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In this video, I repair two Sinclair ZX81 computers provided by Paul Universal Retro Boss. Both units arrived with white screen issues, which initially seemed like simple candidates for composite modifications. The diagnostic process for the first unit involved cleaning heavily corroded SRAM legs and troubleshooting a lack of bus activity. I ultimately identified a failed Z80 CPU. After replacing the processor and installing a composite mod board with a 555 timer, the machine was fully restored. The second unit exhibited similar symptoms, including a halted CPU. Swapping the Z80 processor fixed this unit as well, confirming that both computers suffered from bad silicon rather than ULA failure. I also test the original keyboard membranes and discuss challenges with modern capture devices as well as vintage 16K RAM packs.

There is something very special hiding in this ZX Spectrum+ case. Its also broken, which in my eyes just makes it more special and interesting!

Is your Commodore 64 literally falling apart at the seams? You aren’t alone. As these iconic machines hit their 40th anniversary, the ABS plastic is becoming notoriously brittle. Snapped screw posts and broken case clips are often the “death sentence” for a Breadbin… until now.

A rare computer (ZX Spectrum 128k “Toastrack”) inside a rare replacement keyboard (Saga 2+). What are the chances there is another one quite like this out there in the world? I will probably see my inbox full of these pretty soon.

I love rummaging around in jumble sales for bargains. Make that jumble sale happen in a superb computer museum with loads of friends from the community and fill it with stacks of super cheap (for the most part) vintage computer and retro gaming bargains and I am as happy as Larry.

The third KU-14194HB board with capacitor juice damage is up for repair. More bad traces in this one and another fault that made me scratch my head for quite some time!

Another C64 with leaking cap damage. This one a more rare board. Prepare yourself for lots of scraping traces and nasty green goo.

I have FIVE C64 silver label machines here to repair. Three of them are KU boards, then there is this 250407, and the final one is a true silver label rev A 326298. I will be working my way through all of these repairs, starting with this 250407 and working up to the rarest. Three of these boards are suffering from capacitor leakage. Something I have never seen before in a C64. With one looking particularly nasty. But lets not get ahead of ourselves! One fix at a time…

I recently popped over to visit my friend Paul to return a load of repaired machines to him. Whilst there I picked up the next load of broken things to repair! It’s the circle of retro life!

Before I get to the silver labels I need to finish up a few more standard, common or garden C64’s. Here are a couple from a previous triage episode which presented with faulty ROM chips. One has a bad BASIC ROM and the other has a bad Kernal ROM. But one of them was also hiding a sneaky fault elsewhere which I discover after repairing the ROM’s! FUN!