Posted By
ScottC
on 2012-11-26
07:32:36
 |  Trying to get my Plus4 working after many years.
Hello all,
Any chance you could help me, I recently got my Plus4 out of its box and tried connecting it to my LCD TV with an RF lead but nothing happened.
So I bought a Video-SCART lead and now I get a blank screen.
However, when the Plus4 is turned off the TV displays "no signal", but when I turn it on the "no signal" message disappears.
Could this mean I have a broken cable?
Broken TED?
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Scott
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Posted By
bubis
on 2012-11-26
08:06:03
| Re: Trying to get my Plus4 working after many years.
You have a dead TED I would guess.
If it's just the cable, you should be able to make a 1541 drive moving asking for a DIR for instance, or you could try to load something from a tape.
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Posted By
ScottC
on 2012-11-26
08:18:26
| Re: Trying to get my Plus4 working after many years.
Thanks for the quick reply.
There was no movement on the datasette so I guess I need to get onto Ebay for a working Plus4.
Is it possible to just buy TED chips, or are they rare nowadays?
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Posted By
bubis
on 2012-11-26
08:49:19
| Re: Trying to get my Plus4 working after many years.
I have no idea. I have couple of TED chips safe in an underground base just in case, you should build up your reserves too. 
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Posted By
George
on 2012-11-26
09:00:26
 | Re: Trying to get my Plus4 working after many years.
Try your Plus4 at an old Tube-TV, to be sure.
I know some cases at older Consoles (Philips, Atari),
that newer LCD do not find any picture.
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Posted By
MMS
on 2012-11-26
15:03:29
 | Re: Trying to get my Plus4 working after many years.
i have an other guess. I think one of the power lines NOK, as the dataset should work withot ted too. When switch on, tuner tries to give a signal, just get no sign. If you have the round connector type of plussy, ask a rental c64 psu, it should work. I think 1 out of my 5 psus was dead, though most of dead plussies come from ted dead. If you can, make a try
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Posted By
ScottC
on 2012-11-26
15:23:12
| Re: Trying to get my Plus4 working after many years.
I'm not sure I know anyone with a C64 anymore, but it sounds like a good suggestion.
I really hope I can get this working because I've got all those cassette games waiting to be played 
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Posted By
crock
on 2012-11-26
20:46:18
 | Re: Trying to get my Plus4 working after many years.
This Guy has a few TED's for sale: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221094671344
From experience, a dead CPU is just as likely as a dead TED and they crop up just as infrequently on ebay. MMS mentioned the power, do you get a bright steady glow from the power LED? Do you have a multimeter to measure the voltage?
The cassette not working doesn't tell you much as the motor is controlled by the kernal, which needs the CPU, which needs RAM which needs a good TED etc etc. If, on the other hand, the cassette works, and neither can you hear the motor running when you press stop, then the machine is mostly functioning.
Less frequently than a dead TED or CPU, black screens can also be caused by broken PLA's, failed RAM, kernal ROM or reset circuit, though you'll need more tools to track these problems down.
The easiest path is to get hold of another +4 and start swapping chips. Even if you get another broken one, it's probably even chance that you'll get one that's broken for a different reason.
Rob
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Posted By
MIK
on 2012-11-27
04:23:53
 | Re: Trying to get my Plus4 working after many years.
Indeed from what I have seen the CPU is the most common cause of a black screen even when the power light switches on as this chip is the heart of the computer and also functions as the video display.
A TED can fail in many different ways but more times than not you may see a picture.
CPU and TED can be taken out of a Commodore 16 and used on a Plus4 if this works out to be a cheaper alternative to get spares. Also a stock C16 with 16k can play 95% of all commercial games ever made. Although my main machine is a Plus4 I do use a C16 to play many of the old games on as it's great for that, spares and repairs are easy to come by and they use a small power adapter which can be replaced with something on the high street today if the worst should happen.
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Posted By
ScottC
on 2012-11-27
07:31:17
| Re: Trying to get my Plus4 working after many years.
Wow, lots of advice.
I do get a steady glow from the power light.
I guess I need to get another C16 or +4 and take it from there.
I think the problem I'll have is getting my wife to agree to letting me 'waste money' on an old computer, if she had her way it'd be in the bin! 
Thanks for all your help.
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Posted By
Patrick
on 2012-11-27
12:49:42
| Re: Trying to get my Plus4 working after many years.
scott, it is the same everywhere just buy the parts you need...lol
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Posted By
crock
on 2012-11-27
17:51:40
| Re: Trying to get my Plus4 working after many years.
Where is 'home' for you scottc? I have addresses in UK and Switzerland and I repair 8 bit commodore gear as a hobby and will be happy to look at it for cost of postage, assuming it's no prohibitive from wherever you live.
Rob
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Posted By
ScottC
on 2012-11-28
01:37:52
| Re: Trying to get my Plus4 working after many years.
Hi Crock
That's a really kind offer. I am in Lincolnshire UK.
Where abouts is your UK address?
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Posted By
crock
on 2012-11-28
02:37:35
| Re: Trying to get my Plus4 working after many years.
My parents are just south of Lincolnshire, between Stamford and Corby.
I'm happy to look at it for you but it depends on how quickly you want it. I live in Switzerland but I'm coming back to the UK at the end of Jan. It'd be easy for you to get it to my parents and a few £'s more to post to Switzerland if you wanted it sooner. I can't see an email address for you on your profile, but my address is on mine. PM me and we can make arrangements.
Rob
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Posted By
ScottC
on 2012-11-28
02:50:08
| Re: Trying to get my Plus4 working after many years.
Rob,
PM'ing you now
Scott
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