Epson PF10 problems

[Tony Duell]

> 
> On Tuesday 27 December 2005 08:20 am, Tony Duell wrote:
> > > I don't think this one has BASIC in it.  There are eproms,  Portable
> > > WordStar,
> >
> > Probably not if you have wordstar. There are only 2 EPROM sockets, BASIC
> > fills an EPEOM, I think wordstar would as well.
> 
> The wedge has a socket,  too.

I have no idea how (if at all) that appears to CP/M. There is, of course, 
an EPROM in the wedge which contains the firmware for the Z80 that 
controls the RAMdisk stuff. I asusme you mean a second socket for a user 
EPROM.

> > Another 3.5mm jack socket 'ADC In'. This is an analogue input to another
> > channel of the ADC chip, the other connecitons being ground and a
> > TTL-level trigger signal
> 
> It'd be nifty to see if I can find some use for them,  once I get it working.

There's a program in the user manual (which is a suprisingly good manual, 
certainly by modern standards) which uses the ADC for a games paddle. The 
program is written in BASIC with a bit of machine code poked in to RAM, 
and it is explained what is going on. Since the ADC is connected to the 
PSU control processor, it can't be directly read by the Z80, but there is 
a BIOS routine to do it.


> 
> > A 3.5mm mono jack socket 'SP out' for an external loudspeaker.
> >
> > A 50 pin header 'System Bus' which is essentially the unbuffered Z80 bus
> > lines.
> 
> I think that's what the wedge connects to.

Correct.

> I *made* that pack,  the one that came with it was shot.  I also used to run a 

OK, mine came with no battery at all...

> retail battery store,  and salvaged a whole bunch of similar connectors from 
> cordless phone batteries that folks brought in for replacement,  and I'm sure 
> that one of those will work.

As I said, if not, I have a source of replacements. I think they ship 
worldwide, but the cost may be fairly high. Incidentally, does anyone 
know a (UK, preferably) source of the thin, large heat-shrink sleeving 
used round battery packs? Maplin used to sell it, but no more. 

Youy have to realise that I have no idea who I am talking to on this 
list, I have no idea what your technical skill level is. I'd rather post 
some elementary information and risk insulting you than not mention it 
and then find I've ruined some rare machine (or worse still have that 
machine in as a repair job).

> > I run mine from a regulated electornic workbench supply connected in
> > place of the battery (and set between 4.8V and 5V). I would think the 5V
> > supply from another computer would be OK (e.g. an old PC power supply),
> > but I've not tried it, so don't blame me if you kill all the ICs in the
> > PX8...
> 
> I have enough 7805s and similar to deal with that,  for sure.

I can't rememebr how much current it takes, but a 7805 should easily do 
it (even when the serial port and/or the tape drive are in use). 

-tony