R-Time 8 Help

[Tempest]

I've got an R-Time 8 cart that I'd like to test, but I have no idea how. I don't have Sparta DOS or anything like that to access R-Time 8, so what's the quickest way to see if it's working? I'm pretty sure the battery is long dead, but I'd like to check first before I go prying it out.

 

On that note, what's the easiest way to replace the battery? It appears to just be a clip, but it also appears that the clip is soldered to the battery. I assume all I have to do is desolder it, but do I have to solder a new one in or can I just leave the clip on it unsoldered?

 

Tempest

[spookt]

Not sure about testing, but I have done the battery replacement. I guess you could grab an atr of Sparta to test with, but I think you may also need an image of the disk which came with the RT8 for Sparta 3.2g.

 

When I looked at it there didn't seem to be a clean way to remove the clip from the battery. I have a hunch they may have come as a unit. I just ordered up a new battery and clip, desoldered the old clip and popped in the new one. It only took about 20 minutes of work and the cost of parts was very small. The benefit is next time I need to replace it, it will take 5 minutes to pop the case open and change the battery.

 

Here it is post replacement:

 

[+Guitarman]

Also, look for a low profile battery clip as some of them will be to tall for the case to close. Going with a clip is the only way to go for later battery replacement. Even if the RT8 still works, it would be a good idea to do the mod anyway. Saves time later.

 

Also, if I remember correctly, the RT8 is recognized by SpartaDos 3.2 or later automatically, but I may be mistaken. The RT8 disk had extra utilities on it. Just use the TIME and DATE commands to set it the first time you use it. I do notice mine looses a few seconds after a while so it's good to check the time on it once in a while.

[MEtalGuy66]

Here is SpartaDOS 3.2F, The SpartaDOS Toolkit, and both sides of the Rtime:8 Utility disk.

 

RTIME8.zip

 

Should be everything you need and then some...

[_The Doctor__]

You will want to get the new spartados x and a flash cart or get the new tdline that actually works with y2k and after with the correct dates.

That way the time and date as well as day will be correct

[trub]

You will want to get the new spartados x and a flash cart or get the new tdline that actually works with y2k and after with the correct dates.

Note that Maxflash 8Mb and R-Time8 are hardware incompatible, so use Maxflash 1Mb for hosting SDX 4.42.

[1050]

Once the battery is replaced it may take several reboots with SpartaDOS before the R-time8 cart has it's registers oriented correctly such that it starts to work right. More than three, less than ten on the reboot count and then you should be able to set the time and have it stick. At least that was my experiance. The R-time8 utility disk should have some info on how to acccess it via BASIC routines.

[Tempest]

Looks like I need to get a whole new battery clip for this thing. Does Radio Shack sell such an item still?

 

Tempest

[_The Doctor__]

Looks like I need to get a whole new battery clip for this thing. Does Radio Shack sell such an item still?

 

Tempest

 

 

I can't imagine the battery clip being bad... just contacts soldered directly to card with a platic holder make sure the 3v lithium battery is good and use a meter to check the solder connections. it may be a trace break or cold solder joint.

Edited January 13, 2009 by _The Doctor__

[kurtm]

I can't imagine the battery clip being bad... just contacts soldered directly to card with a platic holder make sure the 3v lithium battery is good and use a meter to check the solder connections. it may be a trace break or cold solder joint.

 

The clip might not be bad, but they spot welded the battery to the clip in the original. I found this out when I went to replace the battery in mine some 10 years ago. I did a big kluge to get it going with a new battery (after trying to solder the battery... *shudder*). Now I plan on getting a coin cell holder instead.

[a8maestro]

Not sure about testing, but I have done the battery replacement. I guess you could grab an atr of Sparta to test with, but I think you may also need an image of the disk which came with the RT8 for Sparta 3.2g.

 

When I looked at it there didn't seem to be a clean way to remove the clip from the battery. I have a hunch they may have come as a unit. I just ordered up a new battery and clip, desoldered the old clip and popped in the new one. It only took about 20 minutes of work and the cost of parts was very small. The benefit is next time I need to replace it, it will take 5 minutes to pop the case open and change the battery.

...

 

The battery terminals are welded to the battery case, so the pins need to be unsoldered from the cartridge board. Replace with a low profile battery socket for the future, as the picture shows.

 

Radio Shack does show a coin cell holder for cr2032, #270-009, don't know if its too big or too tall.

 

Rick D

Edited January 14, 2009 by a8maestro

[_The Doctor__]

I can't make the r time 8 work with SDX 4.42 MaxFlash 1 meg

 

It works fine with SDX 4.41 and all the other Spartas I have.

[_The Doctor__]

I had to make a config.sys on disk to do it with 4.42, but I liked it on cartridge better.

[trub]

I can't make the r time 8 work with SDX 4.42 MaxFlash 1 meg

Please, download the Maxflash1 image once again and reflash.

RTIME8.SYS has been missed from the default CONFIG.SYS.

[_The Doctor__]

cool, that saves me a step at boot up.

 

Just a quick question, is there an apetime module for sdx? I think realdos has one maybe they are interoperable?

[+bf2k+]

cool, that saves me a step at boot up.

 

Just a quick question, is there an apetime module for sdx? I think realdos has one maybe they are interoperable?

 

APETIME.COM that comes with Ape works fine.