C64 power supply on the yellowest C128 in the world

[@Kapcaniew]

I've seen oranging like that before - on old laboratory equipment. I'd bet it was used in a lab that had strong UV lamps for disinfection. They are usually left overnight, and are much stronger than sunlight in UV spectrum. We had to cover the displays on centrifuges with paper, because the UV matted the transparent plastic screen covers, even on new equipment.

[@Anacronian]

When I was a kid we used to call the 128 the cheese wedge, We had no idea how prophetic that was.

[@umageddon]

It musta fallen asleep on the beach

[@Maxxarcade]

Holy crap, that thing must have been sitting near a window and baking in the sun for ages. I'm surprised the plastic didn't crumble during handling.

[@DavidScheiber]

looks like the logo still has the plastic protective film on it

[@cyphi474]

I think it was school computer for long time. That plastic push sticker would suggest that, intense yellowing could be result of fluorescent light tubes, commonly used in schools and offices(and almost never turned off).

[@knuxify]

Golden C128? ;D Seriously, it's so yellowed it looks like paint.

[@amiman23]

Maybe it was in a yellow submarine?;)

[@AunCollective]

Yeah. It almost looks like it was designed to look like that.

[@nacabaro3737]

Looks like the computer had a good sun tan.

[@AShifter]

It looks so consistent in some places that it looks like Commodore could have released a special Orange edition C128.

[@TheFakeVIP]

AShifter Nice to see you here. How amazing would something like that be? I wonder if people will collect all the different coloured iPhones in 20 years.

[@Zadkiel343]

I would have used the DIN5 socket with a DIN7 plug and some wires to make an 'adapter' that would have allowed you to plug the C64 PSu into the C128 without making any motherboard mods.

[@mattalki]

My original Kenner Millennium Falcon from 1979 is that yellowed. I haven't tried retrobriting it yet, and I'm excited to see if you have any success. Nice work on the power brick!

[@DerMartexus]

Very good work! Only my parents' curtains were that yellow/brown, when everybody still smoked inside.

[@Renville80]

And I would have gone with an external adapter as well... with the number of computers that come through the Basement, it would only make sense to take that approach instead.

[@gyrgrls]

I see a yellow computer and I want it painted black...

[@wasd____]

♪ No yellows anymore I want them to turn black... ♫

[@megan_alnico]

@@adriansdigitalbasement I like the orange. You should just paint it orange. Make it all nice and even. Maybe add a few black pin or competition stripes. It would be amazing.

[@herbiehusker1889]

Wait that's not a red door.

[@cbmeeks]

@@megan_alnico I have an Apple IIe that is yellowed. But the interesting part is that the yellowing is so uniform, that it actually looks good! I know it's not the original color because it's closer to a dark tan. I'm leaving it as-is because it actually doesn't look bad.

[@brostenen]

I kind of see a red/white finish when I think spraypainting a C128. The C64-c need to be dark grey and a breadbin can get a green or orange color.

[@TheAndjelika]

I was taking care always of my Commodore 64, with the proper sun cream :D

[@marinahildebrand5868]

My 2nd C64C looked almost the same when it arrived. And it was reeking from decades of smoking. It took me 3 whole days of Retr0brite with new Peroxide every day to get it back to the original color. I can still smell a whiff of smoke when close to it, even after a thorough scrubbing.

[@compufood]

I got a Mac SE/30 last year that was as yellowed as this one, and I didn't even bother retrobrighting it! Had a feeling it wouldn't turn out great.

[@brostenen]

I would paint it, if I had a machine that yellow. I fear they are too yellow to be safely retro brighted.

[@LarryDeSilva64]

You never cease to Amaze me at how you are able to troubleshoot these old computers and get them to work. Guess it must be your dedication to your computer collection.

[@countersurprise]

Hi Adrian just wanted to let you know that I really enjoy your videos. I appreciate the effort you put in them and the high quality work as well as your comprehensive explanations. Hope to see more soon and greetings from a cold Europe.

[@jscollett]

Wow that is so yellow! Maybe even a khaki color. Great video. Glad you got it working. I personally would have made a pigtail adapter but love the mod too. Can't wait to see the follow up videos! Keep up the awesome work!

[@paulschmidt7473]

I would probably try to obtain 10cm or so of 5 conductor cable, a square connector and a 5 pin DIN jack, then solder the right lines onto the correct pins, at each end, then you don't need to modify the computer. You just plug your adaptor cable into the power supply and into the computer.

[@DaveCurran]

You can do the same thing with the plus/4. It has a square 4 pin DIN, and uses the same voltages / current ratings as the C64. The 4 pin square DIN lines up exactly with the matching pins on the 7 pin round DIN, and many plus/4 boards actually have the extra holes for a 7pin, so you can just drop one it. I did one recently for an upcoming plus/4 repair blog post.

[@DaveCurran]

@@adriansdigitalbasement No, there are no swapped pins, it is a direct replacement. You can even fit the 4 pin square DIN to a C64 if you really wanted to. But I prefer to stick with the same 7 pin DIN so I can use the same home made power supply that I trust on all of them.

[@DaveCurran]

@@adriansdigitalbasement Most of them are, the 8501's are a bit of an issue these days, unless you are lucky enough to get one with a 7501.

[@drshazam8722]

Is it bad to say I like it better yellow?

[@Randgalf]

No, I actually like the retro-yellowed tint on old computers much better too.

[@alexanderblake5780]

@Vikrinox That's what I thought.

[@massimogiussani4493]

@@Riskteven I have bought this 5 Liter 12% h2o2 from Amazon Deutschland this which is just 13 euro plus shipping. It is really good for retrobrighting (submersion technique): www.amazon.de/gp/aw/d/B07J12VS4L/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[@bundesautobahn7]

Take it to the 8-Bit Guy with a retrobrite challenge. ;)

[@borismatesin]

David would have a field day with this.

[@Xs2...]

Why should he ? Adrian has a retro-bright box in-house he can use.

[@borismatesin]

That's true, just thinking out how both of them would give retrobrighting it a shot with different approaches.

[@cbmeeks]

@@Xs2... true, but David has Texas. Lots of sun. :-D I have TN so we have lots of sun too. Well, except this month. Rainy season around here.

[@rebelrailz.]

@@cbmeeks TN here as well.

[@andrewrobotbuilder]

I'm practically itching to see what a trip to the retrobright process would do to it. Nice work!

[@borismatesin]

Glad to see the machine's working! Yours seems to behave unusually about the 40/80 switch - usually when it's not pressed it works in 40-col. mode, and when it is, it works in 80-col. mode. Can't wait to see it getting a retrobright! For the 80-column display, the easiest way is to get a monochrome signal out of it from pin 7 (mono) and pin 1 (GND) to a regular cinch. If you want full-color, I think any CGA/RGBI monitor should do the trick (as the 128 outputs a TTL RGBIHV signal). The only trick is that the monitor should have a "brown circuit" inside it that converts dark yellow pixels into brown ones (by halving the green signal for that pixel) - it will definitely work without it, but the palette won't be as complete.

[@borismatesin]

Here's hoping it's just a switch that needs a bit of contact-cleaner. The great thing about the C128 is that the dual monitors work at the same time, with the VIC-II driving the A/V-out and the VDC driving the RGB-out, so you can easily whip up a piece of software that tests both screens at the same time.

[@owenmann1]

The way we used to do PCB mods involving sockets is to desolder the mis-connected pins, slip teflon tubing over the pins *inside* the thru-holes, and rewire as appropriate.

[@AnimalFacts]

A creatively simple fix. Great job.

[@krautcontent1608]

Man, I really enjoy watching your videos! You seem like such a decent guy and your genuine excitement and fascination with whatever you're showing us is just contagious. :-)

[@clray123]

Nooo, you must preserve the yellowness for future generations!

[@cbmeeks]

Don't worry...the yellowing comes back. :-)

[@clray123]

We can't wait another hundred years.

[@cbmeeks]

@@clray123 then good news....some of mine came back in less than a year. So there's hope.

[@hollgo626]

"Golden brown, texture like sun",yeah, the old Stranglers Song really matches to the colour of this machine 😎

[@tvirkki]

Great work. Congratulations for working C128!

[@stefaancodde6578]

The C128 has two video controllers. One for C64 mode and one for the C128 mode. To boot up in C64 mode, press the commodore key and start the computer. C128 mode is usual 80 columns , has full access to all 128KB while c64 mode can only access 64KB. When a 128 gives no image, try the command "go 64" The C64 modes is limited to 1Mhz, the C128 can enable 2 Mhz but no I/O can work at 2Mhz so when I/O occurs the c128 drops to 1Mhz. In C128 mode easy to switch from 1 to 2Mhz with the "fast" command, going back to 1Mhz "slow" command.C64 mode can not see the C128 mode. C128 mode can switch also to 40 columns and all C64 resolutions with the "graphic" command. The Z80B works also when switching to modes and in case of CP/M even the 8502 processor is then used for specific tasks.

[@alexandrecouture2462]

My little Macintosh Classic from 1991 was as yellow as this when I bought it (used...). I ended up painting it with Krylon Plastic Fusion paint and now it looks great!

[@coyote_den]

The old potted C64 PSU provided enough current to run the C128. The reason the C128 came with a larger power supply was for expansion. If you used a REU on a C64 you needed a better PSU, and what you got was a C128 supply with a C64 DIN plug.

[@geralt7144]

Seen a lot of smoker pc's. This one looks like a combination between smoke and the sun. How sticky is it?

[@rancidbeef582]

My guess is it was under a fluorescent light that threw off a lot of UV. The place where it yellowed the inside of the case next to the cartridge port looks like the light source was fixed, not moving like sunlight would. I know fluorescent lights can yellow them... that's the only source of light my old 128 has seen in nearly 30 years and it has some yellowing where it has been exposed.

[@brianv2871]

I believe it came from storage unit, so probably right under the lights that are usually on most/all of the time, and yeah, those are generally fluorescent so makes sense.

[@brostenen]

Not nicotine. Then it would be even more red/orange. Why do people automatically think nicotine, when it is yellow? Are tobacco really so much a thing of the past, that people dont know how it looks? Deep, warm colour of orange red, is the colour of nicotine. A bit like orange/red on pottery, in were led have been used or uranium. Yes that was indeed a thing to use in the glace around the 1920's. And it was used on coffee and tea cups.

[@Hammerjockeyrepair]

@@brostenen i wouldnt say tobacco is a thing of the past, but smoking in offices and houses is a thing of the past for sure!!

[@kirishima638]

Hey smokers....ooops, wrong channel

[@morganb900]

hey smokers, druaga1 here

[@johnjohny1312]

@@morganb900 hey druaga1, smokers here

[@brostenen]

Not smoke.... Nicotine have a different colour and can be washed off. If it was, then it would stick to his hands.

[@DrumdevilNL]

I like your enthusiasm. Reminds me of myself.

[@chinosts]

Omg I can't wait until you retrobrite that thing!! It actually looks like it's been spray painted orange! Thanks for the videos..

[@VintageTechFan]

The mostly unused condition combined with the heavy yellowing let my think that this thing was likely sitting in a shop window for a long time.

[@brandonupchurch7628]

That's so consistently yellow that I'd almost just keep the case yellow and just retrobright just the keys and keep the rest of it yellow.

[@elHosed]

Seems yellowing is a product of heat + UV, which is probably why you can reverse the effect also using heat, UV, and oxone alone.

[@Ignore_This_Account.]

Arctic Retro's c128 is even more yellowed than this.

[@AndyDavis007]

Great great video. Great work. What a great shop you have too. Looking forward to future Commodore content. Thanks for now. Cheers.

[@pauljcampbell2997]

Thanks for this video. This is a really good mod. Heaven knows why Commodore decided to use the square socket! 🤔

[@MrGtagangster]

Love to see another video, loved your other videos too. Recently discovered your channel and watched near all videos, you explain well and make it entertaining to keep watching. Keep it going!

[@vintagekyoshodotcom]

Placing yellowed machines out in the sun for a couple days brings them back. No more retro-brightening required. Just place them outside, don't need to spray them with anything and the sun will do the work for you.

[@jessewhite4864]

i love that green circuit board colour the way it shines in the light lol

[@saxonian]

There is a replacement for the RF modulator that significantly improves the picture quality. It even removes the vertical lines almost completely by picking up the two interfering high frequency signals and correcting it with adjustable resistors. The fix tries to eliminate the AEC signal from the VIC 6567 (950-980kHz) in the C64 and 1MHz in the C128 generated by the 8566. This mod replaces the HF socket with the s-video mini DIN socket and provides a 3.5 mm socket at the rectangular hole for the HI/LO selection switch of the NTSC models (PAL models do have the hole, but no switch). It is also prepared for dual SID/Stereo. For details see the PDF (Modulatorersatz_Einbauanleitung_250469-R3.pdf) available at the German forum: www.forum64.de/index.php?thread/82985-modulatorersatz-revision-3-sammelbestellung-07-2018/

[@borismatesin]

Time to do some reading - I know the LumaFix64 has been a thing for some time now, but I didn't know the 128 version was anywhere near completion because it had so many more clock-generated signals that cross-interfered with the image.

[@saxonian]

@@borismatesinunfortunately the discussion on this topic in that forum are entirely in German.

[@KatTrapable]

@@adriansdigitalbasement Thank you for doing this video :D Is the yellowing normal as it ages? I don't believe i've had anything of mine that ended up that bad.

[@saxonian]

@@adriansdigitalbasement just for your information: I ordered one a minute ago for 15€ + shipping. I'll let you know.

[@KatTrapable]

Either plastic or a light metal would explain how alot of the 80s computers can survive this long. Not sure about anything older though.

[@dave4shmups]

That is the most yellowed piece of electronics that I’ve ever seen in my life! Please do a retrobrighting video with this.

[@wimwiddershins]

Thingyverse has a square din 5 print.

[@stevesstuff1450]

Wow! That thing looks like someone attacked it with a spray-paint can!

[@the8bitbarn836]

I have never seen a 128 with a Spray tan!

[@stephenwhite506]

All my 128s have banding in their video images. Great stuff, keep up the good work. I'm off to search my local fields :)

[@brucefox6580]

Great tip on the cabling sanity check. Glad it's working :)

[@azurabayta133]

When I saw the thumbnail I thought maybe you were just messing around and that it had actually been painted or something. Never in my life have I seen anything that badly yellowed. Really clever fix with the power connector, though!

[@dhpbear2]

9:50 - If you manage to retrobrite this very well, this WOULD be a showcase!

[@datashed]

In any event, great video as always! Thank you for your efforts!

[@retrogameplus3838]

Should have just made an external adapter =(

[@FloppydriveMaestro]

RetroGamePlus why bother the 128 power supplies are really hard to find and pretty unreliable . This makes the machine actually usable and reliable.

[@cbmeeks]

@@FloppydriveMaestro The square DIN connectors aren't as hard to find (or all that expensive) these days. I bought 3 of them recently for about $8 IIRC. I plan on just making a DIN5 DIN7 adapter for my modern C64 PSU.

[@FloppydriveMaestro]

@@cbmeeks Yes the connectors are easy to fine but why bother making an adaptor when the power supply that uses those connectors are like white gold also why bother for a computer you are never going to sell when you can just change the port and make work with a power supply you already have without the need for an ugly adaptor.

[@LeftoverBeefcake]

I respectfully disagree. Original C128 power supplies are not that hard to find. There are always at least one or two (sometimes more, sometimes less) that show up on eBay, although I'll admit they aren't terribly cheap. As for new power supplies, there is an eBay seller by the name of commodore4ever building brand new ones that come with the connector for the C64 and an adapter for the C128. There are other people selling new supplies out on the web as well, like a gentleman by the name of Ray Carlsen ( personalpages.tds.net/~rcarlsen/custom%20ps.html ) In regards to reliability, I would trust a C128 power supply that you can actually get into and service more than I would trust a C64 supply that is just a big brick of epoxy.

[@sjdpfisvrj]

Yeah, the pain he goes through of rerouting traces etc, where a simple adapter would have been cleaner and faster. Interesting video overall, but I really don't get his rationale.

[@stickyfox]

My 128 is this orange, and it's been boxed up in a sunless room for at least ten years. It was gray when I put it in there.

[@twocvbloke]

I have an Amiga 500 PSU somewhere in that glorious shade of bromide yellow, need to dig it out for retrobrite experimentalations.......

[@DieyoungDiefast]

Never had a 128. Started with a ZX81, which was OK, but then went the route of C64 (which I still have), Amiga 1200 (which I built into a full height tower case) and then entered the PC world with a home build Intel 166 MMX.

[@tyttuut]

Now THAT is yellow! Looks like it's been in direct sunlight since it was put into service.

[@FloppydriveMaestro]

I've never seen yellowing that bad. It looks like it spent its life inside of an automatic cigarette smoking machine.

[@victorrevuk2992]

You're good! Golden hands, nice to see your efforts!

[@dergrunepunkt]

A very complicated solution for a simple problem, I love it :-)

[@davel8116]

While I agree that the pigtail solution is a better solution, if I was in your position, I would have modified the DIN receptacle wiring exclusively and not modified the system board at all. I'd rather have bodge wires inside my DIN receptacle instead of a hacked up system board, but that's just me. Regardless, another fine video, and you also answered a question about using a PVM as a monitor for a C64/128 (and presumably Amiga); it looks good. Now I gotta get a PVM.

[@Jerkwad152]

I'm jealous. I had to urinate on my computer daily for years to get it to that healthy deep yellow color.

[@vectrex28]

I've seen a Super Famicom that was about as yellow as this once

[@Skauber]

Personally I wouldn't have touched the PCB at all to modify it for this connector. I'd rather just modify the connector itself. At 12:50 it's pointed out that the leads on the connector are exposed, so it would be quite simple to just rewire it directly there. Snip the two leads that needs to be swapped, and then solder in wires to connect them accordingly. Leaves the C128 motherboard basically untouched, and the only modification is on the connector which is easily reversible if ever the need arises.

[@Skauber]

@@adriansdigitalbasement Ok, difficult to see from the video, but it looked like the white plastic could be removed and then make the modifications to the pin under it. Anyway, one cut trace isn't that difficult to repair if needed anyway. :)

[@edsiefker1301]

Do you have a video or schematics for the homemade C64 PSU?

[@datashed]

A C128 is on my collecting bucket list. Don't even have any C64s, but I figure it's a good way to get into CP/M on real hardware. I like that CP/M on the C128 can read floppy formats from multiple CP/M systems. However, I'd probably hold out for a C128DCR.

[@uncreative_name48]

I honestly think the C128 is my favorite commodore of all time.

[@televisionandcheese]

Wow is that yellowed! At that point I wouldn't retrobrite it, I'd put it under the sun even more and make it orange. It actually looks kinda cool as a sort of orange themed C128. Maybe the keys a bit though, as they don't look so great

[@godekdominik2678]

If the yellowing would be even, it would be beautiful.

[@ceebee23]

wow you look sooooooo happy at the end

[@acidsyndicate355]

KickAss Bronze Commodore 128 Collectors Edition

[@crapcbm]

near the power connector you find the CN12, pins used in the 128-D for powering the board, there you could solder a cable to and the cable to a female plug for the c64 PSU. Use a unused spot/hole on the rear side (RF mod?)

[@desktorp]

It has achieved a beautiful patina

[@gbclab]

Great job as always!

[@HuntersMoon78]

Commodore 128 (Special yellow edition)

[@Rocky712_]

Actually, it is so yellowed/browned/oranged that it looks awesome. xD

[@masterplay1201]

I honestly found it kind of beautiful

[@EvilTurkeySlices]

My Harman/Kardon HK195 speakers from 1996 or so aren’t quite this bad, but they are quite bad. They are great speakers though.

[@robbiew73]

looking at it.. it looks like years of direct sunlight + chain smoker + the bromide = severe yellow stain! However, if you can't retrobrite, I would spray paint it.. As for the power socket. I would have probably looked to have mounted the other socket on a small PCB and wire into that and mask off the underside to not short out and secure it to the board with the grounds. I still think it could be done with any case mod - it could probably just squeeze into the original place, may be tight but.. never happy cutting tracks on a motherboard.

[@Codeaholic1]

It was probably in direct sunlight most of its life.

[@InsanePsychoRabbit]

The only plastic thing I've seen in person that was that yellow/brown was an old security camera at a receiving dock.

[@co3476]

i saw an old keyboard on ebay once that is so yellowed that it looks like red color...

[@brostenen]

Ohhhh..... I know it is not nicotine, as I have seen my fair share of stained ex-white wallpapers in the 90's. But..... Damn dude!!! 😮 That is so yellow, that I nearly react with OCD, looking at that colour and watching you touch it.

[@lactobacillusprime]

Nicotine stains on top of yellowing of the Bromide. The logo still has the protective film on it!

[@borismatesin]

Another quick thought I was reminded of while reading some FB comments on the video - to get the C128 to run stably, the 5VDC rail on your PSU should be able to output at least 2.5A stably. I think that's the rating on the stock 128 PSU, anyway.

[@borismatesin]

My flat-128 PSU says the following: Input: 220V~50 Hz 0.3A - fuse type T315mA T40/E (the US model would probably be 110V~60Hz 0.6A with a double-current fuse) Output 1: 5V=2.5A Output 2: 9V~1A - fuse type T1.4A There's no listed fuse on the 5VDC rail, so I'm not sure what's going on there, but I know it's an SMPS instead of a linear-regulated PSU. I might try to open it up again and take photos.

[@danielmantione]

One for each, the C128 PSU is very well fused.

[@dhpbear2]

00:25 - At first I thought it was a Franklin Orange (circa 1981) :) Totally pre-web! ("Franklin Orange" produces NO relative hits on Google!)

[@a4000t]

i had a A1200 that was orange, i retrobrighted it and it came out pretty white. i was surprised it came out so well. some plactics got a overdose of bromine lol.

[@-kahmi-]

love the Gold paint

[@Schooner316]

I've never seen such a suntan on a computer! Maybe you should take it in to a dermatologist just to be safe.

[@skjain2]

Was this on Portland Craigslist? Glad to see you picked it up. Love your videos!

[@skjain2]

@@adriansdigitalbasement Wish I had reached out sooner. I'm in Portland and have a C128 that I'd have been thrilled to let you borrow to test this machine. I got my start on DOS machines back in the day and was always envious of my friends with C64s.

[@Alphadec]

the vertical lines is due to the RF-modulator.

[@Porygonal64]

Wow that actually makes me physically ill. I don't know why.

[@AiOinc1]

David Murray was possessing him for this video

[@lamacchinadeltempo5737]

Great Video! Thank You... 👍😀

[@10MARC]

I suspect it was in a shop with lots of nasty chemicals in the air - like a machine shop? I have two C128's and they still look nice and white - more than sunlight did that damage!