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Archive for the ‘Rubbish Dump’ Category

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

December 23rd, 2023 No comments

Commodore 64c SX64 case with translucent keycaps

October 1st, 2023 No comments
Commodore 64c SX64 case with translucent keycaps

These are not the right keycaps chosen at the time for this color of the Commodore 64c case but since i don’t have the correct ones available at the moment and i had these left over instead, i wanted to take a chance, it could have been worse :-D

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Commodore 64c clear case with clear/translucent keycaps

September 27th, 2023 No comments
Commodore 64c clear case with clear-translucent keycaps

Commodore 64c clear case with clear/translucent keycaps.

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Commodore 64c Red case with translucent keycaps

September 25th, 2023 1 comment

Commodore 64c Red case with translucent keycaps

Follow me for the other keys replacements ;-D

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i miss the old days

September 9th, 2023 1 comment

I have nothing else to say except that i miss the old days. :’(

LCR-T7 Multifunction Tester

September 1st, 2023 No comments
LCR-T7 Multifunctional Tester

I wanted to try this cheap fucking tester on offer on Aliexpress.

I don’t have much to say, it works quite well, i tried to make some measurements of a couple of electrolytic capacitors and making the comparison between LCR-T7 and the PEAK ATLAS ESR+ (paid almost 15 times more) the measurement result it’s almost identical.

Surely the positive side of this small and fragile object that will surely stop to working one day to another :-D which allows you to measure/test a fairly vast category of components.

Example:

  • Diodes
  • Zener diodes
  • Resistors
  • Potentiometers
  • Electrolytic/Tantalum Capacitors
  • Ceramic/Polyester capacitors
  • Inductors
  • SCR
  • Triacs
  • Transistors (N-E-MOS,P-E-MOS,N-MOS,P-MOS,N-JFET,P-JFET,N-IGBT,P-IGBT)
  • Transistors PNP,NPN
  • Battery (max 4.5v)

It also has an infrared remote control decoder which i find absolutely useless.

The microcontroller used in the LCR-T7 is a clone of the ATMEL ATMEGA328, the Lucky Green LGT8F328P which is practically identical to the ATMEL but with additional capabilities such as higher speed and has a higher resolution for converting analog signals and having a digital-to-analog converter as well.

Below are the photos of the inside.

Download: LCR-T7-Manual (645)

Replaced the first C64 with the colored keycaps

August 26th, 2023 No comments

Replaced the first C64 with the colored keycaps.

Follow me for the other keys replacements ;-D

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Mini Vacuum Cleaner & Blower with Brushless Motor

June 26th, 2023 2 comments

Finally a useful object that works very well and i have tried many.

This mini vacuum cleaner (4hapa) that uses a BRUSHLESS motor (be careful when choosing which model to buy) besides the “vacuum cleaner” mode it also has the “blower” mode and i assure you that it BLOWS and quite a lot (two selectable speeds).

So finally i can finally say goodbye to compressed air spray!!!

The package includes over 4 spare filters (washable), various adapters, the USB battery charger (5v to 9v) and a bag.

The only negative note; Yes! it makes some noise! i’ll get a reason.

Video:

source: aliexpress.com

Digital Display Voltage Meter Bug

June 23rd, 2023 No comments
Digital Display Voltage Meter Rear

Observing these two displays at first glance there are no big differences are noticed.

Wrong! the Display where you reads V2.0 (updated version of the previous one), also works perfectly if inserted very close to the PCB of a Switching Power Supply, the other one instead at Random resets and displaying 888 just move it 10 CM away from the Switching Power Supply PCB and it works perfectly.

I wanted to share this news because i’m not the only one with this bizarre problem.

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Music LED Spectrum Analyzer (Vu-Meter)

May 31st, 2023 No comments

I have also bought a LED spectrum analyzer, very nice and impressive but certainly not suitable for professional use, but who cares!

The technical features are many and not very intuitive to be changed with just two buttons on the back.

However, I’ll summarize them very briefly:

  • Automatic detection of Microphone or Audio Input (Jack 3.5).
  • Ability to disable the clock.
  • 12 display modes.
  • 7 color modes.
  • 84 display effects can be combined.
  • 8 brightness modes.
  • Clock adjustment.
  • 4 time display modes.
  • Alarm clock function.
  • Custom RGB colors.
  • USB 5v power supply.

Below are some photos of the inside.

The reset button is very curious can cannot be reached from the outside (missing the hole) and also a Micro USB connector unusable from the outside of the case.

I attach the datasheets of the integrated circuits that are used and the manual in English language that was sent to me via email, the one available by scanning the QR Code of the product is only Chinese :-D

Gallery:

Download:

source: aliexpress.com

Testing OSSC through the component Video of the TI-99/4A

May 11th, 2023 No comments
Testing OSSC through the component Video of the TI-99/4A

Testing OSSC through the component Video of the TI-99/4A

The ODV-II although it is placed above the OSSC is not used, i could not remove it because it is attached with bioadhesive :D

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Below are my presets in binary format of the OSSC with firmware v0.90.

  • 0: Amiga RGB
  • 1: Amiga Overscan RGB
  • 2: Commodore 64 Svideo through ODV-II
  • 3: SupaBoy RGB
  • 4: TI-99 YPbPr
  • 5: Apple II+ Composite through ODV-II

Download: OSSC Binary Presets (177)

Greaseweazle V4 & Disc Disk Revolution 64 v0.99B3

Still in beta stage but interesting this software written by SLC that allows you to write and read C64 file formats (D64/G64) using a regular 360k Floppy Drive with the Greaseweazle interface.

To understand how this program works, you should first read the README found in the program archive.

I tried it personally and it works quite well, the only problem is the double sided management of Floppy Disks for Commodore 64, i don’t want to dwell too much on this question but in other words the Floppy Drive PCs do not allow you to turn the floppy disk to use also the other side of the Floppy Disk, the optical sensor is present only on the left side of the reader (the Floppy Drive of the Commodore 64 does not have this sensor).

There are MODs to get around this annoying problem, mods that are not exactly immediate and not for all Floppy Drive.

So let’s say it outspoken, if you want to read and write Floppy Disks for Commodore 64 what i recommend is the software OPENCBM + Hardware XUM (ZoomFloppy) or similar and a native Commodore 64 (1541/1541-II) drive. :-D … and everything is great.

Download: Disc Disk Revolution 64 v0.99B3

ODV-II (CVBS-SVideo to YPbPr) + OSSC (Open Source Scan Converter)

April 19th, 2023 No comments
ODV-II (CVBS-SVideo to YPbPr) + OSSC (Open Source Scan Converter)

I also wanted to try the ODV-II converter to be able to use the OSSC also with CVBS and S-VIDEO inputs (OSSC does not natively support this type of video inputs).

I have chosed this product and not others for three reasons:

  • The cost.
  • Video quality, absolute perfection wasn’t important.
  • Signal output converted to YPbPr.

The result went above expectations, works well, the output of the ODV-II is in component (YPbPr) so the SCART-RGB and VGA inputs remain free on the OSSC, furthermore the ODV-II has a third YPbPr input.

The ODV-II also has the possibility of selecting some Video filters via a small button, filters which i find absolutely embarrassing in fact i have configured it in pass-through mode and another small button to select the video inputs.

Below are the photos of some tests with the Commodore 64 where i have used the S-Video output and also the photos of the PCB because i didn’t find them on the net, i also attach the datasheets of the integrated circuits that are used.

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Download:

ODV-II PDF Datasheet (203)

Replaced my cheap SCART RGB to HDMI/DVI converter

April 16th, 2023 No comments

I have replaced my cheap SCART RGB to HDMI/DVI converter with the OSSC (Open Source Scan Converter)

I had been wanting to buy this interesting peripheral for some time and given the availability on Amazon with one day shipping with PRIME and the mature firmware and also the developing active, thanks to marqs, i did this crazy thing.

Some aspects of the software can certainly be improved but it already works just fine.

I’m not going to explain what this device does and doesn’t , you can find everything on the net.

Example:

Wiki: https://junkerhq.net/xrgb/index.php/OSSC
Firmware: http://www.infocult.com/m/ossc/fw/
Beta Firmware: https://videogameperfection.com/forums/topic/ossc-v1-xx-series-beta-firmware/
GitHub: https://github.com/marqs85/ossc

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

December 24th, 2022 No comments