Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Resurrection of ancient Z80 Exidy Sorcerer computer and a call for help to HN

Folks of HN. I'm trying to bring my Exidy Sorcerer back to life... & a call for help from anyone who knows anything about (old) electronics.

Years ago I was lucky enough to buy an old Exidy Sorcerer computer. But I've waited till now to get time to try to bring it back to life.

It's a beauty, fully kitted out with display, printer, disk drives, manuals and software, in the original boxes!

The original box: https://ift.tt/2PPDKHD

From Exidy, 390 Java Drive, Sunnyvale California! https://ift.tt/2xkCl4U

It's a 32K model: https://ift.tt/2POtPBY

Inside, the machine under its plastic dust cover: https://ift.tt/2xkCmG0

The dust cover reveals the pristine machine: https://ift.tt/2PN8RTU

Hidden at the bottom of the box, weirdly, a chip! https://ift.tt/2xnqhjn

The original monitor: https://ift.tt/2POBv7f https://ift.tt/2POBv7f

Green phosphor no less! https://ift.tt/2xkCpla

A bag of cables, including a joystick! https://ift.tt/2PS4S8X https://ift.tt/2xkCqWg

The most beautiful floppy disk drives ever made: https://ift.tt/2PMd8XL https://ift.tt/2xnql2B https://ift.tt/2PQ3JP7

That even have a little dust cover: https://ift.tt/2xnqlzD

But does this 40 year old machine work?

Yes! https://ift.tt/2POtPSu

In case you weren't sure, the stack begins from BF90 hex. https://ift.tt/2xkCsxm

BUT DISASTER!

I plugged it in and turned it on and it worked, but within 60 seconds there was a crackling sound and burning smell and I rapidly turned it off again.

OH NO!

What do I do? Dear Hacker News community: I’m trying to find someone who can help me with this. I believe the capacitors in these old machines are often a problem. Maybe it's that? How do I find someone here in Melbourne, Australia who knows how to replace capacitors in these old machines?

Hopefully I can get this beauty back to life and try to preserve the software contained on its floppy disks.


Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18022184

Points: 2

# Comments: 0



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