A Tale Of Two Chess Computers...

[Steve B]

Some forum members know that for years now i have been trying to replace my faulty Fidelity EAG 2100

All of my posts literally pleading for someone to sell me a working 2100(with no box,manual or pieces) fell on deaf ears
Finally ..as if by the hand of god...a mint in box 2100 appears for sale on Ebay..which i won
i carefully boxed up my old 2100 thanking it for the decades of enjoyment it provided me

After removing the large brown staples from the box i set up the new 2100
For the past week i have played literally dozens of games against it
Full Voice activation ...announcing moves in that robotic metallic voice that i love

Then yesterday...in the middle of a move....all lights went out and the computer is totally dead as a doorknob
when i plug it in there is no reaction..nothing in the display screens ..wont respond to key presses ..etc.etc..

A huge disappointment for me and one which will mark the end of me playing against any of my other chess computers
i am simply tired and exhausted with the never ending repairs and defects that are creeping in over the years

The 2100 will sit on my desk..in its perfectly mint condition... as a monument to what once was my favorite chess computer of all time

Beaten Down Regards
Steve

[mclane]

The machines get broken. We break too.

[Erik Stillum]

A sad story, indeed. Most of our computers has life-limited components but even if some gets broken, I am impressed by the durability. Especially the Mephistos are build like fortresses (except the MMII-module)!
I hope you will find pleasure in playing with your computers again, Steve. After all that was what they were made for.

Erik

[fourthirty]

Dang Steve, that is heartbreaking.

Would it be possible to use components from your original 2100 to repair the new board?

[Steve B]

I suppose some sort of repair is possible
i certainly could not do it myself
it would entail shipping the computer off somewhere ...hoping it did not get damaged on the return trip and then.. what?
i get it back and play a few games and poof..out go the lights again for some other reason
the ugly truth is that even though it looks brand new..it is still a 35 yr old computer

no my friend ...i am resigned to the fact that my computer chess playing days are behind me...

0-1 Regards
Steve

[jpfgiii]

That's awful - I assume you tried a different power supply?

p.s. I was a collector many years ago, but sold most my collection in 2006 (including an Elite Premiere) when I moved countries. Now settled in another country and started picking up some old machines over the last few years. I was looking for a good condition EAG and bid on the EAG 2100 - I guess I got lucky.

[Erik Stillum]

I got inspired and went down to play a game against the old Avant Garde Mobile Master. In the middlegame things got difficult, because the sensor on the square f4 was not responding. Work, work, work.
I wonder if the sensors are of a better quality on Elite Premiere? Never had any problems with it. The other wooden boards from Fidelity are a different story....

Erik

[Larry]

Steve, from my limited experience with Fidelity auto sensory boards the original reeds give trouble.
Not immediately but in the weeks ahead. I’m fairly sure your EAG2100 will settle down after a
few hiccups and give you years of fun. I remember some years back here on the forum you said
you had paid a packet to have the reeds all replaced, even the ones yet to give trouble. I’m afraid
that’s going to be all on again. Regarding the 2100 going completely dead, that might just be a
dried out solder joint somewhere. Don’t cut your wrist just yet! I’m sure you’ve got local tech
guys that can fix it. You just have to resign yourself to another couple of hundred bucks outlay.
Certainly the guy you bought it from is innocent.
L

[Steve B]

Well..Like a Phoenix rising from the Ashes....
the 2100 is now working!

just powered it up and all is well
played a few games and no issues so far

of course i am very skeptical that this will keep up so i am not yet ready to party

Back In The Saddle(For Now) Regards
Steve

[Larry]

Great news…but watch this space…
As I suspected, a dried out soldered joint somewhere around the power input
part of the circuitry. It works cold, but when it starts to heat up the resistance
picks up until the current can’t make it through, at which point it shuts down.
Expect it to happen again. But the good news is that there is nothing major
wrong, and your investment is safe.
Happy days again regards…Larry

[Steve B]

Great news…but watch this space…
As I suspected, a dried out soldered joint somewhere around the power input
part of the circuitry. It works cold, but when it starts to heat up the resistance
picks up until the current can’t make it through, at which point it shuts down.

Thanks Larry

To avoid overheating ..perhaps i can set up a small desk fan and point it directly at the spot where the power supply connects to the board
do you think that might help or is it a silly suggestion?

Will Do Whatever It Takes Regards
Steve

[alynch4047]

Maybe a laptop cooling pad would help https://www.techradar.com/news/best-laptop-cooling-pad

[jpfgiii]

If you are feeling brave:

https://handycrowd.medium.com/easily-fi ... c53cc974a1

[Larry]

Great news…but watch this space…
As I suspected, a dried out soldered joint somewhere around the power input
part of the circuitry. It works cold, but when it starts to heat up the resistance
picks up until the current can’t make it through, at which point it shuts down.

Thanks Larry

To avoid overheating ..perhaps i can set up a small desk fan and point it directly at the spot where the power supply connects to the board
do you think that might help or is it a silly suggestion?

Will Do Whatever It Takes Regards
Steve

No it won't, because the fan will not reach into the mainboard. It will cool the wooden casing, but that's not what we need. Someone will have to take the back off and melt all the solder joints around the power input. That should do the trick.
L

[Steve B]

No it won't, because the fan will not reach into the mainboard. It will cool the wooden casing, but that's not what we need. Someone will have to take the back off and melt all the solder joints around the power input. That should do the trick.

Well ...so far so good
played some more games and 2100 is working beautifully
so much so ..that i am getting a bit cocky and actually thinking of connecting one of the two Fidelity Printers and inserting an opening book module

Pushing The Envelope Regards
Steve