To be fair I ordered it the day before I went to France, so I am confident that Merlot wasn't involved 😁
It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build
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rubber_jonnie
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- Posts: 14893
- Joined: 17 Aug 2017 19:40
- Location: Essex
Re: It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build
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...
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rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin

- Posts: 14893
- Joined: 17 Aug 2017 19:40
- Location: Essex
Re: It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build
Well, the missing DIP package is on the way for the through hole CDP1861 and all the SMD parts from DigiKey arrived too, so I can give the SMD CDP1861 another go soon 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...
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
- Site Admin

- Posts: 14893
- Joined: 17 Aug 2017 19:40
- Location: Essex
Re: It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build
Still no DIP package for the through hole CDP1861 replacement...
However my shipment from Digikey for more SMD parts did arrive and I built a new one:
And I get video out, of sorts...
And what looks like a video signal on the scope:
So looking positive, but still work to do.
However my shipment from Digikey for more SMD parts did arrive and I built a new one:
And I get video out, of sorts...
And what looks like a video signal on the scope:
So looking positive, but still work to do.
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...
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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HigashiJun
- Posts: 2383
- Joined: 19 Jun 2020 07:21
- Location: Tokyo
Re: It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build
Slowly but surely, that's how @rubber_jonnie builds his new goody...
:lol:
:lol:
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rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin

- Posts: 14893
- Joined: 17 Aug 2017 19:40
- Location: Essex
Re: It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build
HeheheHigashiJun wrote: 04 Jun 2026 23:25 Slowly but surely, that's how @rubber_jonnie builds his new goody...
:lol:
He's a poet and he doesn't know it :)
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...
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HigashiJun
- Posts: 2383
- Joined: 19 Jun 2020 07:21
- Location: Tokyo
Re: It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build
Money, get back
I'm all right, Jack
Keep your hands off my stack
New car
Caviar
Four-star daydream
Think I'll buy me a football team.
Absolute rubbish, laddie !
(From a well-known song...)
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rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin

- Posts: 14893
- Joined: 17 Aug 2017 19:40
- Location: Essex
Re: It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build
Who doesn't like a bit of Pink Floyd :)HigashiJun wrote: 05 Jun 2026 02:28Money, get back
I'm all right, Jack
Keep your hands off my stack
New car
Caviar
Four-star daydream
Think I'll buy me a football team.
Absolute rubbish, laddie !
(From a well-known song...)
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...
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stephen_usher
- Site sponsor

- Posts: 7376
- Joined: 13 Nov 2017 19:19
- Location: Oxford, UK.
Re: It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build
Hmm... no backporch, is there? Just like the ZX81. So maybe the display can't handle it?
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.
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rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin

- Posts: 14893
- Joined: 17 Aug 2017 19:40
- Location: Essex
Re: It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build
Yes, I noticed that as well. I do have some ZX81 composite modules that add a back porch so I might rig one up to see if it'll improve things.stephen_usher wrote: 05 Jun 2026 09:18 Hmm... no backporch, is there? Just like the ZX81. So maybe the display can't handle it?
However I did also read that there is supposedly some setup needs doing before the display works as expected. There are also some jumpers I need to figure out, so I'll go down that avenue before I hook up a module.
We'll see, I'll have a think about what's easiest :)
Also hopefully the DIP IC for the through hole CDP1861 will come today (Please!!!) and I can see what the results are like with that.
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...
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rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin

- Posts: 14893
- Joined: 17 Aug 2017 19:40
- Location: Essex
Re: It's long overdue - Cosmac Elf II build
Hmm interesting.
I wondered if the original CDP1861 I built had something wrong with the PCB, so I slowly pulled the components off and it wasn't until I had just one or two items left over that the machine worked as normal.
So I built a 3rd using the original components - it does exactly the same thing...
So I think my Ali Express GALs are fake :(
I have 2 more from DigiKey, so I'll get those programmed at some point and install, see if it works then. My other SMD board, no 2, built from DigiKey parts seems to be working (Ish) so I need to figure out what's what as it clearly isn't the PCB.
I wondered if the original CDP1861 I built had something wrong with the PCB, so I slowly pulled the components off and it wasn't until I had just one or two items left over that the machine worked as normal.
So I built a 3rd using the original components - it does exactly the same thing...
So I think my Ali Express GALs are fake :(
I have 2 more from DigiKey, so I'll get those programmed at some point and install, see if it works then. My other SMD board, no 2, built from DigiKey parts seems to be working (Ish) so I need to figure out what's what as it clearly isn't the PCB.
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...
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