REMINDER - Stay logged in for at least 2 hours a week to get whitelisted.
Also it helps build a picture where our "good traffic" is coming from for detection scripts.
:o)

It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build

Blogs & guides and tales of woo by forum members.
User avatar
rubber_jonnie
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 15027
Joined: 17 Aug 2017 19:40
Location: Essex

Re: It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build

Post by rubber_jonnie »

HigashiJun wrote: 24 Apr 2026 12:51 :(

Sorry to hear that.
Thanks, it's very annoying, though the seller has apologised and seems keen to sort it out, though these parts took 10 days to arrive so I hope they can send them faster this time.
HigashiJun wrote: 24 Apr 2026 12:51 And yes, EOL parts tend to become increasingly expensive...
I think I need to perhaps just get a single socket for now and stage any more over time. I need to think about which board I'd like to build too, there are a few options.
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...
User avatar
HigashiJun
Posts: 2388
Joined: 19 Jun 2020 07:21
Location: Tokyo

Re: It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build

Post by HigashiJun »

rubber_jonnie wrote: 24 Apr 2026 13:09 Thanks, it's very annoying, though the seller has apologised and seems keen to sort it out, though these parts took 10 days to arrive so I hope they can send them faster this time.
:crossed1:

rubber_jonnie wrote: 24 Apr 2026 13:09 I think I need to perhaps just get a single socket for now and stage any more over time. I need to think about which board I'd like to build too, there are a few options.
That would be a wise move.
User avatar
rubber_jonnie
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 15027
Joined: 17 Aug 2017 19:40
Location: Essex

Re: It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build

Post by rubber_jonnie »

HigashiJun wrote: 24 Apr 2026 13:14
rubber_jonnie wrote: 24 Apr 2026 13:09 I think I need to perhaps just get a single socket for now and stage any more over time. I need to think about which board I'd like to build too, there are a few options.
That would be a wise move.
Woo hoo, I managed to find some on Ali Express, fingers crossed they will be OK. They were quite inexpensive in the end.

My Traco's also just arrived, and the Cosmac is now sporting one:

IMG20260424141302.jpg

I'll see what the temps are like later.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
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...
User avatar
HigashiJun
Posts: 2388
Joined: 19 Jun 2020 07:21
Location: Tokyo

Re: It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build

Post by HigashiJun »

:dualthumbup:
User avatar
rubber_jonnie
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 15027
Joined: 17 Aug 2017 19:40
Location: Essex

Re: It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build

Post by rubber_jonnie »

And the final IC for the CDP1861 video chip replacement arrived today, so fingers crossed I'll be able to get it built very soon.
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...
User avatar
stephen_usher
Site sponsor
Site sponsor
Posts: 7454
Joined: 13 Nov 2017 19:19
Location: Oxford, UK.

Re: It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build

Post by stephen_usher »

:crossed1: :crossed2:
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.
User avatar
HigashiJun
Posts: 2388
Joined: 19 Jun 2020 07:21
Location: Tokyo

Re: It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build

Post by HigashiJun »

Yay !
User avatar
rubber_jonnie
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 15027
Joined: 17 Aug 2017 19:40
Location: Essex

Re: It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build

Post by rubber_jonnie »

Here we are ready to go:

IMG20260430092619.jpg

And all soldered:

IMG20260430100322.jpg

I did have to do a little touch up and clean up and hand solder a few pins that didn't take. Took a little time to go around under the microscope and check all the pins were solid and there were no shorts, but looking good.

Next up I need to install the pin headers and test.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
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...
User avatar
rubber_jonnie
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 15027
Joined: 17 Aug 2017 19:40
Location: Essex

Re: It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build

Post by rubber_jonnie »

Bugger, it doesn't work and the Elf freezes up on boot. Not a happy bunny :(
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...
User avatar
HigashiJun
Posts: 2388
Joined: 19 Jun 2020 07:21
Location: Tokyo

Re: It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build

Post by HigashiJun »

Oh no...

:(

Return to “MEMBER BLOGS”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: ClaudeBot and 69 guests