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Status on the SPVHD?

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Mike Maginnis

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Nov 1, 2012, 12:24:12 AM11/1/12
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Anyone know the current status on the SPVHD? I'd like to buy one, but
my email queries have gone unanswered and there doesn't seem to be a
way to directly order one on http://www.spvhd.org/

--
- Mike

Podcast: http://open-apple.net
Scans: http://apple2scans.net
Blog: http://6502lane.net

Sean Fahey

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Nov 1, 2012, 10:21:00 AM11/1/12
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On Wednesday, October 31, 2012 11:24:09 PM UTC-5, Mike Maginnis wrote:

> Anyone know the current status on the SPVHD? I'd like to buy one, but
> my email queries have gone unanswered and there doesn't seem to be a
> way to directly order one on http://www.spvhd.org/

I'd gladly pay more if it would help with manufacturing and availability.

Hugh Hood

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Nov 1, 2012, 10:43:30 PM11/1/12
to
Me too ...

I'd like to get one of these for every Apple II I use regularly, particular
now that Cédric has shown a glimpse of his 'SmartportVHD Manager' software
for it.

Plus, he mentioned clock support and some type of Smartport to USB link to
the 'beyond'. Cool, cool stuff, not to mention the excellent appearance of
the cased product.

But, I suspect that like most of us who earn our livings doing something
other than 'playing' with our Apple IIs (although I integrate my IIgs's into
my work as much as possible), he's probably had more than a few real world
distractions along the way.

I just hope he sees his 'baby' through to completion, and is able to
continue to add features to the firmware. Heck, we've waited years and years
for neat new products like this (and the CFFA3000, btw), what's a few more
days, weeks, months, years ... <grin>





Hugh Hood





in article 8c25f8e8-f6e1-4cad...@googlegroups.com, Sean Fahey
at a2...@hotmail.com wrote on 11/1/12 9:21 AM:

Antoine Vignau

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Nov 4, 2012, 7:12:50 AM11/4/12
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Message sent to Cédric. I know he also used to visit our newsgroup,
antoine

Cedric Peltier

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Nov 4, 2012, 10:15:18 AM11/4/12
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!!! Hello !!!

I had hard times this year on several aspects of my life. The progresses
of medicine should smooth out my main problem during the next month. And
if I find enough strength, some of the earliest requesters will receive
a notification during the next weeks for an spvhd's delivery, ohhh yes !
Then, I will convert my Proxxon MF70 into a CNC machine, allowing to
scale up the production in some way.

Cedric

Steven Hirsch

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Nov 4, 2012, 11:08:57 AM11/4/12
to
Cedric,

So sorry to hear of your health issues. Please worry about yourself and your
family first. Get back to hobby stuff when you are better!

Steve


Sean Fahey

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May 20, 2013, 4:55:13 PM5/20/13
to
Cedric, I hope things are better for you now.

I'd like to know if the DIY kits are still available? It seems the CNC work on the cases was a major factor in slowing down the availability of your product. While I'd rather have nice matching cases, my desire for mass storage on my //c is greater and using a kit box is better than nothing.

Or is there a chance someone else could help you with construction or distribution?

Eric Shepherd

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May 21, 2013, 7:11:20 AM5/21/13
to
Me, I'll keep holding out for the nice case. But I sure look forward to
this product. I've needed it for a long long time! :)

Sheppy

Steven Hirsch

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May 21, 2013, 7:54:56 AM5/21/13
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I haven't heard from Cedric in a number of months. I hope he's ok.

Antoine, have you been in contact with him recently?

Steve


Sean Fahey

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May 29, 2013, 4:55:31 PM5/29/13
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On Tuesday, May 21, 2013 6:54:56 AM UTC-5, Steven Hirsch wrote:

> I haven't heard from Cedric in a number of months. I hope he's ok.
>
> Antoine, have you been in contact with him recently?


It appears this project is in limbo for the foreseeable future.

Steven Hirsch

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May 29, 2013, 6:20:54 PM5/29/13
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I hope it's because of Cedric being busy rather than having health issues.


Cedric Peltier

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Jun 1, 2013, 8:54:58 AM6/1/13
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Hello all,

Sorry for my lack of communications, and thanks for your interets :-)
My health give me some good days and some bad days, but now I know where
I'm going. There is also a lot of problems related to family, but you
all know what the life is ;-)

About the SmartportVHD, I felt something was missing, so I silently
delayed deliveries (sorry again) to add this final touch to the project,
and I'm proud to say the hardware reached the point where no more
changes are needed. Firmware don't provide all the features for now but
this isn't really a problem to start deliveries, as the firmware can be
updated by owners.

In the mean time I finished the CNC and it's a great multifunction tool
allowing all the things I wanted for the project, some videos will be
posted on the web site, if someone is wondering how the spvhd is made.

And now, some quick words about the final touch to the project: two
capacitives probes was added to the front of the case. These probes
allow users to select disk image for amovible virtual drive, on the fly.
This is especially required for games on multiples 5.25 disks when the
5.25 disk emulation will be ready, and I guess owners will find more
usages for this feature.

But this would be incomplete without some sort of feedback to let the
user know which drive or image is selected. After evaluating LCD, OLED,
and custom LED displays, I finally integrated a simple audio circuit
that did the trick. So, with the help of additionnal wav files stored on
the usb stick, the spvhd is able to tell you which virtual drive or disk
image is presented to the Apple II.

This final touch preserve the look of the enclosure, the only visible
change are the two small front probes made of polished and engraved
aluminium.

I know how long is it to wait, but I would avoid to provide something
not mature enough, For those who don't care about the look or are
looking to something a bit cheaper, I'm going to provide the spvhd
within a smaller industrial enclosure, which reduce manufacturing time
and costs.

Regards,
Cedric

Steven Hirsch

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Jun 1, 2013, 9:39:48 AM6/1/13
to
On 06/01/2013 08:54 AM, Cedric Peltier wrote:

> Sorry for my lack of communications, and thanks for your interets :-)
> My health give me some good days and some bad days, but now I know where I'm
> going. There is also a lot of problems related to family, but you all know
> what the life is ;-)

Great to hear from you! Life does have a way of interfering with hacking,
doesn't it?

> This final touch preserve the look of the enclosure, the only visible change
> are the two small front probes made of polished and engraved aluminium.
>
> I know how long is it to wait, but I would avoid to provide something not
> mature enough, For those who don't care about the look or are looking to
> something a bit cheaper, I'm going to provide the spvhd within a smaller
> industrial enclosure, which reduce manufacturing time and costs.

Sounds cool. You can fill my outstanding order with the industrial enclosure
unit :-).

In the meantime, still enjoying the unit I built from scratch using your board.

Steve


cybernesto

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Jun 1, 2013, 10:25:09 AM6/1/13
to
I'm happy to hear you are doing well and the project is still in development. Your website announced that the sources will be available too. Are you planning to upload them in some open source project host like sourceforge or github anytime soon?

STYNX

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Jun 1, 2013, 11:33:55 AM6/1/13
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On Saturday, June 1, 2013 4:25:09 PM UTC+2, cybernesto wrote:
> I'm happy to hear you are doing well and the project is still in development. Your website announced that the sources will be available too. Are you planning to upload them in some open source project host like sourceforge or github anytime soon?

Sources would be cool! I would really like to have the 3D Model of the Enclosure. I could print it with my RepRap. I could probably design my own models, but i don't have the time.

-Jonas

Cedric Peltier

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Jun 2, 2013, 3:43:13 AM6/2/13
to
Le 01/06/2013 15:39, Steven Hirsch a écrit :
> On 06/01/2013 08:54 AM, Cedric Peltier wrote:
>
>
> Great to hear from you! Life does have a way of interfering with
> hacking, doesn't it?
>
To fix it I tryed to hack life...without success ;-)

>
> Sounds cool. You can fill my outstanding order with the industrial
> enclosure unit :-).
>
Recorded ;-)

Cedric Peltier

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Jun 2, 2013, 3:45:06 AM6/2/13
to
Le 01/06/2013 16:25, cybernesto a écrit :
> I'm happy to hear you are doing well and the project is still in development. Your website announced that the sources will be available too. Are you planning to upload them in some open source project host like sourceforge or github anytime soon?
>
Once the finance of the project will be close to be balanced, all will
be released open source. Maybe I will do it before this point :-)

Cedric Peltier

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Jun 2, 2013, 3:48:22 AM6/2/13
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Yes, I will also release 3D models, but the main enclosure is done by
molding existing floppy enclosure to get the right texture. I don't know
how to replicate the surface in another way.

Sean Fahey

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Oct 9, 2013, 12:25:31 PM10/9/13
to
On Sunday, June 2, 2013 2:48:22 AM UTC-5, Cedric PELTIER wrote:

> Yes, I will also release 3D models, but the main enclosure is done by
> molding existing floppy enclosure to get the right texture. I don't know
> how to replicate the surface in another way.

Cedric - when will you be ready to take our money? We want these things.

Sheppy

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Oct 9, 2013, 2:02:28 PM10/9/13
to
On 2013-10-09 16:25:31 +0000, Sean Fahey said:

> Cedric - when will you be ready to take our money? We want these things.

Yes please. I want you to take my money. :)

--

Eric Shepherd (Sheppy)
http://www.sheppyware.net

STYNX

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Oct 10, 2013, 12:40:24 AM10/10/13
to
On Wednesday, October 9, 2013 8:02:28 PM UTC+2, Sheppy wrote:
> On 2013-10-09 16:25:31 +0000, Sean Fahey said:
> > Cedric - when will you be ready to take our money? We want these things.
> Yes please. I want you to take my money. :)

If its just that, you can always make a donation via PayPal ... i did (some time back) ;-)

-Jonas

sicklittlemonkey

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Oct 11, 2013, 4:19:53 PM10/11/13
to
On Sunday, 2 June 2013 00:54:58 UTC+12, Cedric PELTIER wrote:
> but you all know what the life is ;-)

That's what we come to this newsgroup to forget, right? ; - )

> So, with the help of additionnal wav files stored on
> the usb stick, the spvhd is able to tell you which virtual drive or disk
> image is presented to the Apple II.

Innovative! This project "sounds" amazing. : - )

Can't wait to order one!

Cheers,
Nick.

Sean Fahey

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Feb 6, 2014, 12:16:49 PM2/6/14
to

Cedric, do you still need/want a 8MHz ZipChip? I still need/want mass storage for my Apple //c and IIc Plus. =) I'm open to some trading.

RJ

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Feb 6, 2014, 7:39:04 PM2/6/14
to
Sean Fahey wrote:
> Cedric, do you still need/want a 8MHz ZipChip? I still need/want mass
> storage for my Apple //c and IIc Plus. =) I'm open to some trading.
>

Here another type of mass storage for the //c.

http://tulip-house.ddo.jp/DIGITAL/UNISDISK/english.html

I have purchased a couple of items from him, and to ship to NA it was 1
week.

pitz

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Feb 6, 2014, 7:55:40 PM2/6/14
to
Ditto on the UNISDISK. Over the holidays, I've got the UNISDISK and the Analog RGB Component Adapter and had a chance to use them.

The Analog RGB Component Adapter is great and almost reaches the quality you would get from Roger's SCART adapter (but with the advantage that RGB Component monitors/TVs are easier to find).

I've used the UNISDISK with an Apple IIe and an Apple IIgs, and it works great. Will give the IIc and IIc+ a spin with it this weekend.

RJ

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Feb 6, 2014, 8:21:50 PM2/6/14
to
Hi Pitz,

I have the component adapter from Nishida as well I use it for the iigs
hooked up to a 15 inch LCD tv, its great, some colors are bit washed out but
performs as stated. Compared to a rgb monitor like my 1084s, hands down the
1084s wins, but I am very happy with the adapter! That being said, have you
connected the component adapter to a vga monitor? I don't currently have a
rgb to vga cable and would love to connect it to my beige color NEC 14"
monitor.

Steven Hirsch

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Feb 6, 2014, 8:45:40 PM2/6/14
to
On 02/06/2014 08:21 PM, RJ wrote:
> Hi Pitz,
>
> I have the component adapter from Nishida as well I use it for the iigs
> hooked up to a 15 inch LCD tv, its great, some colors are bit washed out but
> performs as stated. Compared to a rgb monitor like my 1084s, hands down the
> 1084s wins, but I am very happy with the adapter! That being said, have you
> connected the component adapter to a vga monitor? I don't currently have a
> rgb to vga cable and would love to connect it to my beige color NEC 14"
> monitor.

I'm Yet Another happy owner of Nishida's IIgs component video adapter.

BTW, connecting a component video output to a VGA monitor involves a bit more
than just a cable. You have to make a scan-rate conversion from 15.75Khz. -->
31.5Khz.

Fortunately, Nishida is working on a VGA adapter for IIe and has posted some
good looking photos on his Facebook page. Now, if he can find a way to let
the video adapter co-exist with an AUX memory card like the Ramworks... I
have to believe that all the required signals are available on the RW
expansion header, so this may just be a mechanical problem.

Steve


Michael J. Mahon

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Feb 7, 2014, 3:08:39 AM2/7/14
to
But it doesn't seem to provide mass storage (like 32MB ProDOS partitions),
or am I missing something.

I use a 5.25" disk image about once a year, but my CFFA at every session. I
think a lot of folks would like CFFA 3000 functionality for their IIc or
//c+...
--
-michael - NadaNet 3.1 and AppleCrate II: http://home.comcast.net/~mjmahon

Michael J. Mahon

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Feb 7, 2014, 3:08:40 AM2/7/14
to
RJ <mod...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Pitz,
>
> I have the component adapter from Nishida as well I use it for the iigs
> hooked up to a 15 inch LCD tv, its great, some colors are bit washed out but
> performs as stated. Compared to a rgb monitor like my 1084s, hands down the
> 1084s wins, but I am very happy with the adapter! That being said, have you
> connected the component adapter to a vga monitor? I don't currently have a
> rgb to vga cable and would love to connect it to my beige color NEC 14"
> monitor.

Sounds like the gain of the Cr and Cb buffers could stand some tweaking to
get accurate color.
>
> pitz wrote:
>> On Thursday, February 6, 2014 4:39:04 PM UTC-8, RJ wrote:
>>> Sean Fahey wrote:
>>>
>>>> Cedric, do you still need/want a 8MHz ZipChip? I still need/want mass
>>>
>>>> storage for my Apple //c and IIc Plus. =) I'm open to some trading.
>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Here another type of mass storage for the //c.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> http://tulip-house.ddo.jp/DIGITAL/UNISDISK/english.html
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I have purchased a couple of items from him, and to ship to NA it was 1
>>>
>>> week.
>>
>> Ditto on the UNISDISK. Over the holidays, I've got the UNISDISK and the
>> Analog RGB Component Adapter and had a chance to use them.
>>
>> The Analog RGB Component Adapter is great and almost reaches the quality
>> you would get from Roger's SCART adapter (but with the advantage that RGB
>> Component monitors/TVs are easier to find).
>>
>> I've used the UNISDISK with an Apple IIe and an Apple IIgs, and it works
>> great. Will give the IIc and IIc+ a spin with it this weekend.
>>


RJ

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Feb 7, 2014, 5:39:04 AM2/7/14
to
Yes, ive tweaked all the trimpots as much as I can, I've got it as close to
the 1084s outputs but still some colors are a bit washed out.

re: UNISDISK

ah, I did not know that. How about using a Rasp. Pi and using ivanx A2cloud
on the iic?

Steven Hirsch

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Feb 7, 2014, 8:03:32 AM2/7/14
to
On 02/07/2014 03:08 AM, Michael J. Mahon wrote:
> RJ <mod...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi Pitz,
>>
>> I have the component adapter from Nishida as well I use it for the iigs
>> hooked up to a 15 inch LCD tv, its great, some colors are bit washed out but
>> performs as stated. Compared to a rgb monitor like my 1084s, hands down the
>> 1084s wins, but I am very happy with the adapter! That being said, have you
>> connected the component adapter to a vga monitor? I don't currently have a
>> rgb to vga cable and would love to connect it to my beige color NEC 14"
>> monitor.

> Sounds like the gain of the Cr and Cb buffers could stand some tweaking to
> get accurate color.

The Nishida adapter has trim pots for all three outputs, IIRC.

On the subject of video, does anyone know the pinout for the Applied
Engineering Ramworks video expansion headers on the back of the board?

I'm probably going to pickup one of Nishida's IIe AUX slot VGA adapters when
he finishes the design, but don't want to give up the aux memory. I'm
thinking it can pickup all the required signals from the RW headers.

Steve


sicklittlemonkey

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Feb 7, 2014, 4:09:01 PM2/7/14
to
On Friday, 7 February 2014 13:55:40 UTC+13, pitz wrote:
> The Analog RGB Component Adapter is great and almost reaches the quality you would get from Roger's SCART adapter (but with the advantage that RGB Component monitors/TVs are easier to find).

Roger has no cables in stock so I made my own yesterday. It automatically switches the monitor to the SCART input when the GS is turned on, the aspect ratio is 4:3, it takes sound to the monitor, and it looks great!

I might make a SCART interface box so I can tweak some of the above options.

Cheers,
Nick.

Sean Fahey

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Feb 7, 2014, 5:57:32 PM2/7/14
to
On Friday, February 7, 2014 2:08:39 AM UTC-6, Michael J. Mahon wrote:

> But it doesn't seem to provide mass storage (like 32MB ProDOS partitions),
> or am I missing something.

That. :(

Michael J. Mahon

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Feb 8, 2014, 12:29:00 AM2/8/14
to
Agreed--I'm considering a Pi-based solution.

The trick is getting the II-side driver in a spot that's compatible with
everything, something that's already handled for a smart port device.

Antoine Vignau

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Feb 8, 2014, 2:22:23 AM2/8/14
to
Sent a mail to Cedric two days ago. no answer so far. will text him today and call him then.
AV
ps. i will not sell my spvhd on ebay ;-)

Steven Hirsch

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Feb 8, 2014, 9:20:15 AM2/8/14
to
On 02/08/2014 02:22 AM, Antoine Vignau wrote:

> Sent a mail to Cedric two days ago. no answer so far. will text him today
> and call him then.


I hope he's ok. If I recall correctly he had hinted at some health problems.

gid...@sasktel.net

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Feb 8, 2014, 9:45:57 AM2/8/14
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Me thinks we put a pretty big burden on Cedric. Some of us, especially me, should become more hardware inclined and get the build-it-yourself model.

Steven Hirsch

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Feb 8, 2014, 2:06:28 PM2/8/14
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I did exactly that. Have it installed in a little project box.



pitz

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Feb 8, 2014, 6:32:13 PM2/8/14
to
The UNISDISK has a Smartport mode. The Smartport protocol allows more than an 800K image. That's the only way the IIc external mass storage devices, like the Chinook CTs and the SPVHD, would work.

On a IIgs, I can boot one of Alex Lee's 32MB hard disk images through Smartport.

There's some flakiness with the IIc, specifically with mounting a second image (mounts into Slot 2, Drive 1). I can sometimes get a catalog; other times it hangs the IIc. Nishida has some disclaimers using the UNISDISK with a IIc because of limited test machines.

Riccardo

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Feb 9, 2014, 5:14:27 AM2/9/14
to

> There's some flakiness with the IIc, specifically with mounting a second image (mounts into Slot 2, Drive 1). I can sometimes get a catalog; other times it hangs the IIc. Nishida has some disclaimers using the UNISDISK with a IIc because of limited test machines.

Virtualize Prodos Slot Map

S5 D1 UNIDISK 1
S5 D2 UNIDISK 2
S2 D1 UNIDISK 3
S6 D1 Internal Disk
S6 D2 External DISKIIc

All works fine!

https://plus.google.com/109178844091109135311/posts/C7QGzuqMvay

I need only SPVHD.

-Ric.
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