When retro tech enthusiast Jon Obst released his latest video, Repairing two Amigas, it was more than just a simple restoration. It was a deep dive into vintage diagnostics, corrosion cleanup, and the joys (and frustrations) of making classic hardware work again. With one Amiga 500 from a fellow collector and another from a group sale, Jon rolls up his sleeves to assess, disassemble, and ultimately revive two of Commodore’s iconic machines.
From the start, repairing two Amigas is a methodical journey. Jon begins with a unit confirmed “dead,” testing it with a vintage Amiga 520 video adapter and a Goodwill-sourced portable TV. A quick power-on confirms the worst: gray screen, flashing LED, and buzzing audio. He opens the case, carefully navigating brittle plastics and a patchwork of missing screws—clear signs someone had already been inside.
As the case comes apart, he discovers the culprit: battery corrosion on the expansion board. A classic Varta battery—infamous in retro circles for leaking—has done its damage. But Jon doesn’t panic. Instead, he removes the board, inspects the traces, and confirms the rest of the motherboard appears intact. To test this, he boots the system without the expansion. Miraculously, the machine springs to life.
The second half of the repair shifts focus to the parts machine. It’s missing several key chips, including the CIA pair, Denise, and the ROM. Jon borrows these from the working system and discovers—surprise!—the board powers up, albeit with minor display issues due to a missing logic chip. He quickly sources a replacement 74HC245N, and once a Kickstart ROM is installed, the second Amiga 500 also displays the familiar Workbench boot screen.
Throughout Repairing Two Amigas, Jon showcases both technical skills and patience. He walks viewers through battery cleanup using vinegar, pin straightening, trace testing with a multimeter, and chip swaps—all in a calm, approachable tone. There’s even a side adventure with a GoTek drive mod that doesn’t quite go to plan, reminding us that retro restoration isn’t always smooth sailing.
Although both Amigas now boot, Jon ends the episode with plans for part two, where he hopes to restore floppy function and maybe get that GoTek behaving. For now, it’s two working Amigas, one shared ROM, and a newfound appreciation for capacitor crust.
