Commodore 64 laptop lives!
When you think of a portable computer, you might think of the old Compaq or, if you're old enough, a Kaypro. But you don't see as many Commodore SX-64 computers. [The 8-Bit Guy] wanted one for a while and finally got one, but it didn't work. No problem! Fix it!
The device actually looked sleek compared to some other laptops of the time and had a color screen, but - probably because of the price - it didn't sell very well. The exterior of the device looked pretty clean aside from a few loose screws and clips. The space key was quite yellow but at least there was a keyboard cable which is almost nowhere to be found.
Switching it on just showed a white raster on the screen. The disassembly is interesting. There are quite a few things inside the small briefcase. Of course, that means you have to remove all five boards to access it.
Removing the case has changed the display slightly. He pulled out the CPU board and started swapping chips with a working Commodore 64 until he found two chips that would stop the known good machine from working. Replacing them did the trick for the CPU, but the keyboard still wasn't fully functional.
This also caused the keyboard to disassemble. Some 3D printed latches have fixed physically broken parts. The keyboard itself is unusual with a bunch of built-in keys and keys and a flexible membrane which is apparently a common point of failure. However, you can get replacements, but the work seems to require a bit of patience.
Overall the machine looks like new. However, as [The 8 Bit Guy] points out, the color monitor has never been very good and he explains exactly why.
We'd love to score one of these machines, even if the bad screen makes them less useful than a good C64. We've seen someone add a second drive to these machines. If you want more details on restoring the SX-64 keyboard, we've already reviewed that as well.
When you think of a portable computer, you might think of the old Compaq or, if you're old enough, a Kaypro. But you don't see as many Commodore SX-64 computers. [The 8-Bit Guy] wanted one for a while and finally got one, but it didn't work. No problem! Fix it!
The device actually looked sleek compared to some other laptops of the time and had a color screen, but - probably because of the price - it didn't sell very well. The exterior of the device looked pretty clean aside from a few loose screws and clips. The space key was quite yellow but at least there was a keyboard cable which is almost nowhere to be found.
Switching it on just showed a white raster on the screen. The disassembly is interesting. There are quite a few things inside the small briefcase. Of course, that means you have to remove all five boards to access it.
Removing the case has changed the display slightly. He pulled out the CPU board and started swapping chips with a working Commodore 64 until he found two chips that would stop the known good machine from working. Replacing them did the trick for the CPU, but the keyboard still wasn't fully functional.
This also caused the keyboard to disassemble. Some 3D printed latches have fixed physically broken parts. The keyboard itself is unusual with a bunch of built-in keys and keys and a flexible membrane which is apparently a common point of failure. However, you can get replacements, but the work seems to require a bit of patience.
Overall the machine looks like new. However, as [The 8 Bit Guy] points out, the color monitor has never been very good and he explains exactly why.
We'd love to score one of these machines, even if the bad screen makes them less useful than a good C64. We've seen someone add a second drive to these machines. If you want more details on restoring the SX-64 keyboard, we've already reviewed that as well.
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