Okay thanks. ?I gues where I'm getting confused is Michael Holley's guide to new 6800 users says because of the 6810 being cut you want RAM at $A000.. what you're suggesting sounds like the opposite? ?Maybe I'd better reread those instructions.
Sent from my Samsung device
-------- Original message --------
From: Brent Hilpert <hilpert at cs.ubc.ca>
Date: 2016-08-05 10:52 AM (GMT-08:00)
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Subject: Re: SWTPC 6800
On 2016-Aug-05, at 9:55 AM, Brad H wrote:
>
> 3) Ah, this may be part of my problem.? I don't quite understand memory
> addressing yet.? The instructions said you needed RAM at A000 if the 6810
> chip was disabled (which it appears to be, the correct trace is cut).? My
> machine has 4 RAM boards.? 2 are MPM, 2 are 16K DRC boards.? For whatever
> reason, the DRC boards are config-ed to be first (0000-3FFF) and second
> (4000-7FFF).?? Trying to strip the machine down and have as little RAM as I
> could get away with, I just installed the single board at 0000-3FFF.? These
> boards are (thank god) socketed, so I have some means of testing and
> removing RAM.? The MP-M boards are not socketed, so I don't want to mess
> with those until I have to.? I could config the second DRC board for the
> $Exxx-$Fxxx and shove it in there.
Don't take my word on the specific address, I should have just said you need some RAM in high mem.
The 6810 was there to fulfill that need of RAM for the xxxBUG monitor.
You might reenable it, or config a RAM board to cover that range (A000? to ?).
But if you use a RAM board you have to config it so it doesn't extend up into (overlap) the ROM and IO address space.
(I have a memory map for this on another machine not set up at this time).
(For purposes of exercising the xxxBUG monitors you don't need memory down at $0000.)
Yeah to be honest.. I'm not sure I'm the biggest serial terminal computer fan. ?I find them way harder to diagnose than computers with video cards. ?But, the SWTPC is an iconic system.. so I'll just keep muddling until I figure it out.
Sent from my Samsung device
-------- Original message --------
From: Fred Cisin <cisin at xenosoft.com>
Date: 2016-08-05 11:25 AM (GMT-08:00)
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Subject: RE: SWTPC 6800
On Fri, 5 Aug 2016, Brad H wrote:
> I then tried 7 N 1 (that's how my CT1024 terminal is set up).? This time I
> got more consistent characters.? If I hit reset, there is also a response.
If and when you get consistent characters, no matter how wrong, then it's
time to look at the bit patterns of what you get V what you expect? (is
anybody around who knows?)
Since, obviously, if consistent, then it might be right except for one or
more bits stuck on or stuck off.
Yes, it is frustrating.
Thought I would post this here in case it reaches eyes my forum posts don't. ?So I finally got my hands on a SWTPC 6800! ?
This machine is chock full of boards.. 4 ram boards, the cpu card (with SWTBUG ROM), MP-S, MP-C serial cards, a floppy controller, some little custom board, a sound card.. etc.
This presents some challenges obviously, since the machine has been altered from stock it could be tricky getting it running.
Before I had it stripped down, I tried powering up as is (i pulled the older MP-C card and put MP-S in slot 1). ?This produced little except for a string of random characters that would repeat every time I hit reset, exactly the same number.
I tried stripping it down to CPU card, MP-S, and the RAM board designated as '0'.. but all I get at the terminal end is a single random character on power up. ?
I then thought I'd try my luck putting the CPU card in my working MSI system (taking out its card). ?Nope. ?
Now, because my CPU card has been modified to accomodate SWTBUG and possibly something else, I'm not sure if it'll even work in a stripped down config. ?Not sure about the interplay between boards.
Anyway.. if anyone has any thoughts to point me in the right direction I'd be most appreciative. ?Ultimately I'd like to get this beast working with my CT1024 terminals.
Brad
Sent from my Samsung device
Hey guys,
In addition to that 6800 SWTPC I got, I also picked up this 'board bucket'
>from ebay:
http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/unclefalter/library/Tektronix%206800%20Dev
eloper%20Computer?sort=3
<http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/unclefalter/library/Tektronix%206800%20De
veloper%20Computer?sort=3&page=1> &page=1
It's a 6800 system of sorts and has BASIC and 'DDE' ROMs. I've tried
hooking it up to a terminal but no response. I think the system isn't fully
running. This is a video I took:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YSUuF6xTAg
Hard to see with the camera, but when you hit and hold reset the little
display looks sort of normal. When you release, it's like some of the
segments are half-on rather than fully on or off. I tried pulling RAM boards
and such but no action yet. Step button on the CPU card doesn't do
anything.
If anyone has seen one of these or has any ideas on getting her working, I'd
be most interested. I sent an email to Tektronix to inquire about it as
there are part numbers and stuff on the boards. Hopefully they can answer
questions.
Brad
I don't know about using eBay as things are all over the place. I have paid from $0.99 + s&h to $29.99 w/ free shipping (for something that is useful e.g. HMS for 5150 in unopened condition). My average seems to be $9.99 for more popular stuff and $4.99 for esoteric stuff (say GTO to the 7327 plotter). Every once in a while things sell for crazy prices (do you really need the TR to the cluster network for $90?). What sells high seems to be SW specially DOS 1.0 and IBM branded CP/M. Those are fetching >$500 these days.
Just my two cents....
-Ali
I'm experimenting with some old DOS versions, notably PC DOS, in VirtualBox.
I have a PC-DOS 2000 system with DesqView and DesqView/X working
fairly well -- no networking yet but I'm working on it.
I am also trying to get a DR-DOS 8 VM up and running. DR-DOS 7.03 is
no problem, but I've had no joy getting DR-DOS 8.1 to install to hard
disk. It's reluctant to SYS a hard disk, and when it did, it
mis-diagnosed it as FAT-12 and wouldn't boot. Using Norton DiskTools,
I've managed to transfer the system files, but they display the
message
DR-DOS 8.1
... and then it freezes.
Can this late version, mainly used for utility floppies, actually boot
>from HD & be used like a normal DOS?
And although I've not tried it yet, the same question applies to PC
DOS 7.1, the early-noughties version that can understand FAT32 and
long filenames.
--
Liam Proven ? Profile: http://lproven.livejournal.com/profile
Email: lproven at cix.co.uk ? GMail/G+/Twitter/Flickr/Facebook: lproven
MSN: lproven at hotmail.com ? Skype/AIM/Yahoo/LinkedIn: liamproven
Cell/Mobiles: +44 7939-087884 (UK) ? +420 702 829 053 (?R)
I would call Win 95 a high point also. ?I lived near Toronto at the time and remember the unfurling of a huge Win 95 banner down one side. ?There were events everywhere. ?MS was really at their zenith. The excitement around that launch was like nothing since. ?I believe I got swept up and installed it immediately but shortly after removed it. ?Couldn't get used to the interface. ?Eventually for one reason or another I had to and did go back to it. ?Wasn't the greatest or most stable OS and was kind of a half breed at that, but man.. what I wouldn't give to feel the anticipation again, the difference between it and DOS. ?Nothing released on either PC or Mac has come close.
Brad
Sent from my Samsung device
-------- Original message --------
From: Cameron Kaiser <spectre at floodgap.com>
Date: 2016-08-01 4:25 PM (GMT-08:00)
To: cctalk at classiccmp.org
Subject: Re: Bill Gates: Windows 95 Was 'A High Point'
> > <https://tech.slashdot.org/story/08/05/28/2214214/bill-gates-windows-95-was-…>
> http://cdn.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/introducing.gif
I have a "Windows '95 = Macintosh '89" pin on my iMac G4, as seen here:
http://www.theapplecollection.com/Collection/pin/PinsBadges.html
--
------------------------------------ personal: http://www.cameronkaiser.com/ --
? Cameron Kaiser * Floodgap Systems * www.floodgap.com * ckaiser at floodgap.com
-- Business is war. -- Jack Tramiel -------------------------------------------
Definitely interested in any MDS/keypunch stuff. ?By no means am I done with the TVT.. just assembling all the vintage resistors and bits to get assembly going. ?I was hoping to have an MDS keyboard as is just to show people what the prototype came from.
I would definitely be interested in an AC-30. ?Without question. ?Let me know!
Brad
Sent from my Samsung device
-------- Original message --------
From: Mike Stein <mhs.stein at gmail.com>
Date: 2016-08-04 10:34 AM (GMT-08:00)
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Subject: Keyboards etc.
... Same here; I long for the good old days when they just asked where you were born...
So, looks like you've pretty well finished your TV typewriters, so can I assume that you don't want/need any of the MDS etc. keyboard stuff we talked about long ago?
Also, since you're into SWTPC stuff, would you be interested in an AC-30 to go between your CT-1024 and 6800 (assuming I can find it)?
http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/AC30/AC30_Index.htm
mike
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brad H" <vintagecomputer at bettercomputing.net>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2016 10:33 AM
Subject: Re: SWTPC 6800
>
>???
> Thanks Jim!
> Wish I could go but I'm up in BC and haven't renewed my passport in a couple of years. One of these days for sure though.
> Brad
>
>
> Sent from my Samsung device
>
> -------- Original message --------
> From: jim stephens <jwsmail at jwsss.com>
> Date: 2016-08-03? 11:54 PM? (GMT-08:00)
> To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Subject: Re: SWTPC 6800
>
>
>
> On 8/3/2016 10:58 PM, Brad H wrote:
>>
>> Thought I would post this here in case it reaches eyes my forum posts don't. So I finally got my hands on a SWTPC 6800!
>> This machine is chock full of boards.. 4 ram boards, the cpu card (with SWTBUG ROM), MP-S, MP-C serial cards, a floppy controller, some little custom board, a sound card.. etc.
>> This presents some challenges obviously, since the machine has been altered from stock it could be tricky getting it running.
>> Before I had it stripped down, I tried powering up as is (i pulled the older MP-C card and put MP-S in slot 1). This produced little except for a string of random characters that would repeat every time I hit reset, exactly the same number.
>> I tried stripping it down to CPU card, MP-S, and the RAM board designated as '0'.. but all I get at the terminal end is a single random character on power up.
>> I then thought I'd try my luck putting the CPU card in my working MSI system (taking out its card). Nope.
>> Now, because my CPU card has been modified to accomodate SWTBUG and possibly something else, I'm not sure if it'll even work in a stripped down config. Not sure about the interplay between boards.
>> Anyway.. if anyone has any thoughts to point me in the right direction I'd be most appreciative. Ultimately I'd like to get this beast working with my CT1024 terminals.
>> Brad
>>
> I saw an SWTPC booth registered at VCF West, maybe you should drop by.
> I'll look in and see what they have and maybe they can help too.
>
> Only SWTPC gizmo I have is one of their audio amplifiers somewhere in
> the pile. Picked up at TRW Swap Meet.
> Thanks
> jim
>
Sorry guys, but it seems there was a take all buyer from CA who took the
entire lot. It is no longer available.
Cindy Croxton
Electronics Plus
500 Pershing Ave.
Kerrville, TX 78028
830-370-3239 cell
sales at elecplus.com
AOL IM elcpls
