Notices by Bernie (codewiz@mstdn.io)

I'm having lunch in a small cafe near my house. They have this big cute cat 😻

#caturday

Indeed, no service disruption on the Hokuhoku line ❄️

I'm heading back to Tokyo from Tokamachi during a big snowfall... but they're well prepared.

I'm in Sacramento for #AmiWest 2025, an #Amiga show running since 1998.

https://amiwest.net/schedule2025/
#retrocomputing #commodore #vintagecomputing

Where am I going?

Well, ultimately to Sacramento, but I'm intercepting a friend who's currently driving down from Santa Rosa.

We are crossing the Golden Gate! 🌉

Lorraine is on display at #AmiWest. It's the original 1984 prototype of the #Amiga, with the three custom chips implemented as breadboards. #vintagecomputing

The San Francisco MUNI logo is... I'm at a loss of words 🤪

Old Blue Workbench is an enhanced and actively developed Workbench replacement for classic Amigas running Kickstart 1.3. Yes, for real. :amiga:

https://triumph.no/oldblue/

#amiga #retrocomputing #vintagecomputing

The recently released gzip 1.14 can decompress data 40% faster on modern x86_64 processors (and 20% faster on older ones) by computing CRC32 more efficiently:
https://savannah.gnu.org/news/?id=10752

#GNU #Linux

Wait for 152 seconds - Transmission64 BASIC One-Liner Winner 2024 🏆
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTqWw62zllY

@nickmofo , you'll probably like this #c64 #BASIC #oneliner
#programming #demoscene

Upgrading #UBoot on my 16-year old #PowerPC #Amiga...

https://www.acube-systems.biz/index.php?page=news&id=164
#retrocomputing #sam440

@jxself I can make it to PaCommEx, but only on Sunday.

@jxself Do you know if your C128 was fully restored? If not, I would offer to take a look at it.

So... where am I?

@maxheadroom Nein! I'm in Odaiba, Tokyo.

I detached the #Plus4 keyboard to test the power LED with a battery: it works.

I cleaned the contacts with isopropyl and plugged the flat cable back on the board and now... IT WORKS! 🎉

Was it just an oxidized contact? I'm not sure.

Anyway, the tuner video signal is very noisy. I wrote this short program to test sound output.

First time I play with the BASIC V3.5 multimedia commands, and it's awesome! :commodore:

#commodore #retrocomputing #vintagecomputing

@root42 Even these C64 -> Plus4 adapters cost a lot, like 15 EUR + shipping.

Ok ok, I guess spending 2 hours repairing a PSU would cost more, but... isn't it more fun? 😂

@root42 Aha!

By the way, I found schematics and service manuals for the Plus 4, but couldn't find gerbers or pictures to help follow traces on the board. Know where to look?

Last night I carefully opened the #Commodore wedge PSU with flat screwdrivers, but the interior is filled with a potting resin which is stuck to the box.

I measured +5V after the regulator, but it drops as soon as I connect the #Plus4 board.

If the board was shorted, the fuse would have blown. So I guess the regulator is unable to source more than a few milliamps.

I couldn't make further progress without tools. I'm literally working from my mother's kitchen! 🤓

#electronics #vintagecomputing