My restored and repaired CDTV :)

[Paul_s]

Nice work!

I have just aquired a CDTV yesterday and I'm really impressed. Like I was saying this morning in a PM, the build quality on these is some of the best I've seen from Commodore. Reminds me of the A1000/2000... Shames the CD32 and a few other models I can think of in the quality department imo. I'd even go as far as saying this is possibly the best Amiga I've owned!

I'll make a new thread once I start cleanup this weekend

As for upgrades, Elbox have in stock a 2MB fastram kit you can buy (they also do an 8MB version). I've asked Amigakit for a price Indivision is also something I'm looking at doing as well.... trying to keep her stock so those 2 upgrades will suffice and keep mrs. bank manager happy

[alexh]

The ROM upgrade (Toni's all in one) and the ChipRAM upgrade are quite important.

Not sure if you can use an Indivision ECS with the chip which comes stock in a CDTV? I don't think it is an ECS chip.

[Jope]

You can, The indivision will work fine with an OCS Denise.

[Paul_s]

Originally Posted by Jope

You can, The indivision will work fine with an OCS Denise.

yep, there's even a riser for the A1000 so it can be used in those!

[vidarh]

A CDTV would probably be an ideal one to sneak another machine past the wife... "It's just a CD player, honest!".

[chiark]

vidarh, that is a superb first post - welcome to eab! It seems with that attitude you must have been lurking for quite some time

[vidarh]

Originally Posted by chiark

vidarh, that is a superb first post - welcome to eab! It seems with that attitude you must have been lurking for quite some time

Heh. I've been mostly hanging around on AW, A.org etc. since the X1000 announcement lured me back in to the Amiga scene, but I've checked in here now and again too. "Only" using a Minimig + UAE + AROS at the moment, but I badly want to get one or two classics as well.

[orange]

what kind of lacquer do you use for re-coating?

I very similar problem with A2000, single corroded trace near CPU caused noboot. but it was due battery leak.
iirc, there are no batteries in cdtv?

[Jope]

Originally Posted by vidarh

Heh. I've been mostly hanging around on AW, A.org etc. since the X1000 announcement lured me back in to the Amiga scene, but I've checked in here now and again too.

You made the right choice coming here. ;-)

Thanks for Virca btw, it was wonderful back in the days when Series 40 was new and exciting and 128x128 pixels were enough.

Originally Posted by orange

what kind of lacquer do you use for re-coating?

You can buy PCB laquer in a spraycan.

[vidarh]

Originally Posted by Jope

You made the right choice coming here. ;-)

Thanks for Virca btw, it was wonderful back in the days when Series 40 was new and exciting and 128x128 pixels were enough.

Different Vidar H.... You had me confused until I googled... Maybe he's the one I keep battling for the username vidarh

[Jope]

Originally Posted by vidarh

Different Vidar H.... You had me confused until I googled... Maybe he's the one I keep battling for the username vidarh

Haha, ok.. Wouldn't have expected there to be two. :-)

[phipscube]

Originally Posted by Paul_s

Nice work!

I have just aquired a CDTV yesterday and I'm really impressed. Like I was saying this morning in a PM, the build quality on these is some of the best I've seen from Commodore. Reminds me of the A1000/2000... Shames the CD32 and a few other models I can think of in the quality department imo. I'd even go as far as saying this is possibly the best Amiga I've owned!

I'll make a new thread once I start cleanup this weekend

As for upgrades, Elbox have in stock a 2MB fastram kit you can buy (they also do an 8MB version). I've asked Amigakit for a price Indivision is also something I'm looking at doing as well.... trying to keep her stock so those 2 upgrades will suffice and keep mrs. bank manager happy

Your right about the build quality, its really well made. I think it just looks so cool too.
I'm looking to add another meg of chip ram, and I really hope to be able to add an accelerator that has fast ram already onboard (or can be added). I'd really like to run my CDTV as a WHD machine but I think the stock 68000 might not be up to it. I know of a WAW 020 board that came out but its like rocking horse do doo's to find. I have got my eye on this though which looks just perfect for an unexpanded CDTV: -

[ Show youtube player ]

Its an "operating system" that been made for WHD load.

Also this looks interesting: -

[ Show youtube player ]

its a CDTV game launcher!

Originally Posted by alexh

The ROM upgrade (Toni's all in one) and the ChipRAM upgrade are quite important.

Not sure if you can use an Indivision ECS with the chip which comes stock in a CDTV? I don't think it is an ECS chip.

What is the ROM upgrade? is that for the CDTV roms to enable newer Kickstarts such as 3.1?

Originally Posted by vidarh

A CDTV would probably be an ideal one to sneak another machine past the wife... "It's just a CD player, honest!".

Haha! I played that one too. The CDTV is currently sat proudly in our bedroom as a "CD player" But the wife isn't too happy about the Caddy. Too late now missus!

Originally Posted by orange

what kind of lacquer do you use for re-coating?

I very similar problem with A2000, single corroded trace near CPU caused noboot. but it was due battery leak.
iirc, there are no batteries in cdtv?

Something like this: -

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=25345

There aren't any batteries in the CDTV so thats good. I think my CDTV got in such a state mainly becasue at the time I used it last (around 2001) it was only used as a CD player in my living room (shame on me) and it was when I was in a really mad party phase of life and I think it got quite a bit of beer splashed inside it. mmmmm Beeer!

[Paul_s]

Originally Posted by phipscube

There aren't any batteries in the CDTV so thats good. I think my CDTV got in such a state mainly becasue at the time I used it last (around 2001) it was only used as a CD player in my living room (shame on me) and it was when I was in a really mad party phase of life and I think it got quite a bit of beer splashed inside it. mmmmm Beeer!

The vents at the front are quite lethal if you're a bit tipsy! Not good

After stripping my CDTV the other week (God, it killed three drill bits getting a screw out at the back to clean the rear panel! They are built like a bloody tank!...) I found a load of coca cola had been spilled inside at one point in the CD flap at the front. Thankfully only dripped onto the plastic but it took ages to clean up, Now she's diet coca cola and ready to go nearly again Got a new fan too for the PSU, they still make that model Panaflo

[alexh]

Originally Posted by phipscube

What is the ROM upgrade? is that for the CDTV roms to enable newer Kickstarts such as 3.1?

Yes the CDTV has 3 chips. Two are know as Extended ROMs and one is the regular Kickstart ROM. You need the latest Extended ROMs to use a Kickstart more than 1.3. Toni's upgrade allows you to replace all three with an extra large EPROM which contains several Extended ROMs and several Kickstart ROM's which you can select from using a switch.

[phipscube]

Originally Posted by Paul_s

The vents at the front are quite lethal if you're a bit tipsy! Not good

After stripping my CDTV the other week (God, it killed three drill bits getting a screw out at the back to clean the rear panel! They are built like a bloody tank!...) I found a load of coca cola had been spilled inside at one point in the CD flap at the front. Thankfully only dripped onto the plastic but it took ages to clean up, Now she's diet coca cola and ready to go nearly again Got a new fan too for the PSU, they still make that model Panaflo

Thats great Paul! Nice to know another of these rare beasts is coming back to life

Originally Posted by alexh

Yes the CDTV has 3 chips. Two are know as Extended ROMs and one is the regular Kickstart ROM. You need the latest Extended ROMs to use a Kickstart more than 1.3. Toni's upgrade allows you to replace all three with an extra large EPROM which contains several Extended ROMs and several Kickstart ROM's which you can select from using a switch.

Thanks for the info Alex I found Toni's hack here: -

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=33518

[AmigaDave]

Originally Posted by alexh

Yes the CDTV has 3 chips. Two are know as Extended ROMs and one is the regular Kickstart ROM. You need the latest Extended ROMs to use a Kickstart more than 1.3. Toni's upgrade allows you to replace all three with an extra large EPROM which contains several Extended ROMs and several Kickstart ROM's which you can select from using a switch.

I haven't read all of this thread yet, so maybe I will find the answer to my question here before anyone answers, but where can I find more information on this "Super CDTV ROM w/switch" that Toni has created? Is it for sale anywhere?

The CDTV is one of my favorite Amiga models and I was lucky enough to be able to buy a brand new in the unopened box CDTV from Carl Sassenrath during the 2010 AmiWest Show in Sacramento last year, that I would love to expand as far as possible.

I already have a DCTV video output card that takes the place of the standard NTSC Composite output slide in card (also from Carl Sassenrath's collection) and was very luck in finding a SCSI controller that attaches to the expansion slot in the rear of the CDTV. I have a FlickerFreeVideo2, or an IndivisionECS flicker fixers that I can install, plus a DKB MegaChip to boost Chip RAM to 2mb. I am trying to find a 68kIDE controller, so I don't have to remove the AddIDE from my original A1000 to get an IDE interface for my CDTV, but have not heard back from the maker of the CF2IDE & 68kIDE controller boards to see if he has any left to sell.

I would love to be able to fit an accelerator to the CDTV, but those are as rare as hen's teeth to find. I have a Derringer 030/50MHz, but to install that would mean running the CDTV without it's top case, or doing a mod that would destroy a Mint condition CDTV. Besides, the inside of the top case of the CDTV is where Carl Sassenrath and Dale Luck wrote their signatures on the day that I bought it and I could never damage that, or would not want to run the CDTV without the case installed.

My latest purchase for my CDTV is the "Brickette" that allows me to use Amiga 9pin joysticks connected to it through the CDTV's mouse port. I already owned the black CDTV keyboard, mouse & external floppy drive from my non-working CDTV that has a defective CD drive.

Almost forgot, I also have a Kickstart switcher designed exclusively for the CDTV and the programmable CDTV EPROM's & board that I can move from my first CDTV to my new one and the latest upgraded EPROM chips that allow later Kickstart ROM's to be used in the CDTV (thanks to Jeff for the updated EPROM chips).

This Super CDTV ROM of Toni's would replace this and probably prevent the use of my Kickstart switcher, if it has it's Kickstart image(s) built into it.

Looking forward to finding more information on Toni's creation.

[Toni Wilen]

Originally Posted by AmigaDave

I haven't read all of this thread yet, so maybe I will find the answer to my question here before anyone answers, but where can I find more information on this "Super CDTV ROM w/switch" that Toni has created? Is it for sale anywhere?

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=33518 (not that super in my opinion!)