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Apple II Plus - Card Questions

N

ngtwolf

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2018
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991
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Hi All,

I just picked up an Apple II Plus which was in pretty dirty shape in a 'barn' (ironically) for about $40 for this, drive and a selectype printer. I got it all cleaned up, and it seems to basically be working (still some issues with the disk drive that i'm working on). My only experience has been with the IIe which I also have, so there are a number of things on this system that I don't understand at all and maybe someone can help with. There are three things going on that I'm not clear on.

1) I see there is a Videx 80 column card plugged in. Is there supposed to be anything going on there? I see mention in the manual about add-on connections and switch boxes, etc.. but there doesn't seem to be anything attached to this. Should there be?

2) Videx Function Key Strip. So this has a DB9 (DE9) connector and is attached to the case. However, I see nowhere that should plug in.

3) Random Card with zero identifying information. I also see some mods on the motherboard. It looks like whatever the mods on the motherboard are, they appear it connects to this board (at least it has a matching connector) but I can't figure out what this is. It's not a language card, these are all logic chips on this and if it plugs into the motherboard mods, those are logic chips as well, and this system seems to be stuck at the 48k mark. I see another connection on this card with nothing on it so not sure what that is either.

I've attached pictures. If anyone can at least steer me towards what I should be looking for or if there is something missing I need, that would be great. Like I said, I think I found the info on the Videx 80 column card but not that other weird card or what is going on with that, the strange connections on the motherboard, or much on that function strip (though I just found something on a stanford site which might help for that)

1.jpg2.jpg3.jpg4.jpg


Thanks,

Brian
 
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That grey card in the 4th picture looks very very similar to the cards I got when I bought several Apple IIgses from a horse betting company that was closing up shop. I don't have very much info on them, but I think it was part og a timing system? I still have the old manuals around somewhere, I think. I'll have to check and see when I get home.
 
ngtwolf said:
1) I see there is a Videx 80 column card plugged in. Is there supposed to be anything going on there? I see mention in the manual about add-on connections and switch boxes, etc.. but there doesn't seem to be anything attached to this. Should there be?
Click to expand...
Yeah. 80 columns video is not integrated like it is on the IIe, so you need a connection from the Videx card. See here: Fixing a Videx Softswitch
 
The last two photos - the unidentified board. This board has to be handling video somehow. The four-chip board connects to D11 thru D14, which happens to be where the video generation circuity derives its synchronization and timing signals. The two-chip board connects to B6 and B7, which are latches that handle the data bus communication of the RAM on the motherboard.
 
dorkbert said:
the function strip plugs into the db9 on videx's keyboard encoder card (replaces the factory encoder card) which you don't seem to have.
Click to expand...

Yes agree the keyboard encoder seems to be an Apple one versus the Videx encoder which is probably needed for the function key strip. Likely the lid got swapped onto a different computer at some point so there is mismatched hardware.
 
That large card resembles an extended memory card. I don't see any controller chips only what looks like memory chips on it.
It doesn't seem to be a commercial card but a small production card.
Be sure to replace the X2 Rifa cap in the power supply or your wife will kill you
when it leaks and smells.
 
orlandoave said:
That large card resembles an extended memory card. I don't see any controller chips only what looks like memory chips on it.
It doesn't seem to be a commercial card but a small production card.
Be sure to replace the X2 Rifa cap in the power supply or your wife will kill you
when it leaks and smells.
Click to expand...

Luckily I got rid of the wife years ago so I don't have to deal with that. :) I do have plenty of x2 cap's since I got a bunch back when I had to replace them for my TRS-80 Model 4. It's on my todo list.

As for the card, there aren't any memory chips on it, just logic chips and it still sits at 48k as well (with or without the card).

Megatron said:
That grey card in the 4th picture looks very very similar to the cards I got when I bought several Apple IIgses from a horse betting company that was closing up shop. I don't have very much info on them, but I think it was part og a timing system? I still have the old manuals around somewhere, I think. I'll have to check and see when I get home.
Click to expand...

Let me know if it matches anything you can find. I honestly have no idea what it could be and doesn't seem to affect anything with or without it in there.

groink said:
The last two photos - the unidentified board. This board has to be handling video somehow. The four-chip board connects to D11 thru D14, which happens to be where the video generation circuity derives its synchronization and timing signals. The two-chip board connects to B6 and B7, which are latches that handle the data bus communication of the RAM on the motherboard.
Click to expand...

Interesting, though I'm not sure what video it could be doing that the other video card doesn't also do. But then, the other video card is missing parts as well, so who knows what's going on here.
 
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dorkbert said:
the function strip plugs into the db9 on videx's keyboard encoder card (replaces the factory encoder card) which you don't seem to have.
Click to expand...

Yeah, thanks for confirming what I suspected. I might just as well remove it and put it aside for now... I may keep an eye out for the keyboard encoder card, but doubt it'll be worth the expense for something I'll never use (well, that card might be useful, this function strip, probably not).
 
One more thing, it's mostly in decent shape except the lid clearly is pretty scratched up with paint missing. Any thoughts on how to fix that? I see mention of Pantone 453 (where-ever the heck i'd find that and if it's applicable to the ii+), but maybe someone has stumbled across a more accessible paint to patch or repaint it?

I had done some research previously since my IIe's case was pretty bad and had some lousy repaint job at one point, so for that I just broke down and found a beige color (rustoleum gloss almond) and repainted it, but since this one actually has the original paint color and is mostly in good shape on the rest of the case, I'd kinda prefer to put it back to its original look. If theres another thread on this, then a link is fine (or just yell at me to learn how to search..haha), i just couldn't really find one previously with any specific information... I almost have half a mind to carry my apple into home depot and see if they can color match or i can hold it up to paint cans, but I don't wanna be that guy. :)
 
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