test-drb March 2010

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

182 participants
231 discussions

Adding VGA, PS/2 keyboard, and microSD to generic Z80 CPU classic computers

by lynchaj＠yahoo.com

> platforms. > > The idea is impressive, but that PCB is huge. Any chance the design could be made smaller? Jim Hi Jim The PropIO was designed as an ECB standard board (160x100mm) Eurocard format and is intended for use with the rest of the N8VEM system. However, the subject came up of adding SD to KayPro on the vintage-computer.com forums and rather than designing a board unique to that system my hope is to reuse an existing part with little or no modification. If you were to design a specific Propeller board for the KayPro it could be much smaller but then it would be forever tied to that platform. The concept here is to make an adapter board to allow general purpose N8VEM boards to provide IO to the less common vintage computers that are "stranded" due to lack of current hardware development and/or small developer community. WaveMate Bullet is an example but I am sure there are dozens if not hundreds of others. I am trying to gauge what sort of interest there is in this approach if any. Certainly this is less than optimal solution for any specific machine but then it may be applicable across a whole spectrum of vintage computers (Z80 DIP 40 socket). Most likely this idea will go no where but it is interesting to me and the initial test results are showing promise. This in theory could be a way to add features like DiskIO (IDE/FDC), video (VDU), or microSD (PropIO) to less common systems that otherwise would never get it. Thanks and have a nice day! Andrew Lynch PS, the empty sockets on the PropIO are for the second Propeller. It is currently unallocated but communicates with the SBC over the ECB in a similar fashion as the first Propeller which serves the PS/2 keyboard, VGA, and microSD interface. The second Propeller has several free IO pins which are intended for builder experimentation. There are a few proposed ideas on how to use the second Propeller such as an EN28J60 Ethernet interface with PropNIC and/or the Propeller USB converter. I was planning initially on adding TV, audio, and some other toy doodads but the other builders convinced me to keep the second Propeller unallocated and instead add the mini prototyping area. The PropIO also includes a mezzanine connector and mounting hardware for a full sized mezzanine "upper deck" so builders can add whatever suits them. PropIO is a rather experimental board and not really a final design - more of a proof of concept. Thus it is ideal for situations where non-typical adaptations like jamming into a KayPro are being explored.

14 years, 2 months

Adding VGA, PS/2 keyboard, and microSD to generic Z80 CPU classic computers

by lynchaj＠yahoo.com

Hi! I am working with one of the N8VEM builders to make an interface to allow a generic Z80 CPU computer (DIP 40 socket) to interface to the N8VEM PropIO board. The benefit of this would be that any Z80 computer with a DIP 40 socket could add VGA, PS/2 keyboard, and microSD capability. I think this would be helpful for debugging and also transferring data from legacy platforms. http://groups.google.com/group/n8vem/msg/b287ef9fbe0f1e8d Since the board plugs directly into the Z80 CPU socket it is independent of any particular bus. Any new installation would require custom software for the platform. It appears the KayPro can access the PropIO using MBASIC so writing software should be practical. In theory, this approach may be applicable to any of the N8VEM ECB peripheral boards (Disk IO, VDU, prototyping board, etc). The concept may be applicable to other CPUs with the appropriate shim socket PCBs. I believe this could be particularly helpful for classic computers that lack an active development community. If anyone is interested in doing some experimentation with your vintage Z80 computer please contact me. Thanks and have a nice day! Andrew Lynch

14 years, 2 months

History of ....

by evan＠snarc.net

Dare I say it, here's a good piece on the history of (gasp!) Windows: http://technologizer.com/2010/03/08/the-secret-origin-of-windows/ Don't kill the messenger. :)

14 years, 2 months

Wirewrap boards update

by steerex＠ccvn.com

Yo! I have posted a few pictures of the wirewrap boards that are offered. I haven't used this free service before so, I hope the links work OK for everyone. http://tinypic.com/r/2q0iovn/6 http://tinypic.com/r/whhb7o/6 http://tinypic.com/r/2cp97j5/6 http://tinypic.com/r/kaqkjl/6 http://tinypic.com/r/2ed1esm/6 http://tinypic.com/r/2chw679/6 My brain is getting kinda soft so, I mistakenly said the pins were on a .4" X .1" grid. That is not correct. They are on a .3" X .1" grid. So all the common DIP packages will plug right in. Sorry for any confusion. SteveRob steerex [at] ccvn [dot] com

14 years, 2 months

DECwriters

by wdonzelli＠gmail.com

Curious... Who here has a DECwriter I (LA30)? This is the original early 70s DECwriter made out of Flip Chips. Google for a picture. Who here would like a DECwriter I? No, I am not selling, just curious... -- Will

14 years, 2 months

Old books, mostly UNIX books

by segin2005＠gmail.com

I want $5 + shipping per book; I'll try to minimize shipping costs by shipping all the books together. As for publishing years: The Waite Group's UNIX? Primer Plus 1991 Introduction To UNIX? 1992 QuickBASIC Programmer's Toolkit 1989 UNIX? Programmer's Reference 1992 UNIX? Networking 1991 Exploring the UNIX? System, Second Edition 1991 EXAM CRAM TCP/IP for MCSE 1999 Also, I did not originally list this book: UNIX? Shell Commands: Quick Reference (QUE Publishing) ISBN 0-88022-572-6 1992 On Tue, Mar 9, 2010 at 18:37, Roy J. Tellason, Sr. <rtellason at verizon.net>wrote: > > What years were they published? That would help. Too, you don't say what > you'd want for them? > > -- > 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 >

14 years, 2 months

ACM Turing Award Goes to Creator of First Modern Personal Computer

by glen.slick＠gmail.com

Saw this in the news today: http://www.acm.org/press-room/news-releases/2010/turing-award-09/ NEW YORK, March 9, 2010 ? ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery today named Charles P. Thacker the winner of the 2009 ACM A.M. Turing Award http://awards.acm.org/2010/turing-award.cfm for his pioneering design and realization of the Alto, the first modern personal computer, and the prototype for networked personal computers. Thacker?s design, which he built while at Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center), reflected a new vision of a self-sufficient, networked computer on every desk, equipped with innovations that are standard in today?s models. Thacker was also cited for his contributions to the Ethernet local area network, which enables multiple computers to communicate and share resources, as well as the first multiprocessor workstation, and the prototype for today?s most used tablet PC, with its capabilities for direct user interaction. The Turing Award, widely considered the ?Nobel Prize in Computing,? is named for the British mathematician Alan M. Turing. The award carries a $250,000 prize, with financial support provided by Intel Corporation and Google Inc.

14 years, 2 months

Rack rails

by silvercreekvalley＠yahoo.com

Does anyone have any rack rails for sale (uk) for a regular 19" rack? These don't need to be the sliding type just a basic L shape rail? Contact me of list if you have anything. They are tricky to find for a reasonable price Thanks Ian

14 years, 2 months

rare systems

by evan＠snarc.net

Guys, don't confuse "rare" with "more historic". "Rare" just means "fewer". If the people at Tandy produced a limited-edition TRS-80, and the only difference was it had a yellow polka-dot case design, and only 100 were ever made, does that mean it's more "rare" than a Straight-8? Technically, yes! Does that make it more historic? It's too dumb a question to even ask. (I'm not putting down the PERQ systems, etc.; those are certainly historic in their own regard.) And yes, DEC isn't as popular as Apple; there won't be millions of DEC fanboys and stuff ...... But it's hard to argue that the Straight-8 isn't one of the most * historic * systems ever made, re: historic = grand context and importance to the history of the computer industry. Rarity is a big factor too, but the '8 has it all. Historic, rare, desirable.

14 years, 2 months

OT: for Christian Corti

by js＠cimmeri.com

Christian, received your email fine but still unable to reply. Here's the kind of errors I'm receiving, even with different email addresses: ---------------------------------------- A message that you sent could not be delivered to one or more of its recipients. This is a permanent error. The following address(es) failed: corticn at zdi2.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de <mailto:corticn at zdi2.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de> (generated from cc at corti-net.de <mailto:cc at corti-net.de>) SMTP error from remote mail server after RCPT TO:<corticn at zdi2.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de <mailto:corticn at zdi2.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de>>: host mailgw.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de [129.69.211.42]: 554 5.7.1 <jws at casient.net <mailto:jws at casient.net>>: Sender address rejected: Access denied ---------------------------------------- Hi. This is the qmail-send program at mail2.sea5.speakeasy.net. I'm afraid I wasn't able to deliver your message to the following addresses. <cc at informatik.uni-stuttgart.de>: 129.69.211.41 does not acknowledge recipient. Remote host said: 554 5.7.1 <js at cimmeri.com>: Sender address rejected: Access denied Giving up on 129.69.211.41. - John Singleton

14 years, 2 months

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test-drb March 2010