Share your knowledge on these two classic MPCs
By are- Sat Jan 28, 2012 2:25 pm
Is it possible to change the original dd 720kt floppy drive with 1,44mt floppy drive? OS 3.10. Can 60 even format and save to 1,44mt? Or is scsi the only way to get more saving memory? Thanks.
By virgo3 Wed Oct 17, 2012 5:30 pm
There are several Teac floppy discussions I found while searching, and maybe I have missed a few topics, so dear mods, feel free to merge this.

There are so many different types of drives of this model, with different jumper blocks.

I have just shot myself a Teac FD-235HF 4291 -U (P/N:1930734x.xx) on ebay for €4,98 including shipment.

As you can see in the pic below, I flipped the ribbon cable (blue on left) and set one jumper to DS0 and removed the other since it`s only needed for HD disks.
Here is the link where I got my info from:
http://www.teac.co.jp/dspd/product/magn ... umper.html
I am reposting the picture of jumper description, just in case Teac decides to remove that page like they did here:
http://www.teac.com/DSPD/pdf/3fd0020a.pdf

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are- wrote:Is it possible to change the original dd 720kt floppy drive with 1,44mt floppy drive? OS 3.10. Can 60 even format and save to 1,44mt? Or is scsi the only way to get more saving memory? Thanks.

1. yes
2. not that I know. I tried, and failed with the a.m. drive
3.yes
By Clint Mon Jan 07, 2013 12:11 am
MPC-SCSI Installation Instructions

(text taken from original PDF, minus illustrations)



Install the MPC-SCSI board

Now that the chassis is open, the remaining steps are nearly identical for the MPC60 and MPC60-II.

• If you have an MPC60 (not an MPC60-II), you must remove the RS-232C connector upper assembly from the rear panel. To do this remove 2 screws from rear panel. Discard these screws— they will not be used later. Then, disconnect connector from inside and remove P.C. board assembly. This will not be reinstalled.
• If you have an MPC60-II, you must remove the rear panel cover plate. To do disk
this, remove 2 screws from rear panel and remove cover plate from inside. Be
very careful when lifting the lid (to gain access to these screws) so as not to disconnect any internal wires. This cover plate and the 2 screws will no longer be used.
• Disconnect wire from connector by squeezing the small plastic pin on the side of the connector. Leave wire disconnected for now.
• Remove large flat cable from connector by pushing restraining pins on either side away from each other and gently remove connector from socket. Leave it disconnected for now.
• Remove 2 screws and washers and set them aside for now. Don’t lose them— they will be used later. In the same holes, install the 2 hexagonal spacers supplied with this kit.

• Place the MPC-SCSI board on top of 2 hexagonal spacers. Secure it in place with 2 screws and washers which were removed from holes.
• Install flat cable (which you previously disconnected from connector) into socket on MPC-SCSI board. (You must fold end of cable over towards the front of the
chassis to install it onto the connector.)
• Install flat cable (attached to MPC-SCSI board) into upper P.C.
socket on upper P.C. board.
• Remove 2 hexagonal threaded spacers from connector (attached to MPC-SCSI board by long flat cable) and insert connector into hole in rear panel. Secure it to the rear panel with the 2 hexagonal threaded spacers you just removed.
• Connect wires “P” to connector “Q” and connect wires “E” to connector “F”.
• Check to see that all cables are connected. If everything looks OK, close the lid. (On the MPC60-II, carefully place the top section back down on the bottom section.). Don’t put the screws back in yet— we’re going to test it first.

Test the installation

• Connect the power cord and turn the power switch on. The screen should quickly display some text. If not, immediately turn the power off, disconnect the power cable and check all previous steps. Especially check to see that all connectors are reconnected correctly.
• If text appeared on the screen when power was turned on, indicating correct operation, then proceed with reassembling the unit. To do this, first turn power off and disconnect the power cord, then install all screws in the same places as during disassembly.
• To start using a SCSI hard disk, read the section of the Version 3.1 Operators Manual entitled “Using the Marion Systems MPC-SCSI interface for external hard disk storage.”

This may be a bit cryptic and difficult to follow without the pdf illustrations, but it is a simple operation. Look at some photos of the SCSI installed to get visual info. If I can find a link to the pdf, I'll post it.
By micb Wed Jan 23, 2013 11:26 pm
Noisy inverter?? Replace with a silent new one.

A very handy and extremely cheap replacement, as the chances are you will not find the original inverter, or inverter board, unless someone is breaking a 60 down for parts. Which hardly ever happens.

http://www.ebay.co.uk

Use your original power lead (the one that feeds the original inverter board), just chop it in half and then chop the usb head off the new inverter and solder together. The same for the backlight connection, chop off the connector head on the backlight, and the new inverter, and solder wires together.

You can then just stick the new inverter down with some 3m double sided sticky, or cable tie it to a convenient location. Your original inverter board can either be left in place, or just removed from the mpc.
User avatar
By SimonInAustralia Thu Jan 24, 2013 12:08 am
micb wrote:Noisy inverter?? Replace with a silent new one.

A very handy and extremely cheap replacement, as the chances are you will not find the original inverter, or inverter board, unless someone is breaking a 60 down for parts. Which hardly ever happens.

http://www.ebay.co.uk

The original MPC60 and MPC3000 inverters seem to output somewhere around 95 VAC at 500-550 Hz.

This replacement says it outputs 233 VAC at 4.2 kHz.

Anyone know what this difference in inverter output voltage and frequency would do to the LCD backlight, would there be any negative effects or changes in brightness?
By Clint Thu Jan 24, 2013 12:31 am
SimonInAustralia wrote:
Anyone know what this difference in inverter output voltage and frequency would do to the LCD backlight, would there be any negative effects or changes in brightness?


This happens to be fitted in the MPC60II that I just bought from micb, so I was asking about where it came from. Without getting technical I'd say it works as well as the original invertor and is practically silent in use. It's about 30% smaller in size/ footprint too...

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By viacom Sat Feb 16, 2013 12:07 am
Super bright, dead silent. Had to put a piece of cardboard from a record sleeve and a few layers of paper behind the backlight to silence it. With the new inverter it was so bright it was louder than the older inverter.. Now the machine is dead silent, and very bright.
Note: The original inverter is still intact for safe keeping, but not connected to anything.


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User avatar
By SimonInAustralia Sat Feb 16, 2013 3:55 am
viacom wrote:Super bright...With the new inverter it was so bright it...Now the machine is dead silent, and very bright.

Is bright because higher voltage and frequency output from inverter than factory inverter.

Higher voltages and higher frequencies will shorten the lifespan of the backlight, so the brightness is a tradeoff with longevity.
By viacom Tue Feb 19, 2013 5:31 am
Backlights are replaceable, and relatively cheap.
Looking at a nice bright screen, and not being annoyed by an irritating little constant buzz is easily a good trade off.

As long as there is no damage being done to the screen itself, or the power supply, I'm good with it.