test-drb November 1999

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

211 participants
749 discussions

by edick＠idcomm.com

The only thing that is in any way familiar about this is the Cipher name. Cipher Data Products was a supplier of 9-track tape drives for most of the time during which 9-track drives were relevant. For example, I've got an S-100 board set and a controller formatter which comes from Cipher. The board set I have seems to be a Pertec-type interface adapter, though, i.e. it uses the same pair of 50-conductor cables. Is that what you have on this tape drive? Is it a 9-track type? Dick -----Original Message----- From: Charles E. Fox <foxvideo(a)wincom.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Thursday, November 04, 1999 10:00 AM Subject: Basic 4 tape drive? > > > I was just bequeathed a batch of Basic 4 bits, terminals, etc. and the >only thing that looks interesting is some sort of tape drive with the >following identification: > > MAI Basic 4 Information Systems > Model 4402 > > and > > Cypher F880640-90-1025U > > Can anyone tell me what this thing is? > > Regards > > Charlie Fox > > > Charles E. Fox > Chas E. Fox Video Productions > 793 Argyle Rd. Windsor N8Y 3J8 Ont. Canada > email foxvideo(a)wincom.net Homepage http://www.wincom.net/foxvideo >

25 years, 1 month

Basic 4 tape drive?

by foxvideo＠wincom.net

I was just bequeathed a batch of Basic 4 bits, terminals, etc. and the only thing that looks interesting is some sort of tape drive with the following identification: MAI Basic 4 Information Systems Model 4402 and Cypher F880640-90-1025U Can anyone tell me what this thing is? Regards Charlie Fox Charles E. Fox Chas E. Fox Video Productions 793 Argyle Rd. Windsor N8Y 3J8 Ont. Canada email foxvideo(a)wincom.net Homepage http://www.wincom.net/foxvideo

25 years, 1 month

HP 9144A, other stuff

by fmc＠reanimators.org

John Ruschmeyer <jruschme(a)hiway1.exit109.com> wrote: > I don't recall seeing 3rd-party 9145 tapes (32-track), but for the 9144 > you want 3M DC600 IOTAMAT-format. 3M used to sell the 15MB/150-foot 9144-compatible flavor as the DC615HC. A former employer tried to get me to use those once, which is how I found this out. After trying one for a while, I declined. Here's why: There are two or three layers of "formatting" on these. The 3M tapes had the lowest layer, the one that must be done at the factory because it requires the full-width head that can write block delimiters. The HP tapes have the next layer as well, the data that is read by the tape drive and which contains usage and block sparing information. If you have an HP3000 w/9144 the VINIT FORMAT command will write this, but in my experiments at the former employer I found it took noticeably longer to format the 3M tapes (perhaps it was testing the tape blocks to figure out which blocks need sparing? I don't know). I didn't think it was worth the couple of bucks we would save per tape for someone to sit on his or her butt waiting for this to happen. But once you do this they do work. And I have no idea how to do this step with a 9000. The third layer? Well, on a 3000 you access the 9144 as though it is a removable-pack disc drive. Fortunately the 3000 has the concept of accessing a disc serially: you use the VINIT SERIAL command to label the "disc" (actually the tape) as a serial volume. I don't think this applies to 9000s but I think for the 9000s you are supposed to pipe tape data through tcio (which buffers the tape drive I/O in a way that reduces wear and tear on the drive and tape). -Frank McConnell

25 years, 1 month

HP 9144A, other stuff

by jeff.kaneko＠juno.com

John: Have you actually tried this? The reason I'm asking is that on the Imation web site, they have a compatibility chart, and the HP 9144 is listed as having 'NONE': HEWLETT-PACKARD, HP9134A NONE HEWLETT-PACKARD, HP9142A, HP9144A/M NONE HEWLETT-PACKARD, HP9145A NONE Although IOTAMAT format tapes are listed elsewhere on the table at: http://www2.imation.com/dsp/cmptblty/dc_drv.html Could it be that Imation is hiding HP's 'dirty little secret'? Jeff On Thu, 4 Nov 1999 09:09:20 -0500 (EST) John Ruschmeyer <jruschme(a)hiway1.exit109.com> writes: > > I don't recall seeing 3rd-party 9145 tapes (32-track), but for the > 9144 > you want 3M DC600 IOTAMAT-format. > > <<<John>>> ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

25 years, 1 month

HP 9144A, other stuff

by jeff.kaneko＠juno.com

Steve: You have a working hp-9000? What model? What OS are you using? If it's a 68020 or higher, I *really* want to talk to you! Jeff On Thu, 4 Nov 1999 09:25:08 -0500 Steve Robertson <steverob(a)hotoffice.com> writes: > I recently pickup up a 9144 and it works great with my HP9000. I've > also got a couple of boxes of new tapes and might be willing to part with > a few if someone REALLY needs them (Joe?). > > Later, > > Steve Robertson - <steverob(a)hotoffice.com> > ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

25 years, 1 month

OT: TANSTAAFL (was: VMS architects)

by mtapley＠swri.edu

Megan wrote: >Sorry... the Nivenisms are: > > TANJ - "There Ain't No Justice" > TANSTAAFL - "There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch" I haven't got my copy around, but I'm pretty sure TANSTAAFL appeared prominently in "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" by Robert Heinlein. Maybe 1969? Anybody got a copy? It may have appeared in a Niven reference earlier, I don't know. - Mark

25 years, 1 month

HP 9144A, other stuff

by steverob＠hotoffice.com

On Thursday, November 04, 1999 4:21 AM, Joe [SMTP:rigdonj@intellistar.net] wrote: > Mike, > > At 12:29 AM 11/4/99 -0800, you wrote: > >A HP 9144A tape thing is sitting at one of the salvage places I go by. > >There is a tape in it, but thats about all I can tell. Location is southern > >Orange county. > > The 9144 is a tape backup. It's HP-IB and can be used EXACTLY like a > HP-IB disk drive. You can even boot from it but it's S-L-O-W and HP doesn't > advise it except in case of emergency. It's capacity depends on which tape > you use in it. The "S" tape has a capacity of 15 Mb and the "L" tape has a > capacity of about 65 Mb. The 9144s are common but the tapes are sort of > hard to come by. I could use the tape if you can get it without any > trouble. The 9144 uses a 16 track tape. The 9145 is similar but uses a 32 > track tape. BTW the 9144 and 9145 both use preformatted tapes. You MUST > use preformatted HP tapes in them. The 9145 can read but not write 9144 > tapes, I have neve been able to find 9145 tapes. > > Joe > > I recently pickup up a 9144 and it works great with my HP9000. I've also got a couple of boxes of new tapes and might be willing to part with a few if someone REALLY needs them (Joe?). Later, Steve Robertson - <steverob(a)hotoffice.com>

25 years, 1 month

New Collector in Need of Help!

by mrdos＠swbell.net

I am kind of new to the collecting game. I am in need of some help. I need someone to tell me where I can find older and larger computers. I have a lot of micros, but now I am looking for bigger game. I have decided to focus my collection on older mainframes and minicomputers. Can anyone point me to sources? I found a local business that has older and larger computers, but the owner and I didn't hit it off. It's really a shame. He had some great stuff. While I was there I had to watch the workers scrap what looked like a very old classic control panel. Also, someone recently offered me a UNIVAC System 80. Anyone know anything about it? Is it something worth having in a collection?

25 years, 1 month

Finally got a "straight" DF32 yesterday - bandwidth saver - many messages inside

by dylanb＠sympatico.ca

Looks like the PDP 8/S will be running a lot more than FOCAL in the near future. Yesterday in our snow storm I picked up: DF32 with docs and "Disk Monitor" paper tapes. This is the first series DF32s with the "R" series modules and no "8I switch". This DF32 has all the interface hardware to connect to the 8/S. This unit was wrapped in plastic and was used as a spare - it looks like it was used very little. I also got a new spare disk for it if I need it. But... the DF32 needs 13 I/O cables to connect to the 8/s. Anyone still selling these kinds of things? 500+ flip chip spares - mostly R (mostly the #s used in the CPU of 8,8/S) and a bunch of A,B,K,W,Z.. no Ms :-) If anyone is looking for any kind of transistor Flip Chip I am sure I can help. I have over 800+ spares now for this system. Hundreds of Flip Chip Test Specs/Schematics - every possible module I have seen. H901 Flip Chip Patch Panels - These are really sweet. You basically plug the flip chips in the back and use banana plugs in the front. Also, (I didn't know this at the time) hundreds of those "plastic" cards for the front of the H901 to make it easy to wire circuits. More Paper tape software - A lot of old DECUS stuff for the 8/s (old dice game, 5,5/8,8), etc.. Two trays of Disk Monitor and PAL III-D. I STILL NEED MANY MORE PAPER TAPE TRAYS! A half dozen more PDP 8/S software manuals. A data General Nova 3 with 2 40 series drives, paper tape high speed reader, and more docs, disks. Another teletype by Leigh (ASR-33)... This one is nice as it has seen almost no use.. Also, 2 more sets of schematics and serice manuals for this teletype. A couple of weeks ago I picked up another PDP 11/34 with 2 RL02s... Next month I will be getting at least one Straight-8, a bunch of Honeywell 316 systems.. I am still waiting to find out which mystery IBM system I am picking in in the near future (was purchased before '68). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- Questions: Is there a company that still sells I/O negibus cables? Has anyone here worked with Disk Monitor? Any special tricks to setting it up or using it? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------- Notes: I am building a quick testing station with the H901s with the 8/s so I can quickly fix these Flip Chips so I can provide a list on my website for anyone who needs one. I got a dedicated internet line now so I will have the 8/S connected to telnet soon. I am hoping to have the drive up and running in a few days so interested people can connect to the 8/s or a Nova. If I can get a good 220V->110V transformer then I can run a couple of PDP 11 systems too. I will update the webpage over the next few weeks to catalog the parts and software I have to help others with their old transistor computers. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------- Updates to members here (trying to save bandwidth) I am just starting to move my personal collection from storage and have found many versions of complete sets of documentation for RT11, RSX-11M/PLUS, and RSTS/E - ver 7.0,9.0, etc..) also many original distribution sets for many of the above PDP 11 O/Ss. As I am trimming my collection of minis pre '73 (unless they are REALLY something) and many 11s. I am not going to waste anyones time waiting for "will trade for" or anything like that... reasonable $$ will take it. Kevin: Will get back to you on the 11/45,TS03 this week. Chuck: I am going to storage this weekend. I will look for the RK8E cables for you. I don't need them as I don't like any "IC" PDP-8.. well, maybe an 8I. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------- Enjoy! john Enjoy...

25 years, 1 month

Nx 586

by jolminkh＠nsw.bigpond.net.au

Hans Franke wrote: >> >Not classic I know, but maybe more obsolete than some 10 year old computers >> >perhaps? > >> Now this comment I like!!! It sums up my feelings about the collectibility >> of x86 based systems designed to run Microsoftian OS's. > >Well, the NextGen is (was) a quite remarkable step. And for >PCs, I'm already starting to aquire some early Pentiums. >Dual P60 server systems _are_ already vanishing. > Well I've put aside some P60's with the floating point bug at least. >Anyway, what kind of Nx586 boards are offered ? > Don't know yet, I'm still negotiating price. They're in Australia. Hans Olminkhof

25 years, 1 month

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test-drb November 1999