+sm3 Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 Finally picked up a nice Apple IIe enhanced and while cleaning it up, noticed a black block plugged into the Game I/O port. Does anyone know what this is for? There are no real identifying marks on it. I was going to plug up my II plus joystick there. The black block reminds me of a sealed battery, but being new to the IIe, I have no clue what it's for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caterpiggle Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 it is for 6 pins Apple Paddle or Joystick instead of standard 9 sub joystick. It is Apple joystick version, NOT Atari joystick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sm3 Posted April 1, 2018 Author Share Posted April 1, 2018 it is for 6 pins Apple Paddle or Joystick instead of standard 9 sub joystick. It is Apple joystick version, NOT Atari joystick. Hello, yes, what I wanted to know is, there is small black plastic object plugged into the white Game I/O port on my IIe PCB. Is this just to protect the empty socket? Or is that black plastic thing with 2 rows of pins on the bottom used for some other purpose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caterpiggle Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 do you have an photo on it ? Sound like home-brew ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sm3 Posted April 1, 2018 Author Share Posted April 1, 2018 do you have an photo on it ? Sound like home-brew ? Sure, I apologize for the size of the image This may be nothing, just something to preserve the Game I/O socket. Since I'm relatively new to Apple II's and this is my first IIe, I was just curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caterpiggle Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 I has 2 of them. This is for spare piece of 6 pins. In case if at the end of game cable 's pin is broken or missing pins like that. It is good for replace the broken piece into this spare one. Mine is a little different, 2 of them are not for Apple I/O Game port and it is for something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sm3 Posted April 1, 2018 Author Share Posted April 1, 2018 I has 2 of them. This is for spare piece of 6 pins. In case if at the end of game cable 's pin is broken or missing pins like that. It is good for replace the broken piece into this spare one. Mine is a little different, 2 of them are not for Apple I/O Game port and it is for something else. Mine seems to be sealed. I thought it might have been a sealed battery or something, but had no clue what it would have been used for in the Game I/O port. Thanks. I guess I'll hold onto it for when the joystick isn't plugged in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sm3 Posted April 1, 2018 Author Share Posted April 1, 2018 Here's a shot of the IIe, I know everyone looks for pictures in these threads. Nothing major, I have a Microsoft SoftCard and my new CFFA3000 installed. I'm waiting for the 64k 80-column card to come in. Before the IIe purchase, I used my IIc, IIc plus and have a II+ I was looking to get an Apple IIe Platinum, but they seem to be few and far between on eBay. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david__schmidt Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 A picture of the *other* side would be very interesting. If it's all sealed up - it's probably a software protection dongle. Not a particularly common thing to do with the Apple II line, but they did happen from time to time. Not likely for protection of the socket; it's for protection of software. :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 Yes I second the protection idea. It could be as simple as an array of resistors or a basic 74LS logic chip. C64 and Atari 8bit had that. It is NOT to protect the socket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sm3 Posted April 2, 2018 Author Share Posted April 2, 2018 A picture of the *other* side would be very interesting. If it's all sealed up - it's probably a software protection dongle. Not a particularly common thing to do with the Apple II line, but they did happen from time to time. Not likely for protection of the socket; it's for protection of software. :-) Ah, I didn't even consider that! There doesn't appear to be any further identifying marks besides what is underneath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtisP Posted April 14, 2018 Share Posted April 14, 2018 I agree, this is almost certainly a security dongle. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sm3 Posted April 15, 2018 Author Share Posted April 15, 2018 I agree, this is almost certainly a security dongle. Thanks, yes, I've tossed it. Not going to waste any more time on it now that I know it's nothing crucial Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkO Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 Thanks, yes, I've tossed it. Not going to waste any more time on it now that I know it's nothing crucial It would have been interesting to know how it worked... Since there are Four Paddle Ports, that look for a Variable Resistors between 0 Ohms and 150K Ohms, you could make "a key" by using Four Resistors of the same or different values, and have your program read the values and determine if it's the Right Dongle... MarkO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osgeld Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 Could use the button lines in the mix as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted April 28, 2018 Share Posted April 28, 2018 Too bad it was thrown away. But then again with general interest waning in Apple II hardware.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sm3 Posted April 28, 2018 Author Share Posted April 28, 2018 Too bad it was thrown away. But then again with general interest waning in Apple II hardware.. I still have it, didn't quite make it to the garbage can yet Just didn't have much more interest since it wasn't anything important. This whole thing started because it was occupying the slot I wanted to use for my joystick and had no clue if it was something I needed to keep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osgeld Posted April 29, 2018 Share Posted April 29, 2018 mail it to me ill take it apart 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkO Posted April 29, 2018 Share Posted April 29, 2018 mail it to me ill take it apart +1 MarkO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted April 29, 2018 Share Posted April 29, 2018 Yes. It should be documented and examined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sm3 Posted April 29, 2018 Author Share Posted April 29, 2018 Yes. It should be documented and examined. Since some of you are curious, I've cracked it open and took some pictures. I'm afraid I didn't note which way it was oriented though when I removed it from the Game I/O port since I no longer cared. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 Great! Easy to duplicate. What is the part number on the transistor-looking thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkO Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 A Resistor Key.... The Two Resistors are set to a particular value... The Values, when read let the Program know that it is a Valid Install, if the values are correct. MarkO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sm3 Posted May 1, 2018 Author Share Posted May 1, 2018 OK here's the last 2 images I'll be uploading for this. Time for me to move on. Hopefully this will provide what you need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkO Posted May 1, 2018 Share Posted May 1, 2018 OK here's the last 2 images I'll be uploading for this. Time for me to move on. Hopefully this will provide what you need. Thanks for the Pictures.. If one of these needs to be built, we have the Circuit and Components.... MarkO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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