From 6f16de5fbd37435148540b59c6272db11ebb270c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Andreas Baumann Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2024 15:30:16 +0100 Subject: took the IMC-2001 page completely apart into sections --- content/hardware/imc-2001-documentation.md | 18 +++ content/hardware/imc-2001-firmware.md | 4 + content/hardware/imc-2001-images.md | 20 ++++ content/hardware/imc-2001-links.md | 19 +++ content/hardware/imc-2001-status-todos.md | 133 +++++++++++++++++++++ content/hardware/imc-2001.md | 185 +---------------------------- 6 files changed, 199 insertions(+), 180 deletions(-) create mode 100644 content/hardware/imc-2001-documentation.md create mode 100644 content/hardware/imc-2001-images.md create mode 100644 content/hardware/imc-2001-links.md create mode 100644 content/hardware/imc-2001-status-todos.md (limited to 'content') 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 -- cgit v1.2.3-54-g00ecf