Commodore 64/128 RF replacement V2 - best video output, Kawari HDMI and LumaCode support

[@mike94560]

I am so glad I stumbled over your videos. Just got a C64 with a rust covered RF modulator. I really wish I kept all my old Commodore stuff. Having to buy it all again is painful. LOL

[@jeromewink557]

Watching his videos I hear the “Real Men of Genius” commercial jingle.

[@L0wcash]

Awesome design! Thank you for taking the time and making our C64/C128's so much better!

[@digitalman4404]

Love this mod! Great solution, I really like adding the 3.5mm audio connection.

[@vintagetechnologies202]

Congrats, you've a great KZbin channel with very interesting contents expecially for modding old machine and making them better and future proof!

[@bitoxic]

Nice upgrades from the previous RF modulator! Will order today from PCBWay! 😃👍

[@timtaylor2044]

Cool. I am in the rewiew waiting list now for both c64 rf mod boards at pcb way. Think this will be a nice mod to add to my repaired c64’s when i put them up for sale! Thank you for your great work! Full Channel support from the Netherlands! Keep it retro!!

[@wimwiddershins]

Yes! I've been wanting to ditch the RF can on my C64c. (Picture of Fry with cash). Edit: Got 5 boards for $15 and already had most parts. Now I have 4 spare boards to share.

[@4thdoctorwhofan966]

Is there a schematic available for the V2 RF replacement mod? I built two of these and after installing, I am getting no video out of the original C64 DIN connector on two different C64 boards with nothing connected to the outputs of the RF replacement board. I was under the impression that the original video DIN connector should work like normal. Both of my C64's are 250425 versions.

[@SeanChYT]

Very interesting! I would like to try this. You commented on an SMD version would be "pointless", and I see your argument about the board size being large enough so there aren't any space constraints that would require tiny passives, and things like that. I just would like to add that I much (MUCH) prefer working with SMD soldering. I am probably in the minority, as I know many retro tinkerers prefer through-hole. I think it is much easier to get things looking good with SMD when it comes to having the components straight, aligned and all the same length/width, etc. Also easier to fix mistakes, and it's very convenient the board can sit on the desk flat most of the time while working on it. Even if I prefer soldering.. If you're in a rush you can get the PCB factory to solder on all the passives and standard components on for you for next to nothing. It's extremely cheap to do that where I order my boards, as long as I don't use any "Extended" parts, as they call it. I don't like bending legs as even with tools I can't get them all to look 100% uniformly like a factory-made PCB, same thing with cutting leads. I am almost blind in my left eye, so my depth of vision is severely limited, so I end up cutting them too long or too short. I don't like constantly turning the board over, having components fall out either completely or partially while soldering or having to tape them down, burn my fingers or use some misc. goo to have them stay in during soldering, having flux and flux-stained isopropyl alcohol escape to the opposite side of the board when cleaning, having fibers of cleaning wipes and q-tips torn on the sharp cut component leads, etc. I also believe it is easier and cheaper to source SMD component parts these days. Storage and sorting of SMD components is easier, IMHO. I hope someone makes an SMD version and sends it to you free of charge, or at least credit you with the original design. I was thinking of having a go at it myself, but I believe my list of unfinished projects is too long already.

[@TheRetroChannel]

Good points about having an SMD version. I guess through hole is preferred by beginners, I know I avoided any SMD stuff when I first started soldering. But I see the appeal of an SMD version, whether I not I will get around to doing one myself is another story. And yeah, I'm not against anyone making an SMD version as long as they share it and give credit (which unfortunately doesn't always happen).

[@SeanChYT]

@@TheRetroChannel Same here. I avoided SMD stuff like the plague, not just in the beginning, but for something like 15-20 years... I was 100.00% sure I would never be able to do it, or enjoy it. I completely agree with your decision to do a through-hole version first of course, as it better fits with the retro genre and market segment.

[@djrkzr]

That's why I love vintage electronics, no fancy discrete ICs, only off shelf standard components🥹

[@GeoffSeeley]

Nice work! And that build music was banging!

[@bobsbarnworkshop]

Question, does your board route the improved s video to the original video port on the main board? I have a cable I use that already has an s video connector on it. Thanks for your great channel!

[@TheRetroChannel]

Yep, the original port will function as normal just with the improved video

[@HAGSLAB]

Very informative video! Cool replacement board 👍🏻

[@RikerJoe]

Nice job, Mark!

[@retrotechtive]

Fantastic work, thanks for doing this - I will likely put one on my C128 Neo 🙂 (Btw, those links to Github in the description seem to be slightly wrong currently, looks like you renamed from C64 to Commodore64 but the old links were left in the video?)

[@TheRetroChannel]

Yes I did 😄. Thanks! I've fixed them now

[@Scyllinice]

The Github link for the Shortboard and C128 is broken. It's supposed to be Commodore-64-Shortboard-and-C128-RF-Replacement-V2 Thanks for your work! I think I'm going to build one up for my C128. Edit: Looks like the Longboard Github link is wrong too. On Github, it's Commdore-64-RF-replacement-Longboard-V2 (notice the typo :))

[@TheRetroChannel]

Haha, oops. I will update them now. Thanks!

[@fu1r4]

I don't know if you got it right, but red RCA is always right channel 😁

[@TimsRetroCorner]

Sweet. Any of these suitable for the TED machines (Plus/4, C16)? Or do you have RF replacements planned for the TED systems?

[@TheRetroChannel]

Hmm not sure about the TED series. I do have something in the works for those machines but have yet to look at the video side of things

[@bobsbarnworkshop]

I see a lot of rf modulator fixes and replacements. I always wondered if removing the high frequency tv signals on the board would cause noise in the other video output

[@TheRetroChannel]

Not from what I've found. The RF is too high frequency to cause any obvious noise in the other circuits

[@4thdoctorwhofan966]

Where did you get that component lead bender/forming tool? I used to have one years ago and loved it but I cannot find anyone making them today. Any suggestions? Keep up the great work.

[@TheRetroChannel]

Yeah, mine is very old and I don't know if anyone makes them these days.

[@CollinBaillie]

So, Chroma/Luma is still available on the standard DIN socket right? But would require the resistor on the chroma line built unto the cable for S-Video output? Is the quality of that output as good as your direct S-Video socket?

[@TheRetroChannel]

Yes exactly, it is still available at the DIN connector but requires a resistor. The quality should be the same

[@donaldblakley6796]

Great work. 👍 very nice video and throural instructions:) I bought one already. So thank you

[@TheRetroChannel]

Thank you Donald 😀

[@donaldblakley6796]

One question, can I still use composite for audio only? I bought this splitter for my speakers that I use for luma code. The 3.5 jack is awesome, but will it support both speakers if I just plug it in to the jack on modulator. Just have cheap speakers, but it works:)

[@TheRetroChannel]

@donaldblakley6796 You will always have audio on the left channel of the 3.5mm jack, and the right channel is selectable between composite, external (for LumaCode/dual sid), and audio on both channels.

[@donaldblakley6796]

I have a female rca to female 3.5 jack that I use with my composite and plug everything in. Both Cheap speakers work with that on luma code. I'll figure out audio when this modulator comes:) either way no need to thank me... thank you. U are a very smart guy

[@donaldblakley6796]

Hey bud, just curious.. a couple questions if you don't mind... the useless 6567r56a wouldn't improve with this would it? Also, where do you get your heat sinks from? I use cheapys from Amazon. Better than nothing, but I like yours.

[@bernardovalente3322]

Hi! If i want to use only the signal passthrough to the C64 AV DIN, do I need to use all the components, or there are some optional components like in the V1? Nice job! thank you

[@TheRetroChannel]

You can leave out the switch, 3.5mm audio and s-video connectors, and the external input header but the rest is required

[@petercaspari680]

Awesome board. Which do you think would give the best result for a long board - V1 with external Chroma and Luma or V2? Thanks

[@TheRetroChannel]

V2 will still give a better result in my opinion. You can compare the screen at 18:12 in this video to V1 with external luma chroma here kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZmwYYipgLdkpacm4s

[@Ikrananka]

Am I right in assuming that this will work fine with a VIC-II Kawari Mini (i.e. not the Large)?

[@TheRetroChannel]

Yes

[@scaleartsg]

solder rock!

[@TheRetroChannel]

🤘

[@atarimex2643]

Hi Mark, Have you tried your board with NTSC? I installed it on my large board c64. I couldn’t get any color out. Any ideas? Only b/w. How sensitive is the board to value on resistors and capacitors? Thanks!

[@TheRetroChannel]

Yes, it has been tested and works with NTSC. It's unlikely to be component tolerances, unless a completely different value was used. Double check components R1, R2, R7, R8, R10, C2, C3, C4 and Q1. These all handle the chroma signal and a wrong value of dodgy component here will result in no colour

[@atarimex2643]

@@TheRetroChannel thank you so much!

[@atarimex2643]

@@TheRetroChannelall set with the color issue. Works perfectly!!!! One final question, my c64 breadbin always had high levels of jail bars; it did improve with your board but still shows some; is there any other filter or anything else I can do about it. Thank you so so much!!!

[@TheRetroChannel]

Awesome! Do you know what was casing the no colour issue? As for the jailbars, changing the 820pF capacitor at C1 to a higher value will lessen them, but at the expense of overall sharpness. You can experiment with anything up to 2nF, but going beyond that will only result in a smeared looking picture.

[@atarimex2643]

@@TheRetroChannel yes, just like you said I was taking too many liberties with the values of some of the components. I sourced the exact recommended values and it worked with a fantastic picture. Thanks for the tip, I will try different value capacitor to see if I can get a bit less jail bars, however as I said it is a great improvement already. Thanks again for taking the time for answering my questions, etc. I am loyal follower of your channel! Greetings from Massachusetts. PS. You were right on about Noel’s power supply. :)

[@wolfgangblack8035]

"Even though composite video is ___" That's a fact, jack! Yet it's still better than RF. ha ha

[@dawnmitchell8213]

Is there an HDMI option for the VIC 20?

[@TheRetroChannel]

It's possible using the sidekick, I did a video on it about 6 months ago

[@jandjrandr]

The output is so good, yet such a simple design. The RF port on the C64 is useless in this digital era of video technology anyhow. I would imagine that the lag on this would be very low, but it would be nice if the audio could be mixed into the HDMI out at the Kawari. Your solution still keeps the integrity of the audio and provides the possibility of stereo SID output which is a nice bonus.

[@iainbennie]

I thought that too, but the VIC-II-dizer and LumaCode gives the RF Port a whole new lease of life.

[@4thdoctorwhofan966]

Disregard previous comment. Operator error. LOL. I got U1 & Q1 reversed on both boards. DUH!!

[@Andrath]

To align the pin headers, wouldn't it be easier to stick them in a prototyping breadboard?

[@TheRetroChannel]

They do not have a standard spacing

[@Andrath]

@@TheRetroChannel Aaah, that's unfortunate.

[@helgew9008]

@@TheRetroChannel If you have a spare PCB, maybe you could use that as an alignment tool?

[@TheRetroChannel]

Yes, that's what I've started doing. Why it didn't occur to me earlier I don't know

[@winstonsmith478]

"Just be sure you put 'rare' in the title." LOL.

[@shangrilai1990]

🍪

[@TheRetroChannel]

🥇

[@ipavemyownroad]

Do you make one for CoCo/Dragon, or only for crap processor 8-bit micros?