I once had one of these nasty little beasties. In fact, it was
a rare version that was badged for TELEX/Memorex. It used an
80186 CPU-- It was fast, at least to me, anyway (although
I don't recall the clock speed).
The Powersupply and floppy drives were in one unit, and the CPU
was in another. It had a CGA compatible display adaptor. It also
had what appeared to be an ISA bus, but most stock PeeCee cards
would cause problems.
I hacked this one by adding an 8-bit Hard disk controller, and
disabling the HDC bios ROM. There was support for the HDC in
the MAD-186 ROM, but the harddisk was not a standard option
(AFAIK).
I think this is the only computer I ever destroyed on purpose, and
out of spite, no less. When we bought our 1st '286, my wife urged
me to give the MAD to her brother. I really should have resisted,
because the thing became a support nightmare. "Can I put a joystick
on this?" "Uhh, whats an 'ERROR TRAP'?" "Uhh, RatRacer keeps locking
up, can you fix this?"
The computer got passed around the family, and I finally ended up
with it about three years ago, when it was summarily smashed into
little pieces-- retribution for countless sleepless nights when I had
to play 'Tech Support'. I had been driven to the edge of MADness.
Needless to say I wasn't into CLASSICS yet. I DID save the part with the
PS and flopy disk drives, though . . .
Jeff
At 11:29 PM 7/14/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Does anyone have a MAD Computer? It was just another boring peecee
>but I liked the name of the computer. I believe it was the fastest
>computer you could buy for some small amount of time- an early 80386
>PC running at a whopping 16 mhz.
>
>Just curious... I just like the concept...
>Perhaps they should have used the slogan...
>
>"Everyone should have a MAD computer in their home!"
>
>Or perhaps not...
>
>Thomas
>
> From: ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk [mailto:ard@p850ug1.demon.co.uk]
> Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 1998 2:14 PM
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
> Subject: Re: How many computers?
>
>
> >
> > Actually, there is a little known difference on the power
> supply board
> > between a beige Mac plus and a Platinum Mac Plus. Just a
> diode but boy
>
> Were they both Capetronics designs? The one in my Mac+ (is
> there an easy
> way to tell them apart when it's been dicoloured by sunlight...) is.
>
> Where is the diode connected between, and which version has it?
>
I really dont remember where it is. This was back in 1988 or so :)
Tony
I just acquired an IBM 3380 HDA which weighs 70 lbs, and is in a clear
plastic case. Does anybody know the lineage of this? The HDA has IBM
390X-001 as well as 13-E8719-CJ printed on a label.
Thanks,
Marty
Does anyone have a MAD Computer? It was just another boring peecee
but I liked the name of the computer. I believe it was the fastest
computer you could buy for some small amount of time- an early 80386
PC running at a whopping 16 mhz.
Just curious... I just like the concept...
Perhaps they should have used the slogan...
"Everyone should have a MAD computer in their home!"
Or perhaps not...
Thomas
> I'm planning to be in Europe for a week or so in October (a few days each
> in Holland, Belgium, and Germany). I'd like to sneak in a few nerd-stops
> along the way, and I'll make room in my suitcase for a couple of vintage
> portables just in case. Any suggestions for the American nerd tourist in
> Europe?
Hmm, couldn't you be a bit more specific ? A few days in Germany
is like saying 'visiting Alaska and BC and maybe some days on the
West Coast' ... Oh Boy, Germany is more than 700 miles 'high' and
up to 500 'wide' (nowadays:).
Ok, for historic nerds there are at least 3 main places:
- Museum fur Verkehr und Technik in Berlin - here you can find
(beside a small display) a _complete_ replica of the Zuse Z1
computer - the first computer - and all mechanical :)
- The Heinz Nixdorf Museum in Paderborn (a small city middle
of nowhere) - They have a real comprehensive display. The
single largest in Germany. A lot of small systems from the
70's - Of course since this museum started out as a company
nuseum of Nixdorf.
- The Deutsches Museum in Munich - THE science museum - I think
#1 worldwide - the only thing coming close anyhwere might
be the Smithonian Collections. A museum about almost anything.
Also including a small Computer display - some 12,000 sqft.
They have things like Zuse Z3 replika, Z22, Siemens 2002,
PERM, IBM 360/20, TR4, Mark 1...realy impressiv. Althrough I
think the modern part is a bit .. hmm .. lets say more like
a junk yard - only a PC and a PET hidden in a sidecase and
other random parts ... :(
- They (the Deutsches Museum) opened a subsidary in Bonn some
time ago (Kohl wanted to have such things in hs 'capitol'
city :) - But this museum is nice, and well done, but more
political/modern historical orientated - only 3 pices are
special computer orientated: parts of a Z23 computer (afair
the drum), some boxes of the SUPRENUM Project, and a 1 meg
chip from VEB Forschungszentrum Mikroelektronik Dresden -
the last East German high tech product - they almost ruined
their industry - any research money available and a lot more
was spend for this development.
Beside these, maybe the RWTH in Aaachen (Aachen university)
could be an interesting place - they have a small display
of big old stuff ...
Aachen, Bonn and Paderborn might be close enough to the
westen border (Begique/Holland). Oh yes, and maybe send
Stefan Walgenbach <walgen(a)do.isst.fhg.de> a mail - he is
building the HCM (Home Computer Museum) in Oberhausen,
thats just 60km east of the Dutch border. Maybe he invites
you to see his collection of classic 80's small and home-
computers - he has a big heap of european (English, French
and German) home computers.
Some hints about your planned tour would help.
And if you come to Munich (Deutsches Museum) I would be
glad to show you the museum, the city and bragg with
my collection :)
Servus
H.
--
Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK
DEC actually tried something like that in the late 70's, they had an
option for some kind of designer pattern painted on small racks going
into office environments. I think it only lasted a few months, but I do
remember getting the brochures from DEC (company was an OEM from DEC at
the time). Response was underwhelming. Personally, if it isn't beige
or blue I don't consider it a "real" computer. When DEC went to the
black racks and purple lettering (hmm, early 70s?) that was too radical
for me, I was glad to see a return to the traditional beige rack.
DEC did have a nice desk with a builtin short rack, it was sold with
PDP-8s used for small business office applications. It looked like a
regular desk, but the left side was actually a 19" wide rack. It held a
BA-11 and a dual 8" floppy box. For our customers that was more popular
than the "designer" panels.
Jack Peacock
-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Owad [mailto:tomowad@earthlink.net]
Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 1998 9:19 AM
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
Subject: Re: Painting Macs (was: fake NeXT)
>I have this weird idea that one day custom paint jobs on computers
might
>make me some extra money. Am I crazy? Do you think there would ever be
a
>market for it?
< I love the spaminator idea, but isn't your phone bill going to be pretty
<
< Lawsuits appear to be the only effective weapon so far.
<
Sam,
If traced back to you, the action you've taken is covered by law so you
could be at risk.
I agree that bunch is a problem as are the earthlink sex girls that are
apparently not anywhere from earthlink.
Allison
< Now, my question. Let's say a single head crashes. This would raise up
< some dust off the platter, right? Would it be possible to recover the
< material that wasn't destroyed by the dragging head? What if this
< deformed the platter?
Head crashes are always bad. What generally happens for 5" and 3.5" winis
is the head is ripped off the mount, slammed against the wall and shattered.
the free arm gouges the platter badly. the metal dust from the grinding
gets into the rest of the heads and it cascades. If shut down when the head
first goes the platter will be shot. Repair would be trying to get head
and arm assembly, another drive to get a good platter from. Then there
is the problem of disassembleing the platter drive assy as many are "glued
and screwed" and maintaining tolerances on assembly.
Allison
< >a third-party dual width card with light blue ejector handles with
< >"UDC11" stamped in white letters on one. Don't know where the ribbon
< >cable goes that's connected to it. I'll take the BA11 chassis out and
< >peek inside tonight and report what I find on these questions.
My guess the tape is not tu58 but a DC100/300/600 series tape. There
wasn't a tu58 that mounted to a 5.25hole unless it was a hack. Also
TU58 is easy to recognize as the drives are bare (no electornics) and the
use a board that is roughly 5x10" with serial interface to the host.
Also TU58 was a dual drive system though it could be configured with only
one.
Allison
< Interesting peripherals from late 1970's when I was going a lot.
< 1. SWTP CT-1024 modified for 64 columns and graphics. Hope to get this
< working again with some computer.
I have one of those operation with the same mod!
All of my collection I listed are tested operational systems. The unique
boards I've built for my own use are not listed nor are some of the inop
stuff salvaged for parts. I also didn't list the parts supply as that
would need a T1 link to get though reasonably. I have a lot of OLD parts
that were new purchase at one time! ;)
Allison
