New PCBs to play with!
New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"
- stephen_usher
- Posts: 5580
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
- Location: Oxford, UK.
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Re: New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"
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.
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.
- stephen_usher
- Posts: 5580
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
- Location: Oxford, UK.
- Contact:
Re: New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"
Phew! The new power supply for the monitor works.
I'll have to solder the wires properly over the weekend.
I'll have to solder the wires properly over the weekend.
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.
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.
- stephen_usher
- Posts: 5580
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
- Location: Oxford, UK.
- Contact:
Re: New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"
OK, it's too hot up in the room upstairs to do proper soldering but I couldn't help doing the monitor PSU properly.
All happy.
Oh, and I added a knob onto the stalk of the brightness control. From pictures it looks like the original always breaks up and falls of and none have the original knob fitted.
All happy.
Oh, and I added a knob onto the stalk of the brightness control. From pictures it looks like the original always breaks up and falls of and none have the original knob fitted.
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.
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.
- stephen_usher
- Posts: 5580
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
- Location: Oxford, UK.
- Contact:
Re: New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"
Jolly retro-brighting weather...
Do do do do do-do.
Do do do do do-do.
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.
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.
- stephen_usher
- Posts: 5580
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
- Location: Oxford, UK.
- Contact:
Re: New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"
The Mk.II boards are now made up.
I'll probably have a look at testing them after lunch. I can by-pass the ATTiny85 socket with a jumper for the first test.
I'll probably have a look at testing them after lunch. I can by-pass the ATTiny85 socket with a jumper for the first test.
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.
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.
- stephen_usher
- Posts: 5580
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
- Location: Oxford, UK.
- Contact:
Re: New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"
You know, I dispute those who say retrobrightening is merely a bleaching chemical reaction as I can always tell when the brightening has finished for the day when the plastic suddenly lightens (within 10 minutes) and the cream starts to take on the colour of the browned plastic, almost as if it's a leaching effect.
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.
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.
- stephen_usher
- Posts: 5580
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
- Location: Oxford, UK.
- Contact:
Re: New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"
And the retro-brightening result?...
Not quite the original colour (the rear shell hadn't discoloured) but close enough. It was originally slightly darker orange than the base.
It doesn't look too bad now. At least you can see the logo easily!
(It looks less yellow in person.)
Not quite the original colour (the rear shell hadn't discoloured) but close enough. It was originally slightly darker orange than the base.
It doesn't look too bad now. At least you can see the logo easily!
(It looks less yellow in person.)
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.
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.
- stephen_usher
- Posts: 5580
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
- Location: Oxford, UK.
- Contact:
Re: New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"
The new boards work, though I gave myself a bit of a scare when I didn't ground the output going to the OR gate for STEP as that was floating high and causing the machine to sort of crash.
Anyway, it reads floppies at the standard rate now.
Having said that, I should have made the daughter board a bit shorter, I was paranoid about having chips underneath the power supply. So, instead the floppy cable connector now fowls the top of the controller chip. Well, it's good enough.
The next part of the development entails learning how to program the ATTiny85 correctly (and creating a two core wire between the daughter board and cable converter board so as to be able to monitor Motor-On and which drive is selected).
Anyway, it reads floppies at the standard rate now.
Having said that, I should have made the daughter board a bit shorter, I was paranoid about having chips underneath the power supply. So, instead the floppy cable connector now fowls the top of the controller chip. Well, it's good enough.
The next part of the development entails learning how to program the ATTiny85 correctly (and creating a two core wire between the daughter board and cable converter board so as to be able to monitor Motor-On and which drive is selected).
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.
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.
- stephen_usher
- Posts: 5580
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
- Location: Oxford, UK.
- Contact:
Re: New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"
Well, well. It seems that I won't need the ATTiny85 after all and all my previous failures with a second drive were all due to the floating ground pins on the previous cable adapter.
Lookie here... Booting off drive B: which is a real floppy drive!
Lookie here... Booting off drive B: which is a real floppy drive!
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.
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.
- stephen_usher
- Posts: 5580
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
- Location: Oxford, UK.
- Contact:
Re: New project: An ACT Apricot F1 "barn find"
Bother! It's unreliable.
If the machine correctly detects two drives at boot then everything works flawlessly. However, if it doesn't then it ignores the second drive even over resets (warm) as it never checks again.
OK, ATTiny85 definitely needed then.
If the machine correctly detects two drives at boot then everything works flawlessly. However, if it doesn't then it ignores the second drive even over resets (warm) as it never checks again.
OK, ATTiny85 definitely needed then.
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.
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.