June 2017 - TechToolsList - listserv.classicarcade.com

Alpha Electronics Dynamic Integrated Digital IC Tester on eBay
by John Robertson 17 Feb '20

17 Feb '20

I chatted with the seller and he confirms that it does NOT power up. So chances are the battery backed up system ROM has failed. Item 390623172259 He reduced the price on his own from the original asking $59.95 to $19.95. Pity. I was hoping to find a good one to extract the program from to save mine... If someone here buys it and CAN extract the ROM data I'd sure like a copy! John :-#(# _______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist(a)flippers.com http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist FTP site is: ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org/TTL/Test_Equipment Archive site: http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/techtoolslist/

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Re: [Techtoolslist] Fluke on Mario Bros.
by David Shoemaker 20 Apr '18

20 Apr '18

Looking at the manual for the Z80QT pod and the schematic I think I am getting an expected result. I hooked up the pod and hit BUS to run the bus test. I immediately get back CTL ERR showing 00000010 this is the HALT line. Looking at the schematic it appears HALT and INT are both tied together and pulled high. So the fluke can't exercise that line. Any way to ignore that error and verify the rest of the bus test? Oh and according the manual maximum clock frequency is 8.0 mhz. Does that mean this pod support Z80A/B/C ? From: David Shoemaker [mailto:davids@oz.net] Sent: Wednesday, November 16, 2011 10:38 PM To: 'Technical Tools Mail List' Subject: Fluke on Mario Bros. Anyone know if you can use either the base z80 pod or the z80qt pod on Mario bros? I know it uses the Z80A but I don't know what the pod is rated at. Thanks, David _______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist(a)flippers.com http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist FTP site is: ftp://ftp.flippers.com/TTL/TestEquipment Archive site: http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/techtoolslist/

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Fluke 9000A mystery adapter (for me at least ;-)
by John Robertson 20 Feb '18

20 Feb '18

I have a pod module here called "Z8 I/F ADAPTER" Fluke #9000-200/AB. It has no cable to the base, just a 40 pin CPU cable. Inside is a couple of RAM chips, and some Fluke hybrid interface ICs. Any guesses? John :-#)#

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Fluke Compiler Wrapper
by IAN EURE 11 Oct '17

11 Oct '17

I hacked up a tool that will run 9LC.EXE inside DOSBox, so scripts can be more easily compiled on non-Windows and/or non-x86 platforms. From the host OS, it runs just like 9LC does, warts and all. It’s public domain, and should run on most UNIX type systems. https://github.com/ieure/fcw — Ian _______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist(a)flippers.com https://pairlist7.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist FTP site is: ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org/TTL/Test_Equipment Archive site: http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/techtoolslist/

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FS: more Fluke 9132A items
by Tony Jones 09 Aug '17

09 Aug '17

I sold both of the complete 9132A setups. Thanks. I still have a few more 9132A accessories I want _gone_. NO REASONABLE OFFER REFUSED, especially if you want the lot ;-) I'm looking for 9132FT items if anyone has any. 9132A electronics (all NOS) ----------------------------------- 5x 9132A 24 pin ROM module 1x 9132A 28 pin ROM module 1x 9132A 32 pin ROM module 4x 9132 ROM module service kits (replacement socket, fuse, not sure what sizes) 1x 9132A 80386 personality module, test socket adapter, manual and floppy disc 1x 9132A 80386 personality module only 9132A manuals (no discs, all appear new) ------------------------------------------------------ 1x 9132A 80386 1x 9132A 68030 2x 9132A 68020 _______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist(a)flippers.com https://pairlist7.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist FTP site is: ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org/TTL/Test_Equipment Archive site: http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/techtoolslist/

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Fluke Troubleshooter volumes needed (9010/9100)
by John Robertson 06 Aug '17

06 Aug '17

Hi Folks, I was just looking through my PDFs and I find I am still missing a bunch of the "Troubleshooter". What we have are: 1983 - Vol 1 - seems complete 1984 - Vol 2 - seems complete 1985 - Vol 3 - I have #1, #2, & #3 1986 - Vol 4 - nothing 1987 - Vol 5 - only #2 1988 - Vol 6 - nothing 1989 - Vol 7 - only #2 That's all folks! Now the Troubleshooter is handy for figuring out how to test a circuit board that has a processor you don't have in your pod collection. You need to design up an adapter, but these magazines give you a good clue as to the how-to. Other handy tips abound as well, so if anyone has issues not shown if they could please scan and upload them to me, then I'll post them in the /Fluke/PDFs/Training and Troubleshooting/Fluke Troubleshooting Magazine directory on our FTP site: FTP site is: ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org/TTL/Test_Equipment John :-#)# -- How to subscribe or unsubscribe from TTL http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist _______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist(a)flippers.com https://pairlist7.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist FTP site is: ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org/TTL/Test_Equipment Archive site: http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/techtoolslist/

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Help with BK 545 circuit analyzer
by Chris Rinewalt 23 Jun '17

23 Jun '17

Sorry, this is a bit long.... I picked up a BK 545 circuit analyzer that appeared to be operating OK, but did have issues. For instance, upon first power up instead of displaying a horizontal line, it had an asymmetrical oval shape distorted along the neg Y-axis. It would display somewhat correct V-I curves for resistors and diodes, but rather than a single line, signatures were ovoid an distorted. Oddly, when I turned it on the next day, this issue was gone, but there was a fair bit of noise along the curves. I am still searching for a manual for the unit, but I was able to get the schematic and service sheet from BK, so I tried to calibrate it. It was a royal pain and some of the procedures I could not get to work properly to meet the indicated specs (more on this below), but I have it operating fairly well with two issues that I think are related. First, the 60Hz sampling frequency cannot be adjusted to spec. I followed the procedure and it just bounces all over the place (though if I engage the low pass filter on the frequency counter it does settle down). To get the clock, a TLC555 is used, with a fixed 20K Ohm resistor (R141) and a 50K ohm pot (VR105) between the output and threshold (http://imgur.com/2Ez8C6N) At 60HZ, F1 and F2 are lo, so it's just the resistor, pot and 470 pF cap (C105) in circuit with the TLC555. To attain 60HZ, VR105 is adjusted to attain an approximately 30.72KHz square wave from the output. I can adjust the pot just fine, but it only outputs an signal of approximtely 30.2Khz which gives an frequency of about 58.2Hz. Not bad, but the odd thing is adjusting the pot one way has little to no effect while adjusting the other way introduces a lot of noise into Q, which causes a noisy frequency output that bounces around. It's odd, the signal is fine, turning the pot makes a little difference for some travel and then at a certain point the square wave gets all out of whack and the output sampling frequency bounces all over the place. This happens up to about 48KHz or so (I forget the exact freq) from Q when the square wave clears up again, causing the output frequency to be about 75+ Hz, too far off. So, why is it that the Q output of the 555 is 'clean' for only two small portions of the pots travel, neither of which align with the required 59-61Hz called for in the service sheet? Then there is a second issue with the 60Hz signal. As I stated above, I had a heckuva time getting this thing spec'd. I came to realize that the 4 other pots in other circuit sections used in the calibration are pretty much dependent on one another. The noise @ 60Hz was originally so bad I figured it had to be an op-amp (TL084) or one of the other CMOS ICs. So, I pulled and tested every IC in that part of the circuit (and then some), along with the 50K pot. All tested fine, but I replaced them anyway. And still there is noise. Even if I adjust VR105 to reach a stable 30.2KHz from the 555, getting ~ 58Hz sampling freq, it still has so much noise that my counter can't lock onto it without a low pass filter as noted above. When I switch to one of the other sampling frequencies (400Hz, 1Khz, 2KHz) there are no such issues. So, here is where I am stuck. I did read somewhere that ceramic disc caps should not be used in a 555 astable oscillator circuit, but I have to assume BK engineers knew what they were doing and that is not an issue. I did test the 22uF electrolytic (C104) on the +5v line and it is OK, but I don't have anything to test the 470pF disc cap. I do know it is not shorted. R141 is in spec (19.7K). There is some noise on the triangle wave on pins 2/6 of the 555, which clear up when any sampling frequency other than 60Hz is selected. I replaced the LS390 that Q feeds into but still no change. So other than that what else in this circuit could be affecting it? _______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist(a)flippers.com https://pairlist7.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist FTP site is: ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org/TTL/Test_Equipment Archive site: http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/techtoolslist/

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Fluke RAM upgrade on eBay
by Ian Eure 21 Jun '17

21 Jun '17

There was a 9100 RAM upgrade with some 4.1 floppy disks & a 1.4 service disk which sold on eBay overnight. Did someone here pick it up? I put in an offer so I could archive the disks, but someone hit BIN overnight. If someone here got it, I'd love to borrow the disks so I can make proper archival copies of them. _______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist(a)flippers.com https://pairlist7.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist FTP site is: ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org/TTL/Test_Equipment Archive site: http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/techtoolslist/

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Gottleib System 1 and Rockwell PPS4 stuff
by John Robertson 20 Jun '17

20 Jun '17

Anyone here with an interest in making an adapter for some Fluke pod for the 9010 or 9100 can have free access to my library of PPS4 files - I have just run them through Adobe so they are searchable and posted on the TTL library. ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org/TTL/Test_Equipment/Rockwell_PPS4_files/ I never found the time to do an interface and with moving my shop and everything else I doubt I can do anything for a few years so why not toss it out there! Have fun. John :-#)# -- How to subscribe or unsubscribe from TTL http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist _______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist(a)flippers.com https://pairlist7.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist FTP site is: ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org/TTL/Test_Equipment Archive site: http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/techtoolslist/

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ICT-101 RAM/ROM test feature, anyone have it?
by Tony Jones 02 Jun '17

02 Jun '17

My ICT-101 lacks the ROM/RAM test. According to the manual (thanks again to Pat/John for making the scan happen) - G, "RAM TEST/ROM TEST INACTIVE - Without the RAM/ROM Test Options installed (available from Micro Sciences), the ICT-101 in its - standard configuration is unable to test memory chips. Thus, without the appropriate option - installed in the ICT-101, the above message(s) will be displayed. I uploaded some pics of my ICT: https://postimg.org/gallery/2sv3lagbu/ I'm curious how it differs from anyone's who has the RAM/ROM test feature present. I'm not sure if it's one of the missing chips on the upper board, or within the potted contents of the lower pcb Any help gratefully appreciated. Thanks Tony _______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist(a)flippers.com https://pairlist7.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist FTP site is: ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org/TTL/Test_Equipment Archive site: http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/techtoolslist/

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