Mattel Aquarius II General Maintenance
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Care and routine checks for the Mattel Aquarius II. Your Computer's 1984 review machine came without documentation of its own, and Sean Harrington, who restored one, describes the published documentation on the machine as thin.[1][2] The Aquarius II has the same processor, ROM contents and rear ports as the Mattel Aquarius, and the Aquarius maintenance guide covers those parts.[3]
The Aquarius II at a glance
[edit | edit source]| Part | Detail |
|---|---|
| Keyboard | Full-size typewriter-style keyboard with a space bar[3][1] |
| Power | External supply on a cord that unplugs from the computer; 5 V and 12 V regulators on the main board[3][2] |
| Video | RF output; on some models an RGB board with a SCART socket[2][4] |
| Memory | 4 KB inside, with a 16 KB RAM cartridge supplied in the cartridge port[3][2] |
| Ports | Printer, cassette and cartridge ports as on the Aquarius; reset key beside the on/off switch[3][1] |
Power supply
[edit | edit source]Unlike the Aquarius, whose transformer is wired to the case, the Aquarius II has a power cord that unplugs from the computer.[3] That makes it easy for the supply to be separated from the machine: Harrington's Aquarius II came without one. He made a replacement by modifying a donor supply from an original Aquarius, but did not publish the changes or the Aquarius II's input voltages.[2]
Before connecting any supply that did not come with the machine, trace the power socket's pins to the board and to the inputs of the 5 V and 12 V regulators, and confirm what each pin expects. The Aquarius's supply delivers +8.8 V, +16 V and −19 V on four wires; see the Aquarius power section for how the Aquarius board uses them.[5] Keep the original supply with the computer.
Regulators
[edit | edit source]The main board has separate 5 V and 12 V regulators. Harrington replaced both with modern switching regulators when restoring his machine.[2] On the Aquarius, the 7805 is fixed to the RF shield, which acts as its heatsink.[6] Check how the Aquarius II's regulators are fixed before removing any shield.
Cartridge port and memory cartridge
[edit | edit source]The 16 KB RAM cartridge supplied with the Aquarius II sits in the cartridge port, which takes the same cartridges and peripherals as the Aquarius, including the Mattel Aquarius Mini-Expander.[3][1] Switch the computer off before inserting or removing a cartridge, as Mattel instructs for the Mini Expander, and keep the port covered when it is empty.[7][8]
Keyboard
[edit | edit source]The full-travel keyboard replaced the Aquarius's rubber keys; Your Computer called it "very good", and noted that it gives no audible key click.[1] If keys fail, open the case, inspect the keyboard connection and the switches, and record what you find.
Video
[edit | edit source]The RF output works as on the Aquarius. Some machines have an RGB-to-SCART board, which Harrington reverse-engineered and documented; French machines were sold for SECAM sets through the SCART (Péritel) socket.[2][4] Your Computer found the RF picture "quite reasonable with little dot crawl".[1]
Capacitors
[edit | edit source]Harrington replaced all the electrolytic capacitors on his machine's board.[2] He does not list their values; the Mattel Aquarius II Capacitor Replacement Guide explains how to record your own board's parts.
Storage
[edit | edit source]Radofin's care instructions for the Aquarius are the nearest published guidance: keep it away from heat, cover the cartridge port, and disconnect it from the mains when not in use. See Aquarius storage.[8]
Preventive maintenance checklist
[edit | edit source]- Keep the original power supply with the computer, labelled.[2]
- Check the power cord, plug and socket before switching on.
- Keep the cartridge port covered when no cartridge is fitted.[8]
- When the case is open, note the board's markings, regulators and capacitor values, and photograph them.
- Replace the electrolytic capacitors once, following the Mattel Aquarius II Capacitor Replacement Guide.[2]
Related pages
[edit | edit source]- Mattel Aquarius II
- Mattel Aquarius II Troubleshooting Guide
- Mattel Aquarius II Capacitor Replacement Guide
- Mattel Aquarius General Maintenance
- Mattel Aquarius Documentation
- Recommended Tools
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Kathleen Peel, "Review: Aquarius II", Your Computer, April 1984, pp. 64-65 and 67, Internet Archive copy (retrieved 2026-10-19): pre-production review model with no documentation specific to it, because it was a pre-production version; the new keyboard "very good" but without audio feedback; uses the first Aquarius's peripherals; display "quite reasonable with little dot crawl"; reset key next to the on/off switch.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 Sean P. Harrington, "Aquarius II Computer", Get Your 8-Bit On! (retrieved 2026-10-19): documentation on the Aquarius II has been thin; his unit lacked a power supply and was given one made by modifying a donated supply from an original Aquarius; the electrolytic capacitors replaced; the 5 V and 12 V regulators updated to switching versions; the RGB-to-SCART video board reverse-engineered and documented; a bundled 16K RAM cartridge.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 M. van der Steenoven, "Mattel Aquarius II" (retrieved 2026-10-19): full-sized keyboard with a space bar; the power cord can be disconnected from the system; same rear interfaces as the Aquarius; external 16 KB cartridge supplied; reset switch next to the on/off switch.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Leyco France advertisement, Micro 7 no. 22, December 1984, Internet Archive copy (retrieved 2026-10-19): "Console Aquarius II", SCART (Péritel) connection in SECAM and RF in PAL UHF.
- ↑ Fred Horvat and Gil Parrish, "Mattel Aquarius FAQ", last updated 6 May 2001 (retrieved 2026-10-19), "What's the Power Supply?": the Aquarius supply's outputs, +8.8 V, +16 V and −19 V.
- ↑ Aquarius+ (Sean Harrington), "Aquarius Computer - Installing a Replacement Power Regulator", YouTube, 20 September 2019, description (read 2026-10-19): on the Aquarius, the replacement switching regulator "runs cooler and is not tethered to the RF/Heat Shield".
- ↑ Mattel Electronics, Aquarius Mini Expander instructions, 4063-0920 (1982), hosted here as File:Aquarius Mini Expander Instructions.pdf: make sure the Aquarius is turned off before fitting the Mini Expander.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Radofin Electronics (Far East) Ltd, Aquarius Guide to Home Computing, 5931-0038R-1 (1983), retyped transcription hosted here as File:Aquarius Guide to Home Computing (Radofin edition, retyped).pdf, from the Internet Archive item AquariusGuideToHomeComputing (retrieved 2026-10-19): "Key points for trouble free use" for the Aquarius (protect from heat, cartridge port dust cover, disconnect from mains when not in use).