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Gotek (Cortex) USB Floppy Disk Drive Emulator

June 1st, 2014 7 comments
Gotek (Cortex) USB Floppy Disk Drive Emulator

Gallery:

The Gotek is a USB Floppy Drive emulator very cheap, you can buy it from eBay at €24.00 €20.00 including the shipping cost.

Let’s start by saying that this Floppy Disk Emulator with the original firmware is totally useless for our purpose, like to connect it to an Amiga and in the near future to a Atari ST or Amstrad CPC. The new firmware written by Herve Messinger replaces the original firmware, to do this you need a simple converter from USB to TTL Serial Interface to program the STM32 ARM Cortex MCU.

I would add this thing; this Floppy Drive Emulator is not absolutely comparable to the HXC Floppy Emulator of Jean-François DEL NERO (Jeff) where in addition to supporting dozens of Floppy Formats/Hardware and the Firmware is in development from several years but it’s a nice and inexpensive alternative.

For more information, firmware and programming tool you need to go here the official blog of Herve Messinger.

Video:

source: cortexamigafloppydrive.wordpress.com

May 29th, 2014 Comments off

May 29th, 2014 1 comment

May 27th, 2014 Comments off

Apple IIc Rom v4 Upgrade & Repair

May 26th, 2014 1 comment

Apple IIc Rom v4 Upgrade & Repair.

Defect:

  • The second RAM in the auxiliary memory is faulty.

Replaced parts:

  • Replaced 1 x RAM 4264 (ARD1)

Upgrade:

  • Apple IIc ROM upgraded to the latest version V4 (MON)

Download:

May 25th, 2014 Comments off

May 25th, 2014 Comments off

May 25th, 2014 Comments off

Apple IIgs with Monitor / Floppy Drives and Hard Drive (Boxed)

May 18th, 2014 No comments

Autopsy Apple IIgs / Keyboard (A2S6000W):

Autopsy Apple 3.5 Drive (A9M0106):

Autopsy Apple 5.25 Drive (A9M0107):

Autopsy Apple IIgs Mouse (A9M0331):

Autopsy Apple IIgs RGB Monitor (A2M6014Z):

The Apple IIGS (stylized as IIGS) is the fifth and most powerful model in the Apple II series of personal computers produced by Apple Computer. The “GS” in the name stands for Graphics and Sound, referring to its enhanced multimedia capabilities, especially its state-of-the-art sound and music synthesis, which greatly surpassed previous models of the line and most contemporary machines like the Macintosh and IBM PC.

The machine was a radical departure from any previous Apple II, with its true 16-bit architecture, increased processing speed, direct access to megabytes of RAM, wavetable music synthesizer, graphical user interface, and mouse. While still maintaining full backwards compatibility with earlier Apple II models, it blended the Apple II and aspects of Macintosh technology into one. Keeping with Apple’s “Apple II Forever” slogan of the time, the IIGS set forth a promising future and evolutionary advancement of the Apple II line, but Apple paid it relatively little attention as the company increasingly focused on the Macintosh platform.

The Apple IIGS was the first computer produced by Apple to use a color graphical user interface, as well as the “Platinum” (light grey) color scheme and the Apple Desktop Bus interface for keyboards, mice, and other input devices. It was also the first personal computer to come with a built-in “wavetable” sample-based synthesizer chip, utilizing technology from Ensoniq. The machine outsold all other Apple products, including the Macintosh, during its first year in production.

Apple IIgs booting from Iomega Zip Drive:

source: wikipedia

May 16th, 2014 1 comment

May 15th, 2014 1 comment

Commodore 64 ASSY 250407 Empty PCB

May 3rd, 2014 4 comments
Commodore 64 ASSY 251137 Empty PCB

Gallery:

Commodore 64 ASSY 250407 Empty PCB + some Working components.

Apple Monitor IIgs (A2M6014Z) Focus problem workaround.

April 26th, 2014 No comments

Apple Monitor IIgs (A2M6014Z) Focus problem walkaround. Apple Monitor IIgs (A2M6014Z) Focus problem walkaround.

The horizontal measuring was made calculating the ledge at the base of the monitor.

Unfortunately, this monitor suffers from a serious problem of image quality.

The monitor become very hot and the adjustment resistance (trimmer) of the Focus controls that is inside the flyback loses its original value.

After nearly an hour of operation, the image becomes blurred and we must adjust the trimmer of the focus located inside the monitor, that’s why i have made this modification to the external case of the monitor.

The flyback is NOT longer exists as a spare parts.

Datanetics Apple Keyboard Fix.

April 26th, 2014 No comments

Datanetics Apple Keyboard Fix Datanetics Apple Keyboard Fix

Datanetics Apple Keyboard Fix.

After a few cold solder joints redone the keyboard works almost perfectly.

Todo:

  • The “V” key is totally dead.
  • The keys are a bit tired, don’t return always in the original position.

Overall is fine.

Datanetics Apple Keyboard *update*

I found a temporary solution for the tired keys they don’t return always in the original position. I have put a small spring (see the picture). Now the keys works correctly.

About the “V” key completely dead, i have desoldered it and i have tried to spray a air into the slots without having any results, so i have tried a extreme thing, i have used the key switch like a whistle. ;-D I have blown inside several times, the result is the key switch now are working again. I have made the same thing for the “right arrow”.

Apple II Europlus / Keyboard and Floppy Disk Drive Repair

April 25th, 2014 1 comment

Apple II Europlus / Keyboard and Floppy Disk Drive Repair Apple II Europlus / Keyboard and Floppy Disk Drive Repair

Apple II Europlus / Keyboard and Floppy Disk Drive Repair Apple II Europlus / Keyboard and Floppy Disk Drive Repair

Apple II Europlus / Keyboard and Floppy Disk Drive Repair

Defects:

  • The peripheral slots are totally dead.
  • Don’t runs programs that take up more than 16k
  • The keyboard doesn’t respond properly.
  • The Floppy Disk Drive don’t read anything.

Replaced parts:

  • Replaced [H12] Decoder/Demultiplexer 74LS138 in the position [H12]
  • Replaced 3 x 4116 RAM in the row [D]

Keyboard:

  • Cleaned the blades and the contacts on the pcb. Work not recommended to those who have little skill.

Apple Floppy Disk Drive:   

  • The Floppy Disk Drive (Drive 2) had to be cleaned and oiled.