Over a couple of months in early 2019 a pile of donations, eBay buys and new tools built up at Mark Fixes Stuff, so I opened the lot in one go. There’s a BBC Micro hiding a homebrew SD card reader, two Philips CD-i players in very different states, a battered Amiga A600, a Spectrum 128K toast rack, a Sega 32X and the parts to build a Terrible Fire TF328 for the CD32.
A BBC Micro with a homebrew SD card reader
First out was a BBC Micro in good used condition: the punch-out section is missing and there’s a slight crack in front of the space bar, but nothing critical for its age. Something was rattling inside and there was a lead plugged into the user port, so I took out the four screws and lifted the lid. Someone had fitted a homebrew SD card reader, which explained the insulated packet that fell out of the back while I was unpacking it.
That’s coming out, though, because Mark Haysman of retroclinic.com kindly sent me a MicroSPI to review on the channel. It comes with instructions and looks like a much tidier fit, using a microSD card.
Two Philips CD-i players
Adam Ainsworth donated a Philips CD-i 450 (a Magnavox to American viewers), complete with a dab of nail varnish. The 450 was a cut-price model with composite video out only, and its DC input uses what looks like an Ethernet-style connector. Thankfully Adam included the power supply. Apparently it does nothing when you insert a disc, and on first inspection the spindle sits far too low and is rubbing, which may be the whole problem. It also came with the tethered RB 8701 controller, with a very pin-heavy plug. It’s lined up for a future Retro Resurrection.
The second CD-i, a front-loading 220, has clearly been in the wars. The drawer won’t shut, there’s a big dent in the side, and the back of the case has been crushed at some point. It reportedly won’t load discs (unsurprising when the drive won’t close) and the FMV cartridge is missing. Connections are controller, composite, S-Video and Euro SCART.
An Amiga A600 and a Spectrum 128K toast rack
The Amiga A600 is very dirty with a few keys missing. Under the top shell the keyboard wasn’t even plugged in, the case is cracked in several places, the capacitors look to have leaked as usual, the floppy drive is missing altogether, and there’s a fine beard of dust growing on it.
The Sinclair ZX Spectrum 128K toast rack is in excellent overall condition. It needs a wipe, and some of the red enamel on the rainbow badge has flaked, but aftermarket badges exist. I’m told it doesn’t work and has memory and keyboard issues: nothing an afternoon with a soldering iron can’t hopefully sort.
A TF328 for the CD32 and some new tools
I bought a Terrible Fire TF328 board by Stephen Leary on eBay, joined the EAB forum, and a very kind member gifted me every part I need to build it into the ultimate CD32 add-on, all labelled up. To build it I’ve bought an unofficial programmer (a bit bent in transit), an electronic hot plate to preheat the board to around 160 degrees so the hot air has less work to do and the board sees less thermal stress, and an Andonstar digital microscope that records 1080p, so you’ll be able to see those tiny pads clearly in the build video.
A faulty Sega 32X
Last is a Sega Mega Drive 32X that doesn’t work. The usual fix is reseating the ribbon cables, but the seller said he’d already tried that. When I told him I wanted to fix it on video he drastically reduced the price, which was very generous. I’ve already ordered the cable to connect it to my Mega Drive.
Related
For more on these machines, see my BBC B with an MMC interface pickup, fixing a BBC Micro power supply after the capacitors exploded and the Spectrum 128K toast rack group fix.
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