Support this channel on Patreon: www.patreon.com/8BitGuy1 Visit my website: www.the8bitguy.com In this episode I take a look at this old Commodore Calculator from 1972. It has a total power failure and some of the keys don't work.
Great restoration. Having cleaned and fixed up a bunch of calculators in my collection, ahhh it's super satisfying to do this kinda thing because of how relatively simple they are.
Trevor Thompson That or he shared it with his Patreon supporters first, a number of RU-vidrs who use Patreon do that though I'm not sure whether or not 8 Bit Guy is one of them
@@CaletoFran you can fix old apple computers, its just harder with the all-in-one computers (apple lisa, macintosh se, macintosh plus, original macintosh)
@@DanTDMJace pretty sure he's referring to modern apple tech. But also some of those old mac's will not be repairable either due to leaky Capacitors or because the SCSI interface just dies (Dave's mentioned it in other videos)
When I was a kid I never would have thought I'd be so enthralled with a video about repairing and cleaning a calculator. "Oh man, that thing looks so clean! Look how great the paint on those keys looks! I wish I could feel the action on those keys."
I remember when my teacher told me using calculators was considered cheating because when I grew up I wouldn't be carrying a calculator in my pocket everywhere I go. Ha!
Your teacher made a sound judgement based on the information he had available at the time with the intention of turning you the most capable and independent. Sounds like someone who cared about you and your future. Unlike the people, and maybe yourself, who want some bizarre satisfaction from getting back at him. I suppose no good deed goes unpunished.
I wonder if that foam was why the calculator wouldn't power on at first, with how disintegrated it was some bits could have gotten stuck to the circuitry.
on ebay if one searches Foam cotton swabs, you can find q-tips with cotton but also has a foam "overlay" on it, No mess! and some swabs fuzz less than other swabs
EXACTLY! When I saw him "jamming"screwdriver and cloth in the key hole I shouted out :use a QTip". In the past I too have used the screwdriver and papertowel trick. Sometime back in the eighties I discovered the QTips with long wooden sticks but realized a cheep ole' dollars store QTip works just as well and come in bulk
Now that's interesting. Specifically because Q-tip is the brand name, as opposed to the generic term (generic term would be cotton swab over here...another example is hot tub vs jacuzzi, or facial tissue vs kleenex) So that does surprise me that Q-tip is an unheard of name, as it's a Johnson & Johnson brand, which I assumed was a globally recognized brand.
I found a similar PET with a keyboard problem, and after some AltaVista-ing (this was many years before Google) I discovered that the solution was to use the blue end of a pencil eraser on the metal contacts under the keys. That seemed to clean them up enough for the keyboard to start working again. The scary electrical arcing noise coming from the back of the CRT was another matter...:)
I'm a bit shocked how really simple that is for how much it cost back in the day... interesting to watch, but honestly about 15 times during the whole thing I was thinking "that is a ton of work to multiply 6x7 just to find out the meaning of life, the universe, and everything!"
Looks simple, but manufacturing chips wasn't as easy back in the days, especially considering the very low yield and high defect rates with the processes they had.
When ever you do these repair/restorations it inspires me to do the same. Surely, I am very young but something that we share in common is our love for old computers and old tech products that had a significant history. I love your content and as always keep up the great work.
one of the beauties of youtube is allowing anyone to get into thing they would normally find it hard to get into. i would never meet you and never have anyting to do with old tehnology. TRUST ME. Yet bcuz of youtube i can watch you all the time and ur videos are cool and relaxing for some reason. I never thought I'd enjoy watching a channel like this so much lol.
If they're 1/4". that is correct. If not, a cheap 1/4" drive set at a place like Harbor Freight has got to be under $10. I was amazed he didn't have one.
I don't know anyone who doesn't own at least 1 standard modular driver. They throw them into driver kits for free. :P I've got like 7. I mentioned it because most people have never thought of using a modular as a tool without the bits. :P
@SgtPiggie It's just odd "spends thousands of dollars on electronics" "doesn't have the one tool you get free in pretty much every multiple tool set including sets fans have seen him using and recognized from their own toolbox" :P
Yeah. I typically use it as a disarming tactic so people know I'm not trying to be critical or antagonistic. I'm honestly a very light hearted person but people tend to take me the wrong way in text so it's become a habit to include that so they know I'm trying to be friendly.
8:03 - I'd recommend buying a box of isopropyl alcohol wipes. I use them all the time for cleaning corroded connectors. I usually get the small "Prep pads", the same stuff that nurses use before giving injections. They're small, easy to open and quite cheap. You can also use lens cleaning wipes, though I think those have lower alcohol content. But those are better for cosmetic cleaning than the prep pads.
Right? Old boards are so interesting to mess with. I was trying to repair an old 1960's era Geiger surveyor and the board inside was this very simple single layer thing with what were clearly hand-laid copper traces. It was so cool. Old boards almost have an organic look to them.
Easily my favorite channel. Love the restoration videos, i'm learning tons, and a huge plus that you seem like a really nice guy (and a Commodore fan). Thanks for posting great content!
I've got a PET 4032 and I can tell you that cleaning the keys is really easy. Took me less than an hour, including disassembly. Be careful, the shift lock key has a different type of switch, and needs to be desoldered from the board before you take it appart. Have fun!
Meanwhile, I only cared about it because of the TI brain I already knew was in there. My house was on the OTHER side of the home computer war. Protip for long-retired TI management: Don't put your 16-bit machine with 16K of RAM into a price war with a friggin' VIC-20, especially if you're not going to cut costs with the build quality.
I''m so impressed by your broad and deep knowledge of... well, seemingly everything. Your whole process of getting the keys fixed up on this was absolutely inspired and taught me a lot. Great upload!
I was friends with Steve Wozniak. In the mid ‘70s when he worked at HP, I remember him asking me about curves. They were designing switches with domed pieces of metal that would snap to make contact with the circuit board below. Here you go.
Your channel is such a treasure. I really appreciate that you take time to explain your thought process while making these videos. Thanks so much as always!
I introduced my Dad to your channel around the 4th of July by showing him the episode you did on the TRS CoCo (Mistakenly recalling from stories that was his first computer. When in fact his was a TRS-80 Model 2 I believe.) It was a genuinely great feeling watching him react, get sentimental and tell me stories about his 8-bit days (Like as a late teen early twenty something financing through his credit union his tape drive) thinking back to his days of tape drives and early floppy drives. I want you to know the connection that is reaching from at least in this case of two nerd borns in 1961 and 1988 respectively. Also and I have no right to request, but I could only imagine the joy it would bring both to recall the days of his youth and the joy it would bring me just watching his reactions. I you could do any videos involving the TRS-80?
I recall he mentioned having a video on the entire tandy coco line on the backburner so he might just well bring it up. In any case, there's a series i like (although not nearly as slick and well edited as David's videos) called Tezza's Computer Collection. He did a bunch of videos on the TRS computers you might enjoy, at least as a holdover until david gets to it himself..
As I was informed by my Dad, the CoCo line was "VERY" different from the 80 series as the CoCo Thanks for the info though, I'll take a look at it. I do hope David does some on them though. I have found his videos to be the best production by far.
It's very common. Foam rubber breaks down over time, as it's biological plant-based material (most don't realize this as it seems so artificial, but it's really not). There are synthetic foams that last longer but they're more expensive. "Standard" foam is only good for about 10 - 15 years before it falls apart.
MrJest2 plant based? What's the name of the material? Today they use polyurethane foam, and it doesn't last worth shit, and it is fully synthetic, so there's that, the minor surface oxidation and halogen-based fire retardant eat it up. I actually think cellulose acetate foam lasts a lot longer.
I took out the heater matrix of my 1972 Hillman Avenger a while back, which was covered in just the same foam where it is mounted up to the air ducts inside the dash. Disintegrated foam everywhere. I replaced it with draught excluder foam. The car also uses some of this newfangled silicon technology in the rectifier diodes of the alternator. The white heat of technology was really starting to happen in 1972.
Ewww. I've never had the displeasure of opening something old enough that had foam in it so I had no idea it could do that. Doesn't surprise me, but its still super gross. Thank you for the information!! That makes a lot more sense now!
+Siana Gearz - Older foam is latex based, so it's made of sap from the rubber tree (plus catalysts and foaming agents). Around the time this came out, polyurethane foams were also starting to become available, but they were more expensive (and also break down when cheaply made, due to the organic component molecules oxidizing). This sample could be either, but my bet would be on the older cheaper version.
It's just so great to see how well did you take care of the donations and make them look better or even bring them back to life. Keep up the good work!
My guess on the mysterious DOA repair is that the contacts in the power switch itself were probably oxidized and by simply mechanically flipping the switch a few times you cleaned it off and it began working correctly.
I’ve been binge watching your videos these past few days and really enjoying them. I have no history in electronics and have never taken apart anything. My only connection to any of this is that when I was a kid, a friend had a Commodore 64. I’m finding myself engrossed in your process and fascinated with circuits and how they work. Thanks for your work!
You are my hero. I purchased one of these at a thrift store ~20 years ago for a buck or two. It also has issues with some of the keys. I need to dig it out and attempt to clean the keys as you did in this video. Thanks for reminding me I have one of these classics in a cupboard somewhere.
I find myself looking forward to all your videos for two reason: one, the sweet intro; I'm really digging it. And two, all the cool stuff you look at. I'm always interested in seeing all this old tech. Really cool stuff :)
I can't describe how much I enjoy these videos. I'm only 19, so I've never even touched a Commodore. Still, these videos are insanely interesting and I've certainly learned a lot from them.
Sean's Retroverse - His reply to other poster said he didn't want to use a q-tip cause it would break with the force he was using to clean the base of the buttons. :)
Sean's Retroverse - it saves lives. Then again, if everyone had some, I wouldn't get awesome deals on old Technics receivers and turntables at thrift shops.
Had to leave a comment, i watched many of your videos, but this one impressed me the most! Excellent repair mate! Gotta say I love watching you do stuff like this and always look forward to seeing more!
It was probably the two axial electrolytic capacitors. Caps need to recondition themselves if they have been off for a very long time. You may want to replace them as they are probably dried out.
Bloon Adjustment most of my videos were flagged by google for copyright reasons and removed from their index but i don't know why that concerns you or why I should care. I don't make videos for money.
I have had a fascination with repairing electronics around the house since I was a young boy starting with my nes. I love watching your videos. I can tell you are very passionate and knowledgeable about this topic and many more. Keep up the great videos!
6:46 is it ever a concern when you get liquid coming out of the compressed air spray? I bought some dollar-store ones and they all do it, so I'm worried about using them on electronics. The expensive can I had never did it.
compressed air usually gets cold after spraying, what you are seeing is condensation of water out of the air but it evaporates quick, so no worries. evaporates even faster than alcohol
There's not that much difference between the calculators from that era, and the home computers from a bit later on. They're technically surprisingly similar, and the computers are in some ways only marginally more complex. (especially the kit computers) Probably explains why so many computer companies began as calculator companies.
excellent video as always. attention to detail. well researched. always in focus, no sloppy camera work, this is professionally made video by a good home content provider. saving the history of digital age we live in. IMO quality educational experience.support this channel if u can.
absolutely brilliant,always good to see old and obsolete technology being Boughton back to life,and you really do a comprehensive and first rate job,definatley gets my thumbs up
I was 13 back in '72 and was fascinated by all the new digital desk calculators showing up in stores. I always made it a point to stop by the display and mess around with whatever they had plugged in, and I remember that Commodore calculator was one of them. Fun times...fuuun times. :)
Awesome vid as always! Commodore always made some intriguing tech in the early days of computing. I hope to see another 20 min video. You (8-bit guy/keys) and LGR are my fav PC related vids when I need my nerd/geek fix! Thanks for scratching that itch.
can a kids laptop (for example this one :www.ebay.com/itm/VTECH-NITRO-JR-NOTEBOOK-LAPTOP-COMPUTER-ELECTRONIC-LEARNING-TOY-CASE-CARTRIDGES-/162599583395?epid=672389566&hash=item25dbb0bea3:g:0r8AAOSwdhJZcfsZ) be modified to run basic?(maybe with replacing the rom chip or the storage chip)
IdonotknowwhyyoutubeletsyouhavealongnamebutthisislitsoiamusingitandmynameisLenny since it's quite cheap, maybe you could sent it to him by mail with a note asking that question, and then wait until his August fan unboxing video.
SaltyPeanut it depends how far away you are from the person I am 2 countries (Germany and France) with an ocean and some more states of US far away from him
Erm at 3:18, vintage AC powered electronics without an earth pin, and a metal service over the PSU, let's touch it! Very risky idea, this could be ground referenced to the neutral pin, but because there is no polarity on the plug it could also be referenced to the live pin. If you checked before hand, ignore me, I'm just worrying about nothing... well maybe people watching and not realising they should also check. ;)
It is always so satisfying to see an old device restored in such a nice way, even if it is just a calclator. Im looking forward to see the PET episode.