5 Jun
2003
5 Jun
'03
1:48 a.m.
----- Original Message -----
From: Jules Richardson <julesrichardsonuk(a)yahoo.co.uk>
I came across a whole boxful of Apple II cards at the
weekend that I'd
forgotten I actually owned.
Things get buried way to easily in this "Hobby", That Reminds me I
might pull my Apple IIs out of storage and have a play.....
I was never really much of an apple user, came by my collection by
fluike and just kept adding to it. I have had lots of fun playing with them
though. I'll try and give what info I can, comparing the cards to whats in
my collection......
IC Test Card: Made by a Japanese company called
Fairy, given the 20-pin
ZIF
socket that (I assume) goes with this, I imagine
it's a tester for TTL
logic
chips. Most of the card's logic is buried beneath
black gloop with black
cardboard over the top, so who knows what's under there - the 40-pin chip
with
the 'test OK' sticker on it has had the
markings ground off too. Anyone
heard
of one of these or have software for one?
I have heard of these, there is a curcuit in the form of a
electronics project floating around some where for either this card or
something simillar. I'm sure the artical had a listing of the software. I
would try and find an archive of electronics magazines from the mid
eighties.....
Z80 Card: Actually a "Z80 Card II" made by
Creative. Presumably software
exists for one of these somewhere still. No on-board memory, and 4 unknown
DIP-switches in the lower-right corner. CPU is Z80-A, card seems to have
been
made in late 1982.
I might be wrong but I have a feeling if your talking Z80 in the
apple you looking at a CPM adaptor. Next generation apples have the Z80
built in as a co-processor.... That if I remember correctly..... I have
several mother boards, some with the Z80 and others without. The first time
I saw something like this it was inside a machine without the Z80 mounted on
the mother board.....
ROM Card: No idea what this is; presumably the 6 ROMs (2716 chips)
contain
utilities that could have been accessed under software
control? No idea
what
the switch at the rear edge of the card does either.
I have a simillar card, once again it's to do with CPM. At least
mine is, yours might be loaded with something diferant, I can't remember if
it was "generic" storage, or purpous built for the above CPM card......
ZIF-socketed card ("unknown_04.jpg" on the
website): The ZIF socket is a
28-pin unit. I'd say it was a programmer, but wouldn't it need an external
24V
(??) supply if that were true? The 40-pin chip is
marked as "S6821P",
whatever
one of those is. The first 3 of the switches are
labelled as '16', the
next 3
as '32' and the last 4 (overlapping by 1 with
the previous 3) as '64'.
Definatly correct here, this is an Eprom programmer. Once again i'm
sure this was something that I hacve seen inside an electronics mag as a
project.... I'd do a little bit of research at the local library.....
Card with remote pushbutton switch
("unknown_03.jpg" on the website): All
TTL
logic on board, ROM is a 2716 chip. Underside is
labelled "Wild card".
Anyone
seen one of these or know what it is?
I have never seen anything like this one before, but if it is as
sugested by another member a "Hacking card" then I'd also love to hear from
anyone else who may have further info. This sort of "Unusual" plug in would
be an interesting addition to my collection. I'll keep my eyes out for more
info, might even do a bit of research at the local TAFE myself.......
Hope this has been useful, Keep us updated with any info you get, I
know I'd love to see more info on these bits, just so I know wether or not
it's worth looking out for them to add to my collection.....
The Sinister Dragon......