The appearance that the type of people who break lockdown aren’t the best of our society mean there’s no shortage of footage for this video. There are some right corkers here for you to enjoy!
It would appear I have some success in embedding LBRY content. In Brave Browser I had to drop shields for this site, but as there are no ads (and it’s my own site) that isn’t a problem for me. Please let me know if you experience any issues and I’ll edit to suit.
Last Thursday my Amiga 1200 motherboard was returned after recapping. I was informed that 2 pins were missing on the IDE connector… which I found in the IDE ribbon connected I removed before sending the board off (oops).
I bought another connector, confident I could change it myself, and that arrived first, so I set to work on the replacement on Friday, after an 02.45 alarm for work and a short shift.
This was a Bad Idea™ because I was very tired. I didn’t realise how tired until failing miserably desoldering the old connector. It was very difficult because I can’t find my desoldering braid and the solder sucker just wasn’t very effecting.
Still, I got it out, but it really wasn’t that clean. I cleaned the area with isopropyl alcohol, applied some extra flux and soldered in the new connector. It didn’t really look that clean and to be honest I wasn’t happy with it, but I gave it a go and everything worked! Even the keyboard with the new membrane was perfect.
I reassembled the computer and installed a Gotek floppy emulator… found out it won’t fit inside the case comfortably without modification so currently have it loose outside. That tested well, but while playing Rainbow Islands it crashed, and the HD started giving errors, and after a reboot wouldn’t even show. I deduced it was my shoddy, tired soldering and put it away until I was more awake.
That was today. I resoldered the connector and it looks much better. Still not as good as I’d like, but still much better. Connected up enough for a test… nothing. Plugged in the LED indicator panel, nothing. Tested PSU… dead.
I opened up the PSU and did manage to get it working for a while, long enough to see the repair I did worked. I’ve now ordered a new PSU (modern, not refurb) and await its arrival before next test. I have my fingers well and truly crossed!
Times are hard! Luckily work still gives me the chance to go out. Lots of others going out, more than should be in my opinion, but as much as this annoys me, I refuse to go down the reporting path, we don’t like where that leads!
Even though the roads are quiet, and there’s less happening worthy of making it into these videos, we still have some. This was a collection of 2 periods though; not getting much outside daylight hours at all.
Enough rambling, here is the video!
Today the final item arrived that should allow me to use my Real C64C and Amiga 1200 alongside my main computer: the 3.5mm – 3.5mm audio cable.
I’ve had a cable to connect the C64 to a SCART input, and also to a Composite input, and the latter is what’s in use here. That connects to a cheap Composite to HDMI connector, which is powered by a USB cable, and this then connects to an ultrawide monitor via a standard HDMI cable. The new audio cable connects the output of the monitor with the Line In of my main computer, and the Pulseaudio loopback module allows playback through the main speakers. It’s a bit messy but it works!
I’ll also be able to use this setup for my Amiga 1200 when it’s returned after recapping. I’ll just connect Composite to Composite… and I have a few of those cables hanging around!
Here’s a quick and dirty video I shot of a demonstration, and of course I used the game I wrote myself to test 😉
With a pandemic lockdown in process I wasn’t expecting much this time, but I was wrong, I got plenty, especially on the last day!
Things I’ve noticed:
5G construction is essential but completing roadworks that affect safety isn’t.
Normal traffic lights mean nothing.
Speed limits are optional.
Acting like a cockwomble still applies in light traffic.
Social separation of 2m doesn’t apply.
Anyway, this is my first whole video with the new camera and finding space to fit everything on the bike was a chore, as I now also have a Garmin cycle computer. The first few clips are not level as I play about to find the best configuration. I think I have it now 😉
Only 4 days worth so a bit shorter than normal. No shortage of cockwombles though!
I have a new camera. Finally splashed out on a GoPro Hero 8 Black. Excellent camera but no way to add timestamps. Admittedly this is a bit disappointing for such a quality camera but I’m sure I’ll live.
I’ve recoded it for the LBRY version, mostly as suggested by the client (though still 1080p). Let me know if you see much difference, and if not I’ll change my default render settings.
While looking for something else I stumbled across my wedding photos, so I decided to scan them all and create my first gallery attached to WordPress. I’m using the Foogallery plugin, which is far less featured than the Gallery solution I used before but the best of a limited bunch.
It was a sunny day on Saturday August 5th 1989 that I married my first and only love, Jane. I’ve grouped the photos as best I can into 5 sections (plus the featured photo).
First the photos taken before the wedding at St. John’s Church in Canton, Cardiff
Next those after the wedding, outside the church.
Then we move to Thompson’s Park in Cardiff.
Finally the reception at the Transport Club on Garth Street, which is now a car park.
P.S. are 3 photos that are damaged so I cropped out most of the damage for inclusion in this gallery.
Some key photos have captions to mark sections.
I’ve made user registration a bit easier, though totally non-standard, which I hope will keep the spambots at bay. No need for a Captcha any more, just click the link under Blogroll to the right.
I’ll keep playing when I notice things are not working as I want and actively monitoring any new registrations.
The other day I reassembled my Amiga 1200 in readiness for it to be sent away for replacing the capacitors (recapping). I took out the memory expansion and gave it a good look over. It appeared to have had a battery connector snipped off, and prior experimentation led me to the conclusion it does have a realtime clock (RTC) fitted.
After some investigation I confirmed that one of the chips was indeed an RTC chip. I looked up the schematic, and tested the continuity between that chip’s GND pin and what I believed to be the battery -ve pin and it confirmed true, so I went on eBay and ordered a fresh connector that looked like should fit… well 3 for 99p + £1 postage. Bloody cheap!
Today I desoldered the mess left by the removal of the old battery connector (which while messy probably saved the card from leakage damage), soldered in the new connector (it fit perfectly) and slid in a battery.
Some testing in the Amiga confirms the job’s a good ‘un! Such a simple fix and much cheaper than a new RTC module 🙂
This site now has preliminary support for SQRL login and registration.
I’ve tested login, and linking to existing accounts, but I don’t know if registration works with new accounts yet, because I only have one SQRL identity 😉
Anyway, the login option is to the right, under Blogroll.
Update: registration doesn’t work because it conflicts with my anti-spambot measures, but you can link a SQRL login to your existing account as stated.
(Not that many people want to register anyway, but it’s something I’ve been wanting to add for a while) 😉
