Crashed
@crashedfiesta.bsky.social
Thought I'd have a go at building a SCART lead for the Torch Triple X. Turns out, it outputs separate Vsync and Hsync signals which need to be combined somehow...
CD4077 as a hack perhaps? 🤔
Nothing is ever easy (which is why it's fun). 🙂
CD4077 as a hack perhaps? 🤔
Nothing is ever easy (which is why it's fun). 🙂
November 12, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Thought I'd have a go at building a SCART lead for the Torch Triple X. Turns out, it outputs separate Vsync and Hsync signals which need to be combined somehow...
CD4077 as a hack perhaps? 🤔
Nothing is ever easy (which is why it's fun). 🙂
CD4077 as a hack perhaps? 🤔
Nothing is ever easy (which is why it's fun). 🙂
Special shout-out to those of us who couldn't give two squits about halloween.
Here's a picture of a ladybird instead.
Here's a picture of a ladybird instead.
October 31, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Special shout-out to those of us who couldn't give two squits about halloween.
Here's a picture of a ladybird instead.
Here's a picture of a ladybird instead.
The most annoying thing I find as I get older, is being on a train and someone is bashing away at their laptop as if they were defusing a nuclear crisis. If you didn't finish it before 5 then it can wait till tomorrow. Switch off FFS and give everyone else (i.e. me) some peace on the journey home.
October 30, 2025 at 5:06 PM
The most annoying thing I find as I get older, is being on a train and someone is bashing away at their laptop as if they were defusing a nuclear crisis. If you didn't finish it before 5 then it can wait till tomorrow. Switch off FFS and give everyone else (i.e. me) some peace on the journey home.
So, I managed to work out how to use cpio without destroying my Linux installs. Did it on a virtual machine this time. 😁
That means I can extract all the files from the Torch Unix disks. Yay! They're all basically cpio archives so this doesn't work to get files out of the boot disk or limpet test.
That means I can extract all the files from the Torch Unix disks. Yay! They're all basically cpio archives so this doesn't work to get files out of the boot disk or limpet test.
October 26, 2025 at 2:56 PM
So, I managed to work out how to use cpio without destroying my Linux installs. Did it on a virtual machine this time. 😁
That means I can extract all the files from the Torch Unix disks. Yay! They're all basically cpio archives so this doesn't work to get files out of the boot disk or limpet test.
That means I can extract all the files from the Torch Unix disks. Yay! They're all basically cpio archives so this doesn't work to get files out of the boot disk or limpet test.
I may have accidentally destroyed my Linux Mint install but at least I'm installing Unix now. 😁😁😁
(Well, I've installed two disks so far..)
#torchtriplex
(Well, I've installed two disks so far..)
#torchtriplex
October 23, 2025 at 7:09 PM
I may have accidentally destroyed my Linux Mint install but at least I'm installing Unix now. 😁😁😁
(Well, I've installed two disks so far..)
#torchtriplex
(Well, I've installed two disks so far..)
#torchtriplex
Well @binarydinosaurs.co.uk you wouldn't happen to have images of Unix disks 16, 17 and 18 would you? I might need them. 😁😁😁😁
Just on a hunch I copied your latest image to the BlueSCSI and the Gotek (just in case) and it ONLY WENT AND BLOODY BOOTED!!
GET IN! 🥳
Just on a hunch I copied your latest image to the BlueSCSI and the Gotek (just in case) and it ONLY WENT AND BLOODY BOOTED!!
GET IN! 🥳
October 21, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Well @binarydinosaurs.co.uk you wouldn't happen to have images of Unix disks 16, 17 and 18 would you? I might need them. 😁😁😁😁
Just on a hunch I copied your latest image to the BlueSCSI and the Gotek (just in case) and it ONLY WENT AND BLOODY BOOTED!!
GET IN! 🥳
Just on a hunch I copied your latest image to the BlueSCSI and the Gotek (just in case) and it ONLY WENT AND BLOODY BOOTED!!
GET IN! 🥳
Hey @binarydinosaurs.co.uk we're taking baby steps.
Managed to mount the limpet test disk on the bootable hard disk image. First time I've managed to mount anything in the floppy!
And I found the limpet test program! 😁 It crashes in OpenTop though (not a big surprise there).
Managed to mount the limpet test disk on the bootable hard disk image. First time I've managed to mount anything in the floppy!
And I found the limpet test program! 😁 It crashes in OpenTop though (not a big surprise there).
October 20, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Hey @binarydinosaurs.co.uk we're taking baby steps.
Managed to mount the limpet test disk on the bootable hard disk image. First time I've managed to mount anything in the floppy!
And I found the limpet test program! 😁 It crashes in OpenTop though (not a big surprise there).
Managed to mount the limpet test disk on the bootable hard disk image. First time I've managed to mount anything in the floppy!
And I found the limpet test program! 😁 It crashes in OpenTop though (not a big surprise there).
Torch Triple X update. The disk images from @binarydinosaurs.co.uk load up to a point but both the 'boot' and 'limpettest' hang with the Gotek showing no track number higher than 77.
I wonder if converting the 360rpm .scp files to 300rpm .img files has truncated them by a couple of tracks. 🤔
I wonder if converting the 360rpm .scp files to 300rpm .img files has truncated them by a couple of tracks. 🤔
October 20, 2025 at 6:48 AM
Torch Triple X update. The disk images from @binarydinosaurs.co.uk load up to a point but both the 'boot' and 'limpettest' hang with the Gotek showing no track number higher than 77.
I wonder if converting the 360rpm .scp files to 300rpm .img files has truncated them by a couple of tracks. 🤔
I wonder if converting the 360rpm .scp files to 300rpm .img files has truncated them by a couple of tracks. 🤔
Does anyone know if HxC software will allow me to combine two sides of a disk that are in separate files? I have a side 0 hfe file and a side 1 hfe file from the same disk (long story) and I'm trying to combine into one double sided disk image...
October 17, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Does anyone know if HxC software will allow me to combine two sides of a disk that are in separate files? I have a side 0 hfe file and a side 1 hfe file from the same disk (long story) and I'm trying to combine into one double sided disk image...
JFC. So. I wanted to try and mount a floppy .IMG file. Unix floppy images so load Linux and try to install HxC. Needs flatpak. Flatpak won't load - metadata size exceeded. Indicates old version. New version not in software repo for distro. Compile latest version. Dependency hell.
Forget it. 🤬
Forget it. 🤬
October 13, 2025 at 6:24 PM
JFC. So. I wanted to try and mount a floppy .IMG file. Unix floppy images so load Linux and try to install HxC. Needs flatpak. Flatpak won't load - metadata size exceeded. Indicates old version. New version not in software repo for distro. Compile latest version. Dependency hell.
Forget it. 🤬
Forget it. 🤬
So I tried the other monitor for the Torch Triple X. It's a bit bigger than the trinitron but it's not very healthy.. hmmm. I'll hang on to it but not convinced I'll be able to do much with it. 🤔
September 24, 2025 at 8:16 PM
So I tried the other monitor for the Torch Triple X. It's a bit bigger than the trinitron but it's not very healthy.. hmmm. I'll hang on to it but not convinced I'll be able to do much with it. 🤔
Happy Monday. Another blog about some obscure computer that no-one uses any more. This one is about the same computer I've been banging on about for at least two years..
crashedfiesta.blogspot.com/2025/09/torc...
crashedfiesta.blogspot.com/2025/09/torc...
Torch Triple X - Part 11 - The Highs and Lows (and Highs) of Retro Computing
Last time I managed to get the Torch Triple X system to boot an image that did not require the key disk. Yay! The only problem is that, alth...
crashedfiesta.blogspot.com
September 22, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Happy Monday. Another blog about some obscure computer that no-one uses any more. This one is about the same computer I've been banging on about for at least two years..
crashedfiesta.blogspot.com/2025/09/torc...
crashedfiesta.blogspot.com/2025/09/torc...
I have an iMac G3 slot loader. It was showing signs of flyback issues i.e. random clicking sound sometimes with a screen flicker.
I cleaned the high voltage cap and added dielectric grease (similar to @actionretro.bsky.social) and it's better but still get occasional click.
Do I scrap or keep?
I cleaned the high voltage cap and added dielectric grease (similar to @actionretro.bsky.social) and it's better but still get occasional click.
Do I scrap or keep?
September 20, 2025 at 7:38 PM
I have an iMac G3 slot loader. It was showing signs of flyback issues i.e. random clicking sound sometimes with a screen flicker.
I cleaned the high voltage cap and added dielectric grease (similar to @actionretro.bsky.social) and it's better but still get occasional click.
Do I scrap or keep?
I cleaned the high voltage cap and added dielectric grease (similar to @actionretro.bsky.social) and it's better but still get occasional click.
Do I scrap or keep?
Had a bloody good clean up. It's surprising the difference a couple of shelves and some 3D printed storage boxes make.
Now I have room to try and dismantle the iMac G3 and have a go at sorting out the 'clicking' display.
Now I have room to try and dismantle the iMac G3 and have a go at sorting out the 'clicking' display.
September 14, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Had a bloody good clean up. It's surprising the difference a couple of shelves and some 3D printed storage boxes make.
Now I have room to try and dismantle the iMac G3 and have a go at sorting out the 'clicking' display.
Now I have room to try and dismantle the iMac G3 and have a go at sorting out the 'clicking' display.
Long time followers might remember the two iMac G3's I picked up for £5 one Halloween.
I got them home and they were both in a bad way, having been left in a garage with a leaky roof.
I wondered how long they'd been in my non-leaky garage waiting for attention. Past me had the answer....
I got them home and they were both in a bad way, having been left in a garage with a leaky roof.
I wondered how long they'd been in my non-leaky garage waiting for attention. Past me had the answer....
September 11, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Long time followers might remember the two iMac G3's I picked up for £5 one Halloween.
I got them home and they were both in a bad way, having been left in a garage with a leaky roof.
I wondered how long they'd been in my non-leaky garage waiting for attention. Past me had the answer....
I got them home and they were both in a bad way, having been left in a garage with a leaky roof.
I wondered how long they'd been in my non-leaky garage waiting for attention. Past me had the answer....
I know it's late but you know you want to read a (long) blog about a cheap PET from 1979(ish).
crashedfiesta.blogspot.com/2025/09/now-...
crashedfiesta.blogspot.com/2025/09/now-...
Now I have an even older one - PET 4032
It was my birthday a little while ago. To celebrate, Mrs Crashed arranged for us to go to the National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park...
crashedfiesta.blogspot.com
September 4, 2025 at 11:21 PM
I know it's late but you know you want to read a (long) blog about a cheap PET from 1979(ish).
crashedfiesta.blogspot.com/2025/09/now-...
crashedfiesta.blogspot.com/2025/09/now-...
Even on the Torch Triple X there's an adventure game. It's called, err... Adventure.
Today, supervised by Ziggy. When I put batteries in Ziggy he shouts "TICKLE!" and then spins around on the floor in a slightly unsettling manner. He currently does not have batteries.
#retrocomputing
#torchtriplex
Today, supervised by Ziggy. When I put batteries in Ziggy he shouts "TICKLE!" and then spins around on the floor in a slightly unsettling manner. He currently does not have batteries.
#retrocomputing
#torchtriplex
August 29, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Even on the Torch Triple X there's an adventure game. It's called, err... Adventure.
Today, supervised by Ziggy. When I put batteries in Ziggy he shouts "TICKLE!" and then spins around on the floor in a slightly unsettling manner. He currently does not have batteries.
#retrocomputing
#torchtriplex
Today, supervised by Ziggy. When I put batteries in Ziggy he shouts "TICKLE!" and then spins around on the floor in a slightly unsettling manner. He currently does not have batteries.
#retrocomputing
#torchtriplex
The PET graveyard:
6502 - dead
6520 (x2) - dead
6522 - dead
901447-29 edit ROM - dead
TMM4160 DRAM - dead (by my own hand)
74LS08 (x2) - dead
74LS107 - dead
2114 video RAM (x2) - dead
74LS244 - dead
74LS373 - dead
It's a miracle it did anything.. 😳
6502 - dead
6520 (x2) - dead
6522 - dead
901447-29 edit ROM - dead
TMM4160 DRAM - dead (by my own hand)
74LS08 (x2) - dead
74LS107 - dead
2114 video RAM (x2) - dead
74LS244 - dead
74LS373 - dead
It's a miracle it did anything.. 😳
August 25, 2025 at 3:26 PM
The PET graveyard:
6502 - dead
6520 (x2) - dead
6522 - dead
901447-29 edit ROM - dead
TMM4160 DRAM - dead (by my own hand)
74LS08 (x2) - dead
74LS107 - dead
2114 video RAM (x2) - dead
74LS244 - dead
74LS373 - dead
It's a miracle it did anything.. 😳
6502 - dead
6520 (x2) - dead
6522 - dead
901447-29 edit ROM - dead
TMM4160 DRAM - dead (by my own hand)
74LS08 (x2) - dead
74LS107 - dead
2114 video RAM (x2) - dead
74LS244 - dead
74LS373 - dead
It's a miracle it did anything.. 😳
I have had a good retro week.
First, I managed to coax the Torch Triple X back into life.I think it was a mechanical connection issue with the Limpet board. 😁
Second, I got my PET to work. It's now working properly. Just need to check the cassette player it came with. 🙂
First, I managed to coax the Torch Triple X back into life.I think it was a mechanical connection issue with the Limpet board. 😁
Second, I got my PET to work. It's now working properly. Just need to check the cassette player it came with. 🙂
August 24, 2025 at 9:52 PM
I have had a good retro week.
First, I managed to coax the Torch Triple X back into life.I think it was a mechanical connection issue with the Limpet board. 😁
Second, I got my PET to work. It's now working properly. Just need to check the cassette player it came with. 🙂
First, I managed to coax the Torch Triple X back into life.I think it was a mechanical connection issue with the Limpet board. 😁
Second, I got my PET to work. It's now working properly. Just need to check the cassette player it came with. 🙂
YAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSS!!!!
YAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSS!!!!
YAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSS!!!!
TORCH TRIPLE X BACK IN THE ROOM!
GET IN!
YAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSS!!!!
YAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSS!!!!
TORCH TRIPLE X BACK IN THE ROOM!
GET IN!
August 22, 2025 at 8:11 PM
YAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSS!!!!
YAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSS!!!!
YAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSS!!!!
TORCH TRIPLE X BACK IN THE ROOM!
GET IN!
YAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSS!!!!
YAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSS!!!!
TORCH TRIPLE X BACK IN THE ROOM!
GET IN!
The Torch Triple X remains inoperable. I've checked all the RAM and it's all OK.🙁
Having reseated all the chips (and RAM obvs) the Limpet board flashes once then immediately gives an error beep sequence which is worse than before.. 🙄
This bloody hobby is the best and the worst sometimes.. 😤
Having reseated all the chips (and RAM obvs) the Limpet board flashes once then immediately gives an error beep sequence which is worse than before.. 🙄
This bloody hobby is the best and the worst sometimes.. 😤
July 27, 2025 at 10:01 PM
The Torch Triple X remains inoperable. I've checked all the RAM and it's all OK.🙁
Having reseated all the chips (and RAM obvs) the Limpet board flashes once then immediately gives an error beep sequence which is worse than before.. 🙄
This bloody hobby is the best and the worst sometimes.. 😤
Having reseated all the chips (and RAM obvs) the Limpet board flashes once then immediately gives an error beep sequence which is worse than before.. 🙄
This bloody hobby is the best and the worst sometimes.. 😤
I think the phrase I'm looking for rhymes with "clucking bell".
The Torch Triple X has died.
When booting it stops at the pale blue screen.
Limpet LED flashes four times (normal) then stops (not normal). What. The. Actual.
I'm hoping it's just RAM but, bloody hell. 😤😢😳🤬
The Torch Triple X has died.
When booting it stops at the pale blue screen.
Limpet LED flashes four times (normal) then stops (not normal). What. The. Actual.
I'm hoping it's just RAM but, bloody hell. 😤😢😳🤬
July 26, 2025 at 9:41 PM
I think the phrase I'm looking for rhymes with "clucking bell".
The Torch Triple X has died.
When booting it stops at the pale blue screen.
Limpet LED flashes four times (normal) then stops (not normal). What. The. Actual.
I'm hoping it's just RAM but, bloody hell. 😤😢😳🤬
The Torch Triple X has died.
When booting it stops at the pale blue screen.
Limpet LED flashes four times (normal) then stops (not normal). What. The. Actual.
I'm hoping it's just RAM but, bloody hell. 😤😢😳🤬
Ok. So @snuggsy187.bsky.social bio reminded me I have an Acorn Electron which has now been relieved of its 6502...
I now get clock-like signals from pin 39 and pin 3 but should they look like this? Apologies for the terrible photo - single handed photography against a shiny screen on a bright day..
I now get clock-like signals from pin 39 and pin 3 but should they look like this? Apologies for the terrible photo - single handed photography against a shiny screen on a bright day..
July 25, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Ok. So @snuggsy187.bsky.social bio reminded me I have an Acorn Electron which has now been relieved of its 6502...
I now get clock-like signals from pin 39 and pin 3 but should they look like this? Apologies for the terrible photo - single handed photography against a shiny screen on a bright day..
I now get clock-like signals from pin 39 and pin 3 but should they look like this? Apologies for the terrible photo - single handed photography against a shiny screen on a bright day..
Pretty convinced now that Rusty has a faulty 6502. There's clock going in at pin 37 and nothing coming out at pin 39 or pin 3. And I actually have nothing else at all that has a 6502 (plenty of Z80s though).
eBay, here I come (again).
#commodorepet
eBay, here I come (again).
#commodorepet
July 25, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Pretty convinced now that Rusty has a faulty 6502. There's clock going in at pin 37 and nothing coming out at pin 39 or pin 3. And I actually have nothing else at all that has a 6502 (plenty of Z80s though).
eBay, here I come (again).
#commodorepet
eBay, here I come (again).
#commodorepet
Just started an 11 hour print. Should be the final Gotek bracket for the Torch Triple X but with an added slot for an SD card extender to plug into the BlueSCSI. See you on the other side...or at about 9pm tonight if you prefer.
#3dprinting
#torchxxx
#3dprinting
#torchxxx
July 25, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Just started an 11 hour print. Should be the final Gotek bracket for the Torch Triple X but with an added slot for an SD card extender to plug into the BlueSCSI. See you on the other side...or at about 9pm tonight if you prefer.
#3dprinting
#torchxxx
#3dprinting
#torchxxx