Ebay grrrr #743

[Tony Duell]

> 
> > Actually, 99% of probelms in old PETs are due to the terrible IC sockets
> > used. I find it best to replace the lot with good turned-pin ones. That
> > may well cure this fault, if not, at least you know that's _not_ the
> > problem (nothing worst that trying to trace logic faults on a PCB with
> > bad connections!).
> 
>     Tony, believe in me: Turned pin sockets are an unnecessary spent money

I beg to disagree. I've had the odd bad contact in the formed-pin 
sockets, I've never had a bad contact in turned-pin ones.

For example, I have a Whitechapel MG1. Originally, the 32016 chipset and 
the I/O processor were in turned-pin sockets, the EPROMs were in 
formed-pin ones. I had all sorts of problems until I replaced the EPROM 
sockets with thr turned-pin type. Then no more problems.

> 
>     The actual sockets are very good for anything. When the pet was made, 
> the socket technology was awful, but the nowadays sockets are good enough to 
> rival the turned pin "garry" sockets. Believe me!

Maybe they've got better (although to be honest, I doubt it, most modern 
stuff seems to be optimised for cheapness rather than quality). But the 
difference in price is not that great, and keeping me from tearing my 
hair out is worth something...

-tony