test-drb June 2005

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

221 participants
681 discussions

homebrew computer on slash dot still "slashdotted" and other ramblings

by jwstephens＠msm.umr.edu

I don't know if the owner of the site is here, but I was interested in a TTL machine that could run a tcp/ip stack, and what sort of design it was. Since being in a slash dot posting, the web site was unreachable, so I decided to hunt for it on archive.org. The site was last archived in sept 2004 and doesnt have what sounds like the slashdot article talked about, but did have a webring link at the bottom. The only other member of the webring is here http://members.iinet.net.au/~daveb/simplex/simplex.html and is about a computer built 20 years ago by Dave Brooks', and has some interesting references to old machines in it, besides being also composed of 7400 series ttl. This exercise pointed to an os, ported to run on the commodore 64, pico]os, as well as the tiny tcp stack this article referenced. I am interested in these, since these efforts would make possible some bridges into the current technology by other than rs232 ports, and allow for such things as having remote access to ancient media, if possible, and so forth, on modern systems. I am lucky that I concentrated on saving and preserving 9 track 1/2 inch tapes for all I did, and have already read them. A lot of what people did though is not on such nice media. Jim

19 years, 6 months

Coco variations (was: Proper name for Tandy Color Computer?

by dave04a＠dunfield.com

>Rumor has it that Fred Cisin may have mentioned these words: >>IIRC, Tandy also made a "Vidoetext" terminal that was in a white version >>of the Coco 1 case. > >Not necessarily -- the one I saw at Dayton was in a silver case w/chicklet >keys... I found it in the 1983 Standard catalog, and the 1984 Radio Shack "Computers" Catalog - the Videotex Terminal shown in the Catalogs is the silver CoCo case with the chicklet keys. It does not appear in the 1984 standard Catalog. I also have a correction to make, the white 64K CoCo (1) DOES appear in both the standard 1984 Catalog and the 1984 "TRS-80 Computers" catalog - it is the last CoCo shown, AFTER the CoCo2, and the photo is at such a perspective that it is not obvious that the case is deeper - however the vent. holes are different on the CoCo1 (along the sides at the top) and the CoCo2 (across the top), and once I looked closer, I realized this is actally the white CoCo1 - Although the text mentions "Color Computer 2 disk system and other peripherals", the machine is actually called "54K Color Computer" - NOT "Color Computer 2" as is indicated in the previous pages depicting the CoCo2. It is also more expensive that the CoCo2's shown $599 .vs. $349 and $459 (Canadian prices) - presumably because it has 64K of RAM and includes the Extended BASIC - for all these reasons, I just assumed it was the top end CoCo2 - but it's actually the "white CoCo1". A 64K RAM option was not offered in the 1983 Catalog (Silver machines), but a 64K upgrade for "existing 4k, 16k or 32k Color Computers" was offered in the 1984. The only CoCo1 offered in 1984 is the white 64k machine. Regards, Dave Now... if I could just find a MC-10 "Micro Color Computer"... -- 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, 6 months

Rescued Items Redux

by technobug＠comcast.net

Stopped by my favorite liquidator to go over a new load of goodies that they just got in. While waiting for a new load to be dropped off I spent some time going through the board bin and found the following: 21867200 Real Time Display Model 13414 21291200 Control Assy 2129130 21986100G 4 Ch Digitizer Assy 2198620 21887200 Address Card Assy 2188730 21295000 C Diagnostic Assy Assy 212951 21283000 ALU Assy 2128310 21243700 Input Processor Assy 2124380 21389500 Arithmetic Processor Model 13403 21154700U SA/SD DDR1 Assy 2115450 21979500E SA/SD DDR2 Assy 2197960 21076900N Local Memory Assy 2107700 22015500 I/O Assy 2201560 DR11-B MDB Systems All look like DEC Unibus boards: they have the DEC metal spine, but without the model/module number that I'm used to nor do they have the DEC logo on the board. However, they do have the DEC quality. Does anyone have any idea what they are for and is there any interest in them. If so, I'll get the folks to put them on Vintage Computer Marketplace. I've also dug up a bunch of what appears to be PDP11 type stuff: M7651 DRV11-WA Bootstrap 27513A - Universal MM-4500C Memory Micro Memory, Inc. 30032800 ?? GTSC 703185 Plessey Peripheral Sys. 705035 Plessey 61407787 DQ614 S DILOG disk controller M8186 KDF11 18012 Marked 11/03 - Universal 27171A ECCC Run/Halt control - Univeral They will be posted to VCM. Also found myself a quad TMS320C40 DSP PCI card - YEH!! CRC

19 years, 6 months

[SPAM] - Re: Simulated disk drive for RT-11? - Sending mail serverfound on relays.ordb.org

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: [SPAM] - Re: Simulated disk drive for RT-11? - Sending mail serverfound on relays.ordb.org > From: "Jerome H. Fine" <jhfinexgs2 at compsys.to> > Date: Tue, 07 Jun 2005 10:27:42 -0400 > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > > >Allison wrote: > >>>>On Jun 6 2005, 22:46, Allison wrote: >>> >>> >>>>Note there were differenet backplanes used in the BA23 those >>>>that were compatable with uVAX-1, those that were uVAX-II >>>>and the microPDP-11. Use the wrong one with the desired CPU >>>>and bad results happen. >>>> >>>I've never seen more than one type of backplane in a BA23, and only one >>>is listed in my manuals: H9278-A. It's compatible with all of >>>microPDP-11, uVAX-I and uVAX-II without so much as a jumper change. >>>Are you thinking of something else? >>> >>No, I have a few too. I have this thing for aquiring odd systems. >> >> >Jerome Fine replies: > >As far as I understand, a 22 bit PDP-11/23 and all >PDP-11/73 systems use the same memory as the uVAX-I. >That would seem to indicate that the same backplane >can be used for either CPU in a BA23 box. As for a >uVAX-II, I can remember using the SAME box for BOTH >a PDP-11/73 and a uVAX-II system at least 5 years ago. There were Q22 and Q18. The CD side of the indicated backplanes were notably different. It's my uderstanding the uVAX-1 had a special backplane to accomodate non-PMI memory and there were some power wiring differences that were dangerous to AB wired cards. One BA23 I got has a Q22 with all slot pairs AB/CB wired Q22 in a serpentine pattern. All three BA23s came from internal to DEC. Allison

19 years, 6 months

kdj11-a in an 18 bit backplane?

by brad＠heeltoe.com

as long as we're talking about rt-11 :-) Can I put a KDJ11-A (M8192-YB) in an 18 bit backplane? I have a mini backplane (8 slots) but I'm sure it's not 22 bit. I was curious if I could put it that backplane with some memory for a quick test... (I suspect the answer is no, but I thought i'd ask) -brad

19 years, 6 months

Apple goes Intel...and the future!

by cmurray＠eagle.ca

Apple sees the writing on the proverbial wall I'm afraid to say. So sad. Longhorn + 64 bits and dual processing are coming. Linux is second. Where does Apple fit in? Does this also mean innovation is dead? Hardly. To be different today in a multi-billion dollar industry or almost trillion dollar one that microcomputers are is a price Apple seems unwilling to pay or more accurately its shareholders.More to the point is Apple better? Is the cost premium worth it? What about the developing world and its thirst for inexpensive computers? I do not believe Apple was willing to lose out on the future. Murray-- Message: 2 Date: Mon, 6 Jun 2005 19:23:33 -0700 (PDT) From: "O. Sharp" <ohh at drizzle.com> Subject: Apple Goes Intel... To: cctalk at classiccmp.org Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.44.0506061916360.30247-100000 at drizzle.com> Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII I don't know if this is bad news or even worse news, but for those who haven't heard yet: "At its Worldwide Developer Conference today, Apple announced plans to deliver models of its Macintosh computers using Intel microprocessors by this time next year, and to transition all of its Macs to using Intel microprocessors by the end of 2007. Apple previewed a version of its critically acclaimed operating system, Mac OS X Tiger, running on an Intel-based Mac to the over 3,800 developers attending..." http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/jun/06intel.html I think most of the eggs are in one basket now, and not a very reliable basket at that. :( Opinions? -O.- ------------------------------

19 years, 6 months

S100 address buss troubleshooting

by rcini＠optonline.net

All: After verifying the power supply, I'm now starting to play with the system. I put in the CPU board (TDL Z80) and three 16k memory boards. Reading and writing data to memory seems to work, but frequently I'll get the A13 and A7 LEDs stuck ON. If I toggle RESET, the LEDs clear but on my first EXAMINE, A13 and A7 go on. Things I have not done yet: * loaded any programs or tried to verify memory fully * cleaned any board contacts If I pull one of the memory boards, the A7 problem goes away but A13 stays on all the time, leading me to believe that that issue is either on the CPU card or the front panel card. How does one troubleshoot a stuck-bit problem in these systems? I do have a 12-bit logic analyzer on a laptop (uses the parallel port) but I haven't pulled that out yet. Thanks. Rich Rich Cini Collector of classic computers Build Master for the Altair32 Emulation Project Web site: http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/ /************************************************************/

19 years, 6 months

Simulated disk drive for RT-11?

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: Simulated disk drive for RT-11? > From: David Betz <dbetz at xlisper.mv.com> > Date: Fri, 03 Jun 2005 14:20:56 -0400 > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > >Cool. Where do I get a BA11 4 slot box? It sounds like just what I >need. Anyone have one they'd like to sell (or trade for an 11/23 and >RX02 drive)? They are not very common, four slots were a tight fit to make a useable system. I have a one with a bad PS that I'm saving for repair parts for the good one. The one ugly fact was with all four slots filled with RAM and DLV11j plus CPU that meant every boot required entering by hand the TUboot. The alternate was CPU, two MXV11 one with TUboot rom. The nicest configuration is a BA23 deskside case as then you can put in a RQDX2/3 and have a floppy and a small (30mb) hard disk easily. Allison

19 years, 6 months

Simulated disk drive for RT-11?

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: Simulated disk drive for RT-11? > From: David Betz <dbetz at xlisper.mv.com> > Date: Mon, 06 Jun 2005 15:24:52 -0400 > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > >Is there a description somewhere of all of the BA11-?? variants? It >seems that there are many of them and they are of various sizes and >shapes. In fact, I think that the cabinet my 11/23-AH is mounted in is >a BA11 of some sort (a BA11-AH maybe?) but it is nowhere near as small >as this BA11-VA that you describe. I've found various lists of QBus >modules on the net but no list of the various boxes that DEC produced. >Can someone point me to one? Don't know of one on line. I have the set "LSI-11 Systems Service Manuals" as my reference. >And, I'll repeat my question, does anyone have one of these small -11 >QBus boxes they'd like to sell or trade? It seems that the BA23 might >be a good choice as well. > >Thanks, >David Basically all of the BA11 boxes are rack sized and vary only in power supply, backplane configuration and some variation in front pannel. The BA-11-va is one of a few small boxes. Another choice is the BA23 in the floor standing case. Actually a BA11 rack box is only twice the size of the BA11-va and can be used as a desktop case. I've done this with the drives just sitting on top stealing power from the BA11 supply. The options of such a configuration are much greater due to larger backplane. I've seen one such done this way with a wood (Plywood) case surrounding a BA11-N and twice the height to allow a floppy and a RD52. Much smaller than a rack and still very useful. Allison

19 years, 6 months

HP 5181A - how is it different to the HP 9915A?

by john.vc＠btinternet.com

Hi, I see there is an HP 5181A on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7521170381 This looks exactly the same as an HP 9915A (the industrial version the HP 85A, part of the series 80), does anyone know please what the differences are? Sadly this one does not have the console interface for a keyboard and screen, but I guess it has additional software. Also it is shown bolted to an OX-Y display, but as there are no leads there is no clue there. Any suggestions please? Regards, John

19 years, 6 months

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test-drb June 2005