>>> Doubtful that VW Bug was on the Autobahn at the time, and, while the
>>> . . .
>>> Now, if the Bug had a trailer hitch, it could tow a trailer behind it with
>>> a gasoline or diesel powered generator with sufficient capacity to run
the PDP-8.
>> Are you suggesting some kind of, say, portable computer?
>> Runs, dodging and weaving.
> I'm not sure that you could fit a complete Model 33-ASR Teletype in the
> passenger seat of the Bug. I suppose if the Teletype was removed from
> its stand, it might be able to sit on the seat, and be powered by the
> same generator that runs the Straight-8.
It is truly easy to remove the passenger seat. Just unlatch the adjuster and
slide it forward off of the tracks. Then make brackets (out of the bottom of
an old seat) to mount the base of the teletype to the brackets.
I have known people who mounted equipment that way.
Many/most VW owners did not clean and lube the tracks, so it was often
difficult to slide the seat, and the latch spring did not re-engage. Ralph
Nader mis-represented that as "Of VWs in accidents, 60%? had the seat come off
of the track." The CORRECT statistic was, "Of VWs in accidents, IN WHICH THERE
WAS SEAT DAMAGE, 60%? were the seat came off of the track." Which was, while
still disconcerting and dangerous, trivial to repair by sliding it back on, and
cleaning and lubing the track and latch, with no other damage.
Removing the bottom of the back seat, and replacing it with a piece of plywood
also provides a roomier and more secure base for the payload.
Possibly even with enough room for a portable generator? (I don't know the
power requirements for the machine, but I do know that VW bugs are not very
amenable to trailering.)
Be careful about putting weight on the back seat! VW had the battery under the
back seat, and many owners did not have a cover over the battery to protect
against shorting by the seat springs!
A type 2 VW bus/van, preferably model 215 (with freight doors on both sides),
would be far more suitable. Or one with sunroof?
In some jurisdictions, the DMV would classify ones with any seats in addition
to the driver's seat, as "Station Wagon"!
To get commercial (lower cost) plates for my type 2 VW in Maryland, I had to
submit pictures showing that there were no other seats, and they even kicked
those back until I also included one showing that it did have a driver's seat.
> It'd be really hard to operate the machine while driving, for sure. It'd be
> far worse than messing with a smartphone while driving :-/. But, once
> stopped somewhere pleasant, you could
> actually develop programs using the punched tape reader/punch on the 33ASR.
> It'd definitely be
> an example of early "mobile computing". (Tongue firmly in cheek).
. . . and, if you caravaned/carpooled, other vehicles could carry peripherals.
No reason why we couldn't eventually have mobile computing!
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin(a)xenosoft.com
Hi all,
I have a Sun 3/110 with a faulty video section (hangs at boot when it polls
the FB) and I want to be able to probe and troubleshoot the board. Does
anyone have any tips on how to get at it since it's buried in the VME
chassis. I was thinking of having an extension card made but thought I'd
ask here and see what others have done first. Any thoughts would be
appreciated. Thanks
-Kurt
Anyone on the list have a VT-180 a.k.a "Robin"? I got one for free a while back, but no disks. Wondering if anyone's in a position to make copies of their working disks and mail them to me -- I could have blanks sent, of course. I'm in the SF bay area.
john
List,
I'd rather not put a customer through the throes of sending a 10.5" reel
of tape written on a S/370 mainframe through international shipping.
Anyone in the Barcelona area with the equipment and ability to handle
reading this thing? Besides, I'm up to my ears in work.
Thanks,
Chuck
I have an HP 2875B paper tape drive that I want to interface to. It has
a 50 pin block connector (using well under 1/2 the pins). The connector
manufacturer was Continental.
I have already discovered, the hard way, that it is not a winchester
connector - the pins on the 50 pin Winchester connector I just obtained
via ePay that otherwise fits are too small in diameter and won't make
contact. I *could* increase their diameter using solder - but -- yuck.
The other connectors of this sort I am familiar with that have the same
general overall size and pinout were made by AMP. Does any one know if
the AMP connectors and the Continental connectors would be compatible?
Thanks.
JRJ
FYI: The Ethernet standards dropped support for half duplex connections a few years back, so that if you have something that depends on half duplex links a recent Ethernet switch might not support it.
On 5/28/23 09:17, Tony Duell wrote:
> I've come across the former and have the datasheets. From what I
> recall it was common to use it a control store sequencer and have
> microcode ROMs wider than the 8X300 needed, the extra bits were used
> to directly control hardware.
Power hog (well, it was bipolar) with a 3-bit opcode and a somewhat
strange programming model. You could usually spot one by the 50 pin
cerDIP and the external pass transistor. I think I still have a loose
one in my hellbox--and at least two in old systems.
--Chuck
Greetings,
Amidst all the floppy archiving discussion, here's a slightly different
question:
The weather is warmer now where I live, so it's starting to be a good time
to do messy work outdoors. I have some mouldy floppy diskettes that I'd
like to try to read (mostly 5.25"), plus a good flux reader. What is the
best way to attempt to image these floppies?
My thinking right now is that for each floppy I can attempt this procedure:
- remove the mouldy cookie from the infected disk jacket; discard the latter
- give the cookie the best clean I can (how?) and allow to dry
- place the cookie in a clean disk jacket
- attempt to image
- clean floppy drive heads
Does this seem like a sensible plan? If so, what would be the best way to
clean as much mould off the cookie as I can? Tools that come to mind are
distilled water (tap water here is full of chalk), dish soap,
cyclomethicone, and of course more fearsome solvents. I have kimwipes,
microfibre cloths, and... 200-grit sandpaper, I guess :-)
Thanks for any advice,
--Tom
