I'm surprised it didn't occur to me earlier to ask what I'm about to on the list. ;-)
Fellow classic'ers, I have a very specific set of old radio service software packages that require running. Since they were written back when the 386 was still in the "Ooooh, Ahhhh!" phase, and discontinued soon after, they won't run reliably (if at all) on anything newer than a 486.
Here's what I'd like to find. A small tower-style 486, mini or mid, with PS/2 type ports for keyboard and mouse built in. Speed-wise, it should be in the DX33 or DX2/66 class. It should have switchable "Turbo/Non-Turbo" mode, either from a front-panel switch or from a keypress combination. Finally, it needs to have at least two PCI slots in addition to the usual ISA or EISA.
I also have a need to dual-boot such a box into Windows 95 to do some instrument control applications. As you might imagine, finding a system that straddles this odd middle ground is not easy. It is my understanding that both Compaq and Dell made systems that were very close to, if not exactly, what I'm describing.
Pentium systems, even the earliest ones, will NOT work in this application. It's gotta be a 486.
ALTERNATIVE: If someone can find me a late-issue National Instruments MicroChannel GPIB card, I can put the PS/2 tower I have here into the application, and it should do just fine.
Please let me know if you have something that's at least close, and some idea on price or trade. Thanks much.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Bruce Lane, Owner & Head Hardware Heavy,
Blue Feather Technologies -- http://www.bluefeathertech.com
ARS KC7GR (Formerly WD6EOS) since 12-77 -- kyrrin(a)bluefeathertech.com
"I'll get a life when someone demonstrates that it would be superior
to what I have now..." (Taki Kogoma, aka Gym Z. Quirk)
I just got a VAX 6000. More details on the system itself will come later.
Right now, I need to move it the short distance from its warehouse it my
garage. I will probably do this tomorrow. I want to run my logistics plan by
the list and see if there are any problems.
Basically, my idea is to borrow my parents' utility trailer, throw an old
mattress (which I have) in it, lay the VAX on its side on top of the
mattress, and tie down. 3.5 miles later, we'll slide the VAX off and push it
upright. Repeat the process to get the other cabinet.
My only concern ATM is laying the VAX on its side. That won't damage the
enclosure, will it?
--
Jeffrey Sharp
> Fellow classic'ers, I have a very specific set of old radio service
>software packages that require running. Since they were written back when
>the 386 was still in the "Ooooh, Ahhhh!" phase, and discontinued soon
>after, they won't run reliably (if at all) on anything newer than a 486.
I have some friends that make the same claim. That they have
radio/scanner programming software that will NOT work on anything newer
than a 386. I'm curious... WHY? What happens at the faster speeds that
makes it useless? I've tried asking my friends, but they are clueless on
these matters (and actually, all except one had no idea, they were making
the claim simply because they were told that was the case... only one
claims to have actually tried it).
Is it something that is solveable by running some kind of speed killing
software (I had an app that did that. I used it to play old DOS games on
newer Pentium machines. The graphics ran so fast that the games were
unplayable, so I ran this processor stealing software and it slows the
machine down by the % you tell it to).
> Here's what I'd like to find. A small tower-style 486, mini or mid, with
>PS/2 type ports for keyboard and mouse built in. Speed-wise, it should be
>in the DX33 or DX2/66 class. It should have switchable "Turbo/Non-Turbo"
>mode, either from a front-panel switch or from a keypress combination.
>Finally, it needs to have at least two PCI slots in addition to the usual
>ISA or EISA.
Ugh.... should have asked a few months ago. I just junked scores of
486's. I'm sure one of them probably fit your bill (or at least came
close). I have some more coming up to be scrapped, so I'll keep an eye
out.
-chris
<http://www.mythtech.net>
Hello, all:
I have a business trip out to the Bay Area next week (and then on to
Los Angeles). I will probably have a few hours to kill up in the Bay Area.
What are your recommentations for places to visit, including places for
surplus equipment?
Thanks.
Rich
==========================
Richard A. Cini, Jr.
First Vice President
Congress Financial Corporation
1133 Avenue of the Americas
30th Floor
New York, NY 10036
(212) 545-4402
(212) 840-6259 (facsimile)
I can't find the message from the person from the
Philadelphia area that spoke about running a recycling
service with some old equipment to get rid of...
You wouldn't have any TRS-80 Equipment would you?
This whole Model IV thread has got me interested in
getting a working unit again.
Contact me off list if you do.
I would also be interested in any Atari ST or Amiga
Equipment as well..
Regards,
Al
Thanks for the assistance to date!
Actually, I have a second M7800 card installed on the PDP-11/10 machine. I
was having so much difficulty with getting a 20mA terminal (LA36-DP - OEM of
an LA36) to work, I just about disabled the console SLC and reconfigured the
the M7800 to work as the console! I also have M780 spares if I need them.
(If anyone knows anything about the dip switches on the DataSouth Printer
board in the LA-36DP P/n 5120000-1, I would be most grateful!)
As far as memory, there are two 16kw core systems installed on this machine.
I also have lots of paper tapes (mostly diagnostics, but also Fortran
compiler), and 9-track tapes. I am needing to know what I am looking for to
get RT-11 running. What did DEC call their install tapes? eg. Is the
"RT-11 V03B BIN MT9 1/2" tape the boot/install tape?
Is RT-11 the easiest O/S to get installed? I want to get to a point where I
can verify the hardware is all running.
As far as media devices, I have 3 x RK05, 1 x TS03, 2 x RX01, 1 x TU58. I
am trying to decide what will be moved to the PDP-11/10 from the 11/20. The
goal is to have the PDP-11/20 up and running. Getting the PDP-11/10 is just
a step along the way.
Where is this VTServer people had mentioned? I don't recall this item.
Thanks.
--barryM
>From: Ethan Dicks <erd_6502(a)yahoo.com>
>Reply-To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org
>To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org
>Subject: Re: resurrecting a PDP-11/10
>Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2003 08:14:12 -0800 (PST)
>
>--- pavl <pzachary(a)sasquatch.com> wrote:
> > I would strongly recommend using TU58.exe on a host pc to emulate a
> > serial tape drive on your second serial port (you DO have a second slu?)
>
>On a machine that old? Unlikely. Machines of the era before the DZ-11,
>and especially machines that were not destined for timesharing, tended
>to have few serial ports, - a console and probably nothing else. It was
>a boon that a low-end Qbus machine commonly came with a DLV11J with a
>port for the console, a port for a TU58 and two more ports for DECwriters
>or machine-to-machine communication or whatever.
>
>It's easy enough to _add_ a second SLU card, (DL-11something), _if_
>you have one lying around (which I expect he doesn't).
>
> > to boot RT11 off virtual tape so you can poke around and build a system
> > from there.
>
>As a place to put RT-11, a virtual TU58 isn't a bad idea. Hopefully
>wharever emulator you have can emulate both units - the TU58 is kinda
>small, even compared with 8" floppies.
>
> > VTserver is really amazingly great, but you may not have enough ram and
> > booting RT or XXDP from a slu will give you better diagnostics to assess
> > your RK05,etc
>
>How much RAM does VTserver require? Older versions of RT-11 (those
>contemporary with the 11/10) are usable at aroun 8KW, IIRC. Of course
>the full 28KW is nice, especially if you want to run large apps like
>ADVENT, but the CUSPS should all run with minimal RAM.
>
>-ethan
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I just got a Calcomp 563 incremental plotter. Does anybody have a manual
that I could get a copy of or at least know the pinout of the connector and
what the mate is (round multipin). Also does anybody know where I can
get supplies such at the 30" sprocket feed paper rolls (still doing a web
search but only found 36" so far) and the pen. The pen looks like a short
ballpoint cartridge so hopefully I can cut a normal one down if I can't
find an identical one.
Thanks,
David Gesswein
http://www.pdp8.net/ -- Run an old computer with blinkenlights.
Great show Sellam,
I was really drooling over that apple 1 in the wooden
case!
hope to see more classic computers from your
collection
on tech tv.
BTW any more info or updates an that very rare fps
mini?
Bill
