Can anyone help this guy out? Please respond directly to him. ttfn srw ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1998 23:12:09 -0500 From: LABOMBARD(a)PSFC.MIT.EDU To: SCOTT(a)SASKATOON.COM Cc: LABOMBARD(a)PSFC.MIT.EDU Subject: Looking for TRS-80 Model III Parts/Advice Dear Scott, I found your web site and thought you might have some advice on how I could keep an antique computer operational. Believe it or not, my Dad has a TRS80 Model III that he still uses! I programmed it back in the 80s to compute and plot out (using a home-made "polar" plotter) mechanical cam profiles for old automatic screw machines. Now my Dad is retired but he still dabbles as a consultant in setting up old screw machinery and running the TRS80 Model III to generate cam profiles. The software package on the TRS80 is extremely large and customized (with basic and Z80 instructions "poking "and "peeking" here there and everywhere) so we never felt it was worth the effort of converting it to a newer machine. Also, the "polar plotter" works fine and to generate the equivalent output on a modern printer would be easy for the hardware but a nightmare for converting the software. Rather, I have just kept the hardware operational to run the dedicated programs. This strategy has worked well for a very long time. But now there is a serious problem - the keyboard is getting worn out to the point where some of the keys refuse to work! So this brings me to ask you a question: Do you know where I could find another TRS80 Model III as a parts computer or a keyboard PC board for the same? I might be able to unsolder and fix/replace the keys themselves on the PC board but then again this action may lead to irreversible damage. I would appreciate any comments on this. Thanks, Brian ___________________________________________ Brian LaBombard LABOMBARD(a)PSFC.MIT.EDU MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center 175 Albany St Cambridge, MA 02139 (617) 253-6942 TEL (617) 253-0627 FAX