Just had a bunch of "stuff" dropped off at the store, not the least of
which 2 AT&T 3b2/EXP boxen with 5.25" floppies & several RJ-type ports in
the back, and we also got a x86-based AT&T box (386, methinks) and in it
there is an 8-bit board with the follwing markings:
"TIL-XPC" and "TIL SYSTEMS LTD. XPC91 REV 2.0"
It's got 4 RJ45 ports (I'm guessing RS-232, from all the 1488's &
1489's...) 4 R6551's, an MC68B54 & an MC68B09EP... Is this just a 4-port
serial board with the 6809 playing traffic cop, or is it an "elusive" OS-9
- based SBC?
If it's the former, not any great shakes to me (tho I might keep it just in
case I need replacement parts for my CoCos...) but if it's the latter...
I'll be looking for some software... ;-)
Thanks for any help,
Roger "Merch" Merchberger
--
Roger "Merch" Merchberger -- sysadmin, Iceberg Computers
zmerch(a)30below.com
What do you do when Life gives you lemons,
and you don't *like* lemonade?????????????
Hi folks --
This is probably not the forum for this question, but I don't know where to go
with it.
I've got lots of earlier IBM PC equipment and software (i286-i486). My
storage facility is closing down and I've got to move it or lose it.
Where do I post list of this equipment for pickup? It's in Oakland, CA right
now.
-- Roy Zider
415-956-2413
I'm passing this along. If interested, please contact the original
sender.
Reply-to: bobbrill(a)migate.net
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2003 11:10:01 -0500
From: Bob Brill <bobbrill(a)migate.net>
Subject: A sturdy old computer for sale
I've got the following items for sale, all in good working order
(with the exception of the keyboard).
Compaq 386 (20 Mhz speed, 60 MB hard drive, one 5.25" floppy
drive, one 3.5" floppy drive, keyboard, Hercules monochrome video
card). Built like a tank. Still works great. The keyboard has a
few bad keys, but since it is a standard AT keyboard, it would be
easy to replace. Comes with all the original software and
manuals, including DOS 3.3, Basic, Hercules utilities and fonts.
Samsung monochrome (amber) monitor. (Works well with the Hercules
video card.)
Iomega external ZIP drive with SCSI card, software and
installation instructions.
Artist XJS video card with BNC cables, software and manuals.
Supports three display resolutions, non-interlaced: 1024 x 768
(16 or 256 colors), 1280 x 1024 (16 colors), 1600 x 1200 (16
colors). The 2 MB of onboard memory can be configured to lie in
the address space of the host computer, a very advanced concept
for the time.
Irwin 400 series tape backup unit with ISA card, manuals, backup
software and nine 60 MB tapes.
Bob
**************************************
* *
* See algorithmic imagery at: *
* http://users.migate.net/~bobbrill *
* *
**************************************
--
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org
* Old computing resources for business and academia at www.VintageTech.com *
>From: Joe <rigdonj(a)cfl.rr.com>
>At 11:00 PM 3/7/03 -0500, you wrote:
>>>Damm! Now there's something that you don't see everyday!
>>
>>I wonder how many are out there in private (non government) hands.
>>
>>I have seen one, in the D-Day Museum in New Orleans.
>
> I doubt there are any still in governement hands except perhaps in museums.
But stop and think for a moment, every unit of the German army, air force, navy
and even railroad police had one during WW II. They must have made tens if not
handreds of thousands of these! And that's not including the ones that were
probably used by Germany's allies.
Hi
It is most likely that this is one of the ones that
was made after the war. Quite a few of these were made
for other governments after the war. You'll note that
he never said that this one was used during the war
or mentioned a manufacture date.
Dwight
I used to babysit an AT&T StarServer, a 486 Unix box. It had a board in it
(unfortunately I rarely had the oppoutunity to have the box open and don't
know what the board was labeled) that served as a multiport serial
connection. It could connect to 4 "concentrators" that were flat metal boxes
with 16 RJ45 port serial ports that went to dumb terminals. Your card might
be similar. The RAM could be for buffering.
BTW, the concentrators were very touchy and often failed. They were also
static sensitive.
Bob
-----Original Message-----
From: Roger Merchberger [mailto:zmerch@30below.com]
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2003 9:11 PM
To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org
Subject: 6809 Board ID, take 2...
<snip>
The system this came out of was an AT&T "StarSystem" - a 386 clone w/10Mbit
ethernet, VGA & the usual stuff on the mobo... I may spark up the system
tomorrow, just to see what kind of schtuff might still be on the HD...
Anyway, if anyone's got a clue, I'd be most appreciated!
Thanks,
Roger "Merch" Merchberger
Hello All,
Can anyone post the dip/jumper settings for this multi-function card?
Also, does anyone know if it claims to be Super Serial Card compatible?
I'm trying to run ADT over it but not having much success.
Thanks.
dc
Sounds like he's run into the baby-sister of Radiant company's proprietary
"Power-8" serial card (loosely based on an old Boca design). Its an 8-port
powered serial card made to handle 8 RJ45/RS-232 connections, and is driven
by a rather bulky (and balky) DefaultX command appliction (similar to a
fusion of config.sys and autoexec.bat all rolled into one). It sports a
"Basis" CL-PD6729-QC-E and 2 "XP" ST-16C554DC9 chips, as well as a few that
aren't quite readable. When it works, its a wonder. When it fails (it
always seems to fail one-port-at-a-time...) its a nightmare. (Ever wanna
see what happens when the peripheral at the other end of the RS-232 is also
powered?? How about ungrounded??)
Cheers!
Ed Tillman
Store Automation Tech Support Specialist
Valero Energy Corporation
San Antonio, Texas, USA
Office: (210)592-3110, Fax (210)592-2048
Email: edward.tillman(a)valero.com <mailto:edward.tillman@valero.com>
-----Original Message-----
From: Roger Merchberger [mailto:zmerch@30below.com]
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2003 6:51 PM
To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org
Subject: Re: Please help with Board ID
Rumor has it that Tony Duell may have mentioned these words:
> I wrote before that...
> > "TIL-XPC" and "TIL SYSTEMS LTD. XPC91 REV 2.0"
> >
> > It's got 4 RJ45 ports (I'm guessing RS-232, from all the 1488's &
> > 1489's...) 4 R6551's, an MC68B54 & an MC68B09EP... Is this just a 4-port
> > serial board with the 6809 playing traffic cop, or is it an "elusive"
OS-9
> > - based SBC?
>
Anywho, I'll write back when I have pix... Tony - is there any format of
pictures you can view, or are you text-only? I have some software that can
spit out IFF (Amiga, isn't it?), SUN, SGI & Targa...
William Donzelli wrote:
> Calling an Enigma a computer is really stretching the definition. They
> are incredibly simple machines - the internal circuitry consists of not
> much more than a battery, wires, the wheels (fancy rotary switches,
> basically), a plugboard, and a bunch of lightbulbs.
Simple is as simple does
If you need to build a computer the size of
a small room to decipher an Enigma then I
would not call an Enigma simple.
As for computers - the abacus has been used
for a thousand years to perform calculations
in situations that would make the use of a
Pentium 4 either inappropriate or impossible.
So what does that have to do with computers?
Well it was humans doing mundane calculations
that were first granted the title of computer.
In order to be PC :) I choose to define a
computer simply as "A machine that calculates".
Under this defintion I include not only human
beings but also the human brain. Of course,
compared to the human brain, Pentium computers
"are incredibly simple machines - the internal
circuitry consists of not much more than a
battery, wires,......"
Hans Franke wrote:
> Well, as far as it goes, a computer needs to be able to:
> a) have a stored (changeable) programm
> b) execute instructions conditionaly
> c) do a loop
> sometimes also cited:
> d) a way for input/output
I would disagree with this even if you would
have said digital computer.
My definitions are:
Computer - A machine that calculates.
Digial computer - A computer that performs mathematical
operations in a sequential manner on discrete variables.
Analog computer - A computer that performs mathematical
operations in a parallel manner on continuous variables.
--Doug
=========================================
Doug Coward
@ home in Poulsbo, WA
Analog Computer Online Museum and History Center
http://dcoward.best.vwh.net/analog
=========================================
Free scanning electron microscope to whoever wants to come haul it away. It
was left by the previous occupant of my lab, and it's blocking the hallway.
I want it out of there.
There are four main pieces, plus some parts and manuals in boxes. I don't
know anything about this, but I will describe it's appearance:
- microscope unit
- desk high box with precision stainless steel tower, shoulder high
- ISI Robinson detector mounted on side
- Perkin Elmer gizmo mounted up high
- other probes and sample holders sticking out at odd angles
- very rocket science
- no other name plates visible without moving a lot of stuff
- viewing station and analog controls console
- name plate: ISI WB-6
- built-in CRT
- lots of knobs and buttons
- very mission control
- Tracor Northern computer
- floor standing console a little larger than an ASR-33
- two 5" floppies
- card cage inside
- Intel 8080 microprocessor
- keyboard
- no hard drive, don't think it ever had one
- separate RGB CRT
- a 2' box with lots of wires and tubes coming out of it (vacuum pump?)
- a 3~4 gallon tank that looks like it bolts on the side of the tower
- a small rack with instrumentation modules in it
The date plate on the back of the viewing console says 1985. It was used by
our semiconductor quality control department to look at the insides of
integrated circuits. Rumor has it that there is a vacuum leak in this
somewhere, it probably needs a new gasket. It is already uninstalled and
ready to roll away.
I found a web page with a picture of a similar unit. Our machine has an very
similar viewing console, but we have more stuff mounted on the microscope
itself.
http://www.optics.arizona.edu/Milster/Labdescriptions/Misc.htm
***NOTE***
This thing has a radiation sign on it (X-rays). Transportation and use is
regulated by the Ohio Dept. of Health, Division of Radiology. I understand
you need to get a permit to move, own, or operate it. If you are really
interested in this, you need to know how to get the required permits.
If you are interested I can take some pictures and send them.
--
Jonathan Engdahl Rockwell Automation
Principal Research Engineer 1 Allen-Bradley Drive
Advanced Technology Mayfield Heights, OH 44124
http://users.safeaccess.com/engdahl j.r.engdahl(a)adelphia.net
Hi all, I don't know if anyone is doing anything with the original
PC, but when I had mine I converted it to an XT with a 15meg
hard drive. I ended up typing in the PC monitor and modifying
it so the bios had a drive entry for the hard drive I had purchased
(actually I bought a 10meg and they gave me a 15meg instead).
I have a zip file that has both the orginal source and my modified
copy if anyone is interested. Just email my privately and I will
pass the ZIP on.
best regards, Steve Thatcher
