WOW ,I just came across your channel. I also build the TEC-1, TEC-1D and the MICROCOMP-1 in the 80's, there were awesome kits and help me so much during my electronic apprentice days to electronics technician and now into IT. Your channel brings back so many wonderful memories I am now considering building the TEC-1F. Keep up the awesome channel.
I’ve built the TE microcomp, a tec-1d and the southern cross. I didn’t know the backstory of the origin of the southern cross. For about 4 year, I used the microcomp with a latch board and a small relay board with power supply as a 7 station sprinkler controller over 4 wire phone cable. It had rain and sunlight detector so it could keep track of days and switch off when it rained. Writing z-80 code for that with only a 2732 eprom and no ram was a real challenge. Luckily the Z80 has a lot of registers. Now I’ll have to add the tec-1f to my shopping list. I’ve also got a dream 6802. About the only Aussie SBC computer I don’t have is the educ-8.
I finished my build yesterday and couldn't work out why it wasn't running. After chasing clocks, address and data lines for a few hours, I finally worked out that the RAM wasn't being accesses (via /CE). I had it configured for 8K ROM + 16K RAM, but the JMON doesn't support that yet, so it was presumably trying to write to ROM at $800 unsuccessfully. After changing the jumpers to 2K ROM + 4K RAM configuration, it worked fine. Looking forward to your new monitor ROM that supports the 8K ROM + 16K RAM configuration. It was only when I watched this build again I noticed your jumper configuration that the penny dropped.
Great to hear your success story. I had the same issue. It's memory configuration is surprisingly similar to the Southern Cross. Use 8k ROM/RAM ICs. Set the 2k/8k memory mapping jumpers based on what Monitor is on the eeprom. There is currently no 8k monitor yet...
I have a Southern Cross sbc that I built in the early 2000s and a few years ago I put together a TEC-1D. They are neat little trainers! I LOLed at the 7-segment boomerang, it's crazy what one can do with those displays and some software trickery, case in point, "Asteroid" for the KIM-1 :)
@@ReadyZ80 I collect SBCs but I'll admit even though I've had both for a few years I haven't really used them at all... I have however been meaning to build a DREAM 6800 because of it's association with CHIP-8, so that would make it 3 Aussie SBCs I have :)
I wouldn't really consider the Timex Sinclair as a 'clone', just because it was a joint venture. It was basically just an NTSC version of the ZX81 using the JV for distribution. The Timex Sinclair had a legitimately manufactured/licensed/labeled ZX81 motherboard inside. I think it should be considered just another regional derivative, like the VC-20 in Germany or the VIC-1001 in Japan vs. the US VIC-20. Great video - subscribed!
I still have my TEC1 from the early 80's Loved building it when I was still at school.
WOW ,I just came across your channel. I also build the TEC-1, TEC-1D and the MICROCOMP-1 in the 80's, there were awesome kits and help me so much during my electronic apprentice days to electronics technician and now into IT. Your channel brings back so many wonderful memories I am now considering building the TEC-1F. Keep up the awesome channel.
Thanks for your feedback. My channel is very niche. I have Microcomp-2 boards for sale! I built a TEC in the '90s and that started my software career.
Love the sharpness of your videography. It shows how much your soldering iron tip needs treating ;-)
Seriously nice little video, cheers.
Lol. I'm on a poor man's budget but looking forward to upgrading my iron..
I’ve built the TE microcomp, a tec-1d and the southern cross. I didn’t know the backstory of the origin of the southern cross. For about 4 year, I used the microcomp with a latch board and a small relay board with power supply as a 7 station sprinkler controller over 4 wire phone cable. It had rain and sunlight detector so it could keep track of days and switch off when it rained. Writing z-80 code for that with only a 2732 eprom and no ram was a real challenge. Luckily the Z80 has a lot of registers. Now I’ll have to add the tec-1f to my shopping list. I’ve also got a dream 6802. About the only Aussie SBC computer I don’t have is the educ-8.
Colin would have been so happy to see the Microcomp used like you did. Thanks for sharing your story.
I finished my build yesterday and couldn't work out why it wasn't running. After chasing clocks, address and data lines for a few hours, I finally worked out that the RAM wasn't being accesses (via /CE). I had it configured for 8K ROM + 16K RAM, but the JMON doesn't support that yet, so it was presumably trying to write to ROM at $800 unsuccessfully. After changing the jumpers to 2K ROM + 4K RAM configuration, it worked fine. Looking forward to your new monitor ROM that supports the 8K ROM + 16K RAM configuration.
It was only when I watched this build again I noticed your jumper configuration that the penny dropped.
Great to hear your success story. I had the same issue. It's memory configuration is surprisingly similar to the Southern Cross. Use 8k ROM/RAM ICs. Set the 2k/8k memory mapping jumpers based on what Monitor is on the eeprom. There is currently no 8k monitor yet...
I have a Southern Cross sbc that I built in the early 2000s and a few years ago I put together a TEC-1D. They are neat little trainers! I LOLed at the 7-segment boomerang, it's crazy what one can do with those displays and some software trickery, case in point, "Asteroid" for the KIM-1 :)
Having both SC and TEC is a rarity. And the boomerang program did say AUSSIE, I was a bit rushed in the end and modified an existing program.
@@ReadyZ80 I collect SBCs but I'll admit even though I've had both for a few years I haven't really used them at all... I have however been meaning to build a DREAM 6800 because of it's association with CHIP-8, so that would make it 3 Aussie SBCs I have :)
Thank you for making this video. Well done.
That's a nice system! Where do I plug in the mouse? :D
I wouldn't really consider the Timex Sinclair as a 'clone', just because it was a joint venture. It was basically just an NTSC version of the ZX81 using the JV for distribution. The Timex Sinclair had a legitimately manufactured/licensed/labeled ZX81 motherboard inside. I think it should be considered just another regional derivative, like the VC-20 in Germany or the VIC-1001 in Japan vs. the US VIC-20. Great video - subscribed!
Other got into the market and made better computer than the commodore 64,