Re: Apple ][e

["Mark Cummings" <figjams@primus.com.au>]

>Hi, I've just dug out my apple ][e after 10 years in storage. I was
>wondering if anyone can identify some of the hardware in it. Here are
>the descriptions of the cards I have:

Are you sure it's a IIe, most of the cards below are II/+ era.

>Card 1:
>A orange Micro "GRAPPLER INTERFACE" card (number 22462). This is a
>parallel port, right? Can I make a parallel port connection with this to
>my other machine? To use like a serial terminal?

Not easily and you'd probably need to built some kind of interface to save
damaging the chips. Most parallel cards use TTL output and incorrectly
connecting them can damage the output latches. You'd be better off using a
Super Serial card which is designed for that purpose.

>Card 2:
>A big red card, has "D.D.P.RESEARCH & MARKETING (C) 1981" and "RAMEX 16
>ISS2" written on it. It's got 23 16pin chips on it (8xITT 8005N/4116 3D,
>4x74LS153PC, and the rest are 74(somethings)).

Sounds like a 16K language card for a II+, but if you have a IIe you don't
need it. The IIe has the full 64K built in.

>Card 3:
>Has "OMNIVISION computer shop (tm) written on it. Also has 7 dip/rocker
>switches on it on the top left of the board. It has a big central chip -
>a motorola MC68455P/R1A8005. It also has 8 pins on the top right,
>labelled (0-7), GND, VIDEO OUT, LIGHT PEN, GND INPUT, N/C, +5V, LC
>INPUT.

Sounds like an 80 column card for a II+, although it may work in a IIe, you
would be better off getting a 80col/64K card for the Auxiliary slot. This
will bring your total RAM to 128K, so you can ditch (sell) the 1^K language
card then. The only thing that may make that OMNI card better would be the
light pen function, which is little used in most software. To test the card,
plug your RCA video lead into the 80col card VIDEO OUT socket, turn on the
computer and type PR#3, assuming the card is in slot 3.

>Card 4:
>It has "TIME ][" etched on it and on the left, 8 blue dip switches (with
>INTER-RUPT SET etched to the right of it). It also has a big National
>Lithium Battery on the top right.

A clock card.

>Card 5:
>This one looks fun - it has a "ZILOG Z8400A PS Z80A CPU 8320" It also
>has 4 dip switches to the left of the Z80. It has the letters AT written
>on the bottom left of the card.

A Z80 card for running CP/M. You need software to make this work.

>Card 6:
>It says "(c) ELITE SOFTWARE COMPANY" on the left hand side, and "ESC 001
>ISS2" on the bottom left. It's a blue card with a lead with a push
>button on the end of it. I've never had any idea about this one - it was
>given to me seperately from my apple about 12 years ago in a box with
>"Wildcard" written on it.

Sounds like the Wildcard copy card. It is used to make backup copies of
software by taking a snapshot of you computers memory and saving that to a
bootable disk. The button is pressed once you load up the software you want
to copy.

>Card 7:

no idea.

>Card 8:

no idea either.

>Anyway, if anyone can help me with any of this, It would be much
>appreciated, and I eagerly await your replys :)
>
>Oh yeah, I just have to say: I've got the Digitek colour encoder card
>plugged into the s/video in on my main computers card, so I have my
>apple ][ running into a 17" Sony Trinitron monitor! It rocks!

I havn't had the same success on my TV tuner card. I couldn't get the colour
to work, but then I'm trying to feed a NTSC signal into a PAL tuner card.

Mark