I have very similar project going on, i am an Apple II-newbie so forgive for silly comments. I recently got an Apple //c + monitor + laser 5.25" external drive + lots of original manuals + system disks etc.
BUT:
No picture from boot (using normal RCA-cable to hook it up with the monitor as the original cable was broken), have random lines on monitor ("no signal" type), no boot, no red light on 5.25" led.
Opened up the case, find out that the 344-0023-A OU 50Hz PAL chip was bit up, took it up, showed two bent legs, managed to stranghten up one, but the another one was so fragile already, it broke down easily. Anyway, put the chip back on and booted up, i got :
- no signal to monitor, same "no signal" type noise
- brief red light on 5.25" and some noise, no boot with disk
-Does it actually help if booting without 5.25" drive?
-Am i totally silly for trying with RCA cable?
-Worth trying to find the IO chip, or replacement 5.25" drive?
BUT:
No picture from boot (using normal RCA-cable to hook it up with the monitor as the original cable was broken), have random lines on monitor ("no signal" type), no boot, no red light on 5.25" led.
Opened up the case, find out that the 344-0023-A OU 50Hz PAL chip was bit up, took it up, showed two bent legs, managed to stranghten up one, but the another one was so fragile already, it broke down easily. Anyway, put the chip back on and booted up, i got :
- no signal to monitor, same "no signal" type noise
- brief red light on 5.25" and some noise, no boot with disk
-Does it actually help if booting without 5.25" drive?
-Am i totally silly for trying with RCA cable?
-Worth trying to find the IO chip, or replacement 5.25" drive?