Well I wanted to see how well the keyboard works, and it all works fine:
PXL_20260810_090502702.jpg (339.16 KiB) Viewed 71 times
PXL_20260810_090510292.jpg (260.98 KiB) Viewed 71 times
It's only assembled with the 2 screws holding in the mainboard, but it's enough to test.
One small problem is that some of the keys are sticky, so I likely need to clean and lubricate the stems to get things going smoothly before I reassemble for good.
That won't happen until the memory upgrade is done though, but I really wanted to try it all together
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
Keyboard now working lovely after a bit of a clean and a little lube
In the old ROM the function keys allowed setting of 40/80 column, but the EXOS 2.04 ROM doesn't, but it seems the commands 'text 40' and 'text 80' do the same thing.
Need to do a little reading on what options BASIC has.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
I did find the manual on-line. Not sure where though.
Also, you have "OS" commands available to you within BASIC using the ':' operator. It's basically the same as '*' on the BBC. So, ":help" will list the ROMs and versions and give you help in the same way as "*HELP" on the Beeb.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
stephen_usher wrote: Mon Aug 10, 2026 8:23 pm
I did find the manual on-line. Not sure where though.
Also, you have "OS" commands available to you within BASIC using the ':' operator. It's basically the same as '*' on the BBC. So, ":help" will list the ROMs and versions and give you help in the same way as "*HELP" on the Beeb.
Sounds interesting, will go and have a look for the user manual.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
Thought a size comparison with the Speccy might be interesting:
PXL_20260811_100555998.jpg (377.03 KiB) Viewed 23 times
I'd always imagined the Enterprise being a lot bigger.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
If I leave it running for a period of time, I get screen corruption.
For example, I leave it running a program that prints out characters to screen, and it eventually crashes.
I think I'll need to get the thermal camera on it, see if there is a bad RAM IC, I do hope it isn't a custom IC.
Will get pictures soon but I have the G7000 on the bench just now.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
rubber_jonnie wrote: Tue Aug 11, 2026 10:19 pm
For example, I leave it running a program that prints out characters to screen, and it eventually crashes.
Probably not the case 99% of the time in this situation but just to check; its definitely not a buggy program, right?
rubber_jonnie wrote: Tue Aug 11, 2026 10:19 pm
For example, I leave it running a program that prints out characters to screen, and it eventually crashes.
Probably not the case 99% of the time in this situation but just to check; its definitely not a buggy program, right?
Nope, pretty simple for/next loop with no weird characters as far as I can tell...
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
Type the program in here. I'll see if it replicates on my machine after a similar period.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.