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Should I get a 5151 or a 5153 monitor?

Yeah at this point I'm not expecting it to considering it seems to be MDA/Herc/Herc-compatible. I'm just saying it would be nice to have composite right now where I don't have a monitor is all, if I had a composite out jack I have things I could hook it up to.
The scanning frequencies for an MDA/Herc aren't compatible with those of an NTSC color monitor--which is why these things never had a composite output.
 
Ah good to know. By the way since you're here, I have a totally unrelated question. Is it possible to get a power supply for an XT and use it in a 5150 like I have? I'm kind of concerned the current one may not be enough since you mentioned something to that effect earlier. Should I be worried or will it pretty much be fine as long as I don't add any more to it?
 
Ah good to know. By the way since you're here, I have a totally unrelated question. Is it possible to get a power supply for an XT and use it in a 5150 like I have? I'm kind of concerned the current one may not be enough since you mentioned something to that effect earlier. Should I be worried or will it pretty much be fine as long as I don't add any more to it?
I rebuilt my early model 5151 psu with a 2018 modern AT psu. see here: https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threads/breathing-new-life-into-1981-ibm-5150.1239263/post-1266533

This is the psu I purchased: https://www.ebay.com/itm/152431356038
 
Some older 5150 boards with 4116 DRAM need the -5V; not all modern PSUs have that (easy enough to develop using a simple LDO off the -12 line). But a PSU made for a 5160 should work fine.
 
Some older 5150 boards with 4116 DRAM need the -5V; not all modern PSUs have that (easy enough to develop using a simple LDO off the -12 line). But a PSU made for a 5160 should work fine.
Unfortunately I'm not confident enough to do some of the things I've seen like putting a new PSU into the original case and such. I wish I could do that myself and I also wish that I could recap things myself. The most likely thing that would happen is that I end up buying an XT PSU. Thanks for the info.
 
Awesome, would be nice if they made modern reproductions that have non-leaky caps but also have the super satisfying switch.
But they will be old and might fail on you sooner than later.. replacing an old failing part with another is a lateral move. Find someone to do the work for you.
 
But they will be old and might fail on you sooner than later.. replacing an old failing part with another is a lateral move. Find someone to do the work for you.
That's probably the best option, honestly. I know the XT one would not be a super substantial upgrade, but I'd really like to have enough power to be comfortable adding cards, a Gotek, or a 3.5" floppy. Unfortunately, I'm fairly rural so there aren't many places around me. I'd have to send it off. I think ultimately it would probably be worth it, though. Especially if I could get it recapped at the same time.
 
The XT psu is only 63watts its super weak and underpowered. And I didnt say find a neighbor to do it.. you have the ability to send mail right? Find someone somewhere to do it.. Heck Im rural and off the beaten path too. But the world isnalot smaller thsn it used to be.

BTW update your avatar to display where in the world your located.. You could be anywhere in the world for all we know.
 
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Assuming all old PSUs are on deaths door is total BS. I have a fleet of them still running strong with rails in spec and reasonable ripple measured on my scope
 
So do I... but of my five 5150s one 5160 one 5155 and two 5170s.. four have had psu failures. Thats no small number.
 
I can say with 100% certainty the 5155 psu is complete garbage. The rest.. I dunno. They work or they dont.. seems to be no grey area. All but one of mine has an original psu.
 
The XT psu is only 63watts its super weak and underpowered. And I didnt say find a neighbor to do it.. you have the ability to send mail right? Find someone somewhere to do it.. Heck Im rural and off the beaten path too. But the world isnalot smaller thsn it used to be.

BTW update your avatar to display where in the world your located.. You could be anywhere in the world for all we know.
Oh, for some reason I thought the XT's was more powerful than the 5150's. If that's the case, it's a useless thing to consider then. Realistically, my only choice is sending it off to someone should I want this done. Good idea about updating my profile though, I'm gonna go do that now.

All three of mine have aftermarket supplies. Perhaps the original IBM units just sucked
So I assume you found some modern ones then?

I can say with 100% certainty the 5155 psu is conplete garbage. The rest.. I dunno. They work or they dont.. seems to be no grey area. All but one of mine has an original psu.
Well, at least mine is working for the time being. At this point I'm really only slightly concerned because of something Chuck said earlier in the thread. He mentioned that 2 floppy drives and an HDD is pushing things a bit. I was hoping to buy some new cards and I just want to make sure I'm not going to do something stupid and destroy this piece of history and throw the money down the drain.
 
Oh, for some reason I thought the XT's was more powerful than the 5150's. If that's the case, it's a useless thing to consider then.
The IBM XT's (IBM 5160's) stock PSU is indeed more powerful:
IBM PC = about 63W
IBM XT = about 130W

A comparison is at [here].

I was hoping to buy some new cards and I just want to make sure I'm not going to do something stupid and destroy this piece of history and throw the money down the drain.
If the 63W power supply gets overloaded, it is expected to shut itself down (i.e. self preservation).
 
I know the XT one would not be a super substantial upgrade, but I'd really like to have enough power to be comfortable adding cards, a Gotek, or a 3.5" floppy.
The original 63w 5150 PSU is quite sufficient for the 5150's intended use as it came from the factory, My 5150 later model has original 63w PSU, 2 full height floppy drives and when i got it had a 20 Mb Plus Card in it, The PSU had no problems coping, My 5150 now has a VGA card and XT-IDE and has no problems.

It's when folk started fitting a great honking power hungry MFM drive that the 63w PSU struggled and a more powerful PSU was required, I don't own a Gotek but i very much doubt it will make any difference power wise and a 3.5" floppy won't.

These old PSU's are 30+ years old and will fail eventually, It does not mean they are garbage, How many PSU's manufactured today will still be alive in 30+ years time ?, From what i have seen very few if any at all.

As already noted a 130w Original XT PSU will drop in to a 5150, But buying used is a gamble as it may last 5 minutes or 5 years.
 
The IBM XT's (IBM 5160's) stock PSU is indeed more powerful:
IBM PC = about 63W
IBM XT = about 130W

A comparison is at [here].


If the 63W power supply gets overloaded, it is expected to shut itself down (i.e. self preservation).
Ah, didn't know these old ones had overcurrent protection. Awesome

The original 63w 5150 PSU is quite sufficient for the 5150's intended use as it came from the factory, My 5150 later model has original 63w PSU, 2 full height floppy drives and when i got it had a 20 Mb Plus Card in it, The PSU had no problems coping, My 5150 now has a VGA card and XT-IDE and has no problems.

It's when folk started fitting a great honking power hungry MFM drive that the 63w PSU struggled and a more powerful PSU was required, I don't own a Gotek but i very much doubt it will make any difference power wise and a 3.5" floppy won't.

These old PSU's are 30+ years old and will fail eventually, It does not mean they are garbage, How many PSU's manufactured today will still be alive in 30+ years time ?, From what i have seen very few if any at all.

As already noted a 130w Original XT PSU will drop in to a 5150, But buying used is a gamble as it may last 5 minutes or 5 years.
Yeah I have 2 5 1/4" floppies and an MFM drive in there now. I guess time will tell, I'll have to see if the overcurrent protection ever kicks on and if so, probably take the gamble on an XT PSU or send it off to have someone mod it or something.
 
So I assume you found some modern ones then?
No. They are aftermarket but period. All made in the late 80s/early 90s. They came in the machines when I originally bought them second hand.

I trust them more than anything produced in the last 10 years. New thing bad
 
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