Lmst

#vintagecomputing

i realize that this only speaks to 0.1% of you, but some useful info for NeXTStation owners:

the battery backup that shipped with the nextstation is a BR 2/3A type battery - a chub gherkin that costs about $7-12 USD and are not easy to find these days.

thankfully i've discovered a modern direct swap equivalent: the CR123A. it is used in various types of LED flashlights. it outputs the same voltage.

the only difference i noticed is that the CR123A is about 0.5mm longer due to slightly more protruding positive terminal. thankfully, the battery holder accepts it (it just puts more pressure on the holder's metal flexi-tab). the CR123A can be found for $1 each.

#vintageApple #macintosh #next #retroComputing #vintageComputing

A side-by-side comparison of a Panasonic Lithium BR-2/3A and generic CR123A battery. Both show the same voltage and dimensions.

Some NeXT memorabilia — I suspect it'd be difficult for some to appreciate the importance of user-groups in the days before universal access to the internet, social media, and so on.
The Bay Area NeXT Group was pre-eminent amongst US-based user-groups.

#NeXT
#VintageComputing
#SiliconValley

Last night I managed to delaminate existing FFC by using the same contact cleaner that was used to "fix" the power button. Then capton tape was used to keep the existing copper traces aligned.
As next, I'll try attaching small strips of copper tape to lengthen the existing traces...
#vintagecomputing #repairs #elektronika #mk52

Delaminated Elektronika MK52 board-to-board FFC. Glue was dissolved using the contact cleaner.

Carefully attaching pieces of copper foil to the ends of existing copper traces in the delaminated flexible flat cable.

Working on an #IBM5150 for #DOScember. Following troubleshooting guide on MinusZeroDegrees.net. PSU seems good (stays on when plugged into board), but no beep code from speaker.

Does the T1 Trimmer look ok? It could be broken as mine doesn’t look like the one in photos online.

No obvious damage, no exploding caps, and voltages look good coming off PSU at P8 & P9 connectors.

#VintageComputing #RetroComputing #VintageRepair #ElectronicsRepair

While earching for correct pre-existing FFC from random websites is not really that fun, I decided to do something else..

This is a new plastic retainer part which should eventually help against the cable fatigue.

Model here: https://www.printables.com/model/1512008-elektronika-mk52-flexible-flat-cable-restrainer-re

#freecad #mk52 #vintagecomputing #3dprinting

Replacement part for board-to-board FFC retainer for Elektronika MK52 calculator

Elektronika MK52 main PCB with new custom part attached.

Entertaining ideas for The Holidays, from True Value Hardware Store!

#TI994A

#UnexpectedComputer #TI #TexasInstruments #TI99 #computers #vintagecomputing #retrocomputing #vintageads #TrueValue #Holidays #Christmas #giftideas #nostalgia #scan #photo #TMS9900 #retrocomputer

A magazine ad for a Texas Instruments 99/4A computer system and accessories from True Value Hardware Store

Federkontakte / Spring Contacts. #onepicaday #powerdistribution #controldata #mainframe #cpuboard #stromverteilung #vintagecomputing #techhistory #macrophotography

Pitch, please!?
Excuse me?
For the new flexible flat cable (FFC)...

#vintagecomputing #mk52 #elektronika #madeinukraine #electronics #repair

Elektronika MK52 main PCB showing the broken footprint of board-to-board flexible flat cable (FPC). Board is lined up with metric ruler. Footprint consists of 14 pins and its full width is 20mm.

Update on the Apricot IR work, after flailing around with USB HID host stack on the RP2040 I was able to get a rudimentary USB Keyboard -> Apricot IR adaptor

Needs more work, this is more of a quick PoC I made by editing the example code, but I hope to make this into a full USB KB + Mouse adaptor

https://forgejo.crashtest.dev/jasonalexander-ja/pico-hid-experiments/src/branch/main/cross/rp2040-w5500-rtic2/src/bin/rp2040-usb-hid-boot-keyboard.rs

#apricotportable #apricotpc #vintagecomputing #retrocomputing #dos #msdos #vintagelaptops

When comparing two boards, one can spot that the upper board (I have circled the area as well) is missing the plastic strain relief for the board-to-board flexible flat cable.
Lack of strain relief allowed micro-cracks to form, add some moisture and we'll eventually end up with a delaminated flexible flat cable and broken solder joints.

#vintagecomputing #madeinukraine #elektronika #mk52

Two Elektronika MK52 main PCBs. Top one is missing plastic strain relief for flexible flat cable, which eventually caused mechanical failure at solder joints.

And picture from insides. Top one was not powering on and eventually figured out that the issue was broken power switch. After flooding it multiple times with contact cleaner I was greeted with working display!
But.. during the unit disassembly, disaster struck...
#vintagecomputing #elektronika #mk52 #madeinukraine

Elektronika MK52 VFD display with 0 displayed.

I now have two of them. Still missing the other 50 shades of grey.
#vintagecomputing #elektronika #mk52 #ukraine

Two Elektronika MK52 calculators one manufactured in 1988, another in 1991.

I install a 10" IPS panel in one of my projects. But since it is a device in a retro look, I would like to re-enact the curvature of a CRT with an acrylic glass.

Do you have any ideas how I could do that?
Has anyone done that before?
Any ideas?

#RetroComputing #VintageComputing #RetroTech #3DPrint #3DPrinting

Amiga 2000 Repair: Broken Socket and Damaged Traces
#Amiga2000 #Retro4u #AmigaRepair #VintageComputing #PCBRepair
https://theoasisbbs.com/amiga-2000-repair-broken-socket-and-damaged-traces/?feed_id=6998&_unique_id=69398469338dd

Just started my Christmas break project. It’s an Apple II rev 0 reproduction kit! Looks like soldering all those IC sockets is going to take some work, and my back is already complaining. But complaining doesn’t get projects done, so it’s back to work!
#AppleII #VintageComputing #Electronics #Project

big gallery of photos of doing surgery on an M48T59Y real time clock/NVRAM combo chip like my sun workstation uses.
More than 4 images in this post, view on original instance if your instance only shows four.
I plan to put most of these on my blog eventually, with more text description. This is a hasty thing so I can sleep though.
#sun #vintagecomputing #retrocomputing

Already-disassembled real tiime clock chip with part of the top part containing the battery and original quartz crystal stacked on top to show where I cut it to get it apart. Next to that is the new one. It looks like I cut just above halfway up the chip body.

I cut all the way around the chip with a rotary tool with a cutting disc. I went pretty deep all around.

Another view, showing how I cut *really* deep into the plastic, enough that I can see through the notch I cut in the side of it. I basically kept going until I heard the disc grinding on metal (the battery or the quartz crystal) on the far ends.

Using edge cutters, I pinched in the slit I made in the shell to wedge it open more.

Happy DEC-10 Day from https://icm.museum !!

2026 will be year of 36 bits!

Come play on the two SC40s and XKL TOADs

#vintagecomputing #retrocomputing

Then my *second* favourite, a tiny 3D-printed #Amiga 2000 powered by a #RaspberryPi Compute Module 5 - though printing the "CRT" display at a different scale makes for an overall appearance that makes my brain hurt...

https://www.hackster.io/news/this-tiny-3d-printable-commodore-amiga-2000-hides-a-raspberry-pi-compute-module-5-inside-0795457d0aea

#Technology #RetroComputing #VintageComputing #3DPrinting #Makers #News #Hackster