Power Supply for Digital Device Corporation APE FACE XLP

[as4VP]

Does anyone know the power supply requirements (volts and Milliamps) for the APE FACE XLP parallel printer interface, manufactured by Digital Device Corporation?

Power Supply input is connected directly to a transistor p/n: 8305S

But I cannot find any data sheet for an 8305S transistor.

I suppose I could try power supplies from 3V all the way to 12V, using low mA. But I'd prefer to know the exact.

OR does anyone know the specs for the 8305S transistor?

Attached are pictures of the APE FACE XLP

[re-atari]

Does anyone know the power supply requirements (volts and Milliamps) for the APE FACE XLP parallel printer interface, manufactured by Digital Device Corporation?

 

Power Supply input is connected directly to a transistor p/n: 8305S

But I cannot find any data sheet for an 8305S transistor.

That's not a transistor but a standard 7805 5V 1A regulator, 8305 is the date it was manufactured (week 5 in 1983). It takes any DC voltage from 8 to 35V, feeding 9V or 12V DC into it should be OK. I doubt it draws more than a few hundred mA's. Do check beforehand if the ingoing power rail coming from the PSU connector isn't spliced before it goes to the regulator, and make sure you hook up + and - correctly to that connector.

 

Back in my active A8 days I sketched out the schematic of the standard Ape Face printerinterface (not the XLP). Must have been around 1986. The standard Ape Face got its power from the A8 through the SIO cable, where yours has the PSU connector. The Ape Face I studied only consisted of a romless Z8 processor, a 2316 (2 Kb) rom and a 74LS374, don't remember if there were any other components like diodes or resistors. IIRC I noticed an error in the Z8's wiring when comparing it to the datasheet (I think 2 adresslines were swapped). I'll check if I still have the documentation in my archive, my sketches might be in there (somewhere). As the rom was soldered in, I couldn't dump its contents. I haven't found it anywhere since, I remember asking about it here on AA several years ago.

Can you peel away the sticker on the eprom and check the type (I suspect it's a 2716)? Don't peel away too much, make sure you leave the glass window in the center of the eprom covered.

 

re-atari

Edited October 3, 2014 by re-atari

[re-atari]

Back in my active A8 days I sketched out the schematic of the standard Ape Face printerinterface (not the XLP). Must have been around 1986. The standard Ape Face got its power from the A8 through the SIO cable, where yours has the PSU connector. The Ape Face I studied only consisted of a romless Z8 processor, a 2316 (2 Kb) rom and a 74LS374, don't remember if there were any other components like diodes or resistors. IIRC I noticed an error in the Z8's wiring when comparing it to the datasheet (I think 2 adresslines were swapped). I'll check if I still have the documentation in my archive, my sketches might be in there (somewhere). As the rom was soldered in, I couldn't dump its contents. I haven't found it anywhere since, I remember asking about it here on AA several years ago.

Can you peel away the sticker on the eprom and check the type (I suspect it's a 2716)? Don't peel away too much, make sure you leave the glass window in the center of the eprom covered.

 

re-atari

I found the sketch I drew back then, it looks very similar to your hardware. My schematic shows the diode was a 1N914, the crystal 3,728Mhz, and there was a 10k resistor, 2 10nF ceramic caps and a 4uF 16V tantalum cap. Looking at your photos the resistor and caps are different. The crystal might be the same, but it doesn't show. The marking on the processor was the same as is shown on your photo, mine also had 'Z8 Romless' printed on top. Last difference is your board has an eprom, where mine had a maskrom.

Sadly I couldn't find any reference in my notes about the error I found in the wiring when I sketched out the hardware. I do know it was there, though.

 

re-atari

Edited October 3, 2014 by re-atari

[as4VP]

Thank You re-atari, I was doubtful I would get any responce.

 

I'm a goof for missing the L7805CV one line below.

 

I had a feeling the power supply would be ~9v, because searching google, I found a similar parallel printer interface with a 9-volt batter adapter hanging outside the case.

 

Do you know if I need any drivers or programs to use this or can I just hook it up to my Atari and a parallel printer?

 

I have a few old epson dot matrix printers to play around with.

 

Hoping to use this with an Atari 800XL and AtariWriter cartridge.

 

I peeled back the sticker a bit, confirm it is an SGS m2716

Crystal is 7.3728

Diode is 1N914

Edited October 4, 2014 by as4VP

[+hunmanik]

I realize that the board says Ape Face XLP, but I believe this model, for use with an external power supply, was marketed as the Ape Face 12XLP. Intended for the 1200XL specifically since without the SIO mod the 1200XL couldn't use the regular Ape Face versions.

[re-atari]

I had a feeling the power supply would be ~9v, because searching google, I found a similar parallel printer interface with a 9-volt batter adapter hanging outside the case.

I doubt an AC adapter will work, as your interface does not have a rectifier built in. You can always hack this in, of course, if you want to use that type of adapter. A 9V 300mA one should be OK.

 

Do you know if I need any drivers or programs to use this or can I just hook it up to my Atari and a parallel printer?

I have a few old epson dot matrix printers to play around with.

Hoping to use this with an Atari 800XL and AtariWriter cartridge.

You don't need drivers or anything like in the Windows-world to use this interface, just plug it between your A8 and your printer. The interface translates the ATASCII codes the A8 sends out when printing into something a printer can actually understand as data-to-be-printed. You do have to select the correct printer in the program you want to use with your printer. I remember my Star Gemini 10X was almost, but not completely, compatible with the Epson standard. Especially printing graphics didn't always go well. Sometimes, but not always, altering ESC-codes used for printerspecific commands inside programs did the trick.

 

BTW: make sure to wear good ear protection, and maybe warn the neighbors when printing with these. Printing has come a long way since.

 

Crystal is 7.3728

I think I messed up the crystal value back then and missed the first digit.

 

re-atari

Edited October 4, 2014 by re-atari

[as4VP]

I realize that the board says Ape Face XLP, but I believe this model, for use with an external power supply, was marketed as the Ape Face 12XLP. Intended for the 1200XL specifically since without the SIO mod the 1200XL couldn't use the regular Ape Face versions.

So it definately will not work?

 

I have an 800XL.

 

I dont want to go down to storage and bring my stuff home, unbox it all, only to find out it wont work.

 

I purchased this with the seller saying its for the 600XL/800XL

[+hunmanik]

So it definately will not work?

 

I have an 800XL.

 

I dont want to go down to storage and bring my stuff home, unbox it all, only to find out it wont work.

 

I purchased this with the seller saying its for the 600XL/800XL

 

It should work. I was just pointing out what I think this unusual version is, and why I believe they made it.

 

The usual Ape Face versions get their power from the Atari via the SIO cable. That makes them incompatible with the (unmodified) 1200XL. So, they made this one Ape Face version for use with an external power supply, so that they could offer one that would work with all Atari computers, even the unmodified 1200XL.

[Fuji-Man]

That's not a transistor but a standard 7805 5V 1A regulator, 8305 is the date it was manufactured (week 5 in 1983). It takes any DC voltage from 8 to 35V, feeding 9V or 12V DC into it should be OK. I doubt it draws more than a few hundred mA's. Do check beforehand if the ingoing power rail coming from the PSU connector isn't spliced before it goes to the regulator, and make sure you hook up + and - correctly to that connector.

 

Back in my active A8 days I sketched out the schematic of the standard Ape Face printerinterface (not the XLP). Must have been around 1986. The standard Ape Face got its power from the A8 through the SIO cable, where yours has the PSU connector. The Ape Face I studied only consisted of a romless Z8 processor, a 2316 (2 Kb) rom and a 74LS374, don't remember if there were any other components like diodes or resistors. IIRC I noticed an error in the Z8's wiring when comparing it to the datasheet (I think 2 adresslines were swapped). I'll check if I still have the documentation in my archive, my sketches might be in there (somewhere). As the rom was soldered in, I couldn't dump its contents. I haven't found it anywhere since, I remember asking about it here on AA several years ago.

Can you peel away the sticker on the eprom and check the type (I suspect it's a 2716)? Don't peel away too much, make sure you leave the glass window in the center of the eprom covered.

 

re-atari

 

Agree, 9vdc and ~300ma should be plenty. Looks like the center of the plug is positive, but check with a meter before hooking it up.

[as4VP]

I've got a weird question.

I've got a plug that will fit (transformer has different voltage)

 

So I'm going to cut the plug and put it onto a 9V DC ~300ma power adapter.

But....

These 9V power adapter put out like 13 volts when tested with a multimeter (with no load attached).

 

Should I just try to power this with a 9V battery instead?

[+bob1200xl]

The regulator in the interface will put out 5 volts even if the input is 13 volts - not to worry. Just make sure that the polarity is correct.

 

Bob