I’ve listed below some links that I have found useful or interesting whilst I’ve been getting into vintage computer restorations, in case they may be of use to you too.
Things featuring my me and my website
- Hackaday: 1956 Philips 353A vacuum tube radio repair.
- Hackaday: 1970s AJAX Commander S-74 solid-state radio repair.
- Hackaday: 1980s Acorn AKF-17 CRT display repair.
- Hackaday: 1974 Sinclair Scientific calculator repair.
- Amiga Addict Magazine Issue 38.
- Pixel Addict Magazine Issue 29.
- My interview with Elektor Magazine about my work in vintage computing.
YouTube
- Adrian’s Digital Basement – assorted advanced digital electronics repairs.
- Adrian’s Digital Basement ][ – assorted computer / peripheral teardowns and trivia.
- Jan Beta – assorted advanced digital/analogue electronics repairs.
- Mr Carlson’s Lab – assorted advanced digital/analogue electronics repairs.
- Shango066 – vintage tube/transistor TV and radio repairs.
- More Fun Making It – assorted computer restorations and pinball builds.
- Lee Smith’s Workshop – assorted computer restorations and 3D printing.
- GadgetUK164 – assorted advanced digital electronics repairs.
- Retro Man Cave – assorted advanced digital electronics repairs.
- Rod Hull @ TFW8b – video game playthroughs and TFW8b projects.
- Noel’s Retro Lab – assorted computer restorations and trivia.
- Graham Tinkers – assorted computer and gadget restorations.
- Commodore Cave – updates on Graham Binder’s Commodore collection.
- 8-bit Guy – assorted computer / peripheral teardowns and trivia + basic repairs.
General Repair Information
- Tynemouth Software blog – useful and interesting general repair information.
- TFW8b blog – useful and interesting general repair & project information.
- Retroleum blog – useful and interesting general repair information.
- Jan Beta’s website – useful and interesting general repair information.
- Ray Carlsen’s repair articles – a useful resource for fixing Commodore computers.
- Sven Petersen’s website – a useful resource for fixing Commodore computers.
- Hackaday blog – interesting repairs, projects, and general hacks.
- RetroHax blog – useful and interesting general repair information.
- Breadbox 64 blog – useful and interesting general repair information.
- Nightfall Crew blog – useful and interesting general repair information.
- Not in Mame blog – useful and interesting general repair information.
- HackJunk blog – useful and interesting general repair information.
- World of Jani blog – useful and interesting general repair information.
- More Fun Making it blog – useful and interesting general repair information.
- Signal11 blog – useful and interesting Oric repair information.
- RetroKit ‘s website – useful and interesting Acorn repair information.
Specific Repair Information
- Zimmers.net – ROM files, user manuals, and schematics for Commodore computers.
- Pictorial C64 Fault Guide – a useful diagnostic guide for the Commodore 64.
- Commodore 64/128 hardware failure cheat sheet diagnostic guide.
- SpectrumForEveryone – useful information on all variants of the ZX Spectrum.
- World of Dragon – software and documentation archive for Dragon computers.
- Acorn Things blog – useful and interesting Acorn repair information.
- Amiga PCB Explorer – a useful diagnostic tool for the Commodore Amiga.
- Amiga error codes – a useful diagnostic reference for the Commodore Amiga.
- Acorn Archimedes POST codes – diagnostic reference for Archimedes repairs.
- Apple reference information – including very detailed repair books.
- Vintage component datasheets – including specific proprietary parts.
General Guides
- How to build 23XX to 27XX EPROM adaptors.
- ROM chart for EPROM types used in Commodore machines.
- How to erase and burn an EPROM.
- How to unpot a potted electronic device.
- How to read the markings on fuses.
- How to read the markings on resistors.
- How to safely discharge a CRT.
- How to restore yellowed plastics on an old computer.
- How to dump the contents of 2364 mask ROMs.
- How to make ROMs for the Acorn BBC Micro.
- How to make ROMs for the Commodore Amiga.
- How to make boot disks for the vintage Apple Macintosh.
- How to install System 7.5.5 on a vintage Apple Macintosh.
- Beginner’s guide to owning a Sinclair ZX Spectrum.
- How to upgrade a ZX Spectrum 16K to 48K.
- How to modify a ZX Spectrum 16k/48k for composite video output.
- How to upgrade the DC-DC circuit on an early ZX Spectrum 16k/48k.
- How to replace the keyboard membrane on a ZX Spectrum 48k.
- How to replace the keyboard membrane on a ZX Spectrum 48k+ / 128k+.
- How to fix common video quality issues on the ZX Spectrum 128k range.
- How to fix common SCART video issues on the ZX Spectrum 128k range.
- How to re-felt ZX Microdrive cartridges.
- How to fix audio distortion on the ZX Spectrum 128k+3.
- How to service the ZX Spectrum +2 tape deck.
- How to service the ZX Spectrum +3 floppy drive.
- How to service a vintage joystick.
- How to copy ADF files from a modern PC to an Amiga over serial.
- How to read Amiga disks on a modern PC.
- How to improve accelerator card reliability on the A1200.
- How to fix the PCMCIA reset issue on the A1200.
- How to preserve cassette tapes.
- How to preserve floppy disks.
- How to convert ZX Spectrum tape programs to TZX files.
- How to convert Commodore 64 tape programs to D64 files.
- How to read and write Commodore disks from a PC.
- How to make physical disks for Atari 8-bit computers.
- How to fix squashed cardboard “big box” video game boxes.
- How to use a vintage “dumb” terminal with a Raspberry Pi.
Aftermarket Kit for Retro Computers
- SD2IEC – Commodore 8-bit (64/128) SD card adaptor.
- SD2BBC – Acorn BBC Micro & Master SD card adaptor.
- DivMMC Future – Sinclair ZX Spectrum SD card adaptor.
Software
- Amiga Test Kit for the Commodore Amiga from Keir Fraser.
- DiagROM for the Commodore Amiga from John Hertell.
- Diag264 for the Commodore 16/116/Plus4 from Rob Clarke.
- SID Tester for the Commodore 64 from Andrew Challis.
- 64 Tester for the Commodore 64 from the Compucats.
- Tape-File Copy for the ZX Spectrum from Arnost Vecerka.
- Tiratok test demo for the ZX Spectrum from Demarche.
- MMBImager for Windows from Martin Mathers.
- MacDisk for Windows from Pierre Duhem.
- HexCmp2 for Windows from Fairdell Software.
- Commodore computer software archive.
- Commodore diagnostic software archive.
- Commodore demo/test disk software archive.
- Dragon computer software archive.
- Acorn Atom software archive.
- Amiga installer software archive.
- Amiga general software archive.
Hardware Designs
- Sven Petersen’s GitHub page – very useful for open-source diagnostic equipment.
- SukkoPera’s 23XX-27XX EPROM adaptor – for replacing vintage mask ROMs.
- PCBWay Shared Projects – very useful for retro computing PCB designs.
Forums
- Lemon Amiga – very useful for Amiga information.
- VIC-20 Denial – very useful for Commodore VIC-20 information.
- Lemon64 – very useful for general Commodore information.
- Forum64 – very useful for general Commodore information.
- Amibay – useful for retro computer buy/sell/trade.
- StartDot – very useful for general Acorn information.
- Spectrum Computing – very useful for general Sinclair information.
- 68kMLA – very useful for general Apple information.
- Reddit (r/retrocomputing) – very useful for general computer information.
- Reddit (r/commodore) – very useful for Commodore information.
- Reddit (r/amiga) – very useful for Amiga information.
- Reddit (r/zxspectrum) – very useful for ZX Spectrum information.
Social Media
- Commodore 8-Bit Repair & Upgrades on Facebook.
- Commodore & Amiga Group UK on Facebook.
- Acorn Computer & BBC Micro Enthusiasts on Facebook.
- Spectrum for Everyone on Facebook.
- Amstrad for Everyone on Facebook.
News
Registries
- Commodore 64 serial number registry.
- Commodore VIC-20 serial number registry.
- NABU serial number registry.
Suppliers
- AmigaKit UK – modern-made Amiga parts.
- AmigaStoreEU – general computer parts and accessories.
- AmigaScene – miscellaneous Commodore parts.
- BackBit – diagnostic equipment and accessories for vintage computers.
- Bambi Amiga – Amiga image file to physical disk service.
- Byte Delight – Sinclair computer parts and accessories.
- C64PSU – modern Commodore and Amiga PSUs.
- Console5 – general computer parts, capacitor kits in particular.
- Consoles Unleashed – games console modifications & accessories.
- CoolNovelties – display cables and adaptors for general computers.
- Corei64 – general computer parts and accessories, 3D-printed parts.
- CJE Micros – specialist Acorn machines, parts, and accessories.
- David Murray (8-bit Guy) – merchandise.
- Dataserve Retro – general computer parts and accessories.
- Digikey UK – general electronics components supply.
- Donberg Electronics – general electronics components supply.
- Farnell UK – general electronics components supply.
- Funny Playing – games console modifications & accessories.
- Mark’s Commodore Sales – Commodore parts and accessories.
- Mutant Caterpillar Games – general computer parts and repair services.
- Mouser UK – general electronics components supply.
- NixieDIY – Nixie tube clock kits & accessories.
- PCBWay – PCB manufacturing and assembly.
- Phil Ruston on eBay – general computers, parts, & accessories.
- Plakativ Druck & Schrift – reproduction labels & boxes for vintage computers.
- PixelWizard – 3D printed parts.
- Retroleum UK – Commodore and ZX Spectrum parts & accessories.
- Retronics EU – dust covers for vintage computers & accessories.
- RetroBench – Amiga computer parts, services, & accessories.
- RetroClinic – Acorn computer parts & accessories.
- RetroHax – general computer parts & accessories.
- RetroPassion – Amiga computer parts, services, and accessories.
- RetroRevival – Sinclair computer parts and accessories.
- RetroRewind – general computer parts and accessories.
- Retro 8-bit Shop – general computer parts and accessories.
- Retro Innovations – JiffyDOS for Commodore computers & accessories.
- Retro Gamer Stuff – general computer parts and accessories.
- Rude Dog Retros – general computer parts and accessories.
- RS Components – general electronics components supply.
- Sell My Retro – general computer parts and accessories.
- Sintech UK – Sinclair computer parts and accessories.
- Silicon Ark UK – general electronics components supply.
- TFW8b (The Future Was 8-bit) – modern-made computers and accessories.
- Tynemouth Software – modern-made computers and accessories.
- ZX Renew – modern-made Sinclair parts and accessories.