WTB: Switchable Cart Port Expander

Pedro Lambrini · Post by **Pedro Lambrini** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 10:32 am

I recently bought one on eBay but it doesn't work! I plug in carts and nothing happens. Oh well.

Does anyone have one they'd sell me? Preferable quite small - I want to fit it into a case I'm working on.

Thanks in advance, P:)

ral-clan · Post by **ral-clan** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 10:44 am

These things are usually pretty simple. Should be possible to fix it.

Have you tried cleaning the contacts, checking the fuse, flipping the dip-switches?

If you can tell us what model it is, or if you have photos, it would help.

Pedro Lambrini · Post by **Pedro Lambrini** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 12:25 pm

It's made by Cloyvale Ltd and it might be called a TCL 8303:

That's the only picture I can find - the one from the eBay auction. There seems to be nothing on the 'net about it, at all!

I have cleaned it and there are no fuses to check. I have farted about with the DIP switches and I can only get it to address the first 8K of a modded VIC 1110 memory cart. I can also read the loader menu on Eslapion's Behr Bonz cart but when I choose something to load it just goes straight to the globe thing at the end of the cart...

TBH, it's pretty big as well and isn't really suitable for what I have in mind so I'm still on the lookout for another one. Though, if anyone has any ideas to get this up and running I'm happy to try.

ral-clan · Post by **ral-clan** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 12:59 pm

Oh wow. I've never even heard of the company Cloyvale Ltd. in all the years I've been collecting info on VIC-20 hardware.

Now that I see the board, it has more on-board logic than most --- so in your case, I suppose one of the ICs could be shot.

Pedro Lambrini · Post by **Pedro Lambrini** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 3:31 pm

The logic on it is pretty over the top compared to others I have seen. I think you're probably right in that an IC has died on it. I've no idea why it's so complicated. Still, it came with the other bits & pieces (including a boxed Stack Rifle

).

I've never heard of the company either and looking around the intrawebs brings up not a thing! Maybe it was some we garage somewhere...

FYI: The full title on the board says: Cloyvale LTD. Ventnor. IOW

Vic20-Ian · Post by **Vic20-Ian** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:42 am

Trip to Maplin, desolder the chips, fit DIL sockets and replace the 74LS?? address chips that they probably are.

Maybe I can take a look next week when we meet up

Pedro Lambrini · Post by **Pedro Lambrini** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:51 am

Vic20-Ian wrote:Trip to Maplin, desolder the chips, fit DIL sockets and replace the 74LS?? address chips that they probably are.

Maybe I can take a look next week when we meet up

I'd need a decent soldering iron first! But, yeah, I could bring it along and let you have a look if you like.

Pedro Lambrini · Post by **Pedro Lambrini** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 2:04 pm

Bump!

Still looking.

shem · Post by **shem** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 3:51 pm

hey Pedro

What is wrong with the blue cart expander you have I thought you were gonna get it fixed

Pedro Lambrini · Post by **Pedro Lambrini** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:02 pm

Hasn't happened yet. It's a bit of a beast anyway - it's huge! I'm just looking for something a little smaller and a little simpler.

shem · Post by **shem** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:10 pm

Hey Pedro

You should sell it me I'll fix it

dave01253 · Post by **dave01253** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 3:33 pm

He will ! Shem is a Lord of the Iron