newTIboyRob Posted March 3, 2020 Author Share Posted March 3, 2020 Ok, let me know here when you do so I can take a look, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed in SoDak Posted March 4, 2020 Share Posted March 4, 2020 I did some more searching on the Parallax. And I read the manual! You can use the 9 volt setting on your wallwart. Maybe even the 12 volt, if 9 doesn't work. The Parallax uses a regulator chip to bring that down to the 5 volts the circuit uses. Power the Parallax first using the wallwart. The power the printer and last the TI. Now type in the program Kasurl posted on the first page of this thread. Or, if you hold down the space bar when turning on the TI, it makes the printer perform a Self Test. That should verify it's getting voltage and talking to the printer. Oh, the printer is Online too, right? The CF7 has a parallel printer interface but also provides disk emulation on a compact flash card. It may also provide the 32k memory expansion. I don't know if it works from just console Basic. Getting some flavor of Extended Basic or the FInal-Grom cartridge would also be a good upgrade. For now, just learning your way around your TI is a good start. -Ed 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newTIboyRob Posted March 4, 2020 Author Share Posted March 4, 2020 Ed, thanks so much for looking into this...wow A+ for effort. I did attempt reading that manual myself but I didn't even understand all that jumper business... Anyway, so where we are in the story now is.... I plugged in my adapter set to 6v, adjustable polarity tip touching the "+", plugged it into the Axiom then the wall. Axiom connected to Speech Syn to TI. Printer cable end not connected to the printer. Pressed and held the space bar while I turned on the TI. Result: I heard a beep and it quickly turned to a blank, but black screen. This is a good sign I am thinking because now this tells us that it at least sees the Axiom. Now we just have to figure how the printer figures into this when connected and why it isn't printing. I wonder if I should try the 9v and the 12v next and hook up the printer to the Axiom now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed in SoDak Posted March 4, 2020 Share Posted March 4, 2020 Well, yes. The printer is part of the equation and the TI/Axiom is expecting a "ready" signal from the printer. Lacking that signal, it will just sit there waiting. I found a picture of the circuit board clear enough to tell it has a 7805 voltage regulator. The specs for the 7805 specifies the minimum input voltage for regulation to kick in is 7.5 volts and the absolute maximum it can handle is 35 volts. So you're safe to try 9 or 12. -Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newTIboyRob Posted March 4, 2020 Author Share Posted March 4, 2020 Ed, will try the 9v tomorrow and post my findings In the mean time, in an unrelated issue on a C64 thread that I posted but got no response yet, maybe you know this simple monitor cable answer: Hello all. I have the white C64 and found I had the composite video cable for use with a modern flat screen monitor, (cable with din on one end for the back of the C64 ending with RCA red, white audio and yellow video cable on other end.) Problem is, the back of the monitor has its own cable plugged in fine to the monitor, (but no RCA ports.) The other end of its cable is show in the photo. Is there an adapter that will take the end of the cable shown to accept the red white and yellow RCA ends of the composite cable? If anyone knows, please send me the link. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+arcadeshopper Posted March 4, 2020 Share Posted March 4, 2020 What monitor make and model number?Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newTIboyRob Posted March 4, 2020 Author Share Posted March 4, 2020 Magnavox 15" 15MF400T/37. Looks like around $10 total for that replacement adapter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+arcadeshopper Posted March 4, 2020 Share Posted March 4, 2020 Magnavox 15" 15MF400T/37. Looks like around $10 total for that replacement adapter.That's got 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15), 4 pin mini-DIN, RCA x 3, mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm it says so that picture was the vga cableSent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newTIboyRob Posted March 4, 2020 Author Share Posted March 4, 2020 Ed, just wanted to share with you that it we had success! It was the 9v that was needed to wake the Axiom up from the dead, and it printed instantly to the printer. I just wanted to thank you and everyone here for being patient and solving this issue. The manual calling it "self powered" I think just made it convoluted for me, or any of us who are barely familiar with voltage, polarity, etc. Anyway, thanks again for going those extra miles! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed in SoDak Posted March 5, 2020 Share Posted March 5, 2020 Woot! Congrats on getting it working. That manual is not the epitome of clarity. Axiom made this for several computers, the manual was probably kept generic on many small details. -Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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