test-drb December 2004

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

243 participants
530 discussions

Possible to speed up I/O subsystem of 5150?

by trixter＠oldskool.org

I have a few IBM model 5150s that I use to code entries for programming competitions and I'd like to try to speed up the hard disk in any way possible. (If you're curious what my last project was, check out http://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=13722 to download and try it out -- it displays full-screen full-motion color video with sync'd sound -- yes, on a 4.77MHz 8088, no fooling). I've been looking for any way to speed up the hard disk subsystem (currently WD1002 with Seagate ST225) and I simply can't get more than 130KB/s out of the darn thing... so: - Is there any MFM/RLL 8-bit ISA controller that can read disks at their full 1:1 interleave? If so, where can I get one? 3:1 is the best I've been able to get using the above MFM combination. I haven't tried RLL yet because I don't have any RLL controllers. - If not, do such things exist as 8-bit ISA IDE controllers? I have lots of "little" IDE drives (320MB and 540MB models) that I could hook up. I attempted not one but TWO 8-bit Plus hardcards (both 40MB models), thinking that the embedded drive/controller combo would be better, but my experience with Plus Hardcards (even the 16-bit 120MB versions) is that, after about 8 years, the damn EEPROM forgets everything and it doesn't boot (no BIOS, get a 1701 "controller error"). So I couldn't get either of them to work. (As a result I have 4 Plus hardcards that I am *this close* to throwing away, unless someone has an idea of reviving them :-) Any advice? Or should I just try to find an EMS board and cache my data instead? (Speaking of which, does anyone have a LIM EMS board for sale/trade? Can't seem to find one of those either.) -- Jim Leonard (trixter(a)oldskool.org) http://www.oldskool.org/ Want to help an ambitious games project? http://www.mobygames.com/ Or check out some trippy MindCandy at http://www.mindcandydvd.com/

19 years, 7 months

TTYs for the deaf

by msokolov＠ivan.Harhan.ORG

Hello folks, I have a question about those TTYs that the deaf use. Are they real Teletypes, like ASR33 and friends, or not? I guess probably not, because it would be so super-cool if they were that it's probably too good to be true, but I thought I would ask anyway. So what are they? Are they normal ASCII terminals with standard modems built in, or something entirely different? Can one pretend to be deaf, go to some social service or whatever agency asking to use a deaf TTY, and dial into a timesharing host or BBS with it? It also seems like there are two kinds of deaf devices, TTY and TDD. What's the difference? MS

19 years, 7 months

5-1/4' drive on modern PC

by jfoust＠threedee.com

At 11:50 AM 12/11/2004, you wrote: >There are such devices though I think they use ABS plastic. Newer ones (3D >printers) seem to be using dust of some kind (starch?) with water or something >sprayed on the dust with an ink-jet head. Once having been in the 3D market, I have a small collection of objects >from UV-cured stereolithography and Z Corp's starch-based system, including one of my head as scanned by a laser body scanner. - John

19 years, 7 months

Anyone need 27128s?

by acme＠gbronline.com

I just acquired a large pile of 27128s and 27C128s -- clearly pulled from sockets, and as of yet untested. I thought I'd offer them to the list first. Ten for $10 plus postage. If no takers, I'll clean and verify 'em and put 'em up on the Web site for $3 each. Please contact me offlist. Later -- Glen http://www.acme-sales.net

19 years, 7 months

Anyone need 27128s?

by sales＠acme-sales.net

19 years, 7 months

5-1/4' drive on modern PC

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Tom Peters" <tpeters(a)mixcom.com> > >There was an attempt to "simplify" connection of multiple floppy drives >(meaning TWO) at one time by adding a "twist" to the cable-- some >conductors in the ribbon are cut out and reversed, which is a sort of >"cable select" for floppy drives. > >I seem to recall in this case that one would jumper both drives as drive A >in such a case, or as DS0. > >Stupid idea. Use a straight thru floppy cable and jumper one for DS0 and >one for DS1. We get it. > >If you intermingle the two drive select ideas you may have problems where >both or niether drives light up and niether can read. ---snip--- Hi As I recall, the two drives with the twist were actually DS0 and DS2 as seen by the controller. If using a straight cable, one had to skip DS1. Dwight

19 years, 7 months

Subject: Re: Got a HP 2648. Now what? Now women on list

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: Ladyelec(a)aol.com > >In a message dated 12/9/04 8:21:47 PM Central Standard Time, >cctalk-request(a)classiccmp.org writes: > > >> ubject: Re: Got a HP 2648. Now what? >> To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" >> <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> >> Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.61.0412091313390.12343(a)fiche.wps.com> >> Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII >> >> > I'll keep going: >> >> So. Are there any women (left) on this list? Hmm... I wonder why. >> > >Ya'll have at least one. >ME! >Isa > Hi Isa What type of machines are your favorites? Most of the women we've had in the past were into the heavy metal machines. You know, "If you could pick it up, it really wasn't a computer." Dwight

19 years, 7 months

5-1/4' drive on modern PC

by melamy＠earthlink.net

there are commercial machines that use a liquid photopolymer and a laser. You can scan a 3d object or feed in a autocad drawing. The object is then "built" from the bottom up 4 thousands of an inch at a time. You can create up to a final object size of a cubic foot with one machine I have seen. Its really cool to watch it make a part. The photopolymer is around $5 an ounce though (I seem to recall). > > I've daydreamed about a rapid prototyping machine that used > > relatively inexpensive hot glue sticks to create plastic 3D models. > > > > - John > > > > > >There are such devices though I think they use ABS plastic. Newer ones (3D >printers) seem to be using dust of some kind (starch?) with water or something >sprayed on the dust with an ink-jet head. > > >Peter Wallace

19 years, 7 months

Subject: Re: Got a HP 2648. Now what? Now women on list

by Ladyelec＠aol.com

In a message dated 12/9/04 8:21:47 PM Central Standard Time, cctalk-request(a)classiccmp.org writes: > ubject: Re: Got a HP 2648. Now what? > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" > <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> > Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.61.0412091313390.12343(a)fiche.wps.com> > Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII > > > I'll keep going: > > So. Are there any women (left) on this list? Hmm... I wonder why. > Ya'll have at least one. ME! Isa

19 years, 7 months

Got a HP 2648. Now what?

by allain＠panix.com

> Was that Alison? I remember the name from the > list way back and wondered what had happened ... That makes two. Megan and Alison. I think MBG tends to check for interesting topics to comment on every few weeks (Thank-You). In general, She is ex-DEC and this list is less DEC oriented than it used to be. I'm tempted to go over to a netnews list. And we do have a few lurkers running Internet shops and things. There are just some things that don't help you meet women. My college had a 9:1 ratio. The MIT swap meet looks like about 20:1. ** On the other hand, this is a great place for women to meet men. ** John A.

19 years, 7 months

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test-drb December 2004