Epson HX-20 Presentazione e Sostituzione vecchi accumulatori (NiCd)

Autopsy:
Le ultime immagini della galleria mostrano come sostituire i vecchi accumulatori NiCd.
testo tratto dalla Homepage di Wikipedia:
Lo Epson HX-20 viene considerato il primo computer portatile.
Fu presentato nel novembre 1981 ma le vendite iniziarono nel 1983. È oggi considerato un oggetto di grande valore tra gli appassionati di retrocomputing. Aveva le dimensioni di un foglio A4 e pesava circa 1,6 kg. Era dotato di tastiera, un display LCD da 120×32 pixel una piccola stampante ad aghi (simile a quelle delle calcolatrici da tavolo); era alimentato da accumulatori nichel-cadmio.
Il processore era un Two Hitachi con velocità 0,7 MHz, presentava nel retro una porta RS-232 per la stampante. Era l’unico sistema a quel tempo ad essere dotato di un registratore a microcassette. Il registratore a nastro poteva essere sostituito da una cartuccia ROM.
Loading game bomber:
Hi,
I hope You can help. I have two HX-20 but both do not run with power supply (6V) attached.
Is it possible to run the HX-20 only with power supply or is a fully functional battery required?
I think the battery is defective.
Best regards
Mathias
I found that the HX-20 require a functional internal battery to operate (even with the adapter plugged in).
Hello,
I’ve had my HX-20 since they first came out, I bought mine new.
Yes, the power circuit inside the unit is quite crude, I understand, and it is designed on the assumption that the battery is there, and functioning. You cannot operate the machine without a battery. Of some sort. I’ve been using an external battery pack for some years without any problem.
Geoff
My microcassette has now failed, prob just the rubber band, but no luck getting inside to replace. I’ve been experimenting with saving/loading files via CAS1: to laptop as .WAV files. Works fine.
Do you still have this XAD? Any chance of a scan of the listing for Bomber, or an MP3 of the game file, please? Would love to see this game preserved, but seems very hard to find.
Fingers crossed.
Barrie
OneSwitch.org.uk
@Barrie Ellis
Hi Barrie, yes, probably much easier an mp3/wav, but i have to find some time to do it :D
My HX-20 is still working! The external battery pack with NiMH cells seems to be doing the necessary, with the original Epson PSU, with adjustment to the charge time.
I’ve had others asking me for the BOMBER prog, which is difficult to find, I’ve not got it myself. If I had the code, I could enter it up, if I had even the BASIC file I could get it into my machine (the hxtape process will allow me to access a text file of the listing and produce a WAV, which I can then LOAD. mp3 files can work, but they seem to be not so reliable, I much prefer to stick with wav.
Geoff
Hopping someone can help me with getting a copy of the ROM chips, I have purchased a HX20 from eBay and it’s in great condition, well apart from some battery leakage, but the ROM’s have been removed. If someone knows where I can find the files or be able to copy and send me a copy of theirs.
Thank you in advance,
Kris
@Kristopher Brunt
http://www.vintagecomputer.net/fjkraan/comp/hx20/ROMdump.html
@xAD nIGHTFAL / Nightfall crew. What batteries did you use to rebuild the battery pack? Can you post more information about its type and voltage characteristics? (battery type, capacity and dimensions). I need to rebuild one. Thanks.
Look for the website by Martin Hepperl re Epson HX-20. Very detailed PDF doc, incl much detail about batteries.
The BOMBER (or more properly BLITZ) game is now recovered. Find the YouTube site for NightFall/HX-20 with the video linked above for the link, this site does not allow direct links.
Geoff
collection of HX-20 programs : https://www.pjspot.com/hx-20/?page