Ask HN: Resurrection of Z80 Exidy Sorcerer
11 comments
Join us at the Vintage Computer Forum. Technical assistance on tap for keeping older computers operational. Troubleshooting assistance, parts supplier recommendations, etc.
http://www.vcfed.org/forum/forum.php
Your problem sounds like a classic example of a capacitor failure, either a bypass capacitor or a filter cap in the power supply is most likely.
http://www.vcfed.org/forum/forum.php
Your problem sounds like a classic example of a capacitor failure, either a bypass capacitor or a filter cap in the power supply is most likely.
This indeed is exactly the right place and I have successfully found someone there to help, along with alot of other like minded vintage computing people!
Replacing capacitors is generally pretty easy, especially with the through-hole components that older systems used. Of course, a lot of other things can lose their magic smoke too, so you'll have to do some troubleshooting to be sure what the problem is.
You'll want to find the official parts lists and schematics, so look on the Internet Archive for them. A quick search (https://archive.org/search.php?query=exidy%20sorcerer) finds the schematic for the Exidy Sorcerer 2, so hopefully the one for your machine won't be too hard to find.
You'll want to find the official parts lists and schematics, so look on the Internet Archive for them. A quick search (https://archive.org/search.php?query=exidy%20sorcerer) finds the schematic for the Exidy Sorcerer 2, so hopefully the one for your machine won't be too hard to find.
Wow, these photos take me back! I loved playing & making games on the Sorcerer with its character graphics. (Fun fact: my uncle Paul Terrell was the founder of Exidy. He sent us a Sorcerer for Christmas, but it was only partially assembled. My mom assumed he was just dumping a unit that failed QA, but my dad and I managed to get it working.)
Sounds like you blew a capacitor. Just open the case and look for the one that died. You should be able to desolder and replace it without much trouble.
Sounds like you blew a capacitor. Just open the case and look for the one that died. You should be able to desolder and replace it without much trouble.
There is a forum for this https://www.badcaps.net/forum/ which I believe was started when there was a slew of bad capacitors a decade or two ago.
The main page appears to be someone who has a service of some sort, but maybe posting in the forums will get you somewhere.
I always had a softspot for the Exidy and those awesome vector graphics. Good luck on your restoration.
The main page appears to be someone who has a service of some sort, but maybe posting in the forums will get you somewhere.
I always had a softspot for the Exidy and those awesome vector graphics. Good luck on your restoration.
Wow, I've never seen the box before! Good job saving it all these years. You probably should have gone through it before trying to power it all on... look for signs of arcing in the monitor... and yeah, replace blown/leaky caps everywhere... if not all of the good ones too.. And make sure the power is stable and clean before connecting it up/trying again.
With links:
The original box: https://imgur.com/5xRFpjH
From Exidy, 390 Java Drive, Sunnyvale California! https://imgur.com/kagFrCC
It's a 32K model: https://imgur.com/7KFBjaj
Inside, the machine under its plastic dust cover: https://imgur.com/syAC3mF
The dust cover reveals the pristine machine: https://imgur.com/MwSLOup
Hidden at the bottom of the box, weirdly, a chip! https://imgur.com/52V0x3N
The original monitor: https://imgur.com/qviVnoZ https://imgur.com/qviVnoZ
Green phosphor no less! https://imgur.com/p1NGl2M
A bag of cables, including a joystick! https://imgur.com/s9kpfwg https://imgur.com/eibEq8L
The most beautiful floppy disk drives ever made: https://imgur.com/ssJq3Wj https://imgur.com/1kK3ole https://imgur.com/ADqTRum
That even have a little dust cover: https://imgur.com/fa3kRjD
But does this 40 year old machine work?
Yes! https://imgur.com/8toCU8T
In case you weren't sure, the stack begins from BF90 hex. https://imgur.com/HhcTkSz
The original box: https://imgur.com/5xRFpjH
From Exidy, 390 Java Drive, Sunnyvale California! https://imgur.com/kagFrCC
It's a 32K model: https://imgur.com/7KFBjaj
Inside, the machine under its plastic dust cover: https://imgur.com/syAC3mF
The dust cover reveals the pristine machine: https://imgur.com/MwSLOup
Hidden at the bottom of the box, weirdly, a chip! https://imgur.com/52V0x3N
The original monitor: https://imgur.com/qviVnoZ https://imgur.com/qviVnoZ
Green phosphor no less! https://imgur.com/p1NGl2M
A bag of cables, including a joystick! https://imgur.com/s9kpfwg https://imgur.com/eibEq8L
The most beautiful floppy disk drives ever made: https://imgur.com/ssJq3Wj https://imgur.com/1kK3ole https://imgur.com/ADqTRum
That even have a little dust cover: https://imgur.com/fa3kRjD
But does this 40 year old machine work?
Yes! https://imgur.com/8toCU8T
In case you weren't sure, the stack begins from BF90 hex. https://imgur.com/HhcTkSz
This is a common occurrence on BBC Micros: a couple of capacitors from the power supply blow up. No harm comes from it. You just have to replace them. I hope this is your case.
I saw a picture of an Exidy Sorcerer on a The Centre for Computing History post a few days ago. I had no idea what it was.
I saw a picture of an Exidy Sorcerer on a The Centre for Computing History post a few days ago. I had no idea what it was.
It actually might be a lucky thing that you heard a crackle and smelled smoke, because whatever burned up might have left a sign on the board. If you look at the board carefully under bright light with a magnifying glass, you may see some component that is clearly messed up, like blackened or ruptured.
A quick Google search brings up this guy. http://members.optusnet.com.au/spacetaxi64/DRIVERS/VINTAGE-R...
People in the Australian Vintage Computer group on Facebook could probably give you some good leads.
People in the Australian Vintage Computer group on Facebook could probably give you some good leads.
Thanks. He3 is actually out of business, but I have found someone else to help.
It's a beauty, fully kitted out with display, printer, disk drives, manuals and software, in the original boxes!
The original box: https://imgur.com/5xRFpjH
From Exidy, 390 Java Drive, Sunnyvale California! https://imgur.com/kagFrCC
It's a 32K model: https://imgur.com/7KFBjaj
Inside, the machine under its plastic dust cover: https://imgur.com/syAC3mF
The dust cover reveals the pristine machine: https://imgur.com/MwSLOup
Hidden at the bottom of the box, weirdly, a chip! https://imgur.com/52V0x3N
The original monitor: https://imgur.com/qviVnoZ https://imgur.com/qviVnoZ
Green phosphor no less! https://imgur.com/p1NGl2M
A bag of cables, including a joystick! https://imgur.com/s9kpfwg https://imgur.com/eibEq8L
The most beautiful floppy disk drives ever made: https://imgur.com/ssJq3Wj https://imgur.com/1kK3ole https://imgur.com/ADqTRum
That even have a little dust cover: https://imgur.com/fa3kRjD
But does this 40 year old machine work?
Yes! https://imgur.com/8toCU8T
In case you weren't sure, the stack begins from BF90 hex. https://imgur.com/HhcTkSz
BUT DISASTER!
I plugged it in and turned it on and it worked, but within 60 seconds there was a crackling sound and burning smell and I rapidly turned it off again.
OH NO!
What do I do? Dear Hacker News community: I’m trying to find someone who can help me with this. I believe the capacitors in these old machines are often a problem. Maybe it's that? How do I find someone here in Melbourne, Australia who knows how to replace capacitors in these old machines?
Hopefully I can get this beauty back to life and try to preserve the software contained on its floppy disks.