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What vintage computer modifications have you performed recently?


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Just curious as to what others have done to their vintage computers recently. What I have done:

 

Amiga 500:

 

I was lucky to obtain a Rev 6A board (which is the easiest to mod) and had to try to remember what I did with certain modifications back in the day. Oddly enough, internet searches for this have become harder to find with some modifications (maybe because Lemon Amiga is down). Anyway:

 

1. Pal/NTSC switch installed

2. 1MB Chip mod performed

3. Barrel clock battery removed from trapdoor expansion (just in time!) and new CR-2032 battery installed with diode to stop the Amiga from trying to recharge it (I have accurate time now!)

 

Others (which are not mods really) is a PS2 controller adapter and a PS One joystick and a PS2 mouse adapter and a Microsoft intellimouse. This computer is wicked fun now!

 

 

C128:

 

1. JiffyDOS installed w/switch in casing

 

 

Color Computer 3:

 

1. Triad 512kb memory expansion upgrade

 

 

That's about it for me for the year of 2014. Some things came back to me while performing the Amiga modifications that reminded me how much I loved this computer as a kid. And, my mods are MUCH cleaner now that I am older and have more attention to detail :)

Edited by eightbit
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Probably nothing in the last 12 months.

 

800XL has VBXE, U1Meg & IDE+2. I've got an external USB drive case that died so the plan is to make that the home for IDE+2 and use the ribbon cable rather than directly plugged in.

 

Got an RGB -> S-Video/Composite adaptor that suits VBXE, needs to be put into a case and have a power socket added. Only bought it so I could do video captures. Might get a cheap LCD TV so I can use it with that.

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These are all for a Texas Instruments "TI-99/4A"

 

Modifications

1) Added an 80 track upgrade to the FDC which doubles the storage capacity the internal 3.5" drives.

2) Added the "HDX" modification to the RS-232 card which makes my PC a 'server' for the TI (works like a Hard Drive).

3) Added an "F18" which gives the TI VGA output and allows it to use modern VGA monitors or TV's.

 

Add On's

4) Added a Lantronix UDS-10 so the TI could Telnet to BBS's connected to the Internet.

 

Next On The LIst

5) A WiFi Bridge (to connect to the UDS-10) so the TI can be in another room and still get on the Internet with no router cable.

 

Some Day Hopefully

6) A real time clock

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In the last 3-4 months:

 

Installed a F18A in a TI-99/4A

 

Swapped the AC fan with a substantially quieter 12VDC fan in a TI PEB

 

Installed JiffyDOS in a C64C and two 1541-II's

 

Upgraded a Mac SE FDHD from 2MB to 4MB of RAM and a (failing) 40MB hard drive to a 230MB one

 

Upgraded a PowerMac 5400/180 from 24MB of RAM to 136MB of RAM

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Replaced the hard drive in my Amiga 1200 with a dual CF card interface.
I installed CFFA cards in a couple Apple IIs. I wouldn't exactly call that modding.
Swapped out the 6502 in a Franklin Ace 1000 with a 65C02.
Added an incognito to my Atari 800.

I have a VZ200 and MC-10 here waiting for a couple parts to do some major surgery.
After that I have a couple ADAMs that I'm going to do RAM upgrades on by piggybacking chips.

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  • 4 weeks later...

My latest upgrades were done almost 2 years ago, but I gave my Atari 1200XL a 512K memory upgrade, dual Pokey chip stereo sound board, PAL Antic chip for European software compatibility, 32-in-1 OS upgrade, SIO2PC board, 10502PC board; for loading from PC and writing from PC to Atari floppy and vice versa, Supervideo 2.1 circuit upgrade for quality S-video and composite ouput. Removed RF box for more upgrade room and no interference. Much more to come soon.

Edited by Gunstar
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  • 2 weeks later...

Replaced the Motorola 68B09 with a socket and a Hitachi 63C09. I didn't know you could do this until recently when I was reading up on the Tandy Colour Computer 3. Been running it for 15mins now and still no smoke!

What are the advantages of the Hitachi over the Motorola?? I have a CoCo 3, NIB and not being a Radio Shack User, I am looking to see what I can do to enhance it...

Edited by MarkO
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According to Wikipedia, the 6309 in native (non-emulated) mode supports additional instructions and runs on average 30% faster than a 6809. Also being CMOS and drawing less power, I suppose it also gets less hot which always usually can be a good thing unless you want your vintage computer to double as a heating element.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitachi_6309

 

Previously NitrOS-9 required a 6309 to run, nowadays it is possible to use it with a regular 6809 too.

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I believe the CoCo3's CPU isn't socketed.
You have to desolder it and solder in a socket or piggyback the CPU as described here:
http://www.coco3.com/community/2009/10/installing-a-hitachi-6309-cpu-the-easy-way/

The 6309 offers compatibility with the 6809 on startup.
When set to native mode, there are a couple things that may not work the same (stack operators?) but most of the changes are additions.
The 6309 adds two more 8 bit registers that can be combined into another 16 bit register and along with A & B can be combined into a 32 bit register.
It supports larger multiplies and adds division instructions. It also adds a few instructions for dealing with the D register for shifting and such.

Most of the speed enhancement comes from adding an instruction prefetch.

Edited by JamesD
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According to Wikipedia, the 6309 in native (non-emulated) mode supports additional instructions and runs on average 30% faster than a 6809. Also being CMOS and drawing less power, I suppose it also gets less hot which always usually can be a good thing unless you want your vintage computer to double as a heating element.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitachi_6309

 

Previously NitrOS-9 required a 6309 to run, nowadays it is possible to use it with a regular 6809 too.

And NitrOS-9 is Open Source and Actively Developed!!!!

 

I am a Very Long time Apple ][ and C64 and Sinclair ZX-81 user, but never worked with Atari 400/800 or TRS80's..

 

What do the 5.25" Disk Drives for the CoCo 3 look like and how available are they?? Is there a Compact Flash option??

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I believe the CoCo3's CPU isn't socketed.

You have to desolder it and solder in a socket or piggyback the CPU as described here:

http://www.coco3.com/community/2009/10/installing-a-hitachi-6309-cpu-the-easy-way/

That's Not a Problem... I have all the equipment to unsolder it...

 

 

The 6309 offers compatibility with the 6809 on startup.

When set to native mode, there are a couple things that may not work the same (stack operators?) but most of the changes are additions.

The 6309 adds two more 8 bit registers that can be combined into another 16 bit register and along with A & B can be combined into a 32 bit register.

It supports larger multiplies and adds division instructions. It also adds a few instructions for dealing with the D register for shifting and such.

Most of the speed enhancement comes from adding an instruction prefetch.

 

I have been looking at the 512K Triad Upgrade from Cloud 9 Tech.. This would be nice to add to it too..

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I want to..

But I can remember how to do a damn thing on any of my Amigas.

I have a stack of 2000s,3000s and a 4000 and boxes of hardware,CD drives, boards of all types.

And I really cannot remember what went in what...which one had the upgraded ROM/faster chips...or what even software works for what. I just DONT have the time or will to figure it all out anymore I guess. I had the 4000 running a few years ago with a new Is and then I had to replace CD drive and then got some other stuff from the net for it. Took it all apart to clean up and try to modernize even more. Then I think my girl move in....lost the extra room. Packed crap up when I thought we got a house...hmm did that a few times. Now got a house and still no time for them.

I just see these boxes of stuff every week and say to myself. I wish someone would cherry pic the best of the best and build up my 4000 for me. Or just offer me a trade or cash and take it all off my hands.

The only Amiga system I still can operate is my 1000. That hasn't changed since...god...1993. But I haven't even seen that thing unboxed in years...

Any one know of any Amiga fans/collectors near Cleveland..lol

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And NitrOS-9 is Open Source and Actively Developed!!!!

 

I am a Very Long time Apple ][ and C64 and Sinclair ZX-81 user, but never worked with Atari 400/800 or TRS80's..

 

What do the 5.25" Disk Drives for the CoCo 3 look like and how available are they?? Is there a Compact Flash option??

The oldest CoCo drive interfaces require 12v which the CoCo 2/3 don't have. I can't remember the model number but you want to avoid setups with silver drives for sure.

You can identify older units at a glance because they came with the old full height vertically mounted drives with only one in a case and the controller is also a lot larger (around 2 to 3 times) the size of game cart. The older vertical drives are more temperamental so I'd just avoid them even if you find a white one.

Newer units had a single or dual half height drives mounted horizontally and the controller is smaller than the old ones.

They should be model 501 or 502. The 501 has gold contacts so it's the most desirable.

 

Cloud9Tech has a CF interface. It is only compatible with floppies at the software level.

There is a new micro SD interface that also emulates a drive at the hardware level but I had my name put on the list and haven't heard anything back for months.

http://cocosdc.blogspot.com/

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