PhilCs blog / the latest things hes broken(fixed)

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PhilC
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Re: PhilCs blog / the latest things hes broken(fixed)

Post by PhilC »

Found the OS1 switch, made no difference as far as I can see?
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Re: PhilCs blog / the latest things hes broken(fixed)

Post by rubber_jonnie »

PhilC wrote: Thu Sep 09, 2021 4:22 pm Found the OS1 switch, made no difference as far as I can see?
For me there was a slight change from black background to dark brown. Black background is mono, switch is on, Brown background is colour, switch is off.

Unless that weird ass mod is affecting the video output?
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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Re: PhilCs blog / the latest things hes broken(fixed)

Post by PhilC »

I think I shall remove the mod and put it back to standard. I'm wondering if this was used with some odd monitor and it needed a boost or something?
If it ain't broke, test it to Destruction.
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Re: PhilCs blog / the latest things hes broken(fixed)

Post by rubber_jonnie »

PhilC wrote: Thu Sep 09, 2021 4:32 pm I think I shall remove the mod and put it back to standard. I'm wondering if this was used with some odd monitor and it needed a boost or something?
Could be, maybe you can remove the mod and chip as one, just put a new chip in?
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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Re: PhilCs blog / the latest things hes broken(fixed)

Post by lilwashu »

rubber_jonnie wrote: Thu Sep 09, 2021 4:27 pm
PhilC wrote: Thu Sep 09, 2021 4:22 pm Found the OS1 switch, made no difference as far as I can see?
For me there was a slight change from black background to dark brown. Black background is mono, switch is on, Brown background is colour, switch is off.

Unless that weird ass mod is affecting the video output?
It should switch from mono to colour automatically depending on the screen output, except if the colour switch is off in which case it should be permanently mono.

There are two adjustable pots on the right hand side of the board which adjust the colour signal - mine behaves differently on three different displays I have, on a mid 2000s LCD it is permanently in colour mode (brownish background instead of black), on a mid 90s CRT it switches from mono to colour with a slight delay, and on a late 80s CRT and a Philips monitor it switches over with no delay. This behaviour can be changed by fiddling with the pots.
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Re: PhilCs blog / the latest things hes broken(fixed)

Post by PhilC »

So the dead bug chip was a 7407 logic chip. I've now removed it and lo and behold we have colour once again.

I'm thinking that was some kind of mono monitor mod?
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Re: PhilCs blog / the latest things hes broken(fixed)

Post by rubber_jonnie »

lilwashu wrote: Thu Sep 09, 2021 4:39 pm
rubber_jonnie wrote: Thu Sep 09, 2021 4:27 pm

For me there was a slight change from black background to dark brown. Black background is mono, switch is on, Brown background is colour, switch is off.

Unless that weird ass mod is affecting the video output?
It should switch from mono to colour automatically depending on the screen output, except if the colour switch is off in which case it should be permanently mono.

There are two adjustable pots on the right hand side of the board which adjust the colour signal - mine behaves differently on three different displays I have, on a mid 2000s LCD it is permanently in colour mode (brownish background instead of black), on a mid 90s CRT it switches from mono to colour with a slight delay, and on a late 80s CRT and a Philips monitor it switches over with no delay. This behaviour can be changed by fiddling with the pots.
Mine doesn't switch automatically, I suspect because the pots you've mentioned need tweaking because of my modern LCD display. I'll just leave it on colour for now, it's easy enough for me to switch on account of not having the display on top of the case.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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Re: PhilCs blog / the latest things hes broken(fixed)

Post by rubber_jonnie »

PhilC wrote: Thu Sep 09, 2021 4:41 pm So the dead bug chip was a 7407 logic chip. I've now removed it and lo and behold we have colour once again.

I'm thinking that was some kind of mono monitor mod?
Splendid!

:girldance:
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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Re: PhilCs blog / the latest things hes broken(fixed)

Post by PhilC »

Slowly getting used to the Apple IIe, I can definitely say it does things differently than other computers I used at the time.

For instance Init to format a floppy disk rather than the format command on beebs and the like.

Just tried out one of my two 5.25 Disk II drives. Apart from the odd noise where it needs lubricating it's working pretty well.

Of course as usual I have stuff to learn like why is there a 3.5mm Jack socket and a switch on the front of the drive?

16312151211845660270292222594638.jpg
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Re: PhilCs blog / the latest things hes broken(fixed)

Post by rubber_jonnie »

Also, if you have 2 drives it's init,D2 but then D2 remains active after that until you actively specify D1again.

As for the switch, maybe it's modded, worth taking a peek, or perhaps it's an ID switch? As for the 3.5mm jack, who knows, take a peek again I guess.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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