Retro Challenge 2017/04 Day 10

Well, here it is. My complete VIC-20 system.


I hooked the CN2 cassette drive to the VIC and was able to save and load to it without any issues.  I have so many cassettes! I wonder what could be on them.  Each is like a small time capsule just waiting to be opened.  I was able to read one of these old cassettes and retrieve the working program.

Next, I setup the daisy chain from the VIC to the 1541 to the 1541-II and then finally to the MPS803 printer.  I set the 1541-II to #9 via the dip switches in the back.  I was able to read and write to a diskette using both drives but seem to have some issue with properly closing the saved file with the 1541-II as drive#9.  I was able to properly set the 1541 and close the drive allowing all files to be saved correctly.  It has been a very long time since I jumped through the hoops of operating Commodore drives so it will take a bit of getting use to again.  They say it is like riding a bike but it sure has been a long time!

Now for the printer.  I did find online a source for ribbons for the MPS803.  I found them at Quickshiptoner.com for just under $3 for each.  These will arrive in a few days.  The ribbon that is in the printer has just enough life in it to prove the pins are all working.  The self-test worked fine and I was able to print a listing to the printer.  Again, the procedure is so very different from anything I have done since back in the day.  I had to read the manual carefully to grasp what needed to happen.  I have a VIC-1520 plotter/printer but the needed pens maybe very hard to come by. Also, I have a Citizen small calculator size printer but for now I think I will stick with the full size MPS803.

I added the 5 slot cartage expander and installed the 16K RAM Expansion.
All seems to be working great! There is still the joy sticks and paddles to checkout and I have the voice synthesizer to revive.  I have many disks and tapes to check and a brand new addition to my system that will be a real game changer.

I just got an SD2IEC!


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