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DIY C64 Test Diagnostic Harness



Using Parts you may have laying around from your old personal C64 Collection.
​
If your like me, its fun to tinker around. Then it is to spend your hard earned cash.
Instructions 

You will require extensive patience. Plus Beginners -to- Moderate soldering skills.
Harness info originally retrieved from a couple sources. Mainly from this amazing website: Tynemouthsoftware.co.uk

Items you will need
1. Model 1670 / Modem 1200 (preferably broken)
2. Commodore 1530 Datassette Player (preferably broken).
3. 4q Sets of Bolts and nuts. Size TBD
4. 2q RS232 DB9 panel mount connectors (I used female) (Note: DB9 connectors on C64 are Male)
5. 2q DB9 Cables Male to Female, 
-4&5 Alternative. Hardwire 2q cables from sega genesis controllers. 
6. 6 pin DIN Connector
7. 2q 4066 ic's
8. 2q 16 pin sockets (optional)
9. Protoboard. Size TBD
10. Resistors and Capacitors TBD
10. Wire. I used pare Cat5e, that will do for everything. I used a larger wire for the 5v. 

Tools on hand. No particular order.
1. Philip screwdriver
2. Desoldering Gun or other way to remove solder
3. Scalpel or x-acto knife.
4. Soldering iron
5. Drill and Bits
6. Miniature files (optional) 
7. Solder

Step 1: Remove cable from 1530 Datassette Player
Place the player upside down. You will find 4 screws total, one located at each corner.
Remove them with a Philip screwdriver. Now remove the bottom
You should be in luck. The cable is not soldered in, pull the connector out of the socket.
​
Step 2: Opening the 1670 and clearing the pcb of components. This is also when you reconsider doing this project.
Opening the case is easy, Just pull it apart. No clips, screws, glue, nothing but friction is holding it together. 
Now to clear the components. Literally de-solder everything, including the edge connector. This may take 2 hours.
Faster method would be to literally clip everything (but the edge connector), with a good set of wire cutters. Not the cleanest, but you could get almost everything off in 30 min, or so. ​Reason for doing this, we are making space for the connectors and breadboard.
​
Step 3: Preparing the pcb for jumpers and protoboard.
As Shown in the picture we need to cut a trace between "B and C", "H and K" and "L and GND".
We most also consider two options. Pin L is connected to GND, we can Either desolder and pull the pin up or, desolder the entire connector. Then bend then pin.
​
Step 4: Solder in all the jumpers on the edge connector.
12/24 edge connector USER PORT
Looped onto itself
Name     Pin to Pin Name
FLAG2    B         8    PC2
PB0        C         H   PB4
CNT1      4          6   CNT2
PB1         D          J    PB5
SP1         5          7    SP2
PB2        E          K   PB6
PB3        F          L    PB7
Serial     9         M   PA2

Once you've done this, take a DMM and check the continuity between the above connections. Last thing you want is a dead connection or worse something soldered to the wrong connection.

Step 5: Build the circuit on BreadBoard
TBA
​
Step 6: Prep Model 1670 case for 2q DB9 panel mount connectors.
Alternatively you could hard wire two genesis controller cables to the circuit. Atari controller cables will not work.
TBA
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Step 7: Wire up circuit to 1670 pcb, DP9 connectors and cable from Datessette. Reassemble 1670 case.
TBA

Step 8: Assemble 6 Din connector 
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Step 9: Your done, if you haven't already, purchase the diagnostic/dead test cart off ebay or other source.
Now go to town and have fun, testing your commodore.
​
I take no responsibility for any harm you do to yourself, your commodore, or personal property.
Use these instructions at your own discretion. 
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