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Topic: RCM Tatung Einstein TC-01 Repair Log  (Read 3973 times)

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Offline questor

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RCM Tatung Einstein TC-01 Repair Log
« on: February 13, 2011, 05:05:08 PM »
Picked up the RCM Einstein to sort it out today - now in several bits in my workshop....

Good News:
The PSU is okay
The motherboard appears to be okay
The internal 3" Drive is okay
Will boot and run games from the internal 3" drive
It has started to cleaned ! - It needs it.

Bad news:
The keyboard is knackered - Taken apart, de-capped, 5mm of dust and gunk removed and I can see evidence that a previous owner has attempted to wash it with coffee. That explains the 6 or so keys that stick down and don't return and also the short-circuit on the backspace key thats messing everything else up.

To Do:
Source a new keyboard as this one is likely to be beyond repair - will see what I can do and what the cost might be.
Finish cleaning it
Wire up a 3.5" drive for easy use in the future


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Offline AndyRCM

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Re: RCM Tatung Einstein TC-01 Repair Log
« Reply #1 on: February 13, 2011, 06:00:42 PM »
Bloody hell that was quick work! ;)
Great news about the drive etc! ;)

Bad news about the keyboard - I think Max said his cost him £40ish :(

A
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Offline questor

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Re: RCM Tatung Einstein TC-01 Repair Log
« Reply #2 on: February 13, 2011, 08:38:42 PM »
Quote from: AndyRCM on February 13, 2011, 06:00:42 PM
Bloody hell that was quick work! ;)
Great news about the drive etc! ;)

Bad news about the keyboard - I think Max said his cost him £40ish :(

A

Yes - its about £45 to get B&H to re-fit a complete new set of switches..... but they sell the switches for 50p each if you know how to hold a soldering iron. Planning to order 10 which should cover it - just need to break out my soldering kit once more.

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Offline AndyRCM

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Re: RCM Tatung Einstein TC-01 Repair Log
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2011, 08:41:02 PM »
Wicked Simon! ;) Be bloody superb to get that baby working - Manic Miner here we come! ;)
Cheers
Andy
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Offline Prime

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Re: RCM Tatung Einstein TC-01 Repair Log
« Reply #4 on: February 14, 2011, 02:38:00 AM »
If it helps, I think the switches are the same type used on the Dragon 64 keyboard, and some of the early Apple machines
Mac Plus for ex.

If you have a source of individual switches that would also be cool tho.

Cheers.

Phill.
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Offline questor

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Re: RCM Tatung Einstein TC-01 Repair Log
« Reply #5 on: February 14, 2011, 08:26:32 AM »
Quote from: Prime on February 14, 2011, 02:38:00 AM
If it helps, I think the switches are the same type used on the Dragon 64 keyboard, and some of the early Apple machines
Mac Plus for ex.

If you have a source of individual switches that would also be cool tho.

Cheers.

Phill.

*Goes off to look at spare D64 keyboards*

These guys can supply them @50p each - minimum order of 10.   http://www.bandhcomputers.co.uk/
- They can also supply other Einstein parts etc.

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Offline MaxHall

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Re: RCM Tatung Einstein TC-01 Repair Log
« Reply #6 on: February 14, 2011, 12:48:00 PM »
Quote from: AndyRCM on February 13, 2011, 08:41:02 PM
Wicked Simon! ;) Be bloody superb to get that baby working - Manic Miner here we come! ;)
Cheers
Andy

Yes and what a cracking version on the Einstien Manic Miner is! - Very pacy . . .

Hope you get it fixed soon!

Max
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Max Hall

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Offline questor

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Re: RCM Tatung Einstein TC-01 Repair Log
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2011, 09:31:01 PM »
Bad News: Still waiting for the replacement keyboard switches to arrive.

Good News: They may not be needed. My plan b for cleaning the "damaged" switches has worked and the keyboard is now fully operational. I carefully injected a little WD40 into the 5 switches that were sticky or not responding - a few cycles moving the switch and things started to respond...once all dry it worked fine - just some dirty contacts inside the switch housing.

The TC-01 now is fully operation with working keyboard, floppy controller and 3" drive which booted and loaded games happily.

I will finish cleaning the machine and will return it to RCM on Sunday with a couple of working 3" disks - I will not have time to add the external 3.5" drive - that can be done at a later date. Will also forward the spare switches when they arrive - just in case.

Now - what to borrow from RCM on Sunday for my next project......
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Offline AndyRCM

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Re: RCM Tatung Einstein TC-01 Repair Log
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2011, 09:37:16 PM »
Nice one Simon! ;) Pleased that have sorted it . . . can't wait to have a proper play on that! ;)

A
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Offline billdooruk

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Re: RCM Tatung Einstein TC-01 Repair Log
« Reply #9 on: February 23, 2011, 04:48:49 PM »
Great work Simon :)
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Offline Scarlettkitten

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Re: RCM Tatung Einstein TC-01 Repair Log
« Reply #10 on: February 23, 2011, 04:50:34 PM »
Great work indeed :)
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Offline Prime

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Re: RCM Tatung Einstein TC-01 Repair Log
« Reply #11 on: February 24, 2011, 11:57:23 AM »
Quote from: questor on February 22, 2011, 09:31:01 PM
I will finish cleaning the machine and will return it to RCM on Sunday with a couple of working 3" disks - I will not have time to add the external 3.5" drive - that can be done at a later date.

Or maybe an internal one....

And yeah I know the keyboard needs a clean !
Cheers,

Phill.
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