Only semi Classic as the subject has been around for a long time.
I saw recently that the VA is moving to a new EHR System (not very
successfully, so far). Does this mean that VA Vista and MUMPS are
finally going to be scrapped? Anybody else hear anything?
bill
I worked at a company called DMA located in Amery Wisconsin during the
80's and 90's that did do core mat repair. Yes, the gal that did the
work used a scope. She replaced cores and wires. Good luck finding
someone to do that work now. If I remember the process, first the mat
was removed from the driver assembly, then the varnish was removed. Then
the mat was repaired and revarnished and then reassembled and final test
before returned to the customer.
On 2021-07-20 12:00, cctech-request at classiccmp.org wrote:
> Send cctech mailing list submissions to
> cctech at classiccmp.org
>
> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
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> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
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> than "Re: Contents of cctech digest..."
>
>
> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Re: DEC PDP-8/e H212 core mat repair (steven at malikoff.com)
> 2. Re: DEC PDP-8/e H212 core mat repair (Joshua Rice)
> 3. Re: DEC PDP-8/e H212 core mat repair (Joshua Rice)
> 4. Re: DEC PDP-8/e H212 core mat repair (Tom Hunter)
> 5. Re: DEC PDP-8/e H212 core mat repair (Jules Richardson)
> 6. Re: DEC PDP-8/e H212 core mat repair (Rod Smallwood)
> 7. Tektronix 8002 microprocessor lab software (Jules Richardson)
> 8. Re: Tektronix 8002 microprocessor lab software (Zane Healy)
> 9. Re: Tektronix 8002 microprocessor lab software (Al Kossow)
> 10. Re: Tektronix 8002 microprocessor lab software (Al Kossow)
> 11. Re: Tektronix 8002 microprocessor lab software (Al Kossow)
> 12. Re: Tektronix 8002 microprocessor lab software (Jules Richardson)
> 13. Re: Tektronix 8002 microprocessor lab software (Jules Richardson)
> 14. Re: Tektronix 8002 microprocessor lab software (Zane Healy)
> 15. Re: Items Wanted (Jay Jaeger)
> 16. Re: Items Wanted (Zane Healy)
> 17. Re: DEC PDP-8/e H212 core mat repair (Toby Thain)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 17:59:59 +1000
> From: steven at malikoff.com
> To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
> <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Subject: Re: DEC PDP-8/e H212 core mat repair
> Message-ID:
> <84f709701f774aebb1a07a8bbb6eb091.squirrel at webmail04.register.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;charset=utf-8
>
> Tom said
>> I am curious if anyone has attempted to repair (replace) a broken wire
>> in a
>> PDP-8/e H212 (MM8EJ) core mat (8 k word). The cores are not visible
>> without
>> a microscope. I cannot imagine how these were even manufactured and
>> wonder
>> if DEC service centers repaired core mat faults or if faulty boards
>> were
>> simply discarded.
>>
>> CDC 6600 cores were huge in comparison and I would not hesitate to
>> replace
>> a broken core wire on those.
>
> I have no idea how DEC made theirs but for IBM's System 360, one of
> their engineers
> came up with the clever idea of stretching the core wire so it necked
> and broke, leaving
> a work-hardened tapered point to thread the cores with.
> They patented it https://patents.google.com/patent/US3314131A
> (Source: page 187 of 'IBM's 360 and early 370 Systems' by Pugh et al)
> On a Youtube film about the 360 they show cores being vibrated into the
> correct
> orientation on a jig board.
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 09:40:44 +0100 (BST)
> From: Joshua Rice <rice43 at btinternet.com>
> To: CCtalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Subject: Re: DEC PDP-8/e H212 core mat repair
> Message-ID: <55e9b1e8.2735f.17abdecb557.Webtop.91 at btinternet.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
>
>
>
>
> ------ Original Message ------
> From: "Tom Hunter via cctalk" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
> <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Sent: Monday, 19 Jul, 2021 At 06:33
> Subject: DEC PDP-8/e H212 core mat repair
> I am curious if anyone has attempted to repair (replace) a broken wire
> in a
> PDP-8/e H212 (MM8EJ) core mat (8 k word). The cores are not visible
> without
> a microscope. I cannot imagine how these were even manufactured and
> wonder
> if DEC service centers repaired core mat faults or if faulty boards
> were
> simply discarded.
> CDC 6600 cores were huge in comparison and I would not hesitate to
> replace
> a broken core wire on those.
> Best regards
> Tom Hunter
>
>
> I believe much of the core manufacturing for DEC minicomputers was
> outsourced, but a lot of it had become much more automated by the late
> 60's and early 70's. I believe it was done by machine, with a tray to
> hold the toroids in place, and a very fine needle-like "bobbin" that
> threaded the wires through the toroids. I believe threading the cores
> by
> hand had become largely obsolete by the time the PDP-8 came onto the
> market.
> Though i can't confirm it, i highly doubt that DEC engineers would
> repair core planes. These would more likely be sent back to the
> manufacturer for "recycling", with the cores being recovered and
> reused.
> It's worth noting that most computer manufacturers appreciated the
> fragility of core memory planes at the time, with most of them being
> protected with either PCB's or perspex/plastic shields on top of the
> core planes. In this way, it was rather difficult for a clumsy ol'
> technician to put his thumb through the planes as he was servicing
> machines.
> Josh
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 09:52:13 +0100 (BST)
> From: Joshua Rice <rice43 at btinternet.com>
> To: CCtalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Subject: Re: DEC PDP-8/e H212 core mat repair
> Message-ID: <5d5f0788.273f3.17abdf7399b.Webtop.91 at btinternet.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
>
>
>
>
> ------ Original Message ------
> From: "Tom Hunter via cctalk" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
> <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Sent: Monday, 19 Jul, 2021 At 06:33
> Subject: DEC PDP-8/e H212 core mat repair
> I am curious if anyone has attempted to repair (replace) a broken wire
> in a
> PDP-8/e H212 (MM8EJ) core mat (8 k word). The cores are not visible
> without
> a microscope. I cannot imagine how these were even manufactured and
> wonder
> if DEC service centers repaired core mat faults or if faulty boards
> were
> simply discarded.
> CDC 6600 cores were huge in comparison and I would not hesitate to
> replace
> a broken core wire on those.
> Best regards
> Tom Hunter
>
>
> These patents might be enlightening. I'm sure there's others, but these
> are some i've found on a quick search.
> https://patents.google.com/patent/US4161037A
> <https://patents.google.com/patent/US4161037A>
> https://patents.google.com/patent/US3668664
> <https://patents.google.com/patent/US3668664>
> Josh
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 19:02:25 +0800
> From: Tom Hunter <ccth6600 at gmail.com>
> To: Joshua Rice <rice43 at btinternet.com>, "General Discussion:
> On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Subject: Re: DEC PDP-8/e H212 core mat repair
> Message-ID:
> <CAALEduCP_GLHuuMG2UO3CU329-_3E=RPqzVZ+RUGC6gTVQNFow at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
>
> Thanks Josh,
>
> I read through both patents but struggled to fully understand what they
> described.
> Unfortunately patents are written in broad terms to cover as much as
> possible.
>
> It was very interesting nevertheless.
>
> Best regards
> Tom Hunter
>
> On Mon, Jul 19, 2021 at 4:52 PM Joshua Rice via cctalk <
> cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>>
>> ------ Original Message ------
>> From: "Tom Hunter via cctalk" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
>> To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
>> <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
>> Sent: Monday, 19 Jul, 2021 At 06:33
>> Subject: DEC PDP-8/e H212 core mat repair
>> I am curious if anyone has attempted to repair (replace) a broken wire
>> in a
>> PDP-8/e H212 (MM8EJ) core mat (8 k word). The cores are not visible
>> without
>> a microscope. I cannot imagine how these were even manufactured and
>> wonder
>> if DEC service centers repaired core mat faults or if faulty boards
>> were
>> simply discarded.
>> CDC 6600 cores were huge in comparison and I would not hesitate to
>> replace
>> a broken core wire on those.
>> Best regards
>> Tom Hunter
>>
>>
>> These patents might be enlightening. I'm sure there's others, but
>> these
>> are some i've found on a quick search.
>> https://patents.google.com/patent/US4161037A
>> <https://patents.google.com/patent/US4161037A>
>> https://patents.google.com/patent/US3668664
>> <https://patents.google.com/patent/US3668664>
>> Josh
>>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 16:50:10 -0500
> From: Jules Richardson <jules.richardson99 at gmail.com>
> To: cctalk at classiccmp.org
> Subject: Re: DEC PDP-8/e H212 core mat repair
> Message-ID: <769e6168-9024-fa20-5b9c-ed1cb91ec641 at gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-15; format=flowed
>
> On 7/19/21 3:40 AM, Joshua Rice via cctalk wrote:
>> I believe much of the core manufacturing for DEC minicomputers was
>> outsourced, but a lot of it had become much more automated by the late
>> 60's
>> and early 70's.
>
> I've got a trio of planes here, two of which are from a Lockheed
> MAC-16,
> but the other one is made by Keronix out of Santa Monica for an unknown
> machine (dated 1973, model number "P4" and p/n 816335 if that means
> anything to anyone, approx 16"x16" with two 100-pin, double-sided
> finger
> edge connectors on 0.1" spacing).
>
> Anyhoo, the Keronix one has a sticker on it saying it was repaired by
> DMA,
> inc. in Amery, WI in 1980 - which might suggest that there were third
> parties around working on boards, rather than them having to go back to
> the
> manufacturer for repair. (I have no idea what the nature of the repair
> was,
> of course; maybe it was to surrounding logic rather than the mat
> itself).
>
>> It's worth noting that most computer manufacturers appreciated the
>> fragility of core memory planes at the time, with most of them being
>> protected with either PCB's or perspex/plastic shields on top of the
>> core
>> planes.
>
> Yes, that's how all the ones I've ever seen have been. The Keronix one
> has
> an additional shield over the top of the entire PCB, on top of the one
> protecting the cores.
>
> Jules
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 23:06:26 +0100
> From: Rod Smallwood <rodsmallwood52 at btinternet.com>
> To: Jules Richardson via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Subject: Re: DEC PDP-8/e H212 core mat repair
> Message-ID: <d5251315-3f4c-3a46-e36e-71949a90c26e at btinternet.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-15; format=flowed
>
>
> Yes most core stringing was outsourced.
>
> By hand under magnification was used.
>
> I cant recall any references to automation.
>
> That would br down to the supplier.
>
> The story I heard was at least some were done by embroidery girls in
> Hong Kong
>
> Rod Smallwood ? -- Digital Equipment Corporation? 1975 to 1985
>
>
> On 19/07/2021 22:50, Jules Richardson via cctalk wrote:
>> On 7/19/21 3:40 AM, Joshua Rice via cctalk wrote:
>>> I believe much of the core manufacturing for DEC minicomputers was
>>> outsourced, but a lot of it had become much more automated by the
>>> late 60's and early 70's.
>>
>> I've got a trio of planes here, two of which are from a Lockheed
>> MAC-16, but the other one is made by Keronix out of Santa Monica for
>> an unknown machine (dated 1973, model number "P4" and p/n 816335 if
>> that means anything to anyone, approx 16"x16" with two 100-pin,
>> double-sided finger edge connectors on 0.1" spacing).
>>
>> Anyhoo, the Keronix one has a sticker on it saying it was repaired by
>> DMA, inc. in Amery, WI in 1980 - which might suggest that there were
>> third parties around working on boards, rather than them having to go
>> back to the manufacturer for repair. (I have no idea what the nature
>> of the repair was, of course; maybe it was to surrounding logic rather
>> than the mat itself).
>>
>>> It's worth noting that most computer manufacturers appreciated the
>>> fragility of core memory planes at the time, with most of them being
>>> protected with either PCB's or perspex/plastic shields on top of the
>>> core planes.
>>
>> Yes, that's how all the ones I've ever seen have been. The Keronix one
>> has an additional shield over the top of the entire PCB, on top of the
>> one protecting the cores.
>>
>> Jules
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 7
> Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 18:03:46 -0500
> From: Jules Richardson <jules.richardson99 at gmail.com>
> To: CCtalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Subject: Tektronix 8002 microprocessor lab software
> Message-ID: <5b8f634d-93c9-22c2-fd05-6e1937767883 at gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-15; format=flowed
>
>
> Just out of interest, is the software for the Tektronix 8002
> microprocessor
> lab archived out there anywhere?
>
> What I believe is one popped up on one of my Facebook groups, and it'd
> be a
> trek to get it even if I can arrange a good price with the current
> owner -
> but it sounds like the software at the site, if it still exists, is
> unlikely to surface from a huge pile of detritus, so that automatically
> puts things right in boat anchor territory.
>
> There may or may not be a terminal, too; I get the impression those
> were
> optional (I've been told that there are two Tek terminals, I just don't
> know if they're the right models for this system).
>
>
> cheers
>
> Jules
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 8
> Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 16:11:32 -0700
> From: Zane Healy <healyzh at avanthar.com>
> To: Jules Richardson <jules.richardson99 at gmail.com>, "General
> Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Subject: Re: Tektronix 8002 microprocessor lab software
> Message-ID: <ED3B17DB-6591-493A-B470-D940A5E18A91 at avanthar.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
>
> You might check with the Tektronix museum, and see what they know. As
> far as I know, they aren?t actually part of Tektronix.
>
> Zane
>
>
>
>> On Jul 19, 2021, at 4:03 PM, Jules Richardson via cctalk
>> <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Just out of interest, is the software for the Tektronix 8002
>> microprocessor lab archived out there anywhere?
>>
>> What I believe is one popped up on one of my Facebook groups, and it'd
>> be a trek to get it even if I can arrange a good price with the
>> current owner - but it sounds like the software at the site, if it
>> still exists, is unlikely to surface from a huge pile of detritus, so
>> that automatically puts things right in boat anchor territory.
>>
>> There may or may not be a terminal, too; I get the impression those
>> were optional (I've been told that there are two Tek terminals, I just
>> don't know if they're the right models for this system).
>>
>>
>> cheers
>>
>> Jules
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 9
> Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 16:15:11 -0700
> From: Al Kossow <aek at bitsavers.org>
> To: Jules Richardson via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Subject: Re: Tektronix 8002 microprocessor lab software
> Message-ID: <395e3439-3632-33ea-9579-883ad602b8e5 at bitsavers.org>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-15; format=flowed
>
> On 7/19/21 4:03 PM, Jules Richardson via cctalk wrote:
>>
>> Just out of interest, is the software for the Tektronix 8002
>> microprocessor lab archived out there anywhere?
>
> I have some but it is hard-sectored so I've never tried to read it.
>
> It's pretty unlikely anyone at the tek museum would have tried to
> recover
> the floppies even if they had them.
>
> One of my 'really like to try to recover' things at CHM is we have a
> bunch of floppies from
> the company that designed it for Tek, but someone put a center punch
> through every disk, so
> I'm going to have to take them out of the jacket and try to flatten
> the dent out as best as
> I can.
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 10
> Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 16:20:19 -0700
> From: Al Kossow <aek at bitsavers.org>
> To: cctalk at classiccmp.org
> Subject: Re: Tektronix 8002 microprocessor lab software
> Message-ID: <a0c2c3a7-4c74-81da-1f40-a581d3f29fda at bitsavers.org>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-15; format=flowed
>
> On 7/19/21 4:03 PM, Jules Richardson via cctalk wrote:
>>
>> Just out of interest, is the software for the Tektronix 8002
>> microprocessor lab archived out there anywhere?
>>
>
> It would be nice to save a complete system though, since most have
> been tossed out since there is little
> practical use for them now. I never had a whole one, just board sets
> for various processors that I collected
> over the years.
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 11
> Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 16:25:21 -0700
> From: Al Kossow <aek at bitsavers.org>
> To: Al Kossow via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Subject: Re: Tektronix 8002 microprocessor lab software
> Message-ID: <f4bafaa8-f4d9-95aa-016e-68d36d7c8b8a at bitsavers.org>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-15; format=flowed
>
> On 7/19/21 4:20 PM, Al Kossow via cctalk wrote:
>> On 7/19/21 4:03 PM, Jules Richardson via cctalk wrote:
>
>> It would be nice to save a complete system though, since most have
>> been tossed out since there is little
>> practical use for them now.
>
> I've collected a LOT of in-circuit emulators and microprocessor
> development systems over the decades, and
> I'm trying to decide right now what I'm going to do with them.
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 12
> Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 19:53:25 -0500
> From: Jules Richardson <jules.richardson99 at gmail.com>
> To: cctalk at classiccmp.org
> Subject: Re: Tektronix 8002 microprocessor lab software
> Message-ID: <8d864579-a8be-c8b1-9734-d208d0c10bcf at gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-15; format=flowed
>
> On 7/19/21 6:20 PM, Al Kossow via cctalk wrote:
>> On 7/19/21 4:03 PM, Jules Richardson via cctalk wrote:
>>>
>>> Just out of interest, is the software for the Tektronix 8002
>>> microprocessor lab archived out there anywhere?
>>>
>>
>> It would be nice to save a complete system though, since most have
>> been
>> tossed out since there is little
>> practical use for them now.
>
> Well sadly it's looking like game over. By the sounds of it there's a
> basement full of old equipment and boards, and a scrapper out in OH has
> offered $6k for the lot, sight unseen, just on the hope that they can
> make
> a buck on the gold and palladium content.
>
> The next offer seems to be from someone who's planning on just dumping
> it
> on ebay - so if the scrapper deal falls through maybe it'll resurface
> on
> That Auction Site for lolprice...
>
> This is starting to feel like one of those situations where it's a huge
> shame that the original owner of this stuff didn't have a will
> expressing
> what should be done with it all.
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 13
> Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 20:17:27 -0500
> From: Jules Richardson <jules.richardson99 at gmail.com>
> To: cctalk at classiccmp.org
> Subject: Re: Tektronix 8002 microprocessor lab software
> Message-ID: <a734724d-b7f5-deb8-6e1f-10e429e8f43f at gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-15; format=flowed
>
> On 7/19/21 7:53 PM, Jules Richardson via cctalk wrote:
>> Well sadly it's looking like game over. By the sounds of it there's a
>> basement full of old equipment and boards, and a scrapper out in OH
>> has
>> offered $6k for the lot, sight unseen, just on the hope that they can
>> make
>> a buck on the gold and palladium content.
>
> annnnd... right after I hit send on that, things start looking up
> again.
> The guy responsible for this stuff doesn't seem to want it to get
> scrapped
> any more than I do, and he got in touch with folks down at Cape
> Canaveral
> (there are various ex-NASA things in the pile), then talked to the
> family
> of the estate; it sounds like some of it at least might get donated to
> the
> collection down there.
>
> I'm not sure about non-NASA things at this point, we'll see - but it
> sounds
> like there's interest now in not junking it, at least!
>
> Jules
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 14
> Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 19:56:29 -0700
> From: Zane Healy <healyzh at avanthar.com>
> To: Jules Richardson <jules.richardson99 at gmail.com>, "General
> Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Subject: Re: Tektronix 8002 microprocessor lab software
> Message-ID: <DE9B0230-1D5D-4416-992D-6B60A7886F17 at avanthar.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
>
> On Jul 19, 2021, at 6:17 PM, Jules Richardson via cctalk
> <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
>>
>> On 7/19/21 7:53 PM, Jules Richardson via cctalk wrote:
>>> Well sadly it's looking like game over. By the sounds of it there's a
>>> basement full of old equipment and boards, and a scrapper out in OH
>>> has offered $6k for the lot, sight unseen, just on the hope that they
>>> can make a buck on the gold and palladium content.
>>
>> annnnd... right after I hit send on that, things start looking up
>> again. The guy responsible for this stuff doesn't seem to want it to
>> get scrapped any more than I do, and he got in touch with folks down
>> at Cape Canaveral (there are various ex-NASA things in the pile), then
>> talked to the family of the estate; it sounds like some of it at least
>> might get donated to the collection down there.
>>
>> I'm not sure about non-NASA things at this point, we'll see - but it
>> sounds like there's interest now in not junking it, at least!
>>
>> Jules
>
> That?s a bit of good news!
>
> Zane
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 15
> Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 22:03:49 -0500
> From: Jay Jaeger <cube1 at charter.net>
> To: cctalk at classiccmp.org
> Cc: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
> <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Subject: Re: Items Wanted
> Message-ID: <9ac110f9-2407-c9ba-6ec5-d70e9fd10d26 at charter.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
>
> On 7/11/2021 9:33 AM, Eric Moore via cctalk wrote:
>> Hello, I am looking for any of the following items. I have terminals
>> and
>> assorted qbus and S100 cards for trade, or am happy to discuss payment
>> :).
>>
>> 1) Qbus scsi card
>
> You and me both. ;) I have one - and I intend to keep it.
>
>> 2) Emulex TC01
>> 3) QBUS bus probe
>> 4) SD2SCSI
>
> Do you mean a device that emulates a SCSI drive with an SD card? Why
> not just go out and purchase a SCSI2SD V5.1 - a little slower than the
> newer ones, but works fine in my Sun, SGI and Intergraph Boxen.
>
> I also just bought one of the less expensive Androda SCSI emulators -
> designed for Macs, really, but it might work and it is relatively
> inexpensive.
>
>> 5) Teletype DRPE or ARPE (already have a BRPE) paper tape punches
>> 6) AED/tektronix/SGI/etc... graphics terminal
>
> FYI, if you have "Pizza Boxes" then I have found that the cable
> commonly
> available (VGA one end, 13W3 on the other - the one with switches on
> it)
> works well on both Sun and SGI Boxen. Google Sun VGA 13W3 on eBay.
> You probably want the one with the switches.)
>
>> 7) Unfomatted pertec controller (any bus)
>
> I have some old Pertec formatters that have no bus interface. Free to
> good homes. Some were mouse houses for a while, but were subsequently
> cleaned up reasonably well. Models F649-72 (2 of those) and F649-40.
> Heavy to ship.
>
> In addition, I think I have a TC031, Pertec/QBus (I think) that I
> really
> am not using. I tried it out once - I think the issue was that I had a
> Pertec interface speed mismatch between it and the HP drive I have with
> a Pertec interface (which also has issues with loading tape.) I
> suspect it is formatted, however.
>
>> 8) S100 jade bus probe, system monitor board, or similar
>> 9) Anything fabri-tek, Gould, or SEL
>
> I have a Fabritek memory box. I think it was on a PDP-12, but am not
> 100% certain without going back and looking at old paperwork. I am not
> sure of its condition, electrically speaking - whether it had slots for
> cables, or cables coming out of it, and if the latter, whether they are
> intact. It has been stored in my basement for decades, low and dray.
> That would take some work to pry out of my hands.
>
>> 10) blinkenlights and flippenpaddles computers, any interesting front
>> panels, etc...
>> 11) ESDI disk emulator
>
> I am not aware of any such beasties in the wild. MFM, yes, but I
> haven't seen ESDI. I would love for such a thing to exist, thinking
> of
> my Apollo, 3B2 and IBM RT/PC workstations.
>
>>
>> Thank you!
>>
>> -Eric
>>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 16
> Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 21:00:27 -0700
> From: Zane Healy <healyzh at avanthar.com>
> To: Jay Jaeger <cube1 at charter.net>, "General Discussion: On-Topic and
> Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Subject: Re: Items Wanted
> Message-ID: <3EFC578F-97F0-468A-B3F1-8E4C17094843 at avanthar.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
>
> On Jul 19, 2021, at 8:03 PM, Jay Jaeger via cctalk
> <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
>>
>> On 7/11/2021 9:33 AM, Eric Moore via cctalk wrote:
>>> Hello, I am looking for any of the following items. I have terminals
>>> and
>>> assorted qbus and S100 cards for trade, or am happy to discuss
>>> payment :).
>>> 1) Qbus scsi card
>>
>> You and me both. ;) I have one - and I intend to keep it.
>
> Yeah, they are sort of a necessity.
>
>>> 4) SD2SCSI
>>
>> Do you mean a device that emulates a SCSI drive with an SD card? Why
>> not just go out and purchase a SCSI2SD V5.1 - a little slower than the
>> newer ones, but works fine in my Sun, SGI and Intergraph Boxen.
>
> The SCSI2SD v5.1 should be faster than the Q-Bus. I bought several
> recently, and plan to put one in my PDP-11/73. I even opted for these
> for my VAXstation 4000?s. I figure I?ll use the newer ones in an
> AlphaStation.
>
>>> 11) ESDI disk emulator
>>
>> I am not aware of any such beasties in the wild. MFM, yes, but I
>> haven't seen ESDI. I would love for such a thing to exist, thinking
>> of my Apollo, 3B2 and IBM RT/PC workstations.
>
> I?d also love to have one of these, preferably using SD or CF cards.
> The Webster WQESD/04 card is a fantastic card, it?s only downfall is
> that it works with ESDI drives, rather than SCSI, and they?re big and
> loud. :-)
>
> Zane
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 17
> Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 18:16:28 -0400
> From: Toby Thain <toby at telegraphics.com.au>
> To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
> <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Subject: Re: DEC PDP-8/e H212 core mat repair
> Message-ID: <820d43ed-e32d-4394-4038-bb662f5e6798 at telegraphics.com.au>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-15
>
> On 2021-07-19 6:06 p.m., Rod Smallwood via cctalk wrote:
>>
>> Yes most core stringing was outsourced.
>>
>
> There's more detail on early core production in the book "IBM's Early
> Computers", iirc. (And possibly "A Few Good Men From Univac".)
>
>
>> ...
>> Rod Smallwood ? -- Digital Equipment Corporation? 1975 to 1985
>>
>>
>> On 19/07/2021 22:50, Jules Richardson via cctalk wrote:
>>> On 7/19/21 3:40 AM, Joshua Rice via cctalk wrote:
>>>> I believe much of the core manufacturing for DEC minicomputers was
>>>> outsourced, but a lot of it had become much more automated by the
>>>> late 60's and early 70's.
>>>
>>> I've got a trio of planes here, two of which are from a Lockheed
>>> MAC-16, but the other one is made by Keronix out of Santa Monica for
>>> an unknown machine (dated 1973, model number "P4" and p/n 816335 if
>>> that means anything to anyone, approx 16"x16" with two 100-pin,
>>> double-sided finger edge connectors on 0.1" spacing).
>>>
>>> Anyhoo, the Keronix one has a sticker on it saying it was repaired by
>>> DMA, inc. in Amery, WI in 1980 - which might suggest that there were
>>> third parties around working on boards, rather than them having to go
>>> back to the manufacturer for repair. (I have no idea what the nature
>>> of the repair was, of course; maybe it was to surrounding logic
>>> rather
>>> than the mat itself).
>>>
>>>> It's worth noting that most computer manufacturers appreciated the
>>>> fragility of core memory planes at the time, with most of them being
>>>> protected with either PCB's or perspex/plastic shields on top of the
>>>> core planes.
>>>
>>> Yes, that's how all the ones I've ever seen have been. The Keronix
>>> one
>>> has an additional shield over the top of the entire PCB, on top of
>>> the
>>> one protecting the cores.
>>>
>>> Jules
>
>
>
> End of cctech Digest, Vol 82, Issue 15
> **************************************
Hello, I am looking for any of the following items. I have terminals and
assorted qbus and S100 cards for trade, or am happy to discuss payment :).
1) Qbus scsi card
2) Emulex TC01
3) QBUS bus probe
4) SD2SCSI
5) Teletype DRPE or ARPE (already have a BRPE) paper tape punches
6) AED/tektronix/SGI/etc... graphics terminal
7) Unfomatted pertec controller (any bus)
8) S100 jade bus probe, system monitor board, or similar
9) Anything fabri-tek, Gould, or SEL
10) blinkenlights and flippenpaddles computers, any interesting front
panels, etc...
11) ESDI disk emulator
Thank you!
-Eric
I am looking for an IBM 360 operator panel. Model 55 would be wonderful but I would consider any 360/370. To be used for demo so condition of switches & lights is important.
Going by the size, I'd say the Keronix board is for a Data General Nova or one of its ilk. Keronix did make core boards with p/n starting 816 for Novas.
**Richard
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 16:50:10 -0500
From: Jules Richardson<jules.richardson99 at gmail.com>
To:cctalk at classiccmp.org
Subject: Re: DEC PDP-8/e H212 core mat repair
Message-ID:<769e6168-9024-fa20-5b9c-ed1cb91ec641 at gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-15; format=flowed
On 7/19/21 3:40 AM, Joshua Rice via cctalk wrote:
> I believe much of the core manufacturing for DEC minicomputers was
> outsourced, but a lot of it had become much more automated by the late 60's
> and early 70's.
I've got a trio of planes here, two of which are from a Lockheed MAC-16,
but the other one is made by Keronix out of Santa Monica for an unknown
machine (dated 1973, model number "P4" and p/n 816335 if that means
anything to anyone, approx 16"x16" with two 100-pin, double-sided finger
edge connectors on 0.1" spacing).
Anyhoo, the Keronix one has a sticker on it saying it was repaired by DMA,
inc. in Amery, WI in 1980 - which might suggest that there were third
parties around working on boards, rather than them having to go back to the
manufacturer for repair. (I have no idea what the nature of the repair was,
of course; maybe it was to surrounding logic rather than the mat itself).
> It's worth noting that most computer manufacturers appreciated the
> fragility of core memory planes at the time, with most of them being
> protected with either PCB's or perspex/plastic shields on top of the core
> planes.
Yes, that's how all the ones I've ever seen have been. The Keronix one has
an additional shield over the top of the entire PCB, on top of the one
protecting the cores.
Jules
Just out of interest, is the software for the Tektronix 8002 microprocessor
lab archived out there anywhere?
What I believe is one popped up on one of my Facebook groups, and it'd be a
trek to get it even if I can arrange a good price with the current owner -
but it sounds like the software at the site, if it still exists, is
unlikely to surface from a huge pile of detritus, so that automatically
puts things right in boat anchor territory.
There may or may not be a terminal, too; I get the impression those were
optional (I've been told that there are two Tek terminals, I just don't
know if they're the right models for this system).
cheers
Jules
I am curious if anyone has attempted to repair (replace) a broken wire in a
PDP-8/e H212 (MM8EJ) core mat (8 k word). The cores are not visible without
a microscope. I cannot imagine how these were even manufactured and wonder
if DEC service centers repaired core mat faults or if faulty boards were
simply discarded.
CDC 6600 cores were huge in comparison and I would not hesitate to replace
a broken core wire on those.
Best regards
Tom Hunter
------ Original Message ------
From: "Tom Hunter via cctalk" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Monday, 19 Jul, 2021 At 06:33
Subject: DEC PDP-8/e H212 core mat repair
I am curious if anyone has attempted to repair (replace) a broken wire
in a
PDP-8/e H212 (MM8EJ) core mat (8 k word). The cores are not visible
without
a microscope. I cannot imagine how these were even manufactured and
wonder
if DEC service centers repaired core mat faults or if faulty boards were
simply discarded.
CDC 6600 cores were huge in comparison and I would not hesitate to
replace
a broken core wire on those.
Best regards
Tom Hunter
These patents might be enlightening. I'm sure there's others, but these
are some i've found on a quick search.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US4161037A
<https://patents.google.com/patent/US4161037A>
https://patents.google.com/patent/US3668664
<https://patents.google.com/patent/US3668664>
Josh
Hello,
I came across a web article in which you discussed restoring an HP2100A. I spent many years working on this computer and have the front panel. I am doing some work on it to produce a display for fun. I am replacing the incandescent globes with LEDs and using a Raspberry Pi to control them.
The question I have is, do you know an easy way to remove and insert globes in the front panel switches please?
I am based in Melbourne, Australia.
Many thanks
John
_____________________________________________________
Professor John Rosenberg
E: johnr at grebnesor.com
M: +61 418 253001