test-drb May 2015

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

199 participants
259 discussions

by hilpert＠cs.ubc.ca

Does anyone recognise these DEC cartridges?: http://www3.telus.net/~bhilpert/tmp/deccartridge.jpg Any details or knowledge of what systems they may have been used with? They're definitely digital, note the logo on the nearer one on the right. I can't recall ever having seen them. They're associated in this instance with 80s-era biomed analysis. Also, anyone know what processor may have been used in a Becton Dickinson ARTIFACS 440 cell-sorting (FACS) rack? We're speculating there may be an embedded LSI-11. Rob and I are assessing some surplus/scrap equipment for rescue but haven't been on site yet.

8 years, 10 months

8-bit Computer TV Channel Use

by nf6x＠nf6x.net

> On May 21, 2015, at 12:11 , John Foust <jfoust at threedee.com> wrote: > > At 03:03 PM 5/19/2015, Mark J. Blair wrote: >> I've been brainstorming about hypothetical hardware for converting video from vintage 8-bit computers to drive modern monitors well, with support for all of the dirty tricks like color aliasing that many of them used. > > Hasn't this list discussed existing devices that work for this task? > They're aimed at the game console market. I don't recall a previous discussion of that, but my lack of recollection certainly doesn't mean that it never happened. It's been mentioned recently on various retrocomputing podcasts that many (most? all?) of the existing solutions out there work poorly with some vintage computers, particularly the Apple II. It was mentioned in passing on Open Apple #43 in the discussion of LCD panels suitable for an Apple II GS laptop conversion, and specifically discussed on RCR #100 in the Host's Topic segment as something lacking in the market (links below). Maybe there are good solutions that just aren't well-known in those circles? If so, I'd like to hear about them. I'm also very interested in learning about specific instances of "computer X worked poorly with adapter/display Y, and it failed in this particular way". While I recall hearing multiple mentions of this sort of trouble in general, I'd like to hear of specific examples of how specific combinations failed, i.e. "monitor Y couldn't sync to video from computer X", "adapter Y generates monochrome output instead of deliberately aliased colors from computer X", etc. http://www.open-apple.net/2015/01/22/open-apple-43-january-2015-happy-new-y… http://rcrpodcast.com/episodes/2015/5/10/rcr-episode-100.html -- Mark J. Blair, NF6X <nf6x at nf6x.net> http://www.nf6x.net/

8 years, 10 months

Panaplex display history

by jules.richardson99＠gmail.com

JOOI, does anyone know when Panaplex 7-segment displays started going the way of the dodo, to be replaced with LED displays (and, on the back of that, what were the advantages of a Panaplex-type display over an LED one?) I just saved a few boards from a dumpster with such displays on (they're actually Beckman ones, not Burroughs), but I was a little surprised to see IC dates into 1981; I thought by then things had moved over to LED. I'm almost certain that they're from old gas pumps - maybe the displays are just more readable in bright sunlight than LED? (there's a sticker on one of the PSU boards with a 'shipping date' in 1999) cheers Jules

8 years, 10 months

PDP-12 Restoration at the RICM

by michael.99.thompson＠gmail.com

We spent Friday and Saturday debugging the PDP-12. We replaced a bad SN7400 driver chip and three bad bulbs in the front panel. We can now trust what we see on the front panel for debugging information. We tried some of the PDP-8 and LINC instructions and noticed that some of the bits in the Instruction Register were stuck on. We swapped the two M216 (six flip-flops in three SN7474 ICs) flip-chips that make up the IR and the stuck bits moved. We replaced the broken M216 with a spare, and now all of the IR bits work correctly. With a working IR, we found that lots of the PDP-8 instructions, and many of the LINC instructions now work. We can turn the relays on and off and make noises through the speaker. During other DEC restorations we have replaced LOTs of SN7474 ICs. We pulled all of the M216 flip-chips and ran them in Warren's tester. We found and replaced another bad M216, the one in slot E8 that controls the core memory states. Now core memory works! We went through the troubleshooting guide in Maintenance Volume-II. It has a procedure for doing a quick test of core memory that revealed a problem in the upper addresses. From looking at the prints it had to be one of two G221 flip-chips. We swapped in a spare and found that the one in slot C09 was bad. Now all of the first 4k of memory works. There is a problem with any PDP-8 instruction that has an address in the lower 9 bits. All 12 bits of the instruction are used, so it makes a mess. Debugging that issue will be the next project. -- Michael Thompson

8 years, 10 months

PDP 11/44 for sale

by rdooley＠shaw.ca

I have been on this list for a long time as a reader and wanted to give the list a heads up on this system before doing anything else in case somebody wants it and can pick it up. -- Cabinet 1: Quickware Engineering QED-95 CPU replacement 2- TU-58 tape drives Cabinet 2: BA11-KW RX02 floppies Cabinet 3: 2- RL02 disk drives 1-MDI 76-contains 1 Maxtor XT8760EM 760 Meg HD Cabinet 4: 2-RL02 disk drives 1-MDI 276-contains two Maxtor XT8760EM 760 Meg HDs I am asking US$3000.00 for the four cabinets. I can't guarantee anything but it was turned off working fine. The buyer would have the option of buying up to 18 RL02K-DC data carts for US$25 each Shipping is probably not an option they are about 300lbs + each I am located in Kelowna BC Canada about 3hrs north of Spokane Washington.. Preference would have to go to someone that could come and get it. Pictures are here http://photoshare.shaw.ca/view/32499942349-1432868285-94725/0 Rod Rdooley at shaw dot ca

8 years, 10 months

Franklin Ace 1000

by sales＠elecplus.com

Looks kind of like Apple II, but bigger. Hasd 1 external 5.25" diskette drive. Missing one keycap (the letter F). Make an offer, I can ship it. Totally untested J Cindy Croxton Electronics Plus 1613 Water Street Kerrville, TX 78028 830-370-3239 cell sales at elecplus.com AOL IM elcpls

8 years, 10 months

Apple-1 doh!

by chrise＠pobox.com

http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/05/31/usa-california-computer-idINL1N0YM… May 31 (Reuters) - A $100,000 check is waiting for a mystery woman who donated a rare Apple 1 computer to a Silicon Valley recycling firm. CleanBayArea in Milpitas, California, is trying to track down a woman in her 60s who dropped off some electronic goods in April, when she was cleaning out the garage after her husband died. In one of the boxes, buried under worthless keyboards, personal computer pieces and wires, was a 1976 Apple 1, a groundbreaking home computer. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak designed and hand-built the computers and sold them for $666.66 each. Only a few dozen are known still to exist. [...] -- Chris Elmquist

8 years, 10 months

Looking for a Northstar S-100 Double Density Controller

by spereira1952＠comcast.net

I'm looking for a Northstar double density floppy disk controller. The double density controller will be marked as MDS-ADx. I have seen pictures of this board marked as MDS-AD and MDS-AD3, but I'm not certain how many different versions there may be out there. Obviously, I would greatly prefer to know that the board is operational prior to shipping. Please let me know if you might have a spare or unused board that you would part with for a reasonable price plus shipping. Thanks! -- Stephen M. Pereira Bedford, NH 03110 KB1SXE

8 years, 10 months

UA11 "Unibus Analyzer" Wanted

by pbirkel＠gmail.com

I didn't discover this wonderful project from Guy until *after* he had moved. And while he _may_ have a few boards left, they're still buried somewhere in his amazing collection of "materiel" :->. As I need to learn/work my way through various Unibus systems/scenarios ... starting with self-education ... I'd very much like to acquire one of these beasties. Does anyone have a UA11 PCB, kit, or completed board, with which they'd be willing to part? A good home with a friendly family is guaranteed! Many Thanks, paul

8 years, 10 months

Intel absolute object file format specification

by spacewar＠gmail.com

Various Intel manual reference an "MCS 80/85 absolute object file formats" manual, order number 9800183B. Does anyone have this? Note that this is a pure binary format, not the well-known "Intel Hex" format.

8 years, 10 months

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test-drb May 2015