Ssl4000 computer fail

[Jdm5149]

Fixed the -12v  poking around top of thyristor made voltage reappear.  Probably have to redo the wire. Waiting on G+ computer to arrive.  Hopefully will work with my processor card.  But for the keyboard.  Which type cable will I need. Almost there 🤞

[Dave Dicson]

Normally there is a 50 pin ribbon cable that plugs into the bottom of the keyboard in the console and then goes to the connector panel, usually under the patch bay. Then there is another 50 pin ribbon cable that plugs into that connector and goes to a 50 pin connector on the back of the computer, which goes to the back plain mother board on the back of the computer. Then I think it is a 20 pin ribbon that goes from the back plain mother board to the keyboard card in the computer card frame. I don't know how it is done on your console.

[Jdm5149]

Yeah. Thanks. Trying to work on computer without the console yet. The pics I uploaded show the remote I have.  Seems like a custom remote.  I received the G+ floppy drive.  It came with the scsi to 50 pin cable.  Do I plug it from the scsi output on drive directly to the 4/1000 processor card.  When I do I get the red light on the processor card and then the green and yellow.  Still no monitor yet so I’m just guessing here. Monitor arriving Friday.  But is this the correct setup.  The older drives that didn’t work plugged into the floppy card but that’s a smaller connection. K. Thanks again

[Dave Dicson]

Yes. The 3.5" floppies plug directly into the processor board. U also need the cable to provide power to the floppy drives. This cable plugs into the main mother board inside the computer at the back on the left side.

[Jdm5149]

That’s the +5 cable that Drew’s into the drive.  That’s connected.  I get red light on processor and green /yellow on bus card.  But it seems that the drive aren’t cycling.  The reset button lights up and pressing it makes green light on bus card react. 

[Jdm5149]

Is it the scsi out from the drive.  Anyone have manual from the g+ drive.  Don’t see any info on it

[Jdm5149]

heres a pic of the inside of G+ drive. looking at circuitboard the drives are connected to the Fan L&R. why not the drive leads ?  anyone know if this looks right

[Dave Dicson]

This is right. I think they used another pc board from one of there other products for this drive.

[Jdm5149]

K. Thanks. Drive doesn’t respond when turned on. No lights on front  seems like the drive aren’t working

[Dave Dicson]

Did you verify that there is power on the left hand (Program) drive? the drives are normally made by TEAC, but have special firmware on them from SSL. You really need to plug in a monitor/TV to see what is happening. You will get a full screen of junk that don't make sense before the computer tries the read the Program floppy drive, which must have a program dick in the drive.

[Jdm5149]

Monitor arriving on Friday. When I insert disc I hear it try to cycle.  Got drive from retro untested.  Disc was in the reel drive. Guess I will have to wait til then.

[Dave Dicson]

A regular 3.5" Floppy drive won't work, as it won't have the SSL firmware on it. I've been down that road in the past.

[Jdm5149]

Replacements ?

[horizonsound]

The SSL 3.5" drive is a TEAC FD-235HF IDE drive, with a TEAC FC-1 SCSI to IDE controller board. One required per drive, and set to drive numbers 0 and 1 IIRC.

Had plenty of drives die in the past. They are not common, and very specifically configured for this application. I have a contact who has a lot of NOS SSL drives, but would suggest it may be the Bus Driver card in the computer, which I have found to be the first thing to fail and prevent a boot sequence.

Anthony.

[horizonsound]

Also, are you 100% sure that the processor board you have, was running a 3.5" drive previously?

I have seen situations where an eprom chip has been installed that effectively downgrades a processor board, so that it only runs 8" and Bernoulli drives.
Sure it may have a 50way IDE connector on it, but the 3.5" drive may not be enabled on the processor.

Anthony.