test-drb October 2006

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

217 participants
352 discussions

by brian＠quarterbyte.com

Hi Jim, What a coincidence -- we just got a lengthy email from Wayne Farmer in the ibm1130.org guestbook, who also talked about working with the that same Meta IV (production serial #1 in fact), at UC San Diego, and he described working with these very microcode ROMs. Hey, are you planning on coming to the Vintage Computer Festival in Mountain View, CA in November? If you are it would be great if you could bring this microcode board with you to show off at the IBM 1130 party which will be held Saturday evening during the VCF. Brian

17 years, 10 months

RS-232 Obsolescence (was PDT-11/150 down)

by Watzman＠neo.rr.com

-----Original Message----- From: cctech-bounces at classiccmp.org [mailto:cctech-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of cctech-request at classiccmp.org Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2006 1:08 PM To: cctech at classiccmp.org Subject: cctech Digest, Vol 38, Issue 24 Send cctech mailing list submissions to cctech at classiccmp.org To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://www.classiccmp.org/mailman/listinfo/cctech or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to cctech-request at classiccmp.org You can reach the person managing the list at cctech-owner at classiccmp.org When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of cctech digest..." Today's Topics: 1. German collection (was Software Archaeology) (Al Kossow) 2. Re: PDT-11/150 down (Dave McGuire) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2006 08:53:05 -0700 From: Al Kossow <aek at bitsavers.org> Subject: German collection (was Software Archaeology) To: "classiccmp at classiccmp.org" <classiccmp at classiccmp.org> Message-ID: <C15A4A71.85F0%aek at bitsavers.org> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" > It's a shame that all this went to the US Re: "I guess this all means that RS232C has fallen into the category of "obsolescent technology"." Some brand new JVC DLP 1080P TV sets have a control interface (this is only present in some of the newest, highest end models) that allows the TV to be controlled by {presumably} a media center PC. It's RS-232. These TV sets were only introduced this spring. Why it's not USB is beyond me, but it's not.

17 years, 10 months

8" disk archive

by billdeg＠degnanco.com

Comment: - This is what preserving the history of computers is all about. Plug forward! Bill D >------------------------------ > >Message: 29 >Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2006 09:05:55 -0400 >From: "Kelly Leavitt" <kelly at catcorner.org> >Subject: 8" disk archive >To: <cctalk at classiccmp.org> >Message-ID: > <07028839E9A3744F87BEF27FF2CFF8E30B13FD at MEOW.catcorner.org> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" > >I'm actually starting the archiving of the more than 1,500 8" disks that >I have. Here are my intended methods. If anyone has any comments, please >speak up. >The ultimate goal is an online searchable database of these disks. > >1) number each diskette sequentially with date >2) taking a digital picture of the label >3) Making a catweasel image of the contents >4) Makine an ImageDisk image of the contents >5) Storing the following information in a database >Diskette number >Any text from the label >System if known >OS used if known >Date of origin if known >Description of contents >if commercial software, the publisher/author >Photo of the label >Both disk images > >Kelly >

17 years, 10 months

German collection (was Software Archaeology)

by aek＠bitsavers.org

> It's a shame that all this went to the US Not all of this has gone to the US. If there is a single coordinated effort there to save the remaining material, that would be great. I would suggest coordinating this with Doron. There are a number of GA and DEC minis, a System3 and System7 for example that need to be saved. > Will I be able to get copies of all the software and/or documentation? Do you have any idea of how much 1 1/2 shipping containers worth of docs and software is? I will try to make as much material as I can available, as I have been with other things in the CHM collection, but this may literally take years to do.

17 years, 10 months

8" disk archive

by kelly＠catcorner.org

I'm actually starting the archiving of the more than 1,500 8" disks that I have. Here are my intended methods. If anyone has any comments, please speak up. The ultimate goal is an online searchable database of these disks. 1) number each diskette sequentially with date 2) taking a digital picture of the label 3) Making a catweasel image of the contents 4) Makine an ImageDisk image of the contents 5) Storing the following information in a database Diskette number Any text from the label System if known OS used if known Date of origin if known Description of contents if commercial software, the publisher/author Photo of the label Both disk images Kelly

17 years, 10 months

PSU Capacitors

by tpeters＠mixcom.com

Look for a swap (amateur radio) otherwise know as a hamfest. They have them all over the place at various times of the year. I usually see big caps that look relatively new for a decent price. This might help you locate a swap in your area: http://www.arrl.org/hamfests.html?dosel=1&subtype=section&selsect=MI 73 de N9QQB At 03:31 PM 10/16/2006 -0700, you wrote: >I've got a couple of old DEC machines which look like they could use new >filter capacitors in the power supplies: I tried reforming the originals, >and in some cases it worked, but there are also a few which look like >they'll never see full capacity again. > >These are electrolytics, with 160,000mf/20v/24v surge and 57,000mf/50v/65v >surge being the original values. > >Soooo here's my two questions: > >-Where would you recommend buying new ones? Anyone have a capacitor vendor >they're particularly fond of (or particularly loathe)? > >-Does it make better sense to replace these with electrolytics, and have >the same characteristics (and the same problems over time) as the >originals, or is there some more modern cap-technology which would give >the original's performance but with a better lifespan? > >I'm not up on my capacitor technology. :) Any help or suggestions >would be welcome. Thanks! > > -O.- [Computing] C++ is to C as Lung Cancer is to Lung --.sig of Thomas Funke (thomas at gamelan.shnet.org) --... ...-- -.. . -. ----. --.- --.- -... tpeters at nospam.mixcom.com (remove "nospam") N9QQB (amateur radio) "HEY YOU" (loud shouting) WEB ADDRESS http//www.mixweb.com/tpeters 43? 7' 17.2" N by 88? 6' 28.9" W, Elevation 815', Grid Square EN53wc WAN/LAN/Telcom Analyst, Tech Writer, MCP, CCNA, Registered Linux User 385531

17 years, 10 months

OT, tool: NI ISA Analyser card on ebay - looks like no software

by rdbrown＠pacific.net.au

The card doesn't appear to ship with the NI analyser software, which NI is still selling at USD99. http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/10624

17 years, 10 months

OT, tool: HP-IB == IEEE 488 bus sniffer ISA card on ebay

by rdbrown＠pacific.net.au

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220038281851&fromMakeTra… National Instruments AT-GPIB/TNT+ IEEE 488.2 182785E-01 If this is the same as the card below, the analyser software which can sniff the bus, runs under Windows 95, 98 & ME, capturing HP-IB bus traffic into the PC memory. http://cgi.ebay.com/National-Instruments-AT-GPIB-TNT-GPIB-Analyzer_W0QQitem… The following is the beginning of an HP150 boot from a 9133 drive, captured with a TNT+ using the NI Analyser and formatted to text. Capture Stimulus : Data, Command, Control, Handshake, Parallel Poll Handshake Rate : None ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ M Timestamp Data Control mi s ms us ns A H 87654321 E A S R I NR ND D ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- -- -- 80 10000000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 47 950 80 10000000 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 ATN^ REN^ IFC^ 0 0 0 0 100 bf 10111111 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 NDAC^ 0 0 71 571 200 bf 10111111 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 IFCv 0 0 719 102 550 bf 10111111 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 ATNv 0 0 0 0 150 0 00000000 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 NDACv 0 0 0 2 950 0 00000000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 RENv 0 0 0 48 350 0 00000000 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 ATN^ REN^ IFC^ 0 0 0 0 100 bf 10111111 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 NDAC^ 0 0 71 571 50 bf 10111111 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 IFCv 0 0 5 565 800 94 10010100 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 ??? DAV^ 0 0 0 0 300 94 10010100 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 NRFD^ 0 0 0 0 350 94 10010100 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 NDACv 0 0 0 0 100 94 10010100 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 DAVv 0 0 0 0 100 94 10010100 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 NDAC^ 0 0 0 0 50 94 10010100 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 NRFDv 0 0 0 136 900 94 10010100 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 PP-B EOI^ 0 0 0 0 100 0 00000000 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 PP-R NDACv 0 0 0 1 900 0 00000000 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 PP-R NDAC^ 0 0 0 6 900 0 00000000 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 PP-R NDACv 0 0 49 51 400 80 10000000 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 PP-R 0 0 0 16 250 80 10000000 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 PP-E EOIv 0 0 0 0 100 80 10000000 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 NDAC^ 0 0 0 108 450 df 11011111 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 ??? DAV^ 0 0 0 0 300 df 11011111 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 NRFD^ 0 0 0 0 350 df 11011111 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 NDACv 0 0 0 0 100 df 11011111 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 DAVv 0 0 0 0 100 df 11011111 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 NDAC^ 0 0 0 0 50 df 11011111 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 NRFDv

17 years, 10 months

Software Archaeology (was Oregon Software Pascal/2 (24 bit words))

by aek＠bitsavers.org

> As you're more aware than (probably) anyone at > this point, software archaeology is exceedingly difficult. The thing to do is just keep asking anyone who was connected to the industry if they know folks like field serivce techs that were pack rats. The companies themselves either deliberately threw it out so that they wouldn't have to support it, or the physical assets were tossed out when companies were sold. The fact that the SDS 900 series library survived mostly in tact after being given away by Honeywell in 1982 gives me hope that people may have similar stashes somewhere. -- Somewhat related, a CHM press release just went out with this info in it: In support of its international collection and exhibit plans, the Museum also announced that it has acquired an extensive collection totaling seven shipping containers of computing objects salvaged from a crumbling warehouse in Dortmund, Germany this month. The rescued items, along with related documents and software, will augment the Museum?s existing 80,000-object collection that will be used to populate the 2009 exhibit. The historic collection from Germany was rescued from an open-air warehouse that encompassed a physical area of about 12,000 square feet. There are 112 unique manufacturers represented, including Telefunken, Siemens, Zuse, Olivetti and Groupe Bull. European-based manufacturers account for 50% of the acquired artifacts and another 20% in documentation and software. In addition to many rare computer systems, the rescued items will deepen the Museum?s holdings of electromechanical-era objects, as well as mainframe documentation and software. -- The container with documentation and software should be getting here in about a month. From the pictures, there are some very interesting things coming. This was partly from the computer museum which closed in Achen.

17 years, 10 months

Slightly OT: Sony Typecorder

by evan＠snarc.net

Anybody have one of these? It's an electronic word processor from 1980. It looks similar to the Epson HX-20 (microcassette drive, same "slate" form factor, etc.), but it's just a WP, not a full computer.

17 years, 10 months

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test-drb October 2006