[Techtoolslist] Alpha Electronics Dynamic Integrated Digital IC Tester on eBay

[John Robertson]

Well, someone else wanted it just a bit more than I did...oh well. If 
they are on TTL and get around to safely archiving the code I'd 
appreciate a copy as I have two units to get running...

John ;-#)#

On 2020/02/10 9:40 a.m., John Robertson via Techtoolslist wrote:
> Many moons ago I accidentally erased the code from one of these Dyna 
> IC testers, but another unit has finally shown up on eBay and I have 
> an active bid on it.
>
> My plan is to archive the good code after first verifying that I can 
> read and write to the old unit (the blown one) with some random code. 
> The current eBay one appears to still be alive! This time I use the 
> Fluke 9010 to extract the code...
>
> Then I will release it to the wild on the TTL FTP site, and fix both 
> my Alphas here.
>
> Of course the Alpha device is perhaps worthless as the Chinese chip 
> testers do everything the Alpha does and more for a just a few bucks, 
> but it is a piece of history that needs proper archiving, and I 
> screwed it up last time!
>
> Ebay item 264629134572
>
> John :-#)#
>
> On 2013/08/16 8:39 a.m., John Robertson wrote:
>> On 08/16/2013 7:25 AM, Default wrote:
>>> Morning John,
>>>
>>> Just wondering if you had any luck with the program on that little 
>>> bugger.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Tom
>>
>> Hi Tom,
>>
>> No, I haven't had any time to look at it further. As I said I was 
>> able to get some valid code, but apparently not enough to get this to 
>> boot.
>>
>> Code is on the ftp site under Alpha if anyone wants to look at it...
>>
>> John :-#(#
>>> On Sat, Jul 27, 2013 at 11:55 AM, Fabrizio Vasile 
>>> <fabrizio.vasile at gmail.com
>>>> wrote:
>>>> Hi John,
>>>> maybe  this thread can help you:
>>>>
>>>> http://www.eevblog.com/forum/**testgear/dallas-nonvolatile-**
>>>> ram-chips-battery-surgery/**msg263224/#msg263224<http://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/dallas-nonvolatile-ram-chips-battery-surgery/msg263224/#msg263224> 
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Robertson" <jrr at flippers.com>
>>>> To: <techtoolslist at flippers.com>
>>>> Sent: Friday, July 26, 2013 11:08 PM
>>>>
>>>> Subject: Re: [Techtoolslist] Alpha Electronics Dynamic Integrated 
>>>> Digital
>>>> IC Tester on eBay
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>   Update to TTL:
>>>>> Tom tried reading the data and was unsuccessful and since then the 
>>>>> device
>>>>> won't boot - so he sent it to me, I then tried reading the DS-1230 
>>>>> with my
>>>>> Xeltek and got what appears to be a fair bit of reasonable data. 
>>>>> My earlier
>>>>> read of my DS-1230 got a some of what also looks like it may be 
>>>>> valid data
>>>>> so I'm hoping that these two files can be merged to produce a 
>>>>> working image.
>>>>>
>>>>> Not that I have any time though to do this.
>>>>>
>>>>> Anyone here familiar enough with Z80 code interested in looking at 
>>>>> the
>>>>> two files and see if anything can be done?
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm putting the two files on the FTP site so folks can take a 
>>>>> look-see...
>>>>>
>>>>> John :-#)#
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On 07/16/2013 4:26 PM, Default wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi Group,
>>>>>> I couldn't help myself.  I figured at $19.95, this would be a cool
>>>>>> little device to have even if it doesn't work.
>>>>>> Get it in the mail, read the documentation that came with it and
>>>>>> couldn't find a battery.  Hmm, that's odd.  But there is a power
>>>>>> jack.  And everything looks brand new, not even dust!
>>>>>> Pop it open, no battery but a funny thing what looks like to be a 
>>>>>> RAM
>>>>>> stacked on something else, a few custon chips, etc.  No standard
>>>>>> EPROMs that I could dump, bummer.
>>>>>> kids are in bed, back to the schematic and it'll take between 9 and
>>>>>> 12VAC.  Looked through my wall wart collection and found a 12VAC 
>>>>>> one.
>>>>>> Wired it up, hit the switch and...
>>>>>> COMMAND? scrolling across the screen!  Figure i'll let it run for a
>>>>>> half hour if there is a battery somewhere and it needs to be 
>>>>>> charged.
>>>>>> My question to the group is, how do I dump the program on this 
>>>>>> thing?
>>>>>> Thanks
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Tue, Jul 9, 2013 at 3:46 PM, John Robertson <jrr at flippers.com
>>>>>> <mailto:jrr at flippers.com>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>      I chatted with the seller and he confirms that it does NOT 
>>>>>> power
>>>>>>      up. So chances are the battery backed up system ROM has failed.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>      Item 390623172259
>>>>>>
>>>>>>      He reduced the price on his own from the original asking 
>>>>>> $59.95 to
>>>>>>      $19.95.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>      Pity. I was hoping to find a good one to extract the program 
>>>>>> from
>>>>>>      to save mine...
>>>>>>
>>>>>>      If someone here buys it and CAN extract the ROM data I'd 
>>>>>> sure like
>>>>>>      a copy!
>>>>>>
>>>>>>      John :-#(#
>>>>>>
>>>>>>      __________________
>>
>

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