It's 600XL time!

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rubber_jonnie
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Re: It's 600XL time!

Post by rubber_jonnie »

stephen_usher wrote: Mon Jan 24, 2022 8:11 am Poor Sally.
:lol:

:2hot:
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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rubber_jonnie
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Re: It's 600XL time!

Post by rubber_jonnie »

Bit of me time today with the 600XL. I've managed to open up my 800XL and do some chip swaps. plus I have dug out all my 74LS stock items and swapped what I can for new working items. As yet no joy.

Here's what's been tested so far and is good:
  • Pokey (I have 2 working spares)
  • Sally (I got a working replacement today)
  • GTIA (Just tested OK in my 800XL with Super Salt)
  • Antic (Just tested OK in my 800XL with Super Salt)
  • O/S ROM (Tested with a known good one from my 800XL)
  • MMU (Tested with a known good one from my 800XL)
Unfortunately, the PIA is soldered in on both my 800XL & 65XE, so that's no good. It's a 6520 PIA, so available at least, though looking at the service manual I'm not convinced that it is in a position to break the machine in the way it does, neither the block diagram nor the schematic seem to show that it plays a major part other than I/O for things like the joysticks etc, and removing it makes no change either.

Would have also been nice to test the delay line IC, but that is again soldered in on the 800XL and I don't want to take the risk of breaking anything by removing it.

So I think I'll order up the logic ICs I don't already have as they'll be cheap as chips (!!!!!!), plus a delay line IC as they are also a potential cause of issues and are also quite inexpensive.

It won't hurt to have more 74LS stuff to hand, so that's all good, and in the meantime I can slowly replace the single wipe sockets for the main ICs with something better.
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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exxos
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Re: It's 600XL time!

Post by exxos »

You're like pacman on E's lately @rubber_jonnie, I don't know what you're smoking, but I want some! :lol: :cheers:
https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/ All my hardware guides - mods - games - STOS
https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/store2/ - All my hardware mods for sale - Please help support by making a purchase.
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1585 Have you done the Mandatory Fixes ?
Just because a lot of people agree on something, doesn't make it a fact. ~exxos ~
People should find solutions to problems, not find problems with solutions.
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: It's 600XL time!

Post by rubber_jonnie »

exxos wrote: Sat Jan 29, 2022 4:06 pm Your like pacman on E's lately @rubber_jonnie , I don't know what your smoking, but I want some! :lol: :cheers:
Lol, I have wanted a 600XL for ages and intend to get it up to super spec, just need to make it work first!!

I do seem to have got a lot done of late, it's been a bit of a blur, just hoping my lucky streak doesn't run out!!

Time for a look at Bretts machine again!

I seem to be at my best when I'm busy!
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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rubber_jonnie
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Re: It's 600XL time!

Post by rubber_jonnie »

Mmmm, chips....

IMG_20220201_153232.jpg
IMG_20220201_153232.jpg (168.73 KiB) Viewed 1870 times
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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stephen_usher
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Re: It's 600XL time!

Post by stephen_usher »

Fish!
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.
BennehBoy
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Re: It's 600XL time!

Post by BennehBoy »

Dandelion & Burdoch! As long as we're doing word association.
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: It's 600XL time!

Post by rubber_jonnie »

In that case, cream soda!
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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rubber_jonnie
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Re: It's 600XL time!

Post by rubber_jonnie »

Well, some more of my 74LS spares for the 600XL arrived today, plus some other non LS ICs, and the problem still remains.

So, that means that the final suspects are the delay line IC, the 74LS375 (A latch), the basic ROM or PIA. FlassJazzCat (He of A8 fame, upgrades, code etc) does say it's often the delay line that's the cause of spontaneous 600XL death, so fingers crossed.

Every other IC has been checked with new, and I still get the same reddish brown screen.

I can't test the Basic ROM as it isn't socketed in my other machines, but even if that was dead I'd expect more activity. Literally everything else checks out.

I'm still planning to replace the sockets in the 600XL as well once I've finished up with Brett's STE, which only has a small mod left to do, so hopefully next week.

My money is on the delay line, but it's coming from Poland so may take a bit longer to arrive. Fingers crossed I'll have ruled out the 74LS375 by the time it arrives.

It is annoying as I have checked all the LS chips with my TL866, but the trouble is I'm not so sure I trust the tests 100% as one IC failed, but so did the new ones in the same way.

Fingers crossed it'll be running soon, and if not I'll have to get the big guns out.
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...
BennehBoy
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Re: It's 600XL time!

Post by BennehBoy »

Which IC type failed the tests? I've a bunch of 74 logic at home and 2 different ways to test them so I could see if it's a generic issue with the profiles that the TL866 includes - are you using the latest xgpro release?
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