Video Genie EG 3008
Took delivery of Video Genie EG3008
The Video Genie was a series of computers produced by Hong Kong–based manufacturer EACA during the early 1980s. Computers from the Video Genie line are mostly compatible with the Tandy TRS-80 Model I computers and can be considered a clone, although there are hardware and software differences.
Although the Video Genie name was used in Western Europe, the machines were sold under different names in other countries, e.g. the Video Genie System was sold as the Dick Smith System 80 MK I in Australia and New Zealand.
The one shown here is the EG3008 model (or the Genie II)
Introduced in late 1981, has a 19-key keypad instead of the internal cassette deck. Also the keyboard was updated, adding the missing right shift key, making the keyboard 53+19 keys.
When launched in November 1981 they were priced at £310 (at todays prices that would be £1205 accounting for inflation)
The Video Genie was a series of computers produced by Hong Kong–based manufacturer EACA during the early 1980s. Computers from the Video Genie line are mostly compatible with the Tandy TRS-80 Model I computers and can be considered a clone, although there are hardware and software differences.
Although the Video Genie name was used in Western Europe, the machines were sold under different names in other countries, e.g. the Video Genie System was sold as the Dick Smith System 80 MK I in Australia and New Zealand.
The one shown here is the EG3008 model (or the Genie II)
Introduced in late 1981, has a 19-key keypad instead of the internal cassette deck. Also the keyboard was updated, adding the missing right shift key, making the keyboard 53+19 keys.
When launched in November 1981 they were priced at £310 (at todays prices that would be £1205 accounting for inflation)
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Small amount of damage in transit but easily fixed |
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First looks: a bit grubby, some rust showing on screwheads, mains cable dirty and has the old plug fitted, this will need changing.
On first power up it displays 'READY' AND '65535' with the keyboard unresponsive. I suspect the courier drop kick dislodged something! |
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Case top removed, dusty inside with more evidence of rust, doesn't look like any kind of spill damage so guessing just stored in a damp environment, loft, garage, shed, etc. One of the case top legs was rolling around inside, this will need attention later. |
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First job, strip it all out of the case and give the case bottom a good wash. |
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Next job is the power supply, I suspect that this has been worked on before. A few things that I am not happy about: 1/ the external power feed is directly wired to the mains input, this will be live at all times it is on at the power socket, I would prefer that this was switched. 2/ A mix of cable colours, needs standardising. 3/ Not enough segregation between the low voltage and high voltage wiring. 4/ The capacitors will all need testing and perhaps reforming. |
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Colour coding
Looking into PSU connector mainPCB •Yellow (-22v) •Green(+22v) •Yellow(-22v) •Green(+22v) •Black(Ground) •Black(Ground) •Red(+12v) •Red(+12v) |
High voltage side rewired and given as much separation as possible from the low voltage side. The main 22000uF capacitor was reformed slowly and tested good when done. The 2 smaller capacitors were well out of spec, the 2200uF read as 3240uF and the 1000uF read as 1390uF these were changed for Nichicons at a significantly higher voltage rating. All the naked connections were covered with adhesive filled heatshrink, I prefer to always use clear so you can still see the connections. All the earth connections were individually terminated on loop spade terminals. The incoming power to the board was terminated on spade terminals and spades with fitted to the board, allowing easy disconnection for any future maintenance. Finally, a new 1363/A mains plug was fitted. |
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Main board next, this has had a mod done...
Several components were missing, 7812 regulator, capacitors, etc. plus the RAM chips were not 4116 as expected, they were 4864's. Obviously someone had carried out a 64k mod. I tried for some time to find this mod online, I did find a version of it but comparing the notes against the board showed that they were not quite the same. I have listed the board mods below:
Removed: 7812, D2, R16, C17, C22, C25, C27, C33, C34
Track Cuts: RAM8/9 to vsupply, RAM6/9 to vsupply
Wires: RAM8/9 - RAM6/9, RAM3/8 - Z35/14, RAM3/9 - Z24/12, Z36/2 - Z37/15, Z36/1 - Z25/12, Z25/13 - Z24/13, Z25/14 - Z24/14
Next step: Recap the electrolytics, most were fine but any that had been on the power rails were well out of spec. for example, the 3 x 100uF capacitors read; 224,267,292uF. Anyway, I changed them all out for Nichicons again.
Several components were missing, 7812 regulator, capacitors, etc. plus the RAM chips were not 4116 as expected, they were 4864's. Obviously someone had carried out a 64k mod. I tried for some time to find this mod online, I did find a version of it but comparing the notes against the board showed that they were not quite the same. I have listed the board mods below:
Removed: 7812, D2, R16, C17, C22, C25, C27, C33, C34
Track Cuts: RAM8/9 to vsupply, RAM6/9 to vsupply
Wires: RAM8/9 - RAM6/9, RAM3/8 - Z35/14, RAM3/9 - Z24/12, Z36/2 - Z37/15, Z36/1 - Z25/12, Z25/13 - Z24/13, Z25/14 - Z24/14
Next step: Recap the electrolytics, most were fine but any that had been on the power rails were well out of spec. for example, the 3 x 100uF capacitors read; 224,267,292uF. Anyway, I changed them all out for Nichicons again.
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Some of the decoupling capacitors were very poorly installed, with long leg tails which could potentially bridge to another track, and in one case the solder side wire was bent over to the nearby track and making intermittent contact.
As I removed these for refitting I tested them and found them out of spec. I removed them all and the tested values were between 46nF and 78nF, so I completely refitted new ones. |
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I removed the voltage regulator for load testing, No heatsink compound had been used at all, so once cleaned it was refitted with Kryonaut Thermal Grizzly compound. |
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Last 3 jobs on this board were to:
Remove all the ROMS and dump them to files, comparing the checksums with ones available on the web, applying De-Oxit to the sockets. I had to use a 2532-2732 adapter in order to read them properly. Remove all the RAM chips and test them individually. Remove the Z80 and test. All passed. Note: They were all single wipe sockets so I may have to change some of them at a later date, but for now I just cleaned them and applied De-Oxit. |
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The video board did not need a lot of work: Recapped all the Electrolytics and changed all the decoupling capacitors Tested both 2114 RAM IC's Removed the Character Generator ROM to dump to file and cleaned the socket. |
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Numeric keypad work
Underside had a lot of solder flux, cleaned off. As I was cleaning it I noticed that one of the pads had lifted and was disconnected from the trace, bridged and soldered. Keys dirty, removed and cleaned with UBIK2000, keyframe cleaned before refitting keys. |
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Main keyboard
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Keys dirty, removed for cleaning
The mounting frame was very rusty, normally I would completely strip this, sand back and respray, however, as all the keys tested fine I decided against this. Instead I treated the rust with 'KuRust' rust convertor, then covered the plate in a rust preventor.
The track side of both keyboards was then treated with a very thin Silicone Conformal coating (MG Chemicals 422C)
The mounting frame was very rusty, normally I would completely strip this, sand back and respray, however, as all the keys tested fine I decided against this. Instead I treated the rust with 'KuRust' rust convertor, then covered the plate in a rust preventor.
The track side of both keyboards was then treated with a very thin Silicone Conformal coating (MG Chemicals 422C)
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Everything refitted into case bottom ready for testing. |
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Powered up OK with just the 'Ready' message.
? mem returned 48340 free Left on soak for over 8 hours with no problems, CPU and ROMs running at the high 50's so I added heatsinks to them all, brought the running temperature down to just below 50. |
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•Printed out the main manuals into a ring binder and copied all supporting data to a USB key.
•Remade the video cable with extra strain relief at the DIN end and changed the phono plug for a new one.
•Made up a cassette audio cable and tested this with a cassette deck, all worked fine.
Downloaded some CAS files and converted them to WAV format, played then from my Archos 604 and they all loaded perfectly. While there I tested to make sure I could Save files too, saved to the Archos as WAV's.
•Remade the video cable with extra strain relief at the DIN end and changed the phono plug for a new one.
•Made up a cassette audio cable and tested this with a cassette deck, all worked fine.
Downloaded some CAS files and converted them to WAV format, played then from my Archos 604 and they all loaded perfectly. While there I tested to make sure I could Save files too, saved to the Archos as WAV's.
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Case top
It is not well, several cracks and chips, the plastic coating on the black labels had bubbled. I removed the bubbled coating from the labels and resprayed them with clear matt lacquer. Keyboard surround painted with Matt Black paint then a coating of Matt Lacquer. Carried out repairs to the transit damage and thoroughly cleaned, still not happy, prepped the case for a respray. Filled some of the chips and scuffs with Milliput putty, and sanded. Resprayed with RAL1013 Ivory White paint then with Matt Varnish. |
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UPDATE:
While I was packing this away for storage it was obvious that the permanently wired mains plug was going to be a problem. I don't know why they don't all just fit IEC connectors so the plug can be packed separately.
So, I cut the cable close to the machine, and wired in a pair of connectors, crimped and soldered ring terminals to reduce the risk of wires pulling out, plus a bit of heatshrink just to be sure.
While I was packing this away for storage it was obvious that the permanently wired mains plug was going to be a problem. I don't know why they don't all just fit IEC connectors so the plug can be packed separately.
So, I cut the cable close to the machine, and wired in a pair of connectors, crimped and soldered ring terminals to reduce the risk of wires pulling out, plus a bit of heatshrink just to be sure.
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As an aside I read a lot of the reviews for these types of connectors, mostly negative because people were trying to put the wire directly under the screw, not the way I was taught, we always used ring or 'U' terminals. |
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To avoid the cable being loose, flapping about and possibly scratching the case I put some adhesive backed Velcro on the connector and the case to allow it to be stored at the side. |
Summary:
Machine tested as much as possible, Cassette, Monitor all working perfectly, unable to test the expansion port as devices that plug in here are beyond rare!
RAM upgraded to 64k giving 48340 bytes free.
Original Spec.
CPU: Zilog Z80, at 1.76 MHz
Video: Monochrome 64×16, 128×48 block graphics
Composite video output
16 KB RAM, expandable to 48 KB
12 KB ROM containing Microsoft LEVEL II BASIC
Machine tested as much as possible, Cassette, Monitor all working perfectly, unable to test the expansion port as devices that plug in here are beyond rare!
RAM upgraded to 64k giving 48340 bytes free.
Original Spec.
CPU: Zilog Z80, at 1.76 MHz
Video: Monochrome 64×16, 128×48 block graphics
Composite video output
16 KB RAM, expandable to 48 KB
12 KB ROM containing Microsoft LEVEL II BASIC