Commodore 64 (was "Re: Teaching kids about computers...")

[Roy J. Tellason]

On Tuesday 27 November 2007 17:23, Jim Brain wrote:
> > 1764?

?

(Snip)
> But, the near max draw of the 64 (they re-used the VIC PS design and specs
> for the 64, as I recall), coupled with the plethora of expansion options for
> the 64, overburdened the struggling supply.
>
> To be fair, it's entirely possible the PS was fine and would live a
> reasonable life attached to a bone stock 64.  No one actually owned a
> bone stock 64 for very long, though. Once you had overloaded them, it
> seemed only a matter of time before they would fail.

I don't think that most of the folks we saw had all that much plugged into 
them.  A modem,  usually,  was about the extent of it,  though there were a 
few who went further.

> To try to add some new information, the VIC/64 joysticks should not be
> overlooked for small IO projects for kids.  DE9 female sockets are easy
> to find, and there's Vcc, GND, 5 pins of IO and 2 pins of 8 bit ADC
> available for the taking per port.  In fact, using both ports with a bit
> of ML and a nice BASIC program, you could make a nice electronics
> trainer for possibly multiple machines (It looks like the Atari variants
> had true joystick IO ports, but I know very little about the Apple and
> TI units.  Google says Atari created such a trainer for their 400/800
> units, so the idea held some merit.
>
> Quite honestly, that is a neat idea, and one that would be easy to
> implement.  If there's some interest, let me know.

I recall "repairing" some joysticks of the type that were used with those 
machines,  maybe c=,  maybe atari 2600-type,  and at one point we had bought 
some of the small boards that contained the actual switches (membrane-type?) 
and also some spare cords,  since those were a common problem.  I may very 
well have some of those stashed away in a box somewhere,  if anyone's 
interested,  still in their original retail packaging.  Feel free to contact 
me offlist if you want 'em and I'll do some digging at that point.

-- 
Member of the toughest, meanest, deadliest, most unrelenting -- and
ablest -- form of life in this section of space,  a critter that can
be killed but can't be tamed.  --Robert A. Heinlein, "The Puppet Masters"
-
Information is more dangerous than cannon to a society ruled by lies. --James 
M Dakin