Posts by hkz@mastodon.technology
(DIR) Post #ADvJD7f0X0LcpnJaM4 by hkz@mastodon.technology
2021-11-30T10:10:42Z
0 likes, 3 repeats
So, as I'm pretty busy these days, no point in delaying the release of this almost-finished #project. https://github.com/hkzlab/TTL-to-RGBThis is a small TTL to Analog RGB converter for CGA/EGA/MDA/Hercules that makes use of a #PLD device and some buffers (for protection and compatibility). I use it daily with both a #SCART TV and a #multisync #monitor.#retrocomputing #cga #ega
(DIR) Post #AG8weg1VWZzd67I0Zc by hkz@mastodon.technology
2022-02-04T17:25:36Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
Nope, I did not disappear into nothingness. At times my brain enters what I call "fallow field phase", some of my interests I pause to concentrate on others, especially after a stressful period (I lost a dear pet, family to me, still grieving): A frightening #toread #books pile I want to tackle and exciting things to study, for example! Oh I'll be back with my #retro and #homebrewcomputing, but now, time to rest!BTW, say Hi to Benny, my deaf mischievous black #kitten that now lives with us.
(DIR) Post #ANDlWyKVbqVb3DvU0W by hkz@mastodon.technology
2022-09-04T11:15:31Z
1 likes, 1 repeats
Weird haul from a #fleamarket, a #c64 #musical keyboard, an 1541 #floppy drive, a #datasette... And no C64 proper, they were in a box with an Xbox 360. #retrocomputing
(DIR) Post #ANS3QSe9b083TPWim0 by hkz@mastodon.technology
2022-09-11T10:04:26Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
Here is the #romdump of the #RF501C clone #floppydrive and a photo of the PCB. https://filebin.net/st8d033ra0ubonn6At a quick glance, it doesn't look like the code in the #eprom is a simple of the #commodore ones.#c1541
(DIR) Post #ANSiQDnAv8yHWWkcAi by hkz@mastodon.technology
2022-09-11T12:36:43Z
0 likes, 2 repeats
Had to replace the switch on the #RF501C, the old one had a rusted and broken spring.Now the #floppydrive turns on and the drive spins briefly.I found telltale signs that someone already tried replacing it: two pads damaged at the switch (tho I can't fault whomever did this, it was really jammed in tight), missing screws and two solder blobs roaming freely inside the case...#c1541 #commodore #repair
(DIR) Post #ANU7u2xFtyZbBezNi4 by hkz@mastodon.technology
2022-09-12T10:09:37Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
Just brought home two new slabs of #cookingstone , Benny decided to test immediately. #catphoto
(DIR) Post #ANUQSmf2GwXlxlBFcO by hkz@mastodon.technology
2022-09-11T14:40:21Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
I'm using #zoomfloppy and #opencbm to test this #RF501C #floppydrive.Seems I can read and write d64 images just fine, and I get the same checksum out of the read image I have written on the floppy. This doesn't say much on the alignment though: I should try to generate a floppy on another good drive and then test it here (and viceversa).Also I get no errors or retries doing that, but I do get some retries when I do low level formatting, no idea why.#repair #commodore #c1541 #c64
(DIR) Post #ANUQSngUT1Il8YrvWa by hkz@mastodon.technology
2022-09-11T16:07:20Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
Well, it's able to read my Maniac Mansion original C64 floppies well enough. Good sign
(DIR) Post #ANmcqKN0CMIT9Fq3ZA by hkz@mastodon.technology
2022-09-21T08:13:45Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
The #huawei access #router I found at the #fleamarket last week is working just fine. Surprisingly, I was able to register it and get the latest updates for it. It's now working as a fallback access to the internet when my main connection is down. #networking
(DIR) Post #ANzWKKoAxZCYZSOCFE by hkz@mastodon.technology
2022-09-27T13:36:41Z
1 likes, 1 repeats
Inside yesterday's portable #retrocomputer. Surprisingly clean, nothing evidently burnt. Lots of #EPROMs (which I'll attempt to dump) and an 80186 #cpu I wasn't expecting.
(DIR) Post #AO3idRejP3FtDQFaVc by hkz@mastodon.technology
2022-09-29T14:09:40Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
The #PSU for the FLYER had one out-of-spec #capacitor on the main side of the transformer and a shorted one on the secondary. Replaced them both and now the power supply turns on (fan included), outputs the correct voltages and the buzzing stopped.I'm wondering if it's worth to replace ALL the caps, given the failure of the two I found.#retrocomputing #repair
(DIR) Post #AO3mLcwZ646CpNLq7M by hkz@mastodon.technology
2022-09-29T14:21:08Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@feld hmmm, might not have all the required values between my polyester/ceramic caps. But I'm more worried about the vast difference in ESR and that it might not play nice with the SMPS circuitry
(DIR) Post #AO3oEhNSPiBeSZknhI by hkz@mastodon.technology
2022-09-29T15:00:40Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@feld I usually do that too on circuits where frequency/ESR value is not that important (and also on auto-constructed parts!). Solid State is great.
(DIR) Post #AO7DpDsO8q4s0Tc8um by hkz@mastodon.technology
2022-10-01T06:48:33Z
2 likes, 0 repeats
#memory of a #friend that is no longer with me. It's been a year today. It was hard, I'm still not over it. Pezza arrived in a moment of big change in my life, he was one of the sweetest cats I had, and we grew very close. But a sudden illness, that we fought to the very end, took him away.Pezza means "patch" in Italian, because, like a patch in your trousers, it's always nearby You.Goodbye friend, hope we'll meet again someday, somewhere. 👋👋👋 And thanks. #cat #petloss
(DIR) Post #AOCFpcH8b5qTNVJ0Hg by hkz@mastodon.technology
2022-10-03T13:43:00Z
1 likes, 1 repeats
I completed the replacement of capacitors in the PSU of the FLYER portable computer. It powers up and you can even see something in the LCD (that will need a polarizer replacement). It detects 640kb of RAM and tries to access the first floppy.Surprisingly, this thing has a #coincell #battery, so, probably, and #RTC.#ibmcompatible #retrocomputing #repair
(DIR) Post #AOCbNE9AuWXZQcRuVM by hkz@mastodon.technology
2022-10-03T21:08:14Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@mmu_man yep, annoying indeed. At least it's not a leaky nicad. I'll try to have it replaced with an holder for a commoner 2032
(DIR) Post #AODgmvUDvJW9RNvEkS by hkz@mastodon.technology
2022-10-04T09:15:53Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
The FLYER #portablecomputer is booting #freedos via a #gotek #floppy emulator.The unit is outputting to a modern display via a #cga to #vga converter. #retrocomputing #repair
(DIR) Post #AODgmwvYZAyXuRiZzU by hkz@mastodon.technology
2022-10-04T09:30:20Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
I really hate the name they've given to this thing/company... "Flyer" is totally unsearchable.
(DIR) Post #AOFRHSdw0D7u0kvFk8 by hkz@mastodon.technology
2022-10-05T05:59:01Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
Behind the #motherboard hides the #bodgefest
(DIR) Post #AOIm3xRqMiPxrY8bC4 by hkz@mastodon.technology
2022-10-06T18:08:21Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
Me when I setup a new phone: "this won't take long, I don't use many apps".Two hours after that: "...this won't take long"The #pixel6 that replaces my old secondary phone, a #pixel2xl, arrived. #grapheneos already up & running! Below are the only permissions I give the sandboxed #playservices, and some are there only because I need to use the "Google Messages" application with #RCS for some of my contacts.