VOGONS


First post, by jasa1063

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I got a Pravetz-16ES computer from Bulgaria that ended having both ST-225 hard drives damaged in shipping. Here is the original post of that computer:

Pravetz-16ES 80186-8 IBM PC compatible computer from Bulgaria

I wanted to keep the computer completely original, but with the hard drives damaged that was not going to happen. It was at that point I decided to do upgrades with as many period correct parts as possible. The computer itself is nothing exotic. It is basically a Turbo XT clone with off the shelf parts put together in Pravetz, Bulgaria. The case is pretty cool as it has two buttons you push to release two clips then just raise it and it locks into place, kind of like the hood of a car. The power supply is 220v so I had to use a Step Up/Down transformer. Here are the original specs of the computer:

Juko Super ST OEM motherboard
NEC V20@8MHz overclocked to 12MHz
640K memory
Serial Card with two RS-232 ports (DB25 & DB9) with a RTC clock (Unknown vendor)
Parallel port card (Unknown vendor)
Full length CGA video card (unknown vendor)
MFM drive controller (Unknown vendor)
2x ST-225 5.25" hard drives
Floppy controller (Unkown vendor)
Chinon FZ-502 360K floppy drive

I had two black face plates that fit perfectly to take up the space that was occupied by the two ST-225 hard drives. I removed the CGA card, MFM drive controller, Serial and Parallel cards. This is the final configuration with the upgrades I did:

Juko Super ST OEM motherboard (Original)
NEC V20@8MHz overclocked to 12MHz (Original)
Intel 8087-1@12MHz (?)
640K memory (Original)
Everex EV-170 Multi I/O card (Parallel & Serial) (1990)
Adlib clone sound card from Sun-Moon-Star (1992)
Game Port card (Unknown vendor) (1990)
ATI Edge VGA 8 video card (1988)
Xircom PE310BT Parallel Ethernet Adapter (Using mTCP for networking) (1994)
Blue Lava Systems XT-IDE CF adapter with 2GG SanDisk Ultra Compact Flash card (Modern)
Lo-Tech 1MB memory card with 64K @ D000 for upper memory (Modern)
Lo-Tech 2MB EMS card with Page Frame @E000 (Modern)
Tandy 1000 SmartWatch+ No slot RTC from Cybernetic Systems (Modern)
Floppy controller (Unkown vendor) (Original)
Chinon FZ-502 360K floppy drive (Original)

Overall I think I did a pretty decent job striking a balance between period correctness and functionality. I had the Tandy 1000 SmartWatch+ laying around for a couple of years, so it was nice to finally be able to put it to good use. I was a bit worried about the 8087-1 and overclocking. I am not really sure if this motherboard runs the 8087 at 12MHz or not. Benchmarks would seem to indicate more in the 10MHz range. Nevertheless, I added heat sinks to the NEC V20 and 8087 to better be able to handle any additional heat. I ran through a complete Mandrbot set @640x480x16 that uses the 8087 and then ran the full 5 minute test using Intel's MCPDiag program and finally CheckIt 3.0. The 8087 checked out just fine. Attached are a few photos of the final build.

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Last edited by jasa1063 on 2023-07-30, 23:46. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 1 of 8, by analog_programmer

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Not much Bulgarian parts left from the original assembly of this ancient "Pravetz 16" - the case, maybe the PSU and the floppy controller, which I think was made in factory in another town (not in Pravetz), but it's now a very nicely upgraded old 8088/86 machine.

That sticker on the PSU says "110/220V switchover", aren't there some selector-switch for mains voltage on the back side of the case?

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Reply 2 of 8, by jasa1063

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analog_programmer wrote on 2023-07-30, 18:48:

Not much Bulgarian parts left from the original assembly of this ancient "Pravetz 16" - the case, maybe the PSU and the floppy controller, which I think was made in factory in another town (not in Pravetz), but it's now a very nicely upgraded old 8088/86 machine.

That sticker on the PSU says "110/220V switchover", aren't there some selector-switch for mains voltage on the back side of the case?

There is no switch on the PSU to select 110v/220v. It's straight up 220v. Attached is a picture of the back of the computer showing the PSU before I did the upgrades. I am going to keep all the original parts in case I ever want to revert it back to original condition again.

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Reply 3 of 8, by analog_programmer

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It is not hard to check for such a switch on the back of the PSU case. Just detach the PSU from the chassis and PC case.

As for the original ISA expansion cards - they're nothing spacial, except that they're somehow "exotic" and produced in a long time ago totally obliterated factories.

from СМ630 to Ryzen gen. 3
engineer's five pennies: this world goes south since everything's run by financiers and economists
this isn't voice chat, yet some people, overusing online communications, "talk" and "hear voices"

Reply 4 of 8, by jasa1063

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analog_programmer wrote on 2023-07-30, 19:55:

It is not hard to check for such a switch on the back of the PSU case. Just detach the PSU from the chassis and PC case.

As for the original ISA expansion cards - they're nothing spacial, except that they're somehow "exotic" and produced in a long time ago totally obliterated factories.

I already removed the PSU and checked for a voltage switch and there is not one on it. As to the original ISA cards, you are correct in those not being anything special. That is why I proceeded to go ahead with the upgrades. The computer now has way more functionality that it originally did.

Reply 5 of 8, by Wolfus

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My friend just bought ISA RAM card for his IBM and it turned out it is Pravetz RAM640 card. It has DIP switches and he does not know how to set it. Does someone have any scheme for it..?

Reply 6 of 8, by StaffelGuard1917

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I have a CGA card from a Pravetz-16, now used in my IBM 5150) It has Cyrilic letters in it's rom)
EGA display here is Hungarian Videoton - works both with CGA and EGA videocards)

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Reply 7 of 8, by StaffelGuard1917

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Wolfus wrote on 2023-08-31, 14:42:

My friend just bought ISA RAM card for his IBM and it turned out it is Pravetz RAM640 card. It has DIP switches and he does not know how to set it. Does someone have any scheme for it..?

As far as I know all ram on Pravetz-16 are on that isa card - not mainboard, I think it wont work in any other machine)