Epson PF10 problems

[Roy J. Tellason]

On Friday 23 December 2005 02:09 pm, Tony Duell wrote:
> > On Thursday 22 December 2005 05:55 pm, Tony Duell wrote:
> > > I am currently working on an Epson PX8 system. I bought this on E-bay,
> > > so the history is essentially unknown, but I was told it was 'untested'
> > > which I took to mean non-working.
> >
> > Speaking of which,  I have one of those I'd forgotten to include in my
> > list I posted a while back.  It used to work,  doesn't work any more --
> > when I attempt to turn it on I get a low battery message,  even if it's
> > been plugged in to charge for a long time.  Know where I might find some
> > tech info on the innards of the thing?
>
> There is a scanned technical manual (.pdf) on various web sites, I think
> it is on bitsavers, for example. Be warned that while it does contain
> schemaitcs, these are very hard to read (at least the complete one at the
> back) -- a combination of IMHO too low a reslution at one point in the
> process (no idea if it was the original manual or the scanner) and a very
> confusing layout.

Oh joy...

> There are part diagrams to explain the various sections, and these are a
> lot easier to follow. THe PSU is not at all simple (and depends on the
> NiCd to act as a shut regulator on the main logic supply line). Heck,
> there's even a 4-bit microcontroller and a 6 bit ADC in the middle of it
> all.
>
> But I can try to talk you through it if you want me to.

Let me see what I can get a hold of.

> > <...>
> >
> > > With it, I got a PF10 floppy drive. This is a single 3.5" unit, with a
> > > 38400 baud serial interdace back to the PX8.
> >
> > I'd love to find a drive for one of those.   :-)
>
> It's not the same, but there are various drive emulators for PCs. The
> 'serial' port on the PX8 is at RS232 levels, and the disk drive just uses
> the TxD and RxD pins (it's a subset of the pinout of the RS232 port
> alongside it, you can use the same cables, essentially). It runs at 38400
> baud.

Just being able to get info into and out of that machine would be nice.

> I've downloaded a disk emulator for linux.

Pretty much what I run here -- which distro do you use?

> The makefile and shell scripts need work (at least to run on my machine),

Always.  :-)

> but the program compiled OK by hand and does work. I think there's something
> for MS-DOS too.
>
> > > I had to make up my own cable, but I have checked and double-checked
> > > it, and anyway it works fine to link a PX8 to a PX4 via the RS232
> > > interfaces (essentially the same pinout as the 'high speed' serial
> > > interface to the disk drive). In fact what I did was make up a cable
> > > from the 8 pin nini-DIN plug to fit the PX8 to a DB25 plug,, wired as a
> > > DTE and a second cable with a DB25 socket to a 8 pin mini-DIN, wired to
> > > do the right swaps and jumpers.
> >
> > I got a couple of connectors a while back,  but my eyesight isn't what it
> > used to be,  so I never did make up any cables.  Do you have specific
> > cable wiring info,  assuming I can get this thing working?
>
> I regard mini-DIN plugs as one of the offspring of Satan  :-).

:-D

> I really hate wiring them, and the type you can wire (as opposed to moulded
> ones) are often too large tor fit through the hole in the case to mate with
> the socket.

I do believe these will fit,  and better yet, they appear to be Switchcraft.  
I still don't want to have to wire them,  though.

> What I did was buy 3 cables from RS components which had an 8 pin
> mini-DIN plug moulded on one end and bare wires at the other.

I might have something around here I can chop...

> I wired 2 of them to DB25 plugs, so that you got a DTE pinout on said plug.
> And the last one I wired to a DB25 socket with the apporpiate crosses and
> interconnections so that when I pluged that one one of the first type of
> cable, I got  a crossover mini-DIN to mini-DIN cable which will like 2
> PX8s (or PX4s), or link a machine to the PF10.
>
> I can look up the wiring colours used in those RS cables if you like, they
> are in the catalogue/on the web site, but I buzzed them out anyway just
> to be sure.

Just the pin-to-pin connections would be of great help.

> [Note for US readers. RS is not Radio Shack. It's a large UK distributer
> of electronic components, tools, materials, etc. Look at
> http://www.rswww.com/]

I've heard that before.

> > First I've heard of those.  If I can get mine working,  that would be a
> > nice way to store some data.  What pc-based platform do they work under?
>
> Well, certianly an old version of linux,, because that what I use. I
> think I saw reference to an MS-DOS one. A google search for Epson PX8
> and/or Epson PF10 should find them.

I did look once a while back,  but it's been a while and there's probably more 
stuff out there now than there was.  I guess I'll have another look...

-- 
Member of the toughest, meanest, deadliest, most unrelenting -- and
ablest -- form of life in this section of space,  a critter that can
be killed but can't be tamed.  --Robert A. Heinlein, "The Puppet Masters"
-
Information is more dangerous than cannon to a society ruled by lies. --James 
M Dakin