Olivetti M19 - my latest addition

[jesolo]

Our very first (IBM PC compatible) computer in our household was an Olivetti M19. That PC has long since been given away.
Last week, I managed to obtain another M19, with the full 640KB RAM and a 20 MB hard drive.
Unfortunately, the hard drive isn't working anymore and the housing around the keyboard cable is starting to come loose (seems like this is a common problem).

I know that the M19 could be upgraded to also accept an I/O expansion box on the left hand side of the computer that housed a separate PSU and therefore enabled a user to connect a colour monitor to the PC.

Anyone perhaps own an M19 with this I/O expansion box? How do you connect this to the PC and then disable the on-board connection to "tell" it not to use the monochrome monitor with its built-in PSU? I realise you then don't use the monochrome monitor but, I assume there are jumpers that must be changed?

If anyone has one of these I/O. expansion boxes, I would be interested.

 

[Retroguy2019]

Can you make Pictures from the internal connection and harddrive please

Can you make Pictures from the internal connection and harddrive please

View attachment 51262View attachment 51263
Our very first (IBM PC compatible) computer in our household was an Olivetti M19. That PC has long since been given away.
Last week, I managed to obtain another M19, with the full 640KB RAM and a 20 MB hard drive.
Unfortunately, the hard drive isn't working anymore and the housing around the keyboard cable is starting to come loose (seems like this is a common problem).

I know that the M19 could be upgraded to also accept an I/O expansion box on the left hand side of the computer that housed a separate PSU and therefore enabled a user to connect a colour monitor to the PC.

Anyone perhaps own an M19 with this I/O expansion box? How do you connect this to the PC and then disable the on-board connection to "tell" it not to use the monochrome monitor with its built-in PSU? I realise you then don't use the monochrome monitor but, I assume there are jumpers that must be changed?

If anyone has one of these I/O. expansion boxes, I would be interested.

Can you make pictures from how is connected hardrive enzz what controller?

Regarding

RetroGuy

 

[Zare]

Hi @jesolo

The expansion box is PSU for the color monitor and one ISA slot. I do not think it's needed but it solves the problem of PSU being in the monochromatic monitor.
There are jumpers on the board and there is an external switch right beside the DB-9 CGA port. The jumpers are either set for mono, color, or select by that switch. By default they should be set to respect the switch.

The 9 pin power coming from mono monitor is some standard XT power, goes directly into the board. I think it would be possible to make an adapter cable and use external AT power supply. With that you could be running M19 on color CGA monitor as is.

 

[1ST1]

I wouldn't change anything on the M19, except of trying to build in an XT-IDE/CF card instead of the harddisk. If you want to have an XT with color monitor, get another computer of the XT class.

 

[mamaroma]

very simple to adapt an atx power supply, you just need +5 +12 -12 and ground. 4 wires are enough. I connected a very small one directly on the mb on the original connector

 

[Zare]

@1ST1 As far as peripherals go, the form factor is quite a problem and if you want to put anything in you're going to have a bad time. My XT-CF-lite is a low profile build but not low enough, it's about 2-3 mm away from comfort zone to close the case normally. The length is also an issue because the floppy is just behind all that. I will take a picture and measurements later of Olivetti MFM adapter which came installed at ISA slot 0. Looks to me that Olivetti designed to form factor to fit their peripheral cards which are quite small.

A project is needed to "fit" an ISA card to Olivetti. Either you're going to have to do some very tight PCBing yourself, or you're going to repeat Olivetti and try to make an external chassis yourself. I'm more for the latter.

None of this is unsupported or intrusive or "changing". All these upgrades are platform supported. It's the pyhsical fit and presentation issue.

 

[Zare]

6x14 cm.
Height from top of the socket up (so maximum height for form factor), and length from bracket to the end. 14 cm is near the maximum because of the physical space.

This card was made considering both those case specific limits.

The higher quality images come from Olivrea and they depict a mint condition fully upgraded early M19.

- the internal wiring has been replaced and 3x3 connector removed to allow power from box to mobo via inside of the case
- the new power supply is in the front of expansion box
- the box has an ISA slot laid down

Consider if you wanted to run Mono on this config you'd have a big cable hanging out and waste of electricity.
I think it's way better choice to connect external power...externally? I always presumed Olivetti provided an external cable and not internal routing for this.

 

[1ST1]

I have an XT-IDE which is flat enough. There is even still room ontop of it.