what is this NCR modem? what did it go to?

COURYHOUSE at aol.com COURYHOUSE at aol.com
Mon Nov 27 13:45:26 CST 2017


OK!  Shades of the crown answering machine we have in the  museum with the 
handset lifter! 
 
Yea  the  price is defiantly a barrier on this  except   for Paul Allen  I 
suppose.
 
Ed# _www.smecc.org_ (http://www.smecc.org)  
 
 
In a message dated 11/27/2017 12:16:16 P.M. US Mountain Standard Tim,  
cctalk at classiccmp.org writes:

COURYHOUSE at aol.com wrote:

> what is this   NCR   modem? what  did it   go   to?
>
> NEW Vintage 1971 NCR Acoustic Coupler Modem, NOS, Factory  Boxed, C260-400
> / F01   132411929563  on the  bay

It is a Bell 103A compatible modem (110 or 300 baud) used with the  NCR 260
series of thermal printing terminals.   The 260 came in  several variants:
-1 (receive only), -2 (keyboard send/receive), -6  (Automatic (cassette 
tape)
send/receive).   I worked with them at  NCR in 1973 and 74.   I still have
the manuals, and just a few  days ago scanned them for Bitsavers.   If you
need a copy I can  send you the raw TIFF files (one per page).

Both the -400 and -500 were  EIA I/O to the terminal.  The C260-400 
connected
to a Bell System DAA  (Data Access Arrangement), while the C260-500 was an
acoustic  coupler.   The acoustic coupler had a solenoid that would  would
automatically raise and lower the handset on the  telephone!

Back in those days you could not connect anything directly  to the telephone
lines -- you had to use the telco-supplied DAA (kaching!)  or an acoustic
coupler.   I don't know if this modem can be  connected directly to a phone
line without a DAA.

I think the asking  price is totally unrealistic unless you are a rabid
collector of NCR  gear.

Alan Frisbie



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