Starting up a VideoGenie after 18 years

[Andrew Hague]

Hi

I started up my video genie for the first time in about 18 years and it worked fine.  Then I plugged in the expansion unit and booted it up (with BREAK pressed) and it didn't work start up.   I unplugged the unit and now when I turn on the video genie it says

"ready?" but NEWLINE won't bring up the READY.  I can still type numbers and letters into the 'ready?' prompt.  I circuit tested the NEWLINE key it it seems to be working.

I wondered what other things could cause this symptom?  

Andrew

[Flemming Dupont]

Hi Andrew, sorry but I got no idea, but if you decide to sell your Expansion unit please let me know, as I want to buy one. 

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[Knut]

Hi Andrew,

Break and enter is on the same line. If there is a problem with
connection (most likely) or the input decoding it might not register
either break key or enter key also arrows and space in on the same line.
The keyboard decoding is very simple and the schematics is in the
service manual (Terry has pdf on his site). The genie keyswitches are
usually ok with age, never experienced any bad keys. There is a
connector on the keyboard connection on one side (keyboard side IIRC)
move leads inside connector and see if that helps. Pin 19 in the
connector (pin 20 is shift keys).

Not register break key with the EI connected would make the ROM look for
a floppy no clear screen so it would appear dead if there isn't a
floppydrive connected.

Knut :-)

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[Andrew Hague]

Aha.  I'd checked the keyboard earlier in the day and fixed one wire.  It turned out that another wire was loose connecting to the board from the keyboard!  It confused me because it broke just after I'd been hooking up the expansion unit.

After fixing the keyboard, the expansion has proved to be good, and I've booted a few floppy disks. 

.     

I can't believe how many sockets this 48K computer with floppy drive takes up (including the monitor, that makes 4!)

The tape drive doesn't rewind and it is struggling to fastforward and play.  Any hints on repairing the tape drive?  I guess new belts might be required and some lubricant!

Thanks,

Andrew

[Peter Nield]

I replaced that brittle wire keyboard cable in mine (now since passed onto someone else) with the Dupont jumper wires, which also installing a 0.1” pitch pin header on the CPU board in place of the keyboard cable.  No original, but far, far more forgiving.

 

From: eaca-di...@googlegroups.com <eaca-di...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Andrew Hague
Sent: Wednesday, 13 May 2020 1:06 am
To: Eaca discussion <eaca-di...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: Starting up a VideoGenie after 18 years

 

Aha.  I'd checked the keyboard earlier in the day and fixed one wire.  It turned out that another wire was loose connecting to the board from the keyboard!  It confused me because it broke just after I'd been hooking up the expansion unit.

 

After fixing the keyboard, the expansion has proved to be good, and I've booted a few floppy disks. 

 

.     

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[Terry Stewart]

Yes those connectors are a weakness and are easy to break during a repair session....including the one that goes between the video board and CPU board.  Arg!

Terry

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