Defect:

• Dead and then Garbage screen.

Components replaced/fixes:

• 1 x CPU 6502 (DH8)
• 1 x RAM MN4164P (DC3)
• One switch of the DIP Switch was in a wrong posistion.
• Fixed the connection of the original lamp (power on led) with the pins cutted.
• Inserted the missing Z80 CPU (DF8)

The keyboard is not working correctly, some keyboard keys are totally dead.

Gallery of the repair:

123►

Pravetz computers

Pravetz (Правец in the original Cyrillic, series 8 and series 16) were Bulgarian computers, manufactured mainly in the town of Pravetz. Some components and software were produced in Stara Zagora, Plovdiv, and other Bulgarian cities.

The first Bulgarian-made personal computer, IMKO-1, was a prototype of the Pravetz computers that were developed by Ivan Vassilev Marangozov, who was often accused of cloning the Apple II. A few early models were produced at the ITKR (pronounced ee-teh-kah-reh, Institute of Technical Cybernetics and Robotics), a section of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Industrial production in Pravetz started shortly after.

Pravetz computers were of major importance in the economy of the Comecon.

In October 2013, a privately held Bulgarian company claimed in their website to have the rights on the trademark and misleadingly announced that “Pravetz Computers are returning to market”. In fact, the company has no link to the original “Pravetz” computers known during the Soviet Era.

Advertisement:

source: wikipedia

APF Electronics Inc MP-1000 (1978) – Joystick Repair

Defect:

• Both Joysticks dead.

Fix:

• The adhesive tape has dried and the conductive pad move inside the joystick. I have disassembled,cleaned and used a new adhesive tape, now they are like new.
• Replaced the fire button on one of the two joystick completely dead.

Gallery of the repair:

Sakhr Computers was a Kuwaiti company (Al Alamiah co.) that was selling MSX computers imported from Japan in all of the Arab world. These MSX were localized and rebranded for some Arabic markets.

The AX-370 is the Sanyo WAVY PHC-70FD MSX2+ computer localised by Al Alamiah with more RAM (128kB instead of 64kB). This machine has an Arabic QWERTY keyboard.

The Rensha controller (autofire), the Pause key and the X-BASIC (or Turbo-Basic) have been removed, the MSX2+ bios roms have been replaced by MSX2 roms, but there’s still the MSX2+ videochip, the Yamaha V9958. It means that software using in language machine the MSX2+ features, especially SCREEN 10 to 12 and the horizontal scrolling, can be runned on this MSX2 computer.

This machine comes with version 2.03 of Arabic firmware, present on all Sakhr/Al Alamiah computers. The firmware can be skipped by pressing CTRL key while booting and until you come on the MSX-BASIC screen. By doing that, the machine will be in International mode and the Arabic characters will not be available.

However, from MSX-BASIC, you can fully enable the Arabic mode with CALL ARABIC, _ ARABIC, CALL ARABON or _ ARABON. It is also possible to keep the Arabic BASIC active without the other Arabic features by entering first CALL ARABIC or _ ARABIC, then CALL ARABOFF or _ ARABOFF.

This firmware adds Arabic characters, new MSX-BASIC commands (see Arabic BASIC) and 4 applications. You can choose them in the menu with the keys 1 to 4.

By comparison with version 2.02, a new application has been added, it’s Sakhr BASIC or how to use BASIC directly in Arabic language. Other options are Word Processor with choice between English or Arabic Word Processor, the Arabic version of The Painter, a graphic tool in screen 5 (the original version can be found in the Yamaha YIS-805) and the Calendar.

If you press key 5 when you are in the menu, you will go to MSX-BASIC. Going back to the menu is possible with CALL MENU or _ MENU. From MSX-BASIC, the Word Processor can be launched with CALL SWP or _ SWP, Sakhr Basic with CALL SBASIC or _ SBASIC, The Painter with CALL PAINT or _ PAINT, the Calendar with CALL CALENDAR or _ CALENDAR.

If you are in International mode, only CALL SWP or _SWP can be used, you will directly go to the English (or French) Word Processor. It’s not recommended to use the other commands without first enabling the Arabic mode.

Gallery:

Gallery of Cleaning and Testing:

source: msx.org

I used a product to regenerate the rubber keypad of remote controls to repair the keyboard flat cable of a Home Computer MSX.

I have used this product many times for my work of Retro Computer restoration but never to regenerate the rubber keypad of remote controls :D

Gallery of the repair:

Keyboard #1

Defect:

• When the keyboard is connected, the computer doesn’t work (black screen)

Components replaced:

• 1 x 74LS132P (U4)

Keyboard #2

Defect:

• The Caps lock flashes three times and the keyboard doesn’t work.

Fix:

• Cold solder joint on the capacitor (C11)

Gallery:

Available on stock the new version of the V3 C64SD Princess by Manosoft. For more information please visit the Manosoft website.

source: manosoft.it

In this short article (i don’t like to writing long articles that nobody reads) i share with you the three days spent with some dear friends.

Thursday 25th June at 6:45am i took the train to Rome/Termini, the journey is went well without a hitch on the times. I’m arrived in Rome/Termini at 12:20pm where i met Andrea, from Rome/Termini we took another train that took us to Nettuno.

Arrived in Nettuno we went to eat a sandwich, i was starving :-D, then we went to the “den” of Andrea and we immediately put to work, my initial idea with Andrea
it was to repair more computers possible in three days. In the afternoon we heard at the phone Paolo and Ciro. Thursday evening we went to the Andrea house for the dinner where i have known the wife and the daughter.

Friday morning wake up at dawn and we are back to the “den” to continue the repairs and half morning it came Paolo, could not resist one more day to see me ;-D
the appointment for the barbecue together was scheduled for Saturday, the day after. Friday Afternoon came Ciro and we spent the afternoon together to talking and in the meantime we have made repairs and  testing of computers turned off for over 30 years, we never stopped to work. Friday evening with Andrea and Ciro we went out to eat, the photos of the three dishes speak for themselves :-D

Saturday morning with Ciro we are moved from Anzio to Nettuno where we have continued to do repairs and talk. Saturday afternoon/evening they arrived Paolo and Carlo, i had never met Carlo in person, but it’s as if i knew him always, we write and hear at the phone often. The evening is ended with a large barbecue where we talked not only of “Retro” until around the midnight. i had to go to sleep, the next day there was the train from Rome/Termini at 8:45am to back home.

I have spent three wonderful days with a friends which sharing the same passion. Thanks again to all.

Below a gallery of the photos taken in these three days.

123►

The High Voltage SID Collection (HVSC) is a freeware hobby project which organises Commodore 64 music (also known as SID music) into an archive for both musicians and fans alike.

The work on the collection is done completely in the Team and contributors’ spare time and is proudly one of the largest and most accurate computer music collections known.

This update features (all approximates):

• 798 new SIDs
• 121 fixed/better rips
• 3 repeats/bad rips eliminated
• 412 SID credit fixes
• 67 SID model/clock infos
• 8 tunes from /DEMOS/UNKNOWN/ identified
• 19 tunes from /GAMES/ identified
• 24 tunes moved out of /DEMOS/ to their composers’ directories
• 22 tunes moved out of /GAMES/ to their composers’ directories

Download:

• HVSC Update #63 (1629)
• HVSC Complete #63 (1708)

source: www.hvsc.c64.org

Microprofessor II (MPF II), introduced in 1982, was Multitech’s (later renamed Acer) second branded computer product and also one of the earliest Apple II clones. It does not look like most other computers. The case of the MPF II was a slab with a small chiclet keyboard on its lower part.

In 1983, the Multiprofessor II retailed in the UK for £269.00 including VAT.

One key feature of the MPF II was its Chinese BASIC, a version of Chinese-localized BASIC based on Applesoft BASIC. There was also a version sold in Europe that did not have Chinese localization.

Differences to Apple II:

The MPF II was not totally compatible with the Apple II.

The MPF II did not have Apple II’s text mode. All the text was drawn on the screen by software rather than generated by hardware. It was the only cost-effective way to generate Chinese text on screen at a time when a hardware-based Chinese character generator could cost hundreds of U.S. dollars.

Like Apple II, MPF II had two graphics buffers. However the second buffer was at address A000H while with Apple II it was at 4000H. The keyboard input was mapped to a different address than the Apple II making impossible to play Apple’s games on the MPF II.

MPF-II keyboard interface was very simple and consisted of an 8 bit output port and an input port that were directly connected to keyboard matrix. The Apple joystick interface was not there, and instead the joystick appeared as a keyboard with arrow keys and two other buttons.

The external slot interface was also not compatible with the Apple II and could not use many standard interface cards including the Disk II controller.

Technical information:

• CPU: MOS Technology 6502
• Clock rate: 1 MHz
• RAM: 64 KB (including 16KB RAM mapped at the same address as the ROM)
• ROM: 16 KB (12 KB of which is a BASIC interpreter)
• Text modes: 40×24 (using graphics mode)
• Graphics modes: 280×192
• Colours: 8 colours
• Sound: 1 channel of 1-bit sound
• Connectors: Keyboard, Printer, Expansion port, cassette recorded input and output, Composite and TV-out
• Optional peripherals: 55 key full-size keyboard, Floppy disc drive, Thermal and Dot-matrix printers, Joystick
• Power supply: External PSU, 5,12V

Multitech Micro-Professor MPF-II – PapaTudo (Pacman Clone) by Microsoft:

Gallery:

12►

Powersupply Pinout:

Multitech Micro-Professor MPF-II Loading TK-2000 Game:

source: wikipedia mpf-ii.blogspot.it TK-2000 games download

Atari The Educator

The package includes:

• Basic Cartridge.
• Software & State Capital software on tape.
• The Program Recorder Atari 410.

Download: Atari Educator Owners Guide (1966)

Atari 1025 80-Column Printer

Printer Specifications:

• 40 cps (80-column 10 cpi mode)
• 5 cpi expanded (40 col), 10 cpi (80 col), 16.7 cpi condensed (132-col)
• 5×7 character dot matrix.
• Buffer: 132 chrs at 16.7 cpi, 80 chrs at 10 cpi.
• Paper: roll,fanfold,single sheets. optional:roll paper holder, tractor feed.

Atari 1030 Modem

With the introduction of Atari all new XL line of computers came the all new Atari 1030 direct connect modem. The modem had a very unique feature packed into it. Just like the Atari 850 interface, the Atari 1030 modem had not only its device driver in ROM which would automatically upload into the computers memory, but also its software as well.

The Atari 1030 came with an on-board software package called ModemLink which would automatically upload into the computers memory. However there was a catch, like all previous Atari software, ModemLink had no provisions for Uploading or Downloading software, also in order to use the on-board ModemLink software any disk drives that were connected to your system had to be turned OFF.

Later Atari 1030′s were packaged with “The New Atari 1030 Software Package” which was a diskette with Amodem, Tscope and DiskLink software. Amodem was written by Jim Steinbrecher of Atari telecom fame, Tscope was written by Joe Miller and was for use with Compuserve.

Gallery:

source: atarimuseum.com

Some new games or tools (Cracked / Trained or Unrealeased) for Commodore 64 have been released from your favorites groups.

Titles:

• Paper Plane +1HFD 100% [pal/ntsc]
• Donkey Kong Junior +6HD [onefiled]
• Paper Plane +21D [crazy hack]
• Paper Plane
• Bruce Lee II Preview
• Donkey Kong Junior +5HD [onefiled]
• Bomb Fusion +32D [crazy hack]
• Laberinto [spanish]
• Donkey Kong Junior +3D [onefiled]
• Paper Plane &H [pal/ntsc]
• Rocky Memphis Preview 2 +1M
• Rocky Memphis Preview 2
• Rocky Memphis Preview 2 + [onefiled]
• Moonspire Preview +2
• Moonspire Preview
• X-Force +35D [crazy hack]
• Kanga +3D
• Rocky Memphis Preview 2 [pal/ntsc]
• Pandora +4DS +Pic
• Laberinto +2T

Download: All Games in One Archive (3340)

Commodore Dual Drive Floppy Disk Model 4040 Repair

Defect:

• Completely dead with all LEDs lit up like a christmas tree.

Replaced parts:

• Replaced 1 x LM340K (7812) Voltage Regulator (VR1)
• Replaced 1 x 7406 Hex Inverter Buffers/Drivers (UJ6)
• Replaced 1 x 6522 (VIA) Versatile Interface Adapter (UM3)
• Replaced 1 x 6504 8-Bit CPU (UH3)
• Replaced 1 x 6502 8-Bit CPU (UN1)

Note:

The cause of many problems was the previous repair. It was replaced the voltage regulator LM340K (7812) with a LM338K (Adjustable Regulators). The two components are not compatible and have a different pinout.

Download:

• CBM 2040-3040-4040-8050 Disk Drive Manual + Led Diagnostic (1159)

Some new games or tools (Cracked / Trained or Unrealeased) for Commodore 64 have been released from your favorites groups.

Titles:

• CubeSim64 Preview
• Battle in Space +4
• Oops! +4DH
• Battle Chess +D [EasyFlash]
• Crazy Painter +4HD
• Snakman +2D
• Purple Turtles +2HDG
• Captain Future Preview +3E
• Suicide Strike 101% +3DG
• Softporn Adventure &Sol
• Xain’D Sleena +2
• Xain’D Sleena
• Pluff +2TD
• Amity Island +3H
• A.R.C.O.S. +2 TD
• Knights & Demons +2D
• 8bit Fighters Preview
• Downfall Preview V2
• Rylan +4ED
• Aurum 100% +T
• World Boxing Champ &DGPM
• Your Father’s Nightmare +2
• Graham Gooch All Star Cricket Preview
• Single Extreme Freedom
• Your Father’s Nightmare +2M 101%

Download: All Games in One Archive (3425)

source: csdb.dk

Scene World is a C64 magazine on disk dedicated to various activities of both C64 scenes.

“Both” means, that we are supplying information and texts of both scenes; NTSC and PAL.

Download: Scene World #23 (1289)

source: sceneworld.c64files.com

The TI99 IUC makes me a Interview. Happy reading.

source: ti99iuc.it