You definitely should !rubber_jonnie wrote: Tue Sep 19, 2023 3:10 pm I 'might' come over to Japan in 2025, not 100% sure as yet, but my Karate club do a trip to Okinawa annually and I might go.
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It helps build a picture where our "good traffic" is coming from..
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A full Spectrum of emotions
- HigashiJun
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- Location: Tokyo
Re: A full Spectrum of emotions
- rubber_jonnie
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Re: A full Spectrum of emotions
Bit of planning to do firstHigashiJun wrote: Tue Sep 19, 2023 9:52 pmYou definitely should !rubber_jonnie wrote: Tue Sep 19, 2023 3:10 pm I 'might' come over to Japan in 2025, not 100% sure as yet, but my Karate club do a trip to Okinawa annually and I might go.
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...
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
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Re: A full Spectrum of emotions
Well, that was a narrow squeak!!
I stole the missing transistor for the + from the spares board, figured out the pinout using my component tester and installed in the board.
Since the 12v side of the power is all I need now the RAM has been replaced, I had the multimeter ready to check the voltage as soon as I plugged the power in.
Well I got a shock, suddenly the circuit is delivering 29v!!!
Luckily I was on the ball and unplugged immediately, so no harm done, but more than a little confused that the 12v circuit was suddenly delivering more than twice the voltage it's supposed to be. Ho hum.
I bloody hate power supply circuits at times
At least no harm done because I was quick off the mark pulling the power.
I stole the missing transistor for the + from the spares board, figured out the pinout using my component tester and installed in the board.
Since the 12v side of the power is all I need now the RAM has been replaced, I had the multimeter ready to check the voltage as soon as I plugged the power in.
Well I got a shock, suddenly the circuit is delivering 29v!!!
Luckily I was on the ball and unplugged immediately, so no harm done, but more than a little confused that the 12v circuit was suddenly delivering more than twice the voltage it's supposed to be. Ho hum.
I bloody hate power supply circuits at times
At least no harm done because I was quick off the mark pulling the power.
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...
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...
Re: A full Spectrum of emotions
Is there a circuit for it ?
- HigashiJun
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- Location: Tokyo
Re: A full Spectrum of emotions
@rubber_jonnie
29 volts !!! You were really lucky not to fry your machine...
29 volts !!! You were really lucky not to fry your machine...
- stephen_usher
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Re: A full Spectrum of emotions
Only one chip would be on the +12V rail with all the RAM replaced with hacked 4164 chips, the LMxxxx video encoder.HigashiJun wrote: Wed Sep 20, 2023 10:22 am @rubber_jonnie
29 volts !!! You were really lucky not to fry your machine...
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.
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.
- rubber_jonnie
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Re: A full Spectrum of emotions
Luckily the LM1889 survived, and I have spares at least.stephen_usher wrote: Wed Sep 20, 2023 12:01 pmOnly one chip would be on the +12V rail with all the RAM replaced with hacked 4164 chips, the LMxxxx video encoder.HigashiJun wrote: Wed Sep 20, 2023 10:22 am @rubber_jonnie
29 volts !!! You were really lucky not to fry your machine...
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...
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...
- stephen_usher
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- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
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Re: A full Spectrum of emotions
Here you go...
TR4 isn't marked, but it's the lower of the two transistors.
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.
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
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- Posts: 7464
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
- Location: Oxford, UK.
- Contact:
Re: A full Spectrum of emotions
If the coil is faulty and the output side is partly shorted then I guess the ratio between the two coils would be different causing the voltage to change.
Those coils are well known to fail.
Those coils are well known to fail.
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.
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.
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin

- Posts: 15073
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
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Re: A full Spectrum of emotions
What issue is that Stephen? Mine is closer to the issue 5 (I can't find a 4s specific schematic) IIRC I did check for shorts in the coil but I can do so again. It's a fairly rudimentary device that's for sure.stephen_usher wrote: Wed Sep 20, 2023 3:06 pmHere you go...
Spectrum-Power-Circuit.jpeg
TR4 isn't marked, but it's the lower of the two transistors.
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...
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...