test-drb March 2008

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

209 participants
369 discussions

by dave06a＠dunfield.com

>In order to support my classic computers I need a GOOD EPROM >Programmer (that puts it on topic ... ). > >I've used and like the Data I/O 29B but don't know squat about >the 29A. Are they about the same or is the 29A a POS ?? I have both the 29B and the 29A. The 29B is more capable, more common and in my opinion a better choice. Physically they look almost identical, but there are significant operational differences. According to the manual, the 29A can have a maximum of 16K of buffer memory - this would limit you to 16K or smaller devices (such as 27128), however my 29A came with 64K installed, and can do up to 64K devices (such as 27512). My 29B has 256k of buffer memory, which I believe is the max it can have, and this is enough for pretty much anything you are going to find in a classic computer. I don't use the 29A much - I got it mainly as a spare... but IIRC it either doesn't do automatic device identification, or does it in a more limited way... The 29B is quite good at it. This may be more more a function of the device adapter than the unit itself, which brings us to... Equally important is the device adapter that you get with the unit - you probably want one of the universal "unipak" adapters that supports many different devices. My 29A has a "Unipak2" and the 29B has a "Unipak2B". The 29B/Unipak2B combination can program many more devices. The family/pinout codes for the 29A/2 are only 2 digits where they are 3 digits on the 29B/2B. It would be worthwhile for you to get the device family/pinout code charts for the programming adapters offered with the units and look at the list of supported devices - this will give you an idea of the capability of the unit in question. You will also want to check the RAM installed in the unit, as it may be difficult to add (manuals reference expansion cards). The 29B shows the installed RAM at power-up. For the 29A you need to use the edit command to see how far up in memory you can modify. The 29B has more/better commands and functions as well, although the 29A is still a capable unit. >What would be a FAIR price for either ? Is it worth more to >opt for the 29B ?? Thanks. At the same/close price, I'd pick a 29B hands down. A 29A could still be a good choice if you get it cheap enough, and your needs don't require devices larger than it can do - be sure to check the installed RAM and device programming adapter. I have no idea what they are actually worth these days, but FYI - I paid $70 for my 29B quite a few years ago - it came with the Unipak2B and a Gangpak (lets you program up to 8 devices at once - I never use it). I picked up the 29A for $25 a couple of years ago, it came with the Unipak2. I've collected a fair bit of Data I/O documentation in PDF format, including manuals for both units, the programming adapters, and device family/pinout code charts for them. Contact me if you need anything. Dave -- dave06a (at) Dave Dunfield dunfield (dot) Firmware development services & tools: www.dunfield.com com Collector of vintage computing equipment: http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/index.html

18 years, 1 month

Motors for 14-in hard drives

by djg＠pdp8.net

>What size motor was typically used in a 14-in fixed drive, and what >sort of mechanical interface did a disk pack have with the spindle or >hub? I haven't been able to find any really clear pictures or >diagrams of the mechanics of such units. > The RK05 is a single platter 14" drive with the platter magnetically held on the spindle. Pictures here. http://www.pdp8online.com/rk05/rk05.shtml

18 years, 1 month

End of restoration of the early French computer SEREL ODP-505 (germanium CPU)

by pichotjm＠free.fr

|pichotjm wrote: |> method? In France, collectors prefer to discuss in newsgroups |> (fr.comp.ordinosaures)Have a nice day!JMP |Sadly my ISP doesn't carry that newsgroup (fr.comp.os.* is |all they seem to have!). |Antonio Hi, Be carefull! fr.comp.ordinosaures is in french.The best way for you, would be to subscribe to the news server Astraweb.com. You will have to pay a one time fee of about $9 (6 euros), and with that subscriptionyou are authorized to download 25 GB of data. (valid for your life!)A second way is to subscribe with Teranews or Bubbanews. The one time fee will be $3.95. And you were able to download 50 MB/day. (valid for your life!) but i dont know if you will have a problem at the first connection: the list of NG can be very heavy (more than 50 MB).I subscribed to all three. Without any problems. I do same subscriptions for friends (10 to 15 times)Just one small problem with Teranews, they correct within 10 mn! (note I live in France and they are in USA!)JMP

18 years, 1 month

Motors for 14-in hard drives

by bnansel＠bigpond.net.au

What size motor was typically used in a 14-in fixed drive, and what sort of mechanical interface did a disk pack have with the spindle or hub? I haven't been able to find any really clear pictures or diagrams of the mechanics of such units. -Bobby

18 years, 1 month

S100 archive?

by dm561＠torfree.net

---------Original Message: Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:49:22 -0700 From: dwight elvey <dkelvey at hotmail.com> Subject: RE: S100 archive? > From: dm561 at torfree.net > > ---------Original Message: > Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2008 21:21:46 -0400 > From: "Kelly Leavitt" > Subject: RE: S100 archive? > >> Does anyone recognize this archive as a mirror of other spots? >> >> http://maben.homeip.net:8217/static//S100/index.html >> >> It seems to be connected to majzel.com, registered to a >> Agata Majzel, Flat 22, 27 Hereford Road, London W2 4TQ. >> >> - John > > Seems like a case of > "My archive is bigger than your archive." > > I see stuff in here from a lot of different archives and personal web sites. > > Kelly > > ----------Reply: > > Is this a problem or do you just like to belittle someone's hard work? > Hi I think you miss the point. It is consider proper to credit the sources of such information. The work he has done is great and he has done it very well. There is just no mention of where he aquired much of it. Dwight ---------Reply: Well, as usual I think _you_ missed _my_ point: ;-) If you want to publicise the site here, fine. If you think his lack of attribution is self-serving, dishonest, discourteous, whatever, and it bothers you enough to write, then send an email to Marcus or the person who you think deserves mention (if you can find him/her), instead of bad-mouthing him here (since this is about courtesy, right?) m

18 years, 1 month

OT: Aurthur C. Clarke has passed

by rdawson16＠hotmail.com

at home, 90: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=4476240 _________________________________________________________________ Connect and share in new ways with Windows Live. http://www.windowslive.com/share.html?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_Wave2_sharelife_012008

18 years, 1 month

S100 archive?

by dm561＠torfree.net

Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:25:57 -0600 From: John Foust <jfoust at threedee.com> Subject: Re: S100 archive? At 03:06 PM 3/17/2008, M H Stein wrote: >>It's comments like yours that make some people ask why the hell they >>bother; I hope you don't have to grit your teeth one day and retrieve some >>elusive boot disk or manual from his site... >I didn't criticize it, and neither did Kelly as far as I saw. >I wanted to point it out to the group and determine whether it >was indeed a new trove or not. The site itself doesn't tell me >whether it's copied from elsewhere or not. That would make it >more useful and descriptive, wouldn't it? My mistake then; "Seems like a case of 'My archive is bigger than your archive.' and "I see stuff in here from a lot of different archives and personal web sites." struck me as critical and dismissive. Sorry if I misunderstood. I'd have thought something like, "Hey folks, I just ran across a site, etc. with lots of stuff, although some of it looks like unattributed copies from other sites; anybody know anything about it?" would express what you say above a little better. FWIW, it's been around for a few years and if this were the kind of bragging that "mine's bigger than yours" implies, I'd have thought it'd be better known by now. I couldn't care less whether he puts my name on the stuff I've scanned or copied and sent to him as long as it's out there and easy to find (and I'm a little PO'd about stuff I've sent to folks who promised to make it publicly available but never did AFAIK), and I don't see the need to put up yet another Web site of my own and fragment the resource even more. It might be different if I had a site and he copied it without my knowledge, but that'd be between him and me. If having their name mentioned is important to someone, let him or her send him an email. I don't see how attribution makes it any more useful or descriptive though; does it matter to you whether he scanned something or I did? The only attribution that matters to me is the "real" attribution, i.e. the name of the original company or publisher. Since some of the sites he copied from probably copied it from another site themselves, tracking down who actually "did the work" could be a lot of fun and extra work. >The "World's Largest Ball of Saved Twine Bits" approach doesn't tell me much. >If you take something from elsewhere, why not attribute? If you made >something yourself, why not tell me it's unique? >- John Guess I just don't get why it's so important to *you* where it came from as long as you can find it, unless it's material that you copied or scanned yourself. If pigs ever fly and someone actually wanted to thank the person who did the work after downloading something, they'd probably often have to sift through the various sites with identical copies anyway. Having said all that, although it'd be much extra work for thousands of files attribution would indeed be a courtesy and is the custom in this community; if it keeps you awake at night why not send Marcus an email instead of kvetching about it here, behind his back as it were. And thanks for the reminder; playing Al Y's "Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota" on my iTunes as I write... m

18 years, 1 month

Tandy TRS-80 Model 4

by tim＠tim-mann.org

Sometimes the troglodyte approach to fixing keyboards works: just bang on the bad key for a while, and it may start to work again. Bang gently, of course -- don't take "troglodyte" too literally. :0) Also, on some types of keyboard, you can get at the contacts just by pulling off they keycap. I have no idea if any Model 4's used that type, though. Quite likely not. -- Tim Mann tim at tim-mann.org http://tim-mann.org/

18 years, 1 month

S100 archive? replies marcus

by amouses＠gmail.com

Hi Kelly, To answer your comments from cctalk/cctech ... and to put things into context ... As a passionate computer person I have (over the last 5 years) tried to do something with my fond memories of the S100 days and in particular my Cromemco restoration project. I started to collect and scan my personal Cromemco documents and then some of the other peripherals and disks I was using. Before I knew it I was getting carried away and starting my own private archive. Things grew from there and I started to add other publically available archives. I don't store anything that I was not really involved or fascinated with. So for example DEC VAX and PDP stuff .. really no, the IBM VM370 CMS command guide ... really yes. The Cromemco RDOS 1.0 Instruction manual 1.0 .. I get a little misty eyed. The actual root of the S100 stuff is http://maben.homeip.net/static/S100/index.html . Initially it was broadcast solely on port 8217 but now also on port 80 since people kept complaining about access (especially from behind corporate firewalls). Off topic is the fact that anybody who works with AIX, Backup, TSM, Storage or SAN should also be interested, since <cd ../computers > : your secret and my daily reference to the very best documentation in these areas. It's certainly not a bragging site and yes, some of the information is from other places, but it's a good reference for me and believe me I have spent hundreds of dollars and thousands of hours (yes really) producing high quality, text searchable PDF scans. I'm probably doing something wrong but uncle Google still does not index most of it correctly, but if you poke around there is a lot there. There is a CREDITS directory so if it's something that you'd like crediting or needs removing then you just have to ask. It seems the older I get the more nostalgia tugs harder and this is a good way to for me to remember the "good old days" when you perhaps felt you might understand it all from that TMS5501 on the TUART to the IOP Z80 code running to support those tightly offloaded processes, to the output to port FFH to switch the XPU from Z80 to 68010 mode or the rewiring and code insertion needed to support Tandon 8 inch drives over Persci under CDOS and CROMIX. Today I know too many software "experts" who never wrote a program let alone a compiler or hardware experts who never even used a soldering iron. It's shocking! And for the record (Ann and Kelly) , we absolutely love cats Kind regards, Marcus Bennett (and agata)

18 years, 1 month

S100 Archive

by aek＠bitsavers.org

> Do you think someone will make a list like: > > file.pdf 102941 bytes copied from bitsavers > file2.pdf 102384 bytes copied from sellam ismail no, what I would like to see is a file like: path/foo1.file MD5 sum of the file path/foo2.file MD5 sum of the file so I can write a script to trivially tell what is new/unique I can keep track of the provenance of the files just fine if you have a unique identifier (like an MD5 sum) in a simple text file at the top of the heirarchy.

18 years, 1 month

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test-drb March 2008