Now, Can You Guess where this FULL PCB came from? (If so you could Win an oscilloscope!) [CLOSED]

RE: Now, Can You Guess where this FULL PCB came from? (If so you could Win an oscilloscope!) [CLOSED]

baldengineer — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 02:01:39 GMT

Congratulations [mention:193ac2434c814a24b46635a2210baec1:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] you identified the board and answered the additional questions correctly. Someone from the element14 Community will contact you regarding the oscilloscope.

Thanks to everyone who participated.

RE: Now, Can You Guess where this FULL PCB came from? (If so you could Win an oscilloscope!) [CLOSED]

ammsyed — Fri, 25 Nov 2022 06:37:58 GMT

I was sure at first sight that it was MC Micro controller as i have been working a lot on these types of devices 1980s onwards as i was involved in servicing almost all types of devices available at that time, now i have the details

Answer1: it is from Micro Color Computer Tandy Radio Shack TRS-80[embed:ad4490ac-0ce8-4f2d-a04c-9285646d5689:42111043-a63f-4691-ba54-7e93f389fbe9:text=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.trs-80.com%2Fwordpress%2Ftrs-80-computer-line%2Fmc-10%2F&style=link&farnell=&newark=&cpc=&avnetemea=&avnetema=&avnetasia=&comoverride=&cmpoverride=&AreaInteracted=rte-content&bom=]

Answer 2: It was manufactured by MOTOROLA

Answer 3: It was released in the year, October 1983

Answer 4: It has a 4K (Expandable to 20K with a 16K RAMpack)

Answer 5: According to author; the two modifications made were the MC-10 is set to CH3 (61.25MHz), however the carrier at 67.60Mhz is closer to CH4 (67.65MHz).

Author modified the MC-10 RF modulator. as per the examples from the MC6847 and MC1372 datasheets and to make sure a composite video signal.

and added an output driver stage

The RF modulator changed. Added a pad and low-pass filter for the single flippy bit audio as well.

The above information is as per the author post on social media

i hope the above answers are correct, as per the information retrieved from the social media posts by author Daniel Tufvesson

RE: Now, Can You Guess where this FULL PCB came from? (If so you could Win an oscilloscope!) [CLOSED]

me_Cris — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 18:02:51 GMT

1980s, I wasn't even in the "plan" back then. I think it's a board from some early computer, thanks to google I found something very similar, Tandy TRS-80 Micro Color Computer Model MC-10. I don't use such computers, only the one nowadays with an Intel processor, which helps me do many things. [emoticon:c28b2e4cc20f4ba28d1befdba6bed29c]

RE: Now, Can You Guess where this FULL PCB came from? (If so you could Win an oscilloscope!) [CLOSED]

dougw — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 10:16:32 GMT

Tandy Radio Shack MC10 developed by Matra (their name for it was Alice) in 1981, released in 1983.

RAM : probably 4096 bytes (it could be expanded beyond this though)

Agree with Jan Cumps The white smd mezzanine card with the 3.5 mm jack is new as is C8.

The mezzanine card has a 3.57954 MHz colorburst crystal -maybe replacing the RF modulator with a composite output.

RE: Now, Can You Guess where this FULL PCB came from? (If so you could Win an oscilloscope!) [CLOSED]

wolfgangfriedrich — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 10:07:20 GMT

3) 11. January 2026 .

RE: Now, Can You Guess where this FULL PCB came from? (If so you could Win an oscilloscope!) [CLOSED]

Jan Cumps — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 09:21:13 GMT

5) What two "modern" modifications have I made to the device?

A/V mod, smd version

RE: Now, Can You Guess where this FULL PCB came from? (If so you could Win an oscilloscope!) [CLOSED]

dougw — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 19:00:02 GMT

Radio Shack TRS-80 Micro Color Computer Model MC10
Tandy Corporation
1983
4Kbytes
a) RF modulator replaced with a composite output mezzanine card 5. b) Replaced C8 with modern cap

RE: Now, Can You Guess where this FULL PCB came from? (If so you could Win an oscilloscope!) [CLOSED]

michaelwylie — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 02:06:43 GMT

After careful examination, yes it appears to be a Tandy TRS-80 Micro Color Computer MC-10. We couldn't afford one of these growing up. I had the much cheaper version: The Sears brand talking Computron.

RE: Now, Can You Guess where this FULL PCB came from? (If so you could Win an oscilloscope!) [CLOSED]

rfindley — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 21:16:03 GMT

A super trip down memory lane! This PCB is from a TRS-80 Color Computer MC-10, as others have said. It came out in 1983, when I was 8yrs old, which is the year I started learning to program, also coincidentally on a different model in the same family, the TRS-80 CoCo 2, which used the same video display generator (MC6847) as the one in the contest photo. I didn't learn about the hardware until much later, but that familiarity is what gave me a headstart in identifying where the contest's PCB came from. From there, an image search of TRS-80 Color Computer PCBs led me quickly to the answer.

My dad was a technician who maintained auto-inserter machines at NCR. He brought his passion for electronics home from work, and I 'caught the bug'. My fondest memories are of watching him design and build his own primitive computer, which had to be initially programmed by toggle-switches and LEDs to set address and data, and a momentary 'write' switch to strobe the memory-write signal. He eventually wired it up to a teletype and punch-tape that he rescued from the dumpster at work. I can still visualize my dad's "lab", a 2x4 and plywoord bench next to the washer and dryer.

My dad is long gone, but his legacy lives on. I'm still doing software and hardware today as a freelance contractor. My lab is definitely a huge upgrade from my dad's 2x4s and plywood in the utility room, but I'll admit I could make good use of a more portable o-scope. My current scope is a second-hand CRT-based LeCroy from eBay, and weighs so much that it's difficult to pull off the shelf, much less bring to client sites. I'm super glad to see significant progress in the availability of scopes that hobbyists and freelancers can afford. The passion lives on!

RE: Now, Can You Guess where this FULL PCB came from? (If so you could Win an oscilloscope!) [CLOSED]

scottiebabe — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 22:15:43 GMT

The answer for points: search bit-preserve on github [emoticon:6218042516e143a6956ecb5d4e494e7d]

But I don't know how to use github, or not it is not yet in the project, or its not a vintage computer. lol

Regardless fun event! [emoticon:12b4d7d82eab4c9296f4f45657a8e383]

RE: Now, Can You Guess where this FULL PCB came from? (If so you could Win an oscilloscope!) [CLOSED]

dougw — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 21:44:36 GMT

You guys are right:

Tandy TRS-80 Micro Color Computer MC-10

RE: Now, Can You Guess where this FULL PCB came from? (If so you could Win an oscilloscope!) [CLOSED]

beacon_dave — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 20:03:17 GMT

A bit of a guess but perhaps a Radio Shack TRS-80 MC-10 microcomputer ?

RE: Now, Can You Guess where this FULL PCB came from? (If so you could Win an oscilloscope!) [CLOSED]

genebren — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 20:00:58 GMT

Tandy TRS-80 Micro Color Computer Model MC-10?