Arcade & Retro Repairs & Mods, all new recipe, with no added MSG...

I built a 32k RAM expansion for my early issue 1 Sinclair Spectrum 16k from a PCB design I was sent which I've since uploaded here. I have 2 additional PCBs if anyone is interested.
It's now a power house of a 48k machine now

Looks like this but with a purple PCB (I need to open up the Speccy for a photo);

Worked first go well impressed. Cost wise, it was at-least half the cost of the real thing from eBay.


I plan on building a ZX Nuvo 128. Its a Speccy 128/+2/+3 clone. I have all the parts, just need time/energy.

KeRbDoG wrote: »

and photos for anyone interested

Such a neat fit. Would you have preferred a green pcb, or happy with purple?

I have a lovely plus 2 you could have in exchange for that old Issue One. Don't bother checking on prices, it's a fair swap, honest guv. If you ever see any issue rubber key, in working order for around the thirty euro mark think of me. I had to sell my rubber key Issue Two when bills got too high.

Finally got a 6 button Megadrive adapter for my jammacon working. Using a CPLD to mimic the controller and seems to be completely accurate so far, all SMD components too so a bit of pain to assemble.

The Last Bandit wrote: »

Finally got a 6 button Megadrive adapter for my jammacon working. Using a CPLD to mimic the controller and seems to be completely accurate so far, all SMD components too so a bit of pain to assemble.

Great work, and i presume this fits on the green Jammacon?
Colour me interested for one.

The Last Bandit wrote: »

Hmm depends on which version you have, will only fit on a V2 board - you can tell by the size of the daughter board connector (or the version number on the back).

Will take a look later thanks.

o1s1n wrote: »

She lives, SHE LIVES!!!


Managed to get the unit to display on my monitor in Dev mode - which then allowed me to connect it to my PC via a network LAN and access the developer mode from an internet browser.

Used this to force it to boot in software mode (which is XMB)

Still wasn't getting any picture - then I realised the issue was my monitor again. Broke out the projector (which likes HDMI!) changed the PS3 to output VGA from HDMI and XMB appeared on the monitor.

The blueray drive doesnt want to accept discs (they'll insert on boot but don't do anything) - but that's another days problem!

Just got the DECR-1000A from o1s1n on Friday, shes the size/weight of a rack mount 2U server I have not so fond memories of balancing Dell servers on my head while rack/stacking them.
After a quick tinkering with it, looks like the drive mech which accepts the disc is knackered. On a hunt now for a working early PS3 optical drive, don't really want to burst open my 60gb unit. The control board is fine so will just move that around so avoid the issues with the drive being paired with the unit which this might be.

Update: drive batch ordered up from eBay, just need the drive loading mech so those should sort that

Have been doing lots of mods, repairs and tweaks during my extended locked in the office time.. Thankfully Farnell & Mouser are still delivering

Recapped a bunch of computers, have being doing a lot of work upgrading my Amigas and getting a good bit of use out of them in particular the A2000.

Respun all the Jammacon pcbs to use smd parts as getting thru-hole parts is getting much harder now, also got working prototype adapters for original Xbox and PS3.

Built a new rig for testing, basically its a supergun squeezed into the jamma connector but is a lot neater and more robust than my previously setup.
Also built a new power supply for the desk which powers most things, outputs 5,9,12,-12 and 9ac so works with most console and computers I tend to use.



Made up a couple of test controller pads as well again for convenience, D-pad isn't brilliant but does a have nice NeoGeo clickyness about it Have a couple of blank pcbs for them if anyone wants them.

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

My gut says but some but I know they'd never be used!

Ha ha I know the feeling, I been slowly flogging stuff I'm not using.

As for the controller pcbs, they're going free to whoever want them, the minimum order from the factory is more that I needed.

Has anyone tried the replacement N64 sticks from Zedlabz? My own are getting to the point of no return

JLCPCB make the boards for me, good quality and quick enough service. Ya do all the assembly myself, smd isn't too bad once the parts aren't too small

sugarman wrote: »

If you're not a fan of the controller and want a GC style stick, look at the Brawler 64 or Retro Bit 64 controllers. I haven't tried them myself but they look decent from the reviews I've seen of them.

Alternatively there original Hori controller the Retro Bit is based off, but being 20+ years old they can also be a bit hit and miss condition wise and are a little on the pricy side.

The Brawler 64 looks great, I think I'll wait for their website to get back up and running rather than ordering the new analogue stick

Amiga work continues, this time my old A500 getting a few bits done.

Full recap to the A500, repaired battery leakage on a A501 memory expansion and added a A590 hard disk I got recently. Bit of sunshine over the last few days cleaned up the A590 nicely and I'd an old 40MB SCSI drive to throw in it.

All working great now, boots for the harddrive, got whopping 3MB RAM installed and keeps the time

It's that day of the year again when we've enough sun to do a bit of retrobrighting. I got these a while ago and though it time to clean them up.

Ya not in great shape, top cover is the worse piece in a lovely shade of Devils colon.



One manky controller as well, second one wasn't too bad, assembled one is my own just for colour reference.



So after 2 days treatment, things are looking much better Controllers are perfect, top piece still a bit off I might give it another go but fairly happy with the overall result.