Now _that_ is a snazzy Model-T for the fashion-conscious, high power businessman of the 1980s! When you whip that out it'll impress even the Old Boys in the board room.
Of course Radio-Shack could never pull that off, but I wonder if anyone ever hot-rodded their Model 100 for style. Maybe some racing stripes to make it go faster? --b9 On June 1, 2026 6:48:45 PM PDT, Santo Nucifora <[email protected]> wrote: >Thanks for asking about it. I actually got it working this afternoon after >changing the 12 volt battery, replacing a bad diode and the internal fuse. >An intermittent ribbon cable issue didn't help either but sorted that out. >I had to archive the disks before using them so I was happy to be able to >reproduce them for testing. I could go on and on so I'll put up a blog >post and post a link when done. > >Here is a quick picture. >https://vintagecomputer.ca/files/TRS-80/PicDisc/PicDiscOlivettiM10sm.JPG >Sorry, tried to include a picture but it was too big for the list so I >posted a link to the picture. > >It is CP/M only. Shows 60 columns by 8 rows but you can window around with >the arrow keys so it actually supports 80 x 24 as advertised. I need to >figure out how to put some CP/M software on the floppies. I'll make a full >blog post and post here soon. > >Thanks, >Santo > >On Mon, Jun 1, 2026 at 9:19 PM B 9 <[email protected]> wrote: > >> I had never heard of PicDisc before. The advertisement in Portable >> 100/200/600 Magazine (February 1986) makes it sound like quite the >> wonderbeast with every feature one could wish for: floppy drive, CP/M, 64K >> RAM, 60-column display, light-weight, and rechargeable. And all that for >> just $600. In the same issue, the Chipmunk is advertised at $500 and >> that's just a floppy drive. >> >> I hope that once you get your PicDisc working, you'll post more about it >> so there won't be such a dearth of information for the next person who >> finds one. >> >> —b9 >> >> >> >> [image: image.jpeg] >> >> On Sat, May 30, 2026 at 5:45 AM Santo Nucifora <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> Hi folks, >>> >>> It's my first post but I am not new to the M100. I've refurbished two or >>> three via recapping and they are great little machines. I was recently >>> intrigued by and acquired an Olivetti M10 with PicDisc drive from someone >>> on eBay who got it from an estate sale. They have no idea how it works AND >>> there's no documentation, of course. It would not power on for them but I >>> expected that. >>> >>> I've since received it and taken it apart and the M10 works fine. Caps >>> all look fine but I had to remove the battery as there was some corrosion >>> but not much. It pops up a PicDisc battery warning and then shuts down >>> immediately. Makes sense, I guess. I am waiting for a new 12 volt >>> rechargeable lead acid battery to arrive. I'm surprised there was one that >>> small but at 1.2ah, it's supposed to last for 20 hours on a single charge >>> with normal use. In case anyone is wondering, it uses the same Teac >>> FD-35E 3.5" single sided drive mechanism as the Chipmunk drive that Hey >>> Birt! had in the drive he restored recently. I think I'll chance firing it >>> up as is. >>> >>> First off, I would love to hear from anyone that has had experience with >>> a PicDisc. I think I may have a CP/M disk or two that might work as the >>> PicDisk boots up CP/M 2.2 from what I've read. I haven't gotten up to >>> powering it up yet but I have already archived the disks I think might work >>> with it. Initially it also came with a bunch of MS-DOS disks that don't >>> seem to be related at all and nothing screams "PicDisc" expect for one or >>> two single sided double density 3.5" diskettes with hand written labels. >>> >>> I was going to play with the PicDisc this morning with the dead battery >>> installed as there is a barrel jack on the PicDisc unit but no markings as >>> to what voltage. I might guess 12VDC because to the recharging needed but >>> there is a mystery barrel plugged wire that is hand-soldered to the M10 >>> battery terminals that was just coiled up near the PicDisc barrel jack. It >>> fits the barrel jack of the PicDisk and would be 6VDC (battery compartment >>> voltage on the M10). Because of this, it makes me pause as to what voltage >>> is needed on the PicDisc so for now I wait for the battery. That should >>> make it work as it will come fully charged. The board in the PicDisc has >>> 32K of static RAM on it along with a bunch of other electronics so I don't >>> want to fry anything accidently with the wrong voltage. >>> >>> If anyone has any experience with the PicDisc, I'd love to fine any >>> software, documentation to even just your experience with it and what that >>> input voltage should be on the PicDisc because, of course, it did not come >>> with an adapter. With the 12VDC battery recharging needed, I am just not >>> sure. >>> >>> I've only been able to find ads, a comparison article of the Chipmunk >>> drive VS the PicDisc and one post that talked about 22Disk settings for the >>> format used by the PicDisc so I am hoping to find someone who might have >>> had one. >>> >>> Any help or feedback is much appreciated. Let's hope I can get this >>> PicDisc working like it used to. >>> >>> Santo Nucifora >>> https://vintagecomputer.ca >>> >>
