You Apple II nerds might like...

[Carcenomy]

A nice complete Apple IIe Platinum!

Apparently runs, apparently the drive works, has the correct colour monitor to match and even has the standard steel and plastic covered frame that all the school installed IIe's seemed to have! Shame about the missing monitor controls cover but otherwise, a wee sweetheart. Thoughts everyone?

[Carcenomy]

Would help if I posted the link to the thing wouldn't it... http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/vint ... 179256.htm

[Gibsaw]

Indeed, I shall be bidding.. One day I will fix my platinum, but this one appears in better nick, anyway.

[matsondawson]

Is that monitor some generic brand?

[Gibsaw]

Nope.. he's just lost the front cover... (I asked the question on the auction)

Clearly he doesn't understand my definition of "intact".

[Carcenomy]

Is that monitor some generic brand?

That would be the Apple IIe Color Composite Monitor. Just like this one:



There's not much better you can get in an Apple monitor for a II that isn't straight RGB like the IIGS uses.

[Gibsaw]

Bought it... ($154) and it's coming out of service at a school... 2012 and just being retired.

[Carcenomy]

Good god, really?! That is some long, LONG service for a computer of any kind! Impressive!

Does explain the stereotypically educational configuration mind you!

[Gibsaw]

It got a clean finally, this weekend. Coming from a school, the photos do not show just how FILTHY the thing was. It is however, perfectly functional, and after a very careful clean of some very very hard oxide build-up on the ceramic drive head, it works perfectly.

By hard, I mean this is not the type of build-up that you "clean" off... It's the type of piece of crud that lets go with a bit of a click as you apply a little bit of pressure to the iso-soaked cotton bud. I'm sure you all know the sensation. (took me a number of buds)

Interesting problem though. A slight wave cycles through the display. It looks like a sine curve one pixel horizontal offset that slowly goes down the screen, cyclically. I have a vague memory of Tezza writing about a similar issue. (searching)

[lizardb0y]

My IIe Platinum was a recent school retiree as well. Still runs well despite some damage to the floppy drive casing. I'll be cleaning up my Duodisk to go with mine

[tezza]

Interesting problem though. A slight wave cycles through the display. It looks like a sine curve one pixel horizontal offset that slowly goes down the screen, cyclically. I have a vague memory of Tezza writing about a similar issue. (searching)

You might mean this one. It was caused by an incorrect IOU chip (one for U.S. machines rather than ours). I'm sure a few things could cause a shimmy though.

[matsondawson]

Hmmm, re: incorrect IOU, I wonder if that's the reason one of my Apple 2c's has a wobble, I tried swapping the PSU from another one to no effect.
I was about to try replacing the only cap I can see.

[tezza]

Actually in the article on the incorrect IOU there are also links to a couple of VCF discussions on what might cause wobble in the Apple Color Monitor. It would pay to explore the discussion under those links too.

Terry

[arjoll]

Interesting problem though. A slight wave cycles through the display. It looks like a sine curve one pixel horizontal offset that slowly goes down the screen, cyclically.

Hum bar maybe? Comes from an earth loop between the monitor and whatever's feeding it, the same kind of thing that gives you audible hum on audio equipment. It shouldn't happen if only the computer (and peripherals powered from it, like the drives) and monitor are plugged in and on the same outlet, but they can be stubborn sometimes. Try a different monitor cable, make sure the outside contact on the RCAs is nice and clean, and if you're game try lifting the earth on the computer and see if it improves things.

[Gibsaw]

I would only expect the IOC to be incorrrect on a machine that's been repaired, although I'll check it out.

A hum bar definitely seems a promising line of investigation. I've got a ground isolator. (Piggyback plug with the earth removed.) That could be a very interesting test.