OK... I've got a MicroVAX II almost ready to go. However, I'm handicapped
by my lack of any documentation for the RA82 disk drive.
The problem: When spun up, even when connected to the KDA50 controller,
the drive gets up to speed, seeks a couple of times, and then lights 'Fault.'
I'll press the 'Fault' button to try and reset. On the first press,
'Run/Stop' and 'Write Protect' flash. On the second press, it goes through
its seek-and-fault cycle again.
My question: Do I even have the thing wired right? Could someone familiar
with this stuff describe to me which cable goes where, just to make sure
I'm not hallucinating?
The controller seems OK. It passes its internal and service diagnostics,
and when I stare at the LEDs on the two boards long enough I can see some
sort of fast scanning sequence going on about every 5-7 seconds.
I can, if need be, open up the RA82 and see which internal LEDs come up.
Any and all help appreciated. Thanks in advance.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Bruce Lane, Sysop, The Dragon's Cave BBS (Fidonet 1:343/272)
(Hamateur: WD6EOS) (E-mail: kyrrin(a)jps.net)
"Our science can only describe an object, event, or living thing in our own
human terms. It cannot, in any way, define any of them..."
What a surprising day, went to the Stockton Delta College Flea Market (in
California) and found a couple goodies...
First I bought an SX-64 keyboard and C-128 in the $1.00 section of someones
space. I bought the SX keyboard cause I have a second (dead) SX without one
the 128 was because I felt sorry for them having to break a 20 (also I figured
if it was dead I could use its keyboard with that keyboardless 128D I have).
After wandering a bit my wife shows up with a keyboardless SX-64 also from the
same booth's dollar section, what a wonderful woman! (I must've missed that
SX, better have my eyes checked!).
Anyway $3.00 spent and get home to discover the 128 works (missing the F3
key) and the SX has some issues but seems functional (does not boot to BASIC,
just a black screen, but does run carts ok, probably bad BASIC/KERNEL ROMs
also keyboard connector/curcuitry needs work too.)
So far I have bought 3 128s (real cheap) with the plan to use the (supposed
dead 128's) keyboard on the D to discover it was not even a dead machine after
all. Well Sam, (who finds many a dead Commodore 8-bit) I guess Commodore
spirits aren't with you. :)
Almost was tempted to buy a few of someone else's Mac problems (nice seller,
he told the truth on all of em), but I figured I'd play it smart (this time).
--
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
Larry Anderson - Sysop of Silicon Realms BBS (300-2400bd) (209) 754-1363
Visit my Commodore 8-Bit web page at:
http://www.goldrush.com/~foxnhare/commodore.html
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
I personally think that $50 is max for any desktop computer over 10
years old, with some exceptions like Lisas and Apple Is. Anyway, some
guy at the MIT flea today had a whole stack of them. What are they?
>
>I just wanted to find out if people on this list think that $100 for
>an HP85 with printer and tape drive is a fair price.
>
> Megan Gentry
> Former RT-11 Developer
>
>+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
>| Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | Internet (work): gentry(a)zk3.dec.com
|
>| Unix Support Engineering Group | (home): mbg(a)world.std.com
|
>| Digital Equipment Corporation |
|
>| 110 Spitbrook Rd. ZK03-2/T43 | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/
|
>| Nashua, NH 03062 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler
|
>| (603) 884 1055 | required." - mbg
|
>+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
>
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<So what you're saying is that my dream of a steam-driven computer isn't t
<ravings of a madman after all...
Humm... steam driven logic... sequential, genius locomotive.
Ah, err, been done. ;)
Allison
I just wanted to find out if people on this list think that $100 for
an HP85 with printer and tape drive is a fair price.
Megan Gentry
Former RT-11 Developer
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | Internet (work): gentry(a)zk3.dec.com |
| Unix Support Engineering Group | (home): mbg(a)world.std.com |
| Digital Equipment Corporation | |
| 110 Spitbrook Rd. ZK03-2/T43 | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ |
| Nashua, NH 03062 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler |
| (603) 884 1055 | required." - mbg |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
<that relay) in your logic. If you took an electronic logic circuit and
<replaced the gates with relays, the result would be very slow. But if you
<implemented the same logic with relays and redesigned it, the result
<would be possibly useable.
Logic design with realys have different implmentations as a bistable with
gates can be one relay. Stepping relays are inherent counters and can be
made to count to any amount.
I've used realy logic for machine control, operating speed 2 to 5 sec per
interation so fast was not a required thing. Doing sequential work using
relays and switches is really fun. Of course all that drove air valves
so there was air logic too. ;) Oh, and you can do logic with air valves,
air one shots, even flipflops.
Well, I've never seen one. Then again, I've never seen your ass.
Why were they black? Was it a special edition? Were the beige ones
or the black ones first?
>
>> its just getting worse by the minute check this out from the Obsolete
>> Computer helpline:
>>
>>
>> Matt Antonellis <206-343-7576 P.S.T.>
>> seattle, wa usa - Friday, June 19, 1998 at 18:43:02
>>
>> FOR SALE: $500 rare BLACK AppleIIplus very good condition call MATT
>> ANTONELLIS in SEATTLE 206-343-7576
>
>Rare my hairy ass. This is about as rare as the hair on my ass.
>
>Sam Alternate e-mail:
dastar(a)wco.com
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> September 26 & 27...Vintage Computer Festival 2!
> See http://www.siconic.com/vcf for details
> [Last web page update: 06/18/98]
>
>
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So how much do you want for my two gallons of distilled enjoyment :)
>Others might disagree with my definition of "worth", but if you think
>you'll get more than $100 of enjoyment out of the setup, then I'd say
>it's worth it.
>
>With all the discussions lately about auctions and pricing, I think
>folks are losing sight that collecting classic computers is something
>that we do for fun, not as an investment! Personally, I get far more
>delight from restoring and using the machines than I do from bragging
>about what I own.
>
>Tim.
>
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My visit to the MIT Flea today was unproductive. But, so it wouldn't
be wasted, I grabbed a Sun 3/50 for $1. It seems to work, and is in
good condition. I looked at the board, it has a 68020. Can someone
tell me more? Also, how do I hook it up to a terminal? Which pins do
I need? I plugged my Mac in, but it didn't show anything. My Mac
serial cable only has pins 2,3,6,7,8, and 21.
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Megan -
> I just wanted to find out if people on this list think that $100 for
> an HP85 with printer and tape drive is a fair price.
I'd have to say probably not. I have a pair of HP-85s that I snagged in the
last 18 months. One cost me $1.00
at a private school flea market and the other cost $12.50 at an auction run
by Goodwill. The system from Goodwill
included an HP padded travel case -- in fact, the system was originally
stacked with some luggage and had not been
bought during that portion of the auction. I found out after I pointed the
system out to the auctioneer and bought it when
they auctioned off the rest of the computer stuff (usually C64s, Atari, and
the occasional Apple IIc or Mac Plus) that I
could have simple asked for a "no bid" sale for the last bid price in the
luggage area and gotten the system for $3.50.
-- Tony Eros
NSIS - ENS/Internet
Wilmington, DE
-----Original Message-----
From: mbg(a)world.std.com [SMTP:mbg@world.std.com]
Sent: Sunday, June 21, 1998 1:35 PM
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
Subject: HP 85
I just wanted to find out if people on this list think that $100 for
an HP85 with printer and tape drive is a fair price.
Megan Gentry
Former RT-11 Developer
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | Internet (work):
gentry(a)zk3.dec.com |
| Unix Support Engineering Group | (home):
mbg(a)world.std.com |
| Digital Equipment Corporation |
|
| 110 Spitbrook Rd. ZK03-2/T43 | URL:
http://world.std.com/~mbg/ |
| Nashua, NH 03062 | "pdp-11 programmer - some
assembler |
| (603) 884 1055 | required." - mbg
|
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
