Apple ][ boards -- what have I found?

From: Richard Erlacher <edick_at_idcomm.com>
Date: Mon Jul 23 09:24:55 2001

That's a pretty safe assumption. Back in the Apple-][ days, XEBEC and others
used Z80's for just that purpose on their bridge controllers, while ADAPTEC used
8085's.

If the board has a power connector, it's pretty suggestive that it wasn't
intended to plug into a backplane. There are exceptions, of course, but few
hard disk interfaces of that era provided power to its drives through the
backplane.

Dick
----- Original Message -----
From: "Geoff Reed" <geoffr_at_zipcon.net>
To: <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Sunday, July 22, 2001 11:15 PM
Subject: RE: Apple ][ boards -- what have I found?


> it's possible that the Z80 is being used as an IO processor on that board.
>
> At 08:54 PM 7/22/01 -0700, you wrote:
> >The Ronan/Konan board does sound like a disk controller but I'm not sure
> >about the Z80 chip? Maybe it's supposed to be a Z80 single board system, on
> >a card?
> >
> >Are these cards for sale? I'm an avid Apple II and Apple II clone collector,
> >so new parts are always fun to find.
> >
> >Ernest (ernestls_at_home.com)
> >
> >
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: owner-classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org
> > > [mailto:owner-classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org]On Behalf Of Tony Duell
> > > Sent: Sunday, July 22, 2001 3:54 PM
> > > To: classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org
> > > Subject: Apple ][ boards -- what have I found?
> > >
> > >
> > > This didn't go out the first time for some reason....
> > >
> > > I spent the afternoon digging in one of my many piles of computer bits,
> > > looking for some HP9825 calculator interfaces. I found the interfaces,
> > > and I also found some other stuff, including some Apple ][ boards. Not
> > > being an Apple ][ expert, I'm not sure what some of them are, so I'm
> > > asking here. I doubt I've found anything particularly interesting,
> > > though. I'll give details of any identifying labels on the boards, and
> > > the main chips used.
> > >
> > > Memsoft TC2E0260. This board looks hand-soldered, and some components are
> > > missing. It's got a 6850 (ACIA), MC3486, MC3487 (Buffers), and TTL glue
> > > on it. And space for a 2716 EPROM.
> > >
> > > Advanced Text Systems P.001. Contains a 6520 (PIA), 2 off 7416 (buffers).
> > > There's a DB25 connector on the end of a short length of ribbon cable.
> > >
> > > Mountain Computers ROMwriter. Clearly an EPROM programmer, with a 24 pin
> > > ZIF socket. I found 2 of these boards.
> > >
> > > Prog RWP. Another EPROM Programmer, this one has a 28 pin ZIF socket.
> > > Also an 8255 (Parallel chip), EPROM, PSU components (to get the Vpp line,
> > > I guess).
> > >
> > > ICE Apple Cold Boot Adapter. Contains 6116 RAM, EPROM, TTL glue, and a 26
> > > pin header
> > >
> > > ICE Multiplexor (sic) Host Adapter. 6116 RAM, EPROM, TTL, 20 pin header
> > >
> > > Ronan Corp. I can't find a number on this board, and the name is almost
> > > unreadeable. This is not an Apple ][ card, but it was with the above 2
> > > boards and may have something to do with them. It contains a Z80, EPROM,
> > > 1K RAM (2*2114), SCX6225 (ASIC/gate array? It's in a PLCC package).
> > > There's a 26 pin header (host?) and a 34 pin + 2*20 pin headers (ST506
> > > hard disk??). There's also a disk-drive like power connector.
> > >
> > > Orange Micro Buffered Grappler+. This looks to be a printer
> > > interface/buffer and contains 64K DRAM, EPROM, Microcontroller, TTL glue,
> > > and has a 26 pin header (to the printer?)
> > >
> > > Apple Synch Printer Interface Card. I think this is the Silentype
> > > interface.
> > >
> > > Apple PC Link Interface. Contains an EPROM, M58725, TTL glue and buffers.
> > > Also a 20 pin header.
> > >
> > > Does anybody recognise any of those boards and can tell me more
> > > about them?
> > >
> > > -tony
> > >
>
>
Received on Mon Jul 23 2001 - 09:24:55 BST