"It uses the batteries as a current sink, the mains unit can't provide peak requirements." Changing subjects...... If I recall correctly, the Chipmunk Disk Drive for the M100 operated in a similar fashion. Even with an adequate external power supply the unit would not operate correctly if the ni-cads were worn out. Otherwise, the Chipmunks were really tough units. As long as you had good ni-cads or ni-mh batteries the units would not fail.
________________________________ From: M100 <m100-boun...@lists.bitchin100.com> on behalf of Philip Avery <pav...@xtra.co.nz> Sent: Wednesday, August 8, 2018 11:35:00 PM To: m...@bitchin100.com Subject: Re: [M100] TRS-80/Tandy Pocket Computer Wow - all this Pocket Computer activity. One thing I encountered when replacing the Ni-Cd batteries in the cassette/printer for my PC-2, was the printer requires these batteries to be present even if the unit is operated on mains power. It uses the batteries as a current sink, the mains unit can't provide peak requirements. Reminds me to get my PC-2 and printer out for its yearly run-up. I always marvel at the small-print these things are capable of. Philip On 9/08/2018 7:41 AM, Jim Toth wrote: My PC-2 and CGP-115 do deserve medical grade printer pens. Nothing but the best. ----- Original Message ----- From: Brian White<mailto:bw.al...@gmail.com> To: m...@bitchin100.com<mailto:m...@bitchin100.com> Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2018 12:57 PM Subject: Re: [M100] TRS-80/Tandy Pocket Computer You can get new pens, as in actually new, not new old stock, from a german medical supplies company, and you can get new motor pinion gears by 3d printing believe it or not. I have also found the gear in brass, from a r/c helicopter company, but those appear to be no longer manufactured, just existing stock. The pens and gears are the same as for the CGP-115 and a bunch of other plotters that all used the same engine. The paper size is different though. http://tandy.wiki/CGP-115 On Tue, Aug 7, 2018 at 10:08 PM Jim Toth <jt...@localnet.com<mailto:jt...@localnet.com>> wrote: You can still purchase PC-2 printer pens? Excellent. Where? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ron Lauzon" <rlau...@gmail.com<mailto:rlau...@gmail.com>> To: <m...@bitchin100.com<mailto:m...@bitchin100.com>> Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2018 9:46 PM Subject: Re: [M100] TRS-80/Tandy Pocket Computer My PC-4 was my constant companion through college and into my first job. I picked up a PC-2 at the Tandy Corporate auction and got bit by the pocket computer bug. What I've put together is this: + PC-1 - usually had bad screens over time. + PC-2 - frequently people left the AA batteries in them when they stopped using them. The batteries leaked. So always check the battery compartment before buying one. Leaky batteries can cause a great deal of damage. The printer/cassette interface is where the flaws are. The printer gears tended to wear out. Also the rechargeable battery packs are shot by now and are leaking. There are some people who refurbish the printers (new batteries and new gears), but they will be more expensive. Surprisingly, you can still purchase the pens. + PC-3 - Not much that I know of. I only have 1 in my collection and it has no problems. The printer even works. + PC-4 - No problems with the pocket computer itself that I know of. The printer batteries are shot by now. Usually they don't leak, but the batteries are not meant to be replaced. But with some work, the printers can be made to work with an AC-adapter. On Tue, Aug 7, 2018 at 8:01 PM megarat <mega...@yahoo.com<mailto:mega...@yahoo.com>> wrote: > > Hey folks, a recent thread here highlighted my interest in the old > TRS-80/Tandy Pocket Computers (rebadged from existing Casio and Sharp > models). I always had a fascination with these things as a kid, and I was > lucky enough to own one of them for a while (a PC-5), so I'm entertaining > the possibility of hunting some of them down. > > I'm concerned, however, with how well these models age. Specifically the > electrolytics (and how easy are they to replace?), the LCD display (do > they have a tendency to fade/bleed?), and the keypad (do those little > chicklet keyboards still hold up years later?). > > Are there any PC collectors on this list that can offer me some > advice/guidance? Thanks. > > /CAM -- Ron Lauzon - rlauzon at acm dot org Homepage: http://webpages.charter.net/rlauzon/ Weblog: http://ronsapartment.blogspot.com/ TRS-80 Pocket Computer 2 - TRS-80 Pocket Computer 4 - TRS-80 Model 100/102 Some people like to work on old cars. But old computers are cheaper and don't require a big garage. -- bkw
