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Questions about Franklin Ace 500

Started by rockman_x_2002, Oct 21 2007 8:14 PM

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6 replies to this topic

#1 rockman_x_2002

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Posted Sun Oct 21, 2007 8:14 PM

So I have a friend who has one of these in her attic. If she can clean out to get to it, she's going to send it to me in the near future. I've already downloaded the manual for the thing (.pdf) and I've been looking it over, but I have a couple of questions about this machine.

First off, I want to make sure I've understood what it is, exactly. As I understand it, the Franklin Ace 500 is an Apple II clone, and is 100% compatible with the Apple IIc model, and partially compatible with the original Apple II and IIe models. Is this correct?

Second, I have an XE1541 cable for my C64 so I'm able to transfer disk images to real 5.25" double-density diskettes. Is there such an animal for the Apple II and, specifically, one that would be compatible with the Franklin Ace 500? And if there is such a cable (and software for use with it), can anyone possibly point me in the right direction? I've been looking, but I haven't found any one particular program that says it's compatible with this particular Apple II clone.

Thanks for the help, folks.

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#2 JamesD

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Posted Sun Oct 21, 2007 10:05 PM

http://a2gameserver.berlios.de/

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#3 rockman_x_2002

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Posted Tue Oct 23, 2007 4:21 PM

Thanks for the link. I checked it out last night, and seems to be somewhat what I've been looking for. I also found another program called ADTPro, which apparently allows me to use programs written for ProDOS.

While looking at that site, as well as browsing the manual for the Ace 500, I've found that its serial port is a 5-pin DIN plug. I've also found that it's the same type of serial connector as found on the VTech Laser 128, another Apple II clone.

Is the pinout the same, and if I can find a null modem cable for the Laser 128, would it also work on the Ace 500?

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#4 JamesD

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Posted Tue Oct 23, 2007 8:44 PM

I have a Laser 128 and I'm pretty sure it's the same.

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#5 david__schmidt

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Posted Thu Oct 25, 2007 1:50 PM

rockman_x_2002, on Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:21 PM, said:

I also found another program called ADTPro, which apparently allows me to use programs written for ProDOS.

While looking at that site, as well as browsing the manual for the Ace 500, I've found that its serial port is a 5-pin DIN plug. I've also found that it's the same type of serial connector as found on the VTech Laser 128, another Apple II clone.

Is the pinout the same, and if I can find a null modem cable for the Laser 128, would it also work on the Ace 500?

Let me know how it goes or if you need help. I'd be interested in adding the Franklin Ace 500 to the "supported platforms" list of ADTPro. It would be good to know for sure what pinout works, etc.

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#6 david__schmidt

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Posted Mon Mar 15, 2010 1:11 PM

rockman_x_2002, on Tue Oct 23, 2007 4:21 PM, said:

Is the pinout the same, and if I can find a null modem cable for the Laser 128, would it also work on the Ace 500?

Sorry for the thread reanimation, but this question was never answered. I've since bought a Franklin Ace 500, and can confirm that the serial port is hardware compatible with the Apple IIc: the same serial cable and software will work for both.