> Also, Intersil had their own disk (floppy disk, that is) operating system
> for the Intercept I/II called IFDOS. I have a manual for IFDOS, but it
> doesn't describe the floppy disk hardware for the Intercept. Was it a clone
> of the RX01/RX8E? Have any copies of IFDOS media survived?
Charlie Lasner wrote it. I'm sure he must have a copy.
Hi,
Does anyone have a copy of the Intel Application Notes AP-116 and AP-121
they'd be willing to scan or place online?
They are mentioned in the i8272A datasheet but I cannot find them online
anywhere (I tried bitsavers.org/pdf first!)
I am building an FDC using an i8272 and would appreciate the additional
technical details.
Thanks!
Andrew Lynch
> I am guessing close to abandonware - but not quite. As I understand
> it, HP is still the copyright holder.
CHM is currently working with the HP archivist to try to get the Apollo
code released under similar terms as the HP1000. One of the hangups is
the UNIX licensing.
Al Kossow wrote:
> Charlie Lasner wrote it [Intersil IFDOS]. I'm sure he must have a copy.
You don't say.... Small world, eh? So is IFDOS in any way related to PS?8
?
Charles H Dickman wrote:
> He seems to have disappeared. I have not seen a posting from Mr. Lasner
>on pdp8-lovers in years.
I last spoke to CJL in 2006 when he contacted me about the SBC6120, so he
is still around. He just doesn't post as much as he used to.
Bob
I hate to include folks mid-discussion, but Mike is trying to get the
SuperPET functionality running, and it refers to a HOSTCM program
running on VM/CMS. Anyone have a copy, some insight, etc.?
Jim
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: SuperPET MMU
Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:17:20 -0700
From: Mike Naberezny <mike at naberezny.com>
To: Jim Brain <brain at jbrain.com>
References: <48C2236E.5060303 at naberezny.com>
<48C352FD.1040200 at jbrain.com> <48C3574B.8010805 at naberezny.com>
<48C59CCB.1000300 at jbrain.com>
Jim Brain wrote:
> Hmm, a mystery. Any chance you can sniff the UART traffic?
Yes, I can do that. I already made a sniffer for another project. I'm not
sure it will give much insight with the SuperPET alone. I'd probably need to
listen to something speaking HOSTCM with the SuperPET. However, observing the
bytes sent from the SuperPET when it initiates a transfer might give clues.
I did find something interesting in a VM/CMS (mainframe OS) reference manual
[1]. If you search for HOSTCM in that document, there is mention that a
"MANUAL" command outputs the HOSTCM specifications. It also says "The KERMIT
command also performs most of the functions of HOSTCM". It seems likely then
that HOSTCM is a built on the Kermit protocol.
This seems further confirmed by a message [2] from William Levak on
cbm-hackers a while back. Although all of his attempts to transfer files from
the SuperPET with "normal" file transfer protocols failed, he says Kermit did
more than the others.
This gives me a few good next steps. I'll play around with Kermit while
monitoring the RS-232 lines. From web searches, I found there are also some
mainframe guys that are running VM/CMS in emulators these days. I'll try to
make some contacts and see if someone has HOSTCM and can run that "MANUAL"
command on it.
Regards,
Mike
[1] http://ukcc.uky.edu/ukccinfo/391/cmsref.html
[2] http://www.softwolves.pp.se/misc/arkiv/cbm-hackers/1/1128.html
--
Mike Naberezny (mike at naberezny.com) http://6502.org
--
Jim Brain, Brain Innovations (X)
brain at jbrain.com
Dabbling in WWW, Embedded Systems, Old CBM computers, and Good Times!
Home: http://www.jbrain.com
>
>Subject: Intersil Intercept Models...
> From: "Bob Armstrong" <bob at jfcl.com>
> Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 07:39:24 -0700
> To: "'General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts'" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
>
> Intersil made several PDP-8 "work a likes" based on their 6100 chip, and
>I'm trying to figure out a few of the exact details. OK, I know this is
>really obscure, but I'm hoping somebody out there has used one or at least
>seen one :-)
>
> The Intercept Jr was the SYM or KIM like single board computer with a
>chiclet keypad and seven segment displays and powered by D cells. That
>one's easy to identify. However, after they bought out Intersil, Harris
>made a thing called the "Micro12" which was a little like the Intercept Jr
>but is clearly not the same. There are no D cells on the Micro12 for one
>thing, and more logic on board for another. I only have pictures of the
>Micro12, but no details. Does anybody know any more about this gizmo?
There was a 6100 sampler that was a minimal board with TTY interface.
I have one of those.
The Intercept-JR did have batteries, it was one of the features all cmos
and low power. Fun to play with and useful. The Micro12 was the same beast
>from memory.
If I could find details on the -JR I'd build one.
> And the "Intercept I/II Microcomputer Development Manual" (which I do
>have) has pictures and specifications for the Intercept I and II. The I is
>in a 3-1/2" chassis that holds four cards horizontally, and the II is a
>5-1/4" chassis that holds at least a dozen cards inserted vertically. As
>far as I can determine from the manual, the I and II are the same (they use
>all the same cards) except for the chassis, and neither one has any kind of
>front panel. The front panel is emulated with an ODT like debugger in the
>console firmware (a little like the LSI-11).
>
The Intercept1 was 6100 based and the InterceptII was 6120 basically the same
thing from the programmers view with minor differnce. The I used 6100/6102
(PDP-8 with EMA) and the 6120 was the version that integreated the MEDIC part
on one chip and also added PDP-8A stack instrucitons (they are really IOTs).
The OS was OS278 flavor or compatable at some level with Fortran, FOCAL, ODT
and PAL. they also had the PDP-8 tray of tapes kit for non disk or user
rolled software. The disk system was PDP-8 RX01/RX8E software compatable.
FYI: ODT is a PDP-8 creation that found it way to PDP-11 with some variation.
The DECmate (early plain and DM1) and the base Intercept systems have much
in common.
> BUT, I've also seen pictures of something that looks like an Intercept I
>(exact same chassis), but with a lights and switches front panel. Intersil
>and Harris both published application notes, #006, that described the "6100
>Operator Console" and the application note even contains a nice photograph
>of just such a machine. What model was this? Is it a unique model, was
>there a front panel option for an Intercept I? The Intercept manual says
>nothing about any kind of front panel.
There were flavors of the backplane for turnkey systems without the front
pannel (I think power and reset). The other flavor had the operators console
(front panel) that was supported with the needed rom and pannel ram. You
could also get the operators console for the bare backplane version.
> Also, Intersil had their own disk (floppy disk, that is) operating system
>for the Intercept I/II called IFDOS. I have a manual for IFDOS, but it
>doesn't describe the floppy disk hardware for the Intercept. Was it a clone
>of the RX01/RX8E? Have any copies of IFDOS media survived?
Yep RX8E based system media and software compatable though differnt internally.
The Sampler is very minimal but fun to expand, the Intercept-JR is on my wish
list and the Intercept-1 or II were scarce but wouldn't mind having one to go
with my PDP-8f, DMIII systems.
Allison
>
>Thanks!
>Bob Armstrong
>
Intersil made several PDP-8 "work a likes" based on their 6100 chip, and
I'm trying to figure out a few of the exact details. OK, I know this is
really obscure, but I'm hoping somebody out there has used one or at least
seen one :-)
The Intercept Jr was the SYM or KIM like single board computer with a
chiclet keypad and seven segment displays and powered by D cells. That
one's easy to identify. However, after they bought out Intersil, Harris
made a thing called the "Micro12" which was a little like the Intercept Jr
but is clearly not the same. There are no D cells on the Micro12 for one
thing, and more logic on board for another. I only have pictures of the
Micro12, but no details. Does anybody know any more about this gizmo?
And the "Intercept I/II Microcomputer Development Manual" (which I do
have) has pictures and specifications for the Intercept I and II. The I is
in a 3-1/2" chassis that holds four cards horizontally, and the II is a
5-1/4" chassis that holds at least a dozen cards inserted vertically. As
far as I can determine from the manual, the I and II are the same (they use
all the same cards) except for the chassis, and neither one has any kind of
front panel. The front panel is emulated with an ODT like debugger in the
console firmware (a little like the LSI-11).
BUT, I've also seen pictures of something that looks like an Intercept I
(exact same chassis), but with a lights and switches front panel. Intersil
and Harris both published application notes, #006, that described the "6100
Operator Console" and the application note even contains a nice photograph
of just such a machine. What model was this? Is it a unique model, was
there a front panel option for an Intercept I? The Intercept manual says
nothing about any kind of front panel.
Also, Intersil had their own disk (floppy disk, that is) operating system
for the Intercept I/II called IFDOS. I have a manual for IFDOS, but it
doesn't describe the floppy disk hardware for the Intercept. Was it a clone
of the RX01/RX8E? Have any copies of IFDOS media survived?
Thanks!
Bob Armstrong
> Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2008 07:48:39 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Julian Skidmore <julianskidmore at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Mac SE Flyback!
>
>> > ..the Mac's good, but the flyback Transformer burnt out a while
>> You can have it, or just the flyback, for the cost of shipping from
>> Switzerland.
> but it's my best (and only) offer!
They (compact Mac flybacks) are hard to find these days. I was kind of
hoping your posting would cause someone to pop up and point, "That place
over there has hundreds of them" or to discover that there is an
alternative usable part number which is still available. The ringing
silence probably means that they are as rare as they seem to be now days.
Sigh.
Jeff Walther
