Good first Apple II?

[François]

A ROM 4X is a great upgrade:

ROM 4X and 5X [MG's Apple II Site]

apple2.guidero.us

 

[rjkucia]

Consider upgrading the ROM, you can find kits on eBay and elsewhere. You'll need to upgrade beyond ROM 255 in order to use Smartport hard disk images like Total Replay.

A ROM 4X is a great upgrade:

ROM 4X and 5X [MG's Apple II Site]

apple2.guidero.us

Yes I do plan on doing this at some point! However it looks like that's about $80 and requires some soldering (which I am very bad at), so I'll have to build up the courage for that

 

[rjkucia]

If you don't get one, then I suggest checking out ADTPro. This will allow you to connect your Mac or PC to the Apple II and write disk images to it.

I have been using ADTPro, it was honestly surprising how easy it was to get working! I have about 10 floppies that I've been swapping around with various software.

Dumb question about 5.25" floppies - if they box says they're "double sided", should they just work if I flip them over? Or do I have to cut the "notch" on the other side?

 

[François]

Yes I do plan on doing this at some point! However it looks like that's about $80 and requires some soldering (which I am very bad at), so I'll have to build up the courage for that

IIRC it’s one trace to cut, and one bridge to solder. The soldering is the easy part! It does not require any precision. Cutting on the other hand: you don’t want to slip! But it’s not in any way delicate work.

And don’t pay 80 dollars just for one programmed ROM chip. It must be more like $20. I bought mine here:

Apple IIc / IIc+ puce ROM 04 / ROM 4X / ROM 5X | eBay

Les meilleures offres pour Apple IIc / IIc+ puce ROM 04 / ROM 4X / ROM 5X sont sur eBay ✓ Comparez les prix et les spécificités des produits neufs et d'occasion ✓ Pleins d'articles en livraison gratuite!

www.ebay.fr

(I’m sure you can find a vendor in your country)

 

[Skate323k137]

I have plenty of 25C256/512 chips, I can burn the chip(s) for ROM4X or ROM5X for you for $10 each plus US postage (usually about $4). A little more expensive if you want a non-windowed SST SF EEPROM that can be rewritten without a UV eraser. If you don't plan on reprogramming it, a normal EPROM is fine.

 

[bigmessowires]

Yes I do plan on doing this at some point! However it looks like that's about $80 and requires some soldering (which I am very bad at), so I'll have to build up the courage for that

ROM 00 is $15 here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/175608327181 That's what I have, and it'll get you going with Smartport hard disks.

There's no "serious" soldering involved. See my walk-through of my own IIc's ROM upgrade here: https://www.bigmessowires.com/2015/05/29/apple-iic-rom-upgrade/ Cut one trace on the PCB, and add one solder blob to a giant solder bridge on the PCB. The solder bridge is huge and impossible to mess up.

 

[olePigeon]

Dumb question about 5.25" floppies - if they box says they're "double sided", should they just work if I flip them over? Or do I have to cut the "notch" on the other side?

You literally flip them over and notch it. Or you can install a write-protect override switch onto your floppy drive, then you don't have to bother with notching. Some disks come pre-notched and pack of stickers.

 

[Phipli]

Yes I do plan on doing this at some point! However it looks like that's about $80 and requires some soldering (which I am very bad at), so I'll have to build up the courage for that

is there anyone near you that can help? Someone with a desoldering gun and an EEPROM writer wouldn't be too bothered about helping. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes. Take longer to drink their coffee.

Edit - from other responses, it sounds like you don't even need to desolder the chip, so you only need to make them half a cup of coffee

 

[rjkucia]

You literally flip them over and notch it. Or you can install a write-protect override switch onto your floppy drive, then you don't have to bother with notching. Some disks come pre-notched and pack of stickers.

Mine have one notch and the stickers - the stickers are for making both sides read-only, correct?

 

[olePigeon]

Yep. You cover over the notches with a sticker so it becomes read only.

 

[rjkucia]

There's no "serious" soldering involved. See my walk-through of my own IIc's ROM upgrade here: https://www.bigmessowires.com/2015/05/29/apple-iic-rom-upgrade/ Cut one trace on the PCB, and add one solder blob to a giant solder bridge on the PCB. The solder bridge is huge and impossible to mess up.

I just watched a video of it, and I was definitely thinking it would be harder than it actually is! Nice big spot to use way too much solder on

I was afraid it would be much tighter, with bodge wires etc, but I can definitely do this!

Edit: Just realized I had missed your guide, which already explained this Sorry about that!