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A new arrival - Amstrad PPC512

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Icky
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Re: A new arrival - Amstrad PPC512

Post by Icky »

rubber_jonnie wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2026 4:26 pm Hopefully won't be too long coming and I can crack on with things. Might even bring it up to CL5 and I can show off the display and also the ISA expansion board :)
Definitely would like to see this at CL5. I have the PPC640 I prefer the darker case :)
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: A new arrival - Amstrad PPC512

Post by rubber_jonnie »

Icky wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2026 9:48 pm
rubber_jonnie wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2026 4:26 pm Hopefully won't be too long coming and I can crack on with things. Might even bring it up to CL5 and I can show off the display and also the ISA expansion board :)
Definitely would like to see this at CL5. I have the PPC640 I prefer the darker case :)
The RGB2HDMI should be here tomorrow, so providing my cough goes away and I can stay awake more then 5 minutes I may be able to make a start on it :)

Now where did I put that spare RPi...
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 new arrival - Amstrad PPC512

Post by rubber_jonnie »

RGB2HDMI is here:

IMG20260715115100.jpg
IMG20260715115100.jpg (339.89 KiB) Viewed 311 times

And I found my spare RPi.

So hopefully I can get the PPC show on the road :)
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 new arrival - Amstrad PPC512

Post by rubber_jonnie »

RGB2HDMI is working, so I just need to figure out the install now:

IMG20260715141520.jpg
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Happy days :)
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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Re: A new arrival - Amstrad PPC512

Post by rubber_jonnie »

So, bad day to be my RGB2HDMI, I managed to offset the hat on the RPi like this:

IMG20260720144233.jpg
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Which killed the CPLD dead and turned it into a miniature hot plate anytime power was applied!!!

Don't do this, it's bad for your CPLD!!!

Luckily since I am part way through a build of an RGD2HDMI for the Atom replica I built, I had a couple of spare CPLDs and stole one for this, and now it works!!!

IMG20260720163316.jpg
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IMG20260720161052.jpg
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IMG20260720160742.jpg
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What you can't tell here is that I had red and blue transposed, immediately obvious when I tried to run a CGA game. A little head scratching and it now works :)

So I now know the parts work, next up is pulling it all apart and installing the new display and RGB2HDMI internally, and I do at least know the wiring that I need.

It seems though that the display plastics are in need of some repair too, so that will happen at the same time.

Looking forward to getting moving with this one :)
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 new arrival - Amstrad PPC512

Post by stephen_usher »

Other than the CPLD fry up good progress!
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 new arrival - Amstrad PPC512

Post by rubber_jonnie »

stephen_usher wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2026 9:07 am Other than the CPLD fry up good progress!
Well, that was an accident and due to me not paying attention. I'm getting over a bout of covid, so have a cotton wool brain...

I've hooked up the actual display this morning and it looks great:

IMG20260721092724.jpg
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IMG20260721095615.jpg
IMG20260721095615.jpg (216.03 KiB) Viewed 235 times

So now it's a case of dismantling, which isn't easy due to the size of the PPC512 comopared to my workbench, and then installing. I have a nice 5A PSU for the machine so it'll drive everything nicely, including the 3 ISA slot expansion and PicoMem card. The display only requires 5v, as does the RPi, so should be easy enough to pick off from somewhere inside.

I do have some plastic repairs to do tho, the left hand pivot pin needs to be glued back in place, and I think reinforced with grp. Easy enough to do with UV resin, it's great for reinforcing with small pieaces of GRP as used by nail technicians.
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 new arrival - Amstrad PPC512

Post by rubber_jonnie »

Something a little more complex :)

IMG20260721112215.jpg
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IMG20260721114042.jpg
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IMG20260721114153.jpg
IMG20260721114153.jpg (263.54 KiB) Viewed 224 times

I mean the CGA colour scheme was never great but it's usable now compared to the unlit green display.
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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PhilC
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Re: A new arrival - Amstrad PPC512

Post by PhilC »

looking forward to seeing it installed in the case.
If it ain't broke, test it to Destruction.
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: A new arrival - Amstrad PPC512

Post by rubber_jonnie »

PhilC wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2026 11:48 am looking forward to seeing it installed in the case.
Me too, though the screen plastics will need to be repaired first and I'm waiting on a flat HDMI cable that should arrive tomorrow. Today is a burn in day with all the parts I'll be using.

Pretty sure it'll look great when done, and I need to get drivers sorted out for the sound card that's on the PicoMem card too.
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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