One of the most famous limitations of the TRS-80 Model I was its inability to display lower case characters.

Although the lower case characters were present in the character set, the Model I lacked the extra memory chip needed to store the bit corresponding to lower case.

The significance of this limitation has been exaggerated over time (it is worth noting that at that same time the Apple II also lacked lower case), but it created a real problem for word processors. Many lower case upgrades for the Model I were created to address the omission, ranging from simple to more complex.

The TRS-80 video display uses a dedicated block of 1024 bytes of memory located in memory space at 3C00 Hex. When received from the factory, there are only 7 memory chips installed in this block of memory, providing 128 possible characters for screen display. The stock TRS-80 uses 64 of these combinations for graphics and a second 64 for the upper-case subset of the ASCII character set. Bits 0-5 control the character selection, and the highest bit (bit 7) is used to determine if the character is alpha-numeric or graphic. Bit 6 is missing!

To add lower-case display, bit 6 must be implemented. This may be accomplished by switching the memory chip for bit 7 to bit 6, thereby enabling lower-case letters and eliminating graphics, or by addition of an 8th memory chip. We prefer adding the extra chip. In either case, if you plan to use Level II BASIC, you must include a switch to disable bit 6, or BASIC will place a lot of funny characters on the screen!

Gallery of the hardware mod:

Download: Lowercase characters Hardware mod (1089)

source: trs-80.org

TRS-80 Interfaces in KIT from Ian Mavric and J. Andrew Quinn.

I begin to assemble the kit:

• “Quinnterface” is a Mini Expansion Interface for TRS-80 Model I with 16K. Neat little device is perfect for Model I users who own a 16K Level II unit (which is most of you) but no EI or Disk Drives, and don’t want to modify your Model I with upgraded boot Rom or memory upgrade. The Quinnterface, developed by J. Andrew Quinn from New Zealand, adds 32K RAM and auto-boot functionality to your FreHD.
• “FreHD” SD Card HARD DRIVE Emulator for TRS-80 Model I/III/4.

The complete kit consists:

• Quinnterface.
• FreHD.
• Model 1 Hard Drive Adapter.
• BoHx. A small neat enclosure for your FreHD!
• CD ROM / Stickers and Cables.

Gallery:

source: ianmav.customer.netspace.net.au/trs80/

Defects:

• Some keyboard keys are totally dead.
• Missing +17v and obviously the +12v
• Short-circuit on the psu side, inside the monitor.
• Tape Recorder with the mechanism stucked.

Repairing:

• Replaced most of the Tantalum Capacitors* on the main pcb and on the tape recorder pcb, some are in short-circuit.
• Replaced 1 x Fuse on the CRT Monitor pcb side.
• Repair Tape Recorder, i had to disassemble most parts of the tape recorder mechanism. The lubricant grease was dry and has totally blocked the mechanism of the tape recorder.
• Replaced all pads (Foam Mylar Pad) of the Keytronics Keyboard, the same Keyboard used in SOL-20.

* For this repair i have used only tantalum capacitors, although i usually prefer to use electrolytic capacitors, i used to keep the same aesthetic.

Gallery of the repairing:

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Download:

• Luxor ABC-80 Service Manual (1090)
• Luxor ABC-80 PROM & ROM (978)

Commodore Amiga 2000 – Black Screen of death

The Battery Acid has corroded some pcb tracks (not visible to the naked eye) connected to the pin of the resistor packs RP900 and to MC68000 and probably other IC.

Gallery before cleaning and repair:

Commodore Amiga 2000 – All that glitters is not gold.

After some work it seems to work but still suffers of some problems.

Present problems:

• All Connectors are rusty and uprooted.
• Boot sequence problems, when boot correctly, there are no problems.

Resolved issues:

• Corroded tracks, i have made 12 bridges*.
• Replaced “deflowered” kickstart socket.
• Replaced not working Kickstart 1.2 ROM.
• Replaced 4 x LM33256 (RAM) shorted.

I need to assess whether or not continuing with the repair…

Big gallery of the repairing:

1234►

Welcome back, Commodore Amiga 2000.

I do it very shortly, i don’t like writing a lot because i don’t  have time to do and i don’t like it.

We are left with the Amiga 2000 that sometime works and sometime not.

Defect/Boot Errorr code was: gray / yellow / green / rainbow / out of sync / purple / white.

When this not happen, the boot works perfectly and i can see theusual “hand”

• To fix the problem of the green screen that indicates problems of the RAM, i had to replace 3 x LM33256 (Total RAM replaced: 7), these ram are not shorted but partially functional and 1 x 74LS244.
• To fix the problem of the yellow screen which created problems with the LATCH, i had to replace a 1 x 74LS373.

I have also replaced the socket of the MC68000 CPU and i have discovered another interruption between the pitche and track and also a lot of corrosion and recovered some connectors of an old Amiga 2000 REV 4 motherboard to give an decent aesthetic look to the repaired motherboard.

Now the Commodore Amiga 2000 works perfectly.

Before and after Gallery:

Defect:

• Black screen.

Replaced parts:

• Soldered a 24-pin IC socket.
• Replaced 1 x 901486-07 KERNEL ROM (UE12)

Gallery of the repairing:

A big disappointing this Commodore SX-64 USA purchased for spare parts to fix aesthetically one of my SX-64 PAL.

Why disappointing? because from the photo’s looked in a very bad shape, rust stains, various diseases and not working.

Conversely after removed the shit from the external case, replaced the booring PLA (906114), general cleaning + keyboard / Floppy Drive test and replaced one keyboard lock, the SX-64 is fully working and aesthetically in good condition.

Now i have for myself four SX-64 where the fourth is NTSC/USA, but honestly i was not looking for the USA version.

I am really unlucky :D

Gallery of the cleaning and repairing:

12►

Commodore A3640 CPU Card 3.2 Upgrade.

I have updated only the GAL (U209) because the GAL (U204) was already replaced.

Gallery of the work:

Commodore Amiga 4000 Replacing Battery Clock with a CR2032.

Gallery of the work:

Download: AmigaWiki GAL/PAL/PLD (1776)

The Amiga 4000 motherboard can be ´hacked´ to handle 64Mb of Fast Memory, to do this, you have to solder a new GAL and make some bridges between FASTRAM SIMM -> GAL -> CHIP RAMSEY.

This work is not complicated but you need to have a good practice with the soldering iron and PLCC soldering.

Gallery of the hack:

Download: Amiga 4000 64Mb Hack (1585)

source: Cosmos Blog John Hertell Blog

Commodore Amiga 4000 updating GAL 16V8 for IDE PIO-2.

After doing this update of the two GAL’s 16V8 from PIO-0 (commodore original) to PIO-2 mode the access of the IDE drives are 25% more faster.

Gallery of the work:

Source & Download: amigawiki.de

List of works that have been made:

• 1 x Commodore Amiga 4000 – Full Recap.
• 3 x 68040 -> 68(EC)060 Adapters – Testing & Fixing.
• 2 x Commodore A3640 – Full Recap and Polarity Fix.
• 1 x Commodore A3640 – Oscillator Socket.
• 1 x Burning Kick 3.1 patched version for 68040 -> 68060 adapters*

* exec.library has been patched to support a full Motorola 68060 CPU with FPU. This patch is not needed for the EC version without FPU.

Gallery of the work done:

Download: Kickstart v3.1 Exec Patch Version for 3k & 4k - Ready to Burn! (1515)

This post is dedicated to all the people that do not remove the damn battery on any hardware, not only Amiga.

It was better don’t make this repair, i knew from the beginning, when you find an acid lake that takes away everything, pad, pcb tracks and some welding is better left alone, however the Amiga 4000 was working perfectly but without the a way to Save or Load the system Date.

I wanted to challenge for the umpteenth time this problem where anything that i make comes off and worsens the situation already dramatic.

Conscious that the final work was a colossal shit, because with exploded pad, broken track and the through holes between layers fucked up you can not do miracles, you can only hope doing your best.

In fact, it works perfectly, but it remains a shitty job, unwatchable.

Moral: REMOVE ALWAYS THE BATTERIES and if the pcb is corroded by the leaked acid clean very well using appropriate products, not with the usual alcohol or a bath with soap, used products like PCC KONTAKT CLEANER or like, scratching well the pcb and also the holes between layers using a needle fine.

Gallery of the repair:

Defect:

• The joystick on port #2 always goes in one direction (left).

Repair:

• Replaced the two 74HCT166 (SMD) that control the logic of both joystick ports have been eaten by the acid leaked from the battery and a cause of a short circuit both are dead. (please see photos)

Gallery of the repair:

Commodore Amiga 1200 Full Recap.

Commodore Amiga 3000 REV 8.9 (B2) Full Recap.

Restoring the original configuration of a ACT Elek. Apollo 1260

Works that have been made:

• Cleaning the pad and weld residues on the solder side of the 68060 CPU.
• Removing the KIT/Hack to use a SIMM 64MB instead of 32MB. The KIT / Hack not working well.
• Restoration of the power PCB of the CPU and installation of the BD242 transistor (TIP32) in place of a voltage regulator. (Now the PCB is in original state)
• Someone needs to explain me how the fuck do you can use a voltage regulator type LT1085(84) fixed 3.3V instead of a Transistor!
• Overclocking with 80MHz oscillator.

Gallery: