I bought the Tek 4051 on ebay today; Jason brought it to my house and it works perfectly, with about a half hour of programming instruction my 12 old daughter was plotting a cat face.
https://www.facebook.com/Thelma.Franco/videos/10154277153852670/
I would like to get in touch with other users of this first personal computer, and find additional resources.
Do you know where I can find an archive of BASIC programs for this?
Has anybody built plug in cards in the back, mine came with a realtime clock and a "file manager", I do not know what that one does.
I have some Tek scopes with IEE-488, and I will see if I can get the IEEE interface working.
There was a DC300 tape in the machine:
biorithm
craps
blackjack
artillery
tanks
weatherwar
The belt is broken in the tape, I have ordered some new DC300's and will transplant the tape.
Any resources will be welcome!
Randy
Excellent, that's a great start.
Vince - thanks for the measurements, I will redraw a better 3-view using those. Not sure about how the extra bolt goes though.
Ethan - thanks for confirming the different leg pad to frame pad.
Noel - that is extremely useful info on the pads, I've now found them at http://www.vlier.com/product_index/leveling/sel_05_lstar.html#
Paul - yes I noticed some systems had different legs, for instance this one https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2435/3878202215_372c46fccb_b.jpg
and any p/n info you have from better sources would be welcome.
The part number I found for the legs (H-952-BA) came from the Fall 1978 Digital Sales Catalog, page 129 which has the same p/n for both
Standard and Short cabinets.
I'll cogitate over a revised drawing and get back to the list.
Thanks again,
Steve.
I regret we haven't been able to resusciate my 4051 yet.? Still kills power to the main board.
I didn't know there were games for the 40xx machines.? I didn't think they could with the limitations of the screen design, although I kinda thought the display would work well for, say, an adventure game.
B
Sent from my Samsung device
-------- Original message --------
From: Randy Dawson via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Date: 2018-01-06 10:01 PM (GMT-08:00)
To: Randy Dawson <rdawson16 at hotmail.com>, "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Subject: Re: Tek 40xx computer users
This was for Mike Hass, he was not in the email chain, and I do not have his address.
But it' s a general shout out to the other Tek 40xx users out there...
Randy
________________________________
From: cctalk <cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org> on behalf of Randy Dawson via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 6, 2018 9:54 PM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Subject: Re: Tek 40xx computer users
Hi Gary,
Well its been a year.
Some news from here:
Micheal Cranford finished his MAXIPACK and FASTGRAPHICS PACK, and the results are awesome.
50-100% increase in the graphics speed, and he put all the demos and games on the MAXIPACK.
I 3D printed the plastic case for the PACKs and they look good.
I would like to see if we can work together, to clone the ROMs out of the packs you have, or see if you are willing to sell duplicates you have.
I really need a communications PACK, my 4051 did not have the comm port.? I have no way to transfer data in and out, I was going to attempt it over GPIB, bit I did not get very far.
What is new from your end?
I think we are trying to organize a 405x users group, I am talking with a few other guys.
Cheers,
Randy
________________________________
From: cctalk <cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org> on behalf of Mike Haas <dogaschesswarrior at gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2016 8:10 AM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Subject: Re: Tek 40xx computer users
Congrats on your new Tek.??? My 4051 pile came from came indirectly from
Gary Spence, who had inhouse involvement with the model. (can't locate his
bio at the moment)? Here's what I got... somewhere:
4051, 2x 4907 Dual 8" floppys, and the "System Test Fixture" front panel, a
box of DC300 tapes
"GAS 6800"? - a Homebrew 4051? (maybe a prototype?? 4051? ???)
and? these paks:
RS232 I/O compak
dual port memorypack
UNIBURN EPROM burner pack
VIDEOFRAME digitizer
GPIB Enhancement rompack
RS232 Printer Interface
Parallel Interface
Rompack Switch
Data Communications Interface
8k Rom pack
Addressable Data Tracking backpack
IC Analyzer
Editor Pack
Filemanager Pack
Binary Program Loader Pack
Signal Processor Pack
Service Pack
Pack extender board
a few empty packs and several wired edges
On Sun, Oct 23, 2016 at 10:15 PM, Randy Dawson <rdawson16 at hotmail.com>
wrote:
> I bought the Tek 4051 on ebay today; Jason brought it to my house and it
> works perfectly, with about a half hour of programming instruction my 12
> old daughter was plotting a cat face.
>
>
> https://www.facebook.com/Thelma.Franco/videos/10154277153852670/
Log In or Sign Up to View<https://www.facebook.com/Thelma.Franco/videos/10154277153852670/>
www.facebook.com
See posts, photos and more on Facebook.
Log In or Sign Up to View<https://www.facebook.com/Thelma.Franco/videos/10154277153852670/>
Log In or Sign Up to View<https://www.facebook.com/Thelma.Franco/videos/10154277153852670/>
www.facebook.com
See posts, photos and more on Facebook.
www.facebook.com<http://www.facebook.com>
[https://www.facebook.com/images/fb_icon_325x325.png]<http://www.facebook.com/>
Facebook - Log In or Sign Up<http://www.facebook.com/>
www.facebook.com
Create an account or log into Facebook. Connect with friends, family and other people you know. Share photos and videos, send messages and get updates.
See posts, photos and more on Facebook.
>
>
> I would like to get in touch with other users of this first personal
> computer, and find additional resources.
>
>
> Do you know where I can find an archive of BASIC programs for this?
>
>
> Has anybody built plug in cards in the back, mine came with a realtime
> clock and a "file manager", I do not know what that one does.
>
>
> I have some Tek scopes with IEE-488, and I will see if I can get the IEEE
> interface working.
>
>
> There was a DC300 tape in the machine:
>
>
> biorithm
>
> craps
>
> blackjack
>
> artillery
>
> tanks
>
> weatherwar
>
>
> The belt is broken in the tape, I have ordered some new DC300's and will
> transplant the tape.
>
>
> Any resources will be welcome!
>
>
> Randy
>
>
>
>
>
I was given three VT100 and one VT131 in not great condition.
The biggest problem is that the keyboards are missing approximately 25% of
the keys in average. For example all SETUP keys and NO SCROLL keys are
missing. God know why.
It makes little point for me try to find keytops for these four keyboards.
Besides they are not actually matching the terminals except for one of
them. Apparently the VT131 keyboard is slightly different from the VT100.
Then two of the VT100 has a different first ROM chip and also an extra char
gen chip (23-108E2 and 23-198E2). Seems to be some kind of European/
Swedish/Scandinavian chargen and keyboard layout. The keyboards I received
has US layout.
I checked two PSUs, one monitor board, and one basic video (logic board)
which seem to work OK. One keyboard tested and is working electrically.
The cases are from OK to in quite ugly shape and the CRTs are from minimal
screen burn to quite some screen burn (due to long time with inverse video).
Is there interest in a full terminal? Parts? Keytops? I will probably keep
one or two flyback transformers to keep the ones I have going.
I am in Sweden.
/Mattis
From: Murray McCullough <c.murray.mccullough at gmail.com>
>
>This may be off-topic but these latest uprocessor exploits has raised
>a question: Are the 'old/classic' uprocessors using x86 technology in
>the same boat?
>
The exploit effects the speculative execution facility, so no it's not
"all P6 forward": nothing 32-bit or PAE, nothing just OOO, etc. The
current word I have (from my risk management folks, who got it from
Intel) is the oldest chips verified to be affected are the Xeon 3400
(server) and 2nd Gen Core (desktop) processors. So, probably nothing
later than 2009 or so.
KJ
Hey Alex,
I was trolling the internet and came across you post from 2015!! I have a
GRiD 2260 in like new condition with all the attachments, software and
carrying case. Are you interested?
Thanks,
Dan Smith
dansmithmaryland at aol.com
410-841-4827
Hello,
I have some doubt about DEC tape units and related interfaces.
What I know about (right or wrong, please correct):
- TU80 is a Pertec drive, it needs M7454 (unibus, TS11 driver) which is a
modified Dilog DU132. No option for QBUS.
- TS05 is a Pertec drive, it needs TSV05 (qbus, TSV05 driver) which is a
modified Emulex ???)
- TU81 plus is LESI or Pertec, you need KLESI (unibus / qbus, TMSCP driver).
Now the questions:
I have both a TU80 and TU81plus, and both Unibus and Qbus machines, but no
interfaces.
I would like to connect at least TU80 to unibus, and TU81 to qbus, but for
backup reasons it would be better to have both drives on both busses.
What are the DEC or third party card which would fit better on my drives,
and/or which would offer better driver compatibility with various OSs (via
switchable configuration).
I'm not sure about interface compatibility (Pertec interfaces could be
swapped),
and driver compatibility (what is better for RT11, what for BSD, what for
VMS).
I would accept also some offer to my email, if somebody has something
interesting to sell (better if in EU).
Thanks
Andrea
This may be off-topic but these latest uprocessor exploits has raised
a question: Are the 'old/classic' uprocessors using x86 technology in
the same boat? The very earliest ones, i.e., 1970s and early 80's.
probably not. How many are actually in use and/or on the Net?
Happy computing!
Murray :)
Hi My Friends,
Just a quick message to let everybody know that I am starting IT Training
Monday, January 8, 2018 to get the certifications I need. When finished I
plan to have my A+, N+ and S+ certifications. For those unfamiliar with
these certifications, this is paper work proving I have the knowledge to
perform the tasks of a Computer, Network and Server Technician in that
order. These enable me to get the great jobs in IT that I am looking for.
That is my plan. Please keep me in your prayers. This will be a lot of
work, reading, labs etcetera. In December 2018, I ought to be getting a
great Christmas present! :D
I will be checking my email when I can. Take care my friends.
>> From: Jim Stephens
>> I had a meeting with Ken Omohundro on 12/7 and will be having dinner
>> with him again soon. I'll ask him about it. I know he doesn't have any
>> records left, but I could take him your notes and see what he recalls.
> Thanks very much for that offer; we do think we know more or less how it
> works
So, I have completed what I think is a pretty thorough article on the CHWiki
about the ENABLE:
http://gunkies.org/wiki/Able_ENABLE
It contains _everything_ I was able to glean from the still-extant
documentation, etc, which I have access to.
There is enough detail there to add support for it to SIMH/Ersatz-11 (hint,
hint :-).
> there are two areas in which he might be able to help.
> The first is some very low-level details of how it worked, in terms of
> the UNIBUS interaction ... I _surmise_ that it was something like it
> watches NPR/SACK for a DMA cycle .. then waits for BBSY to cycle, at
> which point it knows it's a DMA cycle
Having refreshed my memory of how DMA cycles worked, I suspect it just watched
SACK and BBSY (since technically a UNIBUS device can do DMA cycles after
grabbing the bus with BRn), so no need to watch NPR.
> The second is some details of how some of the optional stuff for using
> existing memory, non-DMA devices, etc worked. ... I'll have to go
> re-read the documentation
Having looked again, I don't think there's any mystery; probably I just hadn't
carefully read it before.
One question I do have, though: why the limit (per the documentation) to 128KB
of old memory? If I'm correcly understanding how the MemDap works (it
apparently makes the address space of the 'secondary' UNIBUS appear on top of
the EUB memory, on the EUB) it should be able to handle up to 248KB? (The top
8KB is the I/O space on the secondary UNIBUS, which, if devices on the
secondary UNIBUS are to be supported, must be visible to the CPU through the
ENABLE.)
> It would also be interesting to know why he just didn't use a 3-bus
> design .. I suspect that the answer is that they way they did it, they
> could use a stock MUD backplane ... and only one over-the-back [UNIBUS]
> connector into the ENABLE [there probably wasn't room for a second].
This too.
>> I hope to get a biography and history of his companies including Able,
>> and figure somewhere to get it stored.
> The Computer History wiki would seem an ideal place for this sort of
> content?
Reaction?
Noel
