Looking for TRS-80 Model III Parts/Advice (fwd)

From: Scott Walde <scott_at_saskatoon.com>
Date: Fri Dec 11 22:21:30 1998

Can anyone help this guy out? Please respond directly to him.

ttfn
srw

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1998 23:12:09 -0500
From: LABOMBARD_at_PSFC.MIT.EDU
To: SCOTT_at_SASKATOON.COM
Cc: LABOMBARD_at_PSFC.MIT.EDU
Subject: Looking for TRS-80 Model III Parts/Advice

Dear Scott,

        I found your web site and thought you might
have some advice on how I could keep an antique computer
operational.

        Believe it or not, my Dad has a TRS80 Model III that he
still uses! I programmed it back in the 80s to compute and plot out
(using a home-made "polar" plotter) mechanical cam profiles for
old automatic screw machines. Now my Dad is retired but he still
dabbles as a consultant in setting up old screw machinery and running
the TRS80 Model III to generate cam profiles.

        The software package on the TRS80 is extremely large and
customized (with basic and Z80 instructions "poking "and "peeking"
here there and everywhere) so we never felt it was worth the effort
of converting it to a newer machine. Also, the "polar plotter" works
fine and to generate the equivalent output on a modern printer would
be easy for the hardware but a nightmare for converting the software.
Rather, I have just kept the hardware operational to run the dedicated
programs.

        This strategy has worked well for a very long time. But now
there is a serious problem - the keyboard is getting worn out to the
point where some of the keys refuse to work! So this brings me to ask
you a question: Do you know where I could find another TRS80 Model III
as a parts computer or a keyboard PC board for the same? I might be
able to unsolder and fix/replace the keys themselves on the PC board
but then again this action may lead to irreversible damage.

        I would appreciate any comments on this.

Thanks,

Brian

___________________________________________
Brian LaBombard LABOMBARD_at_PSFC.MIT.EDU
MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center
175 Albany St
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 253-6942 TEL
(617) 253-0627 FAX
Received on Fri Dec 11 1998 - 22:21:30 GMT