Interesting article in yesterday's LA Times about fading bits and software.
I think many of you, especially software archivists, would find it on topic
and interesting.
Billy
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/columnone/la-fi-archive13sep13,1,109
2621.story?coll=la-headlines-columnone&ctrack=1&cset=true
I'm going to be using my 33ASR at what now seems to be an annual
classic hardware exhibition for Computer Science at York, so a spot of
preventive maintenance seems to be in order.
I have Vol.1 and Vol.2 of "Bulletin 310B", Technical Manual. Vol.1 is
installation, disassembly/reassembly, lubrication, theory of operation;
Vol.2 is adjustment information (Is there a parts manual anywhere? I'd
like a copy of that...)
It says to lubricate the motor bearings at each end. But mine doesn't
look like it was designed for that. It's a standard (for the UK)
Teletype motor part no. 182267 (115V 50Hz). Are these meant to be
"sealed for life" or is there some way to oil them that I've not
spotted?
I'd like to get a new typehead. Mine has suffered from apparently
being
used after the rubber hammer cap went gooey and fell off. It now has a
thin self-adhesive rubber foot of about the correct thickness
installed, but some of the characters were already damaged.
--
Pete Peter Turnbull
Network Manager
University of York
I've changed the subject line to see if it grabs anyone's attention :)
Anyone in the UK have experience of setting up a similar idea? I know people
> on the Sinclair QL mailing list who put up yearly bashes in church halls
> and
No experience at all - though I'd also be happy to help. It strikes me that
having someone on board who's done similar size events would be a big
advantage.
Can anyone comment on how much effort and how many bodies it's taken to
organize a small(ish) event like this?
>Of course, the perfect venue, history wise, would be H Block at Bletchley
>Park - the home of the WWII codebreaking Colossus machines and the world's
>first purpose-built computer building but its availability is still in
>question.....
What about Science & Industry museum in Manchester? They've got some early
Manchester Uni hardware, haven't they?
--
Pete Edwards
"Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future" - Niels
Bohr
>
>
David Cantrell <david at cantrell.org.uk> wrote:
Various 8-bit groups have done this too, although most are now so small
that they can't. FWIW, the remnants of WACCI, an Amstrad CPC group that
put on a few such events, are having a pub meet in London on the 18th of
November (see recent announcement in comp.sys.amstrad.8bit). Even if
none of the old organisers turn up, CC and VCFers are most welcome to join
us for beer :-)
Model railway clubs would probably be good places to look for expertise
in running similar events, as many of them hold a yearly exhibition.
Typical venues are church halls, schools, and (out of season) non-league
or low-division football clubs. I expect there's quite a large
cross-over between vintage computing and railway modelling too, which
helps a lot - lots of them use BBCs for their control systems.
David Cantrell | Hero of the Information Age
There are many different types of sausages. The best are
from the north of England. The wurst are from Germany.
-- seen in alt.2eggs...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Some of the better prepared and displayed shows that I remember are the
Meccano exhibitions and the traction engine groups. Some of their members
had been doing this for 30-40 years. Bet they could offer a lot of help and
advice.
Your sig file sounds like an old Goon show gag.
Billy
What do people recommend for an Assembler on the Commodore 64? I'm wanting
to play around with one, and am not sure what to use. I downloaded "Turbo
Macro Pro '05", but have yet to figure it out how to actually do anything
with it. As I understand it, I'm supposed to start it with the following:
LOAD"TMP 1.1/S.",8
SYS 8*4096
Or instead of the SYS command I can use the Fastload cart to jump to $8000.
However, in both cases, I get the same result, a READY prompt, and seem to
still be in BASIC.
Zane
I've just bought a partially defective HP9816 (aka HP9000 model 216) on
E-bay. Let me emphasise from the start that the seller declared the
problems in the E-bay listing, so I am certainly not complaining.
Anyway. one problem is that the power-on diagnostics mention an 'Alpha
Video' failure, and then give a memory address/data failure message. I
think the address is in the text video RAM area (it would be on a 9826 or
9836), so I suspect one of the 2K SRAM chips on the text PCB (the larger
one standing up next to the CRT). I will do some more tests.
Another problem is that I am missing a keycap, I think it's the left hand
shift key. I have the small, compact keyboard.
So a couple of questions.
1) Does anyone have a 'junker' keyboard that I could buy a keycap from.
Or any ideas as to making one
2) Does anyone have the service manual (or is there a scanner version on
the web, Google found nothing, and I couldn't find it on the usual sites
[1]). Yes,. I know it'll be a boardswapper guide, but I might was well
read it if it's available.
[1]. What's up with http://www.hpmuseum.net? I get all sorts of 'SQL
errors' when I look at the doucmentation index, and most of the manuals
are no longer available :-(
-tony
I've had another look at that 9816... The error message seemed to say
that bit 12 of the video RAM was stuck low.
Anyway, I removed the text and graphics boards, the monitor PCB (which
carries the connectors these plug into) and the backplane. Then, since I
know the DIO slot pinout, I could trace data line 12 from a DIO slot to
the text PCB socket. And then on the text PCB I traced it to one side of
a '245 buffer. And from the other side to a data pin on U7 -- one of the
2K SRAM chips.
I desoldered U7 and raided my junk box for a replacement. Soldered it in
and put the machine back together.
And amazingly no more error messages.
I only got the machine today, and have no documentation at all. Hmm
-tony
Just a short note to say that the trip was a great success and seeing two
SDS 910's and a SDS 920 plus all the related items in one place (a home) was
something. I only got one of the SDS 910's plus 4 tape drives and other
stuff. The SEL810A was great also and I still have not been able to get it
off the truck (this is the third day). I will post a list later in the week
after I get everything off and some rest. More later John (Still need funds
for GA rescue).
Build Your Own Video Game Console!
XGameStation Pico Edition Workshop
at the Vintage Computer Festival
November 5, 2006
http://www.vintage.org/2006/main/workshop.php
The VCF is proud to present the first Build-It-Yourself experience at
VCF 9.0 this November 5. The Build-It-Yourself workshops are a great
introduction for those interested in learning the art of computers,
programming and electronics and who wish to get first-hand experience
building and programming their own hardware under the direction of
leading experts in the field.
Workshop Description
The first announced workshop will be conducted by world famous video
game designer, programmer and author Andre' LaMothe. Andre' has
nearly 30 years of computer programming experience and holds degrees
in mathematics, computer science, and electrical engineering. He is
the world's best selling game development book author.
Andre' founded and operates Nurve Networks LLC, a company that
develops and markets video game hardware kits that enable one to build
and program a console video game system from scratch. Nurve products
include the XGameStation Micro and Pico Editions as well as the
forthcoming Hydra Console.
The workshop Andre' will conduct at VCF 9.0 will focus on the
XGameStation Pico Edition. The XGS Pico Edition kit is a simplified
version of the XGS Micro Edition, with an Ubicom SX28 "Super-PIC"
running at 80 MHz at its core. For complete technical specifications,
visit the XGS Pico Edition product page:
http://www.xgamestation.com/view_product.php?id=29
Pre-Requisites and Tools
Those wishing to attend this workshop should have a minimal level of
soldering skill. Participants should bring their favorite soldering
iron and solder, a multimeter, and some simple tools such as dykes.
Optional tools include a laptop with a standard serial port and an SX
key (also available from Nurve Networks). Everything else that is
required for the workshop will be provided, including video displays
and cables, power supplies, etc.
Andre' will take the students through a step-by-step build-out of the
game hardware using on-screen visuals. At the end of the class, each
participant will have a working XGS Pico Edition game system ready for
programming. The entire workshop will run for approximately two
hours.
Registration
The fee for this workshop is $75.00, which includes the XGS Pico
Edition Kit. To reserve your spot, go to the weblink provided below
and follow the ordering instructions. Fees must be paid in advance of
the course by October 29, 2006.
http://www.vintage.org/2006/main/workshop.php?action=select&id=VCF90XGSPEW
Inquiries regarding this workshop should be directed by e-mail to
<workshop at vintage.org>.
While consolidating network cards into one box, I came across a couple I have
no use for.
One is an IBM Token Ring Card, they have a copyright notice on one of the
chips and the center of the card is occupied by one of those square aluminum
thingies that they're so fond of -- on the metal bracket with the connectors
is a little paper sticker saying "16/4".
The other is an SMC ARCnet card.
I have no intentions of ever doing anything with either of these, so if you
can use them please feel free to contact me offlist.
--
Member of the toughest, meanest, deadliest, most unrelenting -- and
ablest -- form of life in this section of space, a critter that can
be killed but can't be tamed. --Robert A. Heinlein, "The Puppet Masters"
-
Information is more dangerous than cannon to a society ruled by lies. --James
M Dakin
