Epson PF10 problems

[Roy J. Tellason]

On Monday 26 December 2005 05:01 pm, Tony Duell wrote:
> > > > The roms in mine seem to be hand-labeled too,  I think there are
> > > > three
> > >
> > > Are you talking about a PX4 or a PX8?
> >
> > A PX8.
>
> Actually, the ROMs in my PX8 have no labels at all. They have Epson part
> numbers stamped on the package, but nothing to easily identify them as
> the utilities and BASIC roms.

I don't think this one has BASIC in it.  There are eproms,  Portable WordStar, 
and I forget what else (I'll know when I find it by looking at the labels :-)

> [PX8 wedge]
>
> > Yes,  there's that modem,  and I forget what else.  I'd grab it and have
> > a look but don't recall just where it is at the moment.
>
> FWIW, that techncial manual I mentioned includes schematics for some of
> the add-ons. Note that the RAMdisks are rather complicated, they have
> their own Z80 processor and a memory control gate array
> (similar/identical to the one in the PX8 I think).

Their own z80?  Hm.  I did download that stuff,  all of it,  but haven't read 
it yet.  And a few other things besides.  There's a pile of interesting stuff 
on that site...

> Digging in my junk box (again), I found the Epson accostic modem that was
> sold for these machines. It's just a plain 300 baud unit with an RS232
> interface, but it's nice to have the 'right' peripherals.

I can't recall what other jacks there were on the back of that unit,  just 
that there were a bunch of them...

> > > The machine itself contains 2 batteries. In the PX8, there's the main
> > > battery pack (4 sub-C NiCds) and a separate 4.8V backup NiCd soldered
> > > to the PCB.
> >
> > I wonder if that's the one that's giving me trouble?
>
> You can turn it off with the little switch inside the main batter
> compartment. The machine should run from the main battery (or a 5V PSU
> connected in place of the main battey) if there are no otehr problems.

To the battery connector?  Ok...

> > > Considering I am not likely to use these machines every day, I find
> > > recharageable battereis to be a pain. They are going to self-discharge
> > > in storage and need charging before I can use it, they are going to
> > > fail long before they should due to neglect.

I suspect that may have some bearing on what's going on with it now.

> > > I've been running the PX4 on alkaline AA primary cells anf the PX8 off
> > > my bench supply. Yes, I have to do a hard reser every time and reset the
> > > configuration, but...
> >
> > I've been trying to avoid that,  but may give it a shot.
>
> Do remember there are no regulators in the PX8 PSU. The power supply must
> be close to 5V (4.8V is OK), not a random unregulated one. You may well
> do a lot of damage with the latter.

Are you talking about going right into the battery input connector?  Or to the 
charger input on the rear of the machine?  The "power supply" I use with it 
is a wall wart,  I don't recall what it's rated at,  but it's labeled with 
that dymo tape stuff as being for that machine,  came with it when I got it.

-- 
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ablest -- form of life in this section of space,  a critter that can
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