17 May
2001
17 May
'01
9:41 a.m.
On May 16, 21:59, Louis Schulman wrote:
Well, I just got a fabled but seldom seen Exidy
Sorcerer. It has a
power supply problem (including the need to be converted back from 220
to 110V) but I am working on that.
That should be fairly easy; you just change the transformer connections
inside the case. The 110V setting has two primary windings connected in
parallel to the mains; for 240V the black/red and black/yellow wire would
have been cut at the mains filter and joined together, putting the two
windings in series.
There weren't different units for the two voltages; Exidy literally cut the
wires as I describe above, and joined them together for the European sales.
If it's been set for the "wrong" voltage, it probably has been set for the
wrong vertical sync frequency as well. How you change this depends on
whether it's a Mark I or Mark 2. If it has three rows of DRAM, or sockets
for three rows, it's a Mark 2.
For a Mark I, there are 3 jumper sets on the underside of the PCB, beside
the ICs in positions 3B and 4B. The first set is a pair of square pads
between the rows of pins of 4B; connect them for 60Hz, or disconnect them
for 50Hz. The second set is a group of 3 pads between 4B and 3B. Two are
nearer 4B, one is nearer 3B, and they're arranged in an L shape. Connect
the middle of the L to the other one near 4B for 60Hz; connect the middle
of the L to the one nearer 3B for 50Hz. The last set is the other side of
3B; connect the two pads nearest 3B for 60Hz, connect the one nearest row A
to the one furthest from 3B for 50Hz.
For a Mark 2, it's easier. There's a 4-pole DIP switch at positin 11A on
the top side of the PCB. Switch section 1 off for 60Hz, on for 50Hz.
The Sorcerer was a contemporary of the Apple II,
Commodore Pet and
TRS-80 Model 1. It was unique in a number of features, including its
use of an S-100 expansion box. In many respects, it appears to have
been inspired by the SOL 20.
Info on the web in very sparse. I have nothing but the bare CPU, and
photocopies of some manuals. I would like any info anyone has
available, software, manuals, hardware, etc. Will pay good bucks, or
trade from my vast collection of interesting stuff.
I have the BASIC ROMs, the original monitor ROMs, patched (bugfixed)
monitor ROMs, images of the WP PAC ROMs (anyone got images of the Dev Pac
ROMS? Or a WP PAc manual? I used to have all these...). I have both
Technical Manuals and the Software Manual, the smaller of the two BASIC
manuals, the S100 Expansion Unit Technical Manual, notes on the hardware
bugs (eg the RS232 misdesign on the Mark I, for which I have a fix), and
some expansion options (eg upgrading 32K Mk1 to 48K).
I'm not willing to part with manuals, but I'm happy to lok anything up for
you, and the ROM images and my source code is at
http://www.dunnington.u-net.com/public/ExidyROMs/
I've also got some games and other software (not much, I'm afraid, things
like Breakout, Galaxians, BASIC Toolkit) which aren't on line, but might be
available if you can't find anything elsewhere.
I assume you've found:
http://www.trailingedge.com/exidy/
http://www.heydon.org/kevan/collection/manufacturer-exidy/sorcerer.html
http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~alexios/MACHINE-ROOM/Exidy_Sorcerer.html
http://www.lisp.com.au/~michael/exidy/
http://utopia.knoware.nl/users/stuurmn/exidys.htm
http://www.digidome.nl/exidy.htm
There are some errors in the last two or three pages (for example, it never
used a Z80A, and there was never any version but the 2.1MHz), but still
useful information.
--
Pete Peter Turnbull
Network Manager
University of York
17 May
17 May
11:50 a.m.
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: text
Size: 5264 bytes
Desc: not available
Url :
http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/attachments/20010517/11fc1d96/at…
3:02 p.m.
On Thu, 17 May 2001 21:50:36 +0100 (BST), Tony Duell wrote:
#>
#> On May 16, 21:59, Louis Schulman wrote:
#>
#> > Well, I just got a fabled but seldom seen Exidy Sorcerer. It has
a
#> > power supply problem (including the need to be converted back from
220
#> > to 110V) but I am working on that.
#>
#> That should be fairly easy; you just change the transformer
connections
#> inside the case. The 110V setting has two primary windings
connected in
#> parallel to the mains; for 240V the black/red and black/yellow wire
would
#> have been cut at the mains filter and joined together, putting the
two
#> windings in series.
#
#
#Pete will know this, but a word of warning for anyone else trying
that.
#It's _essential_ that you have the 2 windings the right way round ('in
#phase'), otherwise you are effectively shorting out the output of a
#110V-220V autotransformer when you make the second connection. Which
will
#result in a blown fuse at best and a ruined transformer at worst.
#
#The safest way to do it (even if you have a manual showing the right
#connections) is to do the following:
#
#1) Disconnect the secondary winding leads from the computer (you want
no
#load on the transformer)
#
#2) Cut the joint between the 2 primary windings (the bk/r and bk/y
wires
#that Pete mentioned), leaving the other primary winding wires in
place.
#These will be connected to the mains switch/filter in general.
#
#3) Check for continuity between the 2 cut ends and the other 2 primary
#(black/something) wires, which will be connected to the
switch/filter/etc.
#
#4) Connect one of the 'cut' wires to the transformer primary wire at
the
#switch/filter/etc that it _doesn't_ show any continuity to. By doing
that
#you've connected one of the 110V primary windings across the mains.
#
#5) Insulate the other cut end for the moment (it is connected to the
live
#mains side of the PSU after all). Connect an AC voltmeter to a
secondary
#winding. Switch on and check that you get something on the meter.
Switch
#off and unplug
#
#6) Connect an AC voltmeter, good to 220V at least, between the
remaining
#'cut end' and the other primary wire at the output of the
#switch/filter/etc. Switch on again. You should get essentially 0V on
the
#meter. If you get 220V, then you've got a winding connected backwards
#(how you could do this following the above steps is a mystery, but
it's
#better to be safe).
#
#7) Assuming it's OK, unplug it again, remove the meter, and connect
the
#remaining uncut end to the tag (i.e. effectively short out the meter).
#Test the output voltage again o nthe secondary windings, and if it all
#looks OK, reconnect the secondary to the PCB, etc.
#
#
#Some schematics to help understand the above :
#
#220V wiring : 2 primary windings in series :
#
#
# L-----------------------)||
# )||
# )||
# )||(---------------
# )||(
# +------)||(
# | ||( Secondary winding output
# | ||(
# +------)||(
# )||(
# )||(----------------
# )||
# )||
# N----------------------)||
#
#
#First test : One primary across 120V mains, other not used :
#
# L-------------+---------)||
# | )||
# | )||
# | )||(---------------
# | )||(
# | +----)||(
# | ||( Secondary winding output
# | ||(
# +---------)||(
# )||(
# )||(----------------
# )||
# )||
# N----------------------)||
#
#
#
#Check secondary output voltage on no-load just to make sure it's doing
#something.
#
#
#Second test : Check primary phase is correct using voltmeter :
#
#
# L-------------+---------)||
# | )||
# | )||
# | )||(---------------
# | )||(
# | +----)||(
# | | ||( Secondary winding output
# | | ||(
# +----)----)||(
# | )||(
# | )||(----------------
# (V) )||
# | )||
# N-----------------+----)||
#
#
#Voltmeter should read close to 0V in that circuit. If not, reverse
#connections to _one_ primary winding.
#
#
#FInal wiring for 110V mains : both primaries in parallel :
#
#
# L-------------+---------)||
# | )||
# | )||
# | )||(---------------
# | )||(
# | +----)||(
# | | ||( Secondary winding output
# | | ||(
# +----)----)||(
# | )||(
# | )||(----------------
# | )||
# | )||
# N-----------------+----)||
#
#
#
#-tony
#
Thanks Tony,
Very helpful. I had already figured this out (and had used a voltmeter
for continuity testing before hooking everything back up. In any
event, on my Sorecerer, the wires are different colors! And the colors
don't go where you would guess they go. Lesson: Don't depend on the
colors!
Louis
5:10 p.m.
New subject: Exidy Sorcerer: Next problem
OK, the power supply works! I have power on the motherboard. Now on
to the next problem.
When attached to a composite monitor, I get video, but it is a
rolling/pulsing screen. Yes, I have the sync set to 60 Hz.
So, can you supply a troubleshooting procedure to find where the
problem lies? Again, keep in mind that this is a Sorcerer II (with
apparently 32K in Rows 2 and 3, is this the proper configuration)?
Thanks, Louis
18 May
18 May
12:30 a.m.
> On May 16, 21:59, Louis Schulman wrote:
> > Well, I just got a fabled but seldom seen Exidy Sorcerer. It has a
> > power supply problem (including the need to be converted back from 220
> > to 110V) but I am working on that.
> That should be fairly easy; you just change the transformer connections
> inside the case. The 110V setting has two primary windings connected in
> parallel to the mains; for 240V the black/red and black/yellow wire would
> have been cut at the mains filter and joined together, putting the two
> windings in series.
Pete will know this, but a word of warning for anyone
else trying that.
It's _essential_ that you have the 2 windings the right way round ('in
phase'), otherwise you are effectively shorting out the output of a
110V-220V autotransformer when you make the second connection. Which will
result in a blown fuse at best and a ruined transformer at worst.
The safest way to do it [...long and good description
deleted...]
That's exactly why I find a transformer a convenient solution.
Just plug it in and that's it.
Gruss
H.
P.S.: yes, I know how to handle this type of task, but avoiding unnecersary
work is better idea :)
--
VCF Europa 3.0 am 27./28. April 2002 in Muenchen
http://www.vcfe.org/
17 May
17 May
2:55 p.m.
On Thu, 17 May 2001 18:41:57 GMT, Pete Turnbull wrote:
#On May 16, 21:59, Louis Schulman wrote:
#
#> Well, I just got a fabled but seldom seen Exidy Sorcerer. It has a
#> power supply problem (including the need to be converted back from
220
#> to 110V) but I am working on that.
#
#That should be fairly easy; you just change the transformer
connections
#inside the case. The 110V setting has two primary windings connected
in
#parallel to the mains; for 240V the black/red and black/yellow wire
would
#have been cut at the mains filter and joined together, putting the two
#windings in series.
#
#There weren't different units for the two voltages; Exidy literally
cut the
#wires as I describe above, and joined them together for the European
sales.
#
#If it's been set for the "wrong" voltage, it probably has been set for
the
#wrong vertical sync frequency as well. How you change this depends on
#whether it's a Mark I or Mark 2. If it has three rows of DRAM, or
sockets
#for three rows, it's a Mark 2.
#
#For a Mark I, there are 3 jumper sets on the underside of the PCB,
beside
#the ICs in positions 3B and 4B. The first set is a pair of square
pads
#between the rows of pins of 4B; connect them for 60Hz, or disconnect
them
#for 50Hz. The second set is a group of 3 pads between 4B and 3B. Two
are
#nearer 4B, one is nearer 3B, and they're arranged in an L shape.
Connect
#the middle of the L to the other one near 4B for 60Hz; connect the
middle
#of the L to the one nearer 3B for 50Hz. The last set is the other
side of
#3B; connect the two pads nearest 3B for 60Hz, connect the one nearest
row A
#to the one furthest from 3B for 50Hz.
#
#For a Mark 2, it's easier. There's a 4-pole DIP switch at positin 11A
on
#the top side of the PCB. Switch section 1 off for 60Hz, on for 50Hz.
#
#> The Sorcerer was a contemporary of the Apple II, Commodore Pet and
#> TRS-80 Model 1. It was unique in a number of features, including
its
#> use of an S-100 expansion box. In many respects, it appears to have
#> been inspired by the SOL 20.
#>
#> Info on the web in very sparse. I have nothing but the bare CPU,
and
#> photocopies of some manuals. I would like any info anyone has
#> available, software, manuals, hardware, etc. Will pay good bucks,
or
#> trade from my vast collection of interesting stuff.
#
#I have the BASIC ROMs, the original monitor ROMs, patched (bugfixed)
#monitor ROMs, images of the WP PAC ROMs (anyone got images of the Dev
Pac
#ROMS? Or a WP PAc manual? I used to have all these...). I have both
#Technical Manuals and the Software Manual, the smaller of the two
BASIC
#manuals, the S100 Expansion Unit Technical Manual, notes on the
hardware
#bugs (eg the RS232 misdesign on the Mark I, for which I have a fix),
and
#some expansion options (eg upgrading 32K Mk1 to 48K).
#
#I'm not willing to part with manuals, but I'm happy to lok anything up
for
#you, and the ROM images and my source code is at
#http://www.dunnington.u-net.com/public/ExidyROMs/
#
#I've also got some games and other software (not much, I'm afraid,
things
#like Breakout, Galaxians, BASIC Toolkit) which aren't on line, but
might be
#available if you can't find anything elsewhere.
#
#I assume you've
found:
#http://www.trailingedge.com/exidy/
#http://www.heydon.org/kevan/collection/manufacturer-exidy/sorcerer.html
#http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~alexios/MACHINE-ROOM/Exidy_Sorcerer.html
#http://www.lisp.com.au/~michael/exidy/
#http://utopia.knoware.nl/users/stuurmn/exidys.htm
#http://www.digidome.nl/exidy.htm
#
#There are some errors in the last two or three pages (for example, it
never
#used a Z80A, and there was never any version but the 2.1MHz), but
still
#useful information.
#
Thanks, Peter. This is very helpful. I had figured out reversing the
serial to parallel wiring, but didn't know about the dip switch
settings. Mind is obviously the Mark 2.
Is there some way I could get copies of the manuals? Also, is there
some way to create a ROM Pack? I really could use the Standard Basic
ROM pack. Assuming I burn the chip, what else is there to the circuit?
Louis
8472
days inactive
8473
days old
5 comments
4 participants
participants (4)
-
ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk -
Hans.Franke＠mch20.sbs.de -
louiss＠gate.net -
pete＠dunnington.u-net.com