Re: IIGS & Zip Acclerator

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

DarwinAlberts writes ...
> 
> I have an Apple IIGS with 4.25(?) megs of ram,
> Apple II SCSI interface, 40 mb
> HD and a Zip Accelerator. Unfortunatly a while
> ago I attempted to change the
> oscillator and broke one of the resistors.
> I also lost the cable connecting the
> card to the Motherboard.
> 
> Does anyone know where (in canada) I can get 
> the card fixed and a new cable made?
 ....

     Finding a repair facility anywhere could be difficult. Fortunately, you
can replace the resistor and make a new cable yourself.

     Which resistor is broken? (i.e. Where is it? What is the designation on
the circuit board? What does it look like?)  It should not be too hard to find
out what value resistor is needed and to solder in a replacement.

     Directions for making a Zip-GS cable were published in II Alive in 1996.
The article is by Bill Shuff. The parts numbers may have changed; but, you can
probably still find what you need from Digi-Key or Mouser (see
http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/A2FAQs3VENDORS.html .)

     Here is a snip from Bill's article:

>>

A replacement cable can be made fairly inexpensively, but it is far 
better to make a replacement with highest quality gold-finished 
connectors.  The connectors I use have longer, wider, and more sturdy 
pins than the original cables.  The gold finish on the metal components 
makes for a very long lasting, reliable, connection both within the 
cable itself and at the CPU and card connections. 

To make a cable it is only necessary to buy the components (connectors, 
and 40 conductor ribbon cable), cut the cable to the correct length, and 
then press the connectors onto the ribbon cable.  The components I use 
are ordered from Digi-Key corporation. Their telephone number is
800-344-4539.  The parts are as follows:

 40 Pin Gold DIP Connector         	Part #CDP40G    $3.82
 40 Pin Gold Socket Connector		Part #CSC40G	$3.08
 40 Conductor 3M Color Ribbon Cable	Part #MC40M-5   $12.22 for 5 feet

The last item is sold in minimum lengths of 5 feet but the same length 
of 10-conductor cable costing far less could be substituted.  Four 
pieces of that cable placed side by side will work quite well in place 
of a single length of 40-wire cable.  The instructions that follow are 
for a slightly longer than standard ZIP cable only; a TransWarp cable 
requires one modification which will be discussed below.  

Cut a length of ribbon cable to 2�1/4� long and place one end into the 
CPU connector with a bit hanging out of the opposite end of the 
connector.  Be sure the cable is centered in the width of the connector. 
Lock the cable in place by pressing the connector halves with finger 
pressure until it latches and captures tha cable.  Using a clamp or 
vise, press the connector onto the cable.  A piece of wood that is 
thicker than the length of the pins and which fits closely between the 
rows of pins,will allow the connector to be pressed without damaging the 
pins.  Better yet, use a piece of wood that has narrow saw cuts that are 
spaced properly and are deep enough to capture and not touch the pins.  
This will allow the clamping pressure to be placed evenly over the 
entire surface of the connector.  Although the pins and holes of the 
connectors are numbered, the positioning of those numbers relative to 
the construction of the cable can be ignored. The connectors are 
symmetric, and flipping them end for end has no effect on the final 
wiring.

Next, place the smaller connector over the cable with the holes facing 
away from the direction the pins on the CPU connector are pointing.  Be 
sure that it too is centered on the cable and is parallel to the CPU 
connector with 28 mm (1 1/8�) of cable between the connectors.  When the 
connector is positioned correctly, crimp it in place.  Trim the excess 
cable close to the connector edges with a razor blade or sharp knife.  

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Rubywand