Commodore 128 Cannibalize or Sell?

[rpiguy9907]

My main retro Commodore is 128DCR. I also have a stock original 128 that works, but has a loose fitting case and a messed up RGBI-out port (the wires are there, a new connector needs to be attached, I have just never gotten around to it).

 

In a quest to make space for new acquisitions the original 128 must go. I need to decide is it worth cannibalizing my 128, pulling out ICs and such just in case my 128DCR ever has a failure, or should I just sell the 128?

[Muzz73]

Flat 128's and 128DCRs have somewhat different chipsets. Being that some of the chips are different, I wouldn't cannibalize either one to save the other... I would keep the flat 128 (maybe store it somewhere else) in case the DCR goes kaboom. At least you'd have a backup machine that way. You can always upgrade the VRAM on the flat 128 to 64K and have software compatibility to the DCR.

 

I can sympathize; I have a "short board" 64C that uses some of the newer, 9v chips that the 128DCR uses and I can't find replacements anywhere.

[7800fan]

If you don't have the space to keep the 128, consider selling it, someone may have a near mint 128 shell that has hopelessly dead board to swap with and repair the broken video port.

 

+1 to 64k upgrade, very easy to do and some 128 programs can use the extra memory.

[Muzz73]

+1 to 64k upgrade, very easy to do and some 128 programs can use the extra memory.

 

Yep! If you can get a Servant 128 chip to drop into the empty ROM socket (if yours is still empty), it has some convenient utility-type features. One of them is a BAM copier that uses the extra VRAM for caching, IIRC. You can do disk-to-disk copying in considerably less time, especially if you only have one floppy drive (fewer disk swaps).

[RobertB]

I need to decide is it worth cannibalizing my 128, pulling out ICs and such just in case my 128DCR ever has a failure, or should I just sell the 128?

Of course, my answer would be to repair it, and it would live again.

 

And Ray Carlsen would be the repair guy,

Robert Bernardo

Fresno Commodore User Group

http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm

[motrucker]

Of course, my answer would be to repair it, and it would live again.

 

And Ray Carlsen would be the repair guy,

Robert Bernardo

Fresno Commodore User Group

http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm

I completely agree with you. It should be against the law to kill a C-128 !

Edited February 22, 2016 by motrucker