Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ncar!husc6!genrad!pcr
From: pcr@genrad.com (Perry Rothermel)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.cbm
Subject: Commodore 128D
Keywords: 1571 - 64k video ram
Message-ID: <25438@genrad.UUCP>
Date: 29 Aug 89 17:12:11 GMT
Sender: news@genrad.UUCP
Distribution: usa
Lines: 29


     I have just sold my 128 and purchased a 128D and I thought I would pass
on some obsevations about the system.

     The separate keyboard is nice and the keys have a better "touch" than
did my "flat" 128. The graphic symbols are on top of the keys with the letters
instead of on the front - this gives the keyboard a "cluttered" look. Also, the
keyboard cord could be a little more flexible or made of "phone cord".
     I wanted the built in drive (since I now have 2 drives). But it appears
its like all the other Commodore disk drives I've owned - when the heads are
reading/writing, they are noisy. In fact when I am working on something that
requires a lot of drive activity the noise is actually a little annoying.
     One last thing, the joy-stick ports are really not that accessible. They
should have been swapped with the cassette port (I mean, does anybody even
 use the cassette port?), and placed in front of the keyboard port not behind
it.

    All in all I am satisfied with the 128D (even with the few "critisizms").
I have 2 questions:

1.)  Besides Maverick v3.0 & Basic 8.0, how is any other 128D owner useing/
    utilizing the 64k ram? Can it be used in any other way?

2.) Any way I can adjust, fix, tweek, etc the disk drive to make it operate
    with less "rattling" noise?

Please feel free to add or take away from this discussion. Maybe we can get
 a general discussion going about the 128D. Thanks in advance for any help or
 info.