses super video ist sicher ein spassiges puzzle mich wuerde interessieren ob diese maschine besser leauft als ein original vic 20?

[@01Hudesohn]

Wie geil... Flash Back..

[@Sephnroth]

I love these builds so much! The videos are inspiring and very educational for starting amateurs too. The thing that confuses me most though is flux and when to use it. It’s often used silently or off camera (by a lot of different people!) and I’m never sure about it 😅 was any used in this build??

[@jeroentaverne8232]

Flux is mainly used for SMD work, but can also help with old solder joints. Soldering wire has flux inside.

[@valshaped]

Flux prevents the buildup of oxides on the surface of the solder. Oxides will break surface tension, which will make your solder stringy and hard to manage. If you're getting tin whiskers even on leaded solder, or your solder joints look gross and lumpy, you need to add (a small amount of) flux. Usually, solder will be made with a flux core, meaning you don't need to add any *extra* flux unless you run into problems or need to use surface tension in some way (soldering SMD parts without shorting pins, especially) TL;DR flux makes solder bead up on your iron and your components instead of globbing out everywhere.

[@gaborszabo6406]

Excellent!

[@JohnSweevo]

Nice video, thank you. BTW you can get a IC pin straighter on Amazon for about £5 and they work great

[@FaiRLanesWorld]

Hi Jan. Really love this video. When you build this Vicky-20 is this easier to build up, comparing to C64 clone? and is there all needed components in this BOM ? i mean every component (nothing missing) or do you need to find out some components from your own storage?

[@TheRealBlackspawn]

"It just works!" Applause! :D

[@jabbawok944]

Both you and Adrian Black have excellent taste in music. And I don’t mean the 8bit dance party.

[@davidegalliussi1979]

You are Great!! video output is s-video? ..in the future I hope they will make the FPGA for the Commodore RGB

[@RudysRetroIntel]

Excellent work! Hopefully someday all the chips can be replaced with newer versions

[@francoisleveille409]

The MOS 6502 can be replaced with Rockwell R65C02 which can still be found in surplus stores. The Western Design Center makes and sell the W65C02 which can be used as a replacement with a bit of adaptation explained on their web site. The MOS 6522 can be directly replaced with the W65C22N -> the N at the end is VERY important as the W65C22S has compatibility issues also explained on Western Design Center's web site. Only the 6560/6561 can only be found in an old VIC-20. All other parts can be purchased new or have equivalent substitutes available.

[@jdryyz]

The accident report has now become relative.

[@stephenbruce8320]

That's a cool project. I have both versions of the VC20 (ahem) Yea not going to post a bad Germain Word. Ya know why put it in a Commodore case when you can build something like an Acrylic Case where you can see and show off your fine work plus if you leave the sides open you will not have air flow issues. When my grandkids were here for a visit they found the A500++ board on my bench more interesting than my other computers. I have some motherboards I am thinking of putting in frames to hang on the wall. Sourcing parts can be sometimes be a pain but if your like me your going to buy more than you need which means you end up with a lot of spare parts which is good if you work on a wide range of things and wasteful if you do not. Having a kit available is very nice. Resister color codes was beaten in to my head in the 1970's which did me no good because I was more into Drafting then I got bit by computers and thought I have no need for electronics and that all changed in the 1980's when I found myself repairing stuff because I could not afford to pay others to do it for me and then I was doing repair work for others. Today I am still repairing things both for myself and yea for work.

[@tenminutetokyo2643]

Can you also do one on the differences between the PAL and NTSC versions? Especially the VIC and surrounding circuitry.

[@robwebster7406]

Just to let you know the A500++ went ok, had some bad ram chips, but got some Ebay chips and running well, hope you do a vid on it soon, and would like to see you back up battery mod, I have left mine blank at the mo.

[@dirkheuen2323]

Hey Jan, klasse Idee. nur hab ich das problem das ich die platine bei PCBWAY nicht finde. kann man die NUR über dich bestellen, oder bfrauchen die dafür nen Muster ? nebenher gefragt , gibt es deine videos auch in Deutsch, wäre klasse von dir zu lesen

[@ErKtheErK]

I've done years of CNC. Exotic alloys, beryllium, you name it. Some stuff you should be in 100% sealed respirators for...we weren't. Soldering is the least of my worries, to be honest. Following best practices is always best though. Good job on encouraging.

[@paulmichaelfreedman8334]

30:20 FULLL BRIDGE RECCTIFIERRR

[@ITGuyinaction]

😎👍🤓 Your channel is really great. I also like a lot of retro computers and have few videos about them. However I've never tried to build my new old computer. Perhaps should I try this as well?

[@JanBeta]

Thanks! I’m going to check out your channel. I can only recommend this project. Great fun and very rewarding. :)

[@ITGuyinaction]

@@JanBeta You are welcome! Don't delay this too much! Concerning building computer by myself I'm sure that it would give me a lot of fun and satisfaction! I will often visit your channel! Your videos are great! 👍 🍀

[@ralfr.5974]

Very Cool!! 😎

[@JanBeta]

Thank you!

[@__None838]

A video without troubleshooting. 🍀

[@robwebster7406]

Thank you for the great video 👍 i’m In the middle of moving parts of an a500+ with bad varta damage to a lovely new a500++ pcb 😊 could only get it in black so lots of cleaning afterwards 🤣

[@JanBeta]

Nice! I plan to do the same thing eventually. I got a nice purple A500++ sitting here waiting to be populated. Good luck with your build!

[@robwebster7406]

Can’t wait to see your build of the A500++ I liked the purple one but they was sold out, but the black one is growing on me. I’m around 1/2 into it now.

[@BocaRetroGames]

Yes!

[@P2PC]

Very fitting to watch while I'm doing electronics collage work. Nice work Jan 👍

[@JanBeta]

Haha, nice! Thank you. :)

[@P2PC]

@@JanBeta No probs. Your channel has been a real inspiration for me and has taught me alot about the workings of retro machines, mainly from your c64 repair videos. You have inspired me to develop my own 16 bit CPU and system architecture, of which I have been designing in Logisim Evolution. Im hoping to get the hardware developed soon and possibly into an FPGA or such. Yet again my deepest thanks for your amazing channel and work, stay strong 👍

[@JohnSmith-uu5ov]

The Vic 20 was the first games machine I owned, and Gorf to was the first video game I played, I was just thinking about that and all today, yup I'm definitely living in the Matrix :p

[@verishare]

Awesome video and kit. I would have tested the power rails first before inserting the ICs.

[@JanBeta]

Thanks! Testing the power rails is always a good idea obviously. In this case, as i said in the video, the voltage that powers the ICs is coming more or less directly from the power supply, so there’s not much risk of damage if that is known to be good. Still a good idea to double check but as usual I was too impatient to be extra careful (which sometimes backfires). ;)

[@napomania]

i have seen another vic20kit. i mean the one with internat dip switch with the change the memory inside. i don't know if you have seen one of the last video of the 8 bit guy.. cheers

[@angrydove4067]

I thought this was going to the white board project which The 8 Bit Guy just built. Too bad this one didn't add S-Video. "I don't want to die!" LOL Good video

[@oleurgast730]

You should put it into an acrilic case, as it looks realy nice. Than make a mech64 and use it as an external keyboard in a customiced external case.

[@matchboxcustomsandrestos]

I had to laugh when you said you didnt want to die while soldering. LOL. I want to do this project. Looks like fun.

[@JanBeta]

Yeah, a bit exaggerated maybe… :D It definitely is a fun project, I can recommend trying it!

[@7MPhonemicEnglish]

So I wonder if there is a PROM or EPROM with the OS from the component supplier?

[@dundeemink3847]

Resistor colour codes? or just measure them with a multi meter.

[@herrbonk3635]

But VIC 20 has a few totally non standard components (such as the VIC IC). Where did they get that those?

[@HifiCentret]

I noticed the CPU is a 6502 rather than the 6510 (which is a 6502 with some logics). Can u use a modern 6502 in there instead of the MOS ?

[@konsolendoc]

Very Nice

[@JanBeta]

Thank you!

[@OzRetrocomp]

Too many working VIC20 boards and not enough VIC20 cases seems like an odd problem to have. Not a bad problem, but an odd one. :)

[@8bits59]

The cases are pretty notorious for being damage-prone. ABS with no internal support likes to break if something is stored on top of it or if something falls on it.

[@Kakariki73]

I actually have the opposite experience, as a kid I once accidentally dropped my 'breadbin' C64 from a stairwell and I saw it litterly bounce down from the steps and it hadn't even a scratch, all keys still in place and probably non of the ICs popped out while it still worked. But trust me, i grew my first grey hair at the age of 10 when this happened 🤣

[@8BitRetroReFix]

Nice work Jan ... I've done a c64 407 & 466 ... mite just have to do a vic20 now ....

[@brostenen]

I have done the 466 as well. In the process of finishing up an ATX64 these days.

[@JanBeta]

Thanks! I’ve done the 466 Sixtyclone as well. So much fun putting together your own computer. :)

[@brostenen]

@@JanBeta Indeed.

[@8BitRetroReFix]

@@JanBeta Awesome board ... I missed out on buying the Apple 2 add on unit Spartan .. if had got it would have sent it to them. So they could do a board for that too .. i bet loads of people would wanted that :)

[@BaumInventions]

Nice

[@mrcarrepairman]

Good video but The 8-bit Guy was first on the ball Jan 😂😂

[@ridiculous_gaming]

Isn't your starting little 8 bit music from Flip N Flop? If I am wrong, please correct me.

[@JanBeta]

Yes, it’s the little melody that plays when you start a game of Flip and Flop. Recorded from a slightly wonky SID chip. ;)

[@MrPGT]

The current number of days without an accident seems to be equal to the previous record, given that e should be equal to mc squared.

[@fliplefrog8843]

Hallo Jan, ich hab da mal ne 'dumme' Frage.. Hast Du fuer dieses Vid Untertitel aktiviert? Weiss nicht, wie das bei YT funzt, aber hier und da schalten sich einfach ungefragt die Untertitel an (also generell!), und ich muss sie abschalten. Das nervt total :D ich moechte das selbst entscheiden! Hast Du ne Ahnung wie das zustande kommt? Lieben Dank, und wie immer ein cooles Vid!!

[@JanBeta]

Das hab ich bei mir auch bei anderen Videos. Scheint ein Problem von KZbin zu sein, das immer mal wieder auftritt. Ich habe zwar bei meinen Videos immer Untertitel hinzugefügt, aber die sollten nicht „von alleine“ erscheinen, sondern eigentlich explizit aktiviert werden müssen. Tut mir leid, wenn das bei dir nervig automatisch passiert. Kann leider nix daran ändern von meiner Seite aus.

[@fliplefrog8843]

@@JanBeta Hey dafuer kannst Du nix!! Finde es toll, dass die Option da ist! YT nervt anscheinend, das einem willkuerlich aufzudraengen. Das war im Grunde die Frage: Isses der KZbinr, oder YT. Hatte sogar die Glotze in verdacht.

[@rager1969]

Any plans to to do either the Apple I or Apple II kits?

[@JanBeta]

Actually yes. ;)

[@marekgowacz3890]

hello Jan! Since some time I'm following your channel and actually you have "infected" me to work on some C64 stuff :) I'm rookie let me say for what concerns electronics, soldering and so on. Nevertheless I took the challenge to save some old C64 from death. I've bougth very chip, butchered mainboard 250425 which requires lot of parts to be put and soldered again. So I'm starting my adventure with power section on my mainboard and here first difficult point is rectifire bride BA20 (item CR4 as recalled by mainboard layout). I have to admit it not that easy to find it and purchase now. Would you reccomend something to me? As I watched this video I see now there are totally different rectifires used.

[@JanBeta]

Glad to hear the videos "infected" you! :D As for the bridge rectifier, you can basically use any model that has the same square footprint and can take a couple of amps (the 9V rail is around 1A maximum in the C64, most rectifiers of a similar size as the original one can take way more). I've been using the slightly larger KBPC 610 in many of my refurbished C64s for example. You have to bend the legs a bit to fit them. But any other square rectifier will do.

[@Bartosh.S]

How its going?

[@chrisyboy219]

Is there a reason to not just use ceramic capacitors throughout? 2.2uf and 10uf very common ceramic values now and they are nice and reliable.

[@JanBeta]

I think the main reason for the tantalum caps is that they have tighter tolerances. And obviously this is a 1:1 replica, so it uses the same kind of caps as the original because of that. Most likely, modern ceramic caps would be absolutely fine.

[@Stefan_Payne]

there is also another version available, the VIC-2020, which uses mostly newer, off the shelves components - except for one chip. But the PCB Layout, for some reason, is different and it doesn't have the casette port.

[@JanBeta]

Yes, I just watched the 8-bit guy talking about that one. I think it’s missing the cassette port and the User Port because those have 9V on the pins. The creator of the board wanted it to be powered by a 5V supply so he left the connectors out. Very interesting project though with some nice upgrades and more modern components integrated on the board.

[@Stefan_Payne]

@@JanBeta yes, its absolutely an interesting product. It should be possible to generate the 9VAC out of the 5V DC Input, though it might be rather complicated and also expensive as there might not be off the shelve components and you might need to design such a thing yourself... Though a really interesting product, especially since it uses mostly newer components, except for the VIC Chip.

[@Ffinity]

@@JanBeta It wouldn't be too much work to integrate a Final Expansion 3 into the motherboard, and make the ultimate expanded VIC.

[@prawnmikus]

I've watched this twice already -- once when half asleep! A lot of fun. Jan, maybe this is a good idea, or it's been done?: Can you build (3d print) a case for just the C64 keyboard, and make a nice thin flexible cable with the breakout at the end for pins? So something like a modern keyboard, but instead of a USB connection it would have the old C64 connector. Maybe just bundle all of the wires and sheath to form a cable, or do some modern electronics to reduce the cable count to 4 wires (power/data) and encode/decode at each end. It would be cool to have a standalone keyboard just for the amount of testing/repairs you do.

[@wolvenar]

Eventually we will have replacement boards for every old system it seems

[@BilisNegra]

But not for all the chips, which is a bummer...

[@azzajohnson2123]

@@BilisNegra Yeah was not mentioned that the VIC Video Chips are now getting rare and they don't make them anymore. You need one to get this system going, so effectively you need to find a working vic video chip to get this project working.

[@Kakariki73]

Am quite sure there will be a solution for the few remaining ICs that aren't replicated yet in the nearby future and else FPGA can do the trick as well, heck the Ultimate 64and the Spectrum Next is a good example of what a FPGA can do for us retro lovers 😉

[@Yellowjellobelly11]

i find the best way to get rid of those pesky solder fumes is to simply breathe them in

[@awilliams1701]

I actually enjoy soldering. It's desoldering that I can't stand. Granted I have garbage equipment. I just replaced the cartridge port on my C64 because de-oxit was no longer working. I sadly damaged a trace. But it's in tact, just not attached on the board. I soldered the trace to the leg and it works fine. But yeah, my C64 is in perfect working order now! I also hadn't bothered adjusting the lumafix built into my VIC-2² mod. I tried that. Sadly it didn't change anything. I kept turning it until it clicked. Nothing. I turned it the other direction until it clicked. Nothing. Sadly the picture quality isn't the greatest. It has a bit of a checkerboard pattern.

[@MrWaalkman]

Nice build! But FB16 sure looks like it could use a dab of solder...

[@JanBeta]

I‘m going to touch it up ASAP! :)

[@DenCanyon]

Beta is Back!

[@neophytealpha]

If only they still made new of all the chips in a Commodore 64.

[@KorAllRBare]

Even though this project and other projects associated with the C64 can be had via the MiSter game console kit, are we the last to prefer an independent Vic20 and a independent C64, Amiga, Sega, Atari, NES, SNES? Why cant people see the closer we can own a system to the original is far better than a system that is 100's of game consoles and computers all in a single package for well under $100 is just not the same?

[@Kakariki73]

I totally agree.. well.. you see, i do not mind modern FPGA solutions as long they allow the original connectivity like connecting a 1541 or datasette, not possible on a mister but very possible on a Ultimate 64 for example. So yeah, I don't mind modern stuff as long it honors the classic original including the h/w compatibility. Then again, I have a attic full with old gear, so for someone who didn't kept his old hardware around but like to play a few games I can't really blame them buying a The64 or a Mister or even using a raspi emulator to enjoy a game now and then. But I'm a hardware person, I prefer the real deal or at least a compatible one on the h/w level 👌🏻

[@NerdlyPleasures]

This is a nice board, but couldn't they have had a bit more ambition with the design like adding a few extra holes and pins for an 8-pin DIN for S-Video output?

[@prawnmikus]

I was hoping for a standard VIC-20, but with maximum RAM, and an HDMI/S-Video output on the board. Might as well pimp it out if building from scratch.

[@Doug_in_NC]

I was hoping for at least an S video fix with the existing connector to be included,especially as the newer VIC 20s have worse composite output than the older 9V ones.

[@thegreeno]

This BOM is BOM!

[@charliezinger8104]

Hello Jan Beta, I am coming to Germany for a holiday. Please set up a Jan Beta fan meet up at the Gungan Cafe on sept 7th at 11 am. Thank you Mr. Beta I will see you there.

[@Ffinity]

Good luck with that, but I really think you should have asked much earlier and in a less demanding way!

[@charliezinger8104]

@@Ffinity you are welcome to come as well! If you do show up with your attitude I will ask you to leave! You get more nice with sugar then dirt!

[@blackterminal]

Great now fit a rf shield. Lol.

[@borealis75]

Your 6522 chips seem to be chinese repainted ones, but doesn't matter, they work. :D

[@mbosschaart]

Yeah, they are refurbed chips, but 6522's are very easy to get and plenty full and therefore cheap.. To keep in the theme I thought grabbing some MOS printed ones was appropriate :)

[@macdonalds1972]

The Future Was 8-Bit need to release their altered open source designs according to the licenses of those original designs. I'm surprised they haven't gotten sued by yet.

[@mbosschaart]

Sued by who, and why, and on what?

[@JanBeta]

What exactly are they copying that is under license? Genuine question. As far as I know, the Penultimate cart was designed from scratch and saw quite a few iterations that are all publicly documented. The software is licensed or open at this point.

[@Xoferif]

I really don't get the purpose of the three-hole positions for the tantalum capacitors. Anyone have any ideas?

[@buffalodebill7986]

Maybe a "Designed by advocates of toxic masculinity." thing.. :-)

[@amirpourghoureiyan1637]

Probably because you can't mess up the polarity, on the ones IBM used - the negative lead is always in the middle. Helpful for saving time during the manufacturing process.

[@Xoferif]

@@amirpourghoureiyan1637 Ah, so there are 3-lead versions of tantalum caps. I haven't seen them. That makes more sense, then. Thanks, Amir!