26 Apr
2009
26 Apr
'09
1:46 p.m.
A good idea! I'm pretty sure I did it when I first
looked at these
machines a while back, but it's worth rechecking. I'll give it another
go. Maybe it's no coincidence that the one machine that works fine has
most chips soldered directly to the board.
It brings to my mind the Exato II Pro (search for it on the web) from
CCE (Brazil). It was a beautiful apple clone, with one of the best keyboards
I've ever used (similar or better than the GREAT IBM model "M"). It has a
row of 10 or 12, I'm not that sure, programable function keys on the top of
the keyboard. A real gem outside. But used one of the WORST IC sockets ever
made. It is so bad, but SO BAD, that I know of no one that operates well
today. And even one I had when they were new had the same problems. The
leaf-type sockets oxidised (wow, how do I spell it?) so fast that CCE had to
stop producing it and recall many of the computers made. I have two here,
maybe someday I'll change all the sockets and have a great machine for
playing.
Interesting that most brazilian ][+ clones are equal in cabinet and even
in schematic. All brazilian apple ][+ boards (except Micro Engenho, MaXXi
and Laser 128 //c) are carbon copies one of another :o) Even the ones with
lower case are equal, but with a small board on the place of the character
ROM :oD