Re: Mitac Apple 2 clone?

[julesrichardsonuk@yahoo.co.uk (Jules)]

"Ernest" <leucoplast@seanet.NOSPAM.com> wrote in message news:<fjLDa.1138848$S_4.1170852@rwcrnsc53>...
> Very interesting. I've heard of or seen pictures of this system before but I
> cannot place or remember where. It's just on the tip of my memory.

At least someone's heard of it! :-)

> Looking at the keyboard, I would guess that if it IS an Apple II clone, it
> would be Apple II/II+ compatible rather than IIe compatible... however, it
> does have those four function keys to the left. Also, those slots look like
> Apple compatible slots. How does the slot expander attach? Does that cable
> plug into a connector on the computer or is there a piece that goes between
> the grey cable and the computer?

Straight into the back of the computer - unless I'm missing something
that sits inbetween. I really don't know why there are two of the slot
expander units; it isn't like I can use more than one at once anyway.

The connector between the slot expander and the computer is 60 way;
the bus connectors themselves are standard 50 way. Bus slots are
labelled 1, 3, 5, 6 and 7.

> Have you opened it up to see what's inside? Does it use a 6502 processor? I
> would be curious to see some pics of the internals.

I opened it after I'd taken those last shots, but I just opened it
again and got a couple of photos:

  http://www.moosenet.demon.co.uk/temp/apple2/mitac_internal01.jpg

The 6502 is on the left in that shot; to the right is a Z80 - no idea
if it's a built-in Z80 card for CP/M applications or whether it's just
used to control the machine's I/O. The 3 ROMs together on the board
are 2764 chips; the ROM on its own is a 2716. Memory is 8 4864 chips.

Beneath the main board there's a smaller board:

  http://www.moosenet.demon.co.uk/temp/apple2/mitac_internal02.jpg

Which has the logic for the disk and printer interfaces and the
80-column output. The ROM is another 2764, plus there's a 6116 chip
(static RAM from memory). The large 40-pin IC is labelled HD46505RP-2
/ HD68B45P whatever that does.

Last chip date code I can see is week 13 of 1983.

cheers

Jules