So.. I just got my first C128 in...

[quarkx]

     Are you speaking of the Megabit 128 ROM adapter?  If so, just leave a personal message to Megabit here on this site.

                Truly,
                Robert Bernardo

Yes, thanks, I didnt know what the exact name was, because half the posts are missing for some reason...

[Mark Smith]

Just an update: I have the unit open, so I have checked the ROMS. U32 is 1984 (I suspect this is the C64 ROM by the date). U33-U35 are 1985. How do I get upgrades?

ROM upgrades are easy if you know someone with an EPROM burner and a stash of blanks EPROMS.
The actually binaries can be obtained from Zimmers site http://www.zimmers.net/anonftp/pub/cbm/firmware/computers/c128/index.html

I upgraded my machine ... not sure how much difference it makes mind :-)

If you can't find anyone local to help out with the EPROM burning drop me a message.

Mark

[airship]

Yes, thanks, I didnt know what the exact name was, because half the posts are missing for some reason...

You can read those missing posts by choosing 'Quote'. When the reply dialog comes up, it will have the missing text in the edit box. A dumb workaround, but it works!

[quarkx]

You can read those missing posts by choosing 'Quote'. When the reply dialog comes up, it will have the missing text in the edit box. A dumb workaround, but it works!

Thanks for the tip! Airship

ROM upgrades are easy if you know someone with an EPROM burner and a stash of blanks EPROMS.
The actually binaries can be obtained from Zimmers site http://www.zimmers.net/anonftp/pub/cbm/firmware/computers/c128/index.html

I upgraded my machine ... not sure how much difference it makes mind :-)

If you can't find anyone local to help out with the EPROM burning drop me a message.

Mark

Mark, Eprom burning has gone the way of the Altair here. In fact I can find more Cray units than anyone with an eprom burner! LOL!- Even Amitrix up here has a professional company down east do all (if any needed) burning.
I will keep you in mind though, once I get this beast up and running, if the '85 Roms work ok than why bother with upgrades (other than the "Q" issue")

[RobertB]

...I will keep you in mind though, once I get this beast up and running...

Well, for EPROM burning, Ray Carlsen is in Washington State, and Francois "Eslapion" Leveille is in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.  A bit nearer than Mark. 

...if the '85 Roms work ok than why bother with upgrades (other than the "Q" issue")

I can't find the article in which CBM engineer Fred Bowen details all the changes that went into the C128 upgrade ROMs.  FWIW, the C128DCR has those upgrade ROMs.

                Truly,
                Robert Bernardo
                Fresno Commodore User Group
                http://videocam.net.au/fcug
                The Other Group of Amigoids
                http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
                Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
                http://www.sccaners.org

[quarkx]

Happy HoHo too you all.
I just got in my VDC upgrade in. I haven't installed it yet, it looks like pins are missing on the bottom, hopefully they are not important.
I also got a File 6 rom for free, has anyone use this Rom? is it any good?

-Thanks
-Glen

[RobertB]

I also got a File 6 rom for free, has anyone use this Rom? is it any good?

Never heard of that one, Glen.

Merry Christmas!
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
http://www.sccaners.org

[quarkx]

Never heard of that one, Glen.

Merry Christmas!
Robert

I had never seen it on Ebay, thats why I asked. I will e-mail Raymond about it, He was sick for a while there, thats why he hasn't put anything back up on E-bay. Unfortunately, both the ROM and the VDC upgrade did not come with any real documentation, I suppose he suspects we know all about it. LOL
Have a Good Christmas
-Glen

[quarkx]

So, my heat sinks came in...
They are A LOT smaller than I had visioned. The "long" ones are 2.1 cm (.08 inches) and the square ones are exactly half an inch (1.4 CM) I thought they would be a bit big for the chips, but these may be too small for a proper job. I will keep you all informed, but for the price, I can probably find something to use them on. the "long ones" fit the ram chips perfectly though LOL (not that they heat up), but I might have to use a few on the CPUS and such

[RobertB]

So, my heat sinks came in...
They are A LOT smaller than I had visioned.

Heh, you can glue a lot of little ones on top of one chip then. 


Happy New Year!
Robert Bernardo

Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
http://www.sccaners.org

[quarkx]

Heh, you can glue a lot of little ones on top of one chip then. 


Happy New Year!
Robert Bernardo

Yes, just the video chip took 4 "squares". I must admit, it does look very tidy, but you would want to get 3 or 4 packages of the square ones to do the whole C128. They are the perfect width though for the Chips.

[quarkx]

I just finally had a few moments to Finnish the C128, after getting more heat sinks in. I also wanted to check out the "File Browser 6" ROM before installing my "Mega 128 ROM" . You can also see the 64K upgrade.
I didn't need to use the "Long" heat sinks, but they looked cool on some random long IC's.
I still need to find an 80 Colunm monitor and a 1571 drive, but slowly this beast is coming along.

[RobertB]

I didn't need to use the "Long" heat sinks, but they looked cool on some random long IC's.

Oooo, pretty, golden heat sinks. 

Happy New Year!
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
http://www.sccaners.org

[commodorejohn]

If you're having trouble locating a combo 80-column/composite monitor, remember that you can use a separate CGA monitor as well; these are pretty easy to come by if you know of any place with a warehouse of old PC stuff (recycling centers are a pretty good place to look.)

[quarkx]

If you're having trouble locating a combo 80-column/composite monitor, remember that you can use a separate CGA monitor as well; these are pretty easy to come by if you know of any place with a warehouse of old PC stuff (recycling centers are a pretty good place to look.)

Thanks,
I had wanted to order all that stuff in one shot, including a PET cable from TPUG, but they never got back to me at all.

[RobertB]

...remember that you can use a separate CGA monitor as well...

Or a separate EGA monitor.

With too many monitors,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
http://www.sccaners.org

[RobertB]

I had wanted to order all that stuff in one shot, including a PET cable from TPUG...

Have you tried CUE right there in Edmonton?

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
http://www.sccaners.org

[Blacklord]

...remember that you can use a separate CGA monitor as well...

Or a separate EGA monitor.

And I can attest to the quality of the 128's display on EGA!

[quarkx]

I had wanted to order all that stuff in one shot, including a PET cable from TPUG...

Have you tried CUE right there in Edmonton?

I hate to say it, but all signs point that CUE is dead, I was told a few years now. Same as TPUG, no one answers e-mails. The AMICUE guys do help if possible though.

[Blacklord]

I had wanted to order all that stuff in one shot, including a PET cable from TPUG...

Have you tried CUE right there in Edmonton?

I hate to say it, but all signs point that CUE is dead, I was told a few years now. Same as TPUG, no one answers e-mails. The AMICUE guys do help if possible though.

I daresay most 8 & 16 bit user groups are heading the way of the Dodo - but at least the Interwebs is keeping things alive.

[RobertB]

...all signs point that CUE is dead...

However, the contacts are still there.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
http://www.sccaners.org

[Steve Gray]

TPUG is still active. They hosted the World of Commodore in Dec 2009 and are already planning the 2010 show. I am a member and regularly attend meetings. Remember, it is a volunteer organization so sometimes it might take a while to get a response. Keep trying...

Steve