As a grumpy old man, it restores my faith in humanity that young people are developing insane skillsets and then using them to restore computers like the old C64.
@@Szejski for 30 years now, every time I see a screen on something I always ask 'can you get pac-man on this thing?' (yeah, dad joke) but for the first time about three years ago I asked the operator of an industrial machine the same question and he looked over his shoulder and said 'yeah, check this out... whereupon he minimized the machine control software and brought up a games folder with... you guessed it... Pac Man. Laughed my a$$ off
There were times I could go to Radio Shack, get breadboards and components just down the street, play with projects until chickens wake me up. Today everything is online.
@valnjes why proud? Im proud of things i achieved. or things my wife or daughter achieved. but i am never proud of things strangers have achieved . seems a weird concept. just like patriotism. why proud? please explain
Since I was little, I've also been surrounded by retro computers and consoles because my parents used to collect them. So, for me too, it brings back old memories every time.I'm glad my video brought back yours :)
@@juhajuntunen7866 I bought a really nice 2 channel scope last year for around $100. The prices really have come down incredibly... and no soldering/troubleshooting required!
Thank you! I really appreciate your support. Retro computers and electronics have a unique charm, and there's so much to learn and explore in this field. 😊
retro gear is honestly the best equipment for new engineers to get into , the designs were so much closer to basic electronics, and wont be using loads of blobs or FPGA's you will get a better view into all aspects of electronics doing just what was done here.
The C64 was my childhood computer from 1985. It makes me really happy to see younger generations embrace the hardware. Please keep making videos on the Commodore 64!
Thank you!! I'm really glad you enjoyed the video. I follow your channel and I really like your videos, especially the one about the Commodore 64 on the modern internet, so I'm really happy that you liked it😁😁
I think I'm around your age - I'm really glad to see there are more people obsessing over machines older than ourselves. It's a wonderful learning tool and hobby.
Thank you for your kind words and encouragement! You're absolutely right, older C64s can indeed come with their fair share of challenges, but that's part of what makes restoring them so rewarding. Thanks again for your support! 😊
I grew up with a c64 in my bedroom (was born in '79) and I gotta say Im a bit jealous of how capable you are with this when I never in my wildest dreams would have thought to ever take the thing apart. Cool video! Smart presenter!
It always amazes me to see young people play with technology older than themselves. He makes feel better for our future. I'm a video game programmer and I often feel sad that young programmers didn't start with BASIC and machine code like I did. I'm also very impressed with the electronics knowledge that Eleonora already has.
Luckily, BASIC had a child before passing on and we still have _Visual Basic,_ so the _Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code_ didn't vanish completely. I once wrote a shoot-em-up game in BASIC (some graphics needed ML) that ran on an Apple 2e. In many Computer Science classes, the ML writers are considered the "nerds". ("Nerd" is not quite an insult any more. Modern nerds wear glasses without tape, take showers, and some are no longer virgins into their 30's.)
I'm impressed by the quality of your video for someone who started youtube just 3 months ago. I tried to make videos and I never ever came even close to that level. You deserve much more ! I wish you great success :)
Thank you so much for your comment! I'm really glad you enjoyed my videos. I'll keep working hard to improve even further, and I hope to bring even better content in the future. Thanks again for your well-wishes, it means a lot to me! 😊
You got the lottery getting into the algo. Excited to see where this channel goes. Please keep making vids like this! Also it's pretty genius to save money with a DIY kit like this to check the C64 mobo, very clever.
Sayaka. Nice job. Im 49 and i used these computers in grade school. Its nice you have an interest in this. I also recently acquired an oscilloscope and am exploring the world of electronics.
Wow, a young lady with technical skills and passion for retro computing! What a pleasant surprise! Great job! These machines deserve to be kept alive :)
It warmed this old mans heart to see a young person restore an example of his first computer. Thank you. It would great to hear sometime how you came to be passionate about our digital past.
Excellent video! That little O-Scope is a good tool to have for electronic projects. Many of us old timers, use them for quick testing. Tip: When you have to push hard on a probe, it is as you found: bad solder joints. Rather than removing and re-soldering, simple just reflow the solder. You will see it turn back bright and shiny again, and you can then continue diagnoses. A drop of liquid flux will also make it reflow even faster! Again, Great Video! :)
I like the idea of build your own oscilloscope. Being an electronics engineer by trade, I work with this sort of equipment all the time , but I never thought you could get one as a kit
It's very limited, but for a beginner it's pretty good to learn the basics, i had modified mine to accommodate 2 channels, but still ended up buying an old analog scope and then fixing it which was much more usable
Same,like the idea of really making one from scractch even more. I dont know what kind of hardware theyre using inside them but for $20 i just bought a 500mhz stm32h7 microntrontoller with digital signal processing instructions,which could do some nice fft, included a mini oled display and even came with a camera, 3x16 bit adc's upto 3.6msps, maybe thats the difference? Could you possibly turn one of these micronctorollers into an oscilliscope? Maybe use a couple of them for more channels. I was going to make an arduino one but ended up getting a 2 channel handheld but the bandwidth cuts in half when you use 2 channels(dso2512g), im guessing wouldnt be a limitation if you used more then 1 mcu.
@@mikejones-vd3fg the h7 would be good enough to make a somewhat usable scope also proper scopes dont use a microcontroller but instead a FPGA to accommodate the very high bandwidth and sampling rate which add significantly to the cost of the scope, but the real challenge and cost comes from designing a suitable front end for the scope, you need pretty high end adc's for a good scope.
I stumbled across this video and ended up being soooo impressed. You not only have amazing technical skills and understanding for someone of your age, but you also have maturity and patience. You have a great life ahead of you in technology. Respect! ✊
You need more heat ore a solder with lead. But for the first time - great. Some solder joints have cracks, we called them "cold solder joints" as TV technicians
Thank you for the advice! I appreciate your feedback and will definitely work on getting more heat and using solder with lead to improve my soldering. 🙂
As you were going through the process of building the oscilloscope, and resolving the issue with the C64, you reminded me of when I built a "Radio Shack ArcherKit Electronic Engine Analyzer" by hand soldering all circuit components and hand tuning the device during Christmas holiday in 1979. I bought and built that so I could work on setting up a newly available electronic ignition system I purchased that promised to save me on gas. This was on a 1970 Buick GS which was a gas guzzler. Saw about a 2 MPG improvement from 10 MPG and later introduced myself to the world of computers and programming on a Commodore 128 a few years later. I'm still working in the industry. Thanks for the flash back.
Great content! It’s fantastic to see young women into hobbyist electronics. I watched this video with my young daughter, hopefully it’ll act as future inspiration!
Early impressions really matter I think. All children should know that they can become anything they want. No one taught me that and I learned it maybe at 27 years old. I was taught only that money matters.
Nice! What I like most is such a young person taking an interest in an old classic. Thanks for sharing. Not sure if a 64 exists that has never been opened.
@@oliverochojski3561 I have a strip of those seals. They can be reproduced and applied. The seal means nothing. The only reason why I acquired them was because they shipped with an Amiga I bought on eBay a few years ago.
@@stephenbruce8320 I know about these seals, after Commodore Braunschweig closed there were many rolls of them around here in germany. But i bought this c64c with a blown power supply for 25 euros, i recognized after delivery that it was sealed, it was not mentioned in the advert. Advert only said no power light. So why should someone have resealed this machine and than sold it as spares or repairs for 25 bucks?
@@oliverochojski3561That's lucky, but most likely you'll have to open it and repair soon enough... these aren't the most reliable vintage computers.. haha
This video exercised a great premise, spoke clearly and simply about concepts completely new to me and made sense. The editing and subtle computer themed music really helped with the flow too. I’m fascinated to think that with well written and diagramed tutorials, learning exhausting tasks can be made easy. Thank you for the video!
Thumbs up young lady. It is really nice to see that after two generations, there are young peoples trying to learn electronics/programming/hardware from scratch. In 80s, I did not have the C64, I was a ZX-Spectrum guy, but my beginning was similar. Program in BASIC, in Assembler, make a simple hardware like 8bit A/D or D/A converter and attach it to the ZX-Spectrum etc. Later, I built the modem (300 and 1200/75 Bd) for ZX-Spectrum. I have this modem till today as a relic which remember me those days. Thx a lot for a nice video.
Thank you so much for your kind words and support! It means a lot to me. I'll definitely keep working on restoring these old machines. Your encouragement keeps me motivated!
My C64 is sitting in the attic. Has been for >30 years. Right before it went there, a 'friend' of mine dropped it from my desk, and the spacebar has been crooked ever since. My heart aches for it. I have to get it to somebody who can fix it, one of these years. It's too bad you and I aren't in the same country, or I would've brought it to you.
Well done on the fix. Bonus that it was just a bad solder joint. Those "short boards" are usually highly reliable compared to their breadbox predecessors. However, I would strongly advise relegating your original power supply to paperweight duty, and buying a modern one from Electroware (or a similar reputable dealer). Those old potted PSUs have been nicknamed the Commodore "brick of death", because when they fail, they go overvoltage and fry your C64. Hope to see more Commodore content from you in the future. -- JC
Thank you very much for your appreciation! You're absolutely right about the original power supply. I've heard about the known problems with those old ones, I'm definitely considering getting a modern power supply. Thanks again for your support :))
@@ikannunaplays Those bricks are potted in resin, and therefore cannot be modified or repaired. You *can* get a device called a "C64 Saver" that sits inline between the old power supply and your C64, which will trip if the PSU goes over-voltage. I'm not personally a fan of them because they cost the better part of a new PSU -- which you're still going to have to buy when your old one gives up the ghost. -- JC
@@BasicBitesCA The schematic for the C64 saver is open source and the parts are cheap, if she's got the ability to solder then this is a very inexpensive resolution compared to a new psu. Though I don't think such a complex and elegant solution is needed, but I also do not have a C64 to tinker with. :(
Wow, this was quite an informative video, and it was interesting to see you put that oscilloscope together ! I have a scope similar to yours, and I've only used it a couple of times so far. My girlfriend even found the video interesting! Keep up the great work, and perhaps we'll see more from your channel, maybe?
I'm Italian and as soon as you started talking I recognized you're Italian too 🙂 ! Anyway it's AMAZING seeing a very young person have all those competences! Congratulations!
Hi, Your videos are very good, you explain things very clearly and it's great that you are doing things on a budget as I believe this reflects how most beginners would start. Your camera shots are also clear and show everything that you are explaining. Thank you very much!
This was one of the coolest videos I've seen in a long time. It reminds me of the passion I had for technology when I was your age. Please keep making more videos!!! Your future looks bright.
Yes I really enjoyed watching this thanks for sharing.. I had a Commodore 64 years ago loved it👍👍👍 Nice build job with your oscilloscope big thumbs up from me..
Really nice work! It's so rare to see people taking this level of interest in anything, much less a younger person digging into electronics. You have a bright future ahead of you!
Congrats on the YT @1g0rhythm smiling upon you and placing your video into the feed of so many vintage enthusiasts. Cool oscilloscope build and kudos for making it work with your chunky soldering tip. Like many here approaching EOL, it would be nice to gift you my vintage computers but maybe will settle for some funds. All the best to you.
If the problem was oxydation, this probably build on top of the component legs and probably didn't affect the solder joints much. You most probably fixed it by disassembling it and re-assembling it (and using the contact cleaner) which cleaned/deoxidised the connection between the motherboard and the keyboard. Still well done, as long as it worked! And your oscilloscope will definitely come handy in your hardware journey 😊
Same thoughts here. I repair C64 since 19 years and I had these situations. Someone flooded the keyboard and the connector was affected with small corrosion. After cleaning and plugging/unplugging the connector - everything started to work again. There was nothing to solder. I appreciate the work shown in the video by the way:) I have never had "cold solder joints" on any ICs in any C64, except for the power jack. Stay cool, good luck :)
With the quality of the video and the repair i was surprised to see you only had three videos! Look forward to seeing what other content you make in the future.
C64 :-) Oh my god, I worked on it in the 94? 95? What impresses me more is the young lady which can do all those things. Well done! The dinner is on me.
So great to see a fresh face passionate about classic tech! Also great to see that you're able to achieve all this with limited resources. The Vic20 was my first computer and the C64 was my second, many fond memories!
Great video. A pro tip. First thing to do is to replace stock power supply unit. They tend to wreck havoc not only to themselves, but also to C64 as well.
Go girl! Great Job! Just a couple of tips to anyone trying something similar to avoid doing damage to the stuff you're working on: 1. ESD wrist strap and ESD mat are super good accessories to avoid killing ICs. If using a mat don't run the board with power while laying on the mat because signals might get grounded and result in weird behavior. 2. Get good wire cutters and try to pre-cut components before soldering them in place if possible. Wiggling while cutting could lead to cracks in the solder joint or in worst case the traces to separate from the board.
Google works in mysterious ways to show me this great video 😁👍💖 I worked at a part time job for a full year when I was 14 to buy a Commodore 64 and worked another year to buy the floppy drive.
Had a good chuckle at the oscilloscope being delivered as a bag of random bits in a jiffy bag, quite inspiring that anyone can simply just solder something like that together, I had no idea. Great video!
the scope build looks like fun. you could've done a video just on that! I'm subbed. Keep up the good work. I'm predicting your channel will grow quickly. So few young ladies into this hobby.
Well done! I See you are full of passion for electronics and retro stuff (just like me), but you deserve a REAL oscilloscope, doesn’t matter wether analog or digital, it will give you lots of fun. I’ll look forward for the next video!
great job! keep in mind that Commodore's power supply adapters are quite old and tend to supply too much voltage. You should use a newer replacement as you might risk to fry some electronics (expecially the SID sound chip!).
I agree with Loboolbo, original Commodore bricks are just pure junk, as the the 5 volt regulator will eventually fail, and sends too much volts 5 volt line, and will kill anything that takes power from that power rail. Repairing the PSU is not an option, because most (Like yours), are potted, and thus impossible to remove the bad parts.
If on a budget, you can easily modify the original ones with just a modern (usually router) 9v ac and (any old usb) 5v dc power supplies... there's a few videos on modifying the old one. At least for now, check your current power supply to make sure it's still close to 5v on the dc (the ac is likely fine).
Wow I’ve wanted an oscilloscope for years but they always cost more than I could justify just for something I’d mess around with as a hobby. Also been looking for a project to practice soldering, so might have to pick one up. Nice video, easy to follow, well explained, really good quality! It was a pleasure to watch, I don’t have a C64 but I feel like I learned a few things!
Excellent job! One tip for soldering from and old engineer... focus on making the metals in the connection hot enough to melt the solder themselves and never touch the solder to the iron to melt it. When everything is hot enough the solder will melt and be pulled into the vias by surface tension and the vias will be completely full of solder on both sides. One second more of preheating the connection is probably enough. Another tip when building with through hole components is that the extra lead length is a heat sink. To make things easier and faster to solder, I trim leads before putting the components into the PCB so there is only 1 cm of extra length, solder, and then I use flush cutting diagonal pliers to do the final trim. Keep up your great work!
Thank you for your valuable advice and tips! I really appreciate your insights as an experienced engineer. I'll definitely focus on making the metals hot enough to melt the solder themselves, and I'll keep the tip about trimming leads in mind for through-hole components.
Hi, Wow I had the bread box C64 way back when they first came out. I loved it. And you did a good job fixing that C64. Nice one. Stay safe to you and your loved ones. 🌹
I've seen these oscilloscopes before and wondered how well they work. 20 dollars isn't much of an investment but the time to put it together is. Thanks for the info.
Wow, this was a very fascinating and detailed video! Great to see younger folks with so much passion for technology, even if it is decades old. Also very nice music!
as a senior electronics engineer you can use a multimeter to check the DC voltages and GND you do not need an oscilloscope but nice video thumbs up good for you 👍
@@martinkuliza Interesting. I normally diagnose with a multimeter, she did it with an oscilloscope. She checked the pertinent pins etc. What did she not cover?
@@martinkuliza Actually, I didn't explain myself well. When I say 'from my collection,' I mean the collection that my parents left me. Since I was a child, I've been surrounded by retro computers and consoles because my parents used to collect them. However, they no longer use them, so I've been repairing and tinkering with all these consoles and computers for about a year now. But, of course, most of them I have no idea where they came from or if they work! I'm still at the beginning, and I can understand that I might not come across as spontaneous while speaking. The truth is, I'm a bit camera-shy, but I think I'm getting better at it, at least a little! The video is not at all promotional, which is why I didn't mention the name or the link, and I haven't published it!
This used to be my go-to machine before the 386 arrived!! I was really uplifted to see it was resurrected!! Because seeing the young getting the hands on electronics and computing always a great thing!! We all need to know the nook and crannies of the machinery (beginning of them are a great one always) we use daily. Computers are everywhere today, in the edge of wiring too at times!! Great presentation and quite inspiring. Keep it up!!! Much love from Sydney, Australia.
Just a tip that can make aesthetics slightly different: before shortening the pins, I like to pull the excessive solder by melting the blobs with the board upside down, one by one, so they end up looking like cones made by wave soldering. Your mileage may vary, depending on your soldering iron, temperature and solder composition. Great video! I hope to see anything like MSX consoles in the future.
Thank you for the helpful tip! I appreciate the suggestion to improve the aesthetics by pulling excess solder before shortening the pins. I'll definitely give that technique a try.
I am more impressed by the assembly of the oscilloscope than the repair 😊(still, great job on both🎉) Like Carl Sagan said, if you want to make a pie you need to create the universe first.
Thank you so much for your kind words! Building a tool to fix a tool can be a challenging but rewarding process. I'm really pleased to hear that you found it impressive. :))
That is a great little oscilloscope, I have one myself for all my small workshop projects. I also obtained the Perspex case for it to keep everything protected
That took a bit of intuitive thinking to consider re-soldering the chip when you found that you had to press hard on the pin to get a signal. Good job! Make sure to heat the pad and component wire then let the solder flow into the connection. Keep it up! 😄
You are very courageous with that oscilloscope build! Soldering always scares me because I fear I'll ruin what I'm making or repairing. Nice troubleshooting and nice video.
I couldn't help but think that some brilliant electrical engineer came up with that €20 oscilloscope idea just to get students or hobbyists to get some soldering practice in 😄 That took a good amount of perseverance, what with the more complicated than needed schematics for the oscilloscope, but what great results!
Hi. You are incredible! That’s what I thought when watching this video. My first “real “ computer was a C64. Programmers were more efficient then because of the memory limits. You are the future of technology because you have a good understanding of how we got here. Thanks for sharing your work.
You are a genius! You saw a problem (keyboard input), bought a tool (in pieces and put in together) them fixed the C64 like it was no big deal. Awesome
As a grumpy old man, it restores my faith in humanity that young people are developing insane skillsets and then using them to restore computers like the old C64.
The funny thing is that the cheap 20$ oscilloscope has more processing power in its CPU than the old C64 :D
True dat :)
But you can't play World Karate Championship on it 😀
@@Szejski Sure?
@@amigalemming Well, not yet. 😀
@@Szejski for 30 years now, every time I see a screen on something I always ask 'can you get pac-man on this thing?' (yeah, dad joke) but for the first time about three years ago I asked the operator of an industrial machine the same question and he looked over his shoulder and said 'yeah, check this out... whereupon he minimized the machine control software and brought up a games folder with... you guessed it... Pac Man.
Laughed my a$$ off
So proud that there are still young people enjoying vintage computers and electronics, and try to use them, fix them, and enjoy them!
There were times I could go to Radio Shack, get breadboards and components just down the street, play with projects until chickens wake me up. Today everything is online.
i think its called autism
lol @@SuperBranFlakez
@@SuperBranFlakez when the aliens invade, we will reply on the alien tech autists to save us!
@valnjes why proud? Im proud of things i achieved. or things my wife or daughter achieved. but i am never proud of things strangers have achieved . seems a weird concept. just like patriotism. why proud? please explain
When I was a kid, my dad brought a 64. He's gone now, but this brought back many memories, thank you :)
Since I was little, I've also been surrounded by retro computers and consoles because my parents used to collect them. So, for me too, it brings back old memories every time.I'm glad my video brought back yours :)
I owned a Commodore 64C when I was a kid. It's so nice to see people like you keeping these charming old machines alive. Thanks.
That DIY oscilloscope is such a godsend for anyone wanting to get into board repair on the cheap.
I once buy osc like this, it was kit so some soldering was required. then it was 13 euros. I really should have two channel.
@@juhajuntunen7866 I bought a really nice 2 channel scope last year for around $100. The prices really have come down incredibly... and no soldering/troubleshooting required!
You can buy a prebuilt version of the same kit for $30 but that's not as fun as doing it yourself.
Or get a LHT00SU1 which is far superior for about the same price.
But how could one learn at least the basics to use oscilloscopes?
I'm a hobbyist car audio freak and also rc cars.
Is an osci useful for me?
Nice to see a young person into retro computers and electronics. Big thumbs up!
Thank you! I really appreciate your support. Retro computers and electronics have a unique charm, and there's so much to learn and explore in this field. 😊
retro gear is honestly the best equipment for new engineers to get into , the designs were so much closer to basic electronics, and wont be using loads of blobs or FPGA's you will get a better view into all aspects of electronics doing just what was done here.
Lots of gen-z getting into retro, why? No idea...
@@ingusmantBecause these devices are something that‘s simpler…
Yeah, they can worked on with basic tools, and components are big enough to be seen. I love retro electronic stuff.
The C64 was my childhood computer from 1985. It makes me really happy to see younger generations embrace the hardware. Please keep making videos on the Commodore 64!
It's superb seeing the younger generation repairing electronics from the past. You got a new sub
Super helpful video, thank you for making it! I'll be putting this one in the bookmarks to share with folks!
Thank you!! I'm really glad you enjoyed the video. I follow your channel and I really like your videos, especially the one about the Commodore 64 on the modern internet, so I'm really happy that you liked it😁😁
@@Sayakas_Digital_Attic thank you! Can't wait to see what you do next on your channel!
it's good to see young people being interested in retro machines and understanding what's going in inside them, thumbs up!
nice indeed (and stay out of those fumes...)
At least you can understand the inside much easier and replace components with the SMT. Much harder with SMD.
I was going to say the exact same thing :)
Shame so many modern corporations continue to go out of their way to make repairing what you own as frustrating as possible.
I think I'm around your age - I'm really glad to see there are more people obsessing over machines older than ourselves. It's a wonderful learning tool and hobby.
I'm also delighted to see people of our age showing interest in retro computers and consoles😄
Great work!! If you get some more older bread bin C64s, you are going to end up needing to fix so many more problems. 😊 Keep up the great work!
Digital attic... digital basement... hmmm. I sense a collab.
Thank you for your kind words and encouragement! You're absolutely right, older C64s can indeed come with their fair share of challenges, but that's part of what makes restoring them so rewarding. Thanks again for your support! 😊
So you do watch youtube :D, cheers Adrian love your content .
I grew up with a c64 in my bedroom (was born in '79) and I gotta say Im a bit jealous of how capable you are with this when I never in my wildest dreams would have thought to ever take the thing apart. Cool video! Smart presenter!
It always amazes me to see young people play with technology older than themselves. He makes feel better for our future. I'm a video game programmer and I often feel sad that young programmers didn't start with BASIC and machine code like I did. I'm also very impressed with the electronics knowledge that Eleonora already has.
I'm glad to hear that you're impressed with my video.I agree, It's fantastic to see enthusiasts sharing their passion for retro tech. 😊
Luckily, BASIC had a child before passing on and we still have _Visual Basic,_ so the _Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code_ didn't vanish completely.
I once wrote a shoot-em-up game in BASIC (some graphics needed ML) that ran on an Apple 2e. In many Computer Science classes, the ML writers are considered the "nerds". ("Nerd" is not quite an insult any more. Modern nerds wear glasses without tape, take showers, and some are no longer virgins into their 30's.)
Why would anyone write a video game in visual basic let alone BASIC in 2023?
It was never possible to write any decent game in machine code.
@@bonquaviusdingle5720 All games are written in machine code.
do you have any blog
Well done - so glad to see someone younger using and repairing C64s. Looking forward to more from your channel
I'm impressed by the quality of your video for someone who started youtube just 3 months ago. I tried to make videos and I never ever came even close to that level. You deserve much more ! I wish you great success :)
Thank you so much for your comment! I'm really glad you enjoyed my videos. I'll keep working hard to improve even further, and I hope to bring even better content in the future. Thanks again for your well-wishes, it means a lot to me! 😊
@@Sayakas_Digital_Attic It looks like you're already taking off with that video, yt's algorithm noticed you, good luck !
Excellent video and work! Love the mini oscilloscope, and you don't need an expensive one to work on vintage computers. Thanks for sharing
Very true, to the point that one cant help but wonder whether there’s someone behind this young woman
You got the lottery getting into the algo. Excited to see where this channel goes. Please keep making vids like this!
Also it's pretty genius to save money with a DIY kit like this to check the C64 mobo, very clever.
Simply Mindblowing to see youngsters take up the Solder at this day and age. Alot of effort has gone into this video. Really appreciate it.
Sayaka. Nice job. Im 49 and i used these computers in grade school. Its nice you have an interest in this. I also recently acquired an oscilloscope and am exploring the world of electronics.
Wow, a young lady with technical skills and passion for retro computing! What a pleasant surprise! Great job! These machines deserve to be kept alive :)
Europe has so many wonders...
I hate that word: retro. I've lived trhough it, so it's not retro to me. xD
@@hadeseye2297 Anything older than 5 years is retro in IT world.
The big bang theory crowd would have been ecstatic.
@@lukasgayer5393 there's a debate, some people say 10 years, some other say 15, etc.
It warmed this old mans heart to see a young person restore an example of his first computer. Thank you. It would great to hear sometime how you came to be passionate about our digital past.
Excellent video! That little O-Scope is a good tool to have for electronic projects. Many of us old timers, use them for quick testing. Tip: When you have to push hard on a probe, it is as you found: bad solder joints. Rather than removing and re-soldering, simple just reflow the solder. You will see it turn back bright and shiny again, and you can then continue diagnoses. A drop of liquid flux will also make it reflow even faster! Again, Great Video! :)
Thank you for your valuable tip! I appreciate your expertise. I'll definitely try the reflow method with the solder. Thanks for watching.
Great job young lady, happy to see younger generations getting into retro computing and more importantly repairing electronics, bravissima.
This is awesome! Nice work. Love the video and your channel.
Wow, I really love your videos! Thank you, I really appreciate your comment
@Tronicsfix I just watched your newest video and now I'm here! Nice to see you praising smaller channels!
I like the idea of build your own oscilloscope. Being an electronics engineer by trade, I work with this sort of equipment all the time , but I never thought you could get one as a kit
It's very limited, but for a beginner it's pretty good to learn the basics, i had modified mine to accommodate 2 channels, but still ended up buying an old analog scope and then fixing it which was much more usable
@@ShahZahid I noticed it was single channel and I did assume that it would have a pretty low bandwidth
Same,like the idea of really making one from scractch even more. I dont know what kind of hardware theyre using inside them but for $20 i just bought a 500mhz stm32h7 microntrontoller with digital signal processing instructions,which could do some nice fft, included a mini oled display and even came with a camera, 3x16 bit adc's upto 3.6msps, maybe thats the difference? Could you possibly turn one of these micronctorollers into an oscilliscope? Maybe use a couple of them for more channels. I was going to make an arduino one but ended up getting a 2 channel handheld but the bandwidth cuts in half when you use 2 channels(dso2512g), im guessing wouldnt be a limitation if you used more then 1 mcu.
@@mikejones-vd3fg the h7 would be good enough to make a somewhat usable scope also proper scopes dont use a microcontroller but instead a FPGA to accommodate the very high bandwidth and sampling rate which add significantly to the cost of the scope, but the real challenge and cost comes from designing a suitable front end for the scope, you need pretty high end adc's for a good scope.
ahh thanks for the clarification.@@ShahZahid
Once again, it's great to see the next generation take interest in our older tech
it's good point to start learning how computer works . just on 8-bit compters
I stumbled across this video and ended up being soooo impressed. You not only have amazing technical skills and understanding for someone of your age, but you also have maturity and patience. You have a great life ahead of you in technology. Respect! ✊
You need more heat ore a solder with lead. But for the first time - great. Some solder joints have cracks, we called them "cold solder joints" as TV technicians
Thank you for the advice! I appreciate your feedback and will definitely work on getting more heat and using solder with lead to improve my soldering. 🙂
As you were going through the process of building the oscilloscope, and resolving the issue with the C64, you reminded me of when I built a "Radio Shack ArcherKit Electronic Engine Analyzer" by hand soldering all circuit components and hand tuning the device during Christmas holiday in 1979. I bought and built that so I could work on setting up a newly available electronic ignition system I purchased that promised to save me on gas. This was on a 1970 Buick GS which was a gas guzzler. Saw about a 2 MPG improvement from 10 MPG and later introduced myself to the world of computers and programming on a Commodore 128 a few years later. I'm still working in the industry. Thanks for the flash back.
Wow, your experience with the Radio Shack ArcherKit Electronic Engine Analyzer sounds like a real DIY adventure. Thanks for sharing your flashback!
Cool story, cool car, cool computer!
Great content! It’s fantastic to see young women into hobbyist electronics. I watched this video with my young daughter, hopefully it’ll act as future inspiration!
Early impressions really matter I think. All children should know that they can become anything they want. No one taught me that and I learned it maybe at 27 years old. I was taught only that money matters.
Nice! What I like most is such a young person taking an interest in an old classic. Thanks for sharing. Not sure if a 64 exists that has never been opened.
Oh they exist. Got one with original seals last month, as it works fine i will keep it this way 😂
@@oliverochojski3561 I have a strip of those seals. They can be reproduced and applied. The seal means nothing. The only reason why I acquired them was because they shipped with an Amiga I bought on eBay a few years ago.
@@stephenbruce8320 I know about these seals, after Commodore Braunschweig closed there were many rolls of them around here in germany. But i bought this c64c with a blown power supply for 25 euros, i recognized after delivery that it was sealed, it was not mentioned in the advert. Advert only said no power light. So why should someone have resealed this machine and than sold it as spares or repairs for 25 bucks?
@@oliverochojski3561That's lucky, but most likely you'll have to open it and repair soon enough... these aren't the most reliable vintage computers.. haha
This video exercised a great premise, spoke clearly and simply about concepts completely new to me and made sense. The editing and subtle computer themed music really helped with the flow too. I’m fascinated to think that with well written and diagramed tutorials, learning exhausting tasks can be made easy. Thank you for the video!
Thumbs up young lady.
It is really nice to see that after two generations, there are young peoples trying to learn electronics/programming/hardware from scratch.
In 80s, I did not have the C64, I was a ZX-Spectrum guy, but my beginning was similar. Program in BASIC, in Assembler, make a simple hardware like 8bit A/D or D/A converter and attach it to the ZX-Spectrum etc. Later, I built the modem (300 and 1200/75 Bd) for ZX-Spectrum. I have this modem till today as a relic which remember me those days.
Thx a lot for a nice video.
You are doing the retro community a big favor by taking the time to fix up old machines like these.
Keep up the great work!
Thank you so much for your kind words and support! It means a lot to me. I'll definitely keep working on restoring these old machines. Your encouragement keeps me motivated!
My C64 is sitting in the attic. Has been for >30 years. Right before it went there, a 'friend' of mine dropped it from my desk, and the spacebar has been crooked ever since.
My heart aches for it. I have to get it to somebody who can fix it, one of these years. It's too bad you and I aren't in the same country, or I would've brought it to you.
Well done on the fix. Bonus that it was just a bad solder joint. Those "short boards" are usually highly reliable compared to their breadbox predecessors. However, I would strongly advise relegating your original power supply to paperweight duty, and buying a modern one from Electroware (or a similar reputable dealer). Those old potted PSUs have been nicknamed the Commodore "brick of death", because when they fail, they go overvoltage and fry your C64. Hope to see more Commodore content from you in the future. -- JC
Thank you very much for your appreciation! You're absolutely right about the original power supply. I've heard about the known problems with those old ones, I'm definitely considering getting a modern power supply. Thanks again for your support :))
or you can replace the 7805 voltage regulator with a cheap buck converter, much cheaper and just as reliable ;)@@Sayakas_Digital_Attic
Wouldn't it just be easier and cheaper to add a MOV or shunt to the existing power supply or inline on the interior of the C64?
@@ikannunaplays Those bricks are potted in resin, and therefore cannot be modified or repaired. You *can* get a device called a "C64 Saver" that sits inline between the old power supply and your C64, which will trip if the PSU goes over-voltage. I'm not personally a fan of them because they cost the better part of a new PSU -- which you're still going to have to buy when your old one gives up the ghost. -- JC
@@BasicBitesCA The schematic for the C64 saver is open source and the parts are cheap, if she's got the ability to solder then this is a very inexpensive resolution compared to a new psu. Though I don't think such a complex and elegant solution is needed, but I also do not have a C64 to tinker with. :(
Wow, this was quite an informative video, and it was interesting to see you put that oscilloscope together !
I have a scope similar to yours, and I've only used it a couple of times so far. My girlfriend even found the video interesting!
Keep up the great work, and perhaps we'll see more from your channel, maybe?
C64 was the first PC I ever owned or used. It makes me really happy to see someone fixing this machine after so many years. Great video!
I'm Italian and as soon as you started talking I recognized you're Italian too 🙂 ! Anyway it's AMAZING seeing a very young person have all those competences! Congratulations!
Hi, Your videos are very good, you explain things very clearly and it's great that you
are doing things on a budget as I believe this reflects how most beginners would start.
Your camera shots are also clear and show everything that you are explaining.
Thank you very much!
This was one of the coolest videos I've seen in a long time. It reminds me of the passion I had for technology when I was your age. Please keep making more videos!!! Your future looks bright.
Wow, this video is truly amazing! I loved the dynamic soldering montage. I can't wait to see more videos on this channel! 😃
Great content and production. You're a natural. I really enjoyed it. Hope to see more like this! Thanks!
Yes I really enjoyed watching this thanks for sharing.. I had a Commodore 64 years ago loved it👍👍👍
Nice build job with your oscilloscope big thumbs up from me..
Good job Sayaka! Loved to watch this movie :)
Really nice work! It's so rare to see people taking this level of interest in anything, much less a younger person digging into electronics. You have a bright future ahead of you!
Thank u eleonora from morocco
Keep doing what u enjoy
Thank you for letting us taking part in your repair journey. Please, do more of C64 videos! 🙂
I'm planning to do more videos on the Commodore 64 in the future, so stay tuned! Your interest and support mean a lot to me. :))
nice video
i love the chiptune background music as well
Congrats on the YT @1g0rhythm smiling upon you and placing your video into the feed of so many vintage enthusiasts. Cool oscilloscope build and kudos for making it work with your chunky soldering tip. Like many here approaching EOL, it would be nice to gift you my vintage computers but maybe will settle for some funds. All the best to you.
Being that a C64 was one of my first computers as a child, it brings a tear to my eye seeing people like yourself bring them back to life.
If the problem was oxydation, this probably build on top of the component legs and probably didn't affect the solder joints much. You most probably fixed it by disassembling it and re-assembling it (and using the contact cleaner) which cleaned/deoxidised the connection between the motherboard and the keyboard.
Still well done, as long as it worked! And your oscilloscope will definitely come handy in your hardware journey 😊
Same thoughts here. I repair C64 since 19 years and I had these situations. Someone flooded the keyboard and the connector was affected with small corrosion. After cleaning and plugging/unplugging the connector - everything started to work again. There was nothing to solder. I appreciate the work shown in the video by the way:) I have never had "cold solder joints" on any ICs in any C64, except for the power jack. Stay cool, good luck :)
With the quality of the video and the repair i was surprised to see you only had three videos! Look forward to seeing what other content you make in the future.
C64 :-) Oh my god, I worked on it in the 94? 95? What impresses me more is the young lady which can do all those things. Well done! The dinner is on me.
Love the old school UA-cam vibe to your video, best wishes in your digital journey!
Impressed by your computer knowledge and enthusiasm; but most of all by your video editing and compilation skills! Excellent work!
Thank you ! I'm happy to know that you're impressed with my computer knowledge and enthusiasm, as well as my video editing and compilation skills.😁
So great to see a fresh face passionate about classic tech! Also great to see that you're able to achieve all this with limited resources. The Vic20 was my first computer and the C64 was my second, many fond memories!
Well done. Loved the video, especially the retro SID tunes! ❤
This was fascinating to watch. It's so cool to see someone capable of diagnosing and fixing a problem with such an old machine.
Was able the find this oscilloscope for $15 preassembled. Thanks for the video!
The great bennefits of modern slavery.
The DIY oscilloscope is awesome. Now I also want one! Lol. Video was chill and super interesting. :)
Keep making content like this and you'll have sponsers knocking on your door and a silver UA-cam play button in no time!
Nice work on building the scope. I made the exact same one too. You even had the patience to film it all. omg
i've learned so much in just 9min. you make it look so easy!
Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed my videos! 😊
Great video. A pro tip. First thing to do is to replace stock power supply unit. They tend to wreck havoc not only to themselves, but also to C64 as well.
A kit build, combined with a repair video. Excellent!!
that scope is really cool. Putting it together is just as fun as using it.
Great video quality!
Yes, the assembly part was the most enjoyable.🙂
Go girl! Great Job!
Just a couple of tips to anyone trying something similar to avoid doing damage to the stuff you're working on:
1. ESD wrist strap and ESD mat are super good accessories to avoid killing ICs. If using a mat don't run the board with power while laying on the mat because signals might get grounded and result in weird behavior.
2. Get good wire cutters and try to pre-cut components before soldering them in place if possible. Wiggling while cutting could lead to cracks in the solder joint or in worst case the traces to separate from the board.
Thank you so much for your kind words and for sharing these helpful tips! 😊
Google works in mysterious ways to show me this great video 😁👍💖 I worked at a part time job for a full year when I was 14 to buy a Commodore 64 and worked another year to buy the floppy drive.
Had a good chuckle at the oscilloscope being delivered as a bag of random bits in a jiffy bag, quite inspiring that anyone can simply just solder something like that together, I had no idea. Great video!
the scope build looks like fun. you could've done a video just on that! I'm subbed. Keep up the good work. I'm predicting your channel will grow quickly. So few young ladies into this hobby.
That's so cool, I've always liked dismounted things to assemble them myself.
Well done! I See you are full of passion for electronics and retro stuff (just like me), but you deserve a REAL oscilloscope, doesn’t matter wether analog or digital, it will give you lots of fun. I’ll look forward for the next video!
This is so cool to see your enthusiasm for vintage. Legend!
great job! keep in mind that Commodore's power supply adapters are quite old and tend to supply too much voltage. You should use a newer replacement as you might risk to fry some electronics (expecially the SID sound chip!).
Hi, thank you for the advice!🙂🙂
I agree with Loboolbo, original Commodore bricks are just pure junk, as the the 5 volt regulator will eventually fail, and sends too much volts 5 volt line, and will kill anything that takes power from that power rail. Repairing the PSU is not an option, because most (Like yours), are potted, and thus impossible to remove the bad parts.
If on a budget, you can easily modify the original ones with just a modern (usually router) 9v ac and (any old usb) 5v dc power supplies... there's a few videos on modifying the old one. At least for now, check your current power supply to make sure it's still close to 5v on the dc (the ac is likely fine).
@@BillyMartin4Lifethere's videos on how to remove the inside parts so you can re use the cables and box. I've done it on two of them.
@@BillyMartin4LifeIt’s such a shame that they fail “up”, so they damage the computers. Seems the reason is that it was cheaper to build them that way.
Wow I’ve wanted an oscilloscope for years but they always cost more than I could justify just for something I’d mess around with as a hobby. Also been looking for a project to practice soldering, so might have to pick one up.
Nice video, easy to follow, well explained, really good quality! It was a pleasure to watch, I don’t have a C64 but I feel like I learned a few things!
If you want something a little more fancy than this 20$ one there are PC oscilloscopes starting at about 200$
Excellent job! One tip for soldering from and old engineer... focus on making the metals in the connection hot enough to melt the solder themselves and never touch the solder to the iron to melt it. When everything is hot enough the solder will melt and be pulled into the vias by surface tension and the vias will be completely full of solder on both sides. One second more of preheating the connection is probably enough. Another tip when building with through hole components is that the extra lead length is a heat sink. To make things easier and faster to solder, I trim leads before putting the components into the PCB so there is only 1 cm of extra length, solder, and then I use flush cutting diagonal pliers to do the final trim. Keep up your great work!
Thank you for your valuable advice and tips! I really appreciate your insights as an experienced engineer. I'll definitely focus on making the metals hot enough to melt the solder themselves, and I'll keep the tip about trimming leads in mind for through-hole components.
@@Sayakas_Digital_Attic I hope your channel grows huge and I wish you the best of success! You are doing EXCELLENTLY! 👍👍👍👍👍
Excellent work, miss! Keep on keepin' on!
Hi, Wow I had the bread box C64 way back when they first came out. I loved it. And you did a good job fixing that C64. Nice one. Stay safe to you and your loved ones. 🌹
I admire you calm logical approach and your tenacity. Most people would have given up at the start. Well done - you have a bright future ahead of you.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I truly appreciate your support and appreciation.
I've seen these oscilloscopes before and wondered how well they work. 20 dollars isn't much of an investment but the time to put it together is. Thanks for the info.
Great video! Love your presentation and editing skills! Subscribed!
I had a C64 growing up along with a Ti-99/4A Great job Sayaka's!
Wow, this was a very fascinating and detailed video! Great to see younger folks with so much passion for technology, even if it is decades old. Also very nice music!
as a senior electronics engineer
you can use a multimeter to check the DC voltages and GND you do not need an oscilloscope
but nice video thumbs up good for you 👍
Very thorough diagnosis. Good find and great job assembling the oscilloscope.
@@martinkuliza Interesting. I normally diagnose with a multimeter, she did it with an oscilloscope.
She checked the pertinent pins etc. What did she not cover?
@@martinkuliza Point taken. I concede.
@@martinkuliza Actually, I didn't explain myself well. When I say 'from my collection,' I mean the collection that my parents left me. Since I was a child, I've been surrounded by retro computers and consoles because my parents used to collect them. However, they no longer use them, so I've been repairing and tinkering with all these consoles and computers for about a year now. But, of course, most of them I have no idea where they came from or if they work! I'm still at the beginning, and I can understand that I might not come across as spontaneous while speaking. The truth is, I'm a bit camera-shy, but I think I'm getting better at it, at least a little! The video is not at all promotional, which is why I didn't mention the name or the link, and I haven't published it!
Awesome build!
Beware those old Commodore power supplies. When they go bad, they send full voltage into the C64 and causes damage.
I'm aware of the risks, but currently, I don't have another power supply, but I'll definitely consider getting one in the near future.
@@Sayakas_Digital_Attic or you could make an overvoltage protector like the OpenC64Saver.
This used to be my go-to machine before the 386 arrived!! I was really uplifted to see it was resurrected!! Because seeing the young getting the hands on electronics and computing always a great thing!!
We all need to know the nook and crannies of the machinery (beginning of them are a great one always) we use daily. Computers are everywhere today, in the edge of wiring too at times!! Great presentation and quite inspiring. Keep it up!!! Much love from Sydney, Australia.
Thank you so much for sharing your nostalgia and kind words! :)
Just a tip that can make aesthetics slightly different: before shortening the pins, I like to pull the excessive solder by melting the blobs with the board upside down, one by one, so they end up looking like cones made by wave soldering. Your mileage may vary, depending on your soldering iron, temperature and solder composition.
Great video! I hope to see anything like MSX consoles in the future.
Thank you for the helpful tip! I appreciate the suggestion to improve the aesthetics by pulling excess solder before shortening the pins. I'll definitely give that technique a try.
I built one of these scopes when I first got into hardware, still going strong and I've used it to bring multiple products to market.
I am more impressed by the assembly of the oscilloscope than the repair 😊(still, great job on both🎉) Like Carl Sagan said, if you want to make a pie you need to create the universe first.
Building a tool to fix a tool is very cool. Impressive work. Thank you for sharing this video.
Thank you so much for your kind words! Building a tool to fix a tool can be a challenging but rewarding process. I'm really pleased to hear that you found it impressive. :))
Ottimo! 👏
Me lo guarderò con calma, anche perché immagino sia una storia a lieto fine.
That is a great little oscilloscope, I have one myself for all my small workshop projects. I also obtained the Perspex case for it to keep everything protected
That took a bit of intuitive thinking to consider re-soldering the chip when you found that you had to press hard on the pin to get a signal. Good job! Make sure to heat the pad and component wire then let the solder flow into the connection. Keep it up! 😄
You are very courageous with that oscilloscope build! Soldering always scares me because I fear I'll ruin what I'm making or repairing. Nice troubleshooting and nice video.
I couldn't help but think that some brilliant electrical engineer came up with that €20 oscilloscope idea just to get students or hobbyists to get some soldering practice in 😄
That took a good amount of perseverance, what with the more complicated than needed schematics for the oscilloscope, but what great results!
You're right; it did require perseverance. But I'm really pleased with the results too. It's all part of the journey, right?
Hi. You are incredible! That’s what I thought when watching this video. My first “real “ computer was a C64. Programmers were more efficient then because of the memory limits. You are the future of technology because you have a good understanding of how we got here. Thanks for sharing your work.
You are a genius! You saw a problem (keyboard input), bought a tool (in pieces and put in together) them fixed the C64 like it was no big deal. Awesome
Yay! You have the official C64 Goat of Approval! Let's be friends! 🐐🎉