test-drb October 2021

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

100 participants
69 discussions

by geneb＠deltasoft.com

I'm working with the developer of the Applesauce disk imaging tool in order to iron out some issues with 8" disk support. I'm using a Qumetrak 842 disk drive that's got support for both double and single-sided media. This means that it's equipped with two index hole sensors, slightly offset from one another. It's my understanding that single-sided media has the index hole in one spot on the jacket, and double-sided media has one in a slightly different location. The issue at hand is some NIB Dysan double-sided 8" media I have - the disks have index holes in the jacket in both locations. Is this typical, or do I have some weird "special" disks on my hands? The Applesauce author posits that the combination of the dual-sensor drive and the dual-hole media wouldn't typically find themselves together. Is this accurate? If it's not, how would a system contemporary with the media have handled the two index holes? Thanks! g. -- Proud owner of F-15C 80-0007 http://www.f15sim.com - The only one of its kind. http://www.diy-cockpits.org/coll - Go Collimated or Go Home. Some people collect things for a hobby. Geeks collect hobbies. ScarletDME - The red hot Data Management Environment A Multi-Value database for the masses, not the classes. http://scarlet.deltasoft.com - Get it _today_!

2 years, 5 months

ISO: GE Terminet 300 knowledge

by derschjo＠gmail.com

Hey all -- I picked up a GE Terminet 300 which appears to be mostly functional, but is in need of alignment -- it's printing fairly smudged garbage with a few recognizable characters intermixed. Character positioning (horizontal) seems to be fairly irregular, for the characters that print clearly. The unit has suffered some knocks in its life and it's clear the photocell board has come slightly loose, which I'm sure is not unrelated, so I'm studying the service docs to get a better idea what's going on. There's an alignment gauge which I could reproduce if I had any idea what it's specs are. The service docs are a bit vague and the photocell assembly is a bit difficult to see, buried beneath the print band on the left hand side. Anyone out there have any experience with these? Any wisdom to impart here? Also, anyone have any spare print fingers? My print band's missing one (a "9") and I suppose it wouldn't be a terrible idea to have a few extras just in case... Thanks, - Josh

2 years, 5 months

Mystery 1702A(?) EPROM Programmer

by lists＠glitchwrks.com

Does anyone recognize this EPROM programmer: https://imgur.com/a/GcmefTl It appears to be for 1702A EPROMs. Working on cleaning it up and figuring it out! Thanks, Jonathan

2 years, 5 months

Tape Belts, was: FTGH: FH disk drives (and one HH) - Toronto + Scotch DC 300XL tapes

by lists＠glitchwrks.com

The belts are more or less all failing at this point, even on the newer multi-gigabyte QICs. I finally had to stop extracting the good ones from newer tapes, boiling, and reusing because that was not reliable anymore. Seems everyone is using these nowadays: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08536J6Y5 Thanks, Jonathan ??????? Original Message ??????? On Saturday, October 30th, 2021 at 22:30, Nigel Johnson Ham via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote: > Toby, will those 300XL tapes move the tape if you turn the capstan?? I > > got my drive working but when I tried to see if the tapes would read, > > the rubber band that moves the tape just shattered due to age. > > Try turning the wheel with your finger and see if it moves the tape, if > > it does i would like them. > > Cheers, > > Nigel > > On 2021-10-30 10:28 p.m., Toby Thain via cctalk wrote: > > > On 2021-10-30 1:14 p.m., Toby Thain via cctalk wrote: > > > > > Hi, > > > > > > Located in Toronto Canada, for shipping cost only: > > > > > > - 3 x Hitachi DK516-15 > > > - 2 x Computer Memories Inc (CMI) 6426-S > > > - Microscience HH-1060 (half height; marked bad) > > > - Tandon TM-502 > > > > > > Unknown working condition, but have been stored well. > > > > > > First come, first served, etc. > > > > > > --Toby > > > > Also: 2 x Scotch DC 300XL tape cartridges, good condition. > > > > --Toby

2 years, 5 months

PDT-150 miniminc floppies wanted.

by scott451＠gmail.com

I have a PDT-150 with a box of blank 8? floppies. Is there someone in this group who can image miniminc BASIC and a system disk onto floppies? Preferably in the Bay Area ?

2 years, 5 months

Sun-2 and Sun-3 mice (eBay)

by michael.99.thompson＠gmail.com

> > AFAIK, the posts are there so you don't plug your mouse into a phone > jack or a modem port. There are cutouts on the back of the Sun3 > keyboard to admit that connector. > My Sun 2/120 server has an RJ mouse connector next to the RJ keyboard connector on the back of the chassis. My Sun 2/50 desktop client has a DA-15 keyboard connector on the back and has the mouse plugged into the keyboard. I have a black Mouse Systems mouse with a Sun sticker on the front. P/N 900783-002/01. Maybe for a Sun-1? -- Michael Thompson

2 years, 5 months

Sun-2 and Sun-3 mice (eBay)

by bear＠typewritten.org

https://www.ebay.com/sch/xi_jinping/m.html?item=334195034340&hash=item4dcf9… Hadn't realized before that there were Sun-2 mice which weren't black (were white/beige). I know some folks are looking. No connection with the seller, apart from having bought one of them already. ok bear.

2 years, 5 months

Vt131 4 sale in St.Louis

by dillera＠dillernet.com

https://www.estatesales.net/marketplace/items/579642 <https://www.estatesales.net/marketplace/items/579642> ADM-3a. Some interesting stuff to be sure. too bad it too far from me. -andy > On Oct 26, 2021, at 2:59 PM, Wayne S via cctech <cctech at classiccmp.org> wrote: > > VT 131 for sale at auction in St. Louis. It?s local pick up only which means they won?t ship. > Some other interesting stuff too. > I have no affiliation to the seller. > > > https://www.estatesales.net/marketplace/items/579633 > > Sent from my iPhone >

2 years, 5 months

Programming Bipolar PROMs (Tom Hunter)

by mark＠markesystems.com

From: Tom Hunter <ccth6600 at gmail.com> Subject: Programming Bipolar PROMs > The part is an Intersil IM5600CP, but these were also made by others, for > example Signetics and Philips made the 82S23 and TI and NTE made the > faster > SN74S188N. Some vendors still sell these parts and there are even a few on > Ebay. > > How do I program these PROMs? I found one somewhat obscure description of > the algorithm in the NTE datasheet, but I suspect that each manufacturer > had (somewhat) different algorithms. I built a project using Russian clones of the 74188, and ended up building a programmer for them. The programming process is slow (over a minute to program 32 bytes), draws quite a bit of power (the chip is uncomfortably warm afterwards), and it took a while to work out the programming algorithm. Also, as Tom Hunter mentioned, the programming process isn't perfect - about 5% don't program correctly; I don't know if this is my algorithm or the fact that the clones aren't so good. However, once programmed, they seem to work just fine. I bought the Russian devices off eBay for cheap - I think they were about $0.20 apiece, so I got a hundred of them, which I've been slowly nibbling away at as my little product sells. I still have several dozen left; if you'd like you could send me the hex file (or listing - it's only 32 bytes, which I could type in), and I could program a couple for you. I'm not sure I could recommend building your own programmer. It's obviously possible, and there are hand-operated versions floating around on the internet (really hand-operated: set a rotary switch for the bit and five address switches, turn on the power, and push a button for 1-1/2 seconds; repeat for every "1" bit in the PROM), but you'd need more than just the Arduino. You need eight high-side drivers that will handle an amp apiece, plus another driver to switch the power supply voltage between 5 and 13.5 volts, as well as writing a program to implement the algorithm. (actually, it's slow enough that you could get by using relays for all the higher voltage switching.) I don't believe that any modern programmer handles these - if the Data I/O does, then that's probably your only option. ~~ Mark Moulding

2 years, 5 months

Maybe - re- DMX11

by bobsmithofd＠gmail.com

I left in 79, I designed the AUtodin II mode 1A//Mode VI line usints. Those were synchronous comms interfaces for Bisync.ADCCP/ etc connections while CSS did the Mode 1 I think it was Asynch interface line unit. I suspect DMX is the commercial version of that Autodin II Asynch design, using the KMX/COMMIOP cpu and a dedicated unibus system unit set to support the lineunits BUT I could be wrong maybe DMX was something completely different but it seems to tickle my memory. bb

2 years, 5 months

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test-drb October 2021