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What are your current projects?

Joined
Dec 28, 2021
Messages
12
Location
Portland, Oregon United States
Restoring a couple of TRS-80 Model 100s (one is working but needs a new memory backup battery and, of course, recapping; the other has issues (low contrast on screen even after replacing the pot, sometimes wakes up dead...but gets better with a switch off/on) and deciding what needs to be done with a just acquired NEC PC-8201a.

I'm also getting ready to jump into the almost-21st century with an HP Jornada WinCE palmtop that will likely need a new rechargeable battery pack (unfortunately HP was on a kick of doing these in a unique-for-every-model approach) and software to get it connected with my Mac (I hope) or a Windows system I have as a second choice.
 

rouar

Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2021
Messages
18
Location
Concord, NH
Powerbook 1400c/166 sitting by my desk awaiting a hinge repair. I picked this up last summer in pristine condition, replaced the drive with a CF card, and it works great.

After a few weeks of playing, I opened the lid to hear the plastic crumbling near the hinge - apparently a known issue. I haven't found a good solution online other than lube-and-epoxy-and-pray.
 

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Pickelhaube808

Experienced Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2023
Messages
70
Location
San Antonio, TX
Bought a cool tested/working 486 board the other day on eBay for $50... Turns out it's an M919 3.4B/F and I had no idea until 20 minutes later. Was just finishing up another 486 build, but will try to build my ultimate 486 overclocking rig when stuff starts to arrive. Also bought the components to build some of the rare COAST modules which I would be willing to sell should anyone be interested. Unfortunately though due to the cost of compatible SRAM, the material cost for a single stick comes out to $45, which I can get down to $27 should I buy in bulk. That does not take into account the time to solder over 300 pads correctly though, as I don't have a hot air station to make it go faster.
 

skate323k137

Experienced Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2022
Messages
194
Location
Michigan
Minor project: figuring out why this oscillator I have is measuring at 1/3 what it should be (oscilliscope time, again)

Major project: starting an Apple 1 replica (full size, not briel). Definitely taking this one slow, no need to rush.
 

mark0x01

Experienced Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2015
Messages
151
Location
Kaiapoi, New Zealand
A Big Queue.
Current - Televideo TS-803
So far found faulty fdc, ram and now working on a video issue

Next in line is all the S100 - 1 x local S100 bus system and a few Cromemco systems and other vendor boards - rebuilt 1 PSU so far, no working CPU card yet.

and to follow in no particular order:
2 x IBM 5150
a terminal or two - state unknown
Sirius (Victor 9000) - state unknown
batch of BBC B & Master and extras including home built hdd and monitor - state unknown
a mountain of old 5.25 & 8" floppy and tape drives covering many formats form QIC to LTO.
DEC Rainbow with Z80 fault
Osbourne 1 with fault
SYM-1 - state unknown
and then the rare beast(s) - a pair of Charles River Data Systems Universe 68 systems with HDD and Tape - non operational

Tested or Fixed so far
PC Pentium Slot 1 - used as FDD test bed
Olivetti M10
Qume terminal
 

CamiTheWitch

Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2022
Messages
12
Location
Denton, TX
- Get Tandy 1000 RLX to recognize an XT-CF-lite
- Finally get my C64 running properly
- Fix several VIC-20 boards running (some to sell and some to tinker with, none have shells)
- Fix my IBM PS/2 Model 30 and Model 80
- Put my IBM XT motherboard into a chassis so I can use it
 

Gary C

Veteran Member
Joined
May 26, 2018
Messages
2,083
Location
Lancashire, UK
TRS 80 model III - TEAC FD50A disk drives unreliable and fail to spin 80% of the time - Replace, not worth fixing
CBM 8050 Disk drive - Multiple faults fixed, wont format. Shift register to replace as not shifting
Hazeltine Terminal - CPU crashing, stuck bits on databus
DECmate II - get it up and running
 

skate323k137

Experienced Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2022
Messages
194
Location
Michigan
Minor project: figuring out why this oscillator I have is measuring at 1/3 what it should be (oscilliscope time, again)

Major project: starting an Apple 1 replica (full size, not briel). Definitely taking this one slow, no need to rush.
Ended up solving/completing both of these. I had an interesting issue with a crystal that would lock on the wrong harmonic if it was connected to the power supply during turn-on. I delayed it with a relay and it works fine at the right frequency now.

The Apple 1 build was fun, some pictures on that here:
 
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