Vic-20 - Thoughts on removal of the cartridge shield

[eightbit]

I noticed in the past that the cartridge slot retention shield (if that is what it is called) seems to be one of the primary reasons the carts are so hard to insert and remove on this computer. Sometimes it is also the casing (I noticed that some Vic casing cart slots are "thinner" than others while working on these over the years) but the primary cause I have found is that metal shield. Not only that, but it will most certainly damage labels for some carts...and has done so for me in the past. So I decided to remove it. It was quite rusty/gross and the pad on it was equally gross so no loss in my opinion there.

 

But I have to wonder, other than holding the cart down harder (and making it harder to insert into the slot) is there any reason it should be kept on? I guess maybe if you left a cart in, system on and were shaking it around or something.... Any thoughts on this? I can find much of nothing regarding this on the net, and I can find no real "use" for this (not grounding anything...not really keeping anything that much more stable) other than giving the carts a death grip so to speak...and damaging some of them in the process.

Edited November 15, 2016 by eightbit

[ApolloBoy]

Depends on what version of the VIC you have. The early ones with a two-pin PSU input actually have a massive heat sink for the voltage regulator and bridge rectifier, so you can't do anything about that. The later VICs with the 7-pin DIN power input might be OK though.

[eightbit]

Great point. I was actually referring to the CR (cost reduced) model with the round DIN power connection as you pointed out. The older versions with the larger heatsink have caused me much less problems when it comes to cartridge entry....although they all were tough to insert carts to certain degrees Thanks for the input!

 

I think a CR reduced machine with the shield removed would be a good collector's machine. In other words, a good machine to play your game carts on without wrecking the labels. Thinking back to some UMI game carts I had back in the day with messed up labels due to the shield makes me cringe. I don't have them anymore but if I run across more someday at least I can try them without jacking them up by simply plugging them in The only drawback of the CR model is that (at least in my experience) they are not easy to find. For every ten or so two-pin power connector type Vic's I find I may find one of these models. I can only guess it is because the CR model was released at the very end of the life of the computer.

Edited November 15, 2016 by eightbit

[carlsson]

On this side of the pond, I would say the cost reduced DIN model is more common than the European two-prong. I think some cartridge peripherals simply don't fit in the CR due to it has a more narrow cartridge slot.