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A full Spectrum of emotions

Blogs & guides and tales of woo by forum members.
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HigashiJun
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Re: A full Spectrum of emotions

Post by HigashiJun »

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.
You definitely should !
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: A full Spectrum of emotions

Post by rubber_jonnie »

HigashiJun wrote: Tue Sep 19, 2023 9:52 pm
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.
You definitely should !
Bit of planning to do first :)
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...
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: A full Spectrum of emotions

Post by rubber_jonnie »

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.
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...
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exxos
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Re: A full Spectrum of emotions

Post by exxos »

Is there a circuit for it ?
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HigashiJun
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Re: A full Spectrum of emotions

Post by HigashiJun »

@rubber_jonnie

29 volts !!! You were really lucky not to fry your machine...
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stephen_usher
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Re: A full Spectrum of emotions

Post by stephen_usher »

HigashiJun wrote: Wed Sep 20, 2023 10:22 am @rubber_jonnie

29 volts !!! You were really lucky not to fry your machine...
Only one chip would be on the +12V rail with all the RAM replaced with hacked 4164 chips, the LMxxxx video encoder.
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.
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: A full Spectrum of emotions

Post by rubber_jonnie »

stephen_usher wrote: Wed Sep 20, 2023 12:01 pm
HigashiJun wrote: Wed Sep 20, 2023 10:22 am @rubber_jonnie

29 volts !!! You were really lucky not to fry your machine...
Only one chip would be on the +12V rail with all the RAM replaced with hacked 4164 chips, the LMxxxx video encoder.
Luckily the LM1889 survived, and I have spares at least.
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...
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stephen_usher
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Re: A full Spectrum of emotions

Post by stephen_usher »

exxos wrote: Wed Sep 20, 2023 12:04 am Is there a circuit for it ?
Here you go...

Spectrum-Power-Circuit.jpeg
Spectrum-Power-Circuit.jpeg (74.54 KiB) Viewed 1010 times

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.
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stephen_usher
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Re: A full Spectrum of emotions

Post by stephen_usher »

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.
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.
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: A full Spectrum of emotions

Post by rubber_jonnie »

stephen_usher wrote: Wed Sep 20, 2023 3:06 pm
exxos wrote: Wed Sep 20, 2023 12:04 am Is there a circuit for it ?
Here you go...


Spectrum-Power-Circuit.jpeg


TR4 isn't marked, but it's the lower of the two transistors.
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.
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...
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