At the TRW swap meet yesterday, I ran across this box:
http://www.rain.org/~marvin/box.jpg. The reason I bought it was that the
overlays had some words that rang of old mainframe computers. There are
three double sided overlays to define what the LEDs mean with
designations such as "Print Scan Counter", "Print Character Generator",
etc. Another overlay has the heading "2314/2841 TROS SAL BITS". There
are two rectangular connectors with cables to connect to whatever this
thing is doing something with:). The only label on the box says
"Infinite Computer". Anyone have any idea what this thing is and is used
for?
On Mar 29, 23:45, Tony Duell wrote:
> The next thing is that you need to consider how much your test gear
is
> used at the workbench rather than elsewhere. If you work on
minicomputers
> and your main item of test gear is a LogicDart, then you take the
> instrument to the machine. If you work on ZX81s using a Tektronix 555
> 'scope, then you bring the machien to the instrument. This will
determine
> if you need to make a permanent home for it at the bench or not.
>
> Think what instruments you need. One that many people forget, but
which
> I'd include if I was setting up a workbench for microcomputer repairs
is
> a video monitor (to cover all the standards you're likely to need).
> Possibly on one of those pivoting arms. A serial terminal on the
bench
> can be very useful too (or you can use an HP95LX or something if
you're
> pressed for space).
>
>
> You can never have too many power points.
Interesting. That sounds not unlike my bench. It's a sensible height
for sitting (decide whether you want a chair, a stool, or whatever).
It has steel support legs angled in such a way as to support the front
of the bench (I can stand on it without qualms) yet not to get in the
way of my knees, and still be mostly vertical. Apart from that, it's
wooden, and has a mat in the centre so that things don't get scratched.
There's a row of 13A power sockets along the back wall in an almost
unbroken line (and half a dozen network/structured wiring RJ45
sockets). A couple of them are European Schuko sockets. Some of the
sockets are on one breaker, some on another (one set has an RCD, one
doesn't). There are a few more mounted under the front edge of the
bench. There's a scope on a wall-mount swivel base, a monitor, DVM,
and Avo 8 on the bench at one side and an SGI Indy on the other side.
The other things like PSUs, signal generator, etc are at the back or
on a shelf. There's a striplight-type desklamp to one side, in front
of a wall of components drawers, and next to that are a load of hooks
for test leads, video cables, etc. Amongst the things that live
permanently on the bench top are my soldering iron, and a small vice.
Some of the things used for testing live on a trolley nearby, along
with a BBC Micro, and the scope can be moved to the trolley if
necesary. There's another trolley with a toolbox also nearby.
It isn't actually very big (as Jules and one or two other listmembers
can testify), in fact it's quite small. Crowded, even.
I'll reiterate the last line I preserved from Tony's post. You can
never have too many power points. Or RJ45s.
--
Peter Turnbull
<postmaster(a)dunnington.u-net.com>
On Mar 29, 16:06, John Allain wrote:
> I recently found a DEC LPS11 Laboratory Peripheral System,
> A peripheral for Unibus-11's. If anybody else has one, could
> they get in touch? I'm wlling to settle for compromises, that
> is, something less than a full manual.
I used to have one, and I think I may still have the manual, if you
don't find something downloadable or over your own side of the pond.
If I gave the manual away with the LPS11, I can easily borrow it back,
as it went to a colleague at work and it's in his office along with the
11/34 it's attached to :-)
(an hour later) I still have the Maintenance Manual. It's about
120-130 pages. What do you need to know?
> As a smaller problem, I haven't been able to find out
> what these modules are:
>
> from the LPS-11 (Laboratory Peripheral System)
> the M996 and M7023 modules
M996 is the hex-height Connector And Shield Board which lives in slot 6
of the LPS11. It has the connectors for the display, ADCs, etc on it.
M7023 doesn't appear in my manual, but I have the DEC-O-LOG fiche.
It's an LPSDR-A, which is a 16-bit digital latch.
> from a PDP11: the G110 module
That's part of a core memory subsystem -- "Control And Data Loops" for
an MM11-K, MM11-L, or MF11. Pretty old -- about 1971 or 1972.
--
Peter Turnbull
<postmaster(a)dunnington.u-net.com>
Keys --
Sorry I didn't pick this up over the weekend.... Here's what you have:
_S/36 Midrange Server_
o Arch: 16bit
o CPUs: 1 IO proc x 1 CP prc
o Mem: 128k - 2MB
o Disk: 20MB - 120MB ( 1 or 2 14" HDD), 1.2MB 8" FDD
This was IBM's main midrange offering through the 80s and into the 90s. It
was replaced by the AS/400 (which usually has an S/36 compatibility mode
available). If you've ever worked with AS/400s, you'll find the system a
less feature rich version of much the same thing. What I must emphasize is
this is not a PC. Nor is there a BSD / Linux variant for it. This machine
has much more in common with s/360 hardware architecture than i386. The
data storage is a flat address space. It's organized into libraries,
members and files. A typical application relies on a fixed field length
data file format, separate sort and query facilities. IBM has invented
relational databases, but the were only available on the more exotic S/38.
Here were looking at flat datastructures. Generally speaking one programmed
this in RPG II language, although there were editions of COBOL , FORTRAN
and BASIC available.
It's target audience was the same as Novell's. IBM saw the S/36 as the hub
of many PCs with 5250 adapter cards. The nodes could share data through the
server, use shared printing and data storage, even use an e-mail like
messaging system -- and yet they would still have their standalone
facilities if required. Once on your System/36, you could explore centrally
managed access to mainframes, peer, or hub and spoke arranged hosts of
varying kinds. You could could even call in via modem pool from home. Most
people don't view IBM offerings as sexy, but this was very straightforward
server platform that provided reliability, shared resources and
connectivity. A lot of small to medium sized companies powered them up and
kept them in service for a decade before moving to a more PC oriented
client server platform in the 90s. These critters are still humming away in
dusty corners of 3rd world in suprising numbers.
So what are you gonna do with it now? The dual processors and their
dispatching system haven't peaked the interest of the hobbyist. And the
system architecture isn't well documented, at least not in the public
domain.That rules out a Linux or BSD variant. You will have to run S/36 on
it unless your an assembler god with top notch contacts in an IBM
retirement home. That's where this whole thing becomes sticky. Your post
indicated you didn't have media or manuals. The first part of the manual
conundrum may be easy. Your model -- the middle tier in the range -- had
it's hardware manual strapped to the inside of the cover panel. You may
already have worked that out in the midst of cleaning the dust out. There
are no manuals available in the public realm that I know of. That's where I
come in. I have most of the available media and manuals. I have a few
things scanned -- although the scans are huge. Media's tricky. There's no
IBM hobbyist policy. In theory you still have to buy licenses. So I would
suggest you do what I did. Call around the AS/400 houses and watch eBay for
any listings of used 8" diskettes with IBM labels. But before you do any of
that, see if you can get it running as is. You may not need media. These
beasts are tough. The drives don't generally go bad. The first thing you
need is a cleaning, some kind of 5250 compatible device plugged into the
first workstation port... and lots of luck. I recommend a real green
screen. PC emulators have so many possible settings, it's more predictable
to plug up a real terminal. If you get to an IPL settings screen we can
talk about how to get past security, and what kinds of snags you're likely
to find.
Regards,
Colin Eby
Please contact James directly.
Reply-to: <jhl007(a)comcast.net>
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 20 Mar 2004 14:33:54 -0800
From: James Ludos <jhl007(a)comcast.net>
To: donate(a)vintage.org
Subject: IBM 5140
Hi,
I don't know if you need it or not but I have an IBM 5140
I want to get rid of. As far as I know it works fine. I am
in Los Gatos just off of Hwy17 near Lark Ave.
Thanks
James Ludos
--
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org
[ Old computing resources for business || Buy/Sell/Trade Vintage Computers ]
[ and academia at www.VintageTech.com || at http://marketplace.vintage.org ]
Hi Erik
Does your wife know you were out wondering the streets?
Dwight
>From: "Erik S. Klein" <classiccmp(a)vintage-computer.com>
>
>I was out driving today and noticed a pile of stuff sitting under a
>"Free" sign. One of the items caught my eye because of the dials, knobs
>and round screen on the front.
>
>It turned out to be a Heathkit OM-3 Oscilloscope (1958 vintage according
>to my limited Googling - which DID turn up relevant results.)
>
>It's missing a couple of the plastic caps to the banana jacks on the
>front, but is otherwise complete. I powered it up and it seems to work
>(An adjustable horizontal line appears on the CRT, anyway.)
>
>Not bad for a street corner find.
>
>So, does anyone have any info; docs or otherwise?
>
> Erik Klein
> www.vintage-computer.com
> www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum
> The Vintage Computer Forum
>
>
>
My amount of test equipment has outgrown my workbench setup, so I need to
look at setting up or building a bench. I've got the current bench so
crowded with gear it's hard to work already, plus I've got a lot of test
gear that isn't on the bench and should be. i'd love to get the laptop a
spot on the bench too (lots of room it would take up) So....
I went googling in search of pictures of good bench setups. I'm looking for
ideas on the best way to stuff as much gear as possible onto it, while
keeping it usable and neat. Does anyone have any links to different ideas
for workbench setup? I have a sneaky suspicion that if I just build one
myself I'll find that later "oh WHY did I put the outlet strip THERE?". I
didn't find much of anything googling, but was hoping to draw on experience
of others for some ideas in building a bench from scratch. So far I've used
those "set on top of a desk premade lettershelfs". They let you put rows of
test equipment close with the faces all well accessible. But haven't found
the best place to put the power strips.
If anyone has links to pictures of bench setups, or advice of things to
watch out for when putting one together, I'd like to hear them!
Jay West
Free to good home:
* a full-height Nixdorf rack, labeled 600/45, containing a 9-track
capstan-type tape drive and another device that might be a terminal
concentrator, or maybe something more interesting -- it does appear to
have a floppy disk drive in it, but the cabinet's front door is locked and
we didn't try very hard to get inside and look.
* an IBM 5362 System/36 CPU, cosmetically OK (well, mostly), but with no
software, cabling, terminals, or documentation. Would be a good source of
spares for someone who has a 5362.
We need this stuff out of our Oakland, CA warehouse space by Wednesday.
Interested? E-mail me or call Brian Knittel at 510-559-7930.
Thanks!
Norm Aleks
On behalf of other digest readers, and for those whom get the live feed,
not understanding occasional confusion on our parts, I wish to whine at the
moderator.
I understand backlogs, but could something be done with time-based message
ordering?
It makes threads really hard to follow!
e.g.:
>Message: 8
>Date: Thu, 25 Mar 04 17:55:49 PST
>From: msokolov(a)ivan.Harhan.ORG (Michael Sokolov)
>Subject: UFO over DEC
>To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org
>Message-ID: <0403260155.AA22846(a)ivan.Harhan.ORG>
appeared in
>Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2004 07:23:18 -0600 (CST)
>Message-Id: <200403281323.i2SDMDJ7076710(a)huey.classiccmp.org>
>From: cctech-request(a)classiccmp.org
>Subject: cctech Digest, Vol 7, Issue 34
Whereas replies to that message
>Message: 6
>Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2004 11:46:15 -0500
>From: "John Allain" <allain(a)panix.com>
>Subject: Re: UFO over DEC
appeared three digests earlier and continued on through several others:
>Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2004 01:53:09 -0600 (CST)
>Message-Id: <200403280753.i2S7pHJ7072610(a)huey.classiccmp.org>
>From: cctech-request(a)classiccmp.org
>Subject: cctech Digest, Vol 7, Issue 31
Thank you.
Dave.
