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C64 video output: Is there room for improvement?

Adrian's Digital Basement 60,631 5 years ago
Video Not Working? Fix It Now

Part 1 of 2: Bread-bin Commodore 64 machines with main board revision 250407 and KU-14194HB have relatively soft and blurry video output. Also, there are numerous VIC-II chips that work on these machines. Is there any difference between the different revisions of VIC-II chips? Can we do anything to improve the quality of the video output on these old machines? Watch to find out! C64 mainboards: Longboard 250407 PAL/NTSC Longboard KU-14194HB PAL NTSC VIC-II chips: 6567R56A 6567R8 6567R9 --- Video Links C64 and Atari Video pinout: https://www.insentricity.com/a.cl/199/seeing-above-the-din Wikipedia VIC-II: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOS_Technology_VIC-II NTSC Video diagram: By Jmgonzalez - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3494192 RF Modulator Delete Github https://github.com/tebl/C64-Modulator-Replacement EasyFlash 3 http://store.go4retro.com/easyflash-3/ Adrian's Tools (for the EasyFlash 3) https://github.com/misterblack1/ef3-c64-tools/tree/master --- Tools Deoxit D5: https://amzn.to/2VvOKy1 http://store.caig.com/s.nl/it.A/id.1602/.f Jonard Tools EX-2 Chip Extractor: https://amzn.to/2VazxDS https://www.jonard.com/Products/EX-2-DIP-IC-Extractor-24-40-Pins Wiha Chip Lifter: https://amzn.to/3a9ftWw https://www.wihatools.com/precision-chip-lifter O-Ring Pick Set: (I use these to lift chips off boards) https://amzn.to/3a9x54J Elenco Electronics LP-560 Logic Probe: https://amzn.to/2VrT5lW Hakko FR301 Desoldering Iron: https://amzn.to/2ye6xC0 Rigol DS1054Z Four Channel Oscilloscope: https://www.rigolna.com/products/digital-oscilloscopes/1000z/ Head Worn Magnifying Goggles / Dual Lens Flip-In Head Magnifier: https://amzn.to/3adRbuy TL866II Plus Chip Tester and EPROM programmer: (The MiniPro) https://amzn.to/2wG4tlP https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33000308958.html TS100 Soldering Iron: https://amzn.to/2K36dJ5 https://www.ebay.com/itm/TS100-65W-MINI-Digital-OLED-Programmable-Soldering-Iron-Anti-static-Structure/113382669853 EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter: https://www.eevblog.com/product/121gw/ DSLogic Basic Logic Analyzer: https://amzn.to/2RDSDQw https://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-Logic-DSLogic-Basic-Analyzer-16Ch-100MHz-4Ch-400MHz-Xilinx-Spartan-6-FPGA/202543965672 Magnetic Screw Holder: https://amzn.to/3b8LOhG https://www.harborfreight.com/4-inch-magnetic-parts-tray-90566.html Universal ZIP sockets: (clones, used on my ZIF-64 test machine) https://www.ebay.com/itm/14-16-18-20-24-28-32-40-pin-IC-Test-Universal-ZIF-Socket-Fs/303206721971 RetroTink 2X Upconverter: (to hook up something like a C64 to HDMI) http://www.retrotink.com/ Plato (Clone) Side Cutters: (order five) https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2-5-10PCS-Micro-Scissor-125mm-PLATO-170-Electronics-Cutter-Side-Cutting-Pliers/163458746184 Heat Sinks: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32537183709.html Little squeezy bottles: (available elsewhere too) https://amzn.to/3b8LOOI --- Links My GitHub repository: https://github.com/misterblack1?tab=repositories Commodore Computer Club / Vancouver, WA – Portland, OR – PDX Commodore Users Group https://www.commodorecomputerclub.com/ --- C64 Stuff JaffyDOS: http://blog.worldofjani.com/?p=3544 C64 Test Harness I use: https://youtu.be/szSzA6T4Kdw C64 Homebrew cartridge PCB: (used for the DeadTest / Diag Cart I use) https://www.ebay.com/itm/Commodore-64-C64-C128-NEW-bare-HomeBrew-DEVelopment-cartridge-board-8-32k-2019/162430154398 EasyFlash 3 Multi-Cart: http://store.go4retro.com/easyflash-3/ --- Instructional videos My video on damage-free chip removal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQVjwPsVFd8 --- Music Music during time lapse: Raindropsies_2SID by Wojciech Radziejewski (Shogoon) https://csdb.dk/release/?id=160314 Intro music by: Nathan Divino @itsnathandivino Outro Music: Raindropsies_2SID by Wojciech Radziejewski (Shogoon) https://csdb.dk/release/?id=160314

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