Posted By
scarrabri
on 2013-11-03
04:10:03
|  plus4 keyboard
Hi! I have been having trouble with my keyboard on my plus4, as half the keys were not working. So I followed a brilliant tutorial on YouTube and cleaned everything spick and spam, but still 5 of the keys are giving me trouble. But at least now they work. Any tips for when I clean them again please? Best wishes, Brian.
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Posted By
MIK
on 2013-11-03
05:57:12
 | Re: plus4 keyboard
I don't think any of us have seen this video on YouTube so sorry if this guide repeats anything you have already seen...
There is a section on the site here called: How Can I Clean My Keyboard?
Link: http://plus4world.powweb.com/plus4encyclopedia/500009
As long as the key contacts are not worn from being pressed a million times over the years which can happen you should be ok with a bit more cleaning so hopefully the remaining keys just need going over again. Might be the contact board the keys press that needs a better look at, but go back over the key contacts too.
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Posted By
scarrabri
on 2013-11-03
13:12:44
| Re: plus4 keyboard
Hi Mik! Thanks for your help, lol! That's the tutorial I followed. In fact, I have cleaned everything twice and still not much better. I wonder if the rubber pads are worn, and if the pads off the C64 are the same, as I have some in better condition. Also the keys just pull off? Brian.
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Posted By
MIK
on 2013-11-04
05:14:44
| Re: plus4 keyboard
Maybe they are worn and not touching properly.
I have never taken the keys apart so not sure on that one.
Most common keys that are pressed would be, RETURN, SPACE, RUNSTOP, L,O,A,D,1,0 and the arrow keys I would imagine.
I had the RETURN mess up once on an A500 and to solve the problem I stuck tin foil over the board contacts for that key which helped, just to add a few millimeters so the key could make a connection. Maybe the rubber shrinks over time too...
Maybe try and get hold of a spare Plus/4 just for the keyboard if it's that bad? Most of us have more than 1 Plus/4 because they were not built to last be it keyboard or the chips inside. 
If your playing a lot of 16k classic games another option is to grab a C16 as they have better keyboards. I use a C16 now days just for that reason as the Plus/4's can be a bit too fragile to be wasted playing stuff that runs perfectly on a C16, if you know what I mean. I started with a Plus.4 too. 
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Posted By
Patrick
on 2013-11-04
15:05:58
| Re: plus4 keyboard
i have a couple of spare keyboards. if you want 1, contact me! patrick1730(at)hotmail.com
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Posted By
scarrabri
on 2013-11-04
15:14:31
| Re: plus4 keyboard
Wow you read my mind Mik as I have just bought another plus 4 so as to use that keyboard but it will be a few days for that to arrive I have also ordered a joystick adapter from amigakit so as to use my joystick instead of the keyboard ,I have to say the quality of the games are brilliant and the picture is awesome using a skart connection to my 32 inch tv gives me crystal clear screen shots so I am well pleased ,may I ask if there are any online manuals for the plus 4 or is it back to Ebay lol very best wishes Brian.
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Posted By
scarrabri
on 2013-11-04
15:23:19
| Re: plus4 keyboard
Hi Patrick that's so very kind my dear friend but I have just bought one lol but thanks anyway ,do you still use your plus 4? I read some where that the plus 4 can turn out some good graphics but I have no manual yet so yet to see if this is true ,overall I am up to now very pleased with my new addition to my Amigas Vic 20 and c64 although I still need to work on the c64 and the Vic20 that does work but needs a little TLC, thanks again my friend,Brian.
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Posted By
MIK
on 2013-11-05
05:51:57
| Re: plus4 keyboard
99% of the Plus/4 User Manual covers BASIC commands and BASIC programming at a very "basic" level, (forgive the pun) so very limited in what the machines can really do with graphics and sound. A lot of things can be done via the new 3.5 BASIC the C16/Plus4 have and making things in general easier than a C64 if using BASIC but if making commercial style GAME's or DEMO's then BASIC is not fast enough as I'm sure you know.
With regards to joysticks.
SERIOUS WARNING!
You must keep things simple as in the joysticks them self that you wish to use on the C16/Plus4 as the ports are not shielded and are wired directly to the TED chip. If using 3rd party sticks use joysticks designed for the C64 in mind. Nothing fancy with crazy lights and 10 settings of auto fire as you can kill the TED chip straight away by sending volts down the wrong wire. Do not use pads like Sega Megadrive pads as these can damage TED beyond repair. Keep things simple, single fire button type sticks.
If your not sure if your stick will be ok ask.
Personally I use Cheetah 125+ joysticks mostly but even these need a wire cutting off them on the inside of the stick. It's either left or right that has an extra wire, more suited for Amstrads I'm sure, can make a C16/Plus4 feel a little sticky at times when playing games until this wire is cut off. The Cheetah 125 is very close to the feel of the original Plus/4 1531 joystick and out of the box will not damage the machine - DONT plug the AMSTRAD grey end in to a C64 or Plus4 unless you want to kill your machines.
Competition Pro Joystick's are fine on Plus/4 out of the box, much like the Zipstik for Amiga's are good too on a Plus/4 out of the box.
Like I said, if your not sure then ask before you use what you may have on your Plus/4 just for peace of mind.
I take it your from the UK?
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Posted By
scarrabri
on 2013-11-05
13:50:10
| Re: plus4 keyboard
Hi Mik thanks very much for your help and yes I am from the uk and the joy stick I have is a Cheeta 125+ and my other is a Zip stik which is a nice one ,would the zip stik be the better of the two ? and can I ask what sort of music file will the plus 4 play and would I have to use a cassette Data machine to get the music to play or could I use my card reader only I really like some of the music that the plus 4 plays with the games ,again thanks for warning me about the dangers of using the wrong joystick I will be careful very best wishes Brian.
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Posted By
MIK
on 2013-11-05
17:48:14
| Re: plus4 keyboard
Sure, if your Zip stik looks like either one of these below your good with these. I have both of the sticks below so know for sure they are ok.
http://thumbs4.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mDIuYbd4lGC-e-vECk-LA6Q.jpg
http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/m5XQBqVD0FGdyZLZIqt3xUA.jpg
I'll have to take a couple of my Cheetha 125's apart and have a look to see what I did to some of them at some point. I just did the one out of about 4 I have right now and it's not obvious where the wire was or gone as I have long forgot lol
It's nothing hard to do nor will it stop the stick from working on a C64 or Amiga once the wire is removed. It will work as it is now but either left or right may feel a little sticky at some point with some games. Never ever damaged my machines this stick, just knew there was something funny going on and one day I had enough. Love the these sticks tho. 
As for music.
Maybe Luca can help on this one with regards to High Voltage TED Collection ?
The native music/sound the C16/Plus4 has is call TED as that's the chip, the heart of the computer that makes sound. It has 3 voices in all being, 2 Tone and 1 White Noise. Only 2 voices can be played at the same time. Either 2 Tones or Tone 1 & White Noise. 2 channel sound.
Some old game music was ripped but this was added to mostly demo's than rather actual stand alone music files. There is no .TED like there is .SID for the C16/Plus4 as such... Confusing I know. There is more to the story than what I'm saying...
Also and maybe even more confusing now... Some users have rare SID cards for their Plus/4's and can play any of the C64's SID tunes on a Plus/4 as well as their own SID music made on a Plus/4 for Plus/4, as well as TED sound.
Hopefully Luca can point you in the right direction but for now if you want to hear a tune on a real machine then load the game is the easiest thing to be honest.
If you want to hear some sound from BASIC type the following.
10 VOL 8
20 SOUND1,596,10
RUN
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
VOL = volume 1-8
You can either have SOUND1, SOUND2 or SOUND3.
,596 is the note being played
,10 is the length of the note
change line 20 to this to hear 2 voices.
20 SOUND1,596,10:SOUND2,169,10
or you can have
20 SOUND1,596,10:SOUND3,169,10
Have fun.
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Posted By
MIKE
on 2013-11-06
07:14:43
| Re: plus4 keyboard
scarrabri,
I've just opened another cheetah 125+ joystick and it's come back to me now what I did. Trust me to open a Cheetah 125 last night and not the Plus model.
BTW the Cheetah (125) with a single wire for C64 does not need anything done to it, it's the 125+ model that needs a small mod.
If you look at the picture on the link below.
On the left direction there is a GREEN wire with red tape around it.
In the 125+ model and if you look at your own one there is some type of Resistor between the GREEN wire and it's connection to the LEFT direction. This Resistor needs to be cut off and removed and then simply join the GREEN wire back to the LEFT direction.
This is why I have red tape on mine as to shield the now open wires from where I joined it back up.
and that's it. This Resistor is obviously some safe guard I'm sure for the Amstrad side of the stick or to safe guard Commodore's if the Amstrad connection was plugged in to a Commodore. Not required for C16/Plus4, C64 or Amiga. This millisecond type of temperamental stickiness the Resistor can do when playing games even happens on a C64 so not unique to the C16/Plus4.
DO NOT plug the grey Amstrad end in to any Commodore, in fact put a small strip of tape over the end connection of the grey plug to remind you not to do so!
One last time... Remove that Resistor in the Left direction and your ready to roll on all Commodore's.
Link: http://i44.tinypic.com/fyzi1x.jpg
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Posted By
scarrabri
on 2013-11-06
14:59:08
| Re: plus4 keyboard
Hi and thank you once again! http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/m5XQBqVD0FGdyZLZIqt3xUA.jpg This is the one I have. It's the one with the two yellow buttons, like the second link you entered and the one I like best so I am good to go this weekend as my joystick adapter specially made for the plus/4 has been posted and is right now on its way, and I can't wait! Thanks again my friend, Brian.
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Posted By
scarrabri
on 2013-11-06
15:04:32
| Re: plus4 keyboard
Hi again and yes the link is good and a good pic but I want to hold back just a while as I have to remember I have two other little gems my Amiga 1200 and my baby Amiga 600 that I must not forget but I now have some thing to go on now thanks to you for which I am very grateful Brian
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Posted By
scarrabri
on 2013-11-06
15:04:59
| Re: plus4 keyboard
Hi again and yes the link is good and a good pic but I want to hold back just a while as I have to remember I have two other little gems my Amiga 1200 and my baby Amiga 600 that I must not forget but I now have some thing to go on now thanks to you for which I am very grateful Brian
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Posted By
MIK
on 2013-11-06
15:06:46
| Re: plus4 keyboard
no problem.
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Posted By
scarrabri
on 2013-11-10
15:21:17
| joysticks
Hi! Just another quick question about joysticks. After what MIK had to say about being careful about which joystick to use, I have been using a zip stick, which works very well, but I also have a basic Quickshot in nice condition and would be very grateful if anyone can tell me if this is OK for my Plus/4, as I would hate to destroy her because of ignorance. Very best wishes, Brian
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Posted By
MIK
on 2013-11-11
05:34:26
| Re: plus4 keyboard
If you go to google and do a picture search for say "Quickshot joystick". Hopefully your be able to show us via a link what it looks like.
I have one of these upstairs, never used it because it uses an early form of micro switching, very loud and clicky to use and only has fire buttons in the handle. Also you need giant hands to hold it lol.
http://www.ntrautanen.fi/computers/other/images/quickshot_ii.jpg
I have couple more...
This one should be fine. I have one of these some where. These are not made very well so won't last this one. Old Spectrum issue joystick.
http://thumbs2.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mV0j5WVKLjMtecQ1CQAJX6g.jpg
Do NOT use one of these. They are wired up so lights flash when you press fire and a host of other things. This will kill TED unless you rewire it. I actually have two of these, I rewired one for Plus4 but can tell you now they are very bad. The D-pad type thing is not easy to use and is not accurate with any game at all, even basic bat and ball games are hard to control type of thing. Also the fire buttons are very stiff. I thought this would be cool with the game Arthur Noid and it was rubbish!
http://i619.photobucket.com/albums/tt279/miremare/QuickShot-7.jpg
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Posted By
scarrabri
on 2013-11-11
14:27:25
| Re: plus4 keyboard
Hi Mik thanks again I have the very same one as you http://thumbs2.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mV0j5WVKLjMtecQ1CQAJX6g.jpg
so I will give it a try ,after having another look on Google ,best wishes Brian.
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