ÉSSUE 16 ÆEBRUARY 2008 WWW.COMMODOREFREE.COM ÆREE TO DOWNLOAD MAGAZINE ÄEDICATED TO ÃOMMODORE ÃOMPUTERS ÁVAILABLE AS ÔEXT, ÈTML, ÐÄÆ, ÓÅÑ AND ÃOMMODORE 64 Ä64 DISK IMAGE ÅDITOR É RE-DID THE LOGO AND WHILE É AM NO ARTIST É THINK IT ALMOST LOOKS QUITE GOOD (ISH) É WOULD LOVE THE WHOLE THING DESIGNED USING A REAL ÃOMMODORE 64 AND MAYBE IF É GET THE TIME É WILL GIVE IT A GO MAYBE AS A LOW RESOLUTION BLOCKY IMAGE. ÙOU WILL SEE THE CHANGE AS THE REFLECTED ÃOMMODORE ÆREE IS GRADED AND MOVED UP SLIGHTLY. ÌOOKS MORE NATURAL LOOKING AS MY OLD ART TEACHER WOULD HAVE SAID, É EXPECT IF HE SAW THIS HE WOULD BE ON THE FLOOR DYING IN FITS OF LAUGHTER, É DIDNT LAST LONG IN ART AND DROPPED THE SUBJECT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WHEN É WAS AT SCHOOL. ÍAURICE ÒANDEL CONTINUES TO UPSET PEOPLE AND HE REMAINS QUIET ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING AND SO MANAGES TO UPSET EVERYONE BY HIS LACK OF COMMUNICATION. ÃAN THE RIGHTS TO PRODUCE ÃÍÄ PRODUCTS BE REMOVED FROM HIM? ÒEMEMBER THE ÐOSTER COMPETITION ENDS AT THE END OF THIS MONTH AND SO É CANT ACCEPT ANY MORE ENTRIES AFTER THE LAST DAY IN ÆEBRUARY, É PRESUME BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS TEXT THE COMPETITION HAS ALREADY ENDED, THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED, É HAD A HARD JOB DECIDING A WINNER AND IT MAY NOT BE TO EVERYONES LIKING, BUT É THINK ITS INTERESTING READING; SO UNLESS A FLOOD OF OTHER ENTRIES COME IN BEFORE THE END OF ÆEBRUARY, É HAVE ALREADY PICKED A WINNER AND YOU CAN READ THE COMMENTS NEXT ISSUE. ÁGAIN É AM SUFFERING FROM EXAMS AND STRUGGLING TO FIT ALL THE TIME IN, BUT É MANAGED ANOTHER ISSUE. ÈOPE ITS TO YOUR LIKING, KEEP THE READERS COMMENTS COMING IN THEY SEEM TO HAVE DRIED UP, É DONT MIND JUST A SIMPLE ÈI GREAT ISSUE KEEP UP THE WORK OR EVEN HI É READ EVERY ISSUE É THINK YOU SHOULD GIVE IT UP AS A BAD JOB BECAUSE THE ISSUES ARE RUBBISH. ÏK YOU CAN STOP READING THIS RUBBISH AND GET ONTO THE MAIN MAGAZINE SPEAK TO YOU NEXT MONTH. ÒEGARDS ÎIGEL ÃOMMODORE ÆREE ÈÏ× ÃÁÎ É ÈÅÌÐ ÃÏÍÍÏÄÏÒÅ ÆÒÅÅ ÏK THE BEST WAY TO HELP WOULD BE WRITE SOMETHING ABOUT ÃOMMODORE (YES FOR THE OBSERVANT É SPELLED THE COMPANY CORRECTLY THIS TIME) _GRIN SERIOUSLY THOUGH ARTICLES ARE ALWAYS WELCOME. ×ÈÁÔ ÁÒÔÉÃÌÅÓ ÄÏ ÙÏÕ ÎÅÅÄ ×ELL THEY VARY, CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA BUT É AM LOOKING FOR ÔUTORIALS (BEGINNERS AND ÅXPERT) ÅXPERIENCES WITH ÃOMMODORE ×HY É LOVE ÃOMMODORE MACHINES ÉNTERVIEWS MAYBE YOU HAVE ACCESS TO A POWER USER ÔHANKS ÎIGEL WWW.COMMODOREFREE COMMODOREFREE@COMMODOREFREE.COM ÃONTENTS IN ÐÄÆ COPY ÎÅ×Ó ÎEWS STORIES ABOUT ÃOMMODORE ÐAGE 3 ÍÅÓÓÉÁÈ ÐAGE 23 ÉÎÔÅÒÖÉÅ×Ó ÁL ÁNGER (ÃOMMODORE ÍODDER) ÐAGE 5 ÒAY ÃARLSON ÐAGE 7 (ÒEPAIR ENGINEER STILL SUPPORTING Ã=) ÓIMON ÕLLYAT ÐAGE 15 ÃRONOSOFT (NEW GAMES) ÐÒÅÓÓ ÐÌÁÙ ÏÎ ÔÁÐÅ ÐAGE 28 ÃOMMODORE TRIBUTE BAND PLAYING ÃOMMODORE ÓÉÄ ÔUNE4S ON REAL INSTRUMENTS ÔÕÔÏÒÉÁÌÓ ÔÈÅ ÅÎÄ ÐAGE 10 ÔHE START OF A NEW BEGINNERS ÇUIDE FOR THE ÃOMMODORE 64 ÉN THE BEGINNING ÐAGE 11 ÐART 1 BEGINNERS GUIDE FOR Ã64 1541 ÉDIOTS GUIDE ÐAGE 17 ÈOW TO MAKE A Ø1541 CABLE ×HAT IT IS AND HOW TO USE IT ÐÁÒÔÙ ÃOMMODORE NIGHTS ÐAGE 21 ÉÎÆÏÒÍÁÔÉÏÎ ÃÍÄ ÐAGE 22 ×HERE DID IT ALL GO WRONG? ====================================== ÎEWS ===== ÃOTTONWOOD ÂÂÓ ÉN AN EFFORT TO CONSOLIDATE MY VARIOUS WEBSITES ONTO MY OWN SERVER, THE Ã64/128 ÂÂÓ ÌIST IS NOW LOCATED AT HTTP://COTTONWOOD.SERVEBBS.COM/CBM- BBS-LIST.TXT ... É'LL STILL KEEP IT POSTED AT THE OLD ADDRESS FOR A WHILE, BUT EVENTUALLY IT'LL ONLY BE AVAILABLE AT THE NEW ADDRESS. ÁDDITIONALLY, THE ÃOTTONWOOD ÂÂÓ ÉNFO- RMATIONAL ×EBSITE IS NOW AT HTTP://COTTONWOOD.SERVEBBS.COM , AND MY PERSONAL WEBSITE IS AT HTTP://COTTONWOOD.SERVEBBS.COM/WISKOW ÓIMPLE ÈÔÍÌ PAGES WITH A NOTE PROVIDING THE NEW ADDRESSES HAVE BEEN POSTED AT THE OLD ADDRESSES. ÁMIGA ÆOREVER RUNS ON ÅEE PC & ÏNLAPTOP PER ÃHILD ÈARDWARE É THOUGHT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN SEEING THE ÁMIGA ÏÓ RUNNING ON THE ÏÌÐà AND THE ÅEE. ÁS WE ARE PUTTING THE FINISHING TOUCHES TO ÁMIGA ÆOREVER 2008, WE JUST PREVIEWED THE ÁMIGA EMULATION AND ÏÓ RUNNING UNMODIFIED FROM ÁMIGA ÆOREVER ON BOTH THE ÏÌÐà ØÏ AND AN ÁSUS ÅEE ÐÃ: ÁMIGA ÆOREVER 2008 ÒUNNING ON ÏNE ÌAPTOP PER ÃHILD ÈARDWARE HTTP://WWW.AMIGAFOREVER.COM/NEWS- EVENTS/20080105OAPC/ ÁMIGA ÆOREVER 2008 ÒUNNING ON ÁSUS ÅEE Ðà HTTP://WWW.AMIGAFOREVER.COM/NEWS- EVENTS/20080115EEE/ É'D BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE MORE DETAILS AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. ÙOU ARE FREE TO USE THE TEXT & PHOTOS FROM THE ABOVE TWO PAGES. ÔHANK YOU ÒEGARDS, ÔAKEO HTTP://WWW.AMIGAFOREVER.COM ÃOMPUTERWORLD ÃOMPUTERWORLD HAS POSTED AN INTERVIEW WITH ÁMIGA Ö.Ð. OF TECHNOLOGY, ÁDAM ÃHOWANIEC. ÈE TALKS A BIT ABOUT THE ÃOMMODORE AND A LOT ABOUT ÁMIGA. ÇO TO ÁRTILLERY ÄUEL ÎETWORK 1.0 ÒELEASED ÈERE IT IS! ÔHE FIRST NON-BETA RELEASE OF THE FIRST MULTIPLAYER GAME FOR ÒÒ-ÎET, ÅÔÈ64, AND ÆÂ-ÎET. HTTP://HOME.ICA.NET/ÞLEIFB/COMMODORE/ DUEL/ ÄOWNLOAD IT HERE: HTTP://NONAME.C64.ORG/CSDB/RELEASE/ ?ID=45526 ÍAJOR UPDATE TO THE Ã64 ÐÁÌ/ÎÔÓà CORE ÆÐÇÁ64 FOR THE Ã-ÏNE IS NOW AVAILABLE IN Ö0.23 - ÐETER HAS RE-WRITTEN LARGE PARTS OF THE ÖÉÃ-ÉÉ CODE WITH THE RESULT THAT ÄÍÁ-DELAY NOW WORKS PERFECTLY! ÁLSO, ÖÉÃ-TRICKS LIKE DISPLAYING 9 SPRITES IN THE SAME ROW ARE WORKING CORRECTLY, AND ÍARK ÍCÄOUGALL HAS CONTRIBUTED A JOYSTICK EMULATION TO THE KEYBOARD INTERFACE, SO THE NUMERIC KEYPAD CAN BE USED AS A JOYSTICK. ÁS ALWAYS, THE NEW VERSION OF THE CORE CAN BE FOUND ON THE DOWNLOAD PAGE OF THIS WEBSITE. ÔHANKS, ÐETER AND ÍARK! ÆINAL CORE BOUNTY: ×E REALLY WANT THE BOARD TO LEAVE BETA STATE NOW. ÔHE FINAL THING TO TEST IS THE 65816 PROCESSOR, THEREFORE WE HAVE A BOUNTY OF 500,- ÅÕÒ FOR THE FIRST PERSON WHO IS MAKING A ÖÉÃ-20 OR Ã64 CORE USING THE 65816 PROCESSOR ON THE ÃÐÕ/ÒÁÍ CARD. ÔHE BOUNTY IS GOOD UNTIL ÍARCH 20TH OF THIS YEAR! ÁLL NECESSARY TECHNICAL INFORMATION HAS BEEN PUBLISHED IN ÍAY 2007 IN THE CONE_CORES ÙAHOO GROUP. ÒEAD MESSAGE NUMBER 89 FOR ALL THE DETAILS. ÔHAT ÙAHOO GROUP IS A VERY GOOD PLACE FOR FINDING TECHNICAL ANSWERS. ÉF YOU WANT TO CLAIM THAT BOUNTY, JOINING THIS GROUP WILL INCREASE YOUR CHANCES! ÓÃÁÃÏÍ ÁKTUELL ISSUE 4 ÎEW (ÇERMAN) ISSUE 4 IS AVAILABLE VIA WWW.SCACOM.DE.VU ÉTS A SPECIAL ISSUE ABOUT THE Ã264 ÓERIES OF COMPUTERS THAT ÃOMMODORE MADE (Ã16, Ã116 AND PLUS4). ÔO DOWNLOAD: WWW.SCACOM.DE.VU IN THE MENU ON THE ÌEFT CLICK ON ÓÃÁÃÏÍ ÃLICK ON ÓÃÁÃÁÏÍ ÁKTUELL (ÐÄÆ ÍAGAZIN) AND DOWNLOAD THE LATEST ISSUE 4. ÈOPE YOU ENJOY READING ÓÃÁÃÏÍ ÔEAM ÍOSSYÃON 4 IS ON TRACK AS THE FIRST ÎORTH ÁMERICAN Ã=/ÁMIGA EVENT OF 2008. ÈERE ARE THE DETAILS -- ÄATE: ÓUNDAY, ÍARCH 16 ÓET-UP TIME: 10 ÁÍ ÏFFICIAL SHOW TIME: 11 ÁÍ TO 3 ÐÍ ÕNOFFICIAL SHOW TIME: 3 ÐÍ TO ? ÌOCATION: ÆULTANO'S ÐIZZA 620 ÏLNEY ÁVE JUST OFF OF ÈIGHWAY 101/5TH ÓT ÁSTORIA, ÏREGON 97103 ÐHONE: 503 325-2855 ÁDMISSION: ÃHIP IN FOR PIZZA, SODAS, BEER, COFFEE, ETC. ÒAFFLE PRIZES: NEW-IN-BOX ÇÅÏÓ 64 2.0, ÄÔÖ STAMPS, AND MORE ÐRESENTATIONS (TENTATIVE): ÊIFFYÄÏÓSED ÖÉÃ-20 WITH ÃÍÄ ÆÄ DRIVES AND HARD DRIVE, ÌT. ËERNAL HARD DRIVE FOR THE Ã64, ÂEHR-ÂONZ ÖÉÃ-20 ÍULTICART, ÂEGINNER'S WALKTHROUGH OF THE Ã64 ÕSER'S ÍANUAL, ÃOMMODORE/ÁMIGA VIDEOS, ÐROPHET 64 IN A MODDED ÓØ-64 ÏN EXHIBIT: ÄAVE ÈAYNIE- AUTOGRAPHED ÁMIGA 4000, ÃOMMODOREÏNE, MODDED ÓØ-64S ÆOR NEARBY ACCOMODATIONS, GO TO HTTP://WWW.HOTELS.COM AND INPUT ÁSTORIA, ÏÒ ÆOR MORE ÍOSSYÃON 4 INFORMATION, CONTACT THE CHANCELLOR OF THE ÁNYTHING ÃOMMODORE ÕSER ÇROUP (ÁÃÕÇ), ÄAVID ÍOHR, AT LORDRONIN(AT)VCSWEB.COM ÆAB! ÒOBERT ÂERNARDO ÎÅ×Ó ÃONTINUED ÐROPHET ÃARTRIDGE DISCONTINUED! ÙES THE CARTRIDGE IS DISCONTINUED BUT READ MORE ABOUT WHY THIS IS GOOD NEWS LATER IN THE ÍÅÓÓÉÁÈ ARTICLE & ONLINE @ WWW.PROPHET64.COM ÓÃÁÃÏÍ ÁKTUELL ÅNGLISH Á VERSION 1 OF THE ÅNGLISH EDITION OF ÓÃÁÃÏÍ MAGAZINE IS AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD WWW.SCACOM.DE.VU ÇUINNES BOOK OF RECORDS ÇAMERS EDITION HTTP://GAMERS.GUINNESSWORLDRECORDS.COM/ DEFAULT.ASPX ÒEAD MORE ABOUT WHATS INCLUDED HTTP://WWW.REGHARDWARE.CO.UK/2008/02/ 14/GUINNESS_WORLD_RECORDS_VIDEO _GAME_EDITION/ ÃÃÃà ÅXPO ÃÃÃà IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE BEGINNING ON ÊUNE 28, 2008, AND CONTINUING THRU THE 29TH, WE ARE HOSTING AN EXPO FOR ALL ÃOMMODORE ENTHUSIASTS. ÔHE EVENT IS TAKING PLACE WITHIN GREATER ÃINCINNATI, ÏHIO, AT THE ÄRAWBRIDGE ÉNN OF ÆORT ÍITCHELL ËÙ. Á HUGE ROOM WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR DEMOS AND DEALERS. ÍORE DETAILS WILL BE COMING SOON. ÄAVID ×ITMER ÃINCINNATI ÃOMMODORE ÃOMPUTER ÃLUB ÐRESIDENT×EBPAGE HTTP://WWW.GEOCITIES.COM/C64-128-AMIG ÃOMMODORE ÖIDEOS ÔHANKS TO ÒOBERT ÂERNARDO'S VIDEO WORK AND 1.5 SOLID DAYS OF EDITING AND CONVERTING BY WWW.COMMODORE.CA, WE NOW HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF VIDEO CONTENT POSTED FROM THE ÃOMPUTER ÈISTORY ÍUSEUM'S: ÉMPACT OF THE ÃOMMODORE 64. ÎOTE THAT MANY OF THESE FILES ARE LARGE AND WE ONLY HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF BANDWIDTH. ÁS SUCH É RECOMMEND THAT YOU ÒÉÇÈÔ ÃÌÉÃË ÏÎ ÔÈÅ ÁÐÐÒÏÐÒÉÁÔÅ ÌÉÎË ÁÎÄ ÓÅÌÅÃÔ "ÓÁÖÅ ÔÁÒÇÅÔ ÁÓ" TO DOWNLOAD THE FILES TO YOUR COMPUTER RATHER THAN HAVING THEM RUN THROUGH YOUR BROWSER HTTP://WWW.COMMODORE.CA/GALLERY/ VIDEO/VIDEO.HTM ÂIL ÈERD - ÃOMMODORE Ã128, ÐLUS/4, ÅARLY ÄAYS ÂIL ÈERD - ÅVERYONE ×ORKED FOR ÊACK ÔRAMIEL ÂILL ÌOWE - ÆATHER OF THE ÉÂÍ Ðà ÊACK ÔRAMIEL - ÁTARI ÄEAL, ÁMIGA ÃHIPS, ÉRVING ÇOULD ÊACK ÔRAMIEL - ÍÏÓ ÔECHNOLOGY WAS ÃRITICAL ÊACK ÔRAMIEL - ÃOMMODORE ÈISTORY ÈIS ÏWN ×ORDS ÊACK ÔRAMIEL - ÃOMMODORE ÈISTORY ÉNTERVIEW ÓTEVE ×OZNIAK - ÔRIES TO ÓELL ÁPPLE TO ÃOMMODORE ÌÏÁÄÓÔÁÒ 248 ÉT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME IN COMING, BUT ÌÏÁÄÓÔÁÒ ÉSSUE 248 SHIPPED ON ÖALENTINES ÄAY, WITH EMAILS SHIPPING ON ÓUNDAY, ÆEB 17. ×E DO APOLOGIZE ABOUT THE LONG HIATUS, BUT WE ARE FINALLY BACK IN THE SWING. ÄURING THE YEAR, DISKS -- BOTH 5.25 AND 3.5 ÄÄ/ÄÓ HAVE BECOME HARD TO COME BY AND EXPENSIVE. ÆORTUNATELY, WE NOW HAVE ENOUGH 5.25 DISKS TO FINISH OUR RUN OF 256 ISSUES! ÁND THE COST OF 3.5 DISKS IS NOT TOO MUCH. ÓO, IF YOU WANT TO GET IN ON THE LAST 8 ISSUES (249-256), EMAIL IS THE WAY TO GO. ×E EMAIL Ä81 AND Ä64 VERSIONS. ÔHE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE ON THESE LAST 8 ISSUES IS $24 FOR ALL EIGHT. ÔHANKS TO ALL ÌÏÁÄÓÔÁÒITES FOR YOUR ÌOYAL ÓUPPORT ÄAVE WWW.ELOADSTAR.COM ÃONTENTS ÌÏÁÄÓÔÁÒ BY THE ÄOZEN. ÇET YOUR BACK ISSUES IN A CONVENIENT ×INDOWS-READY FORMAT. ÔHE ÃOMMODORE 64 ÂOOK. BY ÁNDREW ÆISHER Á NEW PUBLISHED PERSPECTIVE ON OUR FAVORITE COMPUTER. Æ Õ Î × Á Ò Å ÓHAMROCKS ÓOLITAIRE. BY ÍAURICE ÊONES Á COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AND ADDICTING WAY TO PLAY CARDS. ÓHISEN-ÓHO. BY ÒON & ËATE ÓLAMINKO ÉT'S TILE MATCHING WITH A TWIST, AND A LITTLE HELP FROM THE Ã64 ÁLFREDO'S ÐITFALL BY ÒICKY ÄEROCHER ÔHE LITTLE GUY IS BACK, WITH MUSIC & MORE. ÅLEVATOR ÍUSIC BY ÆENDER ÔUCKER Á PUZZLING PIECE OF CYBER-ENIGMA, WRAPPED IN A FOG OF BINARY PASTA. ÍISFORTUNE BY ÂAD ÂYTES Á CLASSY GAME FROM ÄOWN ÕNDER THAT WILL CERTAINLY SILENCE ANY WHO CALL ÌÏÁÄÓÔÁÒ "LAME!" Í Õ Ó É Ã × Á Ò Å ÃORKY'S ÃLASSY ÃLASSICS BY ÈENRY "ÃORKY" ÃOCHRAN ÔHREE SONGS YOU WILL LOVE TO HEAR. ÇRAPHICS AND ÍUSIC BY ÄAVE ÍOORMAN Á STEP BY STEP TUTORIAL FOR PUTTING BITMAP GRAPHICS AND ÓÉÄ ÓONGS IN YOUR PROGRAMS WITH ÄOTÂÁÓÉà ÐLUS! Í Ï Ò Å Æ Õ Î × Á Ò Å ËNIGHT'S ÊOURNEY BY ÒICKY ÄEROCHER ÁS A ËNIGHT ÅRRANT, YOU MUST CAREFULLY PICK YOUR WAY THROUGH THIS ADVENTURE. ÃORSAIR BY ÊON ÍATTSON ÍAKE YOUR FORTUNE TRADING ON THE FRONTIERS OF CIVILIZATION. ÍÏÏÄ BY ÐERFF OF ÎO ÎAME ÄÏÏÍ ON THE Ã64 NEVER LOOKED OR PLAYED BETTER. Ã Ï Ä Å Ò × Á Ò Å ÄOTÂÁÓÉà ÐLUS BY ÄAVE ÍOORMAN ÁN ÏBJECT ÏRIENTED ÂÁÓÉà ÅXTENSION THAT CAN KEEP ON EXTENDING FOR YEARS TO COME! ====================================== ÉNTERVIEW WITH ÁL ÁNGER ÈARDWARE MODDER HTTP://ALANGER.NET/ ÈELLO ÎIGEL. ÔHANKS FOR THE INTERVIEW. ÔO USE THIS, É REQUIRE IT BE INCLUDED AS IS, WITH NO CHANGES OF ANY KIND TO YOUR QUESTIONS OR MY ANSWERS. ÉF YOU CAN NOT ABIDE BY THIS REQUIREMENT, DO NOT USE IT. ÔHANKS FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING. Ñ - ÐLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OUR READER Á - ÈI, É'M ÁL. Ñ - ÃAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPUTING HISTORY WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST MACHINE ETC Á - ÉÂÍ ÃARD ÐUNCH. ÆOLLOWED BY THE ÉÂÍ ÃARD ÓORTER. ÁND THEN THE ÉÂÍ403 ÁCCOUNTING ÍACHINE. ÔHIS WAS IN 1967. ÉN MY ÊR. & ÓR. YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL, É TOOK THE REGULAR CLASSES, MATH, HISTORY, ETC. IN THE MORNING. ÉN THE AFTERNOONS É ROAD A SCHOOL BUS, BY MYSELF (PLUS THE DRIVER, OF COURSE), 50 SOME MILES TO ÂUFFALO ÎÙ. ÔHERE É TOOK THE LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLAGE CLASSES IN ÄATA ÐROCESSING, AS IT WAS CALLED THEN. HTTP://WWW.COLUMBIA.EDU/ACIS/ HISTORY/026.HTML HTTP://WWW.COLUMBIA.EDU/ACIS/ HISTORY/SORTER.HTML É'VE INCLUDED PICTURES OF A PANEL SIMILAR TO ONE THAT PLUGGED INTO THE 403. ÔHE BANANA TIP JUMPERS WERE HOW THE MACHINE WAS PROGRAMMED. ÔHEY TOLD THE MACHINE WHERE TO PRINT VARIOUS BITS OF INFORMATION. ÍORE HERE: HTTP://WWW.COLUMBIA.EDU/ACIS/ HISTORY/407.HTML ÔHESE MACHINES WERE FROM THE 50S TO EARLY 60S, BUT WERE STILL USED FOR TEACHING IN THE LATE 60S. É WAS NOT THE TYPE TO WEAR THE THIN BLACK TIE, SO AFTER HIGH SCHOOL É MOVED TO ÍIAMI ÆÌ. AND WORKED AT RESTORING OLD WOODEN BOATS. É PLAYED WITH COMPUTERS ON THE SIDE DURING THE 70S. ÍOSTLY BUILDING COMPUTER KITS. ÉN THE 80S, É TOOK CLASSES AT ÍIAMI ÄADE ÃOMMUNITY ÃOLLAGE. ÍOSTLY PROGRAM- MING CLASSES, JUST FOR FUN, NOT FOR CREDIT. ÉN 82, É BOUGHT A ÖÉà 20. ÔHAT BEGAN A LIFE LONG LOVE AFFAIRE WITH Ã= ×HICH RUNS THROUGH TODAY. ÉN THE MID 80S, É WAS ASKED BY A FRIEND TO MANAGE A COMPUTER STORE; ÃOMPUTER ×AREHOUSE. ×E SOLD EVERYTHING FROM THE ÁDAM TO ÚENITH LAPTOPS. ÉN THE 90S, É MANAGED 150 DESKTOPS FOR AN IMPORT/EXPORT BROKER. ÔHEY HAD 8 OFFICES FROM ÔENNESSEE TO ÆLORIDA. Ñ - ÃAN YOU TELL OUR READER WHAT YOU DO FOR A LIVING? Á - ÁS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE. ÒIGHT NOW IT'S RUNNING A SMALL Ðà REPAIR SHOP. Ñ - ÃAN YOU TELL OUR READER ABOUT YOUR WEBSITE? Á - ÉT HAS A BLUE BACKGROUND, & LOTS OF PICTURES. Ñ - ÃAN YOU TELL OUR READER ABOUT YOUR COLLECTION OF MACHINES (Ã= & NON Ã=) Á - É DON'T COLLECT ANYMORE. É'VE GIVEN AWAY OR SOLD MOST OF WHAT É DON'T USE. É DON'T NEED TO HAVE STUFF, JUST TO HAVE STUFF. Ñ - ×HAT IS THE TERM "MODDING" & HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO Ã= MACHINES? Á - ÍOD IS SHORT FOR MODIFYING. ÉT RELATES TO Ã= AS TO MODIFYING ANYTHING ELSE. Ñ - ×HY DID YOU DECIDE TO ÍODIFY Ã= ÍACHINES? Á - ÂECAUSE É HAD LOTS OF THEM, & THEY ARE RELATIVELY CHEAP. ÉF YOU BRAEAK IT, NO BIG LOSS, FINANCIALLY. Ñ - ÁRE ANY OF THE MODDED MACHINES AVAILABLE FOR SALE? Á - ÎO. É TESTED THE WATERS WITH A SALE ON EÂAY, & DIDN'T RECEIVE NEAR WHAT IT WAS WORTH. Ñ - ÃAN YOU TELL OUR READER ABOUT ÒAY ÁLLEN'S 128ÄÃÒ, HOW WAS THE PROJECT STARTED & WHY. Á - É HAD TAKEN A FEW YEARS OFF FROM MODDING. É WANTED TO DO SOMETHING AGAIN & MADE SOME REMARK ON ÉÒà OR MAILING LIST, É FORGET NOW. ÈE HAD THE COURAGE TO FOLLOW UP ON IT. Ñ - ÒAY ÁLLEN'S 128ÄÃÒ PROJECT LOOKS BRILLIANT DO YOU HAVE PLANS FOR ANY MORE MAYBE TO SELL OFF OR WAS THIS PURELY A 1 OF? Á - ÔHANKS FOR THE KIND WORDS. ÉT IS A ONE OF. ÎO ONE WANTS TO PAY WHAT IT'S WORTH. EVEN AT SAY, $20/HOUR; IT TOOK HUNDREDS OF HOURS. Ñ - ÄID YOU THINK ABOUT PAINTING THE DRIVES IN ÒAY ÁLLEN'S 128ÄÃÒ, BLUE SO THEY MATCHED THE CASE? Á - ÎO É DIDN'T. Ñ - ÒAY ÁLLEN'S 128ÄÃÒ DID YOU COME TO A POINT WHERE YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD "BITTEN OF MORE THAN YOU COULD CHEW" & THINK ABOUT GIVING UP? Á- ÎO, NOT AT ALL. É ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. Ñ - ÈOW LONG DID THE PROJECT TAKE & WHAT WOULD BE THE COSTS INVOLVED IN TIME & MATERIALS Á - É DIDN'T KEEP TRACK OF THE TIME. 100S OF HOURS. ÔHE MATERIALS WERE MINIMAL. ÉÉÒà LESS THAT $200. Ñ - ÄID YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS OBTAINING MATERIALS FOR THE CONVERSION? Á - ÎO. ×ITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE POWER SUPPLY. ÄANNY CRAPPED OUT ON US. ÈE'S AN IDIOT. Ñ - ÔHE ÃOMMODORE 128 IN A TOWER CASE OF COURSE STILL LOOKS GREAT CAN YOU GIVE OUR READER INFORMATION ON WHAT YOU MANAGED TO FIT INTO THIS ÍODIFICATION Á - HTTP://ALANGER.NET/COMM/TOWER/ INDEX.HTML Á Ã128 INSTALLED IN A Ðà TOWER CASE. ÉNSTALLED IN THE TOWER ARE A ÒAMLINK; ÃÍÄ ÆÄ 4000; ÃÍÄ ÈARD ÄRIVE; & 14.4 MODEM ATTACHED TO A ÓWIFTÌINK. ÅVERY CONNECTOR ON THE MOTHERBOARD WAS MODIFIED. ×HAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET, AS THE EXPRESSION GOES. Ñ - ÈOW LONG WOULD A TOWER CONVERSION OF A Ã= SYSTEM TAKE, É PRESUME THIS IS A QUESTION LIKE HOW LONG IS A PIECE OF STRING Á - 100S OF HOURS. Ñ - ÔHE PROBLEM MOST USERS HAVE IS WITH POWER SUPPLIES, HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT GOING INTO PRODUCTION MODIFYING POWER SUPPLIES FOR THESE TOWER CONVERSIONS Á - ÎOPE. ÎO THANKS. :) Ñ- É ASKED Ã= GAMING IF THEY WOULD DO A "TOWER CASE AND PSU" TO CONVERT A Ã64 OR Ã128 THEY SAID THEY MAY THINK ABOUT IT DEPENDING ON THE ÓALES OF THEIR ÐÃS HAVE YOU ANY THOUGHTS, DO YOU THINK THERE IS ANY ÃOMMERCIAL VALUE IN SUCH A PRODUCT Á -É REALLY DON'T KNOW. É HAVE NO EXPERIENCE IN LARGE (RELATIVELY) SCALE PRODUCTION. ÇENERALLY, É DON'T THINK THERE IS ENOUGH MARKET FOR Ã= TO MAKE ANY REAL MONEY. Ñ - ÈAVE YOU SEEN ÃOMMODORE ÇAMINGS CASES AND DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS Á - ÙES, É'VE SEEN THEM. ÄE GUSTIBUS NON EST DISPUTANDUM.(GOOGLE IS YOUR FRIEND :) Ñ- ÄO YOU THINK ITS STILL GOOD TO SEE THE Ã= NAME ON PRODUCTS EVEN IF THEY ARE JUST Ðà SYSTEMS Á - ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME WOULD STILL HAVE THORNS. Ñ - ×HAT Ã= MOD ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? Á - ÔHAT'S LIKE ASKING WHICH CHILD É LIKE THE MOST. (IF É HAD CHILDREN) ÖERY HARD TO ANSWER. ÈOW 'BOUT; WHICHEVER ONE É'M LOOKING AT? Ñ - ÄO YOU STILL ACTIVELY USE Ã= MACHINES? Á - ÌESS ALL THE TIME. ÈAVEN'T TURNED ONE ON IN SEVERAL MONTHS. Á CASE OF BEEN THERE DONE THAT; MADE THE Ô SHIRT. Ñ - ÄO YOU THINK ÉF ÃOMMODORE WAS STILL IN BUSINESS THEY WOULD BE CREATING JUST Ðà SYSTEMS OR DO YOU THINK THEY WOULD CARRY ON BUILDING ON THE ÁMIGA SYSTEM Á - Ã= MISSED THE BOAT YEARS AGO. ÔHE ÁMIGA, OR SOME DERIVATIVE, SHOULD/COULD HAVE BEEN THE Ðà IN WIDESPREAD USE TODAY. ÂEST ÒEGARDS, AL ====================================== ÉNTERVIEW WITH ÒAY ÃARLSON ÒEPAIR ENGINEER STILL SUPPORTING ÃOMMODORE ÍACHINES HTTP://PERSONALPAGES.TDS.NET/RCARLSEN/ ÎIGEL, ÔHIS INTERVIEW WAS TOUGHER THAN IT SEEMED AT THE START. É WROTE AND REWROTE IT MANY TIMES, AND É'M STILL NOT SURE IT'S WHAT YOU WANTED. ÂUT, HERE GOES... ÁDD ONE MORE NAME TO THE ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST: THE ÅLECTRONIC ÓERVICE ÔECHNICIAN. ÄUE TO THE WAY ELECTRONIC DEVICES ARE BUILT NOWADAYS, LACK OF SUPPORT FROM THE MANUFACTURERS WITH REGARDS PARTS AND SERVICE INFORMATION, AND THE INITIAL LOW COST OF COMPLEX DEVICES SUCH AS ÄÖÄ ÐLAYERS AND ÃOMPUTERS, THE INDEPENDENT SERVICE FACILITY HAS BECOME A THING OF THE PAST. É'VE WORKED IN AND OUT OF REPAIR SHOPS ALL MY ADULT LIFE. ÐRESENTLY, É'M IN THE Á/Ö DEPARTMENT OF THE ÕNIVERSITY OF ×ASHINGTON IN ÓEATTLE, ÎORTHWEST ×ASHINGTON ÓTATE, ÕÓÁ. ÁS OF THIS WRITING, É EXPECT TO RETIRE IN ABOUT THREE YEARS. É INSTALL, MAINTAIN AND REPAIR ALL THE EQUIPMENT IN THEIR ELECTRONIC CLASSROOMS, FROM CONTROL SYSTEMS TO DATA PROJECTORS. ÍOST OF THAT STUFF IS NOT CONSIDERED ÒEPAIRABLE, BUT É TACKLE IT ANYWAY. ×ORKING WITHOUT SCHEMATICS OR A PARTS STOCK, É CAN STILL MANAGE TO SALVAGE SOME THAT WOULD OTHERWISE GOTO ÓTATE ÓURPLUS OR THE GARBAGE CAN. ÒEPAIR TECHNICIANS WERE THE BUFFERS BETWEEN THE CONSUMER AND THE MANUFACTURER. ÔHE TECH HAD TO KNOW HOW THE DEVICE WORKED, WHAT MISTAKES WERE LIKELY TO BE MADE IN ITS' USE AND, OF COURSE, HOW TO FIX IT WHEN IT FAILED. ÔHE EVER-INCREASING KNOWLEDGE NECESSARY TO DO THE JOB TOOK A TREMENDOUS INVESTMENT. ÉN THE TUBE DAYS, A TECHNICIAN COULD MAKE A LIVING REPAIRING ÔÖ SETS ALONE. ÌATER, JUST TO SURVIVE, SERVICERS HAD TO LEARN TO REPAIR (DARE É SAY IT... AT A PROFIT) JUST ABOUT ANYTHING THE DESIGNERS DREAMED UP. ÒEPAIR TECHS MUST HAVE A WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF ELECTRICITY, ELECTRONICS, OPTICS, PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY AND MECHANICS. ÔHEIR TASKS ARE AS MUNDANE AS WIPING THE DUST OFF A REPAIRED ÔÖ OR AS IMPORTANT AS SERVICING THAT ELECTRONIC DEFIBRILLATOR SO THE DOCTOR CAN WORK HIS "MAGIC". ÔHE FIRST CONSUMER ÖÃÒS SOLD FOR MORE THAN $1500. ÒEPAIRS AMOUNTING TO SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS WERE ACCEPTABLE. ÎOW THE CUSTOMER CAN AND DOES BUY NEW PRODUCT FOR LESS THAN THE COST OF REPAIRS! ÅVEN NEW TECHNOLOGY IS OBSOLETE IN JUST A FEW YEARS AND IT IS CHEAPER FOR THE MANUFACTURERS, NOW MOSTLY BASED IN ÃHINA, TO PRODUCE PRODUCTS THAT ARE NOT REPAIRABLE. ÇLASS PICTURE TUBES IN ÔÖ SETS AND COMPUTER MONITORS ARE BEING REPLACED BY ÌÃÄ AND OTHER DISPLAYS. ÔHE WORLD IS SHIFTING FROM ANALOG TO DIGITAL. ÆEWER AFTER-MARKET PARTS VENDORS, AND MORE SPECIALIZED AND PROPRIETARY PARTS ADD TO THE "REPAIR NOT POSSIBLE" PROBLEM FOR OLDER EQUIPMENT. ÇENERIC PARTS ARE VIRTUALLY UNKNOWN FOR NEW ELECTRONIC DEVICES. ÍANY TIMES, É DIDN'T SEE THAT ELECTRONIC GIZMO UNTIL A BROKEN ONE SHOWED UP ON MY REPAIR BENCH. ÒEPAIR TECHNICIANS ARE DETECTIVES SEARCHING FOR CLUES AND WE ACTUALLY ENJOY ZEROING IN ON THE BAD PART(S). ÉT'S RARELY A MATTER OF JUST SEEING "WHERE THE SMOKE CAME FROM". Á GOOD TECH WILL NOT ONLY FIND THE BAD PART BUT WILL FIND OUT WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM IN THE FIRST PLACE. ÉF A RESISTOR IS OVERHEATING, THERE IS A REASON. ×HEN A TRANSISTOR FAILS, IT OFTEN TIMES POINTS TO ANOTHER FAULT. ÊUST TO REPLACE THAT PART IS NOT ENOUGH. ÔO DO OUR JOB RIGHT, WE DON'T JUST TREAT THE SYMPTOMS; WE MUST "CURE THE DISEASE". ÒE-WORK ON A REPAIR ANGERS THE CUSTOMER AND COSTS US TIME AND MONEY. ÁLTHOUGH THE WORK IS OFTEN FRUSTRATING, THERE IS A PLEASURE IN SEEING THAT GADGET WORK AGAIN, NO MATTER WHAT IT IS OR WHO OWNS IT. ×E ENJOY SHARING OUR KNOWLEDGE, TOO. ÉT'S PART OF THE FUN. ×E HATE WASTE. ÉT HURTS TO HAVE TO GIVE UP ON A JOB BECAUSE IT'S UNECONOMICAL TO REPAIR OR WE CAN'T GET THE PARTS, AND THEN SEE THE EQUIPMENT GO IN THE TRASH. ÔHEREFORE, MANY OF US END UP AS "PACKRATS". ×E SALVAGE AND STORE ANYTHING WHICH WE THINK MAY BE USEFUL LATER BECAUSE WE SEE A TIME WHEN REPAIR PARTS WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO OBTAIN. ÅVEN THOUGH THE MANUFACTURERS DO NOT SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS, WE STILL TRY TO REPAIR DOWN TO THE COMPONENT LEVEL, RATHER THAN REPLACING A WHOLE Ðà BOARD, OR THE WHOLE UNIT. ×E TAKE PRIDE IN A JOB WELL DONE. ÉT IS OFTEN TIMES OUR ONLY "THANKS". ÏUR MOTIVATION COMES FROM WITHIN. ÎO ONE BUT ANOTHER TECH KNOWS WHAT WE DO AND WHY. ÙOU MIGHT SAY WE HAVE AN IMAGE PROBLEM. ×E ARE ÍISUNDERSTOOD AND, FOR THE MOST PART, INVISIBLE. ÉN ALL MY LIFE, É HAVE SEEN EXACTLY ÏÎÅ ÔELEVISION ÃOMMERCIAL FEATURING A ÔÖ REPAIR TECH. ×HEN WE DO OUR JOBS RIGHT, NO ONE KNOWS OR CARES. ×E ARE "VIDEO JANITORS". ÉT IS ONLY WHEN WE GOOF THAT IT SHOWS. ÁS WITH ALL PROFESSIONS, THERE ARE THOSE WHO SHOULDN'T BE IN THE BUSINESS. ÓOME ARE SLOPPY... THEY MAY BE ÃOMPETENT BUT ARE CARELESS AND/OR DON'T FOLLOW UP ON DETAILS. ÔHAT DRIVES ME CRAZY... ESPECIALLY IF É HAVE TO DO THEIR RE-WORK. Á FEW CAN'T SOLDER. ÎO EXCUSE! ÄISHONEST SHOP OWNERS REFLECT BADLY ON ALL OF US BUT ARE, FORTUNATELY, IN THE MINORITY. ÔHE "LAST GASP" OF INDEPENDENT SERVICE TURNED SOME SAINTS INTO SINNERS. ÍOST TECHS É'VE MET ARE MIDDLE-AGED MEN. ÔHIS PROFESSION DIDN'T DRAW MANY YOUNG PEOPLE. É HAVE ÏNLY KNOWN TWO FEMALE TECHS. ÔHEY WERE PROFESSIONAL, INTELLIGENT, FEARLESS IN ATTACKING PROBLEMS, AND A JOY TO WORK WITH. É MISS THEM. Á REPAIR SHOP WAS USUALLY A ÍANAGEMENT AFTERTHOUGHT... SUPPORT FOR A ÓALES FACILITY. ÉT WAS THE GRUBBY LITTLE ROOM IN THE BACK, CLUTTERED WITH EQUIPMENT WAITING TO BE LOOKED AT AND REPAIRED SETS AS WELL AS MOUNTAINS OF DEBRIS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION... AND AN OVERWORKED TECH. ÉT WAS RARE INDEED TO FIND A CLEAN, QUIET, WELL LIT AREA FREE OF CLUTTER. É WORKED IN TWO OF THEM, SO É KNOW THEY EXISTED. ÔHE NEED HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE BUT THE OVERHEAD COSTS ARE ENORMOUS. ÍANAGEMENT (AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC) SEES US AS A NECESSARY EVIL AND WE LOOK THE PART. ÍOST OF THE SHOPS É WORKED IN WERE SIMILAR: THE UNINSULATED BACK CORNER OF THE WAREHOUSE, SOMEONES GARAGE, BASEMENT, BACK ROOM, ETC. É HAVE ALWAYS FOUGHT FOR MORE SPACE, MORE SCHOOLING (NEW PRODUCT UPDATE CLASSES, AT LEAST) AND BETTER TEST EQUIPMENT. ÓINCE THE "BEAN COUNTERS" NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT IT WAS WE DID, HOW COULD WE HOPE TO GET THEM TO SPEND MORE MONEY ON SERVICE. ×ITH THOSE HANDICAPS, WE TECHNICIANS LABOURED ALONG THE BEST WE COULD. ×E KNEW THE CUSTOMER WOULD COME OUT ON THE SHORT END AND WE WOULD TAKE THE BLAME! ÔHE ONLY WORSE THING WOULD BE NO TECHS AT ALL. ×ITH A FIXED SALARY, WE GOT ONLY A FRACTION OF THE LABOUR CHARGED TO THE CUSTOMER AND NOTHING FOR THE PARTS. ×E KNEW WE WOULD NEVER BE RICH NO MATTER HOW HARD WE WORKED. ÉT WAS NOT THE KIND OF CLUB THAT ATTRACTED NEW MEMBERS. É DIDN'T CHOOSE THIS PROFESSION. ÁT THE BEGINNING IT WAS A HOBBY. ÌIKE MOST KIDS É WAS CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THINGS WORKED. É TOOK APART TOYS AND WATCHES AND RADIOS. É FIXED BICYCLES AND ROLLER SKATES. ÉF ANYONE DESERVES CREDIT FOR GETTING ME STARTED IN ELECTRONICS, IT WAS MY FATHER. ÈE PROVIDED THE FERTILE GROUND FOR MY EDUCATION AND HE BOUGHT THE FIRST TOOLS AND TEST INSTRUMENTS É OWNED. É REMEMBER WORKING ON A TABLE RADIO SALVAGED FROM THE NEIGHBOURS TRASH BACK IN THE EARLY 1950S. É SPENT MONTHS TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK AGAIN. ÔHAT ONE NEVER DID. ÎO ONE AROUND COULD ANSWER MY QUESTIONS, SO É LEARNED TO READ TECHNICAL MANUALS. É PROGRESSED TO BLACK AND WHITE ÔÖ SETS AND WOULD SPEND MOST OF MY SPARE TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE VARIOUS CIRCUITS WORKED TO PRODUCE THAT MAGICAL PICTURE. ÔRY DISCUSSING STUFF LIKE THAT WITH YOUR GRADE-SCHOOL AND HIGH-SCHOOL CLASSMATES. É WAS LITERALLY AN OUTCAST. É SPENT MONTHS BUILDING AND REBUILDING SECTIONS OF A ÔÖ SET TO SEE IF É COULD MAKE IT BETTER. ÁLL OF THIS WAS PLAY TO ME. É LOVED IT! ÍY FIRST JOB (EARLY 1960S) WAS FIXING TUBE AND (THEN NEW) TRANSISTOR RADIOS AND REEL-TO-REEL TAPE RECORDERS AT A "WAGE" OF A FEW DOLLARS PER ITEM REPAIRED. É ALWAYS LIKED "PIECEWORK" (GETTING PAID BY THE JOB RATHER THAN A FIXED SALARY) WITH PERSONAL INITIATIVE AS THE MOTIVE FOR BETTER PAY. É'LL NEVER FORGET THE FIRST TIME É SAW A COLOR ÔÖ IN A DEPARTMENT STORE. É WAS 18 YEARS OLD IN 1962. É SAT ON THE FLOOR IN FRONT OF THE SET FOR HALF AN HOUR IN TOTAL AMAZEMENT. "ÈOW DO THEY DO THAT?" Á YEAR LATER, É PAID $50 FOR A COLOR ÔÖ NO ONE COULD FIX AND SPENT SEVERAL MONTHS LEARNING ABOUT COLOR CIRCUITS. ÔHE FIRST PROGRAM É WATCHED IN COLOR ON MY SET WAS "ÂONANZA". ÂY THEN, THE ÄISNEY ÔÖ SHOWS WERE IN COLOR TOO. ÒEAL ÍAGIC! É LATER TALKED THE GUY WHO SOLD ME THE SET INTO HIRING ME PART TIME FOR $50 A WEEK. ÍY "CAREER" WAS FLYING! ÔHE ÁRMY "BORROWED" ME FOR TWO YEARS (1965-67) AND, WITH MY ELECTRONICS BACKGROUND, OF COURSE MADE ME A ÍILITARY ÐOLICEMAN. ÁRMY LOGIC. ×ITH A RIFLE OVER MY SHOULDER, É GUARDED A MISSLE BASE IN ÇERMANY FOR 14 MONTHS. ÁBOUT THREE MONTHS BEFORE MY TOUR OF DUTY WAS TO END, SOMEONE LEARNED OF MY "TALENTS" AND SENT ME TO "ÒADIO ÓCHOOL" IN THE ÂAVARIAN MOUNTAINS. É ALMOST SLEPT THROUGH IT AND STILL MADE ÈONOR ÇRADUATE. ÔHEY FIGURED É WOULD RE-ENLIST BUT É HUNGERED FOR FREEDOM AND ELECTRONICS (IN THAT ORDER). É REMEMBER ANGERING A RE-ENLISTMENT ÏFFICER BY ANSWERING: "ÄO É LOOK CRAZY TO YOU?" Á MONTH LATER, É WAS "BACK IN THE WORLD". ÉMAGINE BEING ANXIOUS TO GET BACK TO WORK. ÓINCE THAT TIME, MY EDUCATION AND ON-THE-JOB TRAINING HAS BEEN AN ACCELERATING SPIRAL... ÖÃÒS, VIDEODISC PLAYERS, MICROWAVE OVENS, AUDIO CASSETTE AND ÃÄ PLAYERS, TEST EQUIPMENT, AND ON AND ON. ÊUST TO KEEP UP, IT WAS NECESSARY TO REGULARLY UPDATE MY SCHOOLING ON VARIOUS PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, NEW ÖÃÒS, ÔÖ ÓTUDIO GEAR, MICROPROCESSORS EVERYWHERE... AND COMPUTERS. ÌIKE MOST OF MY EDUCATION IN ELECTRONICS, WHAT É LEARNED ABOUT COMPUTERS HAS BEEN SELF-TAUGHT. É'M A "HARDWARE" KIND OF GUY. ÅARLY ON, É SPENT MORE TIME INSIDE THE BOX THAN É DID POUNDING THE KEYS. ÃOMMODORE, ÉÂÍ, ÄÅÃ, ËAYPRO... ALL HAVE BEEN MY TEACHERS. É BOUGHT MY FIRST COMPUTER SYSTEM, A Ã64 WITH 1541 AND PRINTER IN 1986... RELATIVELY LATE IN THE GAME. ÔHE LEARNING CURVE WAS RATHER STEEP. É "CONSUMED" UTILITY PROGRAMS, LEARNING HOW THE DEVICES WORKED. É NEVER LIKED GAMES. ÔHE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE CIRCLE OF TECHNICIANS WHO FIX ALL THESE MAGICAL BOXES MUST ASSUME IT'S DONE WITH MIRRORS AND SMOKE, ASSUMING THEY THINK ABOUT IT AT ALL. ÔHEY DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE THAT BOX AND MOST OF THEM DON'T WANT TO KNOW... UNTIL IT BREAKS! ÈOW AMAZED (OR BORED) THEY MUST BE TO STARE INTO A ÃOMPUTER OR ÖÃÒ. ÍOST OF IT MAKES LOGICAL SENSE TO THE TECH. ÓOMETIMES ×Å STARE IN AWE! ×E SEE THE WONDERS AROUND US CONTRIBUTING TO OUR ENRICHMENT... AND OUR DEMISE AS TECHNICIANS. ÈIGH-PRICED ITEMS LIKE A ÃAMCORDER THAT IS UN- ECONOMICAL TO REPAIR OR A TWO YEAR OLD "OBSOLETE" COMPUTER ARE GOOD EXAMPLES. ÂEFORE THE INTERNET WENT MAINSTREAM, É WAS REPAIRING ÃOMMODORE EQUIPMENT AND WRITING REPAIR ARTICLES FOR THE LOCAL COMPUTER CLUBS. ÂEING AN ELECTRONICS TECH, IT WAS A NATURAL PROGRESSION TO GET INTO COMPUTER REPAIR. ÔHE MAIN PROBLEM AT THAT TIME WAS THAT THERE WAS VIRTUALLY NO SERVICE INFORMATION OUT THERE. É'VE BEEN ACQUIRING AND SHARING EVERYTHING É CAN SINCE THEN. ÉN THE EARLY 1990S, É STARTED ANSWERING HARDWARE REPAIR QUESTIONS ON THE ÉNTERNET NEWSGROUP COMP.SYS.CBM, AND É STILL FREQUENT THAT GROUP WHEN É HAVE TIME. É LATER PUT UP MY OWN WEBSITES AFTER É SAW MY REPAIR INFORMATION, MISTAKES AND ALL, APPEAR ON OTHER SITES ALL OVER THE WORLD. ÔHE ONLY WAY É COULD EASILY MAKE CORRECTIONS AND ADD UPDATES TO EXISTING MATERIAL WAS TO CONTROL MY OWN WEBSITES, SO THAT'S HOW THEY GOT STARTED. ÉT APPEARS TO BE THE ONLY COMPREHENSIVE SOURCE OF REPAIR INFO AND SCHEMATICS FOR ÃOMMODORE GEAR IN THE WORLD. ÉT'S AMAZING TO ME, NOW THAT É THINK ABOUT IT. ÏNE OF A KIND. ÍY TWO SITES INCLUDE NOT ONLY REPAIR ARTICLES BUT HARDWARE "HACKS" SUCH AS HOW TO INSTALL A RESET SWITCH IN AN ÓØ WITHOUT DRILLING HOLES IN THE CASE, AND A "PROTECTOR" CIRCUIT TO PREVENT POWER SUPPLY DAMAGE TO THE Ã64. ÓCHEMATIC DIAGRAMS FOR ÃOMMODORE COMPUTERS, MONITORS, DISK DRIVES, ETC. ARE AVAILABLE ON ANOTHER SITE. ÃOMMODORE COMPUTER HARDWARE HAS PROVED ITSELF TO BE QUALITY EQUIPMENT. ÔHEY USED FIBER GLASS EPOXY SILK SCREENED BOARDS AND QUALITY COMPONENTS THROUGHOUT. ÈOW ELSE COULD SUCH EQUIPMENT SURVIVE OVER TWO DECADES. ÔHE DOWNSIDE OF PROPRIETARY PARTS SUCH AS THEIR CUSTOM ÉÃS IS THAT THEY ARE SCARCE NOW AND ONLY AVAILABLE FROM SALVAGED BOARDS. ×HEN THE LAST ÓÉÄ (SOUND) CHIP HAS FAILED, THAT'S THE END OF IT ALTHOUGH THERE ARE EMULATORS OUT THERE DESIGNED TO RUN ON A ÐÃ. ÆOR THE DIEHARD ORIGINAL HARDWARE ENTHUSIAST, THERE IS A LIMIT, BUT IT WILL BE AT LEAST A DECADE OR MORE IF É HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY (AND DO) ABOUT IT. É HAVE QUITE A BIT OF EXPERIENCE WITH THE Ã64 AND 128 BUT HAVE NOT DONE MUCH WITH ÐÅÔS OR THE ÁMIGA SO É LIMIT MY REPAIR EFFORTS TO THE FORMER 8 BIT STUFF. ÁLONG WITH FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT, É'VE ALWAYS HAD A HOME-BASED REPAIR BUSINESS TO SUPPLEMENT MY INCOME, UP UNTIL ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO. ÁLTHOUGH É HAVE STOPPED REPAIRING CONSUMER ELECTRONICS FOR A LIVING, É STILL KEEP MY HAND IN FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, AT LEAST FOR THE STUFF THAT CAN STILL BE REPAIRED. ÉNCLUDED IN THAT IS ÃOMMODORE EQUIPMENT WHICH É'LL CONTINUE TO REPAIR FOR ANYONE WHO ASKS UNTIL É RUN OUT OF REPAIR PARTS. ÂEING A PACKRAT BY NATURE, É HAVE MANY COMPUTERS AND DRIVES STASHED AWAY FOR SALVAGE. ÔHE "BLACK BRICK" POWER SUPPLY IS A COMMON FAILURE ITEM BUT IS NOT REPAIRABLE BECAUSE IT'S "POTTED" IN EPOXY INSIDE. É RECENTLY MANAGED TO DEVELOP A REPLACEMENT FOR THE ÐÌÁ CHIP IN THE Ã64. ÉT'S THE Éà THAT FAILS SO OFTEN BECAUSE IT RUNS VERY HOT NORMALLY. É NOW INSTALL HEAT SINKS ON THE ÐÌÁ, ÓÉÄ AND THE ÍÐÕ WHENEVER É REPAIR A BOARD. ÉF TOO MANY CHIPS HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BY OVER VOLTAGE FROM A FAILED "BLACK BRICK" POWER SUPPLY, É SIMPLY SWAP THAT BOARD OUT TO KEEP THE REPAIR COST DOWN, THEN KEEP THE DEAD BOARD FOR SALVAGE. ÎOT ALL CHIPS ARE BAD EVEN IF THE BOARD HAS BEEN SO DAMAGED. É'VE NEVER ADVERTISED, SO ALL OF MY ÃOMMODORE REPAIR JOBS HAVE COME BY WORD-OF-MOUTH. É DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH É COULD HANDLE IF LOTS OF PEOPLE SUDDENLY STARTED SENDING ME WORK BECAUSE É STILL HAVE A FULL TIME JOB. ÔHAT SAID, É'M AVAILABLE IF ANYONE WANTS TO HAVE THEIR EQUIPMENT SERVICED. Á FEW YEARS BACK, A ÃOMMODORE USER IN THE ÕË WAS AMAZED TO FIND ANYONE ANYWHERE WHO COULD REPAIR HIS 128ÄÃÒ BOARDS. ÈE SENT ME TWO OF THEM AND SOME SPARE CHIPS. ÅVERYTHING IN THE ÕÓÁ USES THE ÎÔÓà TELEVISION FORMAT AND BOTH HIS BOARDS WERE ÅUROPEAN ÐÁÌ FORMAT, SOMETHING É'VE NEVER WORKED WITH. ÔHOSE WERE THE MOST INTERESTING REPAIRS É EVER DID. ÓOME CHIPS WERE INSTALLED BACKWARDS, SOME IN THE WRONG SOCKETS, BENT PINS, ETC. ÉN ADDITION, THE SURFACE-MOUNTED DISK DRIVE HEAD AMPLIFIER CHIP IN BOTH BOARDS WAS BAD. É HATE WORKING ON SURFACE MOUNT STUFF, BUT THROUGH THE KINDNESS OF A FRIEND, É GOT TWO 1541-ÉÉ SPARE BOARDS THAT EACH CONTAINED THAT SAME Éà AND WAS ABLE TO DO THE ÓÍÄ CHIP SWAPS AND REPAIR THE ÄÃÒ MOTHERBOARDS. ÉT COST MORE TO SHIP THEM BACK AND FORTH THAN É CHARGED TO REPAIR THEM, BUT THE ÕË OWNER DIDN'T CARE. ÈE WAS THRILLED TO GET THEM WORKING AGAIN AT ANY PRICE. É USUALLY CHARGE A FLAT RATE RATHER THAN BY THE HOUR. ÔHE CHARGES DEPEND ON WHAT É HAVE TO DO, BUT É PREFER TO PUT A "CAP" ON THE COSTS THAT É WILL NOT GO OVER WITHOUT CUSTOMER APPROVAL, OR IF THEY NEED CUSTOM WORK DONE. É TRY TO MAKE AN INITIAL DIAGNOSIS AND ESTIMATE COST OF REPAIRS BASED ON SYMPTOMS BEFORE THE CUSTOMER SHIPS THE EQUIPMENT. ÉN SOME CASES, A USER CAN REPAIR HIS/HER OWN STUFF WITH MY HELP, VIA EMAIL. ÔHAT SAID, É DON'T LIKE TO SELL PARTS ONLY. ÄIAGNOSIS BY SWAPPING PARTS AROUND IS HARDLY THE BEST WAY TO TROUBLESHOOT FOR THE INEXPERIENCED. ÕNLESS THEY HAVE SPARE BOARDS ON HAND. ÉT USUALLY ENDS UP BEING A WASTE OF MONEY IF É HAVE TO SUPPLY CHIPS THAT MAY NOT EVEN BE USED. ÆURTHER, ÉÃS HAVE BECOME EVEN MORE PRECIOUS (READ MORE EXPENSIVE) AS THE SUPPLY CONTINUES TO SHRINK AND É CAN'T AFFORD TO WASTE ANY. ×HEN É'M DOING A REPAIR, É DON'T DISCARD ANYTHING UNLESS É ËÎÏ× IT'S BAD. É'VE DONE VERY LITTLE WITH ÃÍÄ PRODUCTS MAINLY DUE TO LACK OF SUPPORT. ×ITHOUT SCHEMATICS AND A STOCK OF PARTS, É WOULD HAVE LITTLE CHANCE OF FIXING THEIR EQUIPMENT. ÁFTER-MARKET DISK DRIVES ARE ANOTHER MATTER AS THEY ARE MUCH LIKE ÃOMMODORE DRIVES WITH REGARDS DESIGN AND PARTS EQUIVALENTS. É ONCE HEARD OF A CAR MADE IN ÆRANCE THAT HAD NO HOOD OPENING. ÙOU PUT GAS IN ONE END AND OIL IN THE OTHER... NO MAINTENANCE. ×HEN IT STOPS, YOU HAUL IT IN, IT'S GROUND UP AND YOU BUY A NEW ONE. ÅLECTRONICS IS HEADED IN THAT DIRECTION. ÉN THE MEAN TIME, THE ELECTRONICS SERVICE TECH- NICIAN, LIKE THE AUTO MECHANIC, IS HATED AND FEARED AND NEEDED. ÕNTIL WE ARE NEEDED, WE ARE INVISIBLE. ÓOON WE WILL BE GONE. ÉT'S HAPPENING... IT'S HISTORY. ÒAY ÃARLSEN ÃÏÍÍÏÄÏÒÅ ÆÒÅÅ É WOULD LIKE TO THANK ÒAY FOR TAKING THE TIME TO DO THIS INTERVIEW, É APPRECIATE YOU SPENT A LOT OF TIME FORMING THE REPLIES AND É WAS TRANSFIXED READING THE INFORMATION YOU SENT BACK. É FEEL MANY PEOPLE WORK HARD AND NO ON APPRECIATES THEM, É WORK IN ÉÔ SUPPORT AND NEVER RECEIVE ANY THANKS FOR THE WORK É DO PEOPLE JUST EXPECT EVERY- THING TO WORK. ÍOST TIMES PEOPLE ONLY NOTICE YOU WHEN THE NETWORK AND COMPUTERS ÓTOP WORKING, THEN THEY WONDER WHAT YOU ACTUALLY DO ALL DAY AND WHEN IT WILL BE FIXED. ÒAY IS A RARE BREED OF TECHNICIAN RATHER THAN FIX A BROKEN PART HE IS LOOKING AT WHY THE PART FAILED AND ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSE SO IT WONT FAIL AGAIN. ÃOMMODORE MACHINES NEVER GET ANY YOUNGER AND PARTS DO FAIL EVENTUALLY WE WILL HAVE NO SPARES LEFT WHAT WILL WE DO THEN, JUST USE EMULATION. ====================================== ÉNTRO "ÔÈÅ ÅÎÄ" ÌORD ÒONIN FROM Ñ-ÌINK ÆUNNY THAT É AM WRITING THIS AFTER ALL THE PARTS AND THE OUTRO HAVE BEEN WRITTEN. ÇUESS IT IS BEST AS NOW É CAN EXPLAIN THINGS, AFTER THEY ARE DONE, IN A BETTER LIGHT. É CALL THIS THE END, BECAUSE AFTER YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS POORLY WRITTEN DRIVEL. ÙOU WILL HAVE ENDED YOUR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ON THE WORLDS GREATEST ÐÃ. ÂUT KNOW NOW THAT É AM EXCEPTIONALLY BIASED TOWARDS THE Ã=Ðà PLATFORM. <ÖÂÇ> ÓORT OF EXPLAIN THIS IN PART #1.×HAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT, A PERSONAL LOOK AT THE ÃOMMODORE 64. ÕSING BESIDES PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND MY UEBER BIAS FOR THE Ã=64. ÔHE ÃOMMODORE 64 ÕSERS ÍANUAL. Á BOOK THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE BOX, WHEN THE Ðà WAS SOLD NEW. É WROTE THIS FOR MANY REASONS. ÍY OWN USERS GROUP OF BEGINNERS. ÂUT ALSO FOR THOSE THAT ARE THE 2ND GENERATION OF Ã= USERS. ÌIKE É AM AND FACE THE SAME PROBLEMS OF FINDING SOME FORM OF ASSISTANCE ON HOW TO USE THE Ã=. É MEAN BY THAT STATEMENT, JUST WHAT IT SAYS. ÉN FACT É HAVE TAUGHT PEOPLE LOCALLY AND ON LINE HOW TO LOAD A PROGRAMME FROM A DISK. ÂECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THAT SUBJECT. ÎO WAY AM É AN EXPERT. ÁT BEST É AM A LAMER. Á VERY DEDICATED, USE THE Ã= EVERYDAY, IT IS MY PRIMARY COMPUTER PLATFORM, LAMER. ×HAT FOLLOWS IN THE 12 PARTS IS A PERSONAL LOOK AND INTER- PRETATION OF THE INFORMATION OF THE USERS MANUAL. ÆULL OF BAD GRAMMAR, SPELLINGS AND TYPOS. ÅACH SECTION WAS WORKED UPON WITH THE LOCAL USERS GROUP IN A PROGRAMMING CLASS. ÂEFORE IT WAS WRITTEN UP IN THIS SERIES. ×HICH IN NO WAY PROVES ANY ACCURACY <Ç>. ÏNE THING THAT É HAVE HEARD ABOUT IS PEOPLE ATTEMPTING TO LEARN HOW TO USE THE Ã=. ÂUT COMING FROM OTHER PLATFORMS. ÔHESE PEOPLE HAVE TROUBLE WITH THE TERMS USED IN THE Ã= Ðà WORLD, AS COMPARED TO THEIR CURRENT PLATFORM. É UNDERSTAND THAT PROBLEM WELL, EXCEPT IN THE REVERSE. É HAD NOT A LICK OF HOME COMPUTER EXPERIENCE BEFORE É WAS GIVEN A Ã=64 SYSTEM IN THE EARLY 90S. ÔHROUGH OUT THIS MONOGRAPH, É ATTEMPT TO DEAL WITH THE TERMS & GIVE MEANINGS TO THEM FOR THE USER. Á TASK THAT IS HARD, WHEN É HAVE NO REFERENCE TO THE OTHER PLATFORMS. ×HAT É HOPE YOU WILL SEE IN THIS SERIES IS NOT ONLY THE METHOD TO HOOK UP YOUR Ã= 64 ÐÃ. ÁS YES É DO COVER THAT PART. ÂUT THE FACT THAT YOU ARE IN CONTROL OF THE COMPUTER. ÅVEN WITH THE LITTLE THAT IS HERE ON PROGRAMMING. ÙOU WILL BE MAKING SOME MUSIC, SOME DIFFERENT FORMS OF ANIMATION AND A COUPLE SIMPLE LITTLE GAMES. Á TASTE OF WHAT YOU CAN LEARN TO DO WITH THE Ã=. ÁND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A GEEKY NERD TO PROGRAMME THIS MACHINE. ÁLONG WITH THAT PART. ÔHERE IS ALSO THE UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU DO NOT NEED TO PROGRAMME TO ENJOY THIS MACHINE. ÔHOUGH THERE IS A LOT ON THE PROGRAMMING IN ÂASIC IN THIS SERIES. ÂECAUSE THE MANUAL DEALS WITH THE TOPIC IN SOME DEPTH. É DID MAKE A COUPLE SECTIONS ON JUST THE PARTS OF THE 64 FOR THE USER. ×HERE É TALK A BIT ON DIFFERENT GAMES, ×ORD ÐROCESSORS, ÄESK ÔOP ÐUBLISHING, ÓCANNING, ÖOICE RECOGNITION AND OTHER TOPICS, THAT WE HAVE HAD SINCE THE MID 80S. ÐLUS SOME OF THE MORE RECENT DEVELOPMENTS. ÈOW TO USE THIS SERIES IS A BIG QUESTION. É WRITE IT ON A Ã128ÄÃÒ. ÐUT IN 64 MODE AND USED THE ÅDÓTAR ÉÉ WRITING TOOL FROM ÌOADÓTAR DISK ÍAG. ×HAT É DON'T KNOW IS IF YOU ARE USING A 64 BREADBOX, 64C, 128 IN 64 MODE, OR TRYING THIS IN EMULATION, SUCH AS VICE. ÎOR IF YOU ARE READING THIS ON A SCREEN OR HAVE PRINTED IT OUT. ÏR READING IT ON A NOW Ã= SCREEN WHILE TRYING IT OUT ON A Ã=. ÔRYING TO TAKE ALL OF THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. ÂEST WAY TO DO THIS SERIES IS TO HAVE A COPY AT SOMEPLACE. ÓCREEN OR PRINT OUT. ÔHEN GO OVER THE MATERIAL, AS THERE ARE TYPED IN THINGS AND PROCEED TO WORK STEP BY STEP. ÍY INTENTION IS TO HAVE IT PERSONAL AND FRIENDLY IN STYLE. É CAN TELL YOU THAT YOU WON'T UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING, AFTER THE FIRST RUN THROUGH. ÔRUTH BE TOLD, TOOK ME 5 TIMES THROUGH THE BOOK. ÂEFORE THIS OLD BRAIN STARTED TO MAKE ANY SENSE OF THE MATERIAL. ×HILE OTHERS IN THE GROUP DID THE SAME IN 2-3 TIMES THROUGH THE BOOK. ÓO NOW YOU HAVE THE INTRO. ÌETS START ON THE WORLD OF THE GREATEST Ðà EVER MADE, LOVED BY MILLIONS FOR OVER 20 YEARS. ÌORD ÒONIN FROM Ñ-ÌINK ÃHANCELLOR Á.Ã.Õ.Ç. #447 ÅDITOR ÔHE ÖILLAGE ÇREEN ÍANAGING ÅDITOR ÃOMMODORE ÍAIÌINK ÃONTRIBUTOR TO Ã= PUBLICATIONS ÓYSÏP OF A Ã= ÂÂÓ ÆANATICAL, DEVOTED Ã= USER. ====================================== ÔHE ÂEGINNING ÌORD ÒONIN FROM Ñ-ÌINK "ÈOW DO É USE THIS THING?". ÔO QUOTE ÔHE ÃAT FROM ÒED ÄWARF "×HAT IS IT?", A LINE HE WOULD SAY OFTEN ABOUT MOST TECHY THINGS. "×HERE IS THE COMPUTER?". ÏË THAT IS ENOUGH OF THE THINGS THAT É HEAR ABOUT THE ÃOMMODORE 64/128 SYSTEM FROM PEOPLE THAT KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT OR HOW IT FUNCTIONS. ÓAVE FOR ONE THING THAT É HEAR A LOT, 'CAUSE OTHER PEOPLE SAY IT AND SO DO É, "ÈOW DO É USE IT?". ÙUPPERS SAME PRETTY MUCH AS THE OPENING LINE. ÔHAT IN A SMALL WAY IS WHAT THIS SET OF WRITINGS IS ALL ABOUT. ÆIRST LETS CLEAR A FEW THINGS UP. ÔHERE WERE AROUND 30 MILLION OF THESE BUGGERS SOLD. ÁCCORDING TO SOME PEOPLE. É DON'T HAVE ALL OF THEM, AT LEAST NOT YET <ÂÇ>. ÔHIS WAS THE MOST POPULAR Ðà OF THE 80S AND INTO THE EARLY 90S. ×HY IS THE NEXT QUESTION THAT É AM USUALLY ASKED. ×ELL DESPITE MY OVER TALKATIVE NATURE. ÔHAT REASON CAN'T REALLY BE PINNED DOWN IN A FEW WORDS. ÐERHAPS THIS SET OF INFORMATIONAL THINGS WILL HELP, PERHAPS YOU WILL FIND THE MAGIC AS YOU PLAY WITH THE ÐÃ. ÏTHER COMPUTER COMPANIES IN THAT TIME FRAME SAID THEY WERE THE BEST OR THE #1. ×ELL THEY DID JUST LIKE A ÍR. ÈITLER DID IN THE 1930S. ÔHEY LIED ABOUT THINGS. ÂUT FOR THE TRUTH ON THIS PART. É SUGGEST YOU CHECK OUT "ÏN THE ÅDGE" BY ÍR. ÂRIAN ÂAGNALL. ÆOUND THROUGH AMAZON AND OTHER ONLINE SOURCES. ×EB SEARCH FOR THE COMMODORE BOOK AND YOU MAY FIND IT THAT WAY AS WELL <ÖÂÇ> ÂUT BACK TO CLEARING THINGS UP ABOUT THIS SET OF WRITINGS. ÓINCE É DIGRESS WITH THE AMOUNT OF STUFF ABOUT THIS GREAT ÐÃ. É AM NOT AN EXPERT ON THE SUBJECT. É AM A FANATICAL USER THAT THINKS THIS IS THE WORLD'S GREATEST ÐÃ. É AM NOT A HARDWARE HACKER . ÎOR AM É A SOFWARE HACKER OR CRACKER / ÉN FACT É AM NOT YET EVEN A LAMER LEVEL OF A ÂÁÓÉà PROGRAMMER. É AM A USER, AND THAT IS THE END TO IT. ÓO TECH AND GEAR HEADS ARE GONNA GET SLEEPY READING THIS STUFF. ÎEXT TO CLEAR UP IS THE WHO THAT É AM WRITING THIS FOR, BESIDES MY OWN EGOTISTICAL NEEDS. 'CAUSE MAN WITH THE WAY É RAMBLE ABOUT, YOU KNOW THAT É AM NOT A WRITER. ×ELL É AM WRITING THESE FOR THOSE THAT É CALL 2ND GENERATION USERS. ÔHAT BEING ANYONE THAT SCORED UP A ÃOMMODORE ÐÃ, LETS SHORTEN THAT TO Ã=, AFTER THE BIG HEYDAY OF THE Ã=. ÒEASON IS THE LACK OF EASY TO GAIN ASSISTANCE IN ANY FORM. Á SUBJECT THAT É HAVE HARPED ON FOR YEARS, THAT É HAVE READ ABOUT IN LISTS AND PUBLICATIONS, AND HEAR IN MY OWN USERS GROUP. ÎOT TO SAY THAT THE INFORMATION ISN'T AROUND. ÊUST HARD TO GET THESE DAYS. ÔHE BOOKS AND MAGAZINES ARE NOT ON THE RACKS AT THE STORES ANYMORE. ÙOU HAVE TO FIND THEM IN YARD SALES AND THE LIKE. ÃHECK ONLINE AND LET THE WORD GET OUT THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED. ÔHEN YOU GET WHAT EVER IS THERE AT THE TIME. ÏH YEAH AND NOW YOU MAY HAVE TO PAY COLLECTORS PRICES FOR THEM AS WELL. ÔHERE IS ANOTHER SOURCE OF INFORMATION ON THE Ã=. ÔHIS IS OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE OR STILL IN SOME WAY USE THE Ã=. ÈERE THOUGH IS THE BIG PROBLEM. ÔHE "BEEN THERE, DONE THAT, GOT THE DOLL AND BUMPER STICKER" ATTITUDE. ÙOU ARE AT THE PAGE ONE AND THEY ARE ON VOLUME 27. ÍANY OF THEM DON'T WANT TO HELP YOU FROM YOUR LEVEL. ÔHEY WANT YOU TO BE NEAR THEIR LEVEL. ×HICH THEY GAINED FROM LONG HOURS AND MANY YEARS. ÁDD TO THAT PART, THE FACT THAT THEY KNOW THE STUFF. ×ELL IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY CAN TEACH IT TO SOMEONE ELSE. ÏË NOW THERE IS ONE OTHER PROBLEM IN LEARNING ABOUT THE Ã=. ÎOT THE HISTORY REVISIONISTS FROM OTHER COMPANIES, WHO JUST SEEM TO FORGET THE EXISTANCE OF THE Ã=. ÎO THIS PROBLEM MAY BE IN YOU. ÂY THAT É MEAN WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW ABOUT COMPUTERS. ÔHAT INFORMATION MAY NEED TO BE TRASHED. ÁS THE Ã= IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BREED OF COMPUTER. ÙOU MAY FIND THAT THE COLOUR AND MEANING OF WORDS ARE NOT THE SAME AS YOU CURRENTLY UNDERSTAND. ÓINCE THE OLDER AND TO SOME THE ORIGINAL MEANING OF THE WORDS ARE USED IN THE Ã= BOOKS. ÒIGHT, NOW THAT É HAVE PRETTY MUCH OFFENDED MOST OF THE READERS. ÌETS GET TO YOU THE BEGINNER. ×HO HAS GONE THROUGH THE ABOVE EXPLANATIONS OF THIS SERIES AND SOME OF REASONS FOR IT AND WONDER WHY YOU READ THIS FAR. <ÖÂÇ> ÔHERE ARE GOING TO BE A LOT OF SELF ANECDOTAL BITS HERE TO ILLUSTRATE MY PRESENTATION. ×HICH IS SIMPLY, USING THE Ã= FOR THE RANK, ABJECT FIRST TIMER. É'LL DIGRESS AS IS MY HABIT, WHEN THERE ARE SIDE POINTS TO MENTION. ÆOR THAT É MUST GIVE A REASON. ÌIKE THERE IS OVER 25 YEARS OF Ã= COMPUTING STUFF OUT THERE, INCLUDING POST MANUFACTURED ITEMS. ÓTUFF THAT CAME OUT AFTER THE COMPANY CROAKED. ÇIVE YOU A HINT THERE THAT THIS IS A LOVED ÐÃ. ÎOW THEN TO THE MEAT. ÉN SOME WAY YOU HAVE GOTTEN A ÃOMMODORE ÐÃ. ÓINCE MORE OF THE 64S WHERE MADE THAN THE 128 UNITS. ÐLUS THE 128 ONES ALSO HAD THE 64 IN THEM. <ÔHAT WILL BE EXPLAINED LATER> É AM GOING WITH THE 64 AS THE MAIN LINE THEME. ÙOU HAVE ONE! ÇOT IT AS A 2ND HAND HAND ME DOWN. ÓCORED IT IN A YARD SALE, RUMMAGE SALE, JUMBLE SALE, THRIFT STORE, OUT OF THE CLOSET, ATTIC AND ALL OF THAT SORT OF THING. ÙOU HAVE IT BECAUSE IT IS OF INTEREST TO YOU. ÏR YOU ARE TOO ASHAMED TO TELL THE GIVER TO SMEG OFF. ÍAYBE YOU GOT IT TO DO AN ELECTRONICS PROJECT. ÒIP OUT THE MUSIC CHIP FOR AN ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENT. ÏR YOU ARE INTO RETRO COMPUTERS AND WANT TO SEE WHAT THEY WERE LIKE 20 SOME ODD YEARS AGO. ÙEAH WE DID HAVE ELECTRICITY BEFORE COMPUTERS <ÖÂÇ>. ÉN ANY CASE. ÙOU HAVE ODDS ON THAT YOU DIDN'T GET IT IN THE SAME WAY AS ORIGINAL. ÓO LETS OVER THAT NOW, AND YOU COMPARE TO WHAT YOU HAVE. ÔHERE IS A PRETTY COLOURED, FRIENDLY LOOKING BOX. ÉNSIDE IN ÓTYROFOAM HOLDERS IS YOUR Ã=64. ÔHERE IS ALSO A COUPLE OF CORDS . Á BLACK OR TANNISH BRICK WITH TWO CORDS OUT OF IT AND A "Ã=" SYMBOL ON IT SOMEPLACE. ÔHERE IS ALSO A MANUAL. ÔHAT MANUAL IS WHAT WE WILL TALK ABOUT IN DEPTH A LITTLE LATER ON IN THIS SERIES. ÏNE BY ONE, THAT BRICK THING, AND YEAH IT IS CALLED A POWER BRICK, IS THE THING THAT MAKES THE Ã= WORK. ÆOR NOW, DON'T DO ANYTHING WITH IT. ÁS ALL THINGS THAT PLUG IN AND OUT OF THE Ã= SHOULD BE DONE WITH THE POWER ÏÆÆ. ÔHIS HAS TWO ENDS. ÏNE FOR THE WALL SOCKET AND THE OTHER FOR THE HOLE NEAR THE SWITCH ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE 64. ÅARLY WORD OF WARNING FOR YOU. ÔHAT POWER BRICK IS UNDER POWERED FOR ADD-ONS. ÙOU CAN LITERALLY FRY AN EGG ON IT, IF YOU ADD MANY THINGS TO THE SYSTEM. ÙEAH É DID IT AS A JOKE. ÔHERE WILL BE SOME HEAT. ÂUT IF IT IS HOTTER THAN YOU WANT TO PUT YOUR FINGER ON IT FOR OVER A COUPLE OF SECONDS. ×ELL ACCORDING TO MY OLD COLLEGE ELECTRONICS TEACHER. ÔHEN IT IS OVER 140 DEGREES. [ÎOTE OF EXPLANATION, É'M IN ÎÔÓà LAND AND KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT ÐÁÌ THINGS. ÁLL MEASUREMENTS ARE IN STANDARD ÕÓ STYLE. ÒEMEMBER ALSO THAT THAT POWER SUPPLY IS PROBABLY OLD ENOUGH TO VOTE AND IN MANY CASES OLD ENOUGH TO DRINK. É SAID THAT THERE ARE TWO CORDS, AND THIS IS ALSO NOT ALWAYS THE TRUTH. ÔHERE WOULD BE ONE CORD THAT WILL PLUG INTO A SOCKET ON THE REAR OF THE COMPUTER, AND THE OTHER END THROUGH A MATCHING TRANSFORMER. ÏH THAT IS A LITTLE BLACK THING THAT MAY HAVE A SWITCH AND IS TO BE PLUGGED INTO YOUR ANTENNA INPUT ON THE Ô.Ö. ÒIGHT YOUR NEWER Ô.Ö. DOESN'T HAVE AN AERIAL INPUT. ÒATHER IT IS CABLE READY. ÎOT TO WORRY, ELECTRONICS STORES HAVE THE ADAPTER THING NEEDED. ÂEFORE YOU ASK, YEAH MAN, THIS WAS MADE TO CONNECT TO YOUR Ô.Ö. SET. ÍUCH AS IN THE SAME WAYS AS THE OLD GAME CONSOLES DID, IN FACT THE SAME CONVERTER FOR THE GAME CONSOLE WORKS FOR THE Ã=. ÔHAT IS BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE HAD Ô.Ö SETS THAN MONITORS AT THAT TIME. ÂUT THE Ã= WILL WORK ON A COMPOSITE MONITOR AS WELL. ÒEVERSE IS TRUE, THE MONITOR WORKS GREAT FOR A Ô.Ö. SET. É KNOW AS THAT IS WHAT É AM USING AT THE KIBBUTZ. ÈEY IF YOU ARE REALLY LUCKY AND HAVE THE BOX. ÓEE IF THE SERIAL NUMBER ON THE BOX MATCHES THE ONE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE Ã=64. ÉF IT DOES, AND YOU DON'T WANT THE SYSTEM. ÍATCHING NUMBERS MAKES IT MORE VALUABLE ON RE-SALE. ÓO WHERE ARE WE? ÏH YEAH CONFUSED WITH MY RAMBLINGS. ×ELL TO BE HONEST, É DON'T KNOW THE WHAT AND HOW YOU GAINED YOUR Ã=. ÎOR WHAT YOU HAVE IN IT. ÔO THAT END, HERE IS SOME OF WHAT É HAVE PICKED UP IN COLLECTIONS, AND IT MAY FIT WHAT YOU HAVE AT HAND. ÙOU SEE, É STARTED IN THE 2ND GENERATION. ÁLL OF MY ÃOMMODORE CREATED STUFF IS ALSO USED. ×ELL MY FIRST SYSTEM WAS A LATE ÃHANNUKHA PRESENT. ÔO LONG OF A STORY TO BRING UP HERE. ÓUFFICE TO SAY THAT É WAS COMPUTER PHOBIC. É SCORED UP A 64, MONITOR, PAIR OF JOYSTICKS, PAIR OF PADDLES , AND A PRINTER. ÎONE OF WHICH É KNEW HOW TO USE. ÎOW THEN É ALSO GAINED A COUPLE OF DISK BOXES OF Ã= DISKS. ÔHESES CAME IN TWO MAJOR TYPES. ÆACTORY DISKS, WHICH ARE DISKS OF PROGRAMMES, COMMERCIALY MADE. ÇOT PRETTY LABLES AND AT TIMES YOU CAN EVEN GET THE BOX FOR THEM. ÔHE OTHER TYPE IS WHAT WE TERM "ARKHIVE". ÁPOLITE TERM FOR COPIES AND PIRATEWARE, OF FACTORY DISKS. ÏË ACCORDING TO WHAT É HAVE READ, BE IT TRUE OR NOT. ÏNE CAN LEGALLY MAKE A BACKUP OF THE SOFTWARE. ÉF THEY SELL THE SOFTWARE, THAT IS THE ORIGINAL FACTORY. ÁLL BACK UPS MUST GO ALONG WITH THE SALE. ÁNYWAY THERE WAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS OF THE COPYRIGHT LAWS IN THOSE DAYS. ÁLONG WITH DIFFERENT LAWS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. ×ELL É ALSO GOT THE MANUAL. ÔHAT IS HOW THE GANG HOOKED IT UP AND WE STARTED PLAYING SOME OF THE GAMES. É THOUGHT AT THAT TIME THAT É WOULD NEVER HAVE TO SPEND A QUARTER ON GAMES IN THE BARS AGAIN. <ÖÂÇ> ÏVER THE FOLLOWING YEARS. É HAVE BOUGHT Ã= COLLECTIONS FROM JUST A FEW ITEMS TO A CAR WITH TRAILER LOAD. ÍONITORS, PRINTERS, A FEW THOUSAND DISKS, CABLES, DRIVES, TAPE MACHINES AND SEVERAL SPECIAL THINGS. ×HICH CAN BE DISCUSSED LATER. ÓO YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE MANY WAYS, AND AMOUNTS TO COLLECTING Ã= THINGS. ÔHEREFORE É CAN'T REALLY SAY WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR COLLECTION. ÊUST HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE GENERIC STUFF. ÈAVING RAMBLED ON ABOUT ALL OF THAT DRENN. ÍY GENERAL IDEA IS THAT YOU HAVE A FEW DISKS AND SOME HARDWARE. ÒIGHT NOW É WANT TO GET YOU SET UP. ÓTARTING NOT WITH THE Ã=. ÂUT WITH THE VIDEO DISPLAY UNIT. ÏË THAT IS A FANCY WORD PHRASE FOR THE Ô.Ö. OR ÍONITOR. ÓINCE MOST SYSTEMS THAT É HAVE HAD THE GREAT PLEASURE OF GRABBING, HAVE A MONITOR. É WILL START WITH THAT ASSUMPTION. ÔHOSE THAT WILL BE CONNECTING TO THE ÔÖ, SKIP AHEAD A BIT. ÓO THEN, KEEPING THE TECHY TALK DOWN. ÌETS PLUG THAT PUPPY INTO THE MONITOR. ÙOU NEED A CORD/CABLE FOR THAT. ÈOPE THAT IT CAME WITH THE SYSTEM. ÙOU CAN ORDER THEM ONLINE FROM AUCTION PLACES. ÅVEN HAVE ONE CUSTOM BUILT FOR YOU. ÂUT LETS SAY YOU HAVE ONE. ÔHERE ARE DIFFERENT STYLES. ÔHEY ALL HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON. ÏNE END HAS A ROUND PLUG. ÔHIS BUGGER PLUGS INTO THE BACK OF THE Ã=. ÏË É KNOW THAT THERE ARE TWO HOLES THERE THAT LOOK LIKE THE SAME THING. ÆACING THE BACK OF THE Ã=, IT IS THE ONE TO YOUR LEFT. ÄON'T WORRY, THE PIN CONFIGURATION WILL ONLY ALLOW IT TO FIT IN THE PROPER SOCKET. ÎOW THE OTHER END. ÔAKE A BREATHER AND LOOK AT THAT OTHER END. ÙOU CAN HAVE AS LITTLE AS TWO AND AS MANY AS FIVE CONNECTORS. ÄEPENDING ON THE YEAR YOUR SYSTEM WAS RELEASED. ÙOUR SOCKET ON THE Ã= MAY HAVE MORE OR LESS PIN HOLES. É KNOW THAT WITHOUT OTHERS TO COMPARE, THIS MAKES LITTLE SENSE. ÍY POINT IS THAT LATER MODLES DID A THING TO THE VIDEO OUTPUT. ÔHAT FOR LACK OF A BETTER EXPLANATION IS ÓPLIT ÖIDEO. ÂIT MORE ON THAT IN A MOMENT, IN REGARDS TO THE CABLE. ÌOOKING AT THE END THAT WILL GO INTO THE MONITOR. ÔHOSE ARE CALLED ÒÃÁ JACKS. ÓORT OF A CROWN LOOKING THING WITH A SHORT SHAFT IN THE CENTER. ÔHEY ARE PROBABLY DIFFERENT COLOURS. ÌOVE TO TELL YOU WHICH COLOUR GOES WHERE, BUT NOT ALL MANUFACTURERS USED THE SAME COLOUR SCHEME. ÏN A TWO PLUG ONE, YOU JUST TRY TO FIT IT AT FIRST TO THE RESPECTIVE COLOURS OF THE SOCKET. ÙELLOW, MOST OF THE TIME IS VIDEO. ÎATURALLY DEALING WITH OLD MONITORS, THAT COLOUR IN THE SOCKET MAY BE CLOUDY OR JUST PLAIN NOT VISABLE. ÏË PLUG IT IN, TURN ON THE MONITOR, BUT NOT THE Ã=. ÉF THERE IS A BAD HUM WHEN YOU MESS WITH THE VOLUME CONTROL. ×HICH IS KNOWN AS A 60 CYCLE LINE HUM. ÙOU HAVE IT BACKWARDS. ÒEVERSE THE PLUGS AND THE HUM SHOULD GO AWAY. ÎOW THEN FOR THOSE THAT HAVE A MONITOR CORD THAT IS MORE THAN TWO. ×ELL ONLY THREE OF THEM ARE NEEDED. É AM HOPING THAT YOUR MONITOR HAS THREE INPUT SOCKETS. ÔHERE ARE MANY MONITORS THAT WILL WORK WITH THE Ã=. ÎOT ALL OF THEM MADE BY ÃOMMODORE. ÉF YOU HAVE A 1701 OR A 1702 MONITOR. ÙOU HAVE IN MANY PEOPLES OPINION, THE BEST ONE. ÂUT PAST THAT POINT. ÓOME MONITORS HAVE THE INPUTS ON THE FRONT. ÓOME HAVE THEM ON THE BACK, AND SOME, LIKE THE 1702 HAVE THEM ON BOTH THE FRONT AND THE BACK. ÓIDE NOTE HERE, É HAVE A 1702 SET UP FOR MY 64C MODEL. ÕSING A THREE WIRE CONNECTOR. ÔHAT GOES IN THE BACK. É HAVE MY ÄREAMÃAST CONNECTED TO THE TWO FRONT SOCKETS. ÁLL É NEED TO DO IS FLIP THE SWITCH IN THE BACK, TO MOVE FROM THE Ã= TO THE ÄREAMÃAST. ÂUT THAT ASIDE, THE HARD PART IS PUTTING THE CORRECT PLUGS IN THE CORRECT SOCKETS. ÔRY TO MATCH THE COLOURS OF THE PLUG TO THE SOCKETS. ÇIVE THANKS TO THE Ã= HEADED GODDESS IF IT WORKS RIGHT THE FIRST TIME <Ç>. ÆOR ME ON THE 4 AND 5 PLUG ONES. É HAVE NEVER FOUND THE BLACK ONE TO DO A THING FOR ME. ÂUT DON'T TAKE THAT AS ETCHED IN STONE. ÎOW SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU CAN ENCOUNTER. ÓTORY TIME, THE Ã= MONITOR MODEL 1802. ÎICE ONE, HAS A BUILT IN ANTIGLARE SCREEN. ÁLSO HAS THE CONNECTIONS FOR TWO AND THREE WIRE PLUG INS ON THE BACK. ÎOT REALLY LABLED WELL FOR MANY PEOPLE. É PAID $5 ÕÓÄ FOR ONE JUST FOR PARTS. ÂECAUSE THE GUY THAT GOT IT, COULDN'T MAKE IT WORK. ÂOUGHT HIS Ã=64 AS WELL FOR THE SAME PRICE. ÒEASON IT DIDN'T WORK, WAS THAT HE DIDN'T CONNECT THE CABLE RIGHT ON THE BACK. ÓINCE THE CABLE AND THE SWITCH THAT MOVES BETWEEN THE TWO AND THREE WIRE CONNECTION, WELL IT HAS TO BE ON THE RIGHT ONE FOR THE INPUT. ÈE HAD IT SET FOR TWO WIRE AND THEN HAD A THREE WIRE INPUT, HALF SET FOR TWO WIRE AND THE REST FOR THREE WIRE. ×HEN DEALING WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT, TRY ALL THE COMBINATIONS THAT YOU CAN THINK OF, AND IF THAT FAILS. ÔHERE MAY BE A MANUAL FOR YOUR MONITOR ON LINE. ÔHERE ARE SITES THAT PRESERVE THE TEXT OF MANUALS FOR THE Ã=. ÒIGHT THEN, WHY ARE THERE 3 PLUGS ON SOME AND OTHERS JUST HAVE 2? ×ELL Ã= AFTER SOME TIME, SPLIT THE VIDEO OUTPUT SIGNAL TO "ÌUMA" AND "ÃHROMA". É WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS THE START OF THE Ó-ÖIDEO THING. ÎOT THAT É KNOW WHAT Ó-ÖIDEO IS IN ANY FORM. ÂUT HERE IS A KICKER. ÙOU SEE WHEN THEY DID THAT, THEY HAD TO CHANGE THE VIDEO OUTPUT SOCKET. ÁDDING A COUPLE MORE PINS AND CHANGING THE PIN LAYOUT IN THE SOCKET. ÔHE OLDER VIDEO CABLE WOULD FIT THE NEWER CONFIGURATION. ÂUT NATURALLY THE NEWER ONE WOULDN'T FIT THE OLDER ONE. ÆUNNY THING IS É HAVE A COLLECTION OF VIDEO CABLES, THAT HAVE 3 PLUGS. ÂUT THEY ARE PINNED OUT FOR THE OLDER SOCKET. ÍAKES ONE WONDER WHY. ÎOW FOR PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE A MONITOR. É COULD SAY GO OUT AND SCORE ONE UP. ÂUT TILL YOU KNOW IF YOU LIKE THE Ã=, WHY SPEND THE MONEY? ÔHE MONITORS ARE FAIRLY PRICED ON LINE. ÂUT THE SHIPPING CAN BE OVER $100 ÕÓÄ FOR ONE. ÄEPENDING ON HOW IT IS SHIPPED OF COURSE. ÔHAT WAS THE PRICE QUOTED TO ME FROM A USERS GROUP THAT WAS GOING TO TAKE IT TO ONE OF THOSE PLACES THAT PACK AND SHIP FOR YOU. ×HAT YOU WILL SEE ON THE Ô.Ö. IS NOT AS GOOD AS WHAT YOU WILL GET WITH A MONITOR. ÙOUR PICTURE MAY BE A TAD BIT FUZZY AND IT WILL CERTAINLY IN COMPARISON NOT BE AS SHARP OR COLOURS AS VIBRANT. ÙEAH É HAVE USED A Ô.Ö. FOR A MONITOR. ÃONNECTING YOUR Ã= TO THE Ô.Ö. IS EASIER THAN THOSE GUYS DOING IT TO A MONITOR. ÔHE CABLE WITH THE TWO ÒÃÁ ENDS IS THE FIRST THING TO FIND. ÓECOND IS THAT LITTLE BOX THING. ÏNE END OF THE CABLE GOES INTO THE Ã=. ÔHERE IS ONLY ONE HOLE IT WILL FIT. ÔHE OTHER END PLUGS INTO THAT LITTLE BOX. ×ELL THAT IS WHAT IT SAYS IN THE BOOK. ÏN THE ÏTHER ÈAND <ÏÔÏÈ> É HAVE CLOSE TO 100 OF THESE BUGGERS. ÙOU MAY NOT HAVE GOTTEN AN ORIGINAL ONE IN YOUR COLLECTION. ÓOME OF THESE HAVE THE CABLE BUILT INTO THE BOX. ÉF YOU HAVE A Ô.Ö. THAT TAKES AN AERIAL. ÙOU JUST TAKE THE TWO SMALL FLAT LEADS WITH THE "Õ" SHAPED CONNECTORS ON THEM. ÓCREW THAT INTO THE ANTENNA SCREWS ON YOUR SET. ×HAT YOU ARE DOING IS CONVERTING THE SIGNAL FROM THE Ã= TO THE 300 OHM ANTENNA SIGNAL INPUT ON YOUR Ô.Ö. ÎOW THEN, THERE ARE NEWER FORMS OF ÔÖ UNITS. ÔHAT DO NOT HAVE AN ANTENNA INPUT. ÔHESE "CABLE READY" UNITS HAVE A CONNECTER THAT LOOKS A BIT LIKE A SCREW. É MEAN THE CONNECTOR IS THREADED. ÙOUR Ã= TO Ô.Ö. ADAPTOR DOESN'T FIT. ×HAT YOU NEED IS A 300 OHM TO 75 OHM CONNECTOR. ÂEST É CAN TELL YOU IS TAKE THE BOX TO YOU FAVOURITE ELECTRONICS STORE, SHOW THEM AND TELL THEM THAT YOU NEED TO CONVERT THAT TO 300 OHMS. ÔHEY GENERALLY HAVE THE DEVICE. ÍOST OF THEM WILL JUST PRESSURE FIT ONTO YOUR CABLE INPUT. ÏË NOW THERE ARE MANY VARIATIONS OF THESE. É HAVE SOME THAT ARE BOTH 300 AND 75 OHM IN THE BOX. ÍANY OF THEM ARE NOT ORIGINAL. ÂUT ONES FROM OFF THE SHELF ELECTRONIC STORE CONVERTER SYSTEMS. ÁS THEY HAVE A LITTLE SWITCH ON THEM THAT SAYS Ô.Ö. ON ONE END, COMPUTER OR ÇAME ON THE OTHER. Á FEW HAVE GAME ON ONE END, Ô.Ö. ON THE OTHER AND COMPUTER IN THE MIDDLE. ÕSING A 3 POSITION SWITCH. ×HEW THAT WAS A LOT. ÏË WE ARE FINISHED WITH THE ÍONITOR AND Ô.Ö. CONNECTION. ÓAVE FOR ONE LITTLE THING. ÔAKE A LOOK AT THE BACK OF THE Ã=64. ÔHERE IS A SWITCH THAT HAS 3-4 ON IT. ÔHIS IS USED TO SELECT CHANNEL 3 OR CHANNEL 4 FOR THE Ã= INPUT TO YOUR Ô.Ö. É NEVER HAD Ô.Ö. CONNECTED AT THE SAME TIME AS THE COMPUTER. ÎEVER USED THAT SWITCH. ÔHANKS MAN, YOU HAVE WADED THROUGH A LOT OF DRENN TO REACH THIS PART. ÁND WE HAVEN'T GONE ON ABOUT WHAT THE Ã= WILL DO! É HAVE A REASON FOR THAT, AND THAT IS, GET THE SMEGGER HOOKED UP RIGHT BEFORE YOU TACKLE ANYTHING. ÔO THAT END, THERE ARE A FEW MORE CONNECTIONS TO MAKE, OR POSSIBLY MAKE. ÔHEN É WILL EXPOUND ON THINGS ABOUT THE Ã= THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW. ÓINCE IN THE NEXT INSTALLMENT, WE ARE HITTING THE USER BOOK FOR MORE INFORMATION. ÔHERE ARE THREE WAYS OF HAVING SOMETHING SHOW UP ON THE SCREEN FORM "CANNED" SOFTWARE. ÃARTRIDGES OR "CARTS". ÃASSETTES, A.K.A. ÄATAÓETT AND THERE ARE SEVERAL SPELLINGS FOR THAT ONE. ÄISKS, AND HERE THERE ARE A FEW DIFFERENT ONES. ÃARTS ARE THE EASIEST AND WHAT MOST OF THE EARLY USERS STARTED WITH IN THE FIRST PLACE. É MEAN AFTER BLOWING $199 IN 1980S MONEY. ÔHERE ISN'T A LOT LEFT TO BUY THE OTHER STUFF RIGHT OFF THE BAT. ÎOW YOU MAY HAVE A FEW CARTS IN YOUR COLLECTION. É HAVE NEVER SEEN ONE THAT WASN'T ALREADY OPENED AND USED. ÓO É DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PACKAGING WAS ORIGINALLY. ÔHEY ARE A DEVICE THAT PLUGS INTO THE RIGHT REAR, AS YOU FACE THE KEYS, ON THE Ã=. ÅNTIRE PROGRAMME IS STORED IN THAT CART. ÔO USE IT, TURN OFF THE Ã=. ÐLUG THE CART IN SNUGGLY. ÔURN ON THE Ã=. ÙOU SHOULD HAVE THE START OF THE PROGRAMME ON THE SCREEN. ÉF YOU ARE LUCKY AND É AM RARELY THAT LUCKY. ÙOU WILL ALSO HAVE A SMALL INSTRUCTION BOOKLET FOR THE PROGRAMME. ÉF YOU DON'T SEE ANYTHING AT ALL. ÔIME TO CLEAN THE CART AND THE PORT. ÐERSONALLY É USE A COTTON SWAB, BEST ARE THE ONES SOLD IN ELECTRONIC STORES FOR CLEANING TAPE MACHINES. ÔHE COTON FIBERS ON THE SWAB DON'T CATCH ON THINGS AND MAKE MATTERS WORSE. É ALSO GO TO THE LOCAL DRUG STORE AND BUY ÉSOPROPYL ÁLCOHOL AT THE STENGTH OF 91%, OR GREATER. ÍAKE CERTAIN IT IS PLAIN. ÎO SCENTS OR ADDITIVES LIKE THAT. ÁS THAT WILL COAT YOUR CONNECTORS AND CAUSE PROBLEMS. ÎOW JUST LIGHTLY WIPE THE WET SWAB OVER THE COPPER LOOKING THINGS IN BOTH THE CART AND ON THE Ã=. ÂET YOU FIND A LOT OF CRUD. ÎOW THEN AFTER THAT IS COMPLETED. ×AIT AT LEAST 5 MINUTES. ÌET IT DRY OUT BEFORE RECONNECTING. ÉF ALL IS AS IT SHOULD BE, YOU WILL SEE THE PROGRAMME WHEN YOU PLUG IT IN AND TURN ON THE Ã=. ÉF NOT, THEN THERE IS A PROBLEM IN THE Ã= OR THE CART. ×ORKING ON THAT ISN'T IN THE SCOPE OF THIS PART OF THE SERIES. ÎEXT IN LINE WE COME TO THE ÄATAÓET. ÔHAT IS MY PREFERRED SPELLING. ÉF YOU HAVE ONE OF THESE IN YOUR COLLECTION. ÔHEN IT LOOKS LIKE A MONO CASSETTE MACHINE. ÔHE OLDER ONES BY ÃOMMODORE WHERE RECTANGULAR IN SHAPE. ÌATER MODELS WHERE SQUARE WITH ROUNDED CORNERS. ÉN EITHER CASE, IT IS A CASSETTE MACHINE FOR THE Ã=. ×HEN É WORKED FOR ÒADIO ÓHACK AS A REPAIRMAN AND TECH. ÔHEY WERE SELLING THE ÔÓÒ-80 UNITS. ÔHESE WOULD ONLY LOAD FROM AN OFF THE SHELF CASSETTE MACHINE. ÔHERE WASN'T AT THAT TIME ANY OTHER FORM OF SOFTWARE. ÉN SOME COUNTRIES THE ÄATAÓET IS STILL HEAVILY USED. ÁS THE PRICE OF IT AND TAPES WAS MUCH CHEAPER THAN A DISK DRIVE. ÈERE É CAN GO ON A BIT FOR YOU. É HAVE A COUPLE IN MY COLLECTION THAT ARE STILL IN THE BOX. ÂESIDES THE TIGHT PACKING. ÔHERE IS ALSO A MANUAL FOR THE USE OF THE ÄATAÓET. ÓMALL AND MOST OF THE INFORMATION IS IN OTHER BOOKS. ÌIKE THE USER GUIDE THAT CAME WITH THE Ã=. ×HERE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CASSETTE DRIVE AND A ÄATAÓET END IS THE CONNECTOR. ÔHIS PLUGS INTO THE PORT ON THE Ã=. ÏN THE BACK OF THE Ã=, THIS IS NEXT TO THE ROUND SOCKET THAT ISN'T FOR THE VIDEO OUTPUT. ÒEALLY IT ONLY FITS IN ONE PLACE. ÁH, BUT YOU ASK, WHERE DOES IT PLUG IN FOR POWER? ×ELL THE SAME PLACE. É REMEMBER THAT IT PULLS ABOUT 5 VOLTS TO OPERATE. ÃOULD BE WRONG ON THAT. ÂUT REMEMBER WHAT É SAID ABOUT THE BRICK POWER SUPPLY AND IT BEING UNDER POWERED WHEN THINGS ARE ADDED? ×ELL THIS IS ABOUT ALL IT WAS DESIGNED TO HANDLE. ÁND THERE IS DEBATE ON THAT PART. ÒIGHT YOU WANT TO SEE IF THERE IS ANYTHING ON THAT TAPE IN THAT BOX OF STUFF YOU HAVE. ×ELL REPEATING MYSELF HERE AGAIN. ÄON'T PLUG IT IN WITH THE SYSTEM TURNED ON. ÔAKING THAT AS READ. ÙOU NEED TO OPEN THE LID OF THE ÄATAÓET AND PUT IN THE TAPE. ÔYPE IN THE WORD ÌÏÁÄ AND THEN PRESS THE RETURN KEY. ÆOR THOSE COMING FROM THE NON Ã= WORLD. ÔHAT ÒÅÔÕÒÎ KEY WOULD BE THE SAME AS THE ENTER KEY ON OTHER KEYBOARDS. ÁNYWAY THE COMPUTER WILL SAY ÐÒÅÓÓ ÐÌÁÙ ÏÎ ÔÁÐÅ. ÄO THAT AND THEN THE Ã= WILL GO BLANK AS IT HUNTS FOR THE PRG. ×HEN THAT IS FINISHED. ÙOU GET THE MESSAGE ÆÏÕÎÄ (THE NAME OF THE PROGRAMME). ÐRESS THE Ã= LOGO KEY. ÁH THAT IS BOTTOM ROW FAR LEFT. ÔHE Ã= WILL NOW LOAD THE PROGRAMME. Á NOTE AT THIS POINT. ÏË A FEW NOTES. ÉF THE PRG IS A LONG ONE. ×ELL GO MAKE SOMETHING TO EAT, WATCH A Ô.Ö. SHOW. ÇRAB A SMOKE AND A DRINK. ÔHEN SEE IF THE THING HAS LOADED. ÔAPE LOADS ARE Ó Ì Ï ×. ÔHEY ARE ALSO ON OLD TAPES AND MACHINES NOT THAT ACCURATE. ÍAINLY BECAUSE THE CASSETTE MACHINE IS DIRTY AND NEEDS TO BE CLEANED. É'LL COVER THAT IN ANOTHER PART. ÎOW YOU CAN LOAD THE FIRST PROGRAMME ON THE TAPE AS WRITTEN ABOVE. ÙOU CAN TELL IT TO LOAD A SPECIFIC PROGRAMME ON THE TAPE. ÔHIS MEANS THAT YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE PROGRAMME ON THE TAPE. ÉF IT ISN'T THE FIRST ONE THEN THE ÄATAÓET WILL PLAY THROUGH LOOKING FOR THE PRG NAME. ÁT THE INCREDIBLE RATE OF 1 7/8 INCHES PER SECOND. ÔHINK ABOUT THAT IF YOU USE 90 MINUTE TAPES FOR YOUR SAVES. ÎOW YOU SEE WHY MANY USERS WENT TO THE FLOPPY DISKS. Á THING TO MENTION HERE ABOUT THE TAPES. ÒEGULAR ONES WILL WORK ON THE ÄATAÓET. ÎOT GOING TO BORE YOU MORE WITH THE DIFFERENT TAPES OF TAPES. ÏNLY THIS ONE SECTION. ÔHERE WAS/IS A TAPE THAT WAS MANUFACTURED, THAT DIDN'T HAVE THE CLEAR LEADER TAPE AT THE START AND END OF THE CASSETTE. ÏNCE THIS WAS SAID TO BE FOR CASSETTE LETTERS, THEN FOR THE BLIND IN THEIR TAPES. ÔHEN IT WAS CALLED A COMPUTER CASSETTE. ÏNLY DIFFERENCE WAS THE PRICE. ÒIGHT É'VE BABBLED ON LONG ENOUGH OR THIS SESSION. ÍAINLY AS THIS IS DONE ORIGINALLY ON A ÃOMMODORE AND É HAVE REACHED THE LIMIT OF LINES FOR THE PROGRAMME. ÎEXT PART WILL BE ON ÄISKS AND THE MANUAL AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT FEELS RIGHT AT THE TIME. ====================================== ÉNTERVIEW WITH ÓIMON ÕLLYATT ÃRONOSOFT HTTP://WWW.CRONOS.TOUCANSURF.COM/ Ñ. ÐLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OUR READER! Á. ÍY NAMES ÓIMON, É'M 36 YEARS OLD, MARRIED WITH 2 CHILDREN, 2 CATS & 6 CHICKENS, & HAVE AN ADDICTION TO 8-BIT MACHINES. ;) Ñ. ÄO YOU STILL USE 8 BIT MACHINES? Á. ÍOST DEFINITELY. É REGULARLY USE MY TRUSTY ÓPECTRUM 128Ë+, AS WELL AS MESSING AROUND WITH Ã64'S, ÏRIC'S, ÖÉà 20'S, ÄRAGON 32'S, ÚØ81'S ETC. ÍY MACHINES OF CURRENT INTEREST ARE THE ÃÇÌ/ÓORD Í5 & THE ÍATTEL ÁQUARIUS. Ñ. ÈOW DID YOU FIRST BECOME INVOLVED WITH COMPUTERS? Á. ÂLIMEY... É'VE GOT TO THINK ABOUT THAT ONE... É THINK IT WAS AROUND 1982, WHEN MY BROTHER BOUGHT A ÚØ81. ÈE WASN'T PARTICULARLY INTEREST IN IT, BUT WAS TOO MEAN TO LET ME USE IT REGULARLY, SO É HAD TO PAY HIM SOME OF MY POCKET MONEY TO 'HIRE' IT. É EVENTUALLY BOUGHT IT FROM HIM, BUT ALWAYS WANTED SOMETHING A BIT MORE POWERFUL. Á FRIEND OF MINE'S BROTHER HAD A ÓPECTRUM IN THE WINTER OF 1983, WHICH WE PLAYED ON WHEN THE SCHOOL WAS SHUT DOWN DUE TO SNOW. É THEN GOT A ÓPECTRUM 48Ë AS AN 'EARLY' ØMAS PRESENT IN THE SUMMER OF 84. É DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING FROM THAT SUMMER...OTHER THAN SITTING IN A DARKENED ROOM PLAYING GAMES LIKE ÌUNAR ÊETMAN & ÚZOOM. Ñ. ÔELL OUR READER ABOUT ÃRONOSOFT WHAT IS IT THE COMPANY DOES & WHEN THE COMPANY WAS FOUNDED? Á. ÃRONOSOFT, PUT SIMPLY, IS A SMALL SOFTWARE HOUSE, THAT PUBLISHES GAMES FOR SYSTEMS WHICH ARE NO LONGER COMMERCIALLY VIABLE IN THE MAINSTREAM. ÁLTHOUGH WE ÄÏ (USUALLY) OFFER THESE NEW GAMES AS EMULATOR FILES, THE MAJORITY, & INDEED THE POINT OF ÃRONOSOFT IS TO MAKE THEM AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO BUY THEM AS ORIGINAL CASSETTES, WITH INLAYS, ARTWORK ETC. ×E DON'T CHARGE MUCH FOR THE GAMES - USUALLY 2.99 EACH, & THE BUYER GETS A GAME WHICH COMES IN A GLOSSY PACKAGE, THAT THEY WILL WANT TO PLAY & KEEP. Ñ. ×HAT MACHINES ARE THE GAMES PRODUCED FOR? Á. ×E CURRENTLY PRODUCE GAMES FOR THE ÓPECTRUM (48Ë &128Ë), Ã64, Ã16/ÐLUS 4, ÖÉà 20, & ÁMSTRAD ÃÐÃ. ×E ALSO HAVE RELEASES DUE FOR THE ÂÂÃ/ÅLECTRON & ÄRAGON 32. Ñ. ÄO YOU ALSO HAVE A FULL TIME JOB? Á. ÙES É DO - É SELL OLD COMPUTERS & GAMES VIA ÅÂÁÙ FULL TIME (É GAVE UP MY REGULAR JOB & STARTED SELLING FULL TIME IN 2001), WHICH É DO FROM AN OFFICE ON AN INDUSTRIAL ESTATE. Ñ. ÁRE THE GAME DEVELOPERS PAID? Á. ÙES - FOR EACH 2.99 GAME THAT IS SOLD, A ROYALTY PAYMENT OF 1.00 GOES TO THE AUTHOR OF THE GAME. ÇAMES TEND TO HAVE AN INFINITE SHELF LIFE, SO FUNDS TEND TO TRICKLE IN OVER A VERY LONG PERIOD. ×E'RE STILL SELLING COPIES OF OUR FIRST RELEASE, ÅGGHEAD IN ÓPACE, WHICH APPEARED IN 2002. Ñ. ÃAN ANYONE SUBMIT A GAME TO YOU WHAT IS THE USUAL PROCEDURE? Á. ÙES - & WE WELCOME IT. ÊUST EMAIL IT TO ME AT CHAOSMONGERS@YAHOO.COM & WE'LL CHECK IT OUT. ×E TRY TO MAINTAIN A HIGH STANDARD, SO IF IT REQUIRES A FEW TWEAKS, OR ISN'T ACCEPTED, THEN DON'T BE DISHEARTENED. ×E USUALLY PRODUCE ARTWORK FOR IT, THOUGH IF THE AUTHOR WANTS TO PROVIDE THEIR OWN, THEN THAT'S FINE. Ñ. ×HAT FORMAT ARE THE GAMES RELEASED ON & HOW MUCH DO THEY COST? Á. ÇAMES ARE MOSTLY ON CASSETTE, AT A PRICE OF EITHER 1.99 OR 2.99 - THE CORRESPONDING EMULATOR VERSIONS ARE USUALLY ABOUT HALF THIS PRICE. ÉF A GAME HAS BEEN RELEASED ELSEWHERE AS FREEWARE, THEN IT'S ADVISABLE TO SET THE PRICE AT 1.99 - PEOPLE STILL DO LIKE TO OWN THE ORIGINAL VERSION. ×E CAN OFFER ÃOMMODORE SOFTWARE ON DISK, THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE SPECIFIC PACKAGING FOR THIS FORMAT YET. Ñ. ÓOME OF THE ÊONATHAN ÃAULDWELL GAMES ARE REALLY GOOD NOT THAT THE OTHERS ARE IN ANY WAY BAD BUT ÊONATHAN'S GAMES REALLY CAPTURE THE 8 BIT ERA WILL HE BE PRODUCING GAMES FOR OTHER PLATFORMS RATHER THAN JUST THE ÓPECTRUM? Á. ÁS FAR AS É KNOW, Êà WON'T BE WORKING ON OTHER PLATFORMS, AS HE'S A ÓPECTRUM EXPERT THROUGH & THROUGH. ÈE'S TOYED WITH THE IDEA OF WORKING ON THE ÃÐÃ, WITH IT SHARING A LOT OF THE ÓPECTRUMS CHARACTERISTICS, AS WELL AS BEING A Ú80 BASED MICRO. ÍAYBE HE'LL SURPRISE US... WHO KNOWS? ÅVERYTHING Êà DOES IS HIGHLY SECRETIVE UNTIL IT'S VERY NEARLY FINISHED - THEN HE'LL SURPRISE US ALL WITH SOMETHING PARTICULARLY SPECIAL... Ñ. ×HAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE ÃRONOSOFT RELEASE SO FAR? Á. ÔHAT'S A HARD ONE... É COULD NARROW IT DOWN TO 2 RELEASES. ÇÁÍÅØ IS A MASTERPIECE OF EFFICIENT PROGRAMMING, AS IT HAS 16 CLASSIC GAMES LIKE ÐACMAN, ÍISSILE ÃOMMAND, ÒOBOTRON ETC. ALL CRAMMED INTO A SINGLE LOAD 48Ë ÓPECTRUM GAME, BASED AROUND A SHARE TRADING THEME. Êà HAS SUPERB SKILLS WHEN IT COMES TO DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE, & HIS ATTENTION TO DETAIL IS SPOT ON. ÆÁÒÍÅÒ ÊÁÃË ÉÎ ÈÁÒÖÅÓÔ ÈÁÖÏà IS ANOTHER OF MY FAVOURITES, AS ÂOB ÓMITH HAS TAKEN A PURE ARCADE GAME PLAY STYLE (ÍR. ÄO!) & ADAPTED IT TO A FORMAT THAT HASN'T EXPERIENCED THAT GENRE BEFORE - HIS FOLLOW-UP RELEASE TO THE GAME LOOKS ESPECIALLY PROMISING (THOUGH É CAN'T GIVE MUCH AWAY) IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY. ÂOB'S GAMES ARE ALSO VERY HIGHLY POLISHED & ARE A JOY TO BEHOLD. Ñ. ×OULD YOU LIKE TO SEE FULLY LICENSED & AUTHORISED 8-BIT SOFTWARE BACK ON THE SHOP SHELVES, SAY IN THE FORM OF AN OFFICIAL EMULATOR WITH GAMES PACKAGE? ÈMMM... É DON'T KNOW. É REALLY DON'T THINK IT COULD BE DONE ANY MORE. ÉN THE OLD DAYS, SMALL INDEPENDENT COMPUTER SHOPS EXISTED, ALONGSIDE PLACES LIKE ×OOLWORTHS, ×ÈÓMITH, & ÂOOTS, WHERE YOU COULD BUY GAMES. ÒETRO ÃOMPUTING ISN'T BIG ENOUGH FOR ANYONE TO MAKE A WORTH- WHILE PROFIT, SO IT'S REALLY NOT GOING TO INTEREST THE LIKES OF ÇAMEÓTATION OR ÇÁÍÅ (EXCEPT FOR THE BUYING & SELLING OF ÓEGA/ÎINTENDO GAMES). ÈUGE COLD WAREHOUSES LIKE Ðà ×ORLD TOO ARE EXACTLY THE WRONG TYPE OF PLACE TOO. ÔHE INTERNET & MAIL ORDER THOUGH, PROVIDES THE IDEAL OUTLET, & KEEPS COSTS LOW TOO. Ñ. ÈAVE YOU TURNED DOWN ANY GAMES FOR PUBLICATION? Á. ÙES, THOUGH NOT AS MANY AS YOU'D THINK. ÔHERE ARE SOME SUBMISSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY BAD (WHICH É CAN'T MENTION, THOUGH THEY HAD BEEN WRITTEN IN ÂÁÓÉÃ, & CRASHED REGULARLY). Ñ. ×HAT'S BEEN THE BIGGEST SELLER & LOWEST SELLING TITLE SO FAR? Á. ÔHE BIGGEST SELLER É BELIEVE IS ÅGGHEAD IN ÓPACE, THOUGH ÐLATFORM ÇAME ÄESIGNER IS UP THERE TOO. ÉT WOULDN'T BE FAIR ON THE AUTHORS TO MENTION THE LOWEST SELLERS, BUT OF COURSE, MORE OBSCURE FORMATS ARE NOT GOING TO SELL AS WELL AS THE MORE COMMON ÓPECTRUM & Ã64. Ñ. ÈOW DO YOU PRODUCE THE TAPE INLAYS? ÍOSTLY, OUR ARTWORK IS DONE BY A GREAT ARTIST CALLED ÇRAHAM ÒICHARDS, WHO NEVER FAILS TO AMAZE. ÅXAMPLES OF HIS ARTWORK ARE ÅÇÇÈÅÁÄ ÅÎÔÅÒÔÁÉÎÓ, ÉÚÚÙ ×ÉÚÚÙ, ÇÁÍÅØ, ÓÔÒÁÎÄÅÄ, ÔÒÅÁÓÕÒÅ ÉÓÌÅ, ÂÌÉÔÚ 2000. ÓOMETIMES THE AUTHOR PRODUCES THE ART (ÆÁÒÍÅÒ ÊÁÃË, OR THE ÃÏÓÉÎÅ GAMES ON THE ÃOMMODORE), & SOME- TIMES É PRODUCE THEM (ÆÕÎ ÐÁÒË, ÚØÆÍ 2005). ÔHEY ARE ALL INKJET PRINTED ONTO PHOTO PAPER. ÎOTHING PARTICULARLY HIGH-TECH! Ñ. ÈOW ARE THE TAPES & DISKS PRODUCED, IN HOUSE OR VIA A DUPLICATION SYSTEM? Á. ÅVERYTHING IS DONE MANUALLY AT THE MOMENT. ×E BUY OUR TAPES IN BULK FROM A DUPLICATION PLANT, THOUGH DO THE DUPLICATION OURSELVES. ÉT CAN BE A BIT TEDIOUS & TIME CONSUMING, BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING 1000'S OF COPIES. Ñ. ÉS IT A ONE-MAN BUSINESS, OR DO YOU HAVE HELP? Á.É MENTIONED ÇRAHAM, WHO DOES THE ARTWORK. ÎICH ÃAMPBELL HELPS OUT IMMENSELY WITH THE ÃÐà DUPLICATION, AS É CAN'T HANDLE THAT ASPECT MYSELF. ÆREELANCE JOURNALIST ÓHAUN ÂEBBINGTON HELPS OUT BIG TIME WITH PUBLICATION, GETTING US IN ÍICRO ÍART MAGAZINE, & HELPS PUSH THE GAMES BY GETTING THE WORD AROUND. Ñ. ÈAVE YOU MET ANY OF THE AUTHORS/ PROGRAMMERS YOU WORK WITH? Á. ÓOME OF THEM. ÊONATHAN ÃAULDWELL OFTEN COMES DOWN TO THE COMPUTER/RETRO SHOWS THAT APPEAR AROUND THE COUNTRY, & É'VE ALSO MET ÃHRIS ÓNOWDEN (Ã16 AUTHOR) AT ÒÅÔÒÏ ÎÏÒÔÈ LAST YEAR. É'VE ALSO HAD THE PLEASURE IN TALKING TO SOME FAMOUS NAMES TOO (THOUGH NOT ÃRONOSOFT AUTHORS OF COURSE), WHILST BEING AT THE SHOWS; ÍATTHEW ÓMITH, ÊON ÈARE, ÒICHARD ÊOSEPH, ÁRCHER ÍACÌEAN. Ñ. ×HAT GAMES DO YOU PLAY TO RELAX? Á. É LOVE TO PLAY GAMES BY AUTHORS É PARTICULAR ADMIRE THE STYLE OF. ÁPART FROM THE USUAL 'ÕLTIMATE' GAMES, É PARTICULAR LIKE ÊEFF ÍINTER (ÓHEEP IN ÓPACE, ÌLAMATRON), ÄON ÐRIESTLY (ÍINDER, ÔRAPDOOR), ÄAVE ÒEIDY (ÓKOOL ÄAZE, ×HEELIE), ÓENSIBLE SOFTWARE (×IZKID, ÍEGA-LO-MANIA). ÂEING THE FIRST PERSON TO PLAY A NEW GAME IS PRETTY GOOD TOO. Ñ. ÈAVE YOU HAD TO DROP ANY TITLE DUE TO COPYRIGHT PROBLEMS? Á. ×E WERE WORRIED ABOUT ÆOOTBALL ÍANAGER 2005, THOUGH WE STUCK "ÚØ" IN FRONT OF IT, & NO-ONE COMPLAINED! Ñ. ÈAS THE PRESS BEEN FAVOURABLE TO YOU É SEEM TO REMEMBER SOMETHING IN RETRO GAMER ABOUT CRONOSOFT? Á. ÒÅÔÒÏ ÇÁÍÅÒ HAVE BEEN GREAT, & FEATURE MOST OF OUR NEW RELEASES. ÓOME OF THE REVIEWS HAVE CAUSED CONTROVERSY (ÆARMER ÊACK IN PARTICULAR), THOUGH ON THE WHOLE IT'S BEEN VERY GOOD. ÍÉÃÒÏ ÍÁÒÔ ALSO FEATURE OUR GAMES TOO. ÔHERE IS ALSO A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM ONLINE PUBLICATIONS & WEBSITES (LIKE YOUR- SELVES) IN LOTS OF COUNTRIES. ×E'VE HAD A LOT OF SUPPORT IN COUNTRIES SUCH AS ÓPAIN, ÐORTUGAL & ÅASTERN ÅUROPE TOO. ====================================== Ø1541 - ÔHE ÉDIOT'S ÇUIDE HTTP://WWW.GEOCITIES.COM/CDSIXFOUR/ X1541.HTM ÔHE FINISHED PRODUCT - THE Ø1541 ÔHIS PAGE IS HERE TO HELP THOSE OF US OUT THERE WHO HAVE ÎÏ ÉÄÅÁ ABOUT TRANSFERRING GAMES BETWEEN A Ðà & A Ã64 ÉT'S CALLED THE IDIOT'S GUIDE BECAUSE EVEN AN IDIOT IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO DO IT! ÔHIS INCLUDES MYSELF AS É WAS ONCE AN IDIOT IN REGARD TO THE Ø1541. ×HAT'S .ZIP, .LHA, .D64, .LNX, .Z64 AND 1! ALL ABOUT? ÆOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NEARLY NO KNOWLEDGE OF FILE ARCHIVING, SEEING .ZIP AT THE END OF A DOWNLOADED FILE WILL NOT MAKE MUCH SENSE TO YOU. ÙOU'LL SEE FILES ALL OVER THE NET WITH A .ZIP EXTENSION, INCLUDING MY PAGE. ÔO THE UNINITIATED, A .ZIP FILE IS USUALLY A COMPRESSED FILE (OR FILES) THAT ARE COMPACTED INTO ONE FILE AND PLACED ON THE WEB OR SENT IN EMAILS SO THAT CONNECTION TIME IS KEPT SHORT AND SO THAT THE FILES TAKE UP LITTLE SPACE. ÁNOTHER WELL KNOWN COMPRESSOR IS LHA (A.K.A. LZH. ÔHIS CAN BE OPENED WITH RECENT VERSIONS OF LHA). ÉF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR HELP ON USING THESE COMPRESSORS, GO TO THIS SITE. ÉT'S MOSTLY A CASE OF PLACING THE COMPRESSOR IN YOUR ÄÏÓ FOLDER ON YOUR à DRIVE AND FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS CONTAINED WITHIN THE FILE ITSELF. ÓO, IF YOU NEED A UNZIPPER, ÐËÕÎÚÉÐ IS PROBABLY THE MOST STANDARD ONE TO GET - AND IF YOU NEED IT OR ANY OTHER ARCHIVAL PROGRAMS, THIS SITE GIVES YOU THE MOST COMPLETE TREATMENT OF ARCHIVAL PROGRAMS TO DOWNLOAD THAT É KNOW OF. ÉF YOU'RE USING ×INDOWS, THEN ×INZIP IS REALLY THE ONLY WAY TO GO. ÉT HANDLES LONG FILENAMES, WHEREAS ÐËÕÎÚÉÐ CAN'T HANDLE THEM AND REFUSES TO EXTRACT THEM. ÓOME ZIPS ON THE Ã64 ÆÔÐ SITES CONTAIN LONG FILENAMES (UNFORTUNATELY) THAT CAN'T BE EXTRACTED UNDER ÐËÕÎÚÉÐ. ×HY ÍICROSOFT INITIALLY HAD THE 8.3 FILENAME CONVENTION IN THE FIRST PLACE REALLY BAFFLES ME. .D64 FILE EXTENSIONS ARE DISK IMAGE EXTENSIONS. ÔHE FILES ARE IMAGES OF A ÃOMMODORE 1541 DISK, AND CONTAIN ALL THE CODE THAT A 1541 DISK SIDE WOULD. ÔHESE FILES ARE LOADED BY MOST Ã64 EMULATORS AND ARE TREATED LIKE A 1541 DISK. ÔHIS IS USUALLY THE RESULT AFTER TRANSFERRING Ã64 1541 DISK SIDES TO THE ÐÃ. .LNX FILES ARE ÌÙÎØED FILES, USUALLY DONE WITH A PROGRAM CALLED "ÕLTIMATE ÌYNX" OR "ÕLTIMATE ÌYNX 3" WHICH IS A Ã64 PROGRAM THAT PACKS SEVERAL FILES INTO A SINGLE FILE. ÔHE ÓTAR ÃOMMANDER CAN OPEN THESE AND THE FILES CONTAINED IN IT CAN BE COPIED INTO DISK IMAGES. ÈOWEVER, THE LATEST RELEASE OF THE ÓTAR ÃOMMANDER HAS DIFFICULTY WITH SOME LYNX FILES CREATED WITH ÕLTIMATE ÌYNX 3. ÓTAR ÃOMMANDER TENDS TO OPERATE WELL ONLY WITH THE STANDARD LYNX FORMAT. ÉN THIS CASE, THE LYNXED FILE ITSELF CAN BE COPIED INTO A DISK IMAGE AND UNPACKED WITH ÕLTIMATE ÌYNX 3 FROM A Ã64 OR AN EMULATOR. ÔHE ÓTAR ÃOMMANDER MAKES IT A LOT EASIER, HOWEVER, BUT OCCASIONALLY IT WILL REPORT THAT THE LYNX FILE IS "CORRUPT" WHEN REALLY IT CAN'T UNDERSTAND THE FORMAT. ÓHOULD YOU NEED ÕLTIMATE ÌYNX 3, É HAVE IT FOR YOU TO DOWNLOAD. É'VE RECENTLY PUT ÕLTIMATE ÌYNX 3 ON THE DISK IMAGE NEXT TO ÕLTIMATE ÌYNX 1, SO NOW YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXTRACT FILES LYNXED WITH ÕLTIMATE ÌYNX 3, TOO. ÁNOTHER FILE TYPE THAT CAN BE FOUND IN MANY Ã64 ARCHIVES ARE ÚIP-CODED DISKS (NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH .ZIP FILES!). ÔHEY APPEAR AS 1!EXAMPLE, 2!EXAMPLE, 3!EXAMPLE, AND 4!EXAMPLE. ÔHESE ARE PACKED FILES THAT CONSTITUTE ALL TRACKS AND SECTORS OF A 1541 DISK SIDE. ÓOME WISE-GUYS HAVE EVEN DECIDED TO GIVE THEM A .Z64 EXTENTION, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE RECOGNISED BY THEIR "1!" STYLE PREFIXES. ÔHESE .Z64 FILES SHOULD BE TREATED AS ÚIP-CODED DISKS (ALTHOUGH É PERSONALLY DISAPPROVE THAT THEY SHOULD BE CALLED .Z64 FILES). ÚIP-CODED FILES APPEAR AS X! EXAMPLE, A! EXAMPLE, B! EXAMPLE, ETC. ÔHEY ARE SIMPLY PACKED FILES. ÂOTH ÚIP-CODED DISKS AND FILES CAN BE DEPACKED WITH A Ðà PROGRAM CALLED 64ÃOPY, OR ON THE 64 WITH ÚIP-ÃODE UTILITIES. ÔHEY ARE RARE, BUT IF YOU FIND THEM COPY THEM INTO A .D64 IMAGE AND RUN THEM THROUGH THE ÚIP-CODE UTILITIES. ×HEN DEPACKING ÚIP-CODED DISKS, BEWARE OF THE "ÚIP-ÄÏÓ READ" OPTION. ×ITH MANY ZIP-CODED DISKS, LEAVING THIS ON ÙÅÓ WHILE DEPACKING CAN CORRUPT THE DATA ON THE FINAL PRODUCT. ÉF YOU NEED ZIP-CODE UTILITIES, É HAVE THEM FOR YOU TO DOWNLOAD. ÔHE ÂEST ×AY ÁLTHOUGH THERE IS MORE THAN ONE WAY, THE BEST WAY TO TRANSFER PROGRAMS CROSS-PLATFORM BETWEEN A Ðà AND Ã64 IS TO USE A 1541 DISK DRIVE CONNECTED TO A ÉÂÍ COMPATIBLE ÐÃ. ÙOU CONNECT A CABLE (CALLED THE Ø1541 CABLE) FROM THE SERIAL PORT ON THE 1541 AND CONNECT IT TO THE ÌÐÔ PARALLEL PRINTER PORT ON YOUR ÐÃ. ÆROM THERE YOU USE A TRANSFER PROGRAM (É RECOMMEND THE ÓTAR ÃOMMANDER ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER TRANSFER UTILITIES AVAILABLE ON THE NET. ÁFTER THAT IT'S SIMPLE. ÔHE REASON WHY THIS IS THE BEST METHOD IS BECAUSE THE 5.25" DRIVES ON ÉÂÍ MACHINES ARE ÍÆÍ FORMAT DRIVES WHILE THE 1541 IS A ÇÃÒ FORMAT DRIVE. ÔHESE FORMATS ARE INCOMPATIBLE. ÎOT ONLY THAT, BUT 1541 DRIVES ARE "SMART" BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN THE NECESSARY ON BOARD ELECTRONICS AND DISK OPERATING FIRMWARE, WHEREAS ÉÂÍ DRIVES DON'T NECESSARILY. ÈOOKING A 1541 UP TO AN ÉÂÍ IS MUCH SIMPLER. ÔEXT FILES CAN BE TRANSFERED WITH A 1571 AND A PROGRAM CALLED THE "ÂIG ÂLUE ÒEADER" IF YOU WANT. ÔHE 1571 CAN READ BOTH ÍÆÍ AND ÇÃÒ. ÔRANSFERRING BY THIS METHOD IS VERY SLOW THOUGH, SO FORGET IT UNLESS YOU WANT TO CONVERT Ã64 WORD PROCESSOR FILES TO AN ÉÂÍ WORDPROCESSOR. ÓO WHERE DO É GET THE Ø1541 CABLE? ÁHHH... ÔHE Ðà IS EASY TO GET. ÉF YOU DON'T HAVE A 1541 DISK DRIVE (ÏR YOUR OLD DRIVE IS BROKEN) YOU CAN ORDER A NEW ONE FROM ÃÍÄ BUT BEWARE THE $ FACTOR. ÔHE Ø1541 CABLE, HOWEVER.... YOU'LL HAVE TO BUILD YOURSELF. ÁLSO, THE AUTHOR OF THE ÓTAR ÃOMMANDER HAS A TEAM THAT BUILDS QUALITY CABLES AT VERY REASONABLE PRICES. ÉÍÐÏÒÔÁÎÔ ÎÏÔÅ: ÁT THIS POINT IT IS PROBABLY WORTH MENTIONING THAT IF YOU HAVE A ÐENTIUM ÉÉ MOTHERBOARD (OR BETTER - É THINK), THAT THE Ø1541 CABLE ×ÉÌÌ ÎÏÔ ×ÏÒË ON THE ÓTAR ÃOMMANDER. ÔHE ONLY CABLE THAT WILL WORK IS THE ØÅ1541 CABLE. ÔHIS REQUIRES EXTRA COMPONENTS. ÁLL IS EXPLAINED HERE. ÂUT É DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE ONE! É PERSONALLY HAD NO IDEA ABOUT SOLDERING A CABLE TOGETHER WHEN É FIRST THOUGHT ABOUT BUILDING A Ø1541 CABLE. É DID SOME READING ON THE TOPIC AND AFTER SOME PRACTICE É FOUND MYSELF BUILDING A FULLY WORKING CABLE!!! ÉF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START WHEN SOLDERING OR YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND THE Ø1541 DIAGRAMS, É'LL EXPLAIN. É'M NO ELECTRICIAN, BUT É CAN POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. ÙOU DON'T NEED TALENT TO BUILD A CABLE OR EVEN TO SOLDER. ÁN HOUR OR SO OF PRACTICE IS ALL YOU NEED. ÔHERE IS ANOTHER WAY TO CREATE A CRUDE Ø1541 CABLE WITHOUT HAVING TO SOLDER. ÓO WHAT WILL É NEED? ÇO DOWN TO YOUR LOCAL ELECTRONIC PARTS/ HOBBY SHOP AND BUY THE FOLLOWING: Á SOLDERING IRON - Á CHEAP ONE WILL DO. ÐREFERABLY ONE WITH A NARROW TIP. ÉT WILL BE TOUCHING SMALL SURFACES. ÒESIN FLUX SOLDER - ÐREFERABLY WITH THE SMALLEST DIAMETER WIRE POSSIBLE. É USE 0.7MM. ÒEMEMBER IT MUST BE ÒÅÓÉÎ ÆÌÕØ SOLDER. ÒESIN FLUX IS USED FOR ELECTRONIC SOLDERING. ×IRE - ÉT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT TYPE OF WIRE, AS LONG AS THEY'RE NOT BARE WIRES AND HAVE SOME PLASTIC SHIELDING. É USED COPPER WIRE. ÔRY TO GET DIFFERENT COLOURED WIRES SO THAT YOU CAN TELL THEM APART. ×IRE STRIPPER - ÔO GET THE PLASTIC COVER OFF THE WIRE! ÓTEEL WOOL - ÔO POLISH SURFACES BEFORE SOLDERING. ÓHRINK TUBING - ÔO KEEP ALL THE WIRES TOGETHER TO MAKE THE CABLE. É USED A TUBING 5.0MM IN DIAMETER. ÔHE DIAMETER OF THE SHRINK TUBING WILL USUALLY DEPEND ON THE DIAMETER OF THE WIRE YOU'RE USING. ÙOU MAY HAVE TO USE YOUR GOOD JUDGMENT IN DECIDING WHICH ONES TO GET. ÍALE 6 PIN DIN PLUG - ÔHIS BIT GOES INTO YOUR 1541 SERIAL PORT. ÍALE Ä25 SOLDER PLUG - ÔHIS BIT GOES INTO YOUR ÐÃ'S ÌÐÔ PORT. ÉT'S CALLED A Ä25 PLUG IN ELECTRONIC SUPPLIES STORES. ÍAKE SURE IT'S THE SOLDER VARIETY. ÙOU'LL NOTICE IT HAS CATCHMENT SOCKETS TO COLLECT SOLDER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PINS. ÍALE Ä25 CASING - ÔO COVER THE Ä25 PLUG! É PREFER USING A PLASTIC CASING AS OPPOSED TO A METAL CASING ÓTICKY TAPE / ÂLU TAK - TO HOLD THINGS IN PLACE WHILE YOU SOLDER. Á COPY OF THE Ø1541 SPECIFICATIONS - ÉF YOU CHOOSE TO WORK WITHOUT ONE É HOPE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING! ÙOU MUST HAVE A GOOD MEMORY! ÊOE ÆORSTER HAS THE SPECS ON HIS Ø1541 PAGE ÒEMEMBER THIS: Á MALE PLUG HAS PINS ON IT THAT STICK OUT. Á FEMALE PLUG HAS HOLES THAT THESE PINS GO IN. ÓO IF YOU'VE GOT A DIRTY MIND, SEXUAL INNUENDO SUCH AS THIS WILL HELP YOU REMEMBER!! ÔHE Ø1541 CABLE HAS TWO MALE PLUGS, SO THEY'LL BOTH HAVE PINS STICKING OUT! ÔHESE ARE THE ONES YOU GET! ÉT MAY BE HELPFUL FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER SOLDERED BEFORE TO BUY SEVERAL PLUGS BEFORE BUILDING THE CABLE TO PRACTICE ON FIRST. ÔHIS WAY, IF YOU MESS UP YOUR PLUG YOU HAVE A SPARE TO WORK ON. ÓTEP 1 ÆIRST, WE'RE GOING TO CREATE THE CABLE PART. ÉF YOU NOTICE THE SPECIFICATIONS OF THE Ø1541, YOU CAN'T MAKE THE CABLE MORE THAN A METRE LONG. É RECOMMEND THE CABLE TO BE ABOUT 40-50CM LONG. ÃUT YOUR WIRES TO ABOUT 20CM LONGER THAN THE LENGTH YOU WISH TO MAKE THE CABLE. ÔHIS IS SO YOU HAVE SOME ROOM FOR ERROR SHOULD YOU MESS UP AND HAVE TO CUT THE WIRE SOME MORE. ÎEXT, WE'RE GOING TO GET THOSE WIRES DOWN THE SHRINK TUBING. ÔHIS MAY REQUIRE SOME PATIENCE DEPENDING ON HOW LARGE THE DIAMETER OF THE SHRINK TUBING IS AND THE WIRES YOU HAVE. ÉF YOU DO HAVE DIFFICULTY PUTTING THE WIRES DOWN THE TUBING, LOOK AT THE DIAGRAM AND ALL YOUR WIRES. ÈOPEFULLY YOU'LL HAVE DIFFERENT COLOURED WIRES. ÎOW DECIDE WHICH COLOURED WIRE WILL BE FOR EACH CONNECTION. É DECIDED LIKE THIS: ÃÏÌÏÕÒ - ÃÂÍ - ÉÂÍ ======================================= ÒÅÄ - ÇROUND - ÇROUND ÂÌÁÃË - ÒESET - ÉNIT ÂÌÕÅ - ÃLOCK - ÁUTOÆEED ÂÒÏ×Î - ÁTN - ÓTROBE ÇÒÅÅÎ - ÄATA - ÓELECT ÉN ÙÅÌÌÏ× - ÁUTODETECT CONNECTION (OPTIONAL) ÎOW, NOTICE WHERE THE WIRES ARE ON THE ÃÂÍ SERIAL DIAGRAM YOU HAVE? ×ELL ÉN MY CASE, THE ÂLACK RESET WIRE AND ÇREEN ÄATA WIRE ARE ABOVE THE OTHER THREE WIRES ON THE DIAGRAM. ×HAT É DID WAS TO PUSH THE WIRES DOWN THE SHRINK TUBE IN THIS ARRANGEMENT SO THAT THEY CAME OUT UNTANGLED AND IN THIS ARRANGEMENT BY THE TIME THEY CAME OUT THE OTHER END. ÔHE LONGER YOUR SHRINK TUBE IS, HOWEVER, THE HARDER THIS MAY BE. ÉF THE WIRES TANGLE INSIDE THE SHRINK TUBE, THEY WILL HAVE TROUBLE GOING DOWN. ÔRY NOT TO LET THIS HAPPEN FOR YOUR SANITY'S SAKE! ÉT WOULD BE GREAT IF THE WIRES INSIDE DIDN'T TANGLE BECAUSE EVENTUALLY WHEN YOU SHRINK THE TUBING IT WILL LOOK PROFESSIONAL, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE NO BUMPS IN THE CABLE BECAUSE OF TANGLED WIRES. ÅVENTUALLY YOU WILL HAVE FIVE WIRES RUNNING THROUGH THE SHRINK TUBE. ÎOW WE'RE READY TO SOLDER!! ÓTEP 2 ÏË, NOW THAT WE'VE DONE THE EASY BIT, IT'S TIME FOR THE HARDER BITS. ÐULL THE WIRES THROUGH THE TUBE SO THAT THEY HAVE EVEN LENGTH ON BOTH ENDS OF THE TUBE. ÐLUG IN YOUR SOLDERING IRON AND ALLOW IT TO HEAT UP. ÓOLDERING IS NOT TOO DIFFICULT, BUT THERE ARE A FEW THINGS TO REMEMBER: ÄON'T BURN YOURSELF! ÉT CAN GET REAL HOT. ÔRY TO HAVE A PLACE TO REST YOUR SOLDERING IRON WHEN NOT USING IT. Á SOLDERING IRON STAND IS OBVIOUSLY THE BEST THING FOR THIS, BUT STILL YOU MAY NOT WANT TO GET ONE, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO EITHER. É HAVE BEEN BURNT BEFORE BY A SOLDERING IRON AND IT'S NOT FUNNY! ÕSE STEEL WOOL TO CLEAN SURFACES THAT YOU SOLDER BEFORE SOLDERING. ÔHIS IS SO THE SOLDER HAS NO TROUBLE ROLLING OFF THE TIP OF THE SOLDERING IRON INSTEAD OF BUBBLING UP ON THE TIP. ÈEAT UP THE SURFACE WITH THE IRON YOU WISH TO SOLDER BEFORE YOU SOLDER (ÉN THIS CASE OUR SOLDERING CATCHMENT SOCKETS AT THE BACK OF BOTH PLUGS). ÔRY NOT TO OVERDO THIS BECAUSE THE PLASTIC AROUND THE PINS (ESPECIALLY THE 6 PIN DIN) HAS MELTED ON ME BEFORE AND THE PIN É WAS WORKING ON FELL OUT! (IT WAS FIXED AGAIN BY HEATING UP THE PIN AND PUSHING IT BACK INTO PLACE, WHERE IT COOLED BACK INTO POSITION). ÈEATING THE SURFACE IS NECESSARY BECAUSE IF THE SURFACE ISN'T WARM ENOUGH FOR LONG ENOUGH YOU'LL DO A BAD SOLDER WHICH CAN BE EASILY PULLED APART. ÓOLDERING ITSELF IS STRAIGHTFORWARD. ÔHERE ARE MANY TECHNIQUES, BUT É SIMPLY PLACED THE WIRE IN THE POCKET FOR SOLDERING, LAY THE SOLDER WIRE ON TOP OF THAT, AND THEN APPLIED THE SOLDERING IRON UNTIL THE SOLDER MELTED, FILLING THE SOCKET AND WELDING INTO THE SURFACE. É PUSHED MORE SOLDER INTO THE CONNECTION AS NEEDED. ÔRY NOT TO ADD TOO MUCH SOLDER THOUGH. ÍORE SOLDER DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN A STRONGER CONNECTION. ÆIRSTLY, LET'S DO THE Ä25 PLUG. ÙOU CAN DO THE 6 PIN DIN FIRST IF YOU WANT, BUT THE Ä25 PLUG IS HARDER IN MY OPINION, ESPECIALLY IF YOU MESS UP. ÓO IF YOU DO MESS THE Ä25 UP AFTER YOU DO THE 6 PIN, TOO BAD. É SUGGEST YOU PRACTICE SOLDERING FIRST BEFORE YOU WORK ON THE CABLE PROPER. ÕSE SOME SPARE WIRE AND SOME EXTRA PLUGS. ÔHE STICKY TAPE AND BLU TAK COMES IN HANDY WHEN YOU TRY TO KEEP THE WIRE IN POSITION AND THE PLUG IN PLACE WHILE YOU HOLD THE SOLDER IN THE SOCKET, THE WIRE UNDER THE SOLDER, AND THE SOLDERING IRON. ÕNLESS YOU'RE AN OCTOPUS, YOU'LL SOON REALIZE THAT SOLDERING ISN'T QUITE THAT EASY AND THAT THE PLUG WON'T STAY STILL. ÔHE WIRE KEEPS MOVING OUT OF THE PLUG'S SOLDERING SOCKET ETC. ÂÅ ÐÁÔÉÅÎÔ! ÏNCE EVERYTHING IS IN PLACE, MAKE THE SOLDER. ÏNCE IT'S BEEN SOLDERED AND THE SOLDER HAS DRIED AND BECOME HARD, CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CONNECTION HAS BEEN SOLDERED PROPERLY. ÔHIS CAN BE DONE BY PULLING THE WIRE FAIRLY HARD (BUT ÎÏÔ ÔÏÏ ÈÁÒÄ!), TO SEE IF THE SOLDERING HAS WORKED WELL (ÉF IT HASN'T THE SOLDER WILL BREAK OFF THE SOCKET, OR THE WIRE WILL SNAP - EFFECTIVELY FORCING YOU TO DO A BETTER JOB NEXT TIME!). ÒEMEMBER: ALLOW THE SOLDER TO DRY BEFORE TESTING THE CONNECTION! ÁLSO, CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SOLDER HASN'T CONNECTED ANY OTHER SOCKETS NEXT TO THE ONE YOU ARE WORKING ON. ÃHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WIRES WILL NOT CROSS EITHER. ÔHIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. ÔHE ÇROUND CONNECTION ON THE Ä25 PLUG IS NOT DIFFICULT TO DO AS THE DIAGRAM MAY SUGGEST. ÓIMPLY STRIP THE WIRE YOU INTEND TO USE FOR THE GROUND CONNECTION SO THAT THE EXPOSED WIRE CAN COVER ACROSS ALL THE GROUND SOCKETS ON THE BACK OF THE Ä25. ÁFTER THIS, IT IS SIMPLY A MATTER OF SOLDERING THE WIRE TO ALL THE SOCKETS. ÅASY. ÓHOULD YOU WANT TO, YOU CAN ADD THE ÁUTODETECT CONNECTION INTO THE Ä25 PLUG ON PINS 2 AND 15 (ÙES, THE 2 AND 15 PINS ON THE Ä25 ARE WIRED TOGETHER!). ÔHIS IS NOT NECESSARY WHEN USING THE ÓTAR ÃOMMANDER, BUT IF YOU DECIDE TO USE THE Ø1541 CABLE WITH THE ORIGINAL Ø1541 TRANSFER PROGRAM, THEN É SUGGEST YOU MAKE IT. ÈECK, WHY NOT DO IT, AS YOU HAVE YOUR SOLDERING IRON OUT AT THE MOMENT. É MADE IT ON MY PLUG ANYWAY. ÉT MAKES IT A TRUE Ø1541 CABLE. ÍAKE SURE YOU SOLDER THE RIGHT WIRE IN THE RIGHT SOCKET! ÃHECK YOUR Ø1541 SPECIFICATIONS. ÔHE Ä25 PLUG YOU HAVE MAY EVEN HAVE THE CORRECT NUMBERS FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL PIN ON IT. ÒEMEMBER THAT THE Ø1541 SPECIFICATIONS SHOW THE FEMALE PLUGS OF THE ÌÐÔ PORT IN THE Ðà AND THE SERIAL PORT IN THE 1541. ÔO HELP YOU REMEMBER WHICH PIN IS WHICH, PLACE THE PLUG WITH THE SOLDER SOCKETS FACING UP NEXT TO THE DIAGRAM. ÎOW IT SHOULD BE EASY TO SEE WHICH PINS ARE WHICH. ÓOME PLUGS YOU MAY BUY MAY BE EVEN SO HELPFUL AS TO HAVE THE NUMBERS OF THE PINS NEXT TO THEM. ÉF YOU MESS UP, YOU CAN ALWAYS "UNSOLDER" A CONNECTION BY APPLYING THE SOLDERING IRON TO THE CONNECTION, AND THEN PULLING THE WIRE OUT. ÓAME GOES IF YOU ACCIDENTALLY ADD MORE SOLDER THAN YOU SHOULD TO A SOCKET, AND IT SPILLS ONTO ANOTHER SOCKET CONNECTING THEM. ÔHIS, HOWEVER, LEAVES THE SOCKET IN A BIT OF A MESS. ÄON'T LET THIS WORRY YOU THOUGH. ËEEP TRYING! ÉN MOST CASES, YOUR MESS-UPS ARE SALVAGEABLE. ÉF YOU MESS UP ON THE Ä25 PLUG, SAVING YOUR WORK CAN BE HARDER. ÏNLY JUST RECENTLY É SOLDERED TWO CONNECTIONS TOGETHER ACCIDENTALLY. ×HEN É TRIED TO UNSOLDER, THE SOLDER GOT STUCK ALL OVER THE PLASTIC PART OF THE PLUG. ÇETTING THE SOLDER OFF THEN WAS IMPOSSIBLE, AS É MELTED THE PLASTIC PART WITH MY SOLDERING IRON TRYING TO GET THE SOLDER OFF! ÉT ENDED UP AS A COMPLETE MESS. ×ITH ANY LUCK, YOU'LL HAVE MANAGED TO SOLDER ALL THE CONNECTIONS CORRECTLY ON THE Ä25 PLUG! ×ELL ÄONE! ÎOW YOU CAN GET THE Ä25 BACK COVER AND COVER THE Ä25 PLUG WITH IT. ÔHERE'S NO INSTRUCTIONS THAT COME WITH ASSEMBLING THE BACK-COVER, AND THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT BACK COVER MODELS AROUND FOR THE Ä25 PLUG. ÙOU MAY JUST HAVE TO EXAMINE THE BACK COVER YOU HAVE AND EXPERIMENT A BIT. ÔHE TYPE THAT É HAVE ALSO HAS A PLACE INSIDE THE BACK COVER WHERE A METALLIC GRIPPER CAN BE SCREWED IN PLACE AROUND THE CABLE. ÔHIS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED TO REDUCE PRESSURE ON THE SOLDERED CONNECTIONS SHOULD THE CABLE BE PULLED HARD. ÓTEP 3 ÒIGHT! ÎOW THAT YOU'RE FEELING A BIT MORE CONFIDENT ABOUT SOLDERING, IT SHOULD BE MUCH EASIER TO SOLDER THE 6 PIN DIN TO YOUR CABLE. ÆIRSTLY, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THE 6 PIN DIN PLUG YOU HAVE SHOULD HAVE A PLASTIC OR RUBBER CASING AROUND IT. ÐULL THIS CASING OFF, AND PUSH IT ONTO THE Ø1541 CABLE THAT WE'RE BUILDING. ÍAKE SURE YOU PUT THIS ON THE RIGHT WAY SO THAT WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED SOLDERING, IT CAN BE PULLED BACK OVER THE PLUG! ÄÏÎ'Ô ÆÏÒÇÅÔ TO DO THIS STEP OR YOU MAY FIND THAT YOU'LL HAVE TO UNSOLDER YOUR CONNECTIONS ON THE 6 PIN DIN PLUG IN ORDER TO PUT THE COVER BACK ON THE PLUG! (É ADMIT TO HAVING DONE THIS!). ÂE CAREFUL WITH THE OTHER PARTS OF THE DIN PLUG AS NOT TO LOSE THEM. ÙOU'LL NOTICE THAT THERE IS THE MAIN PLUG WHICH CARRIES THE PINS, AND TWO METAL COVERINGS THAT HOOK OVER THE MAIN PLUG. ÏNE OF THE METAL COVERINGS HAS A LONG CLAW-LIKE HOOK. ÙOU'LL NOTICE THAT THE SOCKETS FOR THE DIN PLUG ARE HOLLOW SO THAT YOU CAN PLACE THE WIRES DOWN THE SOCKETS BEFORE SOLDERING. ÕNFORTUNATELY, THIS DOESN'T MAKE YOUR LIFE TOO EASY! ÎOW, SHORTEN THE WIRES COMING FROM THE OTHER END OF THE Ø1541 CABLE YOU'RE BUILDING. ÎOT TOO SHORT, BUT SO THAT THE METAL BACKING WITH THE LONG CLAW-LIKE CRADLE ON IT CAN WRAP ITSELF AROUND THE SHRINK TUBING ON THE CABLE. ÓOLDERING THE WIRES TO THE DIN PINS IS NOT THAT EASY. ÔRY TO GET THE SOLDER BOTH IN THE SOCKETS AND OUTSIDE THE SOCKETS SO THAT THEY COVER THE WIRE AND SOCKET COMPLETELY. ×HEN YOU THRUSTED THE WIRES DOWN THE SHRINK TUBING IN THE ARRANGEMENT ACCORDING TO THE Ø1541 PLANS, ARRANGING THE WIRES NOW ÓÈÏÕÌÄ BE EASIER. ÉT STILL MAY NOT BE, BUT PERSEVERE! ÆIRSTLY, É SUGGEST DOING THE ÒESET PLUG BECAUSE IF YOU SOLDERED ALL THE OUTER SOCKETS FIRST, YOU WOULD HAVE A LOT OF TROUBLE DOING THE INNER ÒESET SOCKET. ÏNCE THIS IS DONE, COMPLETE SOLDERING ALL THE OTHER SOCKETS WITH THEIR CORRECT WIRE. ÙET AGAIN, BE CAREFUL WHICH SOCKET THEY ARE GOING INTO. ÔHE DIN PLUG É BOUGHT EVEN HAD SMALL NUMBERS OF THE CORRESPONDING PINS ON THE MAIN PLUG. ÁS WITH THE Ä25 PLUG, CHECK ALL THE WIRES TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE SOLDERED CORRECTLY AND DO NOT CROSS OVER. ÁLSO MAKE SURE THEY THEY ARE IN CLOSE (ÂUT NOT TOUCHING) AND AWAY FROM THE METAL COVERING WHEN YOU PLACE THAT BACK OVER THE MAIN PLUG ONCE YOU HAVE FINISHED SOLDERING. ÂLU ÔACK OR SOMETHING STICKY COMES IN HANDY IN KEEPING THE MAIN DIN PLUG STILL WHILE YOU SOLDER. ÉT TENDS TO ROLL AROUND A BIT ON THE TABLE. ÏNCE THIS HAS ALL BEEN DONE, REPLACE THE METAL COVERINGS ON THE MAIN PLUG AND TRY TO WRAP THE METAL CLAW-LIKE HOOK ON THE METAL COVERING AROUND THE CABLE. ÏNCE YOU ARE SURE EVERYTHING IS CORRECT, SLIDE THE DIN PLUG PLASTIC COVER DOWN THE CABLE AND BACK OVER THE DIN PLUG. ÔHE SHRINK TUBING AROUND THE CABLE CAN BE SHRUNK (AS ITS NAME SUGGESTS) TO FIT SNUGLY AROUND THE WIRES IN THE CABLE. ÄO THIS ON A HEAT SOURCE, ÎÏÔ A NAKED FLAME. ÙOU WANT TO SHRINK THE CABLE, NOT BURN IT. ÙOU CAN USE A HOT LIGHT GLOBE, ELECTRIC HEATER, OR A JUG OR BOWL OF HOT WATER. ÔHERE ARE SPECIALIST HEAT-SHRINK TOOLS TO DO THIS PROFESSIONALLY, BUT SINCE THEY ARE SO EXPENSIVE YOU'RE BETTER OFF NOT USING THEM FOR JUST ONE CABLE! ÕSING A BOWL OF HOT WATER IS PROBABLY THE EASIEST AND BEST METHOD, AS IT GIVES AN EVEN FINISH TO THE CABLE. ÊUST MAKE SURE THAT THE SHRINK TUBING HAS NO PUNCTURES, AND YOU DON'T ACCIDENTLY DROP THE ENDS OF THE CABLE INTO THE HOT WATER! ÔHE REASONS FOR THIS ARE QUITE OBVIOUS É THINK, AS YOU WILL BE PLUGGING THIS CABLE INTO YOUR ÐÃ! ÂOILING WATER MAY BUBBLE AS YOU PLACE THE CABLE IN, BUT DON'T WORRY AS THIS IS BECAUSE YOU ARE DEPLACING AIR POCKETS IN THE WATER THAT ARE ESCAPING, AS STEAM! ÁND THAT'S IT! ÙOU'VE MADE A Ø1541 CABLE! ×ELL DONE! ÓO THAT'S IT? ÂUT É'M STILL STUCK! ÓTILL HAVING TROUBLE MAKING THE CABLE? ÔHE PARTS YOU BOUGHT DON'T MATCH THE DESCRIPTION THAT É GAVE? ÃAN'T SOLDER THE CONNECTIONS? ÉN THIS CASE, SEND ME AN EMAIL AND TELL ME WHAT YOUR PROBLEM IS, É MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOU OUT.ÉF YOU HAVE NO TIME TO BUILD ONE OR CAN'T BE BOTHERED BUILDING ONE, YOU MAY LIKE TO EMAIL ÊOE ÆORSTER AT THE ÓTAR ÃOMMANDER HOMEPAGE, AND HE'LL GIVE YOU SOME DETAILS FOR ORDERING A CABLE. É USED TO HAVE TIME TO BUILD THESE THINGS NOT SO LONG AGO, BUT DUE TO HOW BUSY É AM WITH LIFE IN GENERAL, NOT TO MENTION THE ÃÄ, AND THE FACT THAT É'M HAVING TROUBLE LOCATING THE DIODES WHERE É LIVE NOW (NOT IN A CITY!) É'VE HAD TO GIVE IT UP! ÒEMEMBER TO CHECK ALL THE CONNECTIONS YOU MADE ON YOUR Ø1541 CABLE. ÉF YOU ARE SURE THAT THEY ARE CORRECT, YET THE CABLE DOESN'T WORK ON A TRANSFER PROGRAM, THEN YOU'LL HAVE TO CONTACT THE AUTHOR(S) OF THAT PROGRAM TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. ×HO KNOWS? YOU MAY HAVE ENJOYED BUILDING THE CABLE AND WOULD LIKE TO PUT YOUR SOLDERING IRON TO OTHER USES! ÉT COULD BECOME A NEW HOBBY! ÄISCLAIMER ÍY INSTRUCTIONS FOR BUILDING A Ø1541 CABLE IS SIMPLY ADVICE FROM ME TO YOU, WHETHER YOU ACCEPT IT OR NOT IS YOUR CHOICE. É HAVE BUILT SEVERAL Ø1541 CABLES BEFORE USING THIS METHOD. É WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE IF YOU DAMAGE YOUR Ðà BY BUILDING A BAD CABLE, OR DOING SOMETHING STUPID LIKE PERMANENTLY SOLDERING ELECTRONIC PARTS TO YOUR Ðà PRINTER PORT (WHICH IS NOT WHAT É'M ENDORSING) BECAUSE YOU MISUNDERSTOOD ME. ÉF THAT HAPPENS, IT'S ÙÏÕÒ FAULT! É DOUBT VERY MUCH THAT DISASTER WILL BEFALL YOU THOUGH. ÏNE OF MY CABLES HAD A LOOSE RESET CABLE ONCE AND ALL THAT DID WAS CAUSE ÓTAR ÃOMMANDER TO EXPERIENCE TROUBLE TRANSFERRING THINGS AS THE RESET WIRE BOUNCED AROUND CONNECTING OTHER WIRES. ÓTILL, YOU WON'T HAVE ANY TROUBLE AT ALL IF YOU LOOSELY FOLLOW MY ADVICE AND TAKE CARE IN YOUR WORK! ÇÏÏÄ ÌÕÃË! ÓTAR ÃOMMANDER HOMEPAGE HTTP://STA.C64.ORG/SC.HTML ÁRTICLE REPRINTED FROM HTTP://WWW.GEOCITIES.COM/CDSIXFOUR/ INDEX.HTM WITH THE WRITERS PERMISSION ÃOMMODORE ÆREE WOULD LIKE TO THANK ÒIO ÂAAN FOR THE ARTICLE REPRINT ====================================== ÃOMMODORE ÎIGHT 2007 ÍAX FROM ÍÃà ÂEFORE TELLING YOU HOW WE SPENT A NICE EVENING LAST ÎOVEMBER, LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT MY LITTLE Ã= HISTORY... ÔHE ORIGINS ÍY PARENTS BOUGHT ME A Ã64+1541 DRIVE IN 1984, AFTER A YEAR OF ÚØ81 EXPLORATION. ×HAT A DIFFERENCE IT WAS! Á COUPLE OF FRIENDS ALSO HAD THIS TERRIFIC MACHINE, ÃHRISTOPHE Ä× IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, AND ÈUGUES ÄÊ , THE SON OF ONE OF MY FATHER'S COLLEAGUE. ÔHE EXCHANGES OF IDEAS, SOFTWARES AND TRICKS WERE INTENSE! ÁS WERE THE DEPRIVED SLEEP NIGHTS WE PASSED, TRYING TO BREAK SOME MACHINE CODE, JUST FOR THE FUN. ÃOMMODORE ÎIGHT ROOTS ÍANY YEARS AND A FEW Ðà LATER, É DISCOVERED IN 2004-2005 SEVERAL WELL-KNOWN EMULATORS (ÃÃÓ64, ÖÉÃÅ) RUNNING ON Ðà AND ALSO ON MY BRAND NEW IÍAC Ç5 (ÐOWER 64). É WAS ASTONISHED TO SEE THAT ALL THE GAMES WE LOVED AND PLAYED FOR HOURS WERE AVAILABLE ON NEW MACHINES, WITH HIGH QUALITY GRAPHICS AND SOUND. É THEN GATHERED A COUPLE OF OLD FRIEND, AND THE ÃOMMODORE ÎIGHT 2006 WAS BORN. ÉT WAS THUS AN EVENT CENTERED ON EMULATION MORE THAN PLAYING WITH ORIGINAL MACHINES, EVEN THOUGH É BROUGHT MY OLD Ã64 AND AN ÓØ64 THAT A COLLEAGUE OFFERED TO ME FOR THAT OCCASION. ÔHE ÓÉÄ CHIP OF THE ÓØ WAS DEAD, AND THE Ã64'ÓÉÄ SURRENDERED AFTER THE EVENT. ÇETTING SOME OLDIES ÆOR THE 2007 EDITION, É THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NICE TO PLAY ON ÒÅÁÌ MACHINES. ÔHE EVENT HAD TO BE BRILLIANT, AS WE CELEBRATED THE Ã64 25TH ANNIVERSARY! ÂUT MY Ã64 AND THE ÓØ WERE NOT ENOUGH. É THEN TRAVELED ON EÂAY TO GET OTHER STUFFS, AND GATHERED A FEW 64'S (CLASSIC AND Ã64à VERSIONS), A ÄÔÖ64, A Ã128 AND AN ÁMIGA 500, PLUS AN OLD ÍAC ÓÅ30 (FOR MY FRIEND ÔORX WHO IS A REAL ÍAC-O-PHILE). ÁND É DON'T TALK ABOUT ALL THE JOYSTICKS, 1541 DRIVES AND MONITORS SOLD WITH THE MACHINES.É ALSO GOT SOME ORIGINAL GAMES. ÔHE PARTY ÏN ÎOVEMBER 24TH, MY OLD FRIEND ÈUGUES ÄÊ (ÂUG FROM ÍÃÃ) CAME TO SET ALL THIS MESS UP WITH ME. ×ITH OUR NICE T-SHIRTS, WE FELT LIKE IF WE WERE 18 AGAIN... ÍY LOVELY WIFE COOKED DELICIOUS LASAGNAS. Á DOZEN OF OLD FRIENDS CAME TO JOIN US IN THE EVENING TO MAKE ALL THESES BEASTS LIVE AGAIN. ×HAT A PLEASURE. ×ITH SOME ÂELGIAN BEERS, NICE VIDEOS AND SOME NOTES OF ÖISA ÒSTER.... ÉF YOU LOOK WELL ON ÙOUÔUBE, YOU MAY FIND SOME OF OUR DEDICATED PRODUCTION. ÁLL THE ATTENDEES COULD COMPETE IN ÓUMMER ÇAMES, ÚORRO OR ÐITSTOP 2. ×E DIDN'T LOOSE OUR REFLEXES OF THE EIGHTIES, WITH A ÑUICKSHOT ÉÉ OR AN OLD ÁTARI STICK. ×HO SAID MICROCOMPUTERS DID NOT CONDITIONATE PEOPLE? ÍAYBE ANOTHER EDITION IN 2008? ÍORE INFORMATIONS ON: HTTP://HOMEPAGE.MAC.COM/ ENDOCRINE.SOLUTIONS/MCC64/ INDEX.HTML ÇREETINGS TO ALL Ã64 LOVERS, ÍAX FROM ÍÃà 1984-1989 ÃOMMODORE Ã64 USER & FAN ÒETROCOMPUTING ADEPT 2004-? HTTP://C64MCC.BLOGSPOT.COM/ ====================================== ÃÍÄ AND ÍAURICE ÒANDEL WHERE DID IT ALL GO WRONG? ÉT SEEMS THAT USERS ARE VENTING OUT THERE FRUSTRATIONS ABOUT ÍAURICE IN VARIOUS ÃOMMODORE RELATED CHAT ROOMS, É HAVE READ EVERYTHING FROM USERS TRYING TO TAKE HIM TO COURT OR REPORTING HIM THE THE AUTHORITIES ALL THE WAY UP TO ARRANGING A MOB TO GO ROUND AND BEAT THE GUY UP COMPLETE WITH BASEBALL BATS. ÆOR MYSELF AND É WOULD IMAGINE ANYONE WHO HAS PURCHASED EQUIPMENT FROM ÍAURICE ITS A VERY FRUSTRATING SITUATION TO BE IN. É ORDERED A ÓÃÐÕ OVER 3 YEARS AGO AND AM STILL WAITING; É HAD LITTLE IN THE WAY OF AN EMAIL TO APOLOGISE AND MY ASKING FOR A REFUND OR EVEN ASKING ÍAURICE TO EXPLAIN IN THE MAGAZINE HAS COME TO NOTHING É CAN'T SEE THE POINT OF PHONING LONG DISTANCE AS OTHERS HAVE TRIED AND JUST HAD VERBAL ABUSE FROM ÍAURICE. É PERSONALLY FEEL ÍAURICE IS NOW OVER HIS HEAD WITH TOO MANY ORDERS AND WILL NEVER FIND THE TIME TO COMPLETE ANY OF THESE EVER!, SOFTWARE OR HARDWARE É THINK HE IS SO BEHIND HE HAS JUST GIVEN UP. É REMEMBER READING THAT ÍAURUCE LOST HIS FATHER RECENTLY TO CANCER AND É AM TRULY SORRY IF THIS IS TRUE, BUT WHY NOT JUST BE UPFRONT AND APOLOGISE AND EXPLAIN WHAT HAS HAPPENED INSTEAD OF LETTING PEOPLE THINK THE WORSE. ÐERSONALLY É TRIED GOING DOWN THE ÐAYPAL ROUTE TO CLAIM BUT IT WOULD APPEAR THAT TO MUCH TIME HAS PASSED SO ITS NOW LOOKING LIKE É HAVE LOST MY MONEY SENDING SCREAMING EMAILS TO PAYPAL DIDNT EXACTLY HELP ME. ÇETTING UPSET AND SENDING THREATS ISN'T GOING TO HELP ME AND WHILE É AM NOT HAPPY TO LOOSE MONEY WHAT CAN É DO? ËEEP COMPLAINING AND SENDING NASTY EMAILS AND MOANING IN CHAT ROOMS? É THINK WE NEED TO MOVE ON, IF SOMEONE CAN CLAIM BACK THE MONEY SOMEHOW MAYBE IF WE ALL HIRE A SOLICITOR (MORE COST) AND HAVE A MASS COURT CASE WE MAY GET SOMETHING BACK. ÏTHERWISE É THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE FUTURE AND REMOVE ÃÍÄ FROM ÍAURICE, WHO MAY CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ÇEOS AND ×HEELS WITH UPDATES OR JUST TURN HIS BACK ON MANY LOYAL CUSTOMERS. É THINK THE RIGHTS TO PRODUCE THE ÃÍÄ HARDWARE SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM ÍAURICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND GIVEN TO SOMEONE WHO CAN BETTER UTILISE THEM, WHILE É REALISE THERE IS LITTLE MONETARY GAIN IN ÃÍÄ PRODUCTS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PRODUCTS IS MORE A LABOUR OF LOVE THEN A FULL TIME JOB, É THINK MANY USERS WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THE RIGHTS TO PRODUCE DEVICES. É WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE FOLLOWING FOR THE CONTINUATION OF ÃÍÄ PRODUCTS: ÔHE CURRENT DEVICES * ÃÍÄ ÈARD DISK * ÃÍÄ ÓUPERCPU * ÃÍÄ ÆLOPPY DRIVE * ÃÍÄ ÒAMLINK ÏF COURSE WE NEED SOFTWARE TO GO WITH THESE PRODUCTS AND ÍAURICE OWNS THE RIGHTS TO ÇEOS AND WHEELS, YES ÇÅÏÓ IS FREE BUT YOU CAN ONLY USE THE FREE VERSION WITH ÐÄ PUBLIC DOMAIN SOFTWARE NOT THE COMMERCIAL SOFTWARE WE ALL WANT TO UTILISE, É DONT MIND PAYING FOR SOFTWARE, É AM NOT SAYING IT SHOULD ALL BE FREE.ÔHE ÃÍÄ HARDWARE SHOULD CONTINUE AS IS TO ENSURE FULL COMPATIBILITY WITH EXISTING PRODUCTS ×HEELS/ÇÅÏÓ ETC. THIS WOULD BE THE QUICKEST OPTION FOR THE PRODUCTS AND MAY EVEN SEE HARDWARE BACK ON LINE FROM COMPANIES LIKE ÐROTOVISIONS AND É WOULD LIKE TO SEE A NEW LINE OF PRODUCTS TO BE CREATED FROM SCRATCH LIKE A COMBINED ÁCCELERATOR AND HARD DISK USING ÓOLID STATE MEDIUM, LIKE THE ÉÄÅ 64 BUT A ÃOMMERCIAL SEALED UNIT WITH SLOTS FOR ADDING ÓOLID MEDIA AND INTERFACES FOR EXTERNAL DISKS MAYBE USING ÕÓÂ/ FIRE WIRE, AND A SLOT INSIDE TO ADD AN ACCELERATOR ADD-ON, VARIOUS OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE BUT É THINK THE DESIGNS NEED POOLING TOGETHER TO FORM ONE DEVICE, ALTHOUGH FLOPPY DISKS HAVE NOW BEEN DROPPED FROM THE Ðà WORLD MANY PEOPLE STILL USE THEM FOR 8 AND 16 BIT SYSTEMS, MAYBE THIS COULD ALL BE COMBINED INTO ONE DEVICE. ÃOSTS ARE ALWAYS DIFFICULT TO WORK OUT HOW MUCH WOULD SOME ONE PAY FOR A DEVICE, ÉF THE ÃÍÄ ORIGINAL PRODUCTS COULD BE MASS PRODUCED RATHER THAN PRODUCED BY HAND USING PLASTIC CASING OR MOULDED METAL CASES THEN COSTS COULD BE REDUCED, ALTHOUGH THE ÓÃÐÕ AND ÒÁÍÌÉÎË USE VERY HARD TO FIND MEMORY MODULES AND THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED, OF COURSE FULLY COMPATIBLE WITH EXISTING HARDWARE. ÍAYBE IF ENOUGH PEOPLE WANTED SUCH DEVICES WE COULD GENERATE A MARKET IN THE HOPE SOMEONE WOULD TAKE UP THE ÃÍÄ REDESIGN. ÁS É HAVE SAID NO ONE IS GOING TO GET RICH SELLING PRODUCTS TO ÃOMMODORE USERS, WELL EXCEPT MAYBE ÍAURICE WHO OWES MONEY TO PEOPLE AND HASN'T PAID BACK OR PRODUCED THE GOODS. ÉTS A SHAME THAT ALL THIS HAS HAPPENED, AS ÍAURICE ASKED FOR DONATIONS TO BUY THE RIGHTS TO PRODUCE ÃÍÄ PRODUCTS IN THE FIRST PLACE. ÍAURICE HAS BEEN OFFERED HELP ON MANY OCCASIONS BUT WOULD RATHER WORK ALONE TO PRODUCE DEVICES, WITH ÓÃÐÕ ACCELERATORS SELLING FOR MEGA MONEY ON EÂAY DOES THIS SHOW DEMAND FOR PRODUCTS? ÍAYBE É COULD PRINT A LIST OF ÃÍÄ PRODUCTS AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WANTING THEM IN THE ÍAGAZINE? ÁLSO THE AMOUNT YOU THINK THE PRODUCTS SHOULD COST, TO GIVE THE DESIGNERS AN IDEA WHETHER IT WOULD BE WORTH SPENDING TIME TO DO THE PROJECTS. ×ELL THATS WHAT É THINK, AND WHILE É AM STILL A LITTLE UPSET ABOUT MY LOSS É KNOW OTHERS WHO HAVE LOST A LOT MORE POOR ÁLAN FROM ÃOMMODORE SCENE TOOK MONEY FOR THE IMPORT SERVICE AND SENT IT TO ÍAURICE AFTER YEARS OF PROMISES THE GOODS NEVER ARRIVED AND ÁLAN IS NOW HAVING TO REFUND FROM HIS OWN POCKET. ÍAURICE IF YOU ARE READING THIS PLEASE FEEL GUILTY, YOU HAVE CAUSED A LOT OF STRESS TO PEOPLE. É DON'T WANT TO BE BADMOUTHING AS É HAVE SAID, THERE MUST BE A REASON AND FROM WHAT PEOPLE SAY ÍAURICE IS A GOOD GUY, LETS HOPE SOMETHING CAN BE RESOLVED BUT QUICKLY, WHOEVER ÍAURICE LICENCES ÃÍÄ PRODUCTS AND ÉÐ FROM PLEASE TAKE IT BACK ÃOMMENTS WELCOME ÃOMMODORE ÆREE ====================================== ÐOPHET 64 ÄISCONTINUED É LOOKED AT THE ÐROPHET 64 WEBSITE WWW.PROPHET64.COM & WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THAT THE PRODUCT IS DISCONTINUED! ÔHEN AFTER MY INITIAL DISBELIEF É READ ABOUT THE ÍÓÓÉÁÈ ÍÉÄÉ ÓÉÄ SOFTWARE ÉNTEGRATED ÁPPLICATIONS & HARDWARE. ÔHIS IS EVERYTHING THE ÐROPHET WAS & THEN SOME, BECAUSE IT FEATURES AN INTEGRATED MIDI INTERFACE. ÉF YOU ARE LIKE ME & CAN'T SOLDER TWO WIRES TOGETHER NEVER MIND SMALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS THEN YOU WILL HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS. ÁLTHOUGH AN INTERFACE WAS DESIGNED FOR THE ÐROPHET, IT WASNT SOLD AS A COMMERCIAL DEVICE INSTEAD YOU HAD TO MANUFACTURE THE DEVICE YOURSELF. ÎOW US NONE SOLDERERS CAN LIVE IN JOY WITH THE ÍÓÓÉÁÈ AS ITS FROM WHAT É READ BASICALLY A ÐROPHET 64 INTERFACE WITH COMBINED ÍÉÄÉ PORTS. É HAVE INCLUDED THE ÆÁÑ FROM THE WEB- SITE, AS THIS IS THE ONLY INFORMATION É CAN FIND ABOUT THE DEVICE AT PRESENT, OF COURSE WHEN THE DEVICE IS RELEASED & É HAVE PURCHASED ONE É WILL GIVE YOU A FULL WRITE UP. ÍSSIAH ÑÑÁ (ÑUICK ÑUESTIONS & ÁNSWERS) -×HAT IS THE ÍSSIAH? ÔHE ÍSSIAH IS A HARDWARE CARTRIDGE FOR THE Ã64. ÐLUG IT IN & YOU'LL HAVE FIVE DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS THAT TURN YOUR Ã64 INTO A ÍÉÄÉ SYNTHESIZER. ÃHECK OUT THE ÐROPHET64 - ÍSSIAH'S PREDECESSOR, FOR MORE DETAILS. ÍSSIAH IS SHORT FOR ÍÉÄÉ ÓÉÄ ÓOFTWARE ÉNTEGRATED ÁPPLICATIONS & ÈARDWARE POINTING OUT THAT THE ÍÉÄÉ INTERFACE IS BUILT INTO THE CARTRIDGE. -×HAT DIFFERS THE ÍSSIAH & THE ÐROPHET64 ÃARTRIDGE? ÔHE PROGRAMS ARE PRACTICALLY THE SAME WITH SOME UPGRADES & IMPROVEMENTS. ÔHE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ABILITY TO RUN FULL ÍÉÄÉ MODE IN EVERY APPLICATION -×HAT DIFFERS RUNNING THE ÍSSIAH IN FULL ÍÉÄÉ & HOOKING UP A ÐROPHET64 TO THE INFAMOUS "ÆIRESTARTER ÍÉÄÉ ÉNTERFACE"? ÔHE "ËEYBOARD" INTERFACE ON THE ÐROPHET64 RECEIVES SIMPLE NOTE DATA & SLIDE/ACCENT TRIGGERS. ÍSSIAH RECEIVES FULL ÍÉÄÉ DATA LIKE NOTES, VELOCITY, CONTROL CHANGES, PITCH BENDS ETC. ON UP TO SIX TRACKS SIMULTANEOUSLY. ÓEVERAL MODES OF OPERATION ARE PROVIDED. -ÉS THE ÍSSIAH COMPATIBLE WITH THE ÐROPHET64? ÙES, ÍSSIAH LOADS ÐROPHET64 FILES. -ÉS ÓÄÒ STILL SUPPORTED? ÙES. -ÉS ÓÉÄ2ÓÉÄ STILL SUPPORTED? ÙES. -ÉS ÓYNC24 STILL SUPPORTED? ÅXTERNAL SYNCHRONIZATION USES ÍÉÄÉ CLOCK, JUST PLUG IN YOUR MIDI CABLE & SWING AWAY YOUR FAV. SEQUENCER SOFTWARE/MACHINE.ÅVERY APP EXCEPT THE ÓEQUENCER STILL HAS ÄÉÎ SYNC OPTION IN CASE YOU WANT TO HOOK IT UP DIRECTLY TO YOUR OLD GEAR. -ÁRE POTENTIOMETERS STILL SUPPORTED? ÙES. -ÉS THE ÍSSIAH COMPATIBLE WITH MY ÄATEL ÍÉÄÉ INTERFACE? ÎO, & THERE'S NO NEED FOR THAT. ÍSSIAH HAS ITS OWN ÍÉÄÉ INTERFACE BUILT INTO THE CARTRIDGE. -ÃAN É USE ÍSSIAH'S ÍÉÄÉ INTERFACE WITH OTHER MUSIC APPLICATIONS? ÎO -ÉS THE ÍSSIAH COMPATIBLE WITH THE ÆIRESTARTER ÍÉÄÉ ÉNTERFACE? ÙES, FOR SYNCHRONIZATION & ÓÄÒ ONLY SINCE WE'VE TAKEN AWAY THE "KEYBOARD" MODE. -ÉS THERE A ÍÉÄÉ OUT? ÎO -ÄO YOU HAVE ANY SCREEN SHOTS/PICTURES OF THE NEW ÍSSIAH? ÎOT AT THIS POINT, THEY WILL BE POSTED LATER. -ÉS THERE A "TRACKER" WITH THE NEW ÍSSIAH? ÎO -ÈOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE ÍSS MUSS MUSSYAY? ÊUST LIKE "ÍESSIAH". ×E DROPPED THE 'E' BECAUSE IT DIDN'T REALLY FIT THE ACRONYM.. -ÃARTRIDGE? ×ELL, THAT WAS ERR "ÈOSS", "ÂEN", "ÌITTLE ÊOE" & "ÁDAM", RIGHT? ÎO. ÙOU'RE REFERRING TO THE 60S SHOW "ÂONANZA" & THOSE WERE THE ÃARTWRIGHTS. ÃARTRIDGE IS THE COMPUTER INDUSTRY TERM USED FOR A PLASTIC CASE WITH VARIOUS ELECTRONICS INSIDE. ÔHE UNIT PLUGS INTO A HOST SYSTEM INSTANTLY LOADING WHATEVER IS ON THE CARTRIDGE. ====================================== ÈARDÓÉÄ 4Õ "A ÈARDÓÉÄ... FOR YOU!" HTTP://WWW.HARDSID.COM ÔHE ÈARDÓÉÄ 4Õ IS THE MOST POWERFUL ÓÉÄ SYNTHESIZER SINCE THE LEGENDARY Ã64! ÕÓ CONNECTION (COMPATIBLE WITH BOTH 2.0 & 1.1) ÉSOCHRONOUS ÕÓ ENDPOINT FOR LOW- LATENCY AUDIO ÖÓÔI INTERFACE WITH 8000ÈZ UPDATE RATE ON ALL ÓÉÄ REGISTERS (FREE) ×AVE-IN ÖÓÔI PIN FOR ROUTING 8000ÈZ SIGNALS TO ANY REGISTERS (EXAMPLE: PLAYING OTHER ÖÓÔI'S SOUND ON THE VOLUME REGISTER) ÆULL AUTOMATION OF ALL ÖÓÔI PARAMETERS ÓUPERIOR SOUND QUALITY (..IT IS A ÈARDÓÉÄ!) ÓUPPORT FOR UP TO 4 ÓÉÄ CHIPS (6581/8580/6582 IN ANY COMBINATION) ÕPDATEABLE FIRMWARE OVER ÕÓ ÍICROSOFT ÖISTA COMPATIBLE (DRIVERS FOR ×IN2000/ØÐ/ÖISTA) ÁND IF YOU'RE A Ã64 FAN ÃYCLE-ACCURATE PLAYBACK OF YOUR FAVORITE ÓÉÄ TUNES ÄIGITIZED SOUND + HIGH-SPEED PLAYBACK WITH LOW ÃÐÕ UTILIZATION ÓEAMLESS PLAYBACK OF .SID TUNES WHILE YOU WORK ON YOUR Ðà BY PROVIDING A HUGE PLAYBACK BUFFER FOR NON-ÖÓÔI APPLICATIONS ÔHE ÈARDÓÉÄ 4Õ ÓTUDIO ÅDITION ÆULL PHYSICAL SEPARATION OF ÓÉÄS FROM THE ÕÓ DRIVEN CIRCUITS 100% ELIMINATION OF ÅÍÉ (ÅLECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE) NOISE THAT MAY COME FROM YOUR Ðà VIA ÕÓ ÍANY Ðà PARTS (SOMETIMES THE ÕÓ CONTROLLER ITSELF) GENERATE (ÅÍÉ) WHICH TRAVELS THROUGH THE ÕÓ CABLE INTO YOUR ÕÓ ÁUDIO DEVICE (ÈARDÓÉÄ 4Õ IN THIS CASE). ÅVEN IF YOU USE A CABLE WITH BUILT-IN ÅÍÉ SUPPRESSION SOME OF THE NOISE MAY WORK ITS WAY THROUGH TO YOUR AUDIO DEVICE. ÓO, IF ANY PART IN YOUR Ðà ISN'T PROPERLY ÅÍÉ SHIELDED, THE NOISE MAY BE AUDIBLE WHEN LOW LEVEL AUDIO IS PLAYED. ÅÍÉ NOISE CANNOT BE PERFECTLY REMOVED BY ANY SUPPRESSION METHOD EXCEPT BY EXPENSIVE PHYSICAL SEPARATION OF CIRCUITS CONNECTED TO THE Ðà FROM THE AUDIO CIRCUITS. ÓUPPRESSED ÅÍÉ NOISE IS STILL PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE FOR HOBBY USAGE, BUT IF YOU'RE PLANNING TO RECORD YOUR WORK/ART IN STUDIO QUALITY, YOU SHOULD CONSIDER GOING FOR THE ÈARDÓÉÄ 4Õ ÓTUDIO ÅDITION, SINCE IT PHYSICALLY SEPARATES YOUR AUDIO CIRCUITS FROM THE ONES CONNECTED TO YOUR ÐÃ. ÃONNECTORS: 4 MONO DRY OUTPUTS FOR BEST SOUND QUALITY (2X STEREO JACKS) ÍIXED OUTPUT FOR THE EASIEST USAGE (1X STEREO JACK - MONO SIGNAL) 4 MONO INPUTS FOR FILTERING EXTERNAL SOURCES WITH ÓÉÄ FILTERS (2X STEREO JACKS) ÕÓ CONNECTOR FOR CONNECTING TO A DESK- TOP Ðà OR A ÎOTEBOOK ÄÃ-IN CONNECTOR FOR CONNECTING THE POWER SUPPLY (1Á@12ÖÄÃ) ÆORGET THE EMULATION... YOU NEED THE ÒÅÁÌ ÏÎÅ! ÓAVE A LOT OF MONEY BY PRE-ORDERING! ÁRE YOU A ÈARDÓÉÄ OWNER? ×E APPRECIATE YOUR LOYALITY! ÓEE THE DETAILS BELOW! ÐRICING ÈARDÓÉÄ 4Õ WITHOUT ÓÉÄ ÏRIGINAL PRICE: 299 ÅÕÒ ÐRE-ORDER PRICE: 249 ÅÕÒ (SAVE 50 ÅÕÒ) ÐRE-ORDER PRICE FOR RETURNING CUSTOMERS: 199 ÅÕÒ (SAVE 100 ÅÕÒ) * ÓEND US THE SERIAL NUMBER OF YOUR ÈARDÓÉÄ (ÐÃÉ OR ÉÓÁ/SINGLE-ÓÉÄ OR ÑUATTRO) CARD! ÈARDÓÉÄ 4Õ ÓTUDIO ÅDITION WITHOUT ÓÉÄ ÔHE ÈARDÓÉÄ 4Õ ÓTUDIO ÅDITION ÆULL PHYSICAL SEPARATION OF THE ÓÉÄS FROM THE ÕÓ DRIVEN CIRCUITS 100% ELIMINATIOOF ÅÍÉ THAT MAY COME FROM YOUR Ðà VIA ÕÓ ÃONNECTORS: ÓAME AS ÈARDÓID 4Õ ÏRIGINAL PRICE: 399 ÅÕÒ ÐRE-ORDER PRICE: 349 ÅÕÒ (SAVE 50 ÅÕÒ) ÐRE-ORDER PRICE FOR RETURNING CUSTOMERS: 299 ÅÕÒ (SAVE 100 ÅÕÒ) * ÓEND US THE SERIAL NUMBER OF YOUR ÈARDÓÉÄ (ÐÃÉ OR ÉÓÁ/SINGLE-ÓÉÄ OR ÑUATTRO) CARD! ÐOWER ÓUPPLY 220Ö/50ÈZ -> 1Á@12ÖÄÃ: 15 ÅÕÒ ÕÓ ÃABLE 10 ÅÕÒ ÓHIPPING VIA STANDARD AIR-MAIL: 15 ÅÕÒ NOTE: ×E'RE ACCEPTING PRE-ORDERS & OFFERING THESE HEAVILY REDUCED PRICES ONLY FOR ORDERS WITHOUT ÓÉÄS. ÐAYMENT ÔHE PAYMENT METHOD FOR THE PRE-ORDERS IS BANK/WIRE TRANSFER. ÏNCE YOU'VE SENT US YOUR ORDERING EMAIL WE'LL REPLY WITH THE PAYMENT DETAILS (WE REPLY PERSONALLY, YOU WON'T GET ANNOYING AUTOMATED EMAILS) & THEN YOU CAN TRANSFER THE PRICE USING A BANK ACCOUNT. ÏRDERING ÓEND US AN EMAIL TO SALES@HARDSID.COM WITH 1 OF THE FOLLOWING SUBJECT LINES: ÐRE-ÏRDERING ÈARDÓÉÄ 4Õ WITHOUT ÓÉÄ ÐRE-ÏRDERING ÈARDÓÉÄ 4Õ ÓTUDIO ÅDITION WITHOUT ÓÉÄ ÓELECT THE ACCESSORIES YOU NEED & WRITE THOSE INTO YOUR ORDERING EMAIL: ÕÓ ÃABLE ÐOWER ÓUPPLY (220Ö/50ÈZ -> 1Á@12ÖÄÃ) ÉF A 220Ö/50ÈZ POWER SUPPLY IS NOT USEABLE WHERE YOU LIVE, YOU'LL HAVE TO BUY A POWER SUPPLY YOURSELF. ÉT HAS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE 1Á AT 12ÖÄÃ. ÐOLARITY: THE INNER-PIN ISPOSITIVE: + --O)-- - ÉF YOU'RE A RETURNING CUSTOMER, DON'T FORGET TO TELL US YOUR CARD'S SERIAL #. ×E'LL REPLY WITH THE PAYMENT DETAILS VERY SOON! ÓHIPPING ÏNCE YOU'VE SENT US THE PRICE, IT'LL ARRIVE HERE IN ABOUT A WEEK. ×E'LL SEND YOU AN EMAIL TELLING YOU ABOUT THE ARRIVAL OF YOU MONEY. ÁT THIS POINT YOU'LL BE REGISTERED INTO OUR SHIPPING QUEUE. ÐLEASE NOTE: ×E'RE SENDING THE PACKAGES IN THE ORDER OF PAYMENT. ÓO, THE SOONER YOU TRANSFER, THE SOONER YOU GET YOUR ÈARDÓÉÄ. ÓTATUS: ÔHE FIRST ÈARDÓÉÄ 4Õ STOCK IS UNDER MANUFACTURING CURRENTLY. ×E'LL BE ABLE TO SHIP THE FIRST PACKAGE IN THE QUEUE AROUND THE MIDDLE OF ÁPRIL 2008. ×E'LL SEND YOU AN EMAIL WHEN WE'VE ACTUALLY SENT YOUR PACKAGE. ÖÓÔÉ ÉNTERFACE ÔHE ÖÓÔI INTERFACE FOR YOUR ÈARDÓÉÄ 4Õ 8000ÈZ UPDATE RATE ON ALL ÓÉÄ REGISTERS. ÔHIS IS NOT A DUMB ÍÉÄÉ CONTROL INTERFACE! ×AVE-IN ÖÓÔI PIN FOR ROUTING 8000ÈZ SIGNALS TO ANY ÓÉÄ REGISTERS. ÅXAMPLE: PLAYING ANOTHER ÖÓÔI'S SOUND ON THE VOLUME REGISTER (DRUM SAMPLER, GUITAR SYNTH, ANYTHING...)! ÎO OTHER ÓÉÄ SYNTH CAN DO THIS! ÆULL AUTOMATION OF ALL ÖÓÔI PARAMETERS IN YOUR ÖÓÔ HOST ÁDVANCED MODULATION FOR EACH OSCILLATOR (3X FOR EACH ÓÉÄ): 8X8 ÍODULATION ÍATRIX WITH SELECTABLE SOURCES, TARGETS & AMOUNT (-100% TO 100%) 8 ÍODULATION ÓOURCE ÃOMBINERS FOR ADVANCED MODULATION 4 ÌÆÏS 4 ÅNVELOPES ÔABLE EDITOR FOR VALUE SEQUENCING AT UP TO 8000ÈZ SPEED ÓELECTABLE FILTER CURVE FOR DRIVING THE FAMOUS ANALOG ÓÉÄ FILTERS (LOGARITHMIC/LINEAR FOR THE 8580/6581) ÕP TO FOUR ÖÓÔI INSTANCES CAN RUN SIMULTANEOUSLY (ONE FOR EACH ÓÉÄ) ====================================== ÉNTERVIEW WITH ÔLI ÓNDO - ÈARDÓÉÄ 4Õ WWW.HARDSID.COM Ñ. ÐLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OUR READERS Á. ×E'RE TWO ÍIDDLE ÅASTERN - ÅUROPEAN GUYS WITH ORDINARY DAYTIME JOBS. ×E LOVE THE ÓÉÄ/Ã64 & WE'RE SPENDING SOME OF OUR SPARE TIME TO CREATE ÓÉÄ DEVICES Ñ. ÃAN YOU GIVE OUR READER A LITTLE HISTORY ABOUT YOURSELVES? Á. ×E ALWAYS LOVED ÓÉÄ MUSIC, SINCE OUR CHILDHOOD. ÔHINGS THEN CHANGED: ÐÃS & MONITORS DISPLACED Ã64S & BIG ÔÖ SETS. ÔHERE WERE ONLY EMULATORS & EMULATORS.. ×E SERIOUSLY MISSED THE ÓÉÄ SOUND, BUT HAD NO PLENTY OF SPACE TO ASSEMBLE AN ORIGINAL CONFIG DAY TO DAY, THEN PUT IT BACK INTO THE CABINET. ÓO, WE WANTED TO CREATE AN ÉÓÁ CARD THAT WORK INSIDE THE Ðà & USES A REAL ÓÉÄ. ×E SPENT LOTS OF TIME ACHIEVING THIS. ..THEN THE ÉÓÁ BUS WAS DISPLACED BY THE ÐÃÉ BUS & WE HAD TO MOVE ON. ÎOW THAT ÎOTEBOOK SALES ARE REPORTED TO BE HIGHER THAN DESKTOP Ðà SALES OVER THE WORLD, WE HAD TO RELEASE AN EXTERNAL DEVICE. Ñ. FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE UNINITIATED "×HAT IS A ÈÁÒÄÓÉÄ"? Á. ÈARDÓÉÄ 4Õ IS A ÕÓ DEVICE FOR ÐÃS THAT HOSTS REAL ÓÉÄ CHIPS. ÉT HAS 2 MAIN PURPOSES: 1. ÕSING IT AS A SERIOUS ÖÓÔI SYNTHESIZER TO PRODUCE MUSIC IN PROFESSIONAL STUDIOS. 2. ÐLAYING THE ORIGINAL ÓÉÄ TUNES & Ã64 GAMES WITH THE ORIGINAL SOUND. ÁLL WITH THE ORIGINAL 25YRS OLD ÓÉÄS WITH THEIR ANALOG FILTERS. ÔHERE ARE TWO MEANINGS OF '4Õ' IS: 1. ÓOUNDS LIKE 'FOR YOU!' 2. ÔWO CHARS REPRESENTING: 4 ÓÉÄS ON ÕÓ Ñ. ÃAN YOU DESCRIBE THE HISTORY OF THE PROJECT, WHERE DID IT ALL START? ×ELL, THIS IS A DUPLICATE QUESTION, É THINK ;) Ñ. ÓO ARE THE ORIGINAL ÈARDSID CARDS AVAILABLE? Á. ×E HAVE SOME ÉÓÁ/ÐÃÉ CARDS TO KEEP FOR THE FUTURE, BUT WE DON'T BUILD ÉÓÁ/ÐÃÉ CARDS NOW. Ñ. ÔHE ORIGINAL CARDS WERE ÐÃÉ & ÉÓÁ THESE WERE FOR ÉÂÍ Ðà SYSTEMS ONLY? Á. ÙES. ÏNCE WE CREATED ÍAC ÏÓ Ø DRIVERS TOO FOR LISTENING TO OLD ÓÉÄ MUSIC & PLAYING Ã64 GAMES, BUT VERY FEW PEOPLE WERE INTERESTED IN THE END. ÓO, WE STUCK AT THE Ðà SINCE THEN. Ñ. ÓÏ WHY RELEASE THE ÈARDSIDÕ? Á. ÔHE ÈARDÓÉÄ 4Õ CAN BE CONNECTED TO NOTEBOOKS TOO WHICH ARE THE MOST POPULAR COMPUTERS TODAY. ..THE ÈARDÓÉÄ 4Õ HAS A SERIOUSLY IMPROVED HARDWARE. ÉT HAS TWO ÃÐÕS & MAIN MEMORY, SO IT CAN ACT AS A ÖÓÔ SYNTH OR A CYCLE- ACCURATE CLASSIC ÓÉÄ MUSIC PLAYER. ÔHIS ALL WASN'T POSSIBLE AT SUCH GOOD QUALITY ×ITH FORMER ÓÉÄ HARDWARE. Ñ. ÔHE WHOLE THING IS AN EXTERNAL SOUND MODULE WITH ÒEAL ÓÉÄ CHIPS INSIDE? Á. ÅXACTLY. Ñ. ÈOW MANY ÓÉÄ CHIPS & WHAT KIND CAN BE INCORPORATED IN THE DEVICE? Á. 4 ÓÉÄS. ÁNY VERSION (6581,8580,6582) IN ANY COMBINATION. Ñ. ÙOU INCLUDE A ÖÓÔ FRONT END CAN YOU EXPLAIN THIS PART OF THE PACKAGE? Á. ÉT'S LIKE ANY OTHER ÖÓÔI SYNTH, EXCEPT IT DRIVES SEMI-ANALOG HARDWARE INSTEAD OF CALCULATING WAVE DATA FOR THE ÖÓÔ HOST. ÉT CAN BE DRIVEN BY ANY ÁÓÉÏ DRIVER INSIDE A ÖÓÔ HOST APPLICATION. ÉT RENDERS ÓÉÄ REGISTER DATA FOR THE HARDWARE AT 8000ÈZ DATA RATE (ON ANY REGISTER). ÓO IT CAN EVEN RENDER SAMPLES TO THE VOLUME REGISTER OR THINGS LIKE THAT. ÉT CAN RUN IN UP TO 4 INSTANCES. ÅACH INSTANCE DRIVES ONE ÓÉÄ. Ñ. ÓO WHY NOT JUST CREATE A ÖÓÔ INSTRUMENT MODELLED ON THE ÓÉÄ CHIP WHATS THE DIFFERENCE? Á. ×HY WOULD YOU WANT TO DRIVE A REAL CAR WHEN YOU HAVE A SIMULATOR? ÉT'S NOT THE SAME.. Ñ. ×ILL THE MODULE BE POPULATED WITH ÓÉÄ CHIPS? Á. ÙES, AFTER ÁPRIL 2008. ÕNTIL THEN WE OFFER VERY SPECIAL PRICES BY PRE- ORDERING WITHOUT ÓÉÄ CHIPS. Ñ. ÓOME READERS ARE GOING TO ASK "WITH THE SHORTAGE OF ÓÉÄ CHIPS WHY DIDNT YOU JUST PRODUCE SOME MORE"? Á. ÂECAUSE WE'RE JUST TWO GUYS LIKE ANYONE ELSE ..& PEOPLE SAY THAT THE ORIGINAL METHOD OF PRODUCING THOSE ORIGINAL ÓÉÄS IN THE OLD TIME DOES NOT EXIST NOW ...& RE-DESIGNED, DIFFERENTLY MANUFACTURED ÓÉÄS WILL BE NOT THE SAME EITHER. ÏNLY IF SOME COMPANY WOULD DIG THE OLD MANUFACTURING METHODS OUT FROM SOMEWHERE, THAT WOULD BE THE REAL SOLUTION. Ñ. ÄO YOU THINK THERE EVER WILL COME A TIME WHEN SOMEONE LOOKS AT THE ÓÉÄ & REALISES ITS POTENTIAL REDESIGNS THE CHIP & PRODUCES A MODERN DAY VERSION IN A BUY OFF THE SHELF KEYBOARD? Á. É DON'T THINK SO. ÍAINLY BECAUSE OF THE VERY LOW NUMBER OF AVAILABLE ÓÉÄS ..LIKE É SAID, RE-MANUFACTURED SUPER -ÓÉÄS WILL JUST BE ANOTHER EMULATION.. Ñ. ÙOU DO ALL THESE PROJECTS IN YOUR SPARE TIME? Á. ÙES. ×E BOTH HAVE ORDINARY DAYTIME JOBS, LIKE ANYONE ELSE YOU KNOW. ..& THE MOST IMPORTANT THING: FAMILIES. ÙESTERDAY MORNING, WHEN É CHECKED OUR WEBSITE'S ÍÐ3S (É'VE UPLOADED THAT NIGHT) IN OUR LIVING-ROOM ON DECENT SIZE ÊÂÌ SPEAKERS, MY 2 YEAR OLD SON JUST SAID: "ÉT'S TOO LOUD!" ÓO, É'LL HAVE TO TRAIN HIM SERIOUSLY TO START ENJOYING ÓÉÄ MUSIC ;) Ñ. ÄID MANY ÃOMMERCIAL MUSICIANS US THE ÈARD ÓÉÄS? Á. É'VE GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT A LOT MORE SUCCESSFUL MUSICIANS ARE USING ÈARDÓÉÄS THAN WE CAN KNOW OF.. ÍOST OF THEM WILL NEVER CONFESS OFFICIALLY. Ñ. ÃAN YOU PLUG YOUR WEBSITE & GIVE OUR READERS A PRICE FOR YOUR NEW PRODUCT? ÐLEASE CHECK WWW.HARDSID.COM ÁLSO, CHECK THE PRICING AT: HTTP://WWW.HARDSID.COM/ORDER.PHP Ñ. ÄID YOU HAVE MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE DESIGN? Á. ÏF COURSE. ÔHIS KIND OF DEVELOPMENT ISN'T DESCRIBED ANYWHERE. ÙOU HAVE TO GO THE WHOLE WAY YOURSELF. ..WHICH IS LOOOOONG.. Ñ. ×HY CREATE A ÕÓ INTERFACED BOX WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ÐÃÉ CARDS? Á. ÌIKE É SAID, NOTEBOOK CONNECTIVITY, IMPROVED HARDWARE. ÓERIOUS ÖÓÔI & CYCLE-ACCURATE PLAYBACK CAPABILITIES. ÔHIS ALL WAS MISSING BEFORE. Ñ. ÄOES THE PACKAGE SOFTWARE & HARDWARE RUN ON ANY OTHER COMPUTER SYSTEMS? ÌINUX, ÁPPLE ÍAC, ÁMIGA & IF NOT DO YOU HAVE PLANS TO INCLUDE THESE? Á. ÉT IS COMPATIBLE WITH ×INDOWS ÏÓS. ×ERE NOT PLANNING TO MOVE TO OTHER ÏÓS CURRENTLY. ÍAYBE WE WILL (ÌINUX MAYBE?), BUT NOT IN THE NEAR FUTURE. Ñ. É POSED THE QUESTION IN ONE ISSUE OF ÃOMMODORE ÆÒÅÅ ×ILL SID CHART, DO YOU THINK A TUNE PRODUCED ENTIRELY ON A Ã64 WITH MINIMAL EXTERNAL PROCESSING COULD EVER MAKE THE CHARTS? Á. ÉF É HAD TO ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION SOME YEARS BEFORE, É WOULD SAY IT IS INSANE....NOW É'M NOT SURE THAT É WON'T HAPPEN. Ñ. ÈOW MANY PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED WITH THE PROJECT? Á. ÏNLY 2: ÍY CHILDHOOD FRIEND MAKES THE HARDWARE, É'M DOING EVERYTHING ELSE (FIRMWARE, DRIVERS, ÖÓÔ PLUGIN, WEBSITE, ETC...). ÏF COURSE WE WORK SERIOUSLY IN TOUCH, SINCE HE HAS TO DESIGN EVERYTHING DEPENDING ON MY NEEDS & É HAVE TO CODE THINGS DEPENDING ON HIS ACTUAL SOLUTIONS. ÒEGARDS, ÔLI ÓNDOR, ÈARD ÓOFTWARE ====================================== ÉNTERVIEW WITH ÐÒÅÓÓ ÐÌÁÙ ÏÎ ÔÁÐÅ ÒÏÃ=Ë ÏN ! ÐÐÏÔ (LEFT TO RIGHT): ÊESPER ÈOLM ÏLSEN, ÓREN ÔRAUTNER ÍADSEN, ÔHEO ÅNGELL-ÎIELSEN, ÍARTIN ËOCH, ÁNDR ÔISCHER ÐOULSEN, & ÕFFE ÆRIIS ÌICHTENBERG.. ÐHOTO: ÄITTE ÖALENTE Ñ - ÐLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES TO OUR READER Á. ÈI, WE ARE ÐÒÅÓÓ ÐÌÁÙ ÏÎ ÔÁÐÅ - THE Ã64 REVIVAL BAND. ×E MAINLY PLAY TUNES FROM THE GAMES FOR THE OLD HOME COMPUTER Ã64. Ñ- ÔHE ÂAND PLAYS Ã64 "ÓÉÄ" TUNES ON REAL INSTRUMENTS Á. ÙES, WE DO. ×E HAVE ALWAYS HEARD THE TUNES AS MUSIC PLAYED ON REGULAR INSTRUMENTS & NOT AS TECHNO MUSIC. ×E REALLY THINK SOME OF THESE TUNES COME ALIVE WHEN REAL DRUMS & BASS ARE ADDED. ÍOSTLY WE PLAY ROCK VERSIONS OF THE TUNES. Ñ- ×HAT INSTRUMENTS ARE USED & WHO PLAYS THEM Á. 2 KEYBOARD PLAYERS: ÔHEO ÅNGELL- ÎIELSEN & ÁNDR ÔISCHER ÐOULSEN. 2 GUITAR PLAYERS: ÊESPER ÈOLM ÏLSEN & ÍARTIN ËOCH. ÄRUMMER: ÓREN ÔRAUTNER ÍADSEN, & ÂASS PLAYER: ÕFFE ÆRIIS ÌICHTENBERG. Ñ - ÄOES THE BAND PLAY ANY OTHER MUSIC? Á. ÙES, WE DO PLAY A COUPLE OF GAME TUNES FROM THE ÁMIGA, & A FEW FROM OTHER GAME CONSOLES, LIKE THE ÓONY ÐLAYSTATION. ÏN TOP OF THAT WE DO, FROM TIME TO TIME, PLAY A TUNE FOR A SPECIAL OCCASION. ×HEN WE FORMED THE BAND WE WERE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT ONLY BEING A 100% PURE Ã64-BAND, BUT NOWADAYS WE TEND TO JUST PLAY WHATEVER WE FEEL WOULD BE FUN TO DO. Ñ - ×HERE HAVE YOU PERFORMED Á. ×E HAVE PERFORMED QUITE A NUMBER OF CONCERTS IN ÃOPENHAGEN, ÄENMARK, WHERE WE LIVE. ×E HAVE ALSO PLAYED 4 CONCERTS IN ÅNGLAND, 2 IN ÎORWAY & ONCE IN ÇERMANY. Ñ - ÓOME PEOPLE MAY SAY WHY BOTHER WHAT IS THE POINT? Á. ÉT'S A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE GOING TO OUR CONCERTS SO IF YOU'RE NOT SENTIMENTAL ABOUT TUNES FROM COMPUTER GAMES, IT'S NOT FOR YOU. ÆOR THOSE WHO LIKE THAT, WE HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK, & FOR A FEW WE HAVE CHANGED THEIR LIVES---JUST A LITTLE BIT, WE HOPE. ÆOR US IT'S ABOUT HAVING FUN, NO MORE. ×E HAVE A LOT OF FUN WHENEVER WE MEET TO PRACTICE, & EVEN MORE SO WHEN WE'RE LIVE ON STAGE. ÉF OTHERS FIND IT ENJOYABLE, THEN IT'S GREAT! Ñ - ÄO YOU HAVE GROUPIES & A WEBSITE WITH MERCHANDISE? Á. ×E HAVE A GROUP OF REGULARS TO OUR CONCERTS, WHICH WE THINK IS NICE. ×OULDN'T CALL THEM GROUPIES BUT WE HAVE SOME FUN MEMORIES & ODD SITUATIONS THAT AGAIN & AGAIN BRING A SMILE ON OUR FACES. ×E HAVE HAD SOME MERCHANDISE---MOSTLY T-SHIRTS---ON OUR HOMEPAGE BUT MOST OF IT IS SOLD OUT AT THE MOMENT. ÍAYBE IT IS TIME TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. Ñ - ÁRE THERE GIRLS WATCH YOU PERFORM OR IS THE AUDIENCE PREDOMINANTLY GUYS? Á. ÏH, YES. ÉN THE BEGINNING GIRLS WERE NOT THAT FREQUENT BUT AS THE TIME HAS GONE BY WE SEE MORE GIRLS AMONG THE AUDIENCE. ÔHAT SAID, THE AUDIENCE IS ÍOSTLY GUYS. ÍORE THAN ONCE WE HAVE HEARD THE STORY ABOUT A GUY IN THE AUDIENCE BRINGING HIS GIRLFRIEND & HAVE HER COMPLAINING ABOUT "WHAT A ÇEEKY BAND -- É DON'T BOTHER SEEING THIS", BUT AFTERWARDS SHE COMES OVER & START TALKING ABOUT HOW SHE ALL OF A SUDDEN REMEMBERS THAT HER LITTLE BROTHER USED TO PLAY ON THE Ã64 & SHE ACTUALLY KNEW HALF THE TUNES :) Ñ - ×HERE ARE YOU FROM & WHERE WILL YOU BE PLAYING IN 2008 Á. ×E ALL MET AT THE ÕNIVERSITY OF ÃOPENHAGEN AT THE ÄEPT OF ÃOMPUTER ÓCIENCE. ÓOME OF US PLAYED IN ANOTHER BAND THAT BROKE UP & THEN WE FORMED ÐÒÅÓÓ ÐÌÁÙ ÏÎ ÔÁÐÅ. ×E WERE ALL MEMBERS OF THE DEMO GROUP HYBRIS/ÎÅÍÅÓÉÓ AS WELL. ÁT FIRST IT WAS MEANT AS A JOKE BUT THEN SOMEBODY HEARD & WE ACTUALLY GOT ASKED TO PLAY BEFORE WE KNEW ANY TUNES FOR REAL---SUDDENLY IT WAS SERIOUS BUSINESS :) ×E WILL BE PLAYING AT ÔHE ÒOCK IN ÃOPENHAGEN, ÁPRIL 19TH. ÎO MORE GIGS ARE PLANNED RIGHT NOW. Ñ - ÁRE YOU AVAILABLE FOR HIRE? ×EDDINGS/FUNERALS ETC? Á. ×E ARE. ×E DON'T PLAY WEDDINGS (OTHER THAN BAND MEMBER'S OR FUNERALS OR REGULAR PARTIES AS WE ARE NOT A PARTY BAND. ×E PLAY AT THEMED EVENTS. Ñ - É HAVE SEEN YOU LIVE ON 2 OCCASIONS BOTH ÂACK IN TIME EVENTS, É WAS VERY SURPRISED ABOUT THE QUALITY & PROFES- SIONALISM OF THE BAND HOW MUCH TIME DOES THE BAND SPEND PRACTISING Á. ÔHANKS. ÈAPPY TO HEAR THAT. ×E SPEND ONE EVENING EACH WEEK ON A REGULAR BASIS. ×HEN WE HAVE IMPORTANT GIGS OR ARE PREPARING AN ALBUM WE MIGHT MEET MORE FREQUENTLY. ÔHAT BEING SAID WE ARE BY NO MEANS PRO MUSICIANS, BUT THE NICHE WE HAVE FOUND HERE MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO KEEP IN TOUCH AS FRIENDS, HAVE A LOT OF FUN WHILE DOING IT, & GETTING TO PLAY AT THE WEIRDEST PLACES WHERE AN "ORDINARY" COVER-BAND WOULD NEVER PLAY. ×E ARE STILL AMAZED SOMETIMES AT THE EVENTS WE ACTUALLY DO GET TO PLAY. ÌIKE IN 2005 WHERE WE WERE ASKED TO DO A SUPPORT GIG FOR A BIG ÄANISH GROUP CALLED ÍEW WHOSE MAIN AUDIENCE WAS TEENAGE GIRLS BORN ÁÆÔÅÒ THE Ã64 WENT OUT OF STYLE. ÏNLY ONE THING TO DO: ÏVERPLAY IT & JUST DRESS UP AS BER GEEKS (BICYCLE HELMETS, SHORT PANTS, WHITE SOCKS, ETC) & JUST ACT OUT IN FRONT OF THE 3000 PEOPLE CROWD. ÓURPRISINGLY THEY ACTUALLY ENJOYED IT! Ñ - ÔHERE WAS ALSO A ÄÖÄ OF ONE OF THE EVENTS WOULD YOU COMMENT ABOUT THIS & SEEING YOURSELF ON ÔÖ? Á. ÔHE ÄÖÄ CAME ABOUT WHEN WE PLAYED IN ÌONDON IN 2004 AT A ÂACK IN ÔIME EVENT. ÃHRIS ÁBBOTT, THE MANAGER OF THE EVENT, HAD IT RECORDED ON 5 VIDEO ÃAMERAS & ON A DIGITAL SOUND MIXER. ×E GOT THOSE, EDITED THE CONCERT OURSELVES & SENT IT BACK TO ÃHRIS ON A HARD DISK. ÓO TO TELL THE TRUTH, WE HAD WATCHED OUR- SELVES QUITE A LOT BEFORE GETTING THE ACTUAL ÄÖÄS :) Ñ - ÈAVE YOU APPEARED ON LOCAL OR INTERNATIONAL ÔÖ Á. ×E HAVE HAD OUR SHARE OF MINUTES OF FAME, YES. ×E HAVE APPEARED ON NATIONAL ÔÖ & ON A ÇERMAN CHANNEL AS WELL. ÃÎÎ MENTIONED US A FEW MONTHS BACK ON THEIR WEB SITE, TOO. Ñ - ÈAVE YOU APPEARED IN OTHER ÄÖÄS Á. ÎOT THAT WE KNOW OF, NO. ÔHERE IS A GERMAN GUY & HIS FRIENDS SPENDING A LOT OF THEIR FREE TIME DOING A DOCUMENTARY ON THE Ã64 WHO INTERVIEWED US FOR THAT PROJECT, SO WE SHOULD APPEAR ON THAT :) SEE HTTP://WWW.ENTSORGER-FILM.DE/ Ñ - ÈOW SERIOUSLY DO YOU TAKE YOUR- SELVES? Á. ×E ARE VERY SERIOUS. ×E NEVER JOKE ABOUT ANYTHING. ÅVER. ÁND IF YOU BELIEVE THAT...! ÎO, WE ARE NOT AT ALL SERIOUS ABOUT OURSELVES. ×E'RE SERIOUS ABOUT HAVING FUN! ×E TRY TO BE VERY SERIOUS ABOUT BEING ON STAGE, THOUGH. Ñ - ÈOW HAS FAME CHANGED YOU? Á. ÁLMOST NOT AT ALL. ÉN THE BEGINNING WE WERE VERY NERVOUS WHEN PLAYING LIVE BUT THAT HAVE CHANGED QUITE A LOT. ÁLSO, IN THE BEGINNING, WE WERE IMPRESSED BY ALL "THE LITTLE THINGS". ÔHAT HAS FADED AWAY. ×E CERTAINLY FEEL MUCH MORE AT EASE BEFORE A GIG THAN WE USED TO. Ñ - ÈOW DO YOU OBTAIN THE MUSIC, IS IT ALL REPRODUCED BY EAR OR DO YOU USE SOMETHING LIKE ÓÉÄ2ÍÉÄÉ Á. ×E USE ALL THE TRICKS THAT ARE IN THE BOOK (AND SOME THAT AREN'T). ÎOTHING IS SACRED. Ñ - "ÐRESS ÐLAY ÏN ÔAPE" ÏË WHAT PROMPTED THE BAND TO USE THIS AS A NAME? Á. ÉT IS SOMEWHAT SHORT. ÉT IS CATCHY. ÉT SPELLS RETRO. ÔHOSE WHO HAVE EVER SPENT TIME PLAYING ON A Ã64 KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT IT MEANS. ÉT TELLS A STORY. Ñ - ÈOW CAN OUR LISTENER HEAR THIS MUSIC, DO YOU SELL COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE ÃÄS Á. ÙOU CAN DOWNLOAD SOME OF OUR TUNES, YOU CAN BUY OUR ÃÄ'S, YOU CAN WATCH VIDEOS ON ÙOU ÔUBE?. ÇO TO OUR HOMEPAGE & THERE ARE MANY WAYS. Ñ - ×HAT INTRODUCED YOU TO ÃOMMODORE? Á. ÍANY THINGS. ÆOR ALL OF US IT WAS AN INTEREST IN COMPUTERS WHEN WE WERE (VERY) YOUNG. ÎOT ALL OF US HAD A Ã64 BUT THOSE WHO DID GOT IT BECAUSE IT WAS ONE OF THE TWO BIG HOME COMPUTERS OF THE TIME: Ã64 & ÚØ ÓPECTRUM. ÃHANCE... ÏR FATE, PERHAPS? ×E REALLY GOT INTO THE MUSIC BACK THEN TOO. ÓOMETIMES WE WOULD GO OUT & BUY A GAME JUST BECAUSE A PARTICULAR COMPOSE MADE THE MUSIC. ÓOME OF US RECORDED THE MUSIC ON CASSETTE TAPES & LISTENED TO IT ON OUR ×ALKMAN! Ñ - ÈONESTLY HOW MANY OF THE BAND OWN Ã64S Á. 4 OF US. Ñ - ÄO YOU STILL USE Ã= MACHINES & IF SO WHAT DO YOU USE THEM FOR? Á. ÔHEY ARE STILL WORKING, AS ARE OUR ÁMIGAS. ÏN RARE OCCASIONS WE TURN THEM ON & PLAY A GAME OR TWO. ÂUT NOT MORE THAN THAT. Ñ - ÄO YOU USE REAL Ã= MACHINES ON STAGE? Á. ÎO. ×E DARE NOT. ×E USE A ×INDOWS BASED Ðà FOR PLAYING SOME OF OUR SAMPLE SOUNDS. ÅVEN THAT WE CONSIDER BEING RISKY. ×E'VE CONVERTED A BROKEN Ã64 TO A ÕÓ Ðà KEYBOARD THAT WE'VE USED ON SOME OCCASIONS. Ñ - ÈAVE YOU ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THE ÐROPHET CARTRIDGE HAVE YOU SEEN OR USED ON OF THESE DEVICES? Á. ÕNFORTUNATELY NOT. ×E HAVEN'T HAD THE CHANCE YET. Ñ - ÔIME TO PLUG THE WEBSITE & YOUR MERCHANDISE, CAN YOU TELL OUR READER WHAT IS AVAILABLE FROM THE SITE? Á. ÇO TO HTTP://WWW.ÐÒÅÓÓÐÌÁÙÏÎÔÁÐÅ.COM AND GET A LOT OF INFO ABOUT THE BAND, OUR CONCERTS, OUR ÃÄ'S, LISTEN TO MUSIC, SEE VIDEOS, OR EVEN DOWNLOAD THEM. ÓUBSCRIBE TO OUR MAILING LIST & GET NEWS ABOUT UPCOMING EVENTS, NEW RELEASES ETC. ÉT IS NOT A HIGH-VOLUME MAILING LIST SO DON'T BE AFRAID :) Ñ - ÈAVE YOU ANY FINAL COMMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO TELL OUR READER? Á. ÈOPE TO SEE YOU AT ONE OF OUR CONCERTS! ÉF YOU PLAN TO GO TO ÃOPENHAGEN, ÄENMARK & SEE US, BE SURE TO BOOK TICKETS AS WE HAVE ONLY EXPERIENCED PLAYING FOR A FULL HOUSE. ÒÏÃ=Ë ÏÎ! ÔÈÅ ÅÎÄ