Someone about a year ago was talking about a relative working for CompuGraphic
and was looking for information. In cleaning up today, I found the flyer again
that I said I would send, but forgot who it was (Rich Cini???) Whoever it was,
let me know and give me your mailing address and I'll put it in the mail.
> Date: Wed, 28 May 2008 20:15:51 -0400
> From: "Andrew Lynch"
> Do you still have the manual for the MCT-EPROM / Sunshine programmer?
> If so, would you mind scanning a copy and maybe I'll ask Al to post it
> at Bitsavers.org. JDR is part of the history of microcomputers and
> practically everyone got something of theirs from JDR at some time or
> another. JDR is practically an institution in electronics/vintage
> computers. I remember ordering parts from them when I was in high
> school to fix my Dad's lab computers -- IBM PCs running AutoCAD. Thanks
> in advance!
I've still got it, but it's pretty worthless. Basically it's a
"stick the card in an empty slot, connect the cable, run the software
and do what it says". No circuit diagrams, specifications, nothing,
just a regurgitation of the program messages.
Very typical of the "Taiwanese Awful" documentation of the time. At
least the English is pretty good. JDR was no different--I've got two
manuals for floppy disk controllers (PC/XT type, not AT). But for
the "MCT" labeling on the title page, there's no difference between
the JDR one and the vanilla brand-less Taiwanese one.
Wasn't the early XT-cloning effort in Taiwan sponsored by the Taiwan
government? Almost none of the clone boards had any sort of branding
and the BIOSes all seemed to be the same. The manuals all look the
same--bad printing in a simple paper cover.
Cheers,
Chuck
IBM XT diagnostic ROM
Jim Leonard trixter at oldskool.org
<mailto:cctalk%40classiccmp.org?Subject=IBM%20XT%20diagnostic%20ROM&In-Reply
-To=20080528131358.V82915%40shell.lmi.net>
Wed May 28 15:49:36 CDT 2008
* Previous message: IBM XT diagnostic ROM
* Next message: IBM XT diagnostic ROM
* Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ]
________________________________
Fred Cisin wrote:
> What you have found is called a Power On Self Test card, or "POST card".
>
> During the cold start process, the computer sends numbers at various
> stages to a port. By putting in a card that decodes the port and displays
> those numbers, you can see which stages of the start up process succeeded.
>
> It will only work if the computer is making it at least partway through
> the cold start boot process, and will certainly not tell you anything if
> the CPU is dead, no matter what some brain-dead moron might say. (Well,
> OK, some also have a few LEDs to tell you if the power supply is live,
> etc.)
It was my understanding that only AT-class machines (by age, not
necessarily by architecture type) wrote to that port. I've never seen a
PC or XT (or clone thereof) motherboard/BIOS write to that port.
--
Jim Leonard (trixter at oldskool.org
<http://www.classiccmp.org/mailman/listinfo/cctalk> )
http://www.oldskool.org/
Help our electronic games project: http://www.mobygames.com/
Or check out some trippy MindCandy at http://www.mindcandydvd.com/
A child borne of the home computer wars: http://trixter.wordpress.com/
________________________________
* Previous message: IBM XT diagnostic ROM
* Next message: IBM XT diagnostic ROM
* Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ]
________________________________
More information about the cctalk mailing list
<http://www.classiccmp.org/mailman/listinfo/cctalk>
------REPLY------
Hi,
The IBM XT does send POST codes to port $60 during start up. The AT and
later send more detailed codes to port $80 which almost all POST card
devices support.
http://bioscentral.com/postcodes/ibmbios.htm
You can make your own POST card type device. I have two already but one is
a dedicated AT style and the other is an AWARD SOFTWARE POSTcard Rev 1.3.
Unfortunately, I do not have the manuals necessary to change the onboard
configuration switches to convert it from AT only to support XT style POST
codes.
http://members.tripod.com/~BBright/information/postcard.htm
Thanks to all who replied and for any help in repairing this classic IBM XT
motherboard.
Andrew Lynch
________________________________
MCT-EPROM
Chuck Guzis cclist
<mailto:cctalk%40classiccmp.org?Subject=MCT-EPROM&In-Reply-To=200805281421.m
4SEKpPX022701%40dewey.classiccmp.org> at sydex.com
Wed May 28 12:01:20 CDT 2008
* Previous message: Transformer repairs
<http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-May/258706.html>
* Next message: IBM XT diagnostic ROM
<http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-May/258708.html>
* Messages sorted by: [ date ]
<http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-May/date.html#258707> [ thread
] <http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-May/thread.html#258707> [
<http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-May/subject.html#258707>
subject ] [ author ]
<http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-May/author.html#258707>
_____
> Date: Tue, 27 May 2008 21:20:10 -0400
> From: "Andrew Lynch"
> I have an old EPROM programmer for the PC. It uses an 8 bit ISA card
> labeled "MCT-EPROM". JDR used to sell these in the 1980's for 24 & 28
> pin
> Whenever I start the MOD-EPROM software it says it cannot find the
> controller board. It is looking for a device a 0x2A0 but apparently
> can't find it. The software does NOT allow the IO address to be
> changed and there are no configuration jumpers on the controller board.
> The ISA controller board installed in 486sx (25 MHz) but the software
> could not find it. I tried with a P3 (450 MHz) and got the same
> result.
I've got one of these--actually a no-name, but the same Taiwanese
unit. At one time, I think these were also sold under the "Sunshine"
name. You could get them with different "heads"--anywhere from a
single ZIF socket to 8 or so; maybe even 16. I have the 4-socket
version.
You've answered your own query. This board is strictly 5150/5160/XT
clone territory. IIRC, even a PC AT doesn't work--at least with the
software that I have (I haven't tried JDR's). I believe that this is
due to many CPU-based timing loops. I remember patching the code to
detect the board so it would run in a 386/20, only to have it fail to
program EPROMs, whereupon I gave up and stuck it back in the XT,
there to stay until the present.
This forms the basis of my suspicion that CPU loops are used
exclusively for timing--not a really bad idea back when the world was
filled with 8088 systems. Certainly, it wasn't alone in this
respect.
Get that 5160 going and you should be fine. I suspect though, that
you're faced with a chicken-and-egg situtation--you need to get the
EPROM burner going so you can get the 5160 running.
Source code for the programming software should make things easier to
modify for faster machines, but I suspect that it's unobtainium.
Disassembling is another option, but not one that I'm interested in,
as I have a parallel-port driven programmer that can still handle the
older EPROMs just fine.
Cheers,
Chuck
_____
* Previous message: Transformer repairs
<http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-May/258706.html>
* Next message: IBM XT diagnostic ROM
<http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-May/258708.html>
* Messages sorted by: [ date ]
<http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-May/date.html#258707> [ thread
] <http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-May/thread.html#258707> [
<http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-May/subject.html#258707>
subject ] [ author ]
<http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-May/author.html#258707>
_____
More information <http://www.classiccmp.org/mailman/listinfo/cctalk> about
the cctalk mailing list
_____
-----REPLY-----
Hi Chuck,
It is sort of a "chicken and egg" scenario. I have a MCT-EPROM burner I'd
like to use but I agree it needs an XT clone. My XT clone is broken but
fortunately I have a different EPROM burner so if I can fix the XT I should
be good for the MCT-EPROM as well.
Do you still have the manual for the MCT-EPROM / Sunshine programmer? If
so, would you mind scanning a copy and maybe I'll ask Al to post it at
Bitsavers.org. JDR is part of the history of microcomputers and practically
everyone got something of theirs from JDR at some time or another. JDR is
practically an institution in electronics/vintage computers. I remember
ordering parts from them when I was in high school to fix my Dad's lab
computers -- IBM PCs running AutoCAD.
Thanks in advance!
Andrew Lynch
Anyone have experience with these? I have a defective unit (purchased on
eBay - sad story) that tries to bash the drive head to death against the
Track 0 stop when turned on. I picked up the service manual and
schematics and was able to verify that the Track 0 sensor was working and
that that NTRACK00 (pin 34) on the 2793 FDC chip is pulled high at that
point.
It looks like the head-step pulses are generated in software by the
onboard 6507 CPU. The four phases appear on PB2-5 of a 6532 IO interface
and are presumably getting cycled in the correct sequence since the head
moves quite smoothly until it hits the physical stop.
I've already verified supply voltages and inspected the board closely for
burn marks, broken traces, etc. and reseated all the socketed ICs.
The unit is fitted with the 'US Doubler' enhancement, about which I know
very little.
Would appreciate any tips on troubleshooting.
Steve
--
I was just told there's a TI-990 mini available in the Lansing, MI area.
It's going to the scrapper if not claimed in the next day or two.
Included are a CPU in a tall single rack, two floor-standing
removable-pack disk drives (probably 80MB), a stack of disk packs, and
"fairly complete" documentation. I have only seen photos, and never
worked with these systems, so don't know much more.
http://www.somethingthatdoesntsuck.com/misccrapo/Images/ti990/
I'm trying to buy the machine a few more days before the scrapper, but I
wouldn't count on that.
I may be able to store the machine in a rental cube for a limited
period.
I will try to save the disk packs and doco regardless of whether the
machine gets saved.
I don't believe they want money for the system, though I didn't have a
specific discussion.
If you're interested, get in touch with me off-list at the above e-mail
address.
De
Hi,
Has anyone have or know where to get an IBM XT (5160) diagnostic ROM? I am
trying to revive an original IBM XT motherboard which is nonresponsive and
gives no error codes (beep or POST).
I am not even sure such a ROM exists but it would be a 27C256 style EPROM
that plugs into an IBM XT motherboard to help fault isolate an almost
completely dead unit.
The motherboard CPU seems to be working based on a quick exam with the
oscilloscope. However, the motherboard's initialization / boot process is
not making it to start up the video display before it hangs or crashes.
Obviously, something is broken but I haven't isolated exactly what yet.
If anyone can help, I would much appreciate it. Thank you in advance.
Andrew Lynch
> Message: 28
> Date: Wed, 28 May 2008 08:24:28 -0400
> From: Dan Roganti
> How about this, it's already been done, Internet Tabletop Radio
> There others like this but not all of them support RA
> http://linuxdevices.com/articles/AT7588734311.html
> Acoustic Energy says its WiFi radio will support stations broadcasting
> *Real Audio*, *WMV*, and *MP3* streams,
I saw that one, but it would take a bit of hacking to get it to what
I need (i.e., I don't need speakers and prefer a 10/100 baseT
connection rather than WiFi--and I want to be able to change my
selections via local network (e.g. telnet) as the unit would be
located a considerable distance from my listening location. And the
$300 price tag is a bit of a stopper also.
Still, I really like a lot of the boxes on the linuxdevices site--too
bad that the really good ones never made it past the prototype stage.
Cheers,
Chuck
I was messing around with my SX-64 (which is on ePay as a working unit)
yesterday, having located some software & a joystick for it. I was going to
take a few photos of the new bits, etc.; for adding to the listing.
Then: *sharp snap/crack noise*, lights go out.
Aaaargh!
OK, first things first: There was no burning smell, and no (visible) magic
smoke released. The fuse wire in the glass fuse has been vapourised; the
mains fuse survived. I replaced the fuse, which has not since blown, but the
PSU is deader than a dead thing that's been dead for a week.
Some careful poking around with the multimeter (before the multimeter went
bang - ffs, I must have an anti-midas touch this week), then the
oscilliscope, reveals that a secondary transformer on the PSU has failed. I
presume it went dead short, then burnt itself + the fuse out simultaneously;
hence the reason the replacement fuse hasn't blown.
So, what I need to do now is replace the transformer, or get it repaired
somehow (ideally before Sunday, when the ePay auction runs out - or, to
definitely know it is unfixable in that timescale & thus cancel the
auction).
What I DO have, which might make a repair feasible, is a second SX-64; the
only difference is, this one has a US (117v) PSU. Obviously, the primary
transformer windings are going to be different, but is it possible/likely
that the secondary transformer will be the same? Going by the part nos. I'm
not terribly hopeful:
UK Part no: TDK 68-0409 B8326A
US Part No: TDK 68-0407 B8309A
A quick google on any of those numbers reveals nothing...
I don't have the means to create 117v 60hz power, so I can't test that way -
and even if I could, it turns out that the US PSU has taken a wallop at some
point, breaking the circuit board. :(
Hey ho... any help gratefully received.
TIA!
Best Regards,
Ade.
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.24.1/1469 - Release Date: 27/05/2008
13:25
