[NTLK] [OT] Apple QuickTake 200 (enthusiasts read please)

From: M. Horvat <redjazz_slo_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Thu Jul 09 2009 - 16:32:38 EDT

This message is a bit long, but I politely ask any QuickTake/vintage electronics enthusiast to read it.

I have had a QuickTake 200 for about a year and a half now, and intended to do serious work on it (I LOVE using old technology in my everyday life - having it just sit on the shelves is no fun). Yet I never did. Why?

Well, because out of the box, there is no way to connect one to a Windows PC. You would have to buy an adapter for that, and appropriate third-party software, and then it would work. But I have a Macintosh IIx and the complete package (box, manual, cables, everything) of the QT200, so why not give the old Mac a try? Well, because there was no way to transfer any data between my PC and the Mac. (The floppy drive is dead.)

Now about a year later, I have a SCSI Zip drive on the Mac IIx and another one on my PC, so there's no problem doing file transfers (well occasionally there is, but that's not the reason I'm posting this) anymore. "Now I can FINALLY start using the QuickTake," I thought, but, unfortunately, I couldn't. Why? Because the (quite roomy) 2M memory card is unreadable. The QT says "card error" or "card not initialized" even though it worked fine 1.5 years ago. I can't even format the card - the format option doesn't do ANYTHING. (The QT knows the card is in there - if I remove it it says "no card".)

So I did a bit of research and found out that cleaning the card contacts with isopropyl alcohol would do the job. But apparently it is very difficult to find isopropyl alcohol in Slovenia as no store had it. So I am asking you all, is there any other cure for the memory card? QuickTake-compatible memory cards are very rare and pricey (even more than Newton-compatible PCMCIA cards) and I don't want to spend money on another one, especially as the whole package cost $100.

-Matej Horvat

      

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Received on Thu Jul 9 16:32:48 2009

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