HELP: Apple IIe questions.

10 posts / 0 new
Last post
Offline
Last seen: 16 years 3 months ago
Joined: Feb 11 2006 - 08:01
Posts: 63
HELP: Apple IIe questions.

Hi Everyone!

I am just getting into the Apple IIe world and I'm hoping to get a system off of eBay soon. I do have some questions though that I hope some of you migth be able to answer.

First, let me say this. I am a classic computer collector. I have many systems and wish to add an Apple IIe to my collection. I'm also not just a collector, but a user. I use most if not all of the systems I own. I guess I'm a classic computer junkie. Smile My main collection or the one I use most is the Commodore 64, as I grew up with that system in the 80s. There are lots of modern hardware add-ons that enhance the C64 experience today. This post is going to be asking alot of similar questions on the IIe. I am interested in learning about new hardware, software, and if anyone can give me a list of the best Apple IIe sites. For example for the Commodore 64 there is Lemon64.com or the Amiga has LemonAmiga.com. Are there any sites like that for Apple II users? Well, let me ask my questions now.

1. I think I saw that there is a TCP/IP NIC adapter for the Apple IIe. Where can I find more info on this and also where can I purcahse one? Can I use telnet to connect to a telnet BBS with this adapter?

2. Are there adapters to hook a Apple IIe to a VGA monitor?

3. Anything to use typical Atari joysticks on the Apple II?

4. I saw some sort of CF card adapter once. Anyone have any info on that?

5. Were there any hjard drives and is there any sites where I can get good info on Apple II hard drives and where I could purchase them?

6. Does anyone have info or a site where I can learn how to convert Apple II disk images BACK to real 5 1/4" floppy?

7. Can the Apple II use 3.5" floppies? I thought I saw a 3.5" drive for the II a long time ago on eBay.

Well, thats a start. If anyone can help me I'd appreciate it.

Thanks
John

Offline
Last seen: 2 years 10 months ago
Joined: Jan 28 2004 - 12:14
Posts: 40
1. Yes the Uther Card ( www.A

1. Yes the Uther Card ( www.A2Retrosystems.com - Great card, great service .. I have 2 )
2. No.. but its being worked on by others
3. No.. Atari joysticks are all switches, the apple joystick uses resistance ( potentiometers ) to check x and y axis movement
4. The CFFA is a disk drive replacement.. Im patiently waiting for mine to be shipped.. ( www.dreher.net )
5. Yes, look for a Focus card, or just buy a CFFA it also has an IDE interface on it..
6. Sure.. lots of great utils out there.. I use Ciderpress ( faddensoft.com ) but there is Applecommander or fishwings ( google )
7. Yes 400k 3 1/2 inch disks if you can find them..

Abysmal

Offline
Last seen: 4 years 3 months ago
Joined: Jan 24 2005 - 16:20
Posts: 356
Clarifications for previous responder

There are two shipping cards for the Apple II series, the Uther card which I recommend (you have the link) and the LANceGS. Both are supported by the Contiki environment.

There is a rare, hard to get card called "SecondSight" that works with the IIe and IIGS that mirrors video output to a modern VGA monitor. These cards can go for $400-$500 on eBay because they are so hard to find.

Yes, there is a way to interface Atari joysticks to the Apple II but it requires an adapter - http://www.atariarchives.org/ccc/chapter9.php

There are a number of modern drive options available, like the CFFA (recommended), MicroDrive (boot off selected partitions) available from gse-reactive.com. The Focus drive is not being produced at this time, though it's likely to make a return soon. Yeah, I have insider information . I like the compact flash drives myself - it's like having a nearly instant on Apple. The Microdrive is the more flexible of the 2 cards - but both are fine options.

You'll want to get 800K 3.5 diskettes for ProDOS. Don't bother with 400K diskettes unless you're going to use DOS 3.3 - and even then you have to use a product like AMDOS or UNIDOS.

To convert disk images to floppies, you can use the freely available ADT - http://adt.berlios.de/

or using hardware with TheSVD, semi-virtual-diskette - http://www.thesvd.com

Check out the FAQs
http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/A2FAQs1START.html

Read A2Central
http://www.a2central.com

Shop at Syndicomm
http://store.syndicomm.com/

Shop at GSE-Reactive.com
http://www.gse-reactive.com/all_products.php

Join the following newsgroups for maximum exposure
comp.sys.apple2
comp.sys.apple2.marketplace
comp.sys.apple2.comm
comp.sys.apple2.gno
comp.sys.apple2.usergroups
comp.sys.apple2.emulation

Offline
Last seen: 4 years 3 months ago
Joined: Jan 24 2005 - 16:20
Posts: 356
More

I forgot to mention the Apple II wikipedias...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_II
http://www.Apple2Guide.net

Offline
Last seen: 1 year 4 months ago
Joined: Dec 19 2003 - 18:53
Posts: 906
How to convert .dsk images to an Apple ][ without a PeeCee . . .

Go to this site to convert the many .dsk images floating around the web to a usable form, using a Mac.

http://homepage.mac.com/vectronic/appleii/internet.html#diskimage

Mutant_Pie

Offline
Last seen: 9 years 3 weeks ago
Joined: Apr 10 2006 - 20:01
Posts: 1013
CFFA - Compact Flash wonderfulness

4. The CFFA is a disk drive replacement.. Im patiently waiting for mine to be shipped.. ( www.dreher.net )

My IIgs is happily running one now - I just ordered my second one. Some of my older IIs were feeling jealous.

Offline
Last seen: 14 years 2 months ago
Joined: Jun 26 2006 - 20:33
Posts: 6
A2retrosystems stil lin business???

Hiya gang-

I lament to say that I only found out about A2retrosystem's superb Uther card after they were sold out. I sent then several emails asking when their 3rd series will be released, and if I can pre-order one, but I've heard no response. One of their listed email addresses is no longer valid.

Are these guys still in business, do you know?

Thanks.

-Dave

Offline
Last seen: 4 years 3 months ago
Joined: Jan 24 2005 - 16:20
Posts: 356
A2retrosystems still in business???

Yes, Glenn is still there.

The last I knew, he wasn't going to do a 3rd run anytime soon because it took awhile to sell through the 2nd run. Granted, he didn't do a lot of marketing but he did get stood up by people who said they wanted one, but never followed through.

I'd just keep trying him and ask to be placed on the waiting list.

woogie's picture
Offline
Last seen: 7 years 10 months ago
Joined: Dec 20 2003 - 10:38
Posts: 267
For the New User

You might try to check around the site here and locate/get
some old issues of A+, II Alive, Nibble, etc. Some of these
issues are available on disk and electonically. I think they
are great for the classic user and new Apple II user. I used
to subscribe to A+ and II Alive when they were being published.
Got many good tech ideas and questions answered.

Offline
Last seen: 14 years 2 months ago
Joined: Jun 26 2006 - 20:33
Posts: 6
Uther card woes...

Thanks, SF. It looks like I'm gonna have to wait a long while for him to put out a third series, if he ever actually does.

HOWEVER, looking at the myriad photos and technical details A2Retrosystets posted, as well as the photos posted here, it occurred to me that I could take a crack at cloning my own card. It's clear that A2retrosystems pretty much just built an adapter to use Invector Technology's prefabbed 5V IP Dragon Ethernet controller, so I should be able to buy one of their IP Dragons, get the three 74LS245, 74LS139 and 74LS00 chips, and etch my own board. All drivers to my understanding come on the Contiki Ethernet OS.

As a first step, I'm mapping out on graph paper the leads etched on the card from the photos. If I ask nicely, can I get someone here to photograph the area of their Uther card beneath the IP Dragon controller? From the photos, the leads aren't soldered so it should unplug from the card fairly easily. Also, what are the three orange components soldered on the board, orange drop capacitors? Do they have any markings on them to identify their values?

I hate to be ripping off A2retrosystems design, and I would be more than happy to buy one of theirs, but sheesh, if he ain't gonna be making any more then what else is a hacker to do?

I will be glad to share my research with anyone here who cares...Thanks.

Log in or register to post comments