September 2024 - cctalk - classiccmp.org

by John Robertson

I'm just starting to clean up a NeXT system that a friend has had in storage for decades... I assume the thing has a battery somewhere - I just hope it isn't Ni-Cad! This is the original cube, monitor, keyboard (& mouse?), printer, assorted cables, and a SCSI secondary hard drive box. So far the manuals haven't shown up, but that is all online AFAICT. My plan is to give them all a good cleaning, then open up and inspect capacitors, look for batteries and any other perishable items, and then do diode checks prior to considering powering up. The remembered background story was a nearby lightning strike may have taken out the (1200 baud?) external modem, so will be paying extra attention to the serial ports! Sniff test may still be useful even after 20ish years. Any suggestions on what else to watch for on this setup prior to first power? I also will be using the Dim-Bulb setup once it seems safe to turn on. Anyone seen a common problem in power supplies for these components for example? Planned destination is auction... Thanks! John :-#)#

3 months, 3 weeks

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Looking for Sharp PC-5000 disk drive (CE-510F or possibly MZ-80B)

by Steve Lewis

A while back I started studying more about the Sharp PC-5000 (and had it up and running at VCFSW in 2023). I'm now coming back to that project, and one thing I was never able to find was a compatible 5.25 disk drive. I've collected some information about this system at here: https://voidstar.blog/sharp-pc-5000/ And I am hoping to put together a video about out. But one challenging aspect is that its LCD screen is difficult to record (lots of reflections). And despite having lots of schematic documentation now, I'm still not savvy enough to try to export its screen content to an external device that might have a backlight. From my notes, as I recall.... The 37-pin connector at the back of the PC-5000 is not the same as the 37-pin connector at the back of the IO card with the original IBM PC 5150. I believe the Sharp product model number I am looking for CE-510F (which might be the same as MZ-80B in certain markets). This isn't an urgent thing - the Bubble Memory modules of this PC-5000 are still all working fine and make the system functional. But I do have a set of disk with the system that might be interesting to try out. So just broadcasting here, on the off-chance someone might be familiar with these and know of a stash of accessories (most likely within a Japanese-speaking community, where I think Sharp products were generally more popular). Thanks! Steve v*

7 months, 2 weeks

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Might be antique computer parts

by Van Snyder

I have two SPST time delay 12-volt relays packaged like vacuum tubes with octal bases, Amperite models 12N010 (ten seconds) and 12C5 (five seconds). They're in their original boxes. I have no idea what devices used them. It seems a shame to throw them in a recycle bin. Does anybody want them? Van Snyder

8 months, 2 weeks

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The CMoaA is OK

by Adam Thornton

> > > was reading 16million was raised and going to charity or something?? and > > that the rest got bought by another museum > > > > > https://www.geekwire.com/2024/paul-allen-estate-sells-remaining-living-comp… > > Oh, it's the CMoA? That's actually really really good news. The last time I was in Atlanta, before my parents moved out here (so...2019?), I had a couple hours to kill on my way to visit a high school friend. So I went there, wandered around, and left their Atari on the Easter Egg screen in Adventure. One of the staff noticed that, talked to me for a bit, and asked me to wait while he phoned up Lonnie Mimms (the founder) and asked him to come in and meet me. We talked for a good hour, and it was great. I would describe what he's done there as what I would have liked to have done if I had come from a family business of real-estate-developer money, rather than (not that I'm complaining) IT consultant/sysadmin/software-developer money. The CMoA was not as hands-on as LCM, but it did have some working machines you could play with. Whatever Lonnie got his hands on from the LCM is unlikely to be sold for the metal value. Five years ago, anyway, he seemed serious and his restoration work looked pretty legit. Adam

8 months, 3 weeks

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Nintendo is 135 years old

by Tomasz Rola

Hi Quite classic. You would not have believed it - they were not making consoles when they started. [ Nintendo at 135: Key moments in gaming history https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/articles/c79n845rrj0o ] -- Regards, Tomasz Rola -- ** A C programmer asked whether computer had Buddha's nature. ** ** As the answer, master did "rm -rif" on the programmer's home ** ** directory. And then the C programmer became enlightened... ** ** ** ** Tomasz Rola mailto:tomasz_rola@bigfoot.com **

8 months, 3 weeks

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VCF Swap Meet - Wall, NJ - Oct. 26, 2024

by Jeffrey Brace

IT’S GOING TO BE A *COOL *ONE! 60 degrees, sunny and dry. So buy a VCF hoodie when you get there ;-D We are again having our popular tech swap meet on Saturday Oct. 26 and it will be bigger than ever! VENDOR SIGNUP <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfidEMst2MBUxAXSwYTz7AY3MhzNyNt-y4…> CLICK HERE FOR GENERAL INFORMATION <https://vcfed.org/vcf-swap-meet/> *FOOD TRUCK*: We will once again have John’s Cracker Barrel selling delicious food from their food truck. I will see you there! Stay warm! INFORMATION IS HERE: https://vcfed.org/vcf-swap-meet/ Blog Post is here: https://vcfed.org/2024/09/27/tech-swap-meet-sat-oct-26-near-infoage/ Take care! Jeff Brace VCF Mid-Atlantic Event Manager Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/>

8 months, 4 weeks

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request for 5.25 floppies

by Steve Lewis

I feel a little silly asking this, I hope it is not an overly inappropriate request for this mailing list. But does anyone here in the States happen to have a stack of known-good 5.25 disks they don't want anymore? And more specifically, would it be possible for anyone to image such a disk with a copy of PC-DOS 2.0 or earlier? (and maybe on up to 3.3 or so) The later part is the service that would be more helpful to me. I finally have a drive for an old system that currently uses bubble memory cartridges to boot to PC-DOS 2.0, and so we'd like to see if (using these external drives) it could also boot to a (confirmed legit) image of IBM PC-DOS (and/or very early Microsoft DOS). Or, do we still need some kind of proprietary Sharp DOS image? (in which case, extra blank disk would be good, as I think there are tools on these bubble memory cartridges to initialize disks accordingly). An actual 160KB formatted PC DOS 1.0 would be fantastic to have on hand - but the 180KB slightly later image would be fine also (and then also to experiment how far "past 2.0" that this system might support, if at all). For shipping/delivery purposes, I'm in north Texas. When I got these drives, I then realized I no longer have any 5.25 floppies anymore - and even if I did, then I'm not quite sure how to get the images on there (did anyone ever make a "USB-to-5.25" drive? I have a couple 3.5 versions of those - maybe the power to motor the 5.25 is too much for USB? :D ). Thanks, SteveL

9 months

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LCM auction

by Brent Hilpert

9 months

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Siemens 4004 mainframe pictures on bitsavers

by P Gebhardt

Hello list, out of curiosity: Does anybody know where the two pictures of the Siemens 4004 CPU uploaded on http://bitsavers.org/pdf/siemens/4004/Model_15/pictures/ where taken? Are these from the unit being part of the SAP collection at CHM? Cheers, Pierre ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.digitalheritage.de

9 months

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Does anyone have a VT52, TU56 controller, or Apple II rev 0 available for sale?

by Ryan de Laplante (Personal)

If you or someone you know might be willing to sell, please contact me off-list. I'm in Canada, near Toronto. The TU56 controller is for a PDP 11/45. I know about the VT52 in Australia on eBay right now. Shipping something that large and heavy from Australia is too much, and we have different electrical outlets in North America. I'm also looking for certain NightOwl shareware CDs from the BBSing era: 1 - 9 (except 4 and 6), 24, 26, Games #1, Games #3, Windows Vol 1 & 2. Maybe some Boardwatch magazines as well. Anything BBS related.

9 months

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cctalk September 2024