What Have I Done...

[bluejay]

I spent $400+ on an Apple IIe setup...

 

Non-enhanced, with 80col/64k.

Plus a DuoDisk, green phosphor monitor, and a bunch of other stuff(manuals, disks, etc.)

It's supposed to be flawless, but it does have moderate yellowing and some scratches.

Anyways, I'll post some more pics when it arrives, and create a way to squeeze it in my already full table.

Any recommendations on hardware/software?

Edited December 3, 2019 by bluejay

[eightbit]

The first thing I did was use the Apple II Game Server online to stream games from my cell to the Apple II. So cool, and all you need is a 3.5mm headphone wire:

 

http://asciiexpress.net/diskserver/

 

http://asciiexpress.net/gameserver/readme.html

 

 

Great way to test the machine with games right from the get go!

Edited December 4, 2019 by eightbit

[DistantStar001]

On 12/2/2019 at 9:01 PM, bluejay said:

It's supposed to be flawless, but it does have moderate yellowing

It's hard to tell from the picture.  The monitor might be a little yellow, but the computer and the DuoDisk seem right on.  The original Apple ][ and early //e's were actually painted that same yellowish-beige color.  It really does look amazing!

On 12/2/2019 at 9:01 PM, bluejay said:

Any recommendations on hardware/software?

For hardware:

I'd recommend getting a Super Serial Card (SSC).  It's not strictly necessary, as you can get away with the cassette ports, but if you want to get software off the internet and on to floppy, then it really speeds things up.  

Also a 25 to 9 pin serial cable and 9 pin to usb serial adapter to go along with the SSC.

A CH joystick.  The fire button on the top makes it a little more intuitive for me compared to the Apple branded ones. 

Lastly, a decent set of Apple branded paddles.  I've seen some of the off brands, and they just don't seem as good.

Also, it doesn't matter if the joystick or paddles have a 16 or 9 pin interface, the //e has both.

 

As for software:

ADTPro!  Along with the SSC and cables I mentioned, this is the program that is going to allow you to get whatever software you want from the internet.  

http://apple2online.com has a great archive of Apple II software to choose from.

Oh, and The Oregon Trail.  You really haven't had the full Apple II experience until you've died of dysentery on The Oregon Trail!

[bluejay]

52 minutes ago, DistantStar001 said:

Also, it doesn't matter if the joystick or paddles have a 16 or 9 pin interface, the //e has both.

So... Atari joysticks and paddles work on //es?

53 minutes ago, DistantStar001 said:

Oh, and The Oregon Trail.  You really haven't had the full Apple II experience until you've died of dysentery on The Oregon Trail!

Yeah. I've already experienced that on an emulator:)

[DistantStar001]

17 hours ago, bluejay said:

So... Atari joysticks and paddles work on //es?

Sadly no.  Atari Joysticks are digital, Apple are analog.  Also the plugs on an Apple joystick (16 or 9 pin) are male, while Atari sticks have female.  I understand that you can make an adapter, but I've never used one.

[Lee Adamson]

Huh, that looks like a later keyboard.  I'm surprised it's unenhanced.

 

Color looks about right, except for the monitor.  The older IIs were more beige than platinum.

 

You can rewire old IBM PC (analog) joysticks to work with the Apple 2 (often much cheaper than buying a real II joystick).  You have to cut off the DB-15 connector and solder on a DB-9 too, of course.  I don't recall off the top of my head, but I think the buttons are wired differently.  Anyway, google surely has the schematic.

 

Best games (imo):

Wasteland

Ultima IV and V (as well as I, II, and III, but the last two are the best).  III-V support the Mockingboard.

Certain of the Eamon titles.

Certain of the Infocom titles.

Lode Runner

 

That being said, I am way more of an RPG/adventure guy than arcade.

 

Hardware recommendations:

1. Color composite monitor *or* VidHD (from Blue Shift, Inc) + HDMI monitor.

2. FloppyEMU (from BMOW), although it would be easier to use if you had separate disks rather than a duodrive.  You probably can't hook the FloppyEmu and the duodrive up at the same time (unless you have a liron disk controller and use the FloppyEmu to emulate a 3.5" disk or a smartport hard drive).

3. Mockingboard

4. Apple2Pi

Edited December 6, 2019 by Lee Adamson

[bluejay]

3 hours ago, Lee Adamson said:

You can rewire old IBM PC (analog) joysticks to work with the Apple 2 (often much cheaper than buying a real II joystick).  You have to cut off the DB-15 connector and solder on a DB-9 too, of course.  I don't recall off the top of my head, but I think the buttons are wired differently.  Anyway, google surely has the schematic.

 

Best games (imo):

Wasteland

Ultima IV and V (as well as I, II, and III, but the last two are the best).  III-V support the Mockingboard.

Certain of the Eamon titles.

Certain of the Infocom titles.

Lode Runner

 

That being said, I am way more of an RPG/adventure guy than arcade.

Sad thing I don't have extra IBM sticks laying around somewhere. Only analog ones I have are Tandy CoCo ones.

 

Hey, I prefer RPG/Adventure over arcade too! I need that story in a game that you build along as you go, unlike the "protect cities from being blown up" of Missile Command.

P.S. Well, it doesn't say "enhanced" above the power light. The guy never sent me a pic of the boot screen itself, but pics of it running other software. I guess we'll have to see.

Edited December 6, 2019 by bluejay

[ussexplorer]

If you want to mess around with old stuff. Find a CPM card for the iie that goes int he critter. Then you can run cpm. Memory card upgrade perhaps. Just really what you want to do. But as stated above. You want a serial card for adt pro. I enjoy it so much.  TTFN, Josh

[Lee Adamson]

23 hours ago, bluejay said:

P.S. Well, it doesn't say "enhanced" above the power light. The guy never sent me a pic of the boot screen itself, but pics of it running other software. I guess we'll have to see.

If it says "Apple ][" on boot, it's unenhanced.  If it says "Apple //e" on boot, it's enhanced.

 

Not that it really matters.  The enhanced ROM basically only gives you mousetext, which was only useful for office software.  For playing games, it doesn't make a lick of difference.

 

Also, let me add "Adventure Construction Set" to the list of recommended games.  Also supports the Mockingboard.

Edited December 7, 2019 by Lee Adamson

[bluejay]

Well, it does matter for me because I planned on learning 6502 assembly on the thing, and apparently the non enhanced doesn't have the assembler built in.

[Lee Adamson]

You can still boot integer basic off a floppy.  It has the assembler built in.

 

At least that's what I used to do. 

 

Not sure if it's the same assembler as in the enhanced ROM.  Probably not all that different.

 

Though you may be happier if you use Merlin rather than one of the (more limited) built-in assemblers.

[The Usotsuki]

1 hour ago, Lee Adamson said:

You can still boot integer basic off a floppy.  It has the assembler built in.

 

At least that's what I used to do. 

 

Not sure if it's the same assembler as in the enhanced ROM.  Probably not all that different.

 

Though you may be happier if you use Merlin rather than one of the (more limited) built-in assemblers.

It works the same, but you enter and exit it differently.

[bluejay]

WTF is FedEx doing with my //e? Why is it taking 300 trillion years to deliver it? And why is the scheduled delivery date today(sunday)?

[Lee Adamson]

Oh man, I thought you had it already.  I hope the seller packed it well.  ?

[bluejay]

I finally received it today.

I am not at all familiar with Applesoft BASIC, and I'm running into some problems.

First, how do you load a disk file in BASIC? Do I need PRODOS or have to reboot the computer every time I need to load Spy Hunter?

Also, how do you save a BASIC program onto a floppy disk in BASIC? Couldn't figure out that as well.

And last, is there a way to make use of both drives on my DuoDisk in disk-swapping games?

[bluejay]

Also, the 80 column card doesn't seem to work. When I try to use the "slot assignment" function in ProDOS, it quickly tries to show the screen, and I can read that it says that the computer has 128k, but it quickly resets to the main screen. It worked fine a few minutes ago, did I break the card somehow? When I followed the 80col card's manual and typer PR#3 on the BASIC prompt of ProDOS, it just said:"No Device Detected". I pulled it out and re-plugged it multiple times, but it didn't work eventually. What is wrong with the card?

[carlsson]

On 12/6/2019 at 1:16 AM, Lee Adamson said:

You can rewire old IBM PC (analog) joysticks to work with the Apple 2 (often much cheaper than buying a real II joystick).  You have to cut off the DB-15 connector and solder on a DB-9 too, of course.  I don't recall off the top of my head, but I think the buttons are wired differently.  Anyway, google surely has the schematic.

I used this schematic a few years ago. At first I tried to outsmart it and thought it contained errors, but on second attempt I wired it exactly as described, which made it work.

 

I see that someone put these two resistors and two capacitors on a printed PCB, made a shell and sells the whole thing for $40 (!!) now:

https://www.reactivemicro.com/product/ibm-15pin-to-apple-9pin-joystick-adapter-v1-1-from-manila-gear/

 

Sure you can cut off the DB15 connector from the PC joystick and save a few dollars on not requiring a mating female connector but if you leave it intact you can use the same joystick both on older PC's and on the Apple II series. Personally I've got my cupboards stocked with analog PC joysticks CIB so no shortage on my front.

Edited December 16, 2019 by carlsson

[Papalapa]

I hope to receive my second hand Apple IIe soon and I wonder if there's any Hard Disk emulator to store all the programs/games on it and "call" them from the Apple II. I mean something similar to the FinalGROM99 on the Texas Instruments TI99 or Pi1541 on Commodore VIC-20/C64. I own both and work like a charm...

 

[ChildOfCv]

Here's a handy list of ProDOS commands.

 

https://www.landsnail.com/a2ref3.htm

[cbmeeks]

7 hours ago, Papalapa said:

I hope to receive my second hand Apple IIe soon and I wonder if there's any Hard Disk emulator to store all the programs/games on it and "call" them from the Apple II. I mean something similar to the FinalGROM99 on the Texas Instruments TI99 or Pi1541 on Commodore VIC-20/C64. I own both and work like a charm...

 

 

I haven't seen the card first hand, but I've seen a YT video on it.  Look for a card called "BOOTI".  I think it does what you're looking for.  I plan on getting one myself hopefully this coming year.

 

As for the IBM joystick, I have an analog joystick for the IBM that actually has a switch on the bottom to select from IBM mode and Apple mode.  You may want to try and find one of those.  Might be cheaper than looking for a dedicated Apple joystick.

 

[Lee Adamson]

When you hit

18 hours ago, bluejay said:

I finally received it today.

I am not at all familiar with Applesoft BASIC, and I'm running into some problems.

First, how do you load a disk file in BASIC? Do I need PRODOS or have to reboot the computer every time I need to load Spy Hunter?

Also, how do you save a BASIC program onto a floppy disk in BASIC? Couldn't figure out that as well.

And last, is there a way to make use of both drives on my DuoDisk in disk-swapping games?

 

When you hit control-reset, there's no DOS in memory, so SAVE and LOAD don't work.  You have to boot BASIC off a floppy for that.

 

Yeah, the general procedure is "insert next game, hit control-OA-reset".

 

Your duo disks should show up as "S6, D1" and "S6, D2".  The game must be written to support multiple drives (some earlier ones are not).

[bluejay]

Help!

When I plug and unplug the 80 col card, sometimes the slot assignment program shows that I have the card in slot 3, sometimes it doesn't. I think the computer thinks that the disk drive card is plugged in slot 3 AND 6 for some reason. Drive 2 makes the "weak whirring sound", as mentioned in the A//e manual.

Sometimes, when I type PR#3, the cursor turns solid, but the screen stays in 40 column mode. I've tried esc+8.

Also, ProDOS doesn't always boot. I checked and it does have a bad sector; sector 1.

It won't copy itself to another disk either. What should I do?

[ChildOfCv]

May be that the disk II card needs to be cleaned and reseated.  The slots are addressed by UB5, a 74LS138.  There is also a device select for more limited addresses through UC10, a 74LS154.  They may be working, but if the disk II is seeing phantom selects due to dirty contacts, you'll get weird interaction anyway.

[bluejay]

I cleaned the chips, but the computer still operates the disk drive when I type PR#3.

And also, is there nothing I can do about the bad blocks of the ProDOS disk?

Edited December 19, 2019 by bluejay

[ChildOfCv]

Just inventing diagnostics tests on the fly here, but:  Try putting the 80-column card in without the disk card, and typing PR#6.  See if it goes to 80-column mode.  Or put the 80-column card into slot 6 and see if PR#3 activates it.