test-drb March 2001

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

214 participants
552 discussions

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

From: Mark Gregory <gregorym(a)cadvision.com> >I seem to recall Stephen Coonts mentioning the A-6's nav system computers in >"Flight of the Intruder". IIRC, there's a passage where the navigator resets >the computer, and its mentioned that it uses rotating drum memory. That Your memory is correct. Also trying to "reset" it harder to unjam the drum. >would make sense for early versions of the A-6, since they were designed in >the late 1950's. Because of the A-6's extraordinarily long service life, it >wouldn't surprise me if it hadn't been fitted with every generation of >computer technology from drums to microchips during its many avionics >overhauls. At least 3 possibly 4 generations with the "Wild Weasels" EA-6s being in the more recent group with ARM, ECM and high altitude radar tracking platform. Early aircraft computers (pre 1980 as they generally had a 2-10 year lead over commercial) would be an area of interest here. Allison >Cheers, >Mark. >

23 years, 4 months

'Metric' Time (was: New Here)

by jeff.kaneko＠juno.com

On Mon, 5 Mar 2001 12:56:44 -0800 (PST) Ethan Dicks <ethan_dicks(a)yahoo.com> writes: > --- Tony Eros <tony.eros(a)machm.org> wrote: > > Yeah, let's get rid of all those stupid non-metric > > measurements. Especially those pesky units of time. I mean, what > idiot > > came up with "seconds", "minutes" and "hours", anyway? The > "hours" even > > repeat twice every "day" -- how stupid is that! > > Hopefully this is meant humorously. The second _is_ a metric unit > of time, even though minutes/hours/etc are not reckoned in decimal > intervals. Actually, this idea of 'metric' time is nothing new. There exists watches from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, whose dials read *ten* hours, divided up into 100 minutes of 100 seconds each. Most of these came from France, as a government decree made them necessary, as per this quote from: http://www.xs4all.nl/~rkeulen/watch/metric.html "During the Revolution, the French tried to reenforce the 12 months/ 360 days - year, using a decimal timescale, adding 5 days of festivities at the end of the year. A day consisted of 10 hours of 100 minutes. Minutes were devided in 100 seconds. 10 days made a "week", called a "dekade". There were 30 days in a month. The republican calendar was not a succes and lasted only from 1793 till 1805." It appears that 'metric' timekeepers (and timekeeping) were unpopular even in their own day. (Aren't you glad?) OB Classic (to keep this even remotely n topic): The Jacquard Loom was developed at the end of this period, the worlds first programable piece of manufacturing equipment. (Perhaps those 9-day work-dekades were beginning to piss him off . . . .). ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.

23 years, 4 months

Now we are into cars and planes

by gregorym＠cadvision.com

-----Original Message----- From: Joe <rigdonj(a)intellistar.net> To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org <classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org> Date: Friday, March 09, 2001 8:12 PM Subject: Re: Now we are into cars and planes >At 07:09 PM 3/9/01 -0500, Alison wrote: >>From: Joe <rigdonj(a)intellistar.net> >>>> >>>>The A6 intruders during the Veitnam era were serial based on >>>>a fixed disk. It was part of the nav and targeting system and >>>>not fly by wire. >>>> >>>>Allison >>> >>> I recently had a memory unit for an EA-6. It used core memory. It >>was >>>SN 001 and the ICs dated from 1966 if I remember right. Of course, there >>>was probably more than memory in the EA-6. I sold the unit but I can dig >>>out the description and pictures if anyone's interested. >> >> >>EA-6 is later and used updated hardware. > > It's hard to think of core memory as "updated" hardware. :-) I hate to >imagine what an *earlier* fixed disk looked like! > > Joe > I seem to recall Stephen Coonts mentioning the A-6's nav system computers in "Flight of the Intruder". IIRC, there's a passage where the navigator resets the computer, and its mentioned that it uses rotating drum memory. That would make sense for early versions of the A-6, since they were designed in the late 1950's. Because of the A-6's extraordinarily long service life, it wouldn't surprise me if it hadn't been fitted with every generation of computer technology from drums to microchips during its many avionics overhauls. Cheers, Mark.

23 years, 4 months

Need docs on Dataproducts Typhoon 20 printer

by rhblake＠bigfoot.com

While the printer isn't 10 yrs old it is semi-obsolete by industry standards for commercial machines. I have obtained a Dataproducts Typhoon 20 in great condition and need documentation for it and Dataproducts has none on their site. They do have software but the Win98SE drivers are actually better. The printer is essentially the same as a Xerox 4520/4520mp or a Compaq PageMarq 20 with differences being mostly in the electronics (logic board). Otherwise all three printers are same-o, same-o. If anyone has a manual they don't need and want to sell/trade for or know of an electronic copy somewhere I could download it would be appreciated.

23 years, 4 months

Identifying parts on a VT100 logic board

by flo＠rdel.co.uk

I've just received some VT100 boards and I have several questions. I have a VT125 case containing monitor and PSU, but with an empty card cage. Can I just plug in a board and fire it up? (Assuming that the PSU is OK, since I wouldn't know how to load it in order to test it.) There are four socketed chips together, labelled E40, E45, E52 and E56. Does anyone have the schematics and know what these contain? Three of these (E40, E52 and E56) contain AM9218 2Kx8 ROMs, but I can't find a pinout of this. Is there a pin-compatible EPROM (2716?) that I could set my PROM programmer to, in order to upload these? The fourth chip, E45, is labelled differently on the two boards Board 1. Signetics K8340 / CN7295N / 23-033E2-00 / (c) DEC 1978 Board 2. [logo S] 8015E / C48008 / 23033E2 I assume that 23033E2 is DEC's part number, but I can't find references for either 8340 or 8015. Is this another ROM? Paul

23 years, 4 months

RFC: ROM dump archive

by optimus＠canit.se

Since I've got myself a pretty little EPROM burner, and seem to have a lot of ROMs and ROM sockets around, I thought that it should be worthwhile to create a central repository for all those ROMs which are so difficult to get nowadays. Is this a good idea, or has somebody already done it? I don't care much about copyrights, though I wouldn't want to go against the wishes of the actual owners of the software contained. Any thoughts? -- En ligne avec Thor 2.6. VIRGO (Aug 23 - Sept 22) You are the logical type and hate disorder. This nitpicking is sickening to your friends. You are cold and unemotional and sometimes fall asleep while making love. Virgos make good bus drivers.

23 years, 4 months

Now we are into cars and planes

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

From: Joe <rigdonj(a)intellistar.net> >> >>The A6 intruders during the Veitnam era were serial based on >>a fixed disk. It was part of the nav and targeting system and >>not fly by wire. >> >>Allison > > I recently had a memory unit for an EA-6. It used core memory. It was >SN 001 and the ICs dated from 1966 if I remember right. Of course, there >was probably more than memory in the EA-6. I sold the unit but I can dig >out the description and pictures if anyone's interested. EA-6 is later and used updated hardware. > I've got a Lantirn targeting computer right now but I haven't opened it >up yet to see what's inside. I've also got a largeish aircraft navigation >computer but I don't know what it came out of and I haven't opened it up >yet either. Interesting, some were generally known machines majorly repackaged or standard hardware special boxes. Allison

23 years, 4 months

Now we are into cars and planes

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

From: Joe <rigdonj(a)intellistar.net> >>EA-6 is later and used updated hardware. > > It's hard to think of core memory as "updated" hardware. :-) I hate to >imagine what an *earlier* fixed disk looked like! > It's my understanding that the first version was of the same general design as Minuteman-1 missle computer and similar transistor machines of the early 60s. Even the Accumulator was a "track" on the multi headed disk. Allison

23 years, 4 months

Old complete terminal in a keyboard found...Synertek System Corp KTM-3..odd?

by LFessen106＠aol.com

<< Is it fully populated or are there some empty places. It came in two versions. 40 and 80 column. The 40 was missing a number of chips. If it is a real 80 column, I'm looking for one. I already have two 40 column ones. I also have schematics for these on blue print paper. I could make copies for anyone that needed them. Dwight PS It is composite video. You just need the screen to make a full keyboard/monitor. >> That is just too cool! I have to have one.... What kind of terminals are they, and does anyone have a spare they would like to get rid of? -Linc.

23 years, 4 months

Old complete terminal in a keyboard found...Synertek System Corp KTM-3..odd?

by LFessen106＠aol.com

In a message dated Fri, 9 Mar 2001 8:03:18 PM Eastern Standard Time, Claude <claudew(a)videotron.ca> writes: << Hi Well for me too things have been pretty slow my collection is growing and it is now tougher and tougher to find new stuff... Oh yes, I am still hunting for these things : Next box Claude -- The Canuck Computer Collector http://computer_collector.tripod.com >> Claude, I have a friend that has *PILES* of NeXT boxen, their monitors and printers as well. He wishes to sell them very reasonably. The only caveat is he has no cables for them... Anyhow you (or anyone else looking for one) can contact Dave McGuire by email at mcguire(a)neurotica.com Please do me a favor and tell him that Linc sent ya. BTW, for those of you who like to trade equipment, he likes older DEC equipment. -Linc. P.S. If any of you have any NeXT cables, please let me know - I am looking for a mono cable (DB15?) and can't find any anywhere!

23 years, 4 months

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test-drb March 2001