test-drb November 1997

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

126 participants
546 discussions

by healyzh＠ix.netcom.com

Well, I just powered up one of my finds this weekend. It's a Franklin Ace 1200, the amazing thing is I got it from Goodwill, and it came with a box of floppies, the CBASIC reference manual, and a monitor all for $14.95. Not only is it the best deal I've seen at Goodwill, but it's also the first complete system I've seen there. It actually has CPM 2.2 and some other software so I've finally got a fully functional CPM system besides the Commodore 128. Now what I'm wondering about is the character set. It looks really wierd, and has me wondering if there isn't some sort of problem with the video board. The best example is a capital B which looks like this ******* * * * * ******* * * * * ******* This is just one of the wierd looking characters this systems displays. On the other hand when it's acting like an Apple ][ with a 40 column display it seems to have a normal character set. Overall it seems to be a pretty nice system. When I picked it up I thought it was just a simple Apple ][ clone. It's ability to run CPM and having the original CPM disks was a really great plus. Zane | Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator | | healyzh(a)ix.netcom.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast | | healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector | +----------------------------------+----------------------------+ | For Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, | | see http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ | | For the collecting of Classic Computers with info on them. | | see http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/museum.html |

26 years, 6 months

Kim-1, was Re: Sorry, I need to get this to PG Manney, there was

by jrkeys＠concentric.net

Sorry but I forgot to say that I have a Kim-1 and the manuals for it, so if you need something let me know. John At 01:14 PM 11/2/97 -0800, you wrote: >> >Does anyone know if the KIM-1 was made before *and* after MOS Technologies >> >was aquired by Commodore? If so, were there any differences between the >> >boards (identification wise)? >> >> I once got a good look at a KIM-1. (I have pictures of it somewhere...) >> This particular one was marked 'MOS Technologies C= Commodore KIM-1'. (It >> very clearly had the commodore logo and name on it.) From this, I assume >> it was made after the aquisition. > >All my KIM-1's are from before the aquisition and don't have "C=" >or "Commodore" on them anywhere. > >A good picture of the pre-Commodore KIM-1 is in BYTE's review. I think it's >August 1976, but I don't know for sure because my BYTE collection >is several miles away at the moment... > >Tim. > >

26 years, 6 months

Help Identifying RAM Chips

by jrkeys＠concentric.net

Your chip #1 is a 64k chip speed of 30ns, chips 2&3 are 256k at 150ns speed. The last set of tell the the size and speed (64-3 and 256-15). John At 06:48 AM 11/2/97 -0600, you wrote: >I have two original Compaq Portables, both of which are giving POST >errors when they boot which indicate bad RAM. I have gone through a few >rounds of swapping RAM chips between the machines to identify the bad >chips, but have come up against a potential roadblock. > >My problem is that there are a number of different chips used in the >machines. As I don't have any data books on these chips, I am not sure >if the different numbers are simply different manufacturer's numbers for >the same chips, if some of the numbers are simply date codes, or if they >are really different, incompatible chips. > >If someone is familiar with these numbers, or can look them up for me, I >would really appreciate it: > >Chip #1: >Hitachi >1818-3006 >Japan 8332U >HM4864P-3 > >Chip #2: >NEC >8539PF513 >D41256C-15 > >Chip #3: >Fairchild (I think; has an "F" with a bar above and below it) >MB81256-15 >8548 M79 BC > >Chip #4: >NEC >8538PF532 >D41256C-15 > >If you could let me know the size of each chip, as well as the width of >the memory, it would help me determine what size of RAM I should be >setting the motherboard DIP switches for. Also, would I be correct in >assuming the "-15" appearing on most of the chips specifies 15ns? > >If anyone is familiar with adding RAM to the motherboard on the Compaq, >I would appreciate your input on the following: > >The machine has 4 banks of RAM, consisting of 8 chips each, plus 1 chip >for each bank marked "BIT 0". The first two banks of chips (0 & 1) are >soldered, the other two (2 & 3) are socketed. > >1) Is the "BIT 0" chip a parity chip? >2) Can RAM be installed in Bank 2 without having to populate Bank 3? > >Any help in regards to the above is much appreciated!! Thanks in >advance. > > >

26 years, 6 months

Kim-1, was Re: Sorry, I need to get this to PG Manney, there was

by jrkeys＠concentric.net

Commodore put their name on the board after they bought the company in October 1976. Before that date the boards have "MOS" on them after they have "Commodore". Hope this helps. John At 10:42 AM 11/2/97 -0800, you wrote: >Tim Shoppa wrote: > >> > Actually it's far from thier first. There was several models of the >> PET, >> > and another earlier one whose name escapes me (KIT?). >> >> I believe you're thinking of the KIM-1. It was originally >> made and sold by MOS Technologies, which was apparently bought by >> Commodore at some point. > >Does anyone know if the KIM-1 was made before *and* after MOS Technologies >was aquired by Commodore? If so, were there any differences between the >boards (identification wise)? > > >

26 years, 6 months

Help Identifying RAM Chips

by gzozman＠escape.ca

I have two original Compaq Portables, both of which are giving POST errors when they boot which indicate bad RAM. I have gone through a few rounds of swapping RAM chips between the machines to identify the bad chips, but have come up against a potential roadblock. My problem is that there are a number of different chips used in the machines. As I don't have any data books on these chips, I am not sure if the different numbers are simply different manufacturer's numbers for the same chips, if some of the numbers are simply date codes, or if they are really different, incompatible chips. If someone is familiar with these numbers, or can look them up for me, I would really appreciate it: Chip #1: Hitachi 1818-3006 Japan 8332U HM4864P-3 Chip #2: NEC 8539PF513 D41256C-15 Chip #3: Fairchild (I think; has an "F" with a bar above and below it) MB81256-15 8548 M79 BC Chip #4: NEC 8538PF532 D41256C-15 If you could let me know the size of each chip, as well as the width of the memory, it would help me determine what size of RAM I should be setting the motherboard DIP switches for. Also, would I be correct in assuming the "-15" appearing on most of the chips specifies 15ns? If anyone is familiar with adding RAM to the motherboard on the Compaq, I would appreciate your input on the following: The machine has 4 banks of RAM, consisting of 8 chips each, plus 1 chip for each bank marked "BIT 0". The first two banks of chips (0 & 1) are soldered, the other two (2 & 3) are socketed. 1) Is the "BIT 0" chip a parity chip? 2) Can RAM be installed in Bank 2 without having to populate Bank 3? Any help in regards to the above is much appreciated!! Thanks in advance.

26 years, 6 months

Here's A Great Place for Surplus DEC

by mcquiggi＠sfu.ca

Hi All: For those close to Ottawa, Ontario, I've found a fantastic source of DEC boards and associated equipment: Computer Recyclers Inc. 10 Rideau Heights Drive, Nepean, Ontario K2E 7A6 Canada (613) 723-3135 Fax: (613) 723-4607 I've been to Ottawa 3 times in the past year (work related), and each time they've had HUNDREDS of boards, systems, cables, etc., tons of stuff from DEC and other DEC sites. They are recyclers, i.e. they feed dumpsters and metal recyclers, so prices are great. Dual height boards are flat rate $5 CDN, quad height flat rate $10 CDN. If you need boards, power supplies, backplanes, rails, racks, cables, drives, terminals, printers, etc then this is a good place to check. My finds from last week included 2 TK70 drives and a TQK70 controller for $25. Unfortunately the selection is largely hit and miss as they move systems through pretty quickly. There's currently no inventory, you have to show up and look through their oil drums of boards etc. I did, on my last trip, provide them with the "dec field guide" board inventory document, and suggest to the owner that they catalog and sell their boards on the net, but we'll have to see if they do so. For PC types, they also have some PC class stuff, mainboards, etc but I didn't really look at these. For info of the group, Kevin --- Kevin McQuiggin VE7ZD mcquiggi(a)sfu.ca

26 years, 6 months

Please un-subscribe me from this list

by mark＠technosis.com.au

My Apologies for not having the proper un-subscribe details on hand. I will be away for 3 weeks and others will be checking my email at work so I need to unsubscribe to reduce the amount of filtering they have to do. Thanks, Mark. (mark(a)technosis.com.au)

26 years, 6 months

Needed: rom for Model 100

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<> > have one model 100 that has no display when I turn it on, but after <> waiting <> > a few minutes, the display begins to show. <> <> I haven't tried that. How long does that take? <> <> > I am assuming you have tried <> > both types of reset: 1) the reset button on the back, and 2) holding <> <> > shift/pause while turning the machine on. <> <> I tried the reset button, I didn't know anything about shift/pause. <> What <> does that do? <> <> > Does the display show anything <> > when the contrast knob is turned? <> <> The contrast knob doesn't do anything . . . Any machine that runs on nicads, they are suspect until checked for leakage and charged. Often they develope internal shorts that render them impossible to charge in the machine. Replacement is the best course in most cases. Allison

26 years, 6 months

Sorry, I need to get this to PG Manney, there was

by manney＠nwohio.com

>Sorry it took so long. I tried mailing you, but there was an error. ...and I thought computers never went wrong! <g> > >It's really comforting to know that some people have consionace. > >>Thanks. I'm trying to raise my children with consciences, too. We're >>Christians, and we feel that treating people *right* is very important >Those people will be the future leaders of our world. >>I hope >>that you're not in a hurry: A friend's giving me a new board, and they say >>that it could take some time to get it, but as soon as I get it, they new >>board will get shipped to you. Don't worry, I won't give it to anyone >>else. > >I always need motherboards and drives (got any old IDE drives around?), >because I buy and sell computers. We're out here in the wilds of Ohio >(USA), >where many people have older systems...I even sold a Commodore the other >day! >I have an old IDE drive, it's a Segate 41 MB. It says ST-251, then on a >seperate sticker it says -1 right next to the first one. Serial number is >25534738. It's the large kind, like they had back in the early 80's. It's a 40 MB hard drive (6 Heads, 820 Cylinders, 17 cylinders) > If you repair computers, I have a additional 486/SX 33 that I could throw >in. Glad to take it! >>remember the XT being the first IBM, but I might be wrong. > >The IBM PC (model 5150, IIRC was the first PC...you can tell that one from >the TX sinc the PC had a small funny keyboard (very small, oddly placed >"Enter" key), 5 slots (the XT had 8) and a Cassette plug next to the >keyboard one. Also, the case said "IBM Personal Computer" instead of "IBM >Personal Computer XT". The motherboard was redesigned in the XT (the PC, >for >example, had 2 banks of DIP switches on the motherboard, instead of one). >The XT counted out memory when it booted up, the PC just gave you a >flashing >cursor to stare at. > >Actually, the IBM 5100 was the first desktop computer. It had 8" drives, a >dedicated printer and all that...it bombed, and IBM didn't try again until >the PC. > >>Lessee...I have several Commodores, a couple of VIC-20's (one in original >>box with original packaging, used once.), a couple of Apples... two or >three >>PC's and an XT (I think). It would be better to send *anything* but the >>IBM's, because everything else is plastic-cased, and therefore lighter. >>Still, you're the customer! > I'm new at collecting classics. What is a VIC-20? The VIC-20 was Commodore's first computer...2K of RAM (I think), did sounds and color TV screen stuff. >And what model of >Comodore, Commodore 64 and Apple? Apple II C (I think). I have a TV screen, I even have one in the guest >bedroom that's used once in a blue moon. Didn't the older Apples up to the >IIGS have attached monitors? I don't think so. I'm no Apple expert, though. thedm(a)sunflower.com says he knows Apples and can answer questions. Chuck Cokendale ccdale(a)dcache.net knows Commodores. (I remember a few Macs that had one later >than that...) >>The Post Office tells me that 44 lbs will cost $89 US to send to you. If >you >>have a TV screen, you can save on the cost of shipping a monitor for an >>Apple/Commodore/anything else. (The IBM will work a TV screen with the >right >>card, but colors are funny).

26 years, 6 months

VIC-20 (Was: Re: Sorry, I need to get this to PG Manney, there was)

by photze＠batelco.com.bh

Thanks. I need a good BASIC machine. (This new C++ 5.0 suff's really complicated....) Ciao, Tim D. Hotze ---------- From: Scott Walde <scott(a)saskatoon.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Subject: VIC-20 (Was: Re: Sorry, I need to get this to PG Manney, there was) Date: Sunday, November 02, 1997 5:31 PM On Sat, 1 Nov 1997, Zane H. Healy wrote: > >> I'm new at collecting classics. What is a VIC-20? > > > >The VIC-20 was Commodore's first computer...2K of RAM (I think), did sounds > >and color TV screen stuff. The VIC-20 had 5.5k of RAM (3583 Bytes Free for BASIC) and could be expanded with three banks of 8k for a whopping 27.5k of BASIC RAM. > Actually it's far from thier first. There was several models of the PET, > and another earlier one whose name escapes me (KIT?). KIM-1 ttfn srw

26 years, 6 months

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test-drb November 1997