DosFox

Just your average vintage tech loving fox. Computers are binary but I am not.

Public Key

npub1tz3s9pthd89ttmlq6a5cyrdhuqq3qz3yg39kxp3dkhln20g34s2qluyaye

NIP-05 Address

DosFox_at_tech.lgbt@mostr.pub

Profile Code

nprofile1qqs93gczs4mknj44alsdw6vzpkm7qqgspgjygjmrqckmtle485g6c9qpzemhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumn0wd68ytnzv9hxgls79y6

Publishing to

relay.nostr.band

Author Public Key

npub1tz3s9pthd89ttmlq6a5cyrdhuqq3qz3yg39kxp3dkhln20g34s2qluyaye

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Last Notes

2025-05-27 20:47:13

This strange thing just arrived today! A wildcard-88.
Basically this is an entire IBM PC (bar the graphics) on a stick!
Contains an 80C88 under one of the black blobs, and supposedly there is a Faraday FE2010A (think NuXT support IC) under the other.
It's a bit worse for wear, but I'm hoping it'll work!
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/114/581/745/453/842/354/original/3e84ad14a81a972d.jpg

2025-05-09 19:20:08

I've had the realisation that doing a copper pour over dodgy traces in PCB design is the electronics engineering equivalent of doing a "landlord special".

2025-04-25 19:01:00

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@nprofile…fe8t I'm now trying to remember if that's a red dwarf or Blackadder reference

2025-04-25 18:57:44

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@nprofile…fe8t it would be odd for me to *not* swear

2025-04-25 18:56:20

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@nprofile…fe8t I normally use swearing

2025-04-10 08:28:39

I love it when a repair is simple.
I wonder why the mouse on my Atari ST didn't want to work
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/114/312/717/941/684/168/original/b92506fdb16ea88a.jpg

2025-03-22 23:08:11

Fun fact. We're only two custom ICs away from building brand new SE/30s.
Two!

2025-02-25 08:22:47

Sometimes I worry that I'm misusing GitHub by lobbing electronic schematics, Gerber's and ROM/PAL equations.
Then I find that someone has used GitHub to track mince pies over the years.
I feel less bad about my GitHub misuse.

2025-02-13 18:09:38

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@nprofile…y4h5 isn't it just!

2025-02-13 17:04:31

The Australian has arrived!
It is the damn weirdest computer I've ever purchased. It's a eureka A4!
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/113/997/656/498/530/763/original/70a24d04ee0e4635.jpg

2024-12-24 07:28:59

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@nprofile…48vs @nprofile…x2x0 no...
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002000382238.html

2024-12-24 07:25:12

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@nprofile…48vs @nprofile…x2x0 almost. It's a 4" flat panel display from AliExpress.
They're everywhere!

2024-12-23 20:43:02

This is so goddamn silly.
Behold. The wooden Lisa.
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/113/704/075/543/625/097/original/87cb955b05f1bbf6.jpg

2024-12-10 07:35:51

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@nprofile…tne7 what about a zip drive? ;)

2024-11-25 23:53:12

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@nprofile…cgs9 ooh reminds me of my Lisa clone spewing out eldritch horror. I didn't even know it could do that!
https://tech.lgbt/@DosFox/113420221460917424

2024-09-13 09:04:07

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@npub1up2…k6en Vega 56s and 64s are coming down in price.
CEX are selling Vega 64s for £100, whilst they're also selling Vega 56s for £80.
If you want you could always get a 56 and flash the 64 vbios!

2024-09-10 08:36:12

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@npub1up2…k6en hm. I wonder if a microdrive would work

2024-08-30 22:18:02

And with the ROMs replaced with EEPROMs, the #MacintoshPlusClone has joined it's sibling - the #AppleLisaClone - in containing zero apple hardware within it.
This is probably the first time a Macintosh clone has been produced since the weird German "Jonathan" clone of the 90s.
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/113/053/269/691/162/995/original/07990adb6c526cca.jpg

2024-08-30 21:33:43

A nice single chip implementation of the #ShimIWM - this is a 74ls541, which is an octal buffer that needs two enable lines - one is connected to A0 of the IWM (pin 3 of the IWM. Sometimes noted as A1?) and the other is connected to /DEV (pin 7).
The data is still 0xDF (11011111 in binary) which is enough to get the system to boot into SCSI
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/113/053/100/238/335/733/original/66c32f3efdf5517f.jpg

2024-08-29 06:19:37

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@npub1q7t…5fee what sort of question is that?

2024-08-16 16:24:18

The fox has been busy!
I've just completed a design for a replacement of the Sony SND for the #MacintoshPlusClone (and maybe other machines?), as well as a basic "analogue board" that comprises of the Pico scan converter and an ATX PSU.
Once I've figured out GitHub - I'll have these uploaded and available to anyone!
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/112/972/616/413/145/235/original/1a9dad8ea41e7153.png
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/112/972/618/945/839/272/original/8480a111506ed94c.png

2024-07-23 21:34:26

WE NOW HAVE WORKING MACINTOSH PLUS CLONES.
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/112/837/943/893/867/822/original/e340a02fe91f9d8a.jpg
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/112/837/944/204/445/240/original/0e6899bacb7a705e.jpg

2024-07-15 14:00:32

Well. That's the straw that broke the camels back.
Mastodon! I am looking for work!
I'm an electronics engineer with about five years of experience, I'm based in the Midlands (UK), but I am more than willing to move.
If anyone knows of anything - let me know!

2024-07-14 11:10:25

#MacintoshPlusClone is still plodding away slowly. It's approaching the final stages of completion
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/112/784/528/976/614/927/original/d091b47efecb8997.jpg

2024-07-05 20:55:22

Ah shoot.
Ordered some replacement DB9s for the #MacCharlie, and they don't fit! Apparently I need amplimite 745988-1s.
What is the chance anyone has spares?
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/112/735/868/415/832/827/original/9f5fbcde2e44c4fc.jpg

2024-07-03 19:41:05

So finally - after being in my possession for about two years, I've finally started work on the #MacCharlie
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/112/724/244/380/556/514/original/29b6fe134a77b50e.jpg

2024-06-08 20:08:24

It's... Starting.
#MacintoshPlusClone
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/112/582/801/951/371/646/original/8888c2aa16c09ccc.jpg

2024-06-05 21:09:03

Something that I came across - which definitely hasn't been talked about that much - is that the two truly custom ICs within the apple iie have finally been reverse engineered:
https://github.com/frozen-signal/Apple_IIe_MMU_IOU

2024-04-18 19:28:57

Because of some medication that I'm on, I'm at a slight risk of lower bone density - so I've been advised to take Vitamin D.
What I can't get over is that to tell people what Vitamin D is good for, they've just put "BONES" in full caps on the label.
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/112/293/864/034/295/667/original/0ee6ef7cfd6de7fb.jpg

2024-04-14 19:21:08

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@npub1rv4…ft5j wait you're *not* a sentient floppy disk?

2024-03-30 10:57:23

Thanks to @npub13et…lzf5, I've just been made aware that Digibarn managed to scan in some blank Macintosh PCBs about 20 years ago.
Prototype Macintosh PCBs.
Which are dual layer.
These would be ridiculously easy to generate Gerber's from.
https://www.digibarn.com/collections/parts/mac-7boards/index.html

2024-03-17 20:59:32

8 hours of uptime - not bad for a flakey machine I built myself!
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/112/113/027/640/359/837/original/381d2b41f599d051.jpg

2024-03-14 15:10:42

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@npub1nsq…23w7 heh all I can see is a "yahoo auctions will no longer be available in the UK" page 😅

2024-03-14 12:50:42

Might be useful for anyone running a #globaltalk server that doesn't have soft power!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/296260293687

2024-03-14 07:57:41

Last night I was able to get my #AppleLisaClone running an AppleShare Server last night!
I was using AppleShare 2.0.1 which is a bit of a funny thing - it basically takes over the entire OS!
What I'll do is I'm going to set up a new completely blank server image (as this was using my original 6.0.8 install 😬), to give a full 2gb of space for people to use on #globaltalk
I'm also going to leave it running for the day on Saturday or Sunday! I'm unfortunately not brave enough to leave it running overnight 😅
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/112/092/946/013/429/076/original/616af571fc5726db.jpg

2024-03-12 07:48:20

...has anyone tried Timbuktu on #globaltalk yet?

2024-03-11 22:55:41

I managed to get onto #globaltalk !
This is just my iisi running system 7.5 with the appletalk router - I'm surprised I was able to get it running!
My server isn't listed at the moment as I was just quickly testing the system worked - but I'll definitely try and get the rest of Sharknet (my phonenet network) up and running!
Also the #AppleLisaClone, of course.
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/112/079/508/975/318/178/original/0d40c8294c4a2241.jpg

2024-03-06 20:01:14

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@npub1rv4…ft5j I feel like I know both of those people, and I feel unsettled.
In some cases they could be the same person.

2023-07-15 16:30:14

So. I have news.
I have a nearly working Lisa.
The #AppleLisaClone is ALIVE
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/110/719/041/044/599/795/original/1e88193d41f646db.mp4

2023-06-03 20:52:11

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@npub1qz2…nlrg I should probably document this project a bit better
Series of videos maybe?

2023-06-03 17:27:42

No doubt about it - this is the craziest and most intensive project I've ever done.
The #AppleLisaClone is about 90% complete. Only remaining tasks are to find a suitable ATX PSU, solder the ATX connector on, install a 74ls323 and the two PROMs, as well as burn and install the IO board ROM.
After that I just need to make two cable harnesses - one power and one floppy, and it should be done.
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/110/481/442/604/043/449/original/3fab6ccb3f695a09.jpg

2023-05-28 20:42:13

The #AppleLisaClone has just jumped to about 70% complete, as the IO board is nearly fully assembled!
I just need to wait for some transistors to arrive, and then order the final few ICs.
After that it'll be a case of waiting for some ROMs, and then build two cable harnesses for power and floppy
https://media.tech.lgbt/media_attachments/files/110/448/227/424/478/544/original/712a93443f3ad9d3.jpg

2023-05-23 20:04:13

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@npub13le…6saf I'm still not sure what you can do with one - is it just a WiFi to appletalk adapter in the sense that it just creates a virtual appletalk network?

2023-05-12 22:03:20

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@npub13le…6saf oh god I've done that too many times
Btw how was compiling the Macflim encoder? I always had some weird issues with it