Just to close this off, I made a post on what I found with the PicDisc on the Olivetti M10 here if anyone is interested: https://vintagecomputer.ca/picdisc/
Thanks, Santo https://vintagecomputer.ca On Mon, Jun 1, 2026 at 11:25 PM B9 <[email protected]> wrote: > 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 >>>> >>>
