test-drb April 1999

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

170 participants
1190 discussions

Some things make me want to toss my cookies ...

by CLASSICCMP＠trailing-edge.com

>> http://www.bccc.com/nancy/memorydress.html > >Core memory in oscilliscopes? Where did she get that idea? She also talks about medical equipment, which causes me to believe that most of the core memory she gets comes out of pulse height analyzers >from the late 60's to the mid 70's. These look a lot like oscilliscopes to the untrained idea (they have a CRT, lots of knobs, BNC jacks, etc.) -- Tim Shoppa Email: shoppa(a)trailing-edge.com Trailing Edge Technology WWW: http://www.trailing-edge.com/ 7328 Bradley Blvd Voice: 301-767-5917 Bethesda, MD, USA 20817 Fax: 301-767-5927

25 years, 2 months

More 3rd Party DEC boards

by healyzh＠aracnet.com

Hmmm, this is really odd, I found some more boards that I don't seem to have inventoried today. Anyone have any ideas on these? Versatec PDP-11 Matrix control This is a dual height board, but I'm pretty sure it's for a UNIBUS system, thanks to the wierd connector sticking out the side of it for another board. DILOG DQ342 Quad Height, has a 34 and a 10-pin connector SCD-RQD11/EC Quad Height, 4 20-pin connectors, 1 34-pin, and 1 10-pin. 3 LED's 2 green, 1 red. I think it's a Sigma ESDI controller, based on doing a DejaNews search, it also looks like it _might_ be basically a rebadged WQESD controller, since the one article talks about WOMBAT. Is this correct, and can I just use my WQESD manual for it? Plessey P/N 705920-100A Quad Height, RAM board Zane | Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator | | healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast | | healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector | +----------------------------------+----------------------------+ | Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, | | and Zane's Computer Museum. | | http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ |

25 years, 2 months

The "FIRST PC" and personal timelines (Was: And what were the 80s

by CLASSICCMP＠trailing-edge.COM

>Or what would your definition of Micocomputer be? I suppose we have to >establish that first. graphic monitor and floppy drive, with hard drive >optional, would seem a good start. By those standards, even an IBM 5150 (aka "IBM PC") wasn't even a microcomputer. I think that sort of definition is way too narrow. Then a gain, I despise most any kind of exclusionary definition. But that doesn't leave one with much in the way of definitions left, does it? :-). I *do* like the web page that Sam pointed out ( http://www.blinkenlights.com/pc.shtml ). I may not agree with the final positive, but I do agree with all the previous negatives :-). And that Arkay CT-560 looks pretty nifty! Tim.

25 years, 2 months

How scarce (valuable) is core for the PDP-8?

by jdykstra＠nortelnetworks.com

I have several jars of ferrite cores made by IBM sometime in the late 1950's. I don't know exactly what size they are, but they can be hand-wired without a stereo microscope. I know, because I built a plane of 1x64x64 when I was in high school in 1971. (I was very determined to build my own computer.) The project was abandoned when I went away for college, which was probably a good thing, because my analog design skills were not up to creating the drive and sense circuitry. As I recall, I used something like #60 enameled wire. One of the challenges was stripping the insulation off the ends of the wires without damaging the copper. If anyone is seriously intending to build a demo core memory system, I'd be glad to provide a couple of hundred cores. I'd recommend something like a 16x16 array, unless you're looking for a project to make a 20-to-life sentence go faster. ---- John Dykstra jdykstra(a)nortelnetworks.com Principal Software Architect voice: ESN 454-1604 Enterprise Solutions fax: ESN 667-8549

25 years, 2 months

More pdp-8 Docs Added

by kstumpf＠unusual.on.ca

Thank you man. Lots of work followed by lots of benefit. Yours in good faith. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- Kevin Stumpf * Unusual systems * www.unusual.on.ca +1.519.744.2900 * EST/EDT GMT - 5 Collector - Commercial Mainframes & Minicomputers from the 50s, 60s, & 70s and control panels and consoles. Author & Publisher - A Guide to Collecting Computers & Computer Collectibles * ISBN 0-9684244-0-6 .

25 years, 2 months

PC Jr

by fpp＠concentric.net

On Mon, 26 Apr 1999, PG Manney wrote: > I recently acquired a PCjr with a bunch of software. Machine's very clean. > > I'm not really that interested in playing with this beast. Should I sit on > it as an investment? Is it worth anything now? Dnyone interested? It is a relative situation. Value is what is it worth to you or the buyer. A few points about the computer. There are not that many floating around for sale. It was a flop for IBM but it also was IBM's entr?e into the "Home computer" market. This gives it some weight. The PC and its siblings had supplanted the PC jr and nailed the lid on the coffin, but I would hang on to it, it will not become valuable for a while but it is a "place marker" in the history of computers. What did its introduction mean to the industry? Altair- first viable personal computer, Apple I computer, first of the longest lived manufacturer. (Yes IBM has been around longer but not as a PC maker) 1st Sony PC, the design and implementation of the 3.5" diskette, Tandy the first mass market machine not only sold in computer stores, Commodore Pet, First computer to make the cover of a national general circulation magazine (Popular Science) and from a calculator company no less; using calculator keys for the keyboard. The Commodore also set a standard for selling computers to computer dealers in their original selling agreements. Vector Graphics, first computer company founded and run by a woman. Osborne, the computer made by the guru of computer hobbyists and Kaypro, first generally accepted computer for the average business person. Want to know the value of a computer? Is it a piece of hardware or a point of computer history, did it change the way things were done? Good luck.

25 years, 2 months

How scarce (valuable) is core for the PDP-8?

by Philip.Belben＠pgen.com

I wrote > BTW Siemens make some torroidal cores down to 1mm thick ferrite, slightly larger > in other materials. RS Components stock some - http://rswww.com/ and go in > through the catalogue: "Electronics", "Transformers/Inductors/Ferrites", > "Ferrites", "Torroids" (sic). There are even data sheets but I didn't manage to > download them. So it seems that RS and I made the same spelling mistake. I think "Toroid" and "Toroidal" are the correct spellings... P.

25 years, 2 months

XXDP+ 2.5

by healyzh＠aracnet.com

NOTE: my problems are at the end of this message, got carried away to the extent someone might find this to have some useful info :^) I'm trying to run some tests on my /44 and have been having loads of fun with my lack of doc's on XXDP+. Note, for people in the same boat, I'd recommend Pete Turnbull's notes http://www.dunnington.u-net.com/public/XXDP.ps Though the best help I've found is having the doc's on the hardware I've tried to test. The /44 Tech Manual says to run 1-11 of the following tests in order (NOTE: I added the XXDP+ column). MAINDEC Operating Title XXDP+ 2.5 Diagnostic Sequence --------------- ------- ------------------------------- ----------- CKK FA <xy> 1 11/44 Diagnostic ROM* CKK AA <xy> 2 11/44 CPU/EIS KKAAB0.BIC CKK AB <xy> 3 11/44 Traps KKABD1.BIC CKK TA <xy> 4 11/44 Mem. Mgt. Prt A KKTAB1.BIC CKK TB <xy> 5 11/44 Mem. Mgt. Prt B KKTBD0.BIN CZM 9B <xy> 6 M9312/11/44 UBI Boot ZM9BE0.BIN CKK UA <xy> 7 11/44 UBI Map KKUAE0.BIN CKK KA <xy> 8 11/44 KK11-B Cache KKKAC0.BIC CZM SD <xy> 9 MSL-M/L Memory ZMSDD0.BIN MS11-L/M/P Memory Diagnostic ZMSPC0.BIC CZD LD <xy> 10 DL11-w/MFM SLU ZDLDI0.BIN CKK AC <xy> 11 11/44 Power Fail KKACC0.BIC CKF PA <xy> 12 FP11-F Part A KFPAD0.BIC CKF PB <xy> 13 FP11-F Part B KFPBC0.BIC CKF PC <xy> 14 FP11-F Part C KFPCD0.BIC CZK EE <xy> 15 PDP-11 CIS Instr. Exerciser ZKEEC0.BIC CZK UA <xy> 16 UNIBUS Systems Exerciser Diag. ZKUAE0.BIN CZK UB <xy> 17 UNIBUS Exerciser Module ZKUBC0.BIN *Included with the M7098 UBI module. CKFPA ||\/| || |Indicates a series of diagnostics: A= part 1, B=part 2, C=part 3, etc. || | (this is what the PDP-11/44 Tech Manual claims, I'm not convinced || | that it was followed) || Indicates a specific device tested by the diagnostic: || "FP" = Floating Point Diagnostic || "RK" = RK05 (disk diagnostic) |"K" indicates a specific diagnostic for the PDP-11/44 system. "C" indicates a PDP-11 diagnositic (not used on diagnostic disk pack or magnetic tape). <xy> = x = Revision Character (alpha) y = Patch Number (0-9) My single biggest problem seems to be stopping a diagnostic once I've started it. So far I've been resorting to stopping the CPU and rebooting, but one would think that there must be a better way, and that I've missed it. My second problem is the first test, I can't find a KKFA*.* test. Is there another test I can run on the diagnostic ROM? #3 is #3, but I think this is proper behavior CKKABD0 11/44 TRAPS NO FLOATING POINT OPTION PRESENT NO CIS OPTION PRESENT CONSOLE 17777707 023252 >>> Problem #4 isn't that big a deal, the "M9312/11/44 UBI Boot" diagnostic complains that the DD and DL ROMS are in as DL and DD, while it wants DD and DL. #5 may or may not be a problem with the cache (real problem is my not knowing how to interpret it). CKKKAC0 11-44 KK11B CACHE RMI REGISTER (G5179) NOT USED-SKIP HI ORDER BIT ADDRESS TEST UNIBUS EXERCISER NOT USED-DMA TESTS NOT PERFORMED END OF PASS # 1 END OF PASS # 2 END OF PASS # 3 <etc,etc,etc> I solved #6 by finding and substituting the ZMSPC0 memory test for ZMSDD0. Opps, guess I didn't try step 11, and 12-14 can't be done at the moment as the FP11 isn't installed, and I don't have a CIS for #15, 16&17 both complained. Zane | Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator | | healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast | | healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector | +----------------------------------+----------------------------+ | Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, | | and Zane's Computer Museum. | | http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ |

25 years, 2 months

Mystery UNIBUS Boards?

by jrbrady＠mindspring.com

Greetings All, Can you help identify these UNIBUS boards? They were found in a BA11-K expansion box in a VAX 11/750. The VAX was used to run the equipment in an MRI trailer. I didn't remove the system and don't know to what type of equipment it was originally connected. 1) Full size genuine DEC hex board, no "M" number on spine. "DIGITAL" and "BSWU-T" etched on front. Two stickers, marked "835084" and "4522 117 2760". 93 TTL chips, 18 PAL chips, 5 DIP switch blocks, two 50-pin connectors for ribbon cables. On rear side, "4522 111 91963" etched and a sticker with "PR32.4B" and "MB6024ET". 2) Plessey Peripheral Systems quad board. Marked with "P/N 703680- 100E" on front, "703679-001 REVB" on rear. 7 chips with stickers "218 101C, 102C, 103C, 104C, 105C, 100 UK30, UK2A". 62 TTL chips. 1 50-pin connector with cable to what appears to be an interface board (#3 below). 3) 8" by 10" board connected to Plessey board above. 2 50-pin connec- tors on top. Etched with "C-FTR", "FDD-FTR", "FTR-FTR". 12 26LS31 & 32 chips, 10 TTL. Instead of card-edge fingers, has 2 3-level male 3x32 pin AMP3485 connectors which plug into corresponding female receptacles in BA11-K box (one group of hex slots replaced with these). Any help identifying these boards is appreciated. Doubt I'll ever use them, but nice to know what they might be! BTW - Posted this inquiry to comp.sys.dec & alt.sys.pdp11 awhile back so it may look familiar. Thanks, Jason Brady jrbrady(a)mindspring.com Lynnwood, WA

25 years, 2 months

TRW Swaps/CompuCrawls

by jpl15＠netcom.com

Well.. amplifying what Sellam has written... the very first SoCal CompuCrawl is in the history books. It takes up about two sentences. ;} The Gathering was small but intense... we had big fun, tho. I gave away some lonely equipment to a Good Home, and we played with some of my Geek Toys. I got a cool t-shirt with 'GEEK' emblazoned boldly for all to see and snicker at. Marvin behaved himself for the most part, and law enforcement assistance was thankfully not required at any time during the entire soiree. Since there were several of Us who apparently had to cancel at the last minute, I am strongly considering having another next month, instead of next quarter (september) as I had originally planned. Also, various folks mentioned to me that logistics and/or transportation issues affected their participation. Anyone needing a ride to-from should contact me directly and we'll sort it out. So again: if there is any interest between now and the next SoCal TRW swap meet, on the last Saturday of May (the 29th? 30th?) from local and visiting Listmembers, I will again hold a Vintage Computer open house after the TRW swapmeet and post-swap Brunch, and thereafter, quarterly. Mark Your Calendars! (Use spray paint this time) Cheers John

25 years, 2 months

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test-drb April 1999