Chris Edwards returns with another detailed Amiga 600 encoder repair, sent in by Paul, creator of Geo’s Quest. This Amiga had a recurring color issue, showing a yellow tint and unstable RGB output. Chris suspects the video encoder and begins another round of careful troubleshooting.
After unboxing Paul’s package, he finds both the motherboard and a spare keyboard. He starts testing the Amiga and quickly confirms the color fault. The image flickers between yellow and brown, a classic sign of encoder trouble. This repair becomes the latest in a long line of Amiga rescues for Chris.
Before diving into the fix, he upgrades his bench setup. A new TROND LED lamp brightens the workspace, while the MECO Elver electric air duster clears debris. The Thermal Master P3 thermal camera, however, becomes the key diagnostic tool. It allows Chris to locate excessive heat around the CXA1145 video encoder.
During the Amiga 600 encoder repair, the Thermal Master reveals one transistor running at 56 degrees Celsius. This leads Chris to inspect nearby resistors in the RGB circuit. He replaces several faulty 1K and 33K resistors, reflows solder joints, and cleans the area with the new air duster. Once complete, the screen colors begin to return to normal.
The challenge isn’t over yet. The system behaves differently depending on the installed Kickstart ROM. When using a Cloanto 3.X ROM, it boots with missing libraries and odd color behavior. Swapping to a genuine Commodore Kickstart ROM solves every issue instantly. The repaired Amiga 600 now boots cleanly with vivid, stable color output.
Chris ends the video on a high note, thanking Paul for donating a spare keyboard. He teases his upcoming cameo as “Dr. Chris” in Geo’s Quest, adding a bit of humor to the finale. Another classic computer lives again, proving that precision repairs and the right tools can revive even the most finicky Amiga hardware.
