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authorAndreas Baumann <mail@andreasbaumann.cc>2024-01-28 15:30:16 +0100
committerAndreas Baumann <mail@andreasbaumann.cc>2024-01-28 15:30:16 +0100
commit6f16de5fbd37435148540b59c6272db11ebb270c (patch)
tree519c885280b46f3efd2b2f12ad923c2f732a4d42 /content
parent6b424b94c27a837a97f9940b5897d6e7397180f1 (diff)
downloadwww-andreasbaumann-cc-6f16de5fbd37435148540b59c6272db11ebb270c.tar.gz
www-andreasbaumann-cc-6f16de5fbd37435148540b59c6272db11ebb270c.tar.bz2
took the IMC-2001 page completely apart into sections
Diffstat (limited to 'content')
-rw-r--r--content/hardware/imc-2001-documentation.md18
-rw-r--r--content/hardware/imc-2001-firmware.md4
-rw-r--r--content/hardware/imc-2001-images.md20
-rw-r--r--content/hardware/imc-2001-links.md19
-rw-r--r--content/hardware/imc-2001-status-todos.md133
-rw-r--r--content/hardware/imc-2001.md185
6 files changed, 199 insertions, 180 deletions
diff --git a/content/hardware/imc-2001-documentation.md b/content/hardware/imc-2001-documentation.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..20fce81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/content/hardware/imc-2001-documentation.md
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
++++
+title = "IMC-2001 Documentation"
++++
+
+# Operation Manual
+
+"Operation Manual for IMC-2001, version 2.01":
+
+{{< figure src="/images/hardware/imc-2001/manual_frontpage.jpg" alt="manual frontpage" >}}
+
+[The complete scanned manual](/hardware/imc-2001/manual_imc_2001_2.01.pdf)
+(also on archive.org, see [https://archive.org/details/manual_imc_2001_2.01](https://archive.org/details/manual_imc_2001_2.01))
+
+# Super Serial Card
+
+I got a super serial card from Ebay, the documentation of it can be
+found here [https://archive.org/details/Apple_II_Super_Serial_Card_1981_Apple](https://archive.org/details/Apple_II_Super_Serial_Card_1981_Apple).
+
diff --git a/content/hardware/imc-2001-firmware.md b/content/hardware/imc-2001-firmware.md
index 0a33aac..8e4aabc 100644
--- a/content/hardware/imc-2001-firmware.md
+++ b/content/hardware/imc-2001-firmware.md
@@ -179,3 +179,7 @@ Pin Pin
49 2 PIN10 8
50 1
```
+
+## Links
+
+* https://forum.classic-computing.de/forum/index.php?thread/11666-apple-clon-gtac-fragen/&postID=401752#post457130
diff --git a/content/hardware/imc-2001-images.md b/content/hardware/imc-2001-images.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f7d3bdb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/content/hardware/imc-2001-images.md
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
++++
+title = "IMC-2001 Images"
++++
+
+From the outside:
+
+{{< figure src="/images/hardware/imc-2001/computer_full.jpg" alt="IMC-2001" >}}
+
+Booting into Apple \]\[ CP/M 56k:
+
+{{< figure src="/images/hardware/imc-2001/cpm_40chars.jpg" alt="IMC-2001" >}}
+
+The motherboard and floppy drives:
+
+{{< figure src="/images/hardware/imc-2001/motherboard_internal.jpg" alt="IMC-2001" >}}
+
+The motherboard seems to be a CTAG-2 Taiwanese motherboard, so pretty standard.
+
+The floppy drives are standard TEAC-55A-U-00, with the short cable without the ground
+pins between data lines presumably.
diff --git a/content/hardware/imc-2001-links.md b/content/hardware/imc-2001-links.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2d8a421
--- /dev/null
+++ b/content/hardware/imc-2001-links.md
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
++++
+title = "IMC-2001 Links"
++++
+
+## Other IMC-2001
+
+* [Mention of the IMC-2001](http://www.epocalc.net/php/liste_models.php?texte=&look=All+fields&yearmax=2018&nocomp=pc&cat=Apple+2+clone):
+ mentions it on the list of Apple clones
+* [Youtube video of similar machine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7crlJg80Zg):
+ "APPLE II CLONE + CP/M ------- IMC 2001 made in taiwan.--------", Retro Computacion Argentina Jorge E. Nuviola
+
+## Other Similar Clones
+
+* West PC 800:
+ - Pietro Filiberi: https://www.youtube.com/@dustylife/videos
+ - Retro Erik: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kop7mHEmJyM
+* https://github.com/eyalabraham/apple2 or
+ https://github.com/pfiliberti/gtac-appleclone
+* http://john.ccac.rwth-aachen.de:8000/patrick/MEWA48.htm
diff --git a/content/hardware/imc-2001-status-todos.md b/content/hardware/imc-2001-status-todos.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9ba7995
--- /dev/null
+++ b/content/hardware/imc-2001-status-todos.md
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
++++
+title = "IMC-2001 Status and Todo List"
++++
+
+# Todos
+
+Trying to fix several issues:
+
+- CPM65 works on the machine in 40-character mode (hacked), the
+ Videx card is the next goal. The 40-character mode still is quite
+ unreliable and crashes the machine, the screen TTY driver is still
+ to be done for apple2.
+- the 5V rail is on 4.5V now, causing issues with the keyboard (the
+ length of the cable) and with the paddles. Not clear, whether this
+ is the PSU (which is also showing 4.7V without load) or something
+ on the motherboard. There are two +5V lines on the original PSU and
+ only one on the replacement PSU, maybe that's a problem?
+- the keyboard beeps and issues '=' and '/' characters when connected
+ to a longer serial cable, no problems when connecting the botched
+ wire from the old connector on the keyboard PCB directly to the
+ computer. Some shielding or capacitance issue? It also appeared
+ only after playing with the paddle connectors.
+- the new paddle connector with DIN-5 connectors works somewhat with
+ paddle 0, though the nob is not totally up when on 255. This indicates
+ again a capacitance issue, probably with the cable itself?
+- two new teac drives turned out to have the very wrong connector for
+ an Apple \]\[ disk controller, some adapted has to be designed and
+ a PCB has to be printed.
+- strange issues with floppy images not working in LinApple or also
+ not on the real computer, always bailing out in the monitor in strange
+ locations. Used Fluxengine and ADTPro to get images, they are identical.
+ Checked the RAM of the machine, no errors. Must investigate if boot
+ addresses are the issue (48k floppy masters not working on 64 or similar
+ issues)
+- HGR shows a line on row 0 only partially. This could be an adjustment issue
+ of the CRT image or also bad RAM.
+- the CRT shows some flickering and diagonal effects. Testing on an old TV
+ shows the same issue (so I suspect it's some grounding/shielding issue
+ with the new PSU).
+- the CRT is producing some flickering when turning the brightness nob,
+ this should be fixable with some deoxit.
+- the second floppy drive (the more used one) now sees floppies always as
+ "write protected". Diagnostic tests show alignment issues of the drive, this
+ could be true, or the clone always had a different alignment than a default
+ Apple 2 drive?
+- the paddle wire is self-made on paddle 1 and quit a mess. Doing a rewire
+ with DIN-5 connectors which then lead to a 9-pin DSUB-Apple ][ standard
+ joystick connector, which will go to the 16-pin DIP socket on the motherboard.
+ The original joystick connector has a completely weird layout and is not usable
+ (it has no Apple 2 layout)
+- really bad design to connect DIP 2x8 cables of the joystick and the paddles
+ directly on the motherboard, you pull the cable a little bit too much and
+ you tar out half of the motherboard.
+- possibly much more
+
+# Fixed Issues
+
+- ~~the paddle and the joystick connectors miss some legs for putting them into
+ the sockets on the motherboard~~. No essential pins are missing, will
+ rework this anyway as a 8x2 DIP to 9-DSUB, from there to an adapter
+ where you can connect 2 DIN-5 cables, needs rewiring of both paddles.
+- ~~paddle 0 seems to be a little bit shacky (the button works unreliably)~~.
+ DeOxit in the button helped. Works much better now.
+- ~~the lever moving the contacts between 40-character and 80-character
+ mode for the CRT output is corroded, doesn't always make contact
+ and produces a flickering image~~. The box is heavily sealed and there
+ is no easy way to fix it. Using an audio switch box for switching modes now
+ (the cables are standard audio-like cinch connectors).
+- ~~the floppy drives read floppies (both) but they don't write to floppies
+ (when copying in CP/M or creating a file), they work when formatting
+ a drive on CP/M though. ~~Could be a side-effect of the PSU not working properly.~~
+ The PSU has been replaced, the voltages look ok, so I rule out the PSU.
+ Could be some missing code in the Apple ROM (but that would be weird to
+ call 6502 firmware code from the Z80 CPU). It could also be the write
+ current being to low for writting (but why does formatting a drive work then?!)~~
+ So, yes. DOS 3.3 and CP/M both use some ROM routines from ROM1 to write to disk.
+ Works now.
+- ~~floppies written read/written with Fluxengine don't really work either
+ on the real hardware or the emulator. Suspecting a encoding/decoding issue.~~
+ Updating Fluxengine solved the issue, also choosing 96dpi 5 1/4" for the real
+ floppy drive. :-)
+- ~~the keyboard reset line cannot be taken to ground on the keyboard, works
+ with shrtening ground and reset though just fine. Must be a bug on the
+ ICs of the keyboard controller or a broken trace.~~ Fixed with a botch
+ to bridge the broken ribbon cable between keyboard matrix and the PCB with
+ the controller logic.
+- ~~ROM 1 with BASIC is broken (and gets really hot). This explains
+ the booting issues.. (will be tricky to get a replacement). The
+ board layout doesn't fit to the original ROM sizes too..~~
+ Got an AT28C256, no more frying of chips, Apple Basic prompt appears,
+ tested some commands and it seems fine. The 32k ROM has to be filled in
+ starting from 0x6000 with #E000-$EFFF and from $7000 with $D000-$DFFF.
+ If this ROM is ok we will see.
+- Reseated and deoxied all ICs, some of them were quite corroded, at
+ least 3 more turned out to be bad. ~~Sadly it didn't have an effect on
+ ROM 1 not getting hot (must be something else).~~ The new replacement
+ ROM works fine and doesn't get hot. So I actually blame it on the ROM
+ itself causing the other ICs to fry and not vice-versa.
+- ~~power switch made some hissing noises, it was not the switch, now
+ the original power is dead (and some transformers are humming). Ordered
+ a Apple 2 replacement PSU, waiting for it..~~
+ The new replacement power supply works like a charm, also replaced
+ the power switch, the old one was too unreliable.
+- ~~sometimes I get into the monitor~~
+- ~~lower-nibble bit 3 of the key
+ being pressed is missing, unclear where it is lost, I suspect a
+ bad register on the motherboard holding the current ASCII value of
+ the key pressed or something similar~~. Replaced a bad 74LS257N,
+ works now just fine.
+
+# Not fixed issues:
+
+- ~~The 220V fan no longer works.~~
+ I just disconected it, I don't think, it really helps to cool the system.
+
+# Known things to work:
+
+- The keyboard works electronically (8039 MCS-48 like CPU with a 2K EPROM),
+ has a new serial cable now and is fully functional
+- the Rockwell R6502 CPU has a phase 0 clock and seems to go through
+ address lines and output data (another strong indicator is the 'Apple \]\['
+ sign on the monitor when switching on which indicates 6502, 40-character
+ ROM, video circuit seems to be just fine).
+- Monitor is working just fine (which is sort of amazing for such an old
+ CRT monitor).
+- I can boot from a Apple \]\[ CP/M 56k floppy and I get a prompt, now
+ as the keyboard works and the CP/M on the 80-character card I can also
+ assume the Z80 is working just fine.
+- the 80-columns card (a Videx Videoterm or rather a clone of it) works just fine.
+- the highres graphic mode works just fine, I can run "Peter Anvin Chess" and play it.
+- Applesoft BASIC works fine
+- the new Super Serial Card II I got works fine, though it looses characters
+ (without parity and adding some delay in minicom). Definitely usable.
diff --git a/content/hardware/imc-2001.md b/content/hardware/imc-2001.md
index 24b6052..c59dc3b 100644
--- a/content/hardware/imc-2001.md
+++ b/content/hardware/imc-2001.md
@@ -4,188 +4,13 @@ title = "IMC-2001"
This is an old Taiwanese Apple \]\[ / CP/M clone.
-## Subtopics
-
+- [Status and Todos](/hardware/imc-2001-status-todos)
- [Keyboard](/hardware/imc-2001-keyboard): keyboard connector and protocol
- [Power](/hardware/imc-2001-power): PSU and power
- [Chargen40](/hardware/imc-2001-chargen40): 40-column character mode
- [Firmware](/hardware/imc-2001-firmware): the monitor, Applesoft ROMs
+- [Documentation](/hardware/imc-2001-documentation): documentation about the machine
+ and peripherals
+- [Images](/hardware/imc-2001-images)
+- [Links](/hardware/imc-2001-links): links to other similar machines
-# Status and unsorted stuff
-
-Trying to fix several issues:
-
-- CPM65 works on the machine in 40-character mode (hacked), the
- Videx card is the next goal.
-- the 5V rail is on 4.5V now, causing issues with the keyboard (the
- length of the cable) and with the paddles. Not clear, whether this
- is the PSU (which is also showing 4.7V without load) or something
- on the motherboard. There are two +5V lines on the original PSU and
- only one on the replacement PSU, maybe that's a problem?
-- the keyboard beeps and issues '=' and '/' characters when connected
- to a longer serial cable, no problems when connecting the botched
- wire from the old connector on the keyboard PCB directly to the
- computer. Some shielding or capacitance issue? It also appeared
- only after playing with the paddle connectors.
-- the new paddle connector with DIN-5 connectors works somewhat with
- paddle 0, though the nob is not totally up when on 255. This indicates
- again a capacitance issue, probably with the cable itself?
-- two new teac drives turned out to have the very wrong connector for
- an Apple \]\[ disk controller, some adapted has to be designed and
- a PCB has to be printed.
-- strange issues with floppy images not working in LinApple or also
- not on the real computer, always bailing out in the monitor in strange
- locations. Used Fluxengine and ADTPro to get images, they are identical.
- Checked the RAM of the machine, no errors. Must investigate if boot
- addresses are the issue (48k floppy masters not working on 64 or similar
- issues)
-- HGR shows a line on row 0 only partially. This could be an adjustment issue
- of the CRT image or also bad RAM.
-- the CRT shows some flickering and diagonal effects. Testing on an old TV
- shows the same issue (so I suspect it's some grounding/shielding issue
- with the new PSU).
-- the CRT is producing some flickering when turning the brightness nob,
- this should be fixable with some deoxit.
-- the second floppy drive (the more used one) now sees floppies always as
- "write protected". Diagnostic tests show alignment issues of the drive, this
- could be true, or the clone always had a different alignment than a default
- Apple 2 drive?
-- the paddle wire is self-made on paddle 1 and quit a mess. Doing a rewire
- with DIN-5 connectors which then lead to a 9-pin DSUB-Apple ][ standard
- joystick connector, which will go to the 16-pin DIP socket on the motherboard.
- The original joystick connector has a completely weird layout and is not usable
- (it has no Apple 2 layout)
-- really bad design to connect DIP 2x8 cables of the joystick and the paddles
- directly on the motherboard, you pull the cable a little bit too much and
- you tar out half of the motherboard.
-- possibly much more
-
-Fixed issues:
-
-- ~~the paddle and the joystick connectors miss some legs for putting them into
- the sockets on the motherboard~~. No essential pins are missing, will
- rework this anyway as a 8x2 DIP to 9-DSUB, from there to an adapter
- where you can connect 2 DIN-5 cables, needs rewiring of both paddles.
-- ~~paddle 0 seems to be a little bit shacky (the button works unreliably)~~.
- DeOxit in the button helped. Works much better now.
-- ~~the lever moving the contacts between 40-character and 80-character
- mode for the CRT output is corroded, doesn't always make contact
- and produces a flickering image~~. The box is heavily sealed and there
- is no easy way to fix it. Using an audio switch box for switching modes now
- (the cables are standard audio-like cinch connectors).
-- ~~the floppy drives read floppies (both) but they don't write to floppies
- (when copying in CP/M or creating a file), they work when formatting
- a drive on CP/M though. ~~Could be a side-effect of the PSU not working properly.~~
- The PSU has been replaced, the voltages look ok, so I rule out the PSU.
- Could be some missing code in the Apple ROM (but that would be weird to
- call 6502 firmware code from the Z80 CPU). It could also be the write
- current being to low for writting (but why does formatting a drive work then?!)~~
- So, yes. DOS 3.3 and CP/M both use some ROM routines from ROM1 to write to disk.
- Works now.
-- ~~floppies written read/written with Fluxengine don't really work either
- on the real hardware or the emulator. Suspecting a encoding/decoding issue.~~
- Updating Fluxengine solved the issue, also choosing 96dpi 5 1/4" for the real
- floppy drive. :-)
-- ~~the keyboard reset line cannot be taken to ground on the keyboard, works
- with shrtening ground and reset though just fine. Must be a bug on the
- ICs of the keyboard controller or a broken trace.~~ Fixed with a botch
- to bridge the broken ribbon cable between keyboard matrix and the PCB with
- the controller logic.
-- ~~ROM 1 with BASIC is broken (and gets really hot). This explains
- the booting issues.. (will be tricky to get a replacement). The
- board layout doesn't fit to the original ROM sizes too..~~
- Got an AT28C256, no more frying of chips, Apple Basic prompt appears,
- tested some commands and it seems fine. The 32k ROM has to be filled in
- starting from 0x6000 with #E000-$EFFF and from $7000 with $D000-$DFFF.
- If this ROM is ok we will see.
-- Reseated and deoxied all ICs, some of them were quite corroded, at
- least 3 more turned out to be bad. ~~Sadly it didn't have an effect on
- ROM 1 not getting hot (must be something else).~~ The new replacement
- ROM works fine and doesn't get hot. So I actually blame it on the ROM
- itself causing the other ICs to fry and not vice-versa.
-- ~~power switch made some hissing noises, it was not the switch, now
- the original power is dead (and some transformers are humming). Ordered
- a Apple 2 replacement PSU, waiting for it..~~
- The new replacement power supply works like a charm, also replaced
- the power switch, the old one was too unreliable.
-- ~~sometimes I get into the monitor~~
-- ~~lower-nibble bit 3 of the key
- being pressed is missing, unclear where it is lost, I suspect a
- bad register on the motherboard holding the current ASCII value of
- the key pressed or something similar~~. Replaced a bad 74LS257N,
- works now just fine.
-
-Not fixed issues:
-
-- ~~The 220V fan no longer works.~~
- I just disconected it, I don't think, it really helps to cool the system.
-
-Known things to work:
-
-- The keyboard works electronically (8039 MCS-48 like CPU with a 2K EPROM),
- has a new serial cable now and is fully functional
-- the Rockwell R6502 CPU has a phase 0 clock and seems to go through
- address lines and output data (another strong indicator is the 'Apple \]\['
- sign on the monitor when switching on which indicates 6502, 40-character
- ROM, video circuit seems to be just fine).
-- Monitor is working just fine (which is sort of amazing for such an old
- CRT monitor).
-- I can boot from a Apple \]\[ CP/M 56k floppy and I get a prompt, now
- as the keyboard works and the CP/M on the 80-character card I can also
- assume the Z80 is working just fine.
-- the 80-columns card (a Videx Videoterm or rather a clone of it) works just fine.
-- the highres graphic mode works just fine, I can run "Peter Anvin Chess" and play it.
-- Applesoft BASIC works fine
-- the new Super Serial Card II I got works fine, though it looses characters
- (without parity and adding some delay in minicom). Definitely usable.
-
-# Images
-
-From the outside:
-
-{{< figure src="/images/hardware/imc-2001/computer_full.jpg" alt="IMC-2001" >}}
-
-Booting into Apple \]\[ CP/M 56k:
-
-{{< figure src="/images/hardware/imc-2001/cpm_40chars.jpg" alt="IMC-2001" >}}
-
-The motherboard and floppy drives:
-
-{{< figure src="/images/hardware/imc-2001/motherboard_internal.jpg" alt="IMC-2001" >}}
-
-The motherboard seems to be a CTAG-2 Taiwanese motherboard, so pretty standard.
-
-The floppy drives are standard TEAC-55A-U-00, with the short cable without the ground
-pins between data lines presumably.
-
-# Documentation
-
-This is the "Operation Manual for IMC-2001, version 2.01":
-
-{{< figure src="/images/hardware/imc-2001/manual_frontpage.jpg" alt="manual frontpage" >}}
-
-[The complete scanned manual](/hardware/imc-2001/manual_imc_2001_2.01.pdf)
-(also on archive.org, see [https://archive.org/details/manual_imc_2001_2.01](https://archive.org/details/manual_imc_2001_2.01))
-
-# Super Serial Card
-
-I got a super serial card from Ebay, the documentation of it can be
-found here [https://archive.org/details/Apple_II_Super_Serial_Card_1981_Apple](https://archive.org/details/Apple_II_Super_Serial_Card_1981_Apple).
-
-# Links
-
-## Other IMC-2001
-
-* [Mention of the IMC-2001](http://www.epocalc.net/php/liste_models.php?texte=&look=All+fields&yearmax=2018&nocomp=pc&cat=Apple+2+clone):
- mentions it on the list of Apple clones
-* [Youtube video of similar machine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7crlJg80Zg):
- "APPLE II CLONE + CP/M ------- IMC 2001 made in taiwan.--------", Retro Computacion Argentina Jorge E. Nuviola
-
-## Other Similar Clones
-
-* West PC 800:
- - Pietro Filiberi: https://www.youtube.com/@dustylife/videos
- - Retro Erik: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kop7mHEmJyM
-* https://github.com/eyalabraham/apple2 or
- https://github.com/pfiliberti/gtac-appleclone
-* http://john.ccac.rwth-aachen.de:8000/patrick/MEWA48.htm