Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!mit-eddie!killer!elg
From: elg@killer.DALLAS.TX.US (Eric Green)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.cbm
Subject: Re: C64 IC Failure
Message-ID: <7049@killer.DALLAS.TX.US>
Date: 6 Feb 89 04:29:09 GMT
References: <435@manta.NOSC.MIL>
Organization: The Unix(R) Connection, Dallas, Texas
Lines: 20

in article <435@manta.NOSC.MIL>, mitch@manta.NOSC.MIL (Ray Mitchell) says:
> Has anyone encountered any problems with repeated failures with the 6526A IC

Static electricity. If you touch the joystick ports in cold weather,
or after rubbing your feet against carpet, it will blow up the CIA.
Typically, your hand brushes the joystick port on the way towards the
power switch, i.e. you don't do it intentionally. 

This is the biggest cause of computer failures that my local repair
center sees -- static-fried CIAs.

The solution? Buy a humidifier for your computer room, or do like
Jerry Pournelle and take up an aquarium hobby ;-). Or, if you're
really technically proficient, put MOVs and decoupling diodes on your
joystick ports.

--
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