Kevin MacWhinnie

My long weekend project: getting music onto this 2nd gen iPod. Surprisingly difficult since I had to both find a software update package, and a version of iTunes that still works on OS X 10.4/PPC

I forgot how much I love the keyboard on the PowerBook G4. I’m sure it’s in part that I have had this particular machine a long time, but it still feels super pleasant to type on, and I don’t make many mistakes

We were given an original Game Boy for Christmas. I did a quick restoration and clean up this morning. A new screen cover and a good scrub. I think it looks much better. Still to do: repair the damaged ribbon cable to the screen.

Hmm, the Vic 20 is putting off a mysterious foul odor when in use. I should probably find the source of that before I use it more…

Ordered some desolder braid. The power switch in my flat C64 is broken and needs to be replaced. This will be the first repair I’ve done with a soldering iron since my breadbin C64, hopefully it doesn’t end in disaster 😳

Caught this when coming into LAX for a layover yesterday. It looks like another planet

I thought this game – Rescuing Orc – didn’t work with the SD2IEC, but it just does not like the fastloader it comes with. I don’t even remember what this game is about, but I remember being fairly excited when I downloaded it…

This is probably silly, but I recently picked up a C64 to use as my “daily driver.” Parts for the C128 are pricey, and it doesn’t have nearly as much documentation as the C64, so I want to reduce the number of hours I put on it.

There was just one fault with the C64 I got, it was missing the 4 key cap. I found a very cheap replacement, but it does not match. I kind of like how silly it looks, it gives the whole system character.

Since it’s easier to find parts and whatnot, I think that I might attempt to do more to restore this system. It would probably be good to learn how to recap a motherboard, and I do like the idea of retrobrighting the key caps. They are extremely yellow

There is just something so pleasant about the VIC-20. The primitive graphics and sound make using it feel very intimate in a way that modern technology can’t match.

I really missed living somewhere with four seasons. It just makes everything feel more dynamic

Got the WiModem working with the VIC-20. This is probably the oldest computer I’ve gotten online with to date. At least VICTERM emulates a 40 column display!

Cheese and Onion is both technically impressive for a VIC-20 game, and a lot of fun. Really enjoying the penultimate+ cartridge so far

Super excited to try out the Penultimate+ cartridge with the VIC-20!

Oh wow. The new iPad Pro really does feel like a device from the future

Put some replacement feet on the VIC-20. It feels like this project is now complete! Can’t wait for my Penultimate+ cartride to arrive 😃

This is probably more window dressing than anything else, but I added heat sinks to the VIC-20’s hotter running chips. Still, 🤞🏽 it helps prolong the life of its expensive and hard to source components

I also discovered the source of the video not working when I first plugged in this (the original) main board: one of the potentiometers for adjusting the video signal is broken. If you turn the machine upside-down, it causes it to lose contact with the main board and throws everything out of wack. A shake fixes it, but I’ll have to figure out a long term fix there

I’ve set out to write a simple blackjack game in Basic with the goal of it running on the unexpanded VIC-20 eventually. I’m cheating a bit and writing it on the C128 – its coding environment is massively improved over the VIC-20 and C64. We’ll see how this goes…

Picked up a dead test cartridge. The C128 has been acting a little odd lately, figured it’d be good to test that its parts are doing ok

There is nothing quite as satisfying as shredding documents

I think the VIC-20’s case came out well. I was able to scrub off most of the marker and paint. I wouldn’t say it’s like new, but I’m quite pleased with where it’s at

I hit a bit of a snag in my plan. The “known good” VIC-20 main board I had turned out to be not so good. When I plugged it in to test it, the video output was garbled! Fortunately, the original main board turned out to be ok. Just had to adjust the potentiometers controlling the video signal

The keys dried nicely over night, I was able to put them all back on this afternoon. I’m quite pleased with the result, they feel clean to the touch. I didn’t realize what a horrible sound the caps make when being reattached though, it sounds just like they’re snapping!

Although I got this VIC-20 with the intention of putting my working main board in it, it seems there are signs of life in the one it came with. Might be worth attempting to fix 🤔

Case is looking much better after a scrub with soapy water. This must have been a kid’s computer in its previous life. Need to get more cleaning supplies, and I’m hoping I can get this in like new condition again

Washing the key caps in soapy water was extremely satisfying, the keys make the same noise as LEGO bricks. They’re now out to dry overnight