Vlado Vince

https://mastodon.vladovince.com/@mejs

Bikes, buses, trains and the Balkans. I build things with computers and networks. I write about cities, transit and bikes. he/him. In Brooklyn.

Web: https://blog.vladovince.com
Old Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@mejs
Bsky: https://bsky.app/profile/mejs.vladovince.com
Twitter Archive: https://twitter.vladovince.com

Public Key

npub19vkwn8u9uy7090syrfar5gpt4gvlx8yj0rnn73sx5glxn6hegd2q8u7ltr

NIP-05 Address

mejs_at_mastodon.vladovince.com@momostr.pink

Profile Code

nprofile1qqszkt8fn7z7z08jhczp5736yq465x0nrjf83eelgcr2y0nfatu5x4qvkaegu

Author Public Key

npub19vkwn8u9uy7090syrfar5gpt4gvlx8yj0rnn73sx5glxn6hegd2q8u7ltr

Show more details

Last Notes

2024-10-18 16:39:55

- reply

oh I didn't even think of that. If they do exist anywhere they must be horribly faded

2024-10-18 16:00:26

Apropos of nothing, I just remembered that when I was a kid in the 90s I would receive faxes from my parents while at gymnastics summer camp.
I would spend 2 weeks on a small remote island in the Adriatic with no cars. I'd get a public phone card, but my parents could also fax the camp. It was a one-way communication though -- I couldn't fax anything back.
I would get their fax at breakfast, like a piece of mail. I wish I could find some of those.

2024-10-13 22:14:33

First time noticing a blue ray player at the thrift store. Powered by Java!
https://mastodon.vladovince.com/system/media_attachments/files/113/302/412/477/217/118/original/6cf58b5f6280d0b3.jpg

2024-10-12 12:51:29

- reply

So this turned into a whole redo of the wireless network setup and a major parts reorganization that took 4 hours last night and is still ongoing

2024-10-11 23:45:18

- reply

The more pressing matter is that I should really get/set up new router/firewall (10 years old R7000 running ddwrt that's seriously out of date), but then that means I should also tackle the similarly old Thinkserver that's running TrueNAS on yet even more outdated ESXI and this is why I prefer not to touch my home infrastructure unless I find something on the street 😬

2024-10-11 23:42:50

- reply

I've been meaning to install APs in our "new" apartment for the past year since we moved in. Our router covers the space okay, but the signal is bad on our two (!!) balconies. This is a good way to push me to set up a proper wireless network.

2024-10-11 23:36:29

Just setting up a Unifi access point I found on the street next to some POS equipment. New York giveth!
https://mastodon.vladovince.com/system/media_attachments/files/113/291/413/050/103/383/original/855a6c349a92aa30.jpg

2024-10-09 03:50:09

A welcome October surprise in the world of Yugoslav vintage computing: the long awaited gerbers file for Galaksija 2024, Voja Antonić's recreation of his classic DIY microcomputer, has been released: https://racunari.com/gal-v2r7.zip
https://mastodon.vladovince.com/system/media_attachments/files/113/275/422/434/616/498/original/0f72a38a41c075e4.jpg

2024-10-01 00:20:35

- reply

I'm now working on the 400k drive zero track alignment and 800k drive seems like no problem in comparison 🫠

2024-09-30 04:48:38

- reply

Luckily, I remembered to check the track 0 sensor. I used this excellent guide by Paolo B that made this frustrating process slightly less horrible: https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/08fvI3CGMFea-RR53JVhom4pw#Zero_track_alignment
After 2 hours I managed to get the SE's drive back into working condition.
But wait, that's not all!
Mid zero track alignment the ejection motor on *this one* failed! The gear started disintegrating.
I caught it on time and replaced with the motor from the 512K.

2024-09-30 04:43:30

- reply

A floppy must have caught on it and damaged it.
Then I did something stupid.
To confirm that indeed the head was the issue, I went ahead and replaced it with a known good one from the SE's 800k drive.
It didn't work. I returned it back to the SE's drive, and it still wouldn't function.
I'm now dealing with 3 non functioning floppy drives.

2024-09-30 04:39:28

- reply

The 512K's floppy started exhibiting ejection issues a few days ago. It wasn't like the gear breaking down (I replaced it recently), but rather like it needed grease.
I ignored it, which resulted in a couple of violent failed ejections.
And now it couldn't read anything.
I opened it up and this is what the bottom head looks like.
https://mastodon.vladovince.com/system/media_attachments/files/113/224/645/988/964/474/original/a60fd35cb300217e.jpg

2024-09-30 04:35:47

Ugh I had another one of those repair days when everything went wrong.
Figured I would continue working on Lisa restoration and wrap up floppy repair. I cleaned it up a while ago, but it still can't read media from other machines (even in Macworks)
Pulled out the 512K to serve as control.
Oh wait what, is the 512K's floppy now having issues??
And that's how it started.

2024-09-29 16:49:43

With great delay, I published the story of how I ran a mobile #GlobalTalk zone at this year's #VCFEast festival.
https://blog.vladovince.com/taking-appletalk-on-the-road-a-mobile-globaltalk-retrospective/

2024-09-28 03:39:04

- reply

this one would make you extra angry. Not only is it a ribbon cable outside the case, in order to get out it has to be pinched awkwardly through another opening (I've been using the floppy connector whole).
Red flags all over.

2024-09-28 03:35:14

- reply

In my case, having termination power + internal cable is much preferable to having to route a large ribbon cable outside the case, which has made opening this Mac really awkward.
I just need to figure out how to secure the bluescsi.
https://mastodon.vladovince.com/system/media_attachments/files/113/213/077/798/427/022/original/4fe3298b0f2e0f2a.jpg

2024-09-28 03:27:46

- reply

Lastly, I decided to install an IDC 50 header while I was at it. The board came with an IDC 26 header, used with a ribbon cable and DB-25 on the other end for external drives.
Presumably they didn't install a header for an internal drive since there is no internal power available on the analog board.
https://mastodon.vladovince.com/system/media_attachments/files/113/213/047/105/493/848/original/17310b0ec3af134d.jpg
https://mastodon.vladovince.com/system/media_attachments/files/113/213/048/356/758/341/original/a3721d6122a541e2.jpg

2024-09-28 03:23:29

- reply

The 512K was a bit more challenging. Normally the 512K doesn't even support SCSI, but I have the MacSnap expansion board. Even though I came across some documentation that suggests there is actually termination power exposed on the board via the D1 diode, I couldn't trace that connection to VCC. So instead I added a new diode between VCC and the termpwr line. I added some glue to hold it in place and to prevent shorts.
https://mastodon.vladovince.com/system/media_attachments/files/113/213/088/033/611/164/original/994949b29a9884c1.jpg

2024-09-28 03:20:33

Prompted by random issues with my 512K (https://mastodon.vladovince.com/@mejs/113212113021290603), I decided to make some quality of life improvements to my Plus and 512K boards. Once I resolved the analog board trouble, I performed the SCSI termination modification, so I wouldn't have to power my bluescsi with external power.
The Plus board was very simple - these late boards already had a spot (CR1) where you would drop in a 1N4001 diode to go between VCC and the termpwr pin on the SCSI connector.
https://mastodon.vladovince.com/system/media_attachments/files/113/213/016/010/796/822/original/6c8879081116c672.jpg

2024-09-21 00:41:25

- reply

oh wow! I see I've missed a few developments while away!

2024-09-21 00:33:36

- reply

Woot that is a stunning red @npub10ma…m2tk 😍
https://mastodon.vladovince.com/system/media_attachments/files/113/172/728/950/089/341/original/5685121830aae175.jpg

2024-09-20 23:50:36

In very early preparation for #marchintosh 2025, I finally got the AppleTalk card for the ImageWriter II.
If any die hard #GlobalTalk users are still online, you can finally send me a print, natively! An extra perk is the color ribbon I have installed. I'll have the printer online for the next few hours.
https://mastodon.vladovince.com/system/media_attachments/files/113/172/519/412/735/222/original/2caae78dfe49af3e.jpg
https://mastodon.vladovince.com/system/media_attachments/files/113/172/520/448/659/378/original/3519246103014466.jpg
https://mastodon.vladovince.com/system/media_attachments/files/113/172/559/531/649/502/original/3976192eb52642f6.jpg