Re: A couple of retros I'm working on.

Posted on 2018-01-25, 09:48

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by jaZz_KCS

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

Very large hard drives I suspect are not catered for ..so for now at least your limit may be 528mb with a modified bios.. Also as the T3200SX BIOS is very similar, I've uploaded an attempt at applying the same patches to the T3200SX which is now beta 3 I'll attempt to patch the Phoenix BIOS for the …

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Re: A couple of retros I'm working on.

Posted on 2018-01-24, 12:53

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by jaZz_KCS

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

But on the positive side you now have a replacement keyboard (that would need slight alterations to work in the T5200 and also a working floppy. Be sure to take it out, open it up far enough to cleanse the heads with alcohol and lube the screw bearing. then it should last you even longer.

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Re: CVX-2 : covox adapter

Posted on 2018-01-24, 09:48

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by jaZz_KCS

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Would it be enough to print out the top half a second time or have both pieces been altered?

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Re: CVX-2 : covox adapter

Posted on 2018-01-23, 18:11

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by jaZz_KCS

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Hi here are the corrected STL files, which are used for my new CVX4 case prints. If you have a 3d printer at home, you can print it too. If interested in BLACK+RED printed case, just pm me. (I only do this GREAT color combination :lol: ) Does this one have the notches corrected? Then I'm going to …

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Re: DreamBlaster S2P : Small form factor General MIDI on parallel port

Posted on 2018-01-21, 10:50

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by jaZz_KCS

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

How's the S2P prototype doing / performing so far? This would be a marvelous addition.

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Re: TNDLPT : Tandy Sound on parallel port

Posted on 2018-01-21, 10:49

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by jaZz_KCS

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Very neat idea. spruce things up a little and for every occasion where a normal pot would be awkward fot some reason or another, fallback to an edge wheel pot 👍

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Re: A couple of retros I'm working on.

Posted on 2018-01-20, 16:52

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by jaZz_KCS

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

Forgive my ignorance, but I have several (many!) questions; I really do want to get this machine working and actually use it. I don't have an eprom burner, but I do want to make it able to boot from any drive; 100mb is just too small, even if the current drive was brand new. Could someone recommend …

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Re: CVX-2 : covox adapter

Posted on 2018-01-20, 16:19

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by jaZz_KCS

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

dreamblaster wrote: jaZz_KCS wrote: You can file or cut off parts of the latches on the CVX4 bottom side to make those two latches thinner, then it will fit. Yeah that would work (but already broke mine) Casualties on the road to success.... 😀

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Re: CVX-2 : covox adapter

Posted on 2018-01-20, 10:35

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by jaZz_KCS

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Serdaco, FYI: I have printed out a CVX4 case (Version 7) and I found that the closing notches on the front do not exactly line up with the closing latches on the upper front side. I had to file them off a little bit as they seem to be printed a little too far on the left on the top plate... The …

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Re: DreamBlaster S2P : Small form factor General MIDI on parallel port

Posted on 2018-01-19, 13:18

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by jaZz_KCS

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

This is really cool. It can be used to give old laptops midi capabilities (and good sounding ones!). The sounds can be played through the speaker with the "Wave speaker driver" whereas this device would handle the midi music. Not necessary to have both CVX4 and S2P attached at the same time :) …

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Re: CVX-2 : covox adapter

Posted on 2018-01-19, 12:50

by

by jaZz_KCS

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Serdaco, FYI: I have printed out a CVX4 case (Version 7) and I found that the closing notches on the front do not exactly line up with the closing latches on the upper front side. I had to file them off a little bit as they seem to be printed a little too far on the left on the top plate... The …

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Re: A couple of retros I'm working on.

Posted on 2018-01-19, 11:59

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by jaZz_KCS

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

Some models have the connector the otherway around. Sometimes therefore you need to reorientate your cable OR open up the coppe on the other side of the connector, as you need the cable to be the "other way around", if you get what I mean. But that differs from model to model... At least you have …

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Re: A couple of retros I'm working on.

Posted on 2018-01-19, 11:53

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by jaZz_KCS

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

Here are some examples of drives that look as they would fit (some with latch mechanism, some without, doesn't matter). https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mitsumi-Slim-1-44MB-3-5in-Bezeless-Floppy-Drive-D353F2/371434271450?epid=1203636947&hash=item567b3532da:g:GlQAAOSwOAZZf6AT ("Manufacturer refurbished") (so …

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Re: A couple of retros I'm working on.

Posted on 2018-01-19, 11:21

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by jaZz_KCS

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

Well yeah, the latch version doesn't need any insertion force, whereas these squeeze type connectors sit VERY tight. Have a look out for maybe a little newer super slim-drive that is not belt-driven. IIRC, only the really old 1/3rds from around 1993-1994 still had belts, since the direct drive …

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Re: A couple of retros I'm working on.

Posted on 2018-01-19, 11:16

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by jaZz_KCS

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

Yeah, normally those cables are connected with some form of latch mechanism (like the cable is most likely connected on the main board side.) That's why they are called ZIF (Zero Insertion Force). But sometimes they don't have a latch but are just squeezed into very thin connectors like here, and …

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Re: A couple of retros I'm working on.

Posted on 2018-01-19, 10:34

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by jaZz_KCS

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

No, that doesn't look proprietary. Just as I thought, the cable is not soldered to the floppy drive. You can detach it by pulling it out (carefully). It seems to be a standard 26-pin ZIF cable, that most 1/3rd height 3.5" floppy drives use. Just to make sure I took out one of my spare super slim- …

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Re: A couple of retros I'm working on.

Posted on 2018-01-18, 22:44

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by jaZz_KCS

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

Any suggestions .. ??? this is a very thin belt and no wonder it decomposed.. rgds VS My advice would be to find out whether the end of the ribbon cable that connects to the planar has the normal super slim-drive pinout. Then you could easily swap it with another readily available 1/3rds height …

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Re: A couple of retros I'm working on.

Posted on 2018-01-18, 16:15

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by jaZz_KCS

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

Heh, you can totally see what went one there. The one-use-only label that is used to cover the screws of the display has been ripped only half way. Somebody probably wanted to look inside the machine and after experiencing this was like: "Nope! Not touching that.." It probably hasn't been taken …

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Re: Most frustrating part of working on old computers?

Posted on 2018-01-18, 15:55

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by jaZz_KCS

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I've superglued and JB-welded so many clips of my Performa 630CD. Gonna try to sell it now, really cba'd with fixing it up anymore. Every time I work on it, something breaks. Heh, in a few years, 3D printers will be so good that I can finally reprint me a shiny new sturdier case for an old ThinkPad …

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Re: A couple of retros I'm working on.

Posted on 2018-01-18, 15:50

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by jaZz_KCS

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

You want to use the spare keyboard, and put the one missing the one connector away as replacement parts? Good idea. I would love to see if it works after you have changed the keyboard bezel. Should fit nicely, then. It seems I got very lucky with my 3200SX as it has a working FDD and a shiny …

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