test-drb September 2021

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

125 participants
76 discussions

Seeking DEC BC19S (VS2000 color video/keyboard/mouse) cable

by cmhanson＠eschatologist.net

I now have a 4-plane color graphics card for my VAXstation 2000, and I'd like to actually connect it to a display. Does anyone have a DEC BC19S cable that needs a good home? For reference, this has a DA15F connector on one end that plugs into the VAXstation, which leads to a box that screws into the back or base of a display and has the RJ11 and Mini-DIN-7 jacks for keyboard and mouse, and then has three short BNC cables coming out of of it for color video. I have the parts to make a breakout box if I have to but that'd be more of a pain than giving someone money and having a thing arrive in the mail. :) -- Chris

2 years, 7 months

DEC KL11

by mark.kahrs＠gmail.com

A few details for the curious: It's housed in a BA-11 box with 3 controller cards. The Massbus paddles fit into that box and terminate in flat ribbon cable, not the massive cables. The DRAM chips are 4116s. manx tells me that these documents were known to exist: PartTitleStatus EK-0ML11-TD *ML11 Technical Description <https://www.vt100.net/manx/part/dec/ek-0ml11-td/>* EK-0ML11-TM *ML11 Technical Manual <https://www.vt100.net/manx/part/dec/ek-0ml11-tm/>* EK-0ML11-UG *ML11 User's Guide <https://www.vt100.net/manx/part/dec/ek-0ml11-ug/>* But they are not online. So I can't say whether they are 18 bit compatible.

2 years, 7 months

Unix or BSD for Dec PDP 11/34 and 11/45

by lyokoboy0＠gmail.com

Hello, I had asked this question on the tuhs discord channel, no response yet so i figured i would try here. I'm working to get my pdp 11/34 and 11/45 running. I was curious what versions of unix or bsd would work on the machines i have. I wanted to set up the systems with a bunch of dumb terminals and show them off at a local maker fair. If possible too, id like to be able to telnet in to unix or bsd.I was also curious if a ethernet interface exists for my unibus systems, or if i could SLIP/PPP serial to another machine,so i could telnet in as well as use dumb terminals. On a bit of a side question, did minix exist for the pdp11? There is mention of it on wikipedia, but ive not found much other mention of it. I read the minix book, and have used it quite a bit on the ibm pc, so i figured i would ask if a copy for the pdp 11 is out there. --Devin D.

2 years, 7 months

Micropolis 1525 stuck heads

by cz＠alembic.crystel.com

Ok, so out of the basement came a Micrapolis 1325 (the old Dec RD53 disk) with what appears to be stuck heads. Rotor tries to move under power but can only take out slack. Will move backwards a bit. Is this stuck head, and what would be the best way to free it? The reason I'm asking is this disk had a SA1000 adapter mounted under it so I am pretty sure it was a PERQ disk. Which means data may be priceless. And of course it's stuck. Thoughts? CZ

2 years, 7 months

VAXstation 100 ROM image

by lars＠nocrew.org

Hello, Does anyone have a (set of) ROM image(s) for the VAXstation 100? It might be interesting to attempt an emulator.

2 years, 7 months

R.I.P. Clive Sinclair

by cisin＠xenosoft.com

Clive Sinclair died at 81 after a long illness (probably not Covid) 'course now he is touted as being "the inventor of the pocket calculator" (as with all "FIRST"s, it leaves out a few predecessors,such as Busicom (1971, whose contract with Intel led to the 4004), Kilby's 1967 "Cal Tech" at TI, etc.) I'm not sure, but the HP35 might even have preceded the Sinclair calculator. As with all "FIRST"s, an entry can be saved by redefining the field. Sinclair's was probably the first one costing 5 pounds or less.

2 years, 7 months

Burnable, patched Microvax-2000 SCSI-boot EPROM images?]

by holm＠freibergnet.de

..the compatible Device for the Labtool-48 is the Dataman-48, Software is here: https://www.dataman.com/dataman-4848lv-resources Regards, Holm ----- Forwarded message from Holm Tiffe <holm at freibergnet.de> ----- Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2021 07:45:32 +0200 From: Holm Tiffe <holm at freibergnet.de> To: Jonathan Stone <kiwi_jonathan at yahoo.com> Subject: Re: Burnable, patched Microvax-2000 SCSI-boot EPROM images? Ok..sounds good so far.. I have an Labtool-48 Programmer for example..thats an old Promer with an parallelport. Software is available for an OEM Device and I'm using that. Forgot in the moment what this was..but I can check that later. There are at least 3 Versions of the Promer that are more or less incompatible to the others, there are "upgrades", with other PCBs in there..last variant is able to do USB.. I'm owning the "plain" variant. Another from my stuff is an HiLo ALL07, and I have German made GALEP III and GALEP IV. All with Centronics Interface.. good Promers. I think it is ok to have old programmers (and old programmer-conterollers (old Laptops)) dedicated to them. I never had to program 3,3V Eproms an such things.. every time old Devices like Eproms, GALS or even TTL ROMs. 82S100 too.. I'm a german.. and sending Eproms from here seems to be the worst case to me... Regards, Holm A A A A A A A A Jonathan Stone wrote: > > > On Tuesday, September 21, 2021, 05:39:23 AM PDT, Holm Tiffe via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote: > > >I've tried this almost 2 years before..and it worked "somewhat". > >An VS2000 booted up in the first stage but the NetBSD Kernel couldn't > >mount root since nothing in the loader expected a disk at the NCR SCSI > >interface on the VS2000. Ragge agreed to look at this (bootcode) on my > >VS2000, but I'vwe couldn't get an ssh connection from the internet to > >an VS3100 M76 to which the VS2000 console was connected to..to work.. > > I once "owned" the NetBSD MIPS port, and I've done VAX assembly and kernel code j(e.g., VMS device drivers). If I can't figure it out by comparison to 3100 code, I'll contact Ragge and set up remote access via a BCC08, a NetBSD laptop, and serial. (At least one of the VS200s is jumpered to Vaxstation mode, and I have two GPX daughter-cards on order.) > > >For yure I could burn the proms, but I think I'm on the other side of > >the pond.. > > I am located in the San Francisco Bay Area. I came here for grad school and never left. > > It may be time for me to buy a PROM programmer. Anyone got recommendations for a budget device? "Amazon's choice" is https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082D5NQ2P. The costlier option includes 10 different sockets, and it claims support for 29xxx and 29Cxxx EPROMs, plus lots of others. > > The DEC-badged Data-IO " on eBay is tempting, but expensive, and I don't know where to find software. -- Technik Service u. Handel Tiffe, www.tsht.de, Holm Tiffe, Goethestrasse 15, 09569 Oederan, USt-Id: DE253710583 info at tsht.de Fax +49 37292 709779 Tel +49 37292 709778 Mobil: 0172 8790 741 ----- End forwarded message ----- -- Technik Service u. Handel Tiffe, www.tsht.de, Holm Tiffe, Goethestrasse 15, 09569 Oederan, USt-Id: DE253710583 info at tsht.de Fax +49 37292 709779 Tel +49 37292 709778 Mobil: 0172 8790 741

2 years, 7 months

Toad1 XKL version of TOPS20 v7

by bobsmithofd＠gmail.com

I have noted that the Computer History Museum has a number of donations from XKL re Toad1. Rich Alderson might be the resident expert for this set of questions. two questions are thus prompted, and a third teased. 1. Does that XKL version run on the KLH10 emulator? 2. Is the tape CHM has been archived anywhere it might be available for download? and the teaser 3. Has anyone created an SSH Server for TOPS20? thanks bob smith

2 years, 7 months

First SCSI HDD - Priam 806 8-inch?

by tom94022＠comcast.net

It turns out the Priam 806 8-inch SCSI HDD circa 1984 is likely the first HDD to have a native SCSI interface. It shipped a few months before the Xebec Owl which is likely second. AFAIK all earlier units had a bridge controller to a more conventional interface. If anyone has any different info as to dates and models I would appreciate it. Does anyone know where a Priam 806 might be, or have any documentation? The former probably belongs in a museum and the latter on Bitsavers. I will help facilitate either. Tom t.gardner at computer.org

2 years, 7 months

Data General Terminal Question

by mnealey＠gmail.com

Hello all, I have a Data General Model 5220 MT terminal I picked up recently. Sadly, no keyboard. I am trying to find out if the terminal will use a standard AT keyboard (based on the connector) or if I need to find a special DG keyboard. Any help is appreciated.. in fact any information about this device is appreciated.. I?m finding nothing about this terminal on the interwebs! Thanks!

2 years, 7 months

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test-drb September 2021