I didn't know whether to post this in Computers or Technical/Restoration but I just picked up a Commodore 64 and the text is flashing different colors. Is there a setting or some command which will fix this?
Thank You.
I didn't know whether to post this in Computers or Technical/Restoration but I just picked up a Commodore 64 and the text is flashing different colors. Is there a setting or some command which will fix this?
Thank You.
My Systems: Atari 2600, 7800 Intellivision Nes(top loader) Snes Virtual Boy N64 Gamecube Wii GBC GBA(original) DS(brick) Genesis Dreamcast Ps2 Ps3 PSP(phat) PSP 3000, LYNX
Sounds like a hardware problem, either the VICII chip or bad RAM. Might also be the r/f modulator and/or cable, though that's less likely.
Check out these pages for tons of Commodore diagnostic and repair info:
personalpages.tds.net/~rcarlsen/cbm.html
Good luck!
I am using a NES RF cable, I don't know if that would effect it or not...
My Systems: Atari 2600, 7800 Intellivision Nes(top loader) Snes Virtual Boy N64 Gamecube Wii GBC GBA(original) DS(brick) Genesis Dreamcast Ps2 Ps3 PSP(phat) PSP 3000, LYNX
Does it only do it at the main screen? If you load up a game, do the colors still cycle? I agree, it sounds like a hardware problem.
My Systems: Atari 2600, 7800 Intellivision Nes(top loader) Snes Virtual Boy N64 Gamecube Wii GBC GBA(original) DS(brick) Genesis Dreamcast Ps2 Ps3 PSP(phat) PSP 3000, LYNX
C64 originally used an RF box with a mechanical switch, so yeah.
I plugged it into a generic rf box I had laying around and still no luck. From what I read it seems like it would be a problem with the SRAM but I'm really not the most skilled technical guru in the world.
My Systems: Atari 2600, 7800 Intellivision Nes(top loader) Snes Virtual Boy N64 Gamecube Wii GBC GBA(original) DS(brick) Genesis Dreamcast Ps2 Ps3 PSP(phat) PSP 3000, LYNX
SRAM failure would be really rare. That will likely be bad power supply or PLA chip.
Usually a dying power supply will prevent it from booting (or taking multiple flicks of the switch to get it to turn on) or some more fatal weirdness (i.e., lockups). It does sound like the color ram is on its way out if it's being used with a mechanical switch box.
Could also be the SID chip. I have seen this happen in the past when the SID starts to go bad. Might want to pull the chip and make sure all of the connections are clean and tight.
Yep, the SID has a few lines hooked up to the joystick port for paddle decoding. One of the reasons why you shouldn't (but do anyway) hook up a controller while it's turned on.