test-drb April 2005

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

269 participants
730 discussions

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Tim Riker" <Tim at rikers.org> ---snip--- > >Does anyone know what the "Sandia Laboratories" desk + racks is for? >There is only one thing left in the rack and it's in real bad shape. > >http://rikers.org/gallery/hardware/20050415_092748 >http://rikers.org/gallery/hardware/20050415_092802 >http://rikers.org/gallery/hardware/20050415_104726 > ---snip--- Hi Tim Sandia Labs do all kinds of things. They even build one of a kind super computers to all kinds of things. That rack could have been just about anything. Unless it was someone that worked there, that worked on that specific machine, I doubt anyone would know what it was for. Even then, it may be that because of their security clearance, they couldn't tell you what it was. Dwight

19 years, 8 months

Dead AIM 65??

by dm561＠torfree.net

-------------------Original Message: Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 20:24:56 -0400 From: Ethan Dicks <ethan.dicks at gmail.com> Subject: Re: Dead AIM 65?? <snip> >The downside is that there's only room on the mainboard for 4K, >so memory expansions are external, and used to cost a lot >(and are rare now because there didn't use to be a wide variety of them). Later versions had provision for up to 40K on board; I've got one sitting beside me. >It's pretty useful out of the box for a machine that doesn't >come with a disk interface. You certainly get more than the few >digits and a calculator keypad of the KIM/SYM line. Don't forget about the built-in current-loop & almost-RS232 interface; with the built-in monitor & text editor it was almost a "real" computer when connected to a terminal/TTY, even using the built-in (very reliable) cassette interface instead of the optional disk drive. Other factory options included EPROM programmer, Centronics printer interface, CRTC video interface etc.; languages included BASIC, FORTH, PL/1, Pascal and assembler; the AIM65 was also the core of a fairly extensive professional 65xx development system with the AIM65 SPS & DOS ROMs and various optional RM65 expansion modules. mike

19 years, 8 months

Dead AIM 65??

by dm561＠torfree.net

--------------------Original Message: Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 10:44:26 -0700 From: Andy Dannelley <andyda at earthlink.net> Subject: Dead AIM 65?? <snip> Connected the +5v only and turned it on again... nothing, nada, zilch (bummer) I don't have a scope or anything, I only have a VOM, so my testing is rather limited, I don't even know anyone who still has an o'scope. Any ideas of what I could try? Any ideas of a way I can get it repaired in So. CA? Thanks for any and all help or ideas, Andy ------------------Reply: Make sure both the STEP & TTY switches are forward (toward the keyboard) and press RESET a few times; they were reluctant to start at times. If there's a remote RESET button, disconnect it. Next, I would try removing all unnecessary chips & swapping where possible, in case one of them is locking up the bus (the most common problem). There were several models/revisions of the AIM 65; assuming you have one of the original 4K 20 column versions with 2114 RAMS and not the 40K version with 32K & 8K RAMs (or the 40 column version): Remove Z7, Z12, Z18, Z6, Z11 and Z17, as well as Z1 (6522). (If it's a 40K model: remove Z1 and Z2) Also remove Z24, Z25 & Z26 if there are any (Option ROMs). Confirm that Z22 & Z23 contain R3222 & R3223 ROMs respectively. If it still doesn't start, replace the Z32 6522 (underneath the display) with the one you removed; also, if it's a 4K model, try replacing the two remaining 2114s (Z2 & Z3) as Ethan suggested. If it's still dead, by all means try measuring the address & data lines as Tony suggested (one of those times when an analog VOM is useful). Good luck! BTW, the 24V is indeed only required for the printer, so you can leave it disconnected; it will start with a "PRINTER DOWN" message if the printer is not powered or connected. And FYI: BASIC was an option (Z25 & Z26) as was the assembler, PL/1, and a host of other goodies. And the 40 column model did indeed have a fluorescent display; the 20 col. versions used DL1416 LED displays. Jules: I may still have some display covers; I'll have a look & let you know. BTW, AIM65s were indeed just bare boards & keyboards initially, with various 3rd parties making cases for them, but then Rockwell (and later Dynatem, who took over the AIM65) started to supply them with the metal-bottom/brown-plastic-cover case & power supply. mike

19 years, 8 months

Dead AIM 65??

by dm561＠torfree.net

19 years, 8 months

Dead AIM 65??

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

Anyway, back to the original subject. There is no magic bullet to bring these older machines back to life. Some of the things that can help are, not in any particular order: 1. Volt meter 2. Logic Probe 3. Set of schematics 4. Oscilloscope 5. Soldering iron w/ solder 6. Parts to swap 7. assembler/disassembler 8. EPROM programmer 9. Source listing 10. Needle nose pliers 11. solder sucker and/or solder wick Also, one needs clear logical thinking ( not all that common in the world today ). The debugging procedure is in specific order: 1. gather symptoms and observations. 2. Form hypothesis of possible cause. 3. Test to see if hypothesis is correct. 4. If problem not found, include results into observations of step one and repeat. Dwight

19 years, 8 months

Some said they have CDOS and Cromemco disks

by dave04a＠dunfield.com

>I am basically in the same boat. I have a Z2, no diskette (well, it had >one, but it was seriously warped). > >A 5.25" disk image, along with a way to send it via a serial port would be >just the ticket. > >Any developments since 3/25? I have software working which will both backup and restore Cromemco disks by reading/writing tracks to/from memory via the RDOS RD/WD commands, and transferring the data to/from the PC with D and SM commands ... it's slow, but it works, and I have successfully backed up and recreated both CDOS and Cromix boot disks in both 5.25" and 8" formats. The only problem is that in order to WD the disk, it has to be formatted. Currently I have to boot CDOS to format the disk - but once I have a blank disk (all it needs is the physical formatting since the file system will be overwritten), I can create either a CDOS or Cromix boot disk via a serial connection. The next step will be to see if we can transfer the CDOS and INIT images code directly to memory and activate it via the serial port - if I can get this working, then you should be able to create a boot disk without having to boot the system into CDOS first. I've just gotten busy with other things.... Regards, Dave -- dave04a (at) Dave Dunfield dunfield (dot) Firmware development services & tools: www.dunfield.com com Collector of vintage computing equipment: http://www.parse.com/~ddunfield/museum/index.html

19 years, 8 months

FA: SGI drives & sleds, VME bus analyzer, TRS-80 OS-9 & BASIC09

by rigdonj＠cfl.rr.com

Cleaning out more stuff that I don't need. <http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZrigdonj>.

19 years, 8 months

IBM Nixie tube voltmeter?

by rigdonj＠cfl.rr.com

Last week I found a box marked "IBM" "01480" "DC Volts" that has three Nixie tubes in it. I tested it and sure enough it's DC voltmeter. It's black and measures roughly 4"w x 2 1/2" x 8". It has a single neon light on the LH side that acts as a "1" so that it can read up to 1.999. On the side of the box is a sticker that says API Instruments Model 430 and has the pinout of the rear connector and some other data. Anybody know what this is out of or anything else about it? Joe

19 years, 8 months

Oscilloscope question

by Watzman＠neo.rr.com

My current scope ... for the past 25 years ... is a Heathkit IO-4235, the last scope that Heathkit really designed themselves and offered in kit form (there were some later scopes, made by other firms and private labeled). The 4235 is dual trace, delayed sweep, 35MHz. It's in new condition, but it has sat in storage, in a box, for years at a time, at least 3 times. And on two occasions I've really had to tear into it to make some major repairs (shorted tantalum caps blow the power supply .... and they blow it violently, with smoke, fire and loud acoustics), but it's in new condition right now. About 4 months ago, the pilot light (an incandescent 24 volt bulb) blew out. While I was in there to replace the light bulb, I noticed a 3500 uF 35 volt capacitor in the power supply totally blown apart. Mind you, the scope was working, and I am quite sure that the capacitor had been that way for years. The trace does seem "smoother" since I replaced that. If anyone is looking for a good scope on E-Bay, the Heathkit IO-4510 was a very good basic, triggered sweep dual trace scope (although only 15MHz), and can be found cheaply on E-Bay (it will probably cost you more to ship than you will pay for it). It's actual construction is in some ways better than that of the 4235.

19 years, 8 months

Dead AIM 65??

by dave04a＠dunfield.com

>PS. while on the topic of 6502's , does anybody know where I can get >a pdf online data sheet 68B50 ? Datasheets for the 8 bit stuff is getting >harder to find all the time for the original products. It's on my website: http://www.parse.com/~ddunfield/museum/index.html Go to the "Dunfield 6809 Portable" section under "Homebuilts", and then on to "Documentation" and "Reference material" - I have a scanned 68[AB]50 datasheet there. Regards, -- dave04a (at) Dave Dunfield dunfield (dot) Firmware development services & tools: www.dunfield.com com Collector of vintage computing equipment: http://www.parse.com/~ddunfield/museum/index.html

19 years, 8 months

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test-drb April 2005