Uploaded September 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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In the early 80s, the Apple II had was selling well but it was expensive. This is where foreign companies stepped in and started making clones. These machines were much cheaper but also illegal due to them using copied ROMs.

Here we have one of these clones but this machine is broken, very broken. So let's try to get it working.

Small correction: It turns out Franklin did not have a clean-room ROM, and were eventually found to be infringing. There isn't much detail about why Franklin was able to sell computers until 1988. See the pinned comment for more.

Part 0: youtu.be/31WAE83FPoE (SMMC video featuring this computer)
Part 1: This part!
Part 2: youtu.be/ErwUFmgQgXY

-- Links

News report on these illegal clone computers:
youtube.com/watch?v=RFjGq55BglM

Scan of schematics and photos of the clone PCB:
archive.org/details/apple-ii-clone-pcb-bare-overlay

Adrian's Digital Basement Merch store:
my-store-c82bd2-2.creator-spring.com

Adrian's Digital Basement ][ (Second Channel)
youtube.com/channel/UCbtwi4wK1YXd9AyV_4UcE6g

Support the channel on Patreon:
patreon.com/adriansdigitalbasement

-- Tools

Deoxit D5:
amzn.to/2VvOKy1
store.caig.com/s.nl/it.A/id.1602/.f

O-Ring Pick Set: (I use these to lift chips off boards)
amzn.to/3a9x54J

Elenco Electronics LP-560 Logic Probe:
amzn.to/2VrT5lW

Hakko FR301 Desoldering Iron:
amzn.to/2ye6xC0

Rigol DS1054Z Four Channel Oscilloscope:
rigolna.com/products/digital-oscilloscopes/1000z

Head Worn Magnifying Goggles / Dual Lens Flip-In Head Magnifier:
amzn.to/3adRbuy

TL866II Plus Chip Tester and EPROM programmer: (The MiniPro)
amzn.to/2wG4tlP
aliexpress.com/item/33000308958.html

TS100 Soldering Iron:
amzn.to/2K36dJ5
ebay.com/itm/TS100-65W-MINI-Digital-OLED-Programmable-Soldering-Iron-Anti-static-Structure/113382669853

EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter:
eevblog.com/product/121gw

DSLogic Basic Logic Analyzer:
amzn.to/2RDSDQw
ebay.com/itm/USB-Logic-DSLogic-Basic-Analyzer-16Ch-100MHz-4Ch-400MHz-Xilinx-Spartan-6-FPGA/202543965672

Magnetic Screw Holder:
amzn.to/3b8LOhG
harborfreight.com/4-inch-magnetic-parts-tray-90566.html

Universal ZIP sockets: (clones, used on my ZIF-64 test machine)
ebay.com/itm/14-16-18-20-24-28-32-40-pin-IC-Test-Universal-ZIF-Socket-Fs/303206721971

RetroTink 2X Upconverter: (to hook up something like a C64 to HDMI)
retrotink.com

Plato (Clone) Side Cutters: (order five)
ebay.com/itm/1-2-5-10PCS-Micro-Scissor-125mm-PLATO-170-Electronics-Cutter-Side-Cutting-Pliers/163458746184

Heat Sinks:
aliexpress.com/item/32537183709.html

Little squeezy bottles: (available elsewhere too)
amzn.to/3b8LOOI

--- Links

My GitHub repository:
github.com/misterblack1?tab=repositories

Commodore Computer Club / Vancouver, WA – Portland, OR – PDX Commodore Users Group
commodorecomputerclub.com

--- Instructional videos

My video on damage-free chip removal:
youtube.com/watch?v=XQVjwPsVFd8

--- Music

Intro music and other tracks by:
Nathan Divino
@itsnathandivino