test-drb August 2000

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

152 participants
352 discussions

by hofmanwb＠worldonline.nl

Does anybody know where on the net I can find PDP-11 paper tape test manuals for an 11/24? This is part of an effort to keep the machine in production for another say 5 years. Thanks in advance Wim Hofman

23 years, 11 months

Thoughts on a datascope

by kyrrin＠bluefeathertech.com

Fellow classiccmp'ers, I have an interesting situation here. It's a 12-year old datascope, made by Atlantic Research (their 'Interview 7500'). I had it apart last night to clean the innards and replace a noisy fan, and I was struck by how beautifully made it was. Fully modularized, plasma display up front, dual floppies, and the entire case made out of that heavy resin-style plastic, sprayed on the inside with conductive coat for shielding. And yet, in the midst of all that gorgeous engineering, there was one fly in the ointment. The unit boots and runs off an ancient Kyocera(!) 20 meg MFM hard drive, run from a dedicated controller port on one of the boards. Now, I know darn good and well that older hard drives tend to be pretty rugged, especially the lower densities. However, I have no backups, floppy or otherwise, for the unit's OS, and I've not had any luck so far finding boot/run floppies for it. I'm fortunate in that it's still working quite well, but I'm also painfully aware that I might be running on borrowed time. Inrange Technology bought out AR's entire line of datascopes, and I do have an inquiry going with them. However, I'm not holding my breath due to the age of the unit. The core CPU in the unit is a Motorola 68010, so it's a pretty safe bet that the OS is not DOS-based. This means the hard drive would likely be unreadable to a PC if hitched, say, to a WD MFM board. Any thoughts on how I can back this beastie up? Anyone done anything with this line of datascope? Thanks much. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 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 (Extra class as of June-2K) "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..."

23 years, 11 months

DEC documentation available

by Mzthompson＠aol.com

With regards to the list of books I posted on 8/16, the following titles have all been spoken for. DEQNA Ethernet User's Guide DHQ11 User Guide VT220 Owner's Manual Mike

23 years, 11 months

On being ripped off

by dhquebbeman＠theestopinalgroup.com

> On Thu, 17 Aug 2000, Merle K. Peirce wrote: > > > > I've got a wonderful bag of tricks. E-mail me off-list. > > > > In Rhode Island, it's traditional to hire professionals to counsel the > > offender and secure satisfaction. They're called hitmen. > > It's not like he bilked Jim out of hundreds of thousands of dollars or > banged his wife. We're only talking a couple hundred bucks. A potato up > the tailpipe and some sugar in the gas tank is more in order. Oh, I think I'd go one step further, and put this guy on mailing lists (snailmail) for everything on the planet, goal being that the mailman leaves an entire bag on his doorstep every day. Might also want to sign him up for membership in the Man-and-Boy Society or whatever that sicko organization is called... heh... -dq

23 years, 11 months

Sad auction story [exidy sorcerer]

by Philip.Belben＠powertech.co.uk

>> The posting consists of a somewhat blurry but decent photo of the >> unit from about 2 feet away, from an angle a bit behind where a >> person would actually sit. The only odd thing in the photo is that there >> are three non-standard toggle switches mounted on top (which I've > > Are those present on the machine you received? If so, it would probably > indicate that what you have is not an adversting mock-up.... I'd go with that! > There is one possibility that's not been mentioned yet. You might have an > Exidy product, but not from a sorcerer system. Some manufacturers used > cases/keyboards of their smaller machines as keyboards on larger machines > -- Acorn did for one. The Acorn System keyboard is mounted in the same > case (or at least a very similar case) to the Acorn Atom home computer. > Did Exidy ever make anything other than the Sorcerer? They made video games, as far as I know (of the self contained, arcade sort, I mean). I once saw one called "Targ" in (I think) a cheap restaurant in Bristol. I can imagine that these would definitely _not_ want a keyboard installed during normal use, but might want one plugged in during maintenance or factory testing. The custom switches would then do things like toggling between run-as-arcade-game and service mode. Just a thought. > Alternatively, if somebody working at Exidy needed a keyboard for a > development system, or similar, it would be likely they'd use parts of a > Sorcerer. They'd be easy to get, and known. > > I thinki it's more likely, though, that either this is a deliberate scam > (not necessarily started by the person who offered this for sale) or that > some hacker years ago needed a keyboard and used parts from a Sorcerer. > The piece of plywood inside the case may have been to weight it down so > it could be _used_ as a keyboard. Also possibilities. > [...] > >> I have had another exchange with the seller enumerating the reasons >> why I feel ripped off and prodding him to share the pain with me. >> >> His reply was, more or less, too bad. I'm sending a slightly more > > Ouch!. This is, alas, looking ever more like a deliberate scam. A > reasonable seller would admit he made a mistake and offer to put things > right IMHO. My guess is that the guy who sold it had no idea what it was, but has spent the money, and so is just going to be bloody-minded about giving it back. Not that it really affects getting the money back, of course :-( I'd tell him that if he doesn't cough up at least some (Say, $50) of your $200 within a week, you will be filing a case against him in the small claims court for $400 - the increase being to cover fees and expenses. After which you will still expect to receive your fees from him even if he settles out of court. That might hurry him up a bit... >> pointed reply at this moment. He even suggested that I try to sell >> it to the 2nd highest bidder. Sheesh. I suspect I won't make any more > > Oh, I see. He misrepresents a product to you and the cure is for you to > misrepresent it to somebody else??? Quite. Philip. ********************************************************************** This message and any attachments are confidential and should only be read by those to whom they are addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact us, delete the message from your computer and destroy any copies. Any distribution or copying without our prior permission is prohibited. Internet communications are not always secure and therefore the PowerGen Group does not accept legal responsibility for this message. The recipient is responsible for verifying its authenticity before acting on the contents. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the PowerGen Group. Power Technology: Telephone +44 (0) 115 936 2000 Fax +44 (0) 115 936 2711 E-mail techinfo(a)powertech.co.uk www http://www.powertech.co.uk PowerGen UK plc Registered Office: 53 New Broad Street London EC2M 1SL Registered in England and Wales No: 2366970 **********************************************************************

23 years, 11 months

Classicmag.net

by lgwalker＠look.ca

> Hello everyone, id like to announce a new project im starting, The > ClassicMag project. The goal of this project is to preserve classic > computing and gaming magazines for extinction. Most of us classic > collectors love to have magazines for the systems we collect as, in > the past the provided an immense resource for reviews, news, > insights and programs. The goal of this project will be to preserve > old out of print magazine issues in a PDF format. These will be > scanned complete issues with advertisements let in, as they are as > interesting and have just as much nostalgia value. Our web site is > currently up at http://www.classicmag.net there's not a lot there as > of yet but with everyone's help I hope to fill it soon. I've got a > tremendous amount of space to be able to host these files. What I'm > looking for is help from the community, if you have old issues, > anything to do with computers or video gaming, please consider > scanning them in getting them to us. If you can't put them in pdf > form, no problem we can work out a way for you to get them images to > us and we will get them in pdf form. I have a small list of > magazines on the site now for some different systems, if you know of > any I don't have listed please email with the details. I want this > to be as complete as possible. I'm going to try and stay with mags > published before 1995. I don't want to run into a lot of copyright > issues. As always if a mag is on our site and the publisher, if > there still around, wishes it not be there we will take it down, but > hope they consider this project worthwhile and let us keep them > there. I believe this will be a great resource for everyone to be > able to get a hold of some mags that are gone, but not forgotten. If > you want to help with this project please email me at > jim(a)classicmag.net . I look forward to hearing from people. > > Thanks > Jim Oaks > http://www.classicmag.net > > Well not to rain on anyones parade, but this sounds like a lifetime project. Kevin Stavetz' excellent Antic and Start page; http://www.atarimagazines.com/ with a lot of help from Atari fans has taken 4 years so far and is still not completed. He also had the permission of the publisher. Antic issues published: 88 Complete text online: 71 issues (80.6%) Downloadable software: 79 issues (90%) STart issues published: 42 Complete text online: 0 (0%) Downloadable software: 30 issues (71%) Total disk space: more than 86 MB I must have over 100 ST Format , ST Review, and ST User mags and this is by no means complete. I also have a single issue of ST Log -- issue 33 !! Then there are many other Atari mags such as Current Notes, Atari Connection, and ST World and a multitude of game mags. And this is only Atari. The Rainbow Coco mag had around 140 issues and was over 100 pages pages in many issues. It is also sold on disk by the former publisher. Zif-Davis also published the TRS80 Color Computer mag and others. Lots of luck with them :^) Future Publishing which put out the ST/Amiga/PC Format and others would likely fall heavily on anyone infringing on their copyright. Perhaps a more realistic goal would be to focus on several discontinued mag platforms or some of the classic mags such as Datamation. TMK a listing of all the computer mags published is not available and would be a valuable aid. Also article indexes of popular mags. IIRC there is one such available for Rainbow. Sorry to be so negative, but a reality check is in order. ciao larry lgwalker(a)look.ca walkers(a)altavista.net bigwalk(a)xoommail.com

23 years, 11 months

On being ripped off

by Glenatacme＠aol.com

Hey Jim (and group) Sorry to hear about your troubles. There are some really rotten individuals out there and advancements in technology just bring them nearer to us all. It was very kind of the group here to suggest that the seller was acting in ignorance, and to also suggest that you might have some legal recourse, but the sad facts are that you've been had, intentionally, and there's very little you can do about it except visit this gentleman at his abode and teach him what he needs to learn about old computers and the folks who collect and use them. Lesson One, "Introduction to Classic Computers," begins with jamming a piece of plywood right up the chute . . . I made a few phone calls today. I live in Orlando FL so I'll assume the "system" here is a typical one. Those living in rural areas or smaller cities might find that they can get better results due to smaller caseloads. The State Attorney's office (that's what they call them here, in most places it's District Atty.) actively discouraged me from filing a complaint when I called pretending to be the victim in this scenario. Reasons: small $$$ amount, giant backlog of cases. The County Clerk of Courts also made it clear that filing a civil suit in Small Claims would be a waste of time and money. The filing charge here is $100, and a $200 suit will be referred to arbitration, and will take a year or two just to make it to court, if it ever does. The Economic Crimes Unit of the Sheriff's Office said they are so inundated with bad checks that they won't even prosecute a bad check if it's less than $150, and since they don't know a computer from a compost heap, they wouldn't touch this one. The USPS rep I spoke with was sympathetic but said that they don't go after one-hit crooks. If 100 people complained about this guy then that might get their attention. So, it's on you. If it were me I wound hound this guy until he gave me back my $$$ just to get rid of me. If that didn't work I would make sure that I got $200 worth of satisfaction out of him, one way or another. Man alive, what a bummer :>( Keep us posted on this -- Glen 0/0

23 years, 11 months

DEC TU-56 Restoration, (Yet another lost cause? :-)

by CordaAJ＠nswc.navy.mil

I'm currently trying to revive a TU-56(dectape drive). Unfortunately, it came with a number of flipchip modules missing (the perils of shopping ebay :-( From what I've been able to determine, I need the following boards: flipchip #(quantity) G742 , G859, M941(2), M531, M040, G851, M117(2), M113(3), M302, M908(2), W032(2) M922(2), M923 I've been rummaging through the hamfests in the area, but so far no luck. If anyone has any spares available, please drop me an email note... I'm quite willing to try my hand at repairing blown modules (or fabricating missing ones, if at all feasible). I'm also going to need a Unibus interface. I'm not certain what the module number for the interface is (I've checked the Dec Module Handbook on Megan's site, but none of the descriptions for the tape controllers mentions TU-56). Anyone know which controllers/Module #'s will work with this drive? Also, the TU-56 manual I downloaded indicated that I might/might not need 5 G888 modules (Manchester Read/Write interfaces) depending on what the drive was connected to. Anyone know any more about this? I'm intending to use the drive on an 11/34a. -Thanks in advance to all! -al- -acorda(a)geocities.com

23 years, 11 months

Covers for Classics

by elmo＠mminternet.com

Anyone have a good source for new dust covers that roughly fit Commodore Pets (9" & 12"), VT52's, and ADM-3a's? My originals have just about, eh, bit the dust.

23 years, 11 months

DEC documentation available

by Mzthompson＠aol.com

On Tue, 15 Aug 2000, Corda Albert J DLVA <CordaAJ(a)nswc.navy.mil> wrote under the Subject: Computer Hardware Documentation Bidders Mailing List? > Over the past couple of months, I've been trying to accumulate > some basic DEC documentation. There is quite a bit available > on the web, but I've needed a number of manuals/schematics/etc. > that I haven't been able to find, and as a result I've been forced > to use E-pay more than I would have liked. I don't know how many > of you out there have checked the DEC/PDP offerings on ebay, > but there has been quite a lot offered recently in the way of > documentation. Unfortunately, I find myself bidding against people > who share my same interest, and it saddens me since I've always > felt that documentation should be available for everyone who wants > it (please, no flames! This is just a personal opinion) <snip> Albert, I agree with the notion that the docs should be available to everyone. Read on... On Tue, 15 Aug 2000, I <Mzthompson(a)aol.com> wrote under the Subject: Last week's haul & some questions > A few weeks ago I got a call from a company (I know a lot of the > folks there) saying they wanted to get rid of the DEC library. > That amounted to a carload of books and tapes. <snip> > > When I went in to get the equipment last week, they allowed me to > rummage through their library and snatch any DEC manuals they had > overlooked earlier. I started to haul all these manuals into the house today and got as far as the kitchen when I realized that there is nothing here that I don't already have. Then an idea came to me. Instead of hauling them into the computer room, I hauled most of the DEC books to the kitchen and sorted it out as to keepers and excess. I want to make the excess available to anyone who wants them. My idea is that if you want one of these manuals, then send me a SASE big enough to hold the book you want, and I will mail it back to you. Below is a list of manuals. Most of these are small single booklets, none more than 1/2" thick, and should fit in an envelope. The list below contains the dimensions of the books. Here's the game plan: 1) first come, first serve 2) email me, stating which book(s) you want. I will reserve the books for you and either email you or post a 'prize list' on the list if traffic warrants. I will try to keep the list informed as to when each book's supply is spoken for. 3) Send me an SASE, one for each book that you want (with exceptions noted below). 4) No coins please, include only folding money as a gratuity for taking this on, or for the therapist I may need. I'm only kidding, all I would like you to include is a note containing your email address and book list to make it easier filling the 'orders'. Besides, I would just blow the money on more computer junk (Oops, I meant stuff). 5) Campout at your mailbox until the books arrive, then enjoy. The exceptions to the one book/one envelope will be where there is also a reference card that will be included with the book. See notes below. Please do not email me and ask for a mess of books to be shipped to you in a box. In essence, I don't want to bother with running clear across town to ship stuff. This way, I only have to go to the end of the driveway. The SASE method is the only way this will be handled. I guess I could make an exception if you show up in the driveway tomorrow morning with your tongue hanging out & drooling all over yourself, but that's the only exception. OK, the here's the list: (last number under dimensions (Dim:) is thickness) Title: BA42 Storage Expansion Box Installation Guide P/N: EK-BA42A-IN-002 Quant: 2 Dim: 9 x 11 x 1/4 Notes: first caller gets the one shrink wrapped copy Title: DEQNA Ethernet User's Guide P/N: EK-DEQNA-UG-002 Quant: 3 Dim: 9 x 11 x 1/4 Notes: This is for the Q-bus circuit card Title: DHQ11 User Guide P/N: EK-DHQ11-UG-002 Quant: 2 Dim: 9 x 11 x 1/4+ Notes: This is for the Q-bus serial card, lot of good info Title: 881 Power Controller User Guide P/N: EK-881PC-UG-003 Quant: 1 Dim: 9 x 11 x 1/8 Notes: One of the few DEC docs with a actual schematic Title: DECserver 200 Hardware Installation/Owner's Guide P/N: EK-D200C-IN-001 Quant: 6 Dim: 7 x 9 x 3/8 Notes: The first caller will have the option of receiving the bonus, the following phamplets: DS200 Commands Mini-Reference DS200 Rackmount Options Installation Guide (shrink wrapped) Allow another 1/8" for these Title: DECserver 300 Hardware Installation P/N: unk Quant: 1 Dim: 7 x 9 x 1/4 Notes: Also includes the Commands Quick Reference phamplet (shrink wrapped) Title: VT320 Installation & User's Guide P/N: EK-VT320-UG-001 Quant: 3 Dim: 7 x 9 x 1/4 Notes: first caller gets the one shrink wrapped copy Title: VT220 Owner's Manual P/N: EK-VT220-UG-001 Quant: 1 Dim: 7 x 9 x 1/4 Notes: spiral bound version Title: DECserver 500 User's Reference Card P/N: AV-LD86B-TK Quant: 1 Dim: 4 x 8 x 1/16 Notes: only the card, sorry no books Title: DESTA Installation Card P/N: EK-DESTA-IN-002 Quant: 1 Dim: 4 x 8 x 1/16 Notes: Title: TK50 Tape Drive Subsytem User's Guide P/N: EK-OTK50-UG-004 Quant: 2 Dim: 7 x 9 x 1/8 Notes: Title: TK70 Streaming Tape Drive Owner's Manual P/N: EK-OTK70-OM-001 Quant: 2 Dim: 7 x 9 x 1/8 Notes: Title: VXT2000 Windowing Terminal - Installation & Getting Started P/N: EK-VXT20-IN.B01 Quant: 2 Dim: 7 x 9 x 1/4 Notes: I know that there is a companion User's guide to this, but I don't have any of them. Title: VR320 Color Monitor - Installation & User's Guide P/N: EK-VR320-IN-001 Quant: 4 (plus 3, see below) Dim: 7.5 x 9 x 1/8 Notes: I also versions for the feriners on the list. EK-AP428-IN.001 French EK-AG428-IN.001 German EK-AU428-IN.001 Italian FYI - This is the monitor used with the VXT2000/VXT2000+ series. Send your SASE to: Mike Thompson 8470 So US Hwy 41 Terre Haute, IN 47802-5198 I am doing this 1) to get rid of the excess, 2) as an experiment to see if the SASE idea will work well. Here's hoping. Mike

23 years, 11 months

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test-drb August 2000