<undefined>: Mitch <undefined>: hi
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changed username to DaveC rich: welcome DaveC: Hello rich rich: how's it going, Dave? DaveC: well, let me get you up to speed. rich: OK, got the last box yet? DaveC: all of the printers are out of service for one reason or another. Three of the cpus are working, half of the tape drives are good, the disk drive is working fine,,, rich: right, but printers are relatively straightforwad if you want to tinker with them DaveC: the roller controller is fine, all of the controllers are fine, there is only one super action controller, it it fine DaveC: all of the software is fine,,, and nope, still no last package containing the carts rich: actually bet a lot of the controllers only handle four directions, but that's not something you can check rich: as for the tape drives, cleaning can do wonders DaveC: i have so many controllers, they would last me a lifetime DaveC: oh, the memory expanders are fine, and one of the modems are out of service rich: yes. maybe the software will include the Coleco factory test program DaveC: i havent really dug that deep into them. rich: don't imagine it's a matter of any urgency rich: once you have one up and running well, the rest is justbackup anyway DaveC: i made another audiio cable for my test rig out in the garage for the adams rich: reminds me - are you using a monitor? DaveC: i do hope the package shows up soon. Its weird how all of the other packages arrived early, and this last one is hanging out DaveC: yes, using a commodore 1084s rich: 'fraid I learned long ago not to question the mysteries of the Post Office rich: sorry - yes, you did tell me that rich: I have a 1084S that came with one of the Amigas DaveC: oh, the atari adaptor works fine, and there were some atari carts included DaveC: all of the items needed a good cleaning, and afterwards, worked mostly. rich: of course, once you use the Colecovision carts, the Ataris are kind of chintzy DaveC: yeah, i know but the atari carts have such a big cult following rich: did you use elecvtronic parts cleaner on the connections? DaveC: i wanted to talk about the coleco expansion module 3, the adam add on. There was one in the package, it looks great! DaveC: nope, i used rubbing alcohol rich: OK, and don't be surpriwed if it shows R79, most of them seemed to DaveC: my question about that is how exactly did the adam get power, is it using the same printer? rich: I'm dubious about rubbing alcohol, some has an oil in it as a lubricant when being used as a massage DaveC: can you tell, i havent really played with that one yet rich: about the power, the Exp.3 kit came with a tray that locked the CV and Exp.3 together rich: it carefully covered up the power port on the CV DaveC: didnt have that rich: so you had to use the printer DB9 on the side of the Exp.3 DaveC: so, you powered it on by turning the printer on? DaveC: Did it use the same printer as the regular adam? rich: Since teh kit included teh printer, no reason not to sue it rich: and whether the CV power supply would support the tape drives - that's a question rich: yes, the expansion kit includes teh printer which powers everything rich: and yes, it's the regular Adam printer DaveC: also, i wanted to tell you, the software included some pirated carts. That was interesting to me, i didnt know you could copy carts. rich: you can, but it isn't worth the hassle, so I'd doubt the piracy conclusion rich: what led you to believe it? DaveC: and, some of the weirder things in the package, an rf interference package.. rich: you mean those clip-on cast iron field sinks? DaveC: as for the software, i just found the carts labeled games 1 and 2 DaveC: yes, those are the ones rich: yes, Coleco included them as a sop to the FCC DaveC: and in addition, a printer noise reducer, little pads which stick onto the bottom of the printer rich: few people used them, they were not useful in practice rich: not that they didn't do the job, the job didn't need doing DaveC: i have a bag full of those rf things, should i just dump them? rich: yes, the printer feet were part of the original too DaveC: also, i found a cloth used to clean the printer guide rods rich: oh, who knows, if not an Adam maybe you'll find something else needs RF damping some day rich: yes, make sure it's clean, then buy some silicone lubricant to damp it slightly rich: you'd be amazed how much better a lubricated printer works DaveC: so far, the only printer i can count on it the one you sent me DaveC: like you said, the others shouldnt be too hard to figure out rich: well, I think you'll find that fixing the others is straightforward mechanically rich: it's a problem if it's electrical, of course DaveC: i do have a couple of cpus that are not comming up online DaveC: blank black screens rich: I assume you haven't done anything about them yet DaveC: no time, work has been training me alot lately rich: have you tried giving the power connector a good dollop of electronic parts cleaner? DaveC: nope, i probably should crack those printers open and really clean them up inside. rich: just remember when you reassemble them not to overtighten the screws rich: screws that go into plastic must not be tightened to the stop DaveC: oh, in the package, there was an original adam printer ribbon. Should i use it or not? DaveC: ok ill remember that about the screws rich: if you overtighten you will distort the case and affect the paper release and maybe advance rich: if the ribbon is still sealed, it's likely OK. If not it may have dried out. But try it and find out DaveC: you know, so far, there are not alot of disks here, i may be buying some more software from you soon. rich: by the way, the ribbon will likely jam at thehalfway point. that's normal, they all do DaveC: as for the ribbon, do you think i should just leave it in its packaging? Hold onto it? Or not? rich: don't open it till you need it or you'll risk wasting it rich: but I hope you'll find enough use for the printer to want it eventually DaveC: yeah, the other printers dont have any ribbons in them, so i may have to put them in later rich: or perhaps your son will - hey, think long-term! DaveC: hehe DaveC: i was thinking, what am i going to do with all of those keyboards? DaveC: There are brand new ones, guts to kb's.. rich: as long as you have programs on tape and the disc drive, you should have enough to keep you out of mischief rich: of course if there's specific stuff you want and didn't get, I am not allergic to making money rich: just don't send teh keyboards to me - I think I have nearly 100 already DaveC: yeah, i have to think what i want, like you said, for now, i am set rich: and you can always copy most programs from tape to disc DaveC: also, those pcb boards, i dont know where to start with them rich: sorry - pcb bopard? what's that? DaveC: honestly, i think the tape drive is faster DaveC: pcb boards, sorry, i just woke up. the coleco game boards, and the adam motherboards rich: trust me, even the Coleco drive is infinitely faster than the tape drive DaveC: ok. i do have lots of disks around. from the commodore, i can use them afrer reformating them rich: yes, the top board in the Adam is the Colecovision game board, with a slightly different form factor rich: right. I take it that you have the Disc Manager program then DaveC: i have them, (the two boards in the adam) brand new, no eproms on them, and the colecovision pcb DaveC: as for the disk manager, nope, i have docs here for it, but no program. all i have on disk so far is some games DaveC: i cant wait for this last box to show up. it should contain the carts, lots more software, and books rich: then how do you propose to format your discs? rich: OK - see answer above DaveC: i cant now, i hope the d.manager is in there. Otherwise, ill be sending you some cash again. rich: your best bet will be to order File Manager ($10 delievered) rich: I rate it as my single most useful Adam program DaveC: is file manager a better program? DaveC: Ok, ill have to do that. Ill keep you posted. WHo knows, maybe its in the last box rich: formats all Adam discs, Coleco and MI, does all sorts of file management, backups, whatever rich: even lets you edit individual directory entries - change attributes, undelete, that sort DaveC: rich, whats an autodialer, and why would i want them? rich: and if you know how, you can use block edit to change code so, for instance, tape BASIC woprks from a disc drive DaveC: oh, that does sound useful rich: Autodialler came with the Address Book program, and let you dial automatically from the AB entry rich: Address Book itself was just a sort of limited rewrite of SmartFiler to a specialized use DaveC: oh, well, i probably wont use that much rich: I have never even plugged mine in, and don't know anyone else who has either rich: that includes even the few who use AB DaveC: probably faster to dial it myself rich: wouldn't be surprised if it's so old it still uses pulse dialling DaveC: now about the disk drive .. specifically the cable, i used a coiled keyboard cable to connect them. I couldnt find the other straight cable. That is not a problem? rich: don't remember if Adamlink had provision for a pulse/tone switch or not DaveC: when i used adamlink the other day, it used pulse. it took forever to dial. rich: if you can find a POTS residential cable with six wires, even that will work just fine DaveC: what about length is that a problem? rich: far as I can see it's basically a serial connection so anything in the same room should work fine DaveC: thats nice, let me see... rich: of course, if you have a room over 50 feet long, I might worry... DaveC: so i can put tapes in and take them out (disks for that matter) when the power is on, i just pull the reset? DaveC: What i dont want to do is turn the system on and off when dpp's are in the drive? or near the area? rich: yes, because there's no poweer surge. Just don't do it while they're running DaveC: oh, yeah, what about the disk drive? rich: as long as they're not in the drive the rest doesn't likely matter rich: same applies to discs. DaveC: oh, thanks rich: and don't expose them to magnetic fields - your monitor, a telephone, audio speakers, etc DaveC: ok, will do DaveC: you know, the amount of duplicates here are funny. i mean what 17 copies of buck rogers? rich: by the way, if you run into a supply problem with double density discs, I can help DaveC: ok, ill keep that in mind rich: I'd prefer not to because the suppliers are exploiting the limited supply ($$$$) rich: but if you are stuck I can bail you out at a price rich: re BR, after Coleco pulled out, they dumped all sorts of BR and BASIC tapes on the market DaveC: ok, i kinda got lost, are we talking about copies of software, or disks? rich: they were much cheaper than the price of blank datapacks DaveC: coleco probably had LOTS of BR and BASIC, due to it being included with all statems? rich: all teh surplus stores had them so those who knew bought them and reinitialized them rich: those who didn't know about right directories of course got an unpleasant surprise DaveC: i am still learning, i am really having lots of fun with the adam, i havent scratched the surfate though rich: hey, it's taken nearly 20 years for the few reductions I've managed so far to my fund of ignorance on the subject DaveC: he, well rich, i need to get off line now and get something to eat. rich: right, I'll go basck to watching the 12 hours of Sebring DaveC: he well have fun, and ill drop you a line when i get that last package. Thanks for the meet. rich: give me a holler if we should set it up next weekend rich: ok, hear from you shortly, Take care DaveC: sure, i would like to chat next weekend. DaveC: ok, thanks, take care.
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