test-drb December 2001

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

243 participants
1096 discussions

by mhstein＠usa.net

Sorry 'bout that ;( Yeah, I've wished for a time machine myself a few times recently; been kicking myself as well over some of the stuff I've tossed. mike ---------------Original Message------------ Date: Sat, 22 Dec 2001 02:20:39 -0700 From: Ben Franchuk <bfranchuk(a)jetnet.ab.ca> Subject: Re: CoCo & MOS books M H Stein wrote: > > Three more books available: > > RS TRS-80 Color Computer Technical Reference Manual 26-3193, 69 pages > > RS TRS-80 MC-10 Micro Color Computer Service Manual 26-3011, 47 pages > (Photocopy purchased from RS) > > MOS Technology MCS6500 Microcomputer Family Programming Manual, Jan '76, > 8 1/2x11, approx. 200 pages. Will throw in Synertek 6500 & 6500B data > sheets full of timing and cycle time info so you can join the > fascinating (!) discussion presently raging among Dick, Allison & Ben. Sure now you tell me 10 years I last had a COCO. You would not believeb the old computers I have thrown out do to 1) lack of software. 2) lack of docs when they break. Mind you most of the computers have been $10 specials but they would have been nice to keep. Also a lot of data-books and old byte and kilabaud magazines that I would have liked to keep got too wet in storage. The 6809 is the cleanest cpu for opcodes and for timing too. And to add to the chaos the FPGA cpu's I am building have even another variation in memory access - a 6809 style access with good setup and hold characteristics. - -- Ben Franchuk --- Pre-historic Cpu's -- www.jetnet.ab.ca/users/bfranchuk/index.html

22 years, 9 months

HP 1000/E

by steven_j_robertson＠hotmail.com

Took deliveery of my "New" HP 1000/E last week and yes Virgina, there really is a Santa Clause. For those who would bash eBay, here's proof that there are good deals to be had. http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1294677875 Obviously there are no disks or OS but otherwise, the computer seems to be complete. Considering it's age, it's in remarkably good condition. All the cards aand covers are in place, very clean inside. Cool! I powered the thing up and it seems to work. I have absolutely no experience with these machines so, I really can't say for sure. When powered up, some of the lights do come on and I can select different registers and toggle data in and out. So... What's next? I'd really like to see it do "something" even if it's only blinking a coule of the lights. If someone could provide a SIMPLE routine to make it do that, I'd be grateful. Once again, I don't have any exposure with this thing so, I'll need pretty explicit instructions. I'm not familiar with all the cards but, from what I can tell, there is no ASYNC card in the box. I think it was originally used with a HPIB terminal. I do have some HP terminals but, none of them have HPIB interfaces. If anyone has a ASYNC card the'd be willing to part with, please let me know. I'm not sure what the licensing issues are but, would really like to find a OS for the system. I've got plenty of HPIB disks, tapes drives, etc... so copying the OS shouldn't be an issue. If anyone can provide a reasonable solution to getting the OS, once again, I'd appreciate it. Thanks for the help and Happy holidays to all, SteveRob _________________________________________________________________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com

22 years, 9 months

M8650 async board problem

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Dec 23, 1:22, Pete Turnbull wrote: > On Dec 22, 23:15, Tony Duell wrote: > > > As the fault wasn't on the M8650, why did they cut that track? Did they > > just never want interrupts? > > I've no idea. It wasn't cut by the previous owner; he doesn't know why > either. I've just realised something. The machine was used in a real-time process control system in the pharmaceutical industry. If that system was designed as a "hard" real-time system, then interrupts would be verboten, as then it would be impossible to calculate the worst-case execution times for scheduling routines. I guess this was built not very long after the Flixborough disaster in 1974 -- an event still used as an example in safety-critical systems design courses. My guess is the designers just eliminated all the unlikely problems they could, as well as the likely ones. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

22 years, 9 months

D*A*T*A* I*/*O* M*a*n*u*a*l*s

by mranalog＠attbi.com

CLeyson(a)aol.com wrote: > Try http://www.spies.com/arcade/TE/index.html for the 29A programmer. > Lots of other goodies there too :-) Well DAMN. I thought I was supplying files not on the web yet. Thanks for the link. --Doug ========================================= Doug Coward @ home in Poulsbo, WA Analog Computer Online Museum and History Center http://www.best.com/~dcoward/analog =========================================

22 years, 9 months

ROM preservation (Dataman S4)

by CLeyson＠aol.com

Apologies - my calling the S4 an overpriced toy was out of order. It is a very compact programmer and will program just about anything. I just never liked them - I could never manage to press the right buttons to get it to do what I wanted - and then the battery went flat :-( Just me being dumb. Chris

22 years, 9 months

DEC Support & Service CDs (was PDP 11/34 Console & cards)

by fcharp＠rogers.com

Okay, so I dug a tad deeper into the DEC service CD-ROMs and found a lot there. In terms of manuals, the 2 CDs include no less than... 852 (!) PDF-encoded manuals -- yes, that's 525 on one CD and the balance on the other. Remember the VAX technical library room? Ours was covered with orange manuals wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling.. Well I have the feeling that these 2 disks contain all of those and then some. The manuals cover everything from operator's manuals to CPU programmers reference, diagrams, bulletins. DECserver, Alpha desktops, storage units. And that's just for manuals. The disks also contain software libraries that include bios, drivers, etc... The index files alone take a fair bit of room. I thought for a minute that I could post them here, but I gave up as soon as I saw the size of them. So.... If you are interested in the index files, email me. I will have a run of disks made. NOT FOR SALE, only giveaways. I'll seed 5 or 10 of those who want it, and they can take it from there and pay forward by obliging other people. Cheers and all that sort of things, Frederic Charpentier P.S.: now, if only this kind of documentation archive existed for S-100 systems... Almost makes you want to take up VAX systems. Then again, I'd probably need to somewhat upgrade my home electrical switchbox. Or I could move next to a nuclear power plant...

22 years, 9 months

ROM preservation (Data I/O system 19)

by CLeyson＠aol.com

Dave McGuire writes: > If you're serious about programmable devices, Data I/O is the only > real choice in my opinion. The company's policies leaves a bit to be > desired...their software updates are prohibitively expensive, and it's > nearly impossible to use their earlier programmers without docs > because you need to translate chip part numbers to "device numbers" to > enter into the programmer...but other than that the boxes are great. I agree with Dave, Data I/O were, and probably still are, THE recommended manufacturer for programmers. The system 19 with the Unipack fitted will program 16, 18, 20, 24 and 28 pin DIL packages. It will also handle 2704's and 2708's with odd programming voltages. If anyone ever needs any help with this programmer I've got the manuals including schematics. Chris Leyson

22 years, 9 months

F/S: Atari Model CX-2600 and More

by CLeyson＠aol.com

Sellam Ismail wrote > The only thing it has going for it is the original box. Hmm... I sort of agree. It's a classic games machine just like the C64 or Sinclair Spectrum. OK it ain't a number crucher but it's still a classic and introduced a lot of people to computing (hopefully). Chris Leyson

22 years, 9 months

[geeks] IBM RS/6000 7012-3XX

by wilby98＠yahoo.com

I will be heading to a computer market tomorrow in Amsterdam and am on the lookout for an IBM RS/6000 7012-3XX type box. I found quite a bit of technical information at the IBM web site but was interested in a few other details. Assuming I find one: 1. How important is it that it have a key? 2. How important is it that it have media or able to boot up? (Can I download and install the appropriate version somewhere?) 3. What is an approximate cash value? 4. Are components easy to come by or should I really take a look to make sure everything is there? Thank you, Bill Amsterdam, NL _______________________________________________ GEEKS: http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/geeks

22 years, 9 months

how to clean a PDP8/A, dishwasher?

by gunther＠aurora.regenstrief.org

Hi, I have that itching to start up my new PDP8/A even without disks attached. Have a programmers console, so that's enough to enter a few programs. It's intriguing to see a machine with a simple input method and convenient IO programming abstractions, it is possible to bootstrap this system entirely >from scratch with only a manual. But first I need to give this thing a good cleaning. A friend has assured me that there's nothing better than the dishwasher, with the exception of big capacitors and, what about magnetic core memory? So, how should I clean the RAM cards? How the DC power supply units? If I put the other stuff in the dishwasher, I know there should be no detergent and no heat dry. But what about the rinsing aid, do I have to pump this out of the reservoir? I heard of another method using hand-washing first, then drying and finally a bath in Isopropanol. Is that what I should do with the core memory cards? Finally, finally, I noticed that the cards are all slightly bent from being kept in a horizontal position. They are sagging a little, like a hammock. Would that be a cause of concern in the long run? Should I mount the chassis in an upright position in the future? any other things I should know? -Gunther PS: I am probably going to make one "portable" PDP-8, where the console is mounted on the chassis and the rest of the opening covered plus a handle on the top. That would be neat for bringing into the classroom to teach fundamentals of computer programming, wouldn't it? -- Gunther Schadow, M.D., Ph.D. gschadow(a)regenstrief.org Medical Information Scientist Regenstrief Institute for Health Care Adjunct Assistant Professor Indiana University School of Medicine tel:1(317)630-7960 http://aurora.regenstrief.org

22 years, 9 months

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test-drb December 2001