A-ONE/REPLICA 1 for beginners

i have an A-One, it's a wonderful Replica, and Franz & San have done a Great job on it.
The missing usb is not an issue, the RS232 + ZTerm does the same job.

The build is straight forward, i built it an Hour or so.

See my gallery !!!!

Bye

Paul-

I have a Replica 1, but wish I could afford both!

The Replica 1 community appears a bit more established and active (see the forums at http://www.brielcomputers.com/phpBB2/index.php ), but with Krusader not taking up much of my time any more I am moving to more hardware related play, so I'd love to be able to play on the A-One with breadboard attached.

They both have BASIC and Krusader (which provides an assembler, disassembler and low-level monitor) in ROM, so from a programming perspective there's no real difference.

The video on the A-One looks like it may be better equipped for PAL countries (I'm in Australia) but I haven't heard anything specific.

The Replica-1 is fairly easy to build - most of the soldering involves easy and safe components (resitors, capacitors and IC sockets). The situation with the A-One is surely much the same.

The really amazing thing is that you have a choice!

Ken

The A1-Assembler by San Bergmans is really cool too, which is loaded in the 9000 segmet of the A-One.

Hello Paul,

I read all your postings and saw you are very familiar with the A-One. My question to you. You are using a RS232 to USB converter stick, which one?
And you connected the A-One to your imac. (?)
I hope building a kit is not so difficult, i did some soldering when I was a teenager - building an illegal fm transmittor... hope this is enough experience.

As "european" some speaks for the a-one, but the community around the replica one seems to be more active.

Best regards
Manfred

Yes, the Replica community is more active because it was the first one out, but, give the A-One a chance to catch up, for who lives in Europe like me, the A-One is perfect, it works on both 50 a 60 Hz.
The build is easy, i had no issues doing it, even if you don't have soldering skills.

I have an iMac Intel, and i use an USB to RS232 converter from Manhatten Computer ...

http://www.manhattan-support.com/driver-usb-rs232.shtml.

It works fine, just if you have the RS built in the Mac.

Cheers

Paul.

my usb\rs232 converter 3 years old, i bought it from a local computer store here in Italy.

I love programming in basic, but i left il for a few years, then, when a found out about Franz A-one, i got "running" again", i am still a bit rusty, because my last programs i done them in VB6.

I am just starting on assembly now, but time is never enough !!!!!

Cheers

Paul.

I have an A-One too. I have seen in your user profile that you´re from Germany. I live in Germany too. Franz Achatz speaks(writes) in german and could help me solving technical problems i had first with my A-ONE. (A-ONE won´t start sometimes) It was very easyer for me to contact Franz Achatz in german language, because my english is not so good! After all, he repaired my A-ONE and want no money for the repairing. (The crystal ocillator was damaged) The sending of my A-ONE board to the netherlands, repairing and resending spend a time of only one week.

SchwindS

PS: I live in Rheinland-Pfalz and work in Ludwigshafen/Rhein at BASF as Chemical Supervisor. You see we have similarity hobbys and jobs.

Hello SchwindS,

I saw some of your postings and it is a good to know to have someone nearby to discuss problems also in my motherlanguage "deutsch".

Yes, your arguments for a good service nearby counts: netherland is just around the corner and you do not have customs tax as you have when purchasing things from the US.
And replica 1 is out of sale until may - but this is no real argument. I just need some time to think it over.

You are working at BASF; you might have seen my red rings hanging on the flanges: www.safe-ring.com

italianapple (Paul) and you seem to be the european "A-one kernel"
We keep in contact!

Best regards
Manfred

it would be nice !!!

I am a bit biased of course. But I would say that it doesn't really matter which one you choose, as long as it is the A-One

No really, the functionality of both replicas is quite similar. Therefore you can probably participate in most of the topics of the replica 1 community even if you own a A-One instead of a Replica 1. So I don't think the existence of the Replica 1 community should have to influence your decision.

I never built either of the boards myself but I think the A-One would be slightly easier to build because it has fewer parts.

Hello San,

...yes I know what I have to do.
I spent a lot of time on your website the last weeks; which helped me in many ways to enlarge my knowledge about the apple one.
Yesterday I once more read "i Woz", especially the chapters about the Apple 1. It always was his intention to contruct it with a minimum of integrated circuits and to have a very small board.
So I will heat my soldering iron. I hope it works, I have not used it many times since the eighties.

So contacting Franz Achatz is the next step...

Best regards
Manfred

San's site is maybe one of the more complete about the Apple I, i have leart a lot on it.

Cheers,

Paul.

Hello San,

...yes I know what I have to do.
I spent a lot of time on your website the last weeks; which helped me in many ways to enlarge my knowledge about the apple one.
Yesterday I once more read "i Woz", especially the chapters about the Apple 1. It always was his intention to contruct it with a minimum of integrated circuits and to have a very small board.
So I will heat my soldering iron. I hope it works, I have not used it many times since the eighties.

So contacting Franz Achatz is the next step...

Best regards
Manfred

San's site is maybe one of the more complete about the Apple I, i have leart a lot on it.

Cheers,

Paul.

Hello everyone,I've had an Apple I A-One replica with a cassette interface for a few weeks now. The A-One works great, but loading Basic from cassette didn't work. I left all the jumpers in their default positions and did the following (with a working "WHSmith CPD-8300" tape recorder):

•  turned on the A-One & the monitor
•  typed in C100R & pressed RETURN
•  put Basic cassette in tape recorder
•  typed in 0000.1FFFR   (I think these are the first 8k RAM / E000.EFFFR doesn't work - it's reserved for ROM Basic)
•  started the tape recorder
•  pressed RETURN
•  waited about 30 seconds after tape was fully loaded

Now a “\” should appear as a sign that Basic was loaded successfully, but it didn't appear, even after 60 seconds or later.Can anyone confirm that these steps are correct, or what did I wrong?

Mario

Sorry, I tried to add a post from my phone but that is close to impossible with this forum software.

@supermario which memory map did you select.

Depending on that the procedure is different on A-One.

Map 1 does not need the tape it actually does not support the BASIC tape at all as its already build in to the ROM.

If you want to load your basic from tape you need to select Map2.

If Map2 is selected it replicates the original mal where 4K are mapped to $0000-0FFF and the second 4K to $E000-EFFF.

So you need to load the BASIC to E000:

Type C100R [Enter]  to enter ACI

Load BASIC with E000.EFFFR [Enter]

When loaded start with E000R [Enter]

With Map 1 you can simply type E000R [Enter] and thats it.

The actual reason that even loading the data from cassette doesn't work is that the load command is given the start address 0000.

So the low memory variables in the Zero Page, and the Stack Page, get overwritten and the machine loses its mind. You must avoid loading into address 0000.

Thanks a lot for clarifying things!

After changing these things I gave it another try but again without success!Because it's a new cassette interface I bought some weeks ago I can rule that out as a source of error.

The cables are also new.

The tape (it has the same instructions as yours: Load E000.EFFFR and run E000R) is new too. But maybe it's corrupted!?

The thing is, when I start the tape recorder (with a 70 percent level) in "monitor mode" (the speaker is ON) I hear loud noises for approximately the first 30 seconds (similar to modem noises) but after that not anymore!

Is it correct or a sign that the surface of the tape is damaged? ...or what can I do/check else?

Easy configure your A-One to Option 1

Turn it on rewind a tape and use a pencil to forware it to the begin of the magnetic tape.

Type C100R [Return] to start ACI ROM

Type in E000.EFFFW

Press Record on the Tape Taperecorder and then press [Return]

It now should write a new copy of Apple 1 Basic to your tape.

When done rewind, configure your A-One to Option 2

Type C100R [Return] to start ACI ROM

Turn on type E000.EFFFR

Press Play on the Tape Recorder and then press [Return] and see if it load now.

Is your ACI build after the not so good Apple original? Is it an A-One Cassette Interface or even the improved Version from UncleBernie?

Did you try to replace the Taperecorder with a PC Soundcard? Or iPhone/Android Adapter?

Thanks for your information and advice. I did the two steps (recording with option 1 & loading with option 2) but also without success.When loading with speaker on I only hear a deep hum and not the typical sound like a modem. Probably the recording doesn't work properly.I've tried loading with different levels (1-7) but also without success.Btw, I use a new A-one cassette interface. I actually have an improved UncleBernie interface as well (bought on Ebay) but it has the original Apple I form factor and is too big for the A-One slot (so I have to sell it again).But there is another question: On the A-One cassette interface there is a small (red) led. Should it turn on or flicker after entering C100R and Return, or during loading the Basic tape? Mine doesn't!Unfortunately, I can't replace the tape recorder and I also want to get it working with a cassette player. Maybe I have to buy such an old Panasonic one...

The LED should light up when you play back a recording.

It might also light up while recording depending if the recorder sends the audio back that you record.

Just use to RCA to 3.5mm adapter cabels plug one in the mic (pink) of your PC and the second in speaker (green), use only the left channel and isolate the right one.

If you have a Notebook use a splitter cable.

You can also use just one cable as you do not record and playback same time.

On Windows use audacity like this you easily can diagnose without buying a new old tape recorder

Stereo tape recorders do not work as well as monoraul do especially with prerecorded tapes.

Please show a photo of your cable.

Are you using the MIC and EAR Input and Output of your recorder? The AUX is wrong.MIC is labled TPOUT on your ACI and EAR is labled TPIN as British people tend to do things differnt.

Screenshot 2026-03-14 004706.png

Is the Spectrum/Other switch set to other?

A_ONE_Apple1_Replica_Cassette_Interface_Diagram.png

a-one with cassette interface.jpeg

audio mono cable.jpeg

Okay, here's a quick summary from me to help narrow down the issue:

• the A-One itself is new and works well (Map2 is jumpered) / see photo
•  the A-One cassette interface is also new and should work (...but I'm not sure)
•  the BASIC tape is new (first 35 seconds - the sound is as it should be)
•  the WHSmith CPD-8300 is a good quality vintage tape recorder and should be suitable for that purpose
•  the head of the tape recorder was cleaned
•  the tape recorder loads Basic from tape (checked different levels with level meter & sound with speaker)
•  the switch (I know it) is set to 'Other'
•  the cabeling itself is from the manual and ok (TP-Out/Mic to SAVE, TP-In/Ear to Load)
• => so the cables or the interface could/should be the problem

But I've also tested different new 3.5mm cables (one seems to be a stereo cable and not suitable, but the other (see photo above) seems to be mono and suitable) but the LED of the interface doesn't turn on or flicker when start loading and after 35 seconds (when the sound is gone) no "\" appears on screen

• => ...or (which I don't believe) the connectors of the back of the tape recorder are faulty!?

This picture shows your problem.

You have the cable for the Apple ACI it will not work without adapter with the A-One ACI.

You plug a 3.5mm plug into an RCA or Chinch Socket that can not work.

You need to use two adapters like this and plug them into your ACI to make it work:

inline-99325-audio-adapter-cinch-st-auf-3-5mm-klinke-bu-mono[1].jpg

Thanks a lot for that important hint!

What is the exact name of this plug/adapter? ...or could you please send me an Amazon link for it?

Ok, I think I found it - audio adaptor (or cable) RCA male to 3.5 mm jack female, mono

SuperMario wrote:

Ok, I think I found it - audio adaptor (or cable) RCA male to 3.5 mm jack female, mono

shopping.jpg

If you have one of this cables you can actually try it before your ordered adapters get deliverd.

Best thing is you use some tin foil to bridge (terminate) the red RCA for US or Chinch for the rest of the world connector, that will prevent that noise is generated and also converts the cable to a mono cable, that can be used either for load or for save.

You just need to plug it in the right receptacles according to the function you are using.