cwr@pnet01.cts.COM (Will Rose) (04/24/91)
The usual reason for the PX-8/PF-10 dying, especially after a period of non-use, is the discharge/death of the *soldered-in* backup nicads. Both devices have large nicad (or in the PF-10, drycell) batteries, but also backup nicads of roughly AA size soldered to the motherboards. I've had my PX-8/10 around 6 years, and had to replace both the PX-8 120K ramdisk backup cell and the PF-10 backup cell about 2 years ago. That was with fairly heavy use of the PX-8, but less of the PF-10. I also replaced the PX-8 main battery pack, which in retrospect was probably unecessary; when the ramdisk backup battery failed it dragged the system voltage down to such an extent that nothing worked, and I thought the main battery had died - but a new battery showed the same problem. The PF-10 main battery pack and the PX-8 backup battery pack are still the originals. I dismantled the cases and soldered the cells in myself with no difficulty. (On second thoughts, the backup battery on the ramdisk may have had a plug; but the PF-10's went straight onto the board. Anyway, you can't buy nicads with the right plug, so you have to cut and resolder the old one). I find I use the PF-10 very little now because I upload most work from the PX-8 to a desktop for final editing on a full screen. I still keep all the programs on disk, however; I haven't yet reached the stage of a PX-8 directory on the PC! But the PX-8 has been incredibly useful in the time I've had it - really an amazing little beast. I'm sorry it never caught on. The only problem is that the ribbon cable to the LCD works loose every year or so, and has to be reseated in its connector just to the right of the screen. I got the batteries from Snyderscope in the US, around $25 each I seem to recall. Last year they had a sale on a lot of PX-8 stuff, including PF-10s and TF-20s, ramdisk units, and so on. Their address is: Snyderscope International 1594 Hilltop Drive El Cajon CA 92020-8227 Tel: (619) 442-2299 However, the batteries are pretty generic (Snyderscope have them made up locally, not by Epson). If you took them out and showed them to your friendly local nicad shop you might save some time and money. Change of subject: if you need a serial port for an Amstrad machine, try England where they are extremely common and shops (particularly in London) are willing to handle overseas orders. Get a copy of the Amstrad PCW or 8000 Plus magazines, and check the adverts. I can't find the address of PCW, but 8000 Plus subscriptions are at: 8000 Plus, The Old Barn, Somerton, Somerset, TA11 7PY. UK. Good luck - Will ----------------------------------------------------------------------- "It is difficult to be a | Will Rose ruler, and it is not easy | UUCP:{nosc ucsd hplabs!hp-sdd}!crash!pnet01!cwr to be a subject, either." | ARPA:crash!pnet01!cwr@nosc.mil Confucius. | INET:cwr@pnet01.cts.com UUCP: {nosc ucsd hplabs!hp-sdd}!crash!pnet01!cwr ARPA: crash!pnet01!cwr@nosc.mil INET: cwr@pnet01.cts.com