Re: Fix for flaky MS-SoftCard Z80 clones

[Tarkin <Tarkin000@gmail.com>]

On Nov 29, 8:24 pm, "Bill Buckels" <bbuck...@mts.net> wrote:
> "Tarkin" <Tarkin...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> 64300429-cf40-4cc8-a878-c3f8abf1eb9c@20g2000yqt.googlegroups.com">news:64300429-cf40-4cc8-a878-c3f8abf1eb9c@20g2000yqt.googlegroups.com...
>
> >Yours came populated w/ an 8MHz part?
>
> No, no, no... I have a ZIP chip which replaces my 6502 on that machine too.
> Is it possible that would make my machine more compatible with this clone?
> Ok so who bought this for under 20 bucks? Someone did.
>

Ohhh, on the _Apple Side_. The MS SoftCard only operates
at 2.041 MHz. I think the fact that I used a CMOS part of
later manufacture (early Z80s could be notoriously quirky)
was what made the difference. The higher clock rate was just
sort of 'extra insurance'.

> Your experience sounds like a nightmare. Replacing CPU's indeed! Hardly
> worth the trouble.

Watching the screen from filling with garbage, or killing a 300 baud
16K transfer _was_ a nightmare. But I can't believe I waited.
I had the Z80 in my parts bin, and swapping out a DIP is trivial.
I think it was very much worth the trouble...

TTFN,
  Tarkin