Posted By
Amigamagic
on 2016-04-04
15:14:54
|  Plus/4 restoration tips
Hi all
I've got my plus/4 out of the loft and set it all up. It came on ok but the keys are either not working properly or not working at all. Also after a few minutes the screen went black but the red power light was still on ok. I'm not sure if anyone has any advice on this. I have read the information on this site on how to clean the inside, key pads etc. I'm going to get the following ready:
Solder iron (temp control)
Can of compressed air
isopropanol spray can
Cotton buds
Cloth rag
Windowlean cleaner
Is there any other tips or stuff I could do with getting?
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Posted By
Chicken
on 2016-04-04
17:53:20
 | Re: Plus/4 restoration tips
Hopefully, the black screen is not the "black screen of death"! Very often it indicates a faulty CPU. Have you tried switching it on again? Still got a black screen?
Sometimes carefully reseating all the socketed chips helps with various problems. However, defunct CPUs (and TEDs) are quite common.
If your machine works (again), you should consider putting a heatsink on the CPU.
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Posted By
Amigamagic
on 2016-04-05
04:14:52
| Re: Plus/4 restoration tips
Ok thanks. The black screen happened before. I didn't try it for years. I tried it the other day and it worked, then the black screen happened again. I'll try again. What is a heatsink?
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Posted By
Amigamagic
on 2016-04-05
14:18:41
| Re: Plus/4 restoration tips
Thanks I will look into it 👍
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Posted By
Amigamagic
on 2016-04-05
15:36:23
| Re: Plus/4 restoration tips
I have the black screen of death. Strange as it was black and then after years I tried it again and it worked. It then went black after a few minutes. I think I need a ted chip. Does anyone know where I can get one from? eBay hasn't got any for sale.
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Posted By
Chronos
on 2016-04-05
15:47:05
 | Re: Plus/4 restoration tips
You got black screen also when the PLA chip or the CPU burns out.. So you need to swap with another to find out what chip is dead...
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Posted By
Chicken
on 2016-04-05
16:15:12
| Re: Plus/4 restoration tips
Amigamagic: Sorry to hear that  But as Chronos said, the black screen might be caused by various chips. Just because the screen stays black, it's not necessarily the TED that's defunct. Judging from my experience, it's the CPU most of the time.
I'd suggest to find someone with a working machine near you. Then try your CPU, PLA and TED (one by one) in that machine. Thus, you'll know exactly which chip is faulty (or if it's something else on your board that's causing the trouble).
Where are you from?
It's definitely easier (and sometimes even cheaper) to buy a complete (and tested!) C16 instead of buying the chips individually. Beware of untested machines, though, unless you have replacement parts at hand.
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Posted By
Amigamagic
on 2016-04-05
18:24:16
| Re: Plus/4 restoration tips
I see what you mean. I'm from Birmingham (UK) I don't know anyone with a plus/4 or c16. I will probably buy a tested plus/4 and take the parts from that. You may think why not just use the working one. But as my plus/4 was my very first computer I want to still getting working and that will give me pleasure knowing it is my first one and I'm still using it. I think the restoration project is getting bigger lol. One I manage to get a working one and swap the chips I'll have the task of cleaning it etc. But in the end I'll have my original computer be it a few new chips. It will be worth it.
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Posted By
Chicken
on 2016-04-06
10:05:30
| Re: Plus/4 restoration tips
There are a couple of UK members here. And if I remember correctly, there's been some Commodore meeting in Birmingham some years ago.
Yes, here it is:
http://plus4world.powweb.com/forum/16847
There are a couple of links in that thread and maybe you can find someone with a plus/4 or C16 near you. It's an old thread but some of the people mentioned there are still active on plus/4 
Otherwise, keep in mind that a C16 is probably cheaper and those chips are exactly the same in all of the 264 series's machines. So if it's just for replacements parts and testing, choose whatever you can get (C16, plus/4 or C116 – though, the latter is hard to find). However, if it's not one of those chips, another plus/4 might be the safest bet – just in case it's something on the board.
About your first computer … That's absolutely understandable! I'm sure many of us here think the same way. I still have my first computer (a plus/4) as well
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Posted By
Amigamagic
on 2016-04-08
04:10:08
| Re: Plus/4 restoration tips
Thanks I'll look into it. Prob get a c16 then. It will be fun trying to bring it back to a fully working computer. Fireant at the ready 😃
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Posted By
StacyB
on 2016-04-18
11:32:26
| Re: Plus/4 restoration tips
I have plus 4 chips for sale.
MOS 8501 MPU $24.40
MOS 8360 TED $ 12.60
I have other chips for the plus/4 also.
US shipping is $2.45. International shipping is $12.99.
Just email me at cs@80sVC.com
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Posted By
StacyB
on 2016-04-18
11:36:49
| Re: Plus/4 restoration tips
Or you can go to www.80svc.com/index.php?rt=product/category&path=15_23
and enter Plus/4 in the coupon code box of the shopping cart.
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