[Kalel80]

Hi, I tested one of my C64C computer more and saw that adjusting frequency on C64 motherboard CT1 trimmer capacitor I almost got rid of moving noise lines. It’s very sensitive and that noise (moving lines) is changing at different speed and angle when I trim that. I don’t know what’s the deal, but trimming C64 motherboard crystal frequency is doing something with Retrotink.

But with my C64 Reloaded MK2 board I can’t fine tune device crystal frequency, however I saw that moving lines changing or dissapear when I touch the top of Retrotink X2 boards own crystal. I just wondering that might this problem be faulty crystal on my Retrotink? Or bad cap? I had same kind issue with PcEngine few years ago. Back then I noticed similar moving noise lines than now and then these lines changing speed and direction allways when I put finger on the top of Pc Engine motherboard crystal. I changed the new crystal and that fixed the issue.

I noticed that v3.1 board version and v3.2 version have different looking crystal? Would that be possible to get know those crystals exact parts?

[Kalel80]

@James-F
Okay. I tried DVI mode and I didn’t saw any difference on the screen.

[Kalel80]

Okay. Sounds good 🙂 Thanks to all of you. I really appreciate the time and effort you put into this.

[Kalel80]

Yes wavy lines shows a bit more when I have pi1541 drive connected. It’s maybe adding more noisines on a board power line and that also have effect on a VIC-II chip.

[Kalel80]

Ment to say chroma line. So I have 330 resistors in chroma line.

[Kalel80]

I took picture on C64 Reloaded Mk2 with composite and 3 led lit and picture is not bad but it is pixelated on blue screen and minor wobbling. Hard to get good picture on my iphone. My Grey kernal screen is perfect and has no any raster effect and wobbling.

3 leds on composite video

[Kalel80]

Thanks. Okay maybe it could be that v3.1 board automatically adjusted comb filtering just little bit cleans c64 VIC-II chip noisines. I also know that it’s noisy and out of specs.

I tested this new Retrotink 2x v3.2 board on my many PAL 50HZ C64 boards including new Reloaded Mk2 board and noise is still there and picture is bit distorted. With Lumafix64 or without. Reloaded Mk2 board seems to be little better, but picture is not so good comparing v3.1 board. Reloaded board was connected with thats original low ripple psu. This noise appears specially on c64 blue screen and it’s bit noticiable when I example plug my pi1541 drive on it. I haven’t tested real disk drive. But noise also shows without drive. Pictures is taken without any drive connected. It’s weird that I don’t see moving lines on grey screen what I have on my other kernal rom in Reloaded Mk2 board.

C64 Reloaded Mk2 board S-video Grey start screen

My C64 S-Video cables have 330ohm resistor on chroma line and Reloaded Mk2 board have this same resistor in S-video output connector. This is what has been recommended for LCD screens. I could take this resistor off my cable and test without it?

I tested C64 Reloaded Mk2 board composite video on v3.2 Retrotink and there was no moving lines but little bit dis distortion.

[Kalel80]

Hi Mike and thank you for your quick reply 🙂 I now tested Retrotink 2x v3.2 S-Video on my Neo Geo CD and there was also little bit same moving interference but nothing major. I also noticed that there is a minor interference with earlier v3.1 board too on Neo Geo Cd. So difference with those boards on my Neo Geo Cd S-Video is quite small. Biggest difference picture quality and interference coming with Commodores.

Here is a few pictures. Difference in picture betweeen old and new board is very noticeable. Coputer on those pictures is same PAL 50hz Commodore 64c with lumafix board. (Lumafix doesn’t seem do much that interference if I tweaking it.)

Two upper pictures are on v3.1 board and lower pictures are v3.2

I also tested Commodore 64 computer on composite video and I noticed same interference what I can see on S-Video.

Thank you that you figuring out this. Cheers 🙂

[Author]

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