P1 Question

[bucko170]

Just out of curiosity are any of the original 25 chip P1 modules still working?

Did Abe manage to get his working fully?

[bruce wegmann]

Short answers...no, and no. Not a surprise, in either case.

[bucko170]

Shame; who knows maybe one day one will show up.

[abem]

The P1 E/D module is still sitting in its little box. Other than an initial attempt to power it up, I've left it alone rather than risk further damaging it since I don't feel qualified to tinker with it.

I talked to Hanno from strikesandspares, who was interested in giving it a go, but ultimately he also decided that he'd rather not risk it. So, the module is still waiting patiently. Perhaps I should ask Ed if he's interested in giving it a try.

The case is currently in the skilled hands of a certain well qualified watchmaker (who's name starts with "W" and ends with "pard") for a little restoration and 18KT gold plating.

-abe.

[LEDluvr]

Maybe Bruce would be willing to give it a shot? After all, he is our Pulsar Guru.......

[bruce wegmann]

I appreciate the vote of confidence, but, the sad fact is, NOBODY can fix this. We seem to have forgotten that the defect is not a broken wire bond or cut traces...the fatal flaw is IN one of the CHIPS, and there is no way to repair that. I suppose if you had enough of these modules in one place, and started swapping chips, you might be able to hammer a fully working circuit together, but, the second you powered it up, its' life-clock would start ticking [so to speak], and ultimately, it would fail, too...a tremendous amount of work and expense, for what I perceive as a very limited gain [beyond, perhaps a few VERY expensive pictures!], only history lost, by altering its' original condition. So, it is what it is, a briefly working but ultimately unsuccessful attempt to construct the world's first digital watch, obsoleted by improved technology almost before it made it to the public's wrist.

[retroleds]

I think Bruce is quite correct - leave it. Realistically, nobody alive has had enough experience with them to make repair very likely, no parts are available. The pictures would be most edifying.