New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"

Blogs & guides and tales of woo by forum members.
User avatar
rubber_jonnie
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 10385
Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
Location: Essex
Contact:

Re: New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"

Post by rubber_jonnie »

stephen_usher wrote: Sat Jul 10, 2021 11:17 am
rubber_jonnie wrote: Sat Jul 10, 2021 10:51 am @stephen_usher I said over on FB earlier today that this was a magnificent effort, and I can only reiterate that now :)
It's the tinkering which is the fun bit. Once it's all working there's the, "OK, what now?" bit. :-)

Anyway, if I get the DSKCHG to /READY conversion stuff working correctly this will be directly applicable to using PC drives with Ataris and Amigas. I can create a generic converter board which can re-route the DSKCHG to pin 2 and generate the /READY signal on pin 34 so any PC drive can be used without modification. I could even swap the drive ID lines etc. if necessary. It wouldn't be difficult.
I totally get what you mean regarding the 'Ok what now?' bit!!

Sounds like the floppy stuff could cross the borders quite nicely, be good to see the end result.
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...
User avatar
stephen_usher
Posts: 5532
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
Location: Oxford, UK.
Contact:

Re: New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"

Post by stephen_usher »

The new versions of the controller daughter board and Shugart/Apricot floppy cable converter PCBs are now on their way from China. If all goes well they should arrive before the weekend.

The cable converter fixes the ground plane problem and adds an extra set of connections so that I can tap the /MOTORON and /SELECT_DRIVE_0 lines and connect them to the controller daughter board as I will need them to control the /READY signal (and store the current drive state) using the ATTiny85. I've also moved the Shugart connector further forward so that it leaves more space for the daughter board.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
User avatar
rubber_jonnie
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 10385
Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
Location: Essex
Contact:

Re: New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"

Post by rubber_jonnie »

stephen_usher wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 2:17 pm The new versions of the controller daughter board and Shugart/Apricot floppy cable converter PCBs are now on their way from China. If all goes well they should arrive before the weekend.

The cable converter fixes the ground plane problem and adds an extra set of connections so that I can tap the /MOTORON and /SELECT_DRIVE_0 lines and connect them to the controller daughter board as I will need them to control the /READY signal (and store the current drive state) using the ATTiny85. I've also moved the Shugart connector further forward so that it leaves more space for the daughter board.
Nice :)
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...
User avatar
stephen_usher
Posts: 5532
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
Location: Oxford, UK.
Contact:

Re: New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"

Post by stephen_usher »

Bother! The Apricot monitor has just died.

I think that it must be the flyback transformer as there's no deflection left/right so you just see a line down the centre of the screen, bright where there's supposed to be text.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
User avatar
stephen_usher
Posts: 5532
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
Location: Oxford, UK.
Contact:

Re: New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"

Post by stephen_usher »

Looks like the monitor is not repairable.

It's a bespoke Zenith design with a flyback transformer which is only mentioned in the specs of a Heathkit terminal otherwise and it doesn't give the specifications.

IMG_2364.jpg
IMG_2364.jpg (66.45 KiB) Viewed 2295 times
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
User avatar
stephen_usher
Posts: 5532
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
Location: Oxford, UK.
Contact:

Re: New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"

Post by stephen_usher »

The wonders of wiggling connectors.... :D

IMG_2365.jpg
IMG_2365.jpg (62.88 KiB) Viewed 2289 times
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
User avatar
PhilC
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5984
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 8:22 pm

Re: New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"

Post by PhilC »

well done. Kind of looks even more retro without the case on the monitor :D
If it ain't broke, test it to Destruction.
Tomswork
Posts: 775
Joined: Fri Nov 22, 2019 10:05 pm

Re: New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"

Post by Tomswork »

Maybe a broken solder joint on the pcb flyback are now for that.

Tom
User avatar
stephen_usher
Posts: 5532
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
Location: Oxford, UK.
Contact:

Re: New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"

Post by stephen_usher »

Tomswork wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 5:58 pm Maybe a broken solder joint on the pcb flyback are now for that.

Tom
The flyback, strangely, is not on a PCB, it's bolted to the chassis. The connections are via a header, which is what I wiggled.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
Tomswork
Posts: 775
Joined: Fri Nov 22, 2019 10:05 pm

Re: New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"

Post by Tomswork »

Oh that is old school right out of a 60's tv set

Tom
Post Reply

Return to “MEMBER BLOGS”