test-drb February 1999

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

178 participants
709 discussions

by kyrrin＠bluefeathertech.com

The Teledisk Pro group buy is growing larger by the minute. Here's an update. Based on continued strong interest, I have decided to extend the buy to TWO copies of Teledisk Pro. I will continue (barring any objections) as the focal point for both copies. NEW DEADLINE: If you want in on the group buy, please send me a private E-mail note indicating as much. The deadline to send in your request is by Wednesday, March 3rd, at midnight (Pacific time). That should allow enough time for this bulletin to circulate on the list. UPDATED COSTS: As of Sunday, 28-Feb-99, 10:05 PST, we have 38 people interested. This brings the cost down to about $7.98 per person. This assumes a total cost of $300 for two packages plus $3 shipping (303 / 38). THIS FIGURE MAY GO DOWN if more people jump onto the bandwagon. I will post updates as they occur. As of 10:08 PST, Sunday, Feb. 28th, we have 12 (Twelve) license shares still available. Thanks again to all for your interest. This is certainly a cheap way to get a nice utility. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Bruce Lane, Owner and head honcho, Blue Feather Technologies http://www.bluefeathertech.com Amateur Radio:(WD6EOS) E-mail: kyrrin(a)bluefeathertech.com SysOp: The Dragon's Cave (Fido 1:343/272, 253-639-9905) "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..."

25 years, 2 months

Pre-Rescue scouting mission - info needed (nicolet, Decitek, and DG)

by jlwest＠tseinc.com

I decided to run over to the surplus store this morning for a closer look at the nicolet. It's in the front window so even though they're closed I could get a good look at it. I also saw some other gear I never really noticed before and would like to ask the list members for info. 1) Nicolet There are two units. The first is a model NIC-80 Data Processor. It looks identical to the unit on sellam's website. There's three rows of lights labelled AC (18 lights +1 L light), IR, and PC. Below that is a set of switches for the SR (switch register?). Top left is a "sweeps complete" display. There's two yellow buttons in the upper right labelled "data processor". Top center is a row of buttons labelled 'memory allocation', with labels off to the left and right of "start" and "size" respectively. There is a rotary knob labelled "vertical display scale", and several buttons below that labelled 'ADC resolution'. Below that is two knobs labelled Constant A and Constant B. Across the bottom are buttons for step, deposit, examine, load PC, single ins, continue, and start. Finally on the bottom right there are two buttons called Execute and Stop. Bottom right is AC power keyswitch. The second unit is a Nicolet model NIC-298 "diskette storage unit". It has two 8" floppy drives. There's a row of lights vertically on the side called read, write, and ltrack. There's an unlabelled pushbutton on the upper right, and the lower right is a power switch. Questions: The cpu definitely says model NIC-80. How does this relate to the model sellam has? More to the point, can someone tell me about operation of this unit with regards to what OS it ran, what compilers or languages, etc. Did one hook up a terminal to this or was it just console input? What made this unit different from more well known computers (ie. what was it's specialty)? Most importantly, is any real documentation around on this unit (operators guide, schematics, logic diagrams, programming info)? 2) Paper tape reader There was what appeared to be a paper tape reader. Had the leftbay/rightbay arrangement like a PDP PC04/05 with the read cells in the center. The brand name appears to be Decitek. There were two switches in the center, one was a toggle for power, the other I couldn't make out. I could easily be mistaken, but the bays looked much wider than a PC04/05, making me wonder if it took wider paper tape than I'm used to seeing. Questions: Anyone have any ideas what type of system this was compatible with, what type of interface it might use, and does anyone have docs for it? 3) Data General Mag Tape Unit There is a DG 1/2" mag tape unit there too. The unit is about 13" tall by 19" wide, with a clear blue plastic cover. The takeup reel is on the left, and it looks like it supports a very slightly smaller than normal 1/2" tape reel (but larger than the little 8" jobs). The other hub is on the right for your tape. There is a row of controls down the center sticking through the blue cover. The top is a rocker switch for power, next is a group of two lights marked 'ready' and 'write protect'. Lower is another group of two lights marked 'bot' and 'eot'. Next is a rocker switch marked 'unload' on the left and 'bot' on the right. At the very bottom is an offline/online rocker switch, and a light on the online side. Questions: There's no model on this unit I could see from the front. Anyone hazard a guess as to the model number? What type of DG was this usually used on, what interface does it use (pertec, scsi, proprietary, etc.), could it be used on other systems (till I get a DG :) ), and are there any docs available? Finally - I'm still trying to decide if I want to get all of this or some of it (depends on the prices, when I looked today none of this stuff was marked so I'll have to ask the owner). If there's any of it I decide I don't want that others here are interested in - let me know! Jay West

25 years, 2 months

DECstation 316

by mark_k＠iname.com

Hi, (This isn't really on-topic. If anyone knows of a place or mailing list which covers obsolete but not classic computers, please let me know.) Today I picked up a DECstation 316. Since I'm in the UK, this European model may or may not be the same as the DECstation 316 machine which was sold in the US. This is a 386SX-based PC, presumably running at 16MHz. Useful to me because it has 4 ISA slots. The machine came with 5MB RAM and an IBM 171MB disk drive, probably added as an upgrade after purchase. This PC seems to be a rebadged Olivetti; motherboard, PSU and BIOS code say Olivetti. A label on the rear of the unit says Model:PC 651-A3 CMOS battery is almost dead, but the machine seems to work okay. Though when I first tried it the Base unit system test (part of the power-on tests) reported an error. Now it doesn't. There is no reset button on this machine, and it came with a somewhat nonstandard DEC LK250 keyboard. Things I would like to find out: - Does anyone have setup disks for this machine? I downloaded a DECstation 316 setup disk from the Digital web site, but the SPEED316.COM program on that reports "SPEED316 ONLY WORKS ON A DECstation 316." (Which is why I suspect the American machine of the same name is different.) - There is no predefined setting in the BIOS setup menu for the 171MB IBM hard disk (which is IBM-H3171-A2 P/N: 84G3902). There doesn't seem to be a way to set user-defined drive type. What can I do about this? - Does anyone have docs for this machine? There is one jumper and a 26-way IDC connector on the motherboard. What are these for? How is the drive cage supposed to be removed? I can't see any way to do this. -- Mark

25 years, 2 months

IBM mainframes

by Jgzabol＠aol.com

Does anyone have an idea what these IBM model numbers are like more precisely ?? 3380- AD/AE DL131 BE4 3380- AD/AE LK 3380- AD/AE LM135 AE4 3380 "E" DL 3380 "K" BP BK4 3380 "K" BP AK4 3380 "K" LM131 BK4 3380 "D" AD/AE KJ131 3380 "D" AD/AE JJ131 3390 "2" B2C 3390 "2" A28 I am particularly concerned about disks inside these machines; is there anything known ? Is any documentation available ? Thanks and regards John G. Zabolitzky

25 years, 2 months

KA630 CNF?

by emu＠ecubics.com

Hi Megan, ---------- > From: Megan <mbg(a)world.std.com> > To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> > Subject: KA630 CNF? > Date: Sunday, February 28, 1999 7:55 AM > > > Does anyone have any information on the KA630 CNF board? It is used > both with KA630s and KA650s to configure them for coprocessor mode. All I have, is the KA630-AA CPU Module User's Guide. > Since I have never actually seen the board (which plugs into the > KA630/650 directory), I'd specifically like to know what pins I > need to connect to establish the processor as the first, second and > third coprocessor... If i read that right, there are 10 switches on this board. Switch 7 & 8 are defined as: 7 8 off off Arbiter on off auxiliary 1 off on auxiliary 2 on on auxiliary 3 Switch 7 is connected to pin 4 of the J2 connector (20 pin connector) Switch 8 is connected to pin 5 of the J2 connector. Don't have any of this boards, simply out of the manual. Hope it helps, emanuel

25 years, 2 months

New discoveries at the Secret Weapons of Commodore

by ckaiser＠oa.ptloma.edu

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25 years, 2 months

Novice prospectors guide

by yakowenk＠cs.unc.edu

Okay, I'm sure this is going to cost me, but... :-) I've made a first-attempt at a list. You can find a link to it, called "Machines to watch for", from my classiccmp web page, at this URL: http://www.cs.unc.edu/~yakowenk/classiccmp/ I'm open to suggestions on additions and deletions. My current rule of thumb (which is also open to suggestions) is that it belongs on that web page if there is sure to be someone who wants it enough to pay shipping charges for it, or otherwise arrange to take posession of it. While you're there, kindly glance at the Rescue Squad volunteer list, and let me know if your entry needs an update. BTW, how does everyone feel about advertising that? I've considered posting the URL to various related newsgroups, but am torn between the possibilities of increased donations and getting the attention of the wrong people. I'd rather not feed the e-bay "collectables" frenzy. Should I be shooting for "high profile", or just letting interested parties seek us out? Cheers, Bill. On Fri, 26 Feb 1999, Mike Ford <mikeford(a)netwiz.net> wrote: ] Novice guide to old stuff. ] ] I disturbs me to think I have ever walked past something neat, and left it ] to rot or be loaded into a scrap bin. Outside of a fairly narrow scope of ] Apple products I don't know what I should be looking for. I would like to ] see some sort of guide to old stuff, maybe a half or quarter of a doubled ] sided laser printed sheet of paper, that ran down some of the items that ] are hard to find, which I could fold up and put in my wallet. Is there a ] short list, generic or specific?

25 years, 2 months

30-pin SIMMS

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<I have a couple of motherboards sying about which use the SIPP's, though, <and though it's quite easy to imagine SIPP's being as easy as ever to <build, I've never seen a 4MB SIPP. Reason for that is when SIPPs were in use 256k and near the end of life for that config the 1meg parts started to be common. Sipps were out os use by time 4mb parts were getting cheap enough to consider. Often forgotten... at one time 4 or 8mb was a BIG system! Allison

25 years, 2 months

Interesting typewriter

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<BTW: I also saw a Rainbow 100. Anything distinguishing it from any other <CPM/MS-DOS machine? It was a dual processor with z80 and 8088, the bus as not PC (ISA) and it allowed 768 or 825Kw of ram. It was color medium resolution when the PC was still mono. It's noteable in that it ran CP/M-80, CP/M-86 and MSdos. When Running CP/M86 or MSdos the z80 is still operational and services IO for the 8088 giveing it better performance for it's day. Allison

25 years, 2 months

Lucky Day II

by fauradon＠pclink.com

Fine, I got a complete PCjr with pretty much all of the peripherals ever made for it, two joysticks, color monitor, a box of software and the carrying case. So there! Francois >Got a second Altair today. No serial number and missing a capcitor in the >power supply but otherwise it looks like it's in perfect condition. > > Joe >

25 years, 2 months

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test-drb February 1999