I discovered several D116 paper tapes in my garage with original labels. I
was wondering whether there was a way I could attemp to read them
manually. The tape has 8 bit positions. Three hole positions, tractor
drive perf line, and then 5 more hole positions.
All the tapes I have appear to be Octal debug, extended debug, ALU
exerciser, Mag Tape Diag. D116 Loader and DG Loader. Is DG format different
than D116 Format?
Most interesting handwritten label is something called "Twiddle" I think it
is a sample program or a front panel light excerciser.
Any Help with decoding Digital Computer Controls D116 Code on Paper Tape?
I have a D116 and the Paper tape reader, but nothing on it's assembly code
Or D116 programming. Asre there any D116 site out there??
Does anyone know or know where I can find the Dip
switch settings for this host adapter? I have a friend who
needs some help. The last time he tried:
http://www.cmd.com/
he was able to get the Dip switch settings, but now they seem
to restrict the site to specific users. Can anyone help?
I know it's bad form to reply to your own posts, but here it is.
--- Ethan Dicks <ethan_dicks(a)yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Today I finally picked up an RCA Studio II home video game...
> ...it uses the RCA 1802 processor (and the 1861 video chip).
>
> Does anyone out there have any pointers to internals information?
I just opened it up... some previous owner has scrawled lots of notes in pencil
about what does what. Address lines labelled, component symbols (on the
solder side), memory address ranges, controller key numbers... Lots of good
info.
The board itself resembles the Quest Elf in its layout style - lots of
room and waves of curved, parallel traces. Outside of the RF cage are
the CDP1802CE, an RCA TA10171V1 (the video chip), four 1822 256x4 SRAMs
($0800 - $09FF), four 1831 ROMs (512 bytes each) [$0000 - $07FF] and the
glue logic: one 4042, one 4001 and one 4515 (which I think is the latch
for the game controllers). The timing and power section is a 555 and a
7805, pretty pedestrian stuff. The date codes suggest a timeframe of 1Q77.
The ROM carts use a .154"-spacing single-sided 22-pin connector, so RatShack
has boards I can use to make my own.
It's just stunning to open this up and have this kind of documentation in
place. The 1802 is a simple beast. This guy obviously did what I was going
to do - start with the known CPU signals and work out. What I _wasn't_
planning on doing was marking up the original. I'm glad he did.
One odd thing about this design - DC power come into the RF switchbox
that clamps to the TV. There is a single RCA cable that connects the
switchbox and the game unit. It appears as if power goes one way down the
cable and video data goes the other way. Strange.
-ethan
=====
Infinet has been sold. The domain is going away in February.
Please send all replies to
erd(a)iname.com
_________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
Today I finally picked up a device I've been searching for since I was
a lad - an RCA Studio II home video game. It is especially precious to
me because it uses the RCA 1802 processor (and the 1861 video chip).
Does anyone out there have any pointers to internals information? I'd love
to pull the ROM and disassemble the code, but with no idea of which I/O
port the video is on nor how the game controllers are interfaced, it makes
reverse engineering the code more difficult (of course, knowing what the code
does can make reverse engineering the *hardware* much easier ;-)
I'm also interested in picking up any game cartridges for this thing. I've
seen a few, here and there on the web. I can probably find some with
Altavista,
but I thought I'd check here first.
Enjoy,
-ethan
=====
Infinet has been sold. The domain is going away in February.
Please send all replies to
erd(a)iname.com
_________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
--- Bruce Lane <kyrrin(a)bluefeathertech.com> wrote:
> At 18:25 24-12-1999 +1, you wrote:
>
> >> Save the LARTs for someone really deserving.
> >
> >Just for the menataly (or it that abrevationaly) challenged among us,
> >what the heck is a LART ? I know about the BART ....
>
> Ah, sorry. LART = (L)user Attitude Readjustment Tool.
At McMurdo, we had the "Network Tutor", a square-cut 24"-long, hunk of hardwood
with a rough handle that was designed to beat the black snowy crud off the
bottoms of trucks before driving on the pristine white snow road to the
airfield
(since the black crud would absorb solar radiation and melt potholes).
When ever a Luser would call with a particularly inane question (it had to
be a _good_ one, mind you), we would suggest to the dispatching technician
that perhaps some Network Tutoring was in order.
-ethan
=====
Infinet has been sold. The domain is going away in February.
Please send all replies to
erd(a)iname.com
_________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
I guess in my old age I've gotten a bit slow on the uptake.
Can any of you Ebay pros tell me what this means?
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=223611784
For those without a browser, this Ebay auction item, under the heading
Computers - Vintage, consists of one word (pointy brackets are mine)
<begin description>
dumb
<end description>
First bid: $50
Number of bids: 0
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help.
Glen Goodwin
0/0
At 01:11 PM 12/24/99 -0600, John wrote:
>There are obviously vastly different levels of resources available to
>those who make a successful business out of vintage computers. My comment
>was aimed at hobbyists, who still make up the heart of this community.
>
>See
><<http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=221488360>http://c
>gi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=221488360> for Data Sale's
>photo of some 300 "headers" from 360/370 machines that they have
>scrapped. It's clear that plenty of 360 machines have become available
>over the years--my guess is that the lack of running personal 360's
>indicates that the obstacles are significant for most people.
Well if these guys expect to get $75 for the metal strip from the top of a
front panel I don't think I can afford their actual front panels. I'm
guessing they want between $600 and $1000 for them right?
--Chuck
On Thursday, December 23, 1999 2:56 PM, John B [SMTP:dylanb@sympatico.ca]
wrote:
> "NOTE--These panels are from machines that have already been scrapped,
many
> more than two decades ago. I too would have liked to see these machines
in
> running condition, but given their size, power and air conditioning
> requirements, etc., I doubt that there would have been very many takers."
>
> Your kidding me, right? I am partnering in with someone on this list to
> restore/sell the next 360 I get and I and my partner have received *very*
> serious offers. Please e-mail if you ever find any 360/1401 parts. I am
sure
> to need them.
Then contact Data Sales at the address I gave in the previous email. They
have two warehouses in Minnesota and one in Arizona filled with salvaged IBM
parts.
There are obviously vastly different levels of resources available to those
who make a successful business out of vintage computers. My comment was
aimed at hobbyists, who still make up the heart of this community.
See <http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=221488360> for
Data Sale's photo of some 300 "headers" from 360/370 machines that they have
scrapped. It's clear that plenty of 360 machines have become available over
the years--my guess is that the lack of running personal 360's indicates
that the obstacles are significant for most people.
I hope you are recovering from your injuries. Have a good holiday season.
-- John
ITS WORKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Special thanks to Tony's idea of hooking up an isolation transformer (6.3V
but rated to 3000V)..
Okay, I did some of Christians tests and I found that the Transformer indeed
was arching into the main supply. (I won two of these scopes on EBay).
Here is the funny part.. I rarely go into surplus stores but tonight I made
an exception. I told the guy at the counter what my problem was and he had a
box full of 6.3Volt isolation transformers rated to 3000KV
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH.. I could not believe it. I bought a few and tried one out.
The scope now has a perfect trace. On XY the dot is crisp and very stable. I
have to align the scope.. but will do so after I get all brand new tubes in
it.
Second funny part, As I was leaving the store I went over to his lightbulb
section (get the hint yet).. Yes, brand new bulbs [equivs] for my 8/S and my
8-I still in the package!
What a day...
I can't wait to get spacewars up and running.
Thanks for the info Chris and Tony, I have one more scope to restore and
have placed orders for another 8 of them... so I have some serious tube work
over the next couple of weeks.
(comments below)
-----Original Message-----
From: Christian Fandt <cfandt(a)netsync.net>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Saturday, December 04, 1999 5:34 PM
Subject: Re: Tube experts! - I need your assistance.
>Upon the date 10:42 PM 12/3/99 -0500, John B said something like:
>>I don't like tubes. My experience with tubes is *very limited*. I have had
a
>>few crash courses over the past few years......
>
>Well John B., I *like* tubes :-) As you may have noticed I'm an electronic
>historian and old radio collector. Tubes pervade my very being it seems. I
>grew up learning about and fiddling with tube gear :-) Love it! Wish I
>could afford getting (or even *finding* an old IBM tube machine like a 704
>or such.) A few others here enjoy the same background. Anyway, I went up to
>my library and dug out my Tektronix type 503 manual. The RM503 is simply a
>repackaged 503 which fits into a 19" rack.
>
The only reason I don't like tubes is because they are very flakey in old
mini computers.. From what I have heard from people who use to support them
every power cycles was a nightmare. I am trying to stick to minis that can
run off of 110/200Volt. I have a lot of design experience in transistors and
IC/analog stuff... little to no tube knowledge.
>Below, I'll speak as if you've had very little exposure to tube circuits,
>'scopes of this vintage, etc. as I really don't know your old technology
>background as of yet. At least others here who are not tube savvy and will
>someday have to fiddle with an old scope may get something out of this
anyway.
>
Very limited.. but I have to use these old tube scopes as I am putting the
original tek scopes back into the minis.
>>Okay, I bought the Tek RM503 for my PDP-8/S. When I turned it on I heard
>>some terrible noises and found the power supply voltages were all over the
>>place (way off , like 10V was 500 etc..).
>
>Not good of course. Limit the on-time while testing please.
>
>>
I did.. to about 30 seconds... Got lucky though.. the 4 transistors did not
die.
>>This scope uses a primary transformer to supply the 6.3V to most of the
>>tubes and has a separate winding for 6.3V for the CRT heater. Off this
>>transformer another winding fed to a voltage doubler and then to an
>>oscillator with another transformer to create a wide range of voltages.
(12V
>>to -3000).
>
>I sense you have a manual too as you give a good basic layout of the power
>supply and indicate expected voltages.
>
Yes, I got it with the scopes.. I do have to buy a bunch of RM560s. Do
youhave any manuals for those?
>>
>>Picture this... the -3000 volts is fed right into the CRT heater (which
>>happens to be directly coupled with the primary transformer). I have been
>>able to locate the problem somewhat. If I remove the -3000 volt line
between
>>the HV rectifier tube and the CRT itself then the scope works fine! All
>>waveforms are proper and the power supply works great (no picture of
>>course).
>
>So, by removing the -3KV line, things settle down.
>
Yes
>First thing in mind is that either of the two pots in the voltage divider
>resistor string may be arcing over to ground. They are the FOCUS and
>INTENSITY controls.
>
The focus *kind* of worked... nothing on intensity.
(they both work now)
>Second thing and at least this is easy to check, does the CRT heater light
>up? With the -3KV left disconnected from the CRT do you measure 6.3 to 6.5
>volts AC across the heater connections (pins 1 and 14)?
>
Yes
>Third thing, and most undesireable, is the CRT envelope got broken and the
>tube went to air. This will *definitelly* cause arcing inside the CRT's
>electron gun. You know the shiny metallic spot you often see inside vacuum
>tubes? That's the gettering which basically had taken up most of the
>leftover oxygen after the manufacturer had drawn a vacuum on the tube and
>tipped it off. Never saw a 503 tube so can't say where to find it but it
>usually would be on the inner surface of the neck somewhere maybe 5 or 10
>CM in from the base. If you see a milky white spot on the inner surface of
>the envelope in that region then the tube's gone to air :-(
>
Thanks.. I wil check out the other scope I have to work on next.
>You mention that instead of 10 volts you measured 500. Thank Heaven this is
>not a solid state scope!!! Smoke City!!
>
I know.. What scares the hell out of me is I am hooking this thing up to my
8/S.. I am going to put some highvoltage diodes between the 8/S,8I and the
scope to make sure if the scope goes bananas I don't blow a few hundred
transistors in the minis.
>>
>>It can be a few things... I am hoping someone here who use to work on tube
>>units might be able to tell me which problem below it most likely is:
>>
>>#1) A bad HV rectifier tube causing the HV to come back to the second
>>transformer which would put a few thousand volts back into the secondary
>>winding taps causing high voltage everywhere.
>
>A shorted 5642 HV rectifier tube would present a high frequency AC voltage
>of some level on the -3KV line. Maybe 5-7 KVAC peak to peak. The freq would
>be 25KHz as generated by the 6DQ6A oscillator tube. Hard to see the little
>filament in the 5642 to verify whether its glowing and you really cannot do
>any measurements with a standard voltmeter on this part of the circuit
The 5642 was glowing and arching inside (looked really bad).. It is happy
now.
>(your meter would not tolerate the high voltage unless you use one designed
>for, say, 5KV or more.) I'll assume you may not have such a meter and
>cannot measure even the -3KVDC. Check to see if the tube envelope is
I do. I worked in a TV repair shop in my early teens for weekend money.. I
picked up the high voltage meter when the business went south.
>broken. This tube has gettering also and see if it's milky. The filament
>could fail and flop down onto the plate thus making a short circuit. Been
>there, done that. I haven't hunted for 5642's for a long time and they may
>be hard to find now. But I know one of the ham radio community folks could
>come thru if they have a junker Tek 'scope on hand for parts. Let me know.
>
I found a canadian retailer that has them in stock:
http://www.sphere.bc.ca/test/tekparts.html
also,
http://www.vacuumtubes.com/ has all the tubes in stock (all new in the
box).. It is costing me over $300 for three sets of the tubes though :-(
6DJ8 Amperex tubes are over $30 each :-(
>>
>>#2) Bad insulation on the primary transformer secondary "crt heater"
winding
>>which jumps over to the other winding that happens to be the main
>>powersupply winding (125V X 2)
>
>Turn off all room lights this evening, close shades if the city lights are
>bright too. Turn on unit and look for faint arcing around the circuit. Keep
>your hands in your pockets! ;-) You may smell ozone from the arcing. The
>FOCUS and INTENSITY pots are in the resistor divider circuit and are
>mounted on the front panel. Listen carefully to help zero-in on the noise.
>Keep your earlobe in your pocket too! ;-) {ZZZapp!}
>
>>
>>#3) The -3000 volt wire is closely tied to the other low voltage wires. Is
>>insulation breakdown possible due to a crack?
>
>Yes. Do the lights out trick to verify . . .
>
>>
>>My next step will be to take a reading on the primary transformer (first
>>transformer, secondary winding [doubled winding]) and see if thousands of
>>volts are there... That might help determine if there is an insulation
>>breakdown but from what I can tell when the -3000V is hooked up every
>>voltage goes crazy.
>>
>>I am going to bed.. Hopefully I wake up to a great answer ;-)
>
>Hope this helps John. Sorry to be late with this but family stuff and my
>schoolwork got in the way all day.
>
Thanks for the info. It is much appreciated. I have a lot of these scopes to
quickly restore....
john
http://www.pdp8.com/
>Let me know if you need other info/help. Regards, Chris
>-- --
>Christian Fandt, Electronic/Electrical Historian
>Jamestown, NY USA cfandt(a)netsync.net
> Member of Antique Wireless Association
> URL: http://www.antiquewireless.org/
>
I just had a kind of odd request.
This one's for the Apple gurus on the list: Is it at all possible, through
hardware, software, or 'other,' to read 5.25" floppies written on an Apple
IIe on a PC?
Taking that one step further: Has anyone heard of the word processing
program 'Zardax,' and if so, do you know if it's possible to convert its
files to a more common format?
Thanks in advance.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Bruce Lane, Owner and head honcho, Blue Feather Technologies
http://www.bluefeathertech.com // E-mail: kyrrin(a)bluefeathertech.com
Amateur Radio: WD6EOS since Dec. '77
"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..."
