My "new" Commodore 128.

[r.cade]

There is a replacement RF modulator board that is sold on the German Forum64.de in batches that has the AEC injection as an option. They greatly improve the video output and one version works on the 128...

They are currently filling orders now. They are very reasonably-priced kits at 15 euros...

[Retrofan]

Thank you very much . The thing is that I don't know what version is mine. I've opened it:











BTW: What's this chip that I'm missing here?




BTW: I've taked the photos after cleaning the thermal compound over the chips. Later I've replaced it with some Artic Five. That's by now as I'm thinking in changing the RF modulator. If/when I change it I will also add dedicated heatsinks as I commented.

[r.cade]

I'm not aware there are multiple versions of the 128 board, but it's not impossible. There is only one modulator replacement kit for all 128's.

You aren't missing a chip, that is for user expansion.

[Retrofan]

What kind of expansion?. Do you recommend any?

Originally Posted by r.cade

...There is only one modulator replacement kit for all 128's.

This will make it easier . Is there any video showing the improvement of this kit?. It's very difficult to read the forum using Google translator as I've got to copy every part that I want to translate instead of traducing the full thread.

Originally Posted by Retrofan

What kind of expansion?. Do you recommend any?

Watch out for "C128 U36 socket". There are some tools you can burn into an 27C256 eprom
Here is a link: http://c-128.freeforums.net/thread/2...tion-roms-c128

About the RF modulator replacement I attached the installation manual with pictures. But text is still in German.

[Retrofan]

Many thanks for the link and your manual. So, about that Rom expansions. What happens for example if I burn a Geos Eprom, will it boot with Geos or what does it add?

Edit: Just reading Wikipedia:

...Early versions of the C128 occasionally experience temperature-related reliability issues due to the use of an electromagnetic shield over the main circuit board. The shield was equipped with fingers that contacted the tops of the major chips, ostensibly causing the shield to act as a large heat sink. A combination of poor contact between the shield and the chips, the inherently limited heat conductivity of plastic chip packages, as well as the relatively poor thermal conductivity of the shield itself, resulted in overheating and failure in some cases. The SID sound chip is particularly vulnerable in this respect. The most common remedy is to remove the shield, which Commodore had added late in development in order to comply with FCC radio-frequency regulations.

+ The video that I've commented that shows that the shielding just "looks nice" but makes Nothing there: [ Show youtube player ]

Ahem... To me it's clear that that metal shielding needs some help like Artic Five plus dedicated heatsinks on top.

My C128 has this problem as well, and it's normally plugged into a 1902 monitor.

I've also tried it on my 1084, and it looks exactly the same.

I'm currently using an LCA cable, so I guess I'll be ordering an RGB cable and see if that will fix it. Thanks for the info, everyone.

[Retrofan]

Well... I've got the modulator replacement kit here in a plastic bag...

But I've just seen this "no C=128 stripes" solution and I want to share it . You know that it isn't easy at all to desolder the rf modulator and that it's much easier to install an adapter for any chip instead.

http://sharewareplus.blogspot.com/20...odore-128.html

[Nightshft]

I installed the RF modulator replacement (Modulatorersatz, Forum64) in my C64C half a year ago. IIRC, now picture on composite is very clear but on SVideo I got a "Schachbrettmuster" problem which means there is distortion in form of a tiny checkered pattern all over the screen. This doesnt happen on all machines, but it happened on mine. However the composite signal is very good now.

Desoldering the rf-modulator isn't a task for soldering beginners, but with a little patience it wasn't that hard - definitely doable.

German is my mother language. So if you need some help with translation of the forum thread or the manual.pdf feel free to ask.

PS: An alternative solution to get the lower bandwith like on old commodore monitors is to use RF, which really can result in a better picture (less distortion) sometimes. And its just sooo oldschool when you turn the machine off and the TV shows white noise

[Retrofan]

Thanks for the offering. I'll try the Lumafix 128 first and if it doesn't work more or less right I will try the german solution and I'll surely have to ask you

[field3d]

I have that lumafix128 from shareware page. I have a C128dcr. Really the image in the C128dcr with the lumafix is very impressive it fixed 95% really clear. However the C64 side is ugly, it just fixed a little. This is normal? I’m using the output video from the c128dcr with a cable for svideo in 40 columns.

[Haywire]

JiffyDos is the best chip to upgrade if you want speed. Seems smarter to have a 128 rather than a 64 as a lot of new games being made utilizes the extra speed (2mhz in the borders). A great example of this is the new Super Mario Bros that was released a few weeks back. Once you have a 128 there is no going back to a 64.

[TEG]

I had a C128 when I was something like 12. It was so great because the C128 ROM have an integrated sprite editor and assembler too if I remember well.

So it was possible to type the code for the C64 with the editor, exit the editor, type Go64 and getting back the code and sprites in the C64 mode!

Back in the days I done a paint programme with the Basic witch is very powerful. Unfortunately source is lost :-/