- test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org - classiccmp.org

Heathkit H8 and other items on Minneapolis craigslist

by spam＠hell.org

Hey, all. I was browsing various craigslist places around the US and found someone selling off a substantial collection of classic micros outside Minneapolis His ad is here: https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/csw/sys/d/silver-lake-vintage-computer-c… Through our email chats I've determined that he has these components of an old Heathkit system of unknown workingness: H8 H17-3 floppy drive H17-2 drive chassis Zenith data systems ZVM-131 monitor Also, he has a terminal made by Data-100, for which I can't find much info but I suspect will be a 3270-compatible terminal of some sort. He also has a variety of micros, particularly some Atari 8-bit, Apple II , CoCos, and other things. The photos in the ad only show a fraction of what he has. He's not terribly knowledgeable - he came into this stuff as part of an estate cleanout and had 4 pickup truck loads of this stuff, so who knows what has been lost. I let him know that I would be posting here, so feel free to reach out to him directly. Anyway, I figured I'd post this here given that someone in the Minneapolis area might be interested in checking some of this stuff out, in a covid-compliant manner, of course... -mike

5 years, 7 months

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Was looking for old suns

by silvercreekvalley＠yahoo.com

Hi Thanks for the replies with the Suns, hopefully I will be able to get one up and running :) As I should probably clear a bit of space in the ?office? - I have several bits of kit available. I?m in the UK. HP Visualise 86000 - complete system with keyboard/mouse - nice condition Several QBUS 11/53 machines with HD (5M I think), two pedestal, the rest ?rack mount? units. DEC alpha - not sure on model number but functional VAX 3000 - boots but needs restoration case is in poor condition. PM me if any of the above is of interest. I could probably ship some of the items. Thanks Ian

5 years, 7 months

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Pdp cpus

by 821＠128.ca

Interesting stuff https://github.com/1801BM1/cpu11

5 years, 7 months

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Fwd: Hopefully on topic

by crockett.martin＠gmail.com

Hi all, I now have just acquired a VT-100 and am in the process of checking it out. I noticed there is a capacitor that has vaporized, but I cant determine what value it is. I have the DEC VT-100 maintenance guide but it is very blurry in the relevant area. I cant even read the board designation. This is the area of the circuit, I can trace the 2 Zener diodes on the -23V rail, to one end of the cap, the other end seems to go to ground. The obvious culprit is C6, but that doesn't match the mud map of the board, as in C1x. https://imgur.com/a/tm8mn8b This is the capacitor in question. It looks like C1x where x is undetermined. I think it was a ceramic monolithic capacitor, it seems to be different to any other caps on the board, i.e. slightly larger and a different colour blue. When I look at this hires photos on Google images, it is the blue capacitor circled below Does anyone have a VT-100 and mind checking what the value of this capacitor is please? Ideally value and voltage or even just the nomenclature written on it, I can work out the value and voltage from that. Many thanks and Cheers, Martin...

5 years, 7 months

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Looking for old Suns

by silvercreekvalley＠yahoo.com

Hi Kevin/Stefan/Salik Thanks for the replies much appreciated. Looks like there might be a few of these systems around, so will see if I can pick one up. Willing to pay a reasonable fee for a system of course. Thanks Ian

5 years, 7 months

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Looking for old Suns

by salikmrafiq＠gmail.com

Have a chat with Peter Stokes peter at ashlyn.co.uk he has a number of older machines and some older SPARC station Salik

5 years, 7 months

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At&T Unix PC, Tape drive

by emu＠e-bbes.com

Hi, during my move, I think I lost my tape drive, which was attached to my at&t unix pc (68000 based). Anybody knows of the top of their head, if I could read the tapes on any other machine? Was it anything "standard", or did they do their own at at&t? Cheers & thanks!

5 years, 7 months

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Guy on vcfed offering old IBM lamps

by cclist＠sydex.com

He says "free for shipping". http://www.vcfed.org/forum/showthread.php?74590-FS-new-(OEM)-IBM-computer-5… I couldn[t get him to post a photo. He says he also has a bunch of old transistors from the Endicott plant. FWIW, Chuck

5 years, 7 months

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DIY Paper Tape Punch - Mechanism diagram?

by anders.k.nelson＠gmail.com

Hi all, I've had a paper tape reader for a while but never had a punch to make new tapes, and the ones i've found are not only very large but also very expensive. So I'm toying with the idea of making an open-source punch, but I can't find any detailed diagrams of how the mechanism works. I'm assuming (without any data to back it up) that there is a cam, an array of spring-levered pins, and horizontal spacers controlled by solenoids that bridge the gap between the cam and each punch pin when called for. Does anyone have insight into how reliable/fast paper tape punches work? -- Anders Nelson +1 (517) 775-6129 www.erogear.com

5 years, 7 months

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"scsi bus continuously busy"

by aperry＠snowmoose.com

Courtesy of a Raspberry Pi serving as the ND server, I am now able to load SunOS 3.5 over the network onto my 3/260 and it is now coming up into the OS. I am now seeing this error: >sc0 at vme24d16 200000 vec 0x40 >sd0 at sc0 slave 0 >si0: sc_cmd: scsi bus continuously busy >sc0: resetting scsi bus >sd1 at sc0 slave 1 >si0: sc_cmd: scsi bus continuously busy >sc0: resetting scsi bus The SCSI controller is the "Sun 2" SCSI card. I saw some corrosion-ish crap on the board and cleaned it off. It is SCSI, so, of course, I played with termination. No change in behavior. Is this likely to be a controller board problem or a device problem? Are these boards picky about SCSI devices? Any other suggestions? alan

5 years, 7 months

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DIY Paper Tape Punch - Mechanism diagram?

by jfoust＠threedee.com

At 07:18 AM 5/1/2020, Hugh Pyle via cctalk wrote: >I've cut Mylar tape with a Glowforge laser. It cuts very nicely but the >alignment is a major hassle, plus you can only cut ~15" of tape which >doesn't go very far. Not worth the effort. If you were to build a custom >linear drive it might work. But also very slow. Hmm. You could have N fixed lasers at the spots of potential holes, and then a mechanism to move the whole assembly of them in the shape of a single hole, drawing them all at once. You could have one laser on that moved precisely along the hole row, and use the same sort of mechanical motion to draw a hole. How much laser do you need to cut paper, how much to cut mylar? Were there any paper tape devices that did not use the sprocket holes to move the tape? - John

5 years, 7 months

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tape baking

by aek＠bitsavers.org

https://www.morressier.com/article/towards-understanding-thermal-remediatio…

5 years, 7 months

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Lear Sieglar Terminal

by sales＠elecplus.com

I have in my shop a small blue old Lear Sieglar terminal. I does power on, but it gets a screen full of garbage. It is missing numerous keycaps. There are several cracks in the case around the keyboard. Asking $200; local pickup only. Pictures on request. Cindy Croxton Electronics Plus 1613 Water Street Kerrville, TX 78028 830-370-3239 cell sales at elecplus.com -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus

5 years, 7 months

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In search of Three Rivers PERQ 1 Keyboard

by ian.finder＠gmail.com

Title says it. It saddens me that in this day and age I have to call this out but: ? This is for use with an actual real PERQ 1, not a Raspberry Pi running an emulator, nor something I?m looking for because I like to collect only the steering wheels off vintage Porsches because they ?feel nice? or ?look cool? or will ?make me a better programmer.? Actually perhaps a better analogy involves elephants and ivory... but I?m now off topic. Anyway- cruelty free, no-poach, free-range use intended. Thanks in advance for any leads or on-topic discussion of the keyboard protocol to tide me over in the meantime... With all the time on my hands from the shutdown it?d be great to make this system whole and start down the long path toward restoration.

5 years, 7 months

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Imlac/Hazeltine Dynagraphic terminals?

by derschjo＠gmail.com

Anyone have any idea if any Imlac/Hazeltine Dynagraphic terminals are still around? I've never heard tell of one beyond marketing information. These were late vector-graphics terminals made by Imlac Corporation after they got bought out by Hazeltine in the late 1970s. Any technical docs (programming, architecture) would be interesting to look at. And if anyone knows of one hiding in a basement somewhere... - Josh

5 years, 7 months

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Game Of Life, John H. Conway

by emu＠e-bbes.com

Not really on Classic Hardware, but we lost John Conway to corona :( And I think, most of us tried it on a terminal before ;-) Enjoyu in full HD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaBm4etcYFQ&feature=emb_logo RIP!

5 years, 7 months

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Wanted: Amiga 600 motherboard, NTSC

by ethan＠757.org

Looking for a working Amiga 600 NTSC motherboard. Would be interested in a was-working-before-cap-damage donor one as well. - Ethan

5 years, 7 months

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Re: ODD I DID NOT SEND THIS? Blog: RetroRetrospective – Fun today with yesterday's gear…

by couryhouse＠aol.com

In a message dated 4/26/2020 3:37:46 PM US Mountain Standard Time, Michael at jongleur.co.uk writes: On Mon, 27 Apr 2020 at 8:32 am, ED SHARPE via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:-- Blog: RetroRetrospective ? Fun today with yesterday's gear??..Podcast:?Retro Computing Roundtable?(Co-Host)

5 years, 7 months

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CRT from IBM terminal available

by p.gebhardt＠ymail.com

Hello list, I was contacted regarding the availability of a CRT from the terminal shown in this picture: http://www.robotrontechnik.de/bilder/Galerien/Computersammlung/Computersamm… Location is Germany. Please contact me offlist and I will establish the contact to the owner with you in case of interest. Best regards, Pierre ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.digitalheritage.de

5 years, 7 months

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Did anybody ever came across the DEC CI750 User Guide?

by p.gebhardt＠ymail.com

Hello all, the headline says it all. DEC document number is EK-CI750-UG I've been looking for that one for years but never came across a paper copy or scanned document. Does anybody know where to get one? The technical description and the schematics are available, though. Thanks for any feedback on this. Best regards, Pierre ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.digitalheritage.de

5 years, 7 months

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Emergency help needed

by sales＠elecplus.com

My warehouse got flooded. Is there anyone from Austin or SA that can help rescue kbds and old computers? Cindy Croxton Electronics Plus 1613 Water Street Kerrville, TX 78028 830-370-3239 cell sales at elecplus.com -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus

5 years, 7 months

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Got the RX01's running and TSX

by cz＠alembic.crystel.com

So I got the RX02 drive up and going with the RXV11 controller. Man it's interesting to hear those old disks *click*. Both work (which is good) and now I'm starting to look through my old disks. Interesting issue: Many of my disks are formatted RX02. So I need to dig out my RXV21 controller from some box around here and see if that works. I never liked the RXV21: It's only 18 bits, does DMA, and is quite weird in a 4mb pdp11. But I would like to get this data off. I also uncovered my old TSX disks. I have TSX+ 6.5, 6.4, and TSX 5.something here on double sided RX02 disks. Looks like my support contract ran out in 1991, I'll have to see about renewing that.... Anyone here still running TSX, or did everyone go to RSX11M+? C

5 years, 7 months

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IBM DCS/DCOS--how common?

by cclist＠sydex.com

This talk of old tape brings up a question that I wanted to ask the list. I've run into some tapes that say they were prepared on the IBM DCS setup (7044-coupled-to-7094) running DCOS. I confess to never having run into the 7044 in real life--it always seemed like an odd machine--basically, a 7094 Jr. There couldn't have been very many DCS setups, am I correct? --Chuck

5 years, 7 months

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LINC-8

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Bob Smith <bobsmithofd at gmail.com> > saw a comment that this belonged to CJL. Chris Lindblad? Sorry, I'm drawing a blank on someone with those initials who is connected with the LINC. > From: Jon Elson > Wow, those were fairly rare back when, and now there may only be a > couple in existence. Yeah, that's why I was hoping that someone connected to this community would get it, so we don't lose track of this rare artifact. I'd buy it, but i) it's not a PDP-11, and fails my 'PDP-11's only' test (intended to put a strict limit on the amount of junk I accumulate), and ii) I already have a whole bunch of PDP-11 gear I have yet to get to. :-( There's no way I would ever get to it. > Two complete CPUs, capable of running at the same time in shared memory > (I think). The documentation (1967 Small Computer Handbook) is unclear. It is clear that the general mode of operation was for only one CPU at a time to be running, but that appears to be to simplify programming (although it does say that "In the PDP-8 mode, the LINC subsystem is disabled"). The memory is indeed shared; it's on the PDP-8, and the LINC gains access via the standard PDP-8 'data break' (i.e. DMA) mechanism. Noel

5 years, 7 months

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FedEX unsurance issues

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Paul Koning > I suppose they still charge you an insurance fee according to what you > declared as the value? Yes, IIRC. > This seems like a pretty clear case of fraud, and you should report it > to the authorities. Well, at the time, I thought it was just a local manager being a hard-ass; so maybe not worth the effort of taking further steps. Now, of course, it looks more like a policy change, but the incident I was a party to is now many months ago, so perhaps not optimal for reporting. Noel

5 years, 7 months

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FedEX unsurance issues

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

Hi, a heads-up on sending expensive items via FedEx. They appear to have a new policy, limiting honouring insurance coverage; so, in my opinion, they are now unsuitable for shipping valuable items. Data point 1: a couple of months back, I bought a PDP-11/40 on eBait. It was shipped via FedEx in two separate packages: one with boards, and one holding the chassis/front-panel. They somehow managed to lose the second box - and then refused to fully pay out the insurance coverage on that box. We provided them with data on an open eBay auction for an identical item, to prove that our valuation was not inflated, but it didn't help - they only paid out a reduced amout, not what the thing was worth, and _what we had insured it for_ (even though _they_ lost it). Data point 2: I collect Japanese woodblock prints; a large dealer I do business with used to do all their shipping via FedEx - dozens of shipments per week - but as of yesterday I as informed that they are now switching. Why? FedEx lost a valuable, insured, package - and would only pay out US1K on it, not the full insured value, leaving the dealer to absorb most of the loss (several US$K). There's a clear pattern here; FedEx is refusing to honour the full insurance coverage when an item is lost. So I wouldn't ship anythihg valuable via FedEx unless you can find an outside insurer to cover it - since Fedex's own insurance coverage now often cannot be relied upon. Noel

5 years, 7 months

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DX.sys for RT11 5.5

by cz＠alembic.crystel.com

Quick question: Does anyone have a copy of dx.sys for RT11 version 5.5? I'm getting my RX01 disk running but don't seem to have this driver and the 5.1 driver does. not. work. under 5.5 Thanks! Chris

5 years, 7 months

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Ok, got the Perq tapes

by cz＠alembic.crystel.com

Ok, so this evening I went back to the house to do a quick evacuation of the most critical stuff and take some better pictures. This time I brought a massive xeon flashlight which helps to get quicker pictures with less shake. I also picked up a pile of Perq boards, and all the DC600 tapes and floppies I could take out. The car was loaded with them, someone is going to have to curate these. But since I know that the most important thing is the software and not the hardware I decided this is what to get as the top priority. There appears to be a third Perq in there as well on the other side of the basement. No big drives (14 inch or 8 inch) but a lot of MFM and SCSI disks. Couldn't grab those, too heavy. I'm going to put together a list of people and see if I can figure out a way to get things out. The garage is blocked by an old car, and this stuff will not go up the steps. Too narrow. Never dull. Latest pictures are at https://www.crystel.com/bob (I moved the old ones to a subfolder). I also took a better set of pictures of the VME boards, look like Sun boards. C

5 years, 7 months

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Wake-on-LAN, teletype style

by steven＠malikoff.com

I've started scanning a few more of the BHP docs I recovered a while back, and thought this one was interesting. A 1973 gizmo that buffers just enough received data for a relay to close and power up a teleprinter's motor to operating speed before printing, apparently half a second was sufficient it reckons. The buffering is through a pair of 64 x 4-bit Fairchild 3341 FIFO memory chips. https://archive.org/details/utec-bmc-6092-buffered-idle-line-motor-control-… One of the other docs mentions they had an ASR33 with this buffered motor control installed connected to PDP-11/10. Steve.

5 years, 7 months

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Bob Davis and old computer stuff

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Chris Zach > We have to move fast though, this needs to be cleaned out. How can > people help me on this? I'm sure there must be institutions that would love to have the PERQs; they were very important machines, historically, and are quite rare. Alas, although I'd normally be up for helping in such a recovery operation (I'm in Virginia), I'm recovering from a moderate case of Covid19 (didn't have to go to hospital, luckily, but I had a bad fever), and am still pretty weak, so it's probably beyond me at this point. Noel

5 years, 7 months

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Cybernetics Data Products scrolling LED sign

by charlesmorris800＠centurytel.net

I'm trying to repair a partially functioning Cybernetics Data Products ADT-2002 scrolling LED sign from the early 80's. Previous owner said there was a power failure or lightning strike, don't remember which, and gave it to me. The brief version of the instructions are taped to the keyboard, and that is the only manual I can find. Power supply is functional and delivering 5 volts where it should. On boot it's supposed to say "UNIT OPERATIONAL" on the display before plugging in the keyboard ribbon cable. There is garbage displayed instead. When the keyboard is plugged in, the display responds to start/stop scroll (green and red keys), and messages can be input. The memory (yellow key) and control (blue key) functions don't seem to work. There actually is a microprocessor (8048 or 8051), but inside the keyboard only. Another observation: The display only scrolls a couple of characters, jumps back to the beginning and repeats forever. But the actual display board has a 24-pin Harris PROM (fuse link), seven 2102's 1K memory for the 7 rows of LEDs and many 7400 TTL including? 4-bit counters, comparators and adders. No CPU at all, so it must be a state machine, and a fairly complex one at that unless some of the "smarts" are actually in the keyboard microprocessor. The cable from the keyboard connects directly to the PROM without any buffering. I have found that only the lowest 4 bits of the memory address lines have activity on them, which explains why two characters scroll before it repeats (16 columns). I can't find anything strange looking (e.g. non-TTL levels) on the middle and upper nibbles except that they don't move. There does not seem to be any information on this unit online. I'd like to find a repair manual (probably too long a long shot), but even a schematic would save a lot of hair pulling! Thanks for any help.

5 years, 7 months

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Fixed my pdt11/150

by cz＠alembic.crystel.com

So I've had a boat anchor pdt11/150 here for awhile. It's probably one of the weirdest pdp11s ever built: An 11/03 CPU ish, six serial ports, ish, and a pair of RX01 drives. Ish. The trick is the system is very closed in: There are 4 boards inside with a lot of early microprocessors to do the IO instead of a real Q bus. The bottom board is a controller that is sort of like an RX01 but instead of using the DX: driver it uses a special PD: driver. The CPU connects to this with a 14 pin DIP ribbon cable, and on the back of the CPU module is a 64kb memory module and a serial module that has a console, printer, modem and three additional serial ports that are their own thing. Problem with this one was that it would not come up. Serial tests seemed to fail using an error code of waiting for input which didn't make a lot of sense. So today I decided to pull the serial board and see if I could swap the UARTs. I quickly figured out the problem: The serial board "connects" to the main board by two sets of bars with three screws each that hold the board to an interconnecting header that sends the signals. As soon as I loosened the screws I realized that the header isn't connecting to pins on either board, it literally presses against pads on the boards that complete the circuit. Nothing but pressure and springiness holds it together. No screw, pin and socket, anything. With that I cleaned off the headers and wiped down the pads on the boards till they shined like the top of the chrystler building. I then reassembled and torqued the screws down evenly, finishing with the center screw first followed by the outside screws. It is to note that the hinges that hold the CPU and memory/serial boards to the body of this thing attach to the bottom of those screws so when you open it up you are flexing the assembly and probably stretching the screws a bit. Which results in bad contact... Plugged it in and all is well. RT-11SJ (S) V05.01C .DIR SY: SPCINV.SAV 10 21-Mar-1989 OTHELO.SAV 45 21-Mar-1989 SPCINV.DAT 1 21-Mar-1989 TODAY .SAV 20 22-Feb-1988 DECMAN.SAV 14 21-Mar-1989 SPACWR.SAV 13 21-Mar-1989 STRTRK.SAV 54 21-Mar-1989 SWAP .SYS 26P 27-Jul-1984 RT11SJ.SYS 64P 19-Jun-1988 TT .SYS 2P 19-Jun-1988 PD .SYS 3P 19-Jun-1988 DX .SYS 4P 21-Jan-2000 PIP .SAV 30P 21-Jan-2000 DUP .SAV 52P 21-Jan-2000 DIR .SAV 20P 21-Jan-2000 15 Files, 358 Blocks 128 Free blocks Another little DEC mystery solved. One odd thing about these: There are only four chip slots for the CPU and microcode, but one of the carriers has two dies on it so the system *does* have EIS and FIS instructions. Why not... Chris

5 years, 7 months

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LINC-8

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

Wow: https://www.ebay.com/itm/353062352448 I've read manuals for these, but I've never even seen a picture of one before. Noel

5 years, 7 months

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No subject

by couryhouse＠aol.com

5 years, 7 months

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Bob Davis and old computer stuff

by cz＠alembic.crystel.com

Hi! Does anyone here remember Bob Davis? C

5 years, 7 months

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Bob pictures from 2005, it's like the titanic....

by cz＠alembic.crystel.com

The outpouring of messages and help has been quite inspirational. It seems that the Perq data is really important, so I will be going back today for a bit to try and get the boxes of data tapes out of there. DC600's, I'm sure they will need to be restored somehow but I'll try to get them. In the meantime here are 4 pictures from 2005 of the stash. To be honest almost nothing has changed between then and now, it was like looking at pictures of the titanic from 1912 and today. https://www.crystel.com/bob/bob%201.jpg https://www.crystel.com/bob/bob%202.jpg https://www.crystel.com/bob/bob%203.jpg https://www.crystel.com/bob/bob%204.jpg Chris

5 years, 7 months

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pdp11/84 PMI memory: What is the problem with Q bus?

by mark＠matlockfamily.com

> I actually have -B/-C boards, I should plug one in in QBUS mode, and get my > QSIC prototype working again (it somehow random failed during the last year, > and I've been too lazy to debug it), and write a little program to DMA blocks > in and out, and see what happens to the data. If I get really energetic I > could throw a 'scope on the bus and look at bus cycles and see if they look > OK. > > It would be interesting to have some more detail on the failure. > > Noel Noel, The experiments you describe above would be very interesting! In the accidental tests I did using -C boards in an 11/83, RSX booted ok and ran for a good bit but I think errors Started to accumulate due to bad DMA writes that either were written to the wrong logical block Or the data written was scrambled. When this happened on my BA23 11/83 I scratched my head Took the boards to a BA123 11/83 and repeated the mistake. Fortunately I use two SCSI2SD devices In each system and leave one identical unit unmounted except during disk to disk backups. With good memory boards I was able to do a disk to disk restore and recover everything up to My last backup. > And that might make sense: PMI memory responds to the Q bus just like > normal memory. So from a Q bus device perspective it's just boring old > memory and thus no speed improvement. What might speed up is if I did > memory to memory (VM0:) copies, but with only 2mb running at the moment > there's not a lot of time to check for performance differences. Chris, I think the way that you see the biggest performance improvements in PMI over Q22 memory Is when you have heavy asynchronous I/O happening at the same time the CPU is compute bound And the memory access is not well cached due to the type of programs being run. This is more Likely to happen in a busy multi-user environment. RSX has a tool IOX that was developed to load a RSX system and simulate multiple users. The CPU can get at memory via the PMI and not be delayed Waiting on the Q22 bus. This is particularly helpful with larger block mode Q22 transfers that don?t cause CPU memory access delays. Mark

5 years, 7 months

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Dixie Canner CPT 8000?

by anders.k.nelson＠gmail.com

https://www.ebay.com/itm/143536589578 What in the world is this?

5 years, 7 months

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pdp11/84 PMI memory: What is the problem with Q bus?

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Mark Matlock > Are you able to use a Qbus MTI controller in the 11/84's Qbus section > of the backplane? This is something I've often wondered about but never > tried. I looked into this in some detail, but I don't know: https://gunkies.org/wiki/KTJ11-B_UNIBUS_adapter#QBUS_slots Amswering it definitively would probably require looking at DMA and interrupt cycles with a logic analyzer on the bus, to see what the CPU does with them. And the KDJ11-B and KDJ11-E (the 11/94 uses the same bacplane with a different CPU card) might act differently. > For anyone who is curious about what Happens when a M8637-C version > board is used as PMI memory in an 11/83 I can speak From experience. > ... > After this the disk is corrupted and you will need to restore the > system disk from backups Ah, very informative; thanks for reporting. So whatever the fault is (perhaps the QBUS block transfer issue reported up-thread), it must _seem_ to work, but fail in actuality. It would be interesting to appply a logic analyzer, and see what the bus transaction looks like, if it looks OK on the bus (in which case it's an internal failure). Noel

5 years, 7 months

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pdp11/84 PMI memory: What is the problem with Q bus?

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Jerry Weiss > Sorry about the uNOTE confusion.. No problem, it only took me about a minute to find the right one; my note was to warn other people who didn't know about the number duplication. > If you look at the Memory Comparison table in this OEM uNOTE, it only > lists Block Mode for "JD/JE ONLY". Oh, right. Still, it sounds from reports here like regular DMA doesn't work in QBUS mode either - and technically that table entry might mean than since it doesn't work for the QBUS _at all_, that includes no block mode. I actually have -B/-C boards, I should plug one in in QBUS mode, and get my QSIC prototype working again (it somehow random failed during the last year, and I've been too lazy to debug it), and write a little program to DMA blocks in and out, and see what happens to the data. If I get really energetic I could throw a 'scope on the bus and look at bus cycles and see if they look OK. It would be interesting to have some more detail on the failure. Noel

5 years, 7 months

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pdp11/84 PMI memory: What is the problem with Q bus?

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Jerry Weiss > uNOTE # 028 indicates that MSV-11 JB/JC (M8637-B/C) doesn't do block > mode. I went and looked at uNOTE #28, after I found it (it's not in the initial set of uNOTEs, but in the second set - the so-called 'OEM uNOTEs"; note that the numbers were re-used between the two sets, so there are _two different_ uNOTE #28's). I couldn't find anything there about the JB/JC not doing block mode? All it says is they "can not be used in a Q-BUS system due to gate array incompatibilities". Noel

5 years, 7 months

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pdp11/84 PMI memory: What is the problem with Q bus?

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Chris Zach > Just checked the configuration and block mode DMA *is* off. Interesting. So it's not bklock-mode on the QBUS which is screwed up, but normal QBUS transfers. That jibes with the comment abour "gate array incompatibilities" (which I take to mean "errors" :-). > was the 11/70's MASSBUS channels nothing more than RH11-C's attached to > the old FASTBUS on the 11/45 cpu core (which is what an 11/70 really > is, with cache) or did they port right to the memory box? RH70's are totally different from RH11's - a hex card, and a couple of quads - and the interface to the /70's memory system is totally different from the RH11's (which goes to the UNIBUS): https://gunkies.org/wiki/RH70_MASSBUS_controller It has interfaces to both the cache, and the memory bus (although the diagram in the 11/70 CPU handbook shows it as only connected to the cache). I didn't follow the "the old FASTBUS on the 11/45 cpu core (which is what an 11/70 really is, with cache)"; the 70's cache is what's connected to what used to be the FASTBUS, the memory bus connects to the cache, IIRC. Noel

5 years, 7 months

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Kennedy 9800 - Power-up tips?

by anders.k.nelson＠gmail.com

Hi friends, Now that I have enough hobby time having quit my job two weeks before the apocalypse, I'm interested in poking at my Kennedy 9800 tape controller project. I bought the tape unit in Q3 2017 and the seller said they had powered it up and nothing seemed awry. I have not powered it up and reading about old electrolytic cap issues I'm curious if I should do anything beyond replace any obviously leaking/ruptured capacitors. IIRC people have used a variac to gradually bring the power supply up to operating voltage and somewhat refresh the capacitors - is this a thing? Is this advisable? Any help is appreciated! -- Anders Nelson www.erogear.com

5 years, 7 months

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pdp11/84 PMI memory: What is the problem with Q bus?

by mark＠matlockfamily.com

> Date: Tue, 21 Apr 2020 16:17:07 -0400 > From: Chris Zach <cz at alembic.crystel.com> > To: cctalk at classiccmp.org > Subject: Re: pdp11/84 PMI memory: What is the problem with Q bus? > Message-ID: <27647f0e-19d4-b484-d288-e9f3bb715363 at alembic.crystel.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed > > Thanks Mark! Actually this was just the boards from the 11/84 (no idea > what happened to the chassis, drat) so it's an 11/84 CPU (18mhz, FPP > chip installed), 2 PMI boards (one old 2mb, one new 1mb) a console board > of some sort and the Unibus map. > > I popped this into my BA23 to speed things up a bit in place of my quad > height 11/73 CPU with 2mb memory. So far it seems to work, and with the > CA memory in the PMI slot managed to boot RSX11M 4.2 and compile up EMPIRE. Chris, I understand now. I also have a PDP-11/83 in a BA123 box and the CPU and PMI memory (M8637-E) can move from the Qbus box to the 11/84 box and work fine In either. I spent a good bit of time tinkering with the 11/84 power supply which did not Work until I put a M7556 minimum load module in it. Basically the +/- 12 Volts needs a Load or you get a hung bus error. Also, with the Unibus you have to pay attention to The NPR/NPG grant jumpers. For disks on the QBus systems I used the UC07 and SCSI2SD. The UC07 can be can be configured for block mode transfers and I think it is doing it. I guess I?d need to hook up a logic analyzer to know for sure. The 11/84 uses a UniBone and when it is emulating a MSCP disk, it can do 150 I/Os a second (using IOX on RSX11M+) The 11/83 using the UC07 and a SCSI2SD Does about 60 I/Os per second. I think the UC07 could go faster but is limited by the SDcard interface. I need to put a fast real SCSI disk on it sometime and see what it can do. > > My guess is the 11/84's Unibus talks directly to the PMI bus and > orchestrates the data transfers, but there is something wrong when the > PMI memory is accessed on the true Q bus. That would not happen on an > 11/84 (CPU and Map use PMI only) but when you have a Q bus DMA device it > probably manifests at random. It's possible the MTI card is throttling > the DMA to single mode instead of hog mode, wonder if I want to screw up > my disk to verify this?. What is the model # for your MTI disk controller? > > Drat. On the positive side it's chock full of 256k chips, which I could > pull off and put on the EA board to bring it up to 2mb memory. I have > air heat tools and a pre-heater so getting the chips off should be > pretty basic. Getting them on the new board though could be a pain since > all the holes are soldered over?. Moving the RAM chips sounds a bit tedious but would certainly be possible. > > No way to reprogram or fix it I assume? Are you asking about making the M8637-B or -C into the -D or -E? If so I?ve never seen any reference to doing that. I was very fortunate that the person Who sold me the M8637-C was willing to trade it for a -E. Mark

5 years, 7 months

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Odd punched cards

by peter＠vanpeborgh.eu

Guys, I got a positive response about the Port-A-Punch cards so no longer any need to respond to this one. Very encouraging. Still looking for Jacquard cards and original Hollerith cards. Hope springs eternal. peter || | | | | | | | | Peter Van Peborgh 62 St Mary's Rise Writhlington Radstock Somerset BA3 3PD UK 01761 439 234 "Our times are in God's wise and loving hands" || | | | | | | | |

5 years, 7 months

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Grinnell Systems

by emu＠e-bbes.com

Hi all, was just fishing in old memories & graphics systems. We had in the 1980's a big fridge from Grinnell Systems as a frame buffer on a 11/34. Anybody remember those? Links to any documentation? Cheers!

5 years, 7 months

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Looking for new punched card type

by cctalk＠emailtoilet.com

Peter, I have several Port-A-Punch cards. Would you like 1 of each? Do a search at www.ibmjunkman.com and check Holders 162, 568 and 1856. Donald

5 years, 7 months

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[ancient thread] HP 1820-1584 IC replacement?

by spacewar＠gmail.com

Back in 2013, Bob Rosenbloom asked: > I have an HP 9872 plotter that just died. According to the internal self > test (very nice!) > one of the bib (MOS to TTL) drivers has failed. Tony Duell wrote: > the devie is very simple (it's simialr to the 74LS245) but the problem is that one side of it does not work with TTL levels. It's a level shifter too. Although the BIB functioned as a level shifter, in later devices using the 1818-2500 standalone 40-pin BPC Binary Processor Chip, including the 9872C and 9872T, HP actually used the 74LS245 instead of the BIB. The only thing they did to meet the MOS level input requirements of the BPC was to put a 10Kohm pullup resistor to +5V on each data line on the MOS side of the buffer. As noted elsewhere, the 74LS245 isn't pin compatible with the BIB, so an adapter would be needed to substitute it. The 9872A, which uses the BPC with the BIB chip, does not have pullups on the MOS side. It also uses the HP 16-bit NMOS ROM directly on the MOS side, and it's remotely possible that adding 10K pullups could be a problem with the ROM.

5 years, 7 months

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MicroVAX 3100/95 PSU Weirdness

by robert.jarratt＠ntlworld.com

I am on a mission to fix a bunch of power supplies and now I am looking at my MicroVAX 3100/95. A few days ago I mentioned that the big smoothing capacitors on the primary side might need replacing. I have done that now. However, in doing so, I have discovered that *one* of the capacitors does not get discharged after the power has gone off (this applies both to the original ones and the brand-new replacements). Furthermore, after discharging them with a resistor and checking that the charge had gone, several hours later, the one that does not discharge, has some charge again, that was not there before! Does anyone know if these PSUs have a bleed resistor to discharge the smoothing capacitors? Why would only one be discharged, is there normally one bleed resistor per capacitor? Why would the capacitor acquire charge again when it hasn't been powered on? Thanks Rob

5 years, 7 months

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Unix Kermit (aka C-Kermit) version 4 spelunking

by imp＠bsdimp.com

Greetings I went looking for a specific version of C-Kermit to reconstruct sources for an old system (The Boston Software Works Venix for Rainbow that I have). I didn't find the 4C(052) I was looking for, but did find many previous 'presumed lost' versions. https://bsdimp.blogspot.com/2020/04/finding-kermit-4x.html has the details. Of particular note: I got almost all the lost versions off DECUS tapes hosted in various places because they were copies of the KERMIT tape, pruned down to just be the DEC stuff. Maybe people here care, maybe not... Warner

5 years, 7 months

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Looking for new punched card type

by peter＠vanpeborgh.eu

Following on from my previous post re punched cards, thank you for replying. I am following up where I can. Now, however, I realize that the IBM Port-A-Punch requires a special type of cards. Does anyone have 1 to 3 of these they can spare. (I already have the instrument.) Many thanks, peter || | | | | | | | | Peter Van Peborgh 62 St Mary's Rise Writhlington Radstock Somerset BA3 3PD UK 01761 439 234 "Our times are in God's wise and loving hands" || | | | | | | | |

5 years, 7 months

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Univac 490 Gallery Talk - 1963 Real Time Computer

by rar＠syssrc.com

The System Source Computer Museum is closed due to COVID-19, so we are making some video gallery talks. Here is the first one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq7aVCc2GP8 The video describes some of the applications of this 57 year old computer including it original use at Goddard Space Flight Center Bob Roswell museum at syssrc.com https://museum.syssrc.com

5 years, 7 months

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pdp11/84 PMI memory: What is the problem with Q bus?

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Chris Zach > in place of my quad height 11/73 CPU with 2mb memory. Sorry, which exact quad-height CPU card? {As someone else has previously pointed out, the /73 and the /83 are basially the same machine (roughly the same CPU board - KDJ11-B, perhaps with different clock crystals), just with different memories - QBUS in the /73, PMI in the /83. The /84 is an /83 with i) a different backplane and ii) a KTJ11-B UNIBUS adapter.} > On the positive side it's chock full of 256k chips, which I could pull > off and put on the EA board to bring it up to 2mb memory. I have air > heat tools and a pre-heater so getting the chips off should be pretty > basic. I would advise against that. 256K chips are readily available on eBait, and for not much money. Pulling them may damage them, and may well also do some damage to the memory card, in addition to making it useless. > Getting them on the new board though could be a pain since all the > holes are soldered over.... A vacuum desoldering station will easily open them. Used Hakkos can be found on eBait for not too much money. Noel

5 years, 7 months

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Macintosh Programmers Workbench?

by jwest＠classiccmp.org

Favor to ask: Would anyone have MPW running in some environment, such that if I give them a PEF file they could run dumppef on it and get the symbol table exports and such? The format is documented and I can write python to pull out what I need, but would be so much quicker if someone had MPW installed and running already.. Thanks in advance! J

5 years, 7 months

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Looking for a document regarding PDP8

by bobsmithofd＠gmail.com

I have posed this question to the 8lovers list, and folks seemed to misunderstand. So let me try here. I believe sometime in the late 70s, maybe as late as 1980, a prof associated with UMass wrote a paper describing an extension of the PDP8 called 8/X or 8X. THIS IS NOT the Pre Nova/DG machine but a completely different concept. THis is not the FPGA pdp8 implmetaton that also has an X in the name. I believe, my memory is fuzzy, that it was a prof nnmed Stone or Stoner (perhaps Harold S) who lead the effort and had his name on the paper. My fuzzy recollection was this was PDP8 with a Cache, an extension of the instruction set, maybe to 24bits, and full compatibility with 8/e-8/a. I recall the spec citing a 10mhz (100NS) cycle time. some sort of start up setting that would make it 8 mode or X mode on start up, don't recall if it could switch modes while running. I had a copy of the papers some where and it is misplaced hiding on one of my computers and I am bout to pull out my BigMac that might have the data in it. THanks for any hints as to the online location, Again, this is NOT the pdpX concept that led to the DG or the FPGA system or the spartan 3 based system, it is just a concept paper. Thanks bob

5 years, 7 months

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World's most frustrating FTGH giveaway - Palm Pilot box

by mark.tapley＠swri.org

All, Next to go is a box in which a Palm Pilot was originally sold. The box is in great shape, shrink-wrap intact except where it was sliced just enough to open the top. The manual is in great shape. The registration card is in great shape. The order receipt is in great shape, name of original owner mis-spelled but otherwise apparently correct. The accessories catalog is in great shape. The software on 3 each 3.5? floppies and on CD appears to be in great shape (not test-read yet). The Now Sync accessory software, on 2 more 3.5? floppies, appears to be in great shape. The leatherette protector is in great shape, with its foam insert still inside keeping it shaped for the Palm Pilot. The DE-9 to DB-25 serial port adaptor is in great shape. For Pete?s sake, the screen protector that peeled off the Palm Pilot screen is in great shape, lovingly tucked into the manual. You have probably noticed what is missing. There are no electronics included. No Palm Pilot, no charging/syncing cradle. Grrrr. You probably want this if you picked up the Palm Pilot at ShopGoodwill somewhere, want to re-create that 1997 ?first on the block with a personal digital accessory? feeling and really enjoy going through the accessory paperwork. https://www.shopgoodwill.com/Item/87198940 (but I think that is a different model). Free to a Good Home, preferably one with an actual Palm Pilot. Shipping will be from San Antonio TX, 78254. If as I suspect, nobody interested, headed to the trash. Standard rules, I?ll wait for a week or so, ship to the sender of the first email in my in-box or to Al K if he emails before I ship. - Mark 210-522-6025 office 210-379-4635 cell

5 years, 7 months

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Pdp11/05 boot media

by malcolm＠avitech.com.au

> Hi everybody > > I'm the proud owner of a PDP11/05 system with a couple of 8" floppy drives. I believe they are likely to be RX01s. > > Does anybody on the list have some boot media that they could provide. I understand that the controller can't format > the disks so I'm in a frustrating state where I don't know where to start. > > Doug Jackson > > Canberra Australia. Hi Doug, I'm in Melbourne and have several working PDP-11's. I can send you a couple of bootable RT11 8" disks. I'll need to know whether they are RX01s or RX02s though. Perhaps send me an email offline and we can take it from there? Malcolm www.avitech.com.au <http://www.avitech.com.au>

5 years, 7 months

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Motorola EXORciser M6800 System

by osi.superboard＠gmail.com

Since a few days, my EXORciser Development System is finally able to boot from floppy diskettes. Previous attempts have shown that the Motorola EXORciser M68SFDC1 floppy disk board used has a special modified ROM version. This was probably written for an 8-inch drive, in which the Write protect and Direction signal were inverted. For the sake of simplicity, I have used free inverter on the board to invert the signals accordingly. After adjusting the PLL frequency, reads and writes from the card are now error-free. And all without FDC, only clever programming by Motorola software engineers in the early 76? Originally, the EXORdisk system was a dual drive with two 8 "units. This I have replaced with a double drive of two 5.25 inch units. An Epson and a TEAC, which can be jumpered to 360 rpm. Luckily, 2HD floppy disks are easy to R&W. I also got a GOTEK floppy emulator running, which I can boot from. Thanks to Roland Huisman, Bitsaver has some interesting floppy disks that convert to HFE format work perfectly. This format makes the Gotek drive most reliable. Now to my question. The vintage computer forum at http://www.vcfed.org/forum/archive/index.php/t-44638.html mentioned some interesting manuals. Archive.org has some manuals, Bitsaver does not have manuals about the M6800 development system. If someone already owns scanned manuals to the following list M6800 Basic Interpreter Reference Manual M6800 Macro Assembler reference Manual M68SFDU Exordisk 11/111 Disk `Drive Unit Maintenance Manual M6800 Exorciser 11 User's Guide M6800 Exorciser User's Guide MEX68PP1 PROM Programmer Module Supplement M6800 Exorciser User's Guide I would welcome any feedback or questions --THOMAS

5 years, 7 months

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pdp11/84 PMI memory: What is the problem with Q bus?

by mark＠matlockfamily.com

> > Date: Sun, 19 Apr 2020 15:29:44 -0400 > From: Chris Zach <cz at alembic.crystel.com> > To: CCTalk mailing list <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Subject: pdp11/84 PMI memory: What is the problem with Q bus? > Message-ID: <3efa4105-3d3d-bb98-0358-8c46fca0fdcf at alembic.crystel.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed > > So I picked up an 11/84 CPU, 3mb of memory, and a 11/84 Unibus card on > Ebay. Goal is to speed up my fastest 11 here > > For boot time, the diagnostics run in 13 seconds (from when it starts to > prompt) on the 11/73 board I have and 13 seconds on the 11/84 board. > This is with a camintonn 2mb half height memory board. > > Put in the first PMI module above the 11/84 CPU and tried it out. This > is a CA rev board which apparently only works in a Unibus pdp11 and not > a Q-bus one. Apparently it does work. > > So what exactly was the bug with the older PMI memory? Block mode DMA, > I'm using an MTI ESDI controller which can do 16 word block DMA on Q > Bus. Something else? Chris, Congrats on the PDP-11/84! I also have a PDP-11/84 that uses one of Joerg?s Hoppe?s UniBone devices to simultaneously emulate MSCP disks, RL02 disks (including the RL02 Load/Ready/WriteProtect/ and fault lights) and a DL11. I have a question about something you said above, that you are using a MTI ESDI disk controller and then you mention Qbus block mode DMA. Are you able to use a Qbus MTI controller in the 11/84?s Qbus section of the backplane? This is something I?ve often wondered about but never tried. Also, you mention putting the PMI memory above the 11/84 CPU. In the 11/83 Qbus backplane this is of course determines whether the M8637 memory is accessed via Q22 or PMI. In the 11/84 System Maintenance Guide Figure 2-8 shows the CPU card above the memory which if you were to do this in the 11/83 would mean that the memory will be accessed via Q22 and essentially become an 11/73. In my 11/83 I have run both configurations to understand and measure the benefit of PMI. As has been mentioned the 11/84 can use any of the M8637 memory boards but the 11/83 can only use the M8637-D or -E versions. For anyone who is curious about what Happens when a M8637-C version board is used as PMI memory in an 11/83 I can speak >From experience. This was running RSX11M+ and it boots fine but after a few minutes if The system is active, the console starts to report that various installed tasks are corrupted And the system will XDT a bit later. After this the disk is corrupted and you will need to restore the system disk from backups after you get the correct PMI memory boards. I?m not completely sure how the write DMA operations put bad data through the disk controller (I was using an Emulex UC07 with a SCSI2SD) into the disks but that is what happens. Mark Matlock

5 years, 7 months

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HP 41-CX

by abs＠absd.org

I've come into possession of an HP 41-CX calculator - unfortunately it appears to have had batteries left in it which have left corrosion on the internal contacts. (some pics: https://photos.app.goo.gl/48bE7WJZP8R4PF9a9 ) My classic hardware tendencies tend to run more towards the "can run *nix" end, and while I could just clean it up and throw it on eBay I wondered if anyone here has a 41C shaped soft spot and would be interested? (happy to trade/part trade for something they already have for which they are less fond if that works :) David

5 years, 7 months

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pdp11/84 PMI memory: What is the problem with Q bus?

by mark＠matlockfamily.com

> Date: Sun, 19 Apr 2020 15:29:44 -0400 > From: Chris Zach <cz at alembic.crystel.com> > To: CCTalk mailing list <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Subject: pdp11/84 PMI memory: What is the problem with Q bus? > Message-ID: <3efa4105-3d3d-bb98-0358-8c46fca0fdcf at alembic.crystel.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed > > So I picked up an 11/84 CPU, 3mb of memory, and a 11/84 Unibus card on > Ebay. Goal is to speed up my fastest 11 here > > For boot time, the diagnostics run in 13 seconds (from when it starts to > prompt) on the 11/73 board I have and 13 seconds on the 11/84 board. > This is with a camintonn 2mb half height memory board. > > Put in the first PMI module above the 11/84 CPU and tried it out. This > is a CA rev board which apparently only works in a Unibus pdp11 and not > a Q-bus one. Apparently it does work. > > So what exactly was the bug with the older PMI memory? Block mode DMA, > I'm using an MTI ESDI controller which can do 16 word block DMA on Q > Bus. Something else? Chris, Congrats on the PDP-11/84! I also have a PDP-11/84 that uses one of Joerg?s Hoppe?s UniBone devices to simultaneously emulate MSCP disks, RL02 disks (including the RL02 Load/Ready/WriteProtect/ and fault lights) and a DL11. I have a question about something you said above, that you are using a MTI ESDI disk controller and then you mention Qbus block mode DMA. Are you able to use a Qbus MTI controller in the 11/84?s Qbus section of the backplane? This is something I?ve often wondered about but never tried. Also, you mention putting the PMI memory above the 11/84 CPU. In the 11/83 Qbus backplane this is of course determines whether the M8637 memory is accessed via Q22 or PMI. In the 11/84 System Maintenance Guide Figure 2-8 shows the CPU card above the memory which if you were to do this in the 11/83 would mean that the memory will be accessed via Q22 and essentially become an 11/73. In my 11/83 I have run both configurations to understand and measure the benefit of PMI. As has been mentioned the 11/84 can use any of the M8637 memory boards but the 11/83 can only use the M8637-D or -E versions. For anyone who is curious about what Happens when a M8637-C version board is used as PMI memory in an 11/83 I can speak >From experience. This was running RSX11M+ and it boots fine but after a few minutes if The system is active, the console starts to report that various installed tasks are corrupted And the system will XDT a bit later. After this the disk is corrupted and you will need to restore the system disk from backups after you get the correct PMI memory boards. I?m not completely sure how the write DMA operations put bad data through the disk controller (I was using an Emulex UC07 with a SCSI2SD) into the disks but that is what happens. Mark Matlock

5 years, 7 months

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Wanted for non-profit public museum: DEC VT100

by bbortnick＠2bcool.ca

Old IBM magnetic media I am hoping someone can help me with a project. I?m volunteer at our local music museum (National Music Centre/Studio Bell.) They are restoring a vintage Synclavier, an early digital audio workstation, which happens to have an embedded DEC PDP 11/23. Part of the museums purpose is to restore, maintain and make available these instruments for musicians to use in addition to static displays. The Synclavier should have a matching VT100, but that is the only component the museum does not currently have for this functioning device. Yes, the VT100 can be easily emulated, but as a museum, historical accuracy is also vital. I was wondering if anybody had any leads on a VT100 that might be donated? Thanks for any help!

5 years, 7 months

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paging rik bos

by jwest＠classiccmp.org

Anyone seen Rik Bos around? I sent him some 12920/21 mux boards to repair, and he got to keep some but haven?t heard anything in a long time?. I may start playing with the HP2000 again soon ?

5 years, 7 months

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Old IBM magnetic media

by bbortnick＠2bcool.ca

Old IBM magnetic media Yes, two cartridges have a total capacity of 100mb, the same as the staging disks, IBM 3330-1. However, the entire cartridge contents are not staged, only the cylinders that have the requested data. Not sure why your cartridges were empty. Here?s a link to my ?working ? 3850 mass storage robotic arm for your viewing pleasure! *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8ifNxDgxuY&pbjreload=10* <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8ifNxDgxuY&pbjreload=10> ?\_(?)_/?

5 years, 7 months

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pdp11/84 PMI memory: What is the problem with Q bus?

by cz＠alembic.crystel.com

So I picked up an 11/84 CPU, 3mb of memory, and a 11/84 Unibus card on Ebay. Goal is to speed up my fastest 11 here For boot time, the diagnostics run in 13 seconds (from when it starts to prompt) on the 11/73 board I have and 13 seconds on the 11/84 board. This is with a camintonn 2mb half height memory board. Put in the first PMI module above the 11/84 CPU and tried it out. This is a CA rev board which apparently only works in a Unibus pdp11 and not a Q-bus one. Apparently it does work. So what exactly was the bug with the older PMI memory? Block mode DMA, I'm using an MTI ESDI controller which can do 16 word block DMA on Q Bus. Something else? Here's the output from RT11. .show all RT-11FB (S) V05.05 Booted from DU6:RT11FB USR is set SWAP EXIT is set SWAP KMON is set NOIND TT is set NOQUIET ERROR is set ERROR SL is set OFF EDIT is set KED FORTRAN is set FORTRA KMON nesting depth is 3 Global .SCCA flag is disabled PDP 11/83 Processor 2048KB of memory Floating Point Accelerator Unit Extended Instruction Set (EIS) Memory Management Unit ECC Memory Cache Memory PMI Memory 60 Cycle System Clock Device I/O time-out support Error logging support Memory parity support System job support Global .SCCA support FPU support Extended unit support Device Status CSR Vector(s) ------ ------ --- --------- EL Not installed 000000 000 LD Installed 000000 000 BA Installed 000000 000 DY Not installed 177170 264 VM Installed 177572 250 SP Installed 000000 110 XL Not installed 176500 300 304 DL Installed 174400 160 MS Not installed 172522 224 DU Resident 172150 154 LS Not installed 176510 310 314 NL Installed 000000 000 TT (Resident) DU (Resident) DU6 = DK , SY MQ (Resident) LD DL VM SP BA NL 9 free slots Job Name Console Level State Low High Impure --- ---- ------- ----- ----- --- ---- ------ 0 RESORC 0 0 Run 000000 103232 105046 No multi-terminal support Address Module Words ------- ------ ----- 160000 IOPAGE 4096. 132174 DU 5570. 103274 RMON 5856. 001000 ..BG.. 16990. LD0 is DU6:RTTST.DSK[6000.]

5 years, 7 months

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Unusual Punched Cards

by cctalk＠emailtoilet.com

This card is shorter than 40 columns but I can't tell if it has been cut off or not. I only have 1 so I can't let it go. http://www.ibmjunkman.com/cards/?Holder=2551 <http://www.ibmjunkman.com/cards/?Holder=2551&Img=0> &Img=0 You can search on Style and select different ones.

5 years, 7 months

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correction OK Looking to purchase "Sensicall" and the ATT Code-Com" bell system attachment that woukd allow deaf to tap morse over phone lines thanks Ed at SMECC

by couryhouse＠aol.com

OK Looking to purchase "Sensicall" and the ATT Code-Com" bell system attachment that woukd allow deaf to tap morse over phone lines? thanks? Ed? at? SMECC

5 years, 7 months

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Looking to purchase CODE A PHONE bell system attachment that woukd allow,deaf to send morse code through bell system phone. Respond off list...... they would tap on litte finger pad . this,was,an attachment to a regular phone,set made in later 60s or 70s. Person on other end would see light flash I guess... drop us a line off list.

by couryhouse＠aol.com

Looking to purchase CODE A PHONE? bell system attachment that woukd allow,deaf to send morse code through bell system phone.? Respond off list...... they would tap on litte finger pad . this,was,an attachment to a regular phone,set made in later 60s or 70s. Person on other end would see light flash I guess... drop us a line off list.

5 years, 7 months

1
1
0 0

Unusual Punched Cards (Peter Van Peborgh)

by michael.99.thompson＠gmail.com

> > Guys, > > I have been collecting all types of computer punched cards for a few years > now. In the distant past I actually used them! > > I am desperately looking for two types I do not have been able to find a > sample of: > * Jacquard fabric/carpet loom cards. OK, not computer but the > ancestor, for completeness of the history. There may be several formats of > these. > > Something like this? http://www.ricomputermuseum.org/Home/interesting_computer_items/jacquard-lo… -- Michael Thompson

5 years, 7 months

3
2
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Unusual Punched Cards

by peter＠vanpeborgh.eu

Guys, I have been collecting all types of computer punched cards for a few years now. In the distant past I actually used them! I am desperately looking for two types I do not have been able to find a sample of: * Jacquard fabric/carpet loom cards. OK, not computer but the ancestor, for completeness of the history. There may be several formats of these. * Original Hollerith card, 12 rows by 24 columns. Once again, this is a long shot. Well if you don't ask, you never get! Thank you for your interest. Peter

5 years, 7 months

3
2
0 0

Another Unrelated PSU Question

by robert.jarratt＠ntlworld.com

I have another PSU I have been meaning to look at for a long time. This one has fairly high output ripple and some of the voltages do not appear to be where they should be. I have checked all the capacitors for ESR and they appear to be OK, with the exception of the two big smoothing capacitors on the primary side. One of them appears to be slightly bulging, but has low-ish ESR, the other has a much higher ESR. Is it possible that these capacitors could be the cause of the out-of-spec outputs? Thanks Rob

5 years, 7 months

3
3
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VAXmate PSU fixed, but no video

by robert.jarratt＠ntlworld.com

Some of you may recall seeing me post about the VAXmate PSU failure. Thanks to members of this list I found the failed part in the PSU and the PSU is now working again. However, it looks like the PSU failed because of a failure on the monitor board. There is a burning smell coming from it, possibly the flyback transformer, but I am not 100% sure. I don't see physical damage, but of course that doesn't mean there isn't a problem. When I took the monitor board out again after this, I wasn't sure if the EHT lead was making good contact with the CRT anode. The monitor board is described in section 4.4 of this document: http://bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/vaxmate/EK-PC500-TD_VAXmate_Technical_Descripti on_1987.pdf I need some advice on diagnosing the problem, I have a few questions: 1. If the EHT lead was not properly connected to the CRT anode, could that cause problems? 2. Is there anything I can safely do with a bench power supply to isolate the problem? 3. Any other suggestions for diagnosing the problem? 4. There is an outline spec of the flyback transformer in the section 4.4.3.2 of the VAXmate technical description, what chance of finding a "modern" replacement? I have posted about the PSU repair here: https://robs-old-computers.com/2020/04/18/vaxmate-h7270-psu-fixed-but-no-vid eo/ Thanks Rob

5 years, 7 months

5
11
0 0

Looking for a document regarding PDP8

by len＠shustek.com

At 10:00 AM 4/17/2020, Bob Smith <bobsmithofd at gmail.com> wrote: >...I believe sometime in the late 70s, maybe as late as 1980, a prof >associated with UMass wrote a paper describing an extension of the >PDP8 called 8/X or 8X. >...I believe, my memory is fuzzy, that it was a prof nnmed Stone or >Stoner (perhaps Harold S) who lead the effort and had his name on the >paper. That is probably Harold S. Stone, whom I knew as a Stanford prof in the early 1970s and did some corporate consulting with. Brilliant guy. From 1974 to 1984 he was at UMass Amherst, so your memory isn't fuzzy at all. He also worked at the IBM Yorktown Heights research center. He was the author of several books and many papers about computer architecture, algorithms, and interfaces. Unfortunately I don't remember him working on a PDP-8 extension, and a quick search of the ACM Digital Library turned up nothing. As far as I know he's still alive at the age of 82.

5 years, 7 months

2
1
0 0

DEC QBUS Backplanes

by bill.gunshannon＠hotmail.com

I have been sorting thru a bunch of stuff in an effort to clean the place up (Aren't we all doing that now with all this time on our hands?) I found a backplane. It says Digital on it but does not have an H- number. I also don;t find it listed in any of the lists I can find on the web. It has 8 A-B slots and 4 C-D slots. the Four C-D are on the bottom half of the backplane. I am assuming it is 18 bit and the C-D were intended for things like the 2 board RL controller. Anybody familiar with this and able to identify it? Anybody interested in it? It should fit in a USPS Medium Flat Rate Box. bill

5 years, 7 months

8
15
0 0

Fwd: ROLM CBX 8000 System Service Manual Vol. 2 Scans Released!

by rgalliett＠surewest.net

Hello. I have both, Rolm CBX System Service Manuals l and ll as well as a Release 8/8001 Student Maintenance Course binder. Are you interested in these??Thank youSent from my LG Phoenix 3, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone

5 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Scanning incomplete and updated documents

by aperry＠snowmoose.com

I recently received a bunch of hardware/software documents to scan. I am only roughly familiar with the systems covered by the docs. I have encountered a couple situations that I would like guidance on. 1. One document is a software installation manual in a loose leaf binder with other documents. It has a title page, tables of contents, etc., several chapters, and then it gets interesting. It has several appendix sections (starting at A), an index, then more appendix sections (starting at A as well), and then another index. The document title and its font match of the second set of appendix sections and second index matches the table of contents and chapters. The first set of appendix sections and index are a little different. The topics covered in the sets of appendix sections are not the same. Should I create two different pdfs with different appendix sections or create a single pdf with both sets? 2. One document is missing the title page and table of contents. Should the pdf just be what I have or should I create those pages for the pdf? Thanks, alan

5 years, 8 months

4
10
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ICL1501 Cobol manual available

by jos.dreesen＠greenmail.ch

Since you are all talking COBOL now : ftp://ftp.dreesen.ch/ICL1501 There is the manual for the early 70?s COBOL implementation for the ICL1501, a small 8K or 16K TTL based personal computer ( TTL based CPU, with 2x 74181 ALU and a 32x8 CRT display) Not the best of scans, but that alas reflects the material I have. Some other? doku on the ICL1501 is also included :? an operator guide and tape utilities user guide. I do have the tape with the COBOL itself, alas no way yet of gettig it on modern hardware. And if anyone has dokumentation on the ICl1503 or 1501/43, in particular the Diablo drive interface then I sure would like to see it ! Have the kontroller, but no documentation... Al, as always, feel free to add any and all to bitsavers. Jos

5 years, 8 months

16
22
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anybody have MOVIE.BYU?

by rdawson16＠hotmail.com

The famous Brigham Young University 3D graphics program, by Dr. Hank Christensen. I am looking for the fortran source, it should be 7 files: DISPLAY SECTION UTILITY TITLE COMPOSE UPDATE MOSAIC Any docs related too. Thanks for letting me beg. Randy

5 years, 8 months

6
13
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Core Memory Photo

by keith＠saracom.com

I have three others with the cover still on :) I want to make a clear plexiglass cover for them. Also have the driver boards. On 2020-04-15 13:00, 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 > http://www.classiccmp.org/mailman/listinfo/cctech > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > cctech-request at classiccmp.org > > You can reach the person managing the list at > cctech-owner at classiccmp.org > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of cctech digest..." > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: Core Memory Photo (keith at saracom.com) > 2. Re: Core Memory Photo (Fred Cisin) > 3. Re: Core Memory Photo (Joshua Rice) > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2020 13:05:03 -0400 > From: keith at saracom.com > To: cctech at classiccmp.org > Subject: Re: Core Memory Photo > Message-ID: <c39ba3b5e51779bd29b39938655c5a9c at saracom.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed > > "Ouch. Looks like that core took a serious hit." > > Yep it did. We ran the microscope into it at the lab. Ouch. Someone had > asked for a picture of core memory without the cover so I thought it > would do. > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Tue, 14 Apr 2020 09:53:39 -0700 (PDT) > From: Fred Cisin <cisin at xenosoft.com> > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" > <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Subject: Re: Core Memory Photo > Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.64.2004140952460.8842 at shell.lmi.net> > Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed > > On Mon, 13 Apr 2020, keith--- via cctalk wrote: > >> "Ouch. Looks like that core took a serious hit." >> Yep it did. We ran the microscope into it at the lab. Ouch. Someone had >> asked for a picture of core memory without the cover so I thought it >> would do. > > It is beautiful! > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Wed, 15 Apr 2020 10:09:38 +0100 > From: Joshua Rice <Rice43 at btinternet.com> > To: Fred Cisin <cisin at xenosoft.com>, "General Discussion: On-Topic and > Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Subject: Re: Core Memory Photo > Message-ID: <353A7AE4-A147-4A06-9AFD-4A3398FABD1C at btinternet.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 > > Was beautiful. > > That?s pretty mangled now. > > On Apr 14, 2020, at 5:53 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote: > > On Mon, 13 Apr 2020, keith--- via cctalk wrote: "Ouch. Looks like that core took a serious hit." Yep it did. We ran the microscope into it at the lab. Ouch. Someone had > asked for a picture of core memory without the cover so I thought it > would do. > It is beautiful! End of cctech Digest, Vol 67, Issue 15 **************************************

5 years, 8 months

3
2
0 0

State of New Jersey needs COBOL programmers

by jeffrey＠vcfed.org

https://josephsteinberg.com/covid-19-response-new-jersey-urgently-needs-cob… -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member, VCF East Showrunner Vintage Computer Federation http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey at vcfed.org

5 years, 8 months

30
57
0 0

Sun 3 and memory

by aperry＠snowmoose.com

Hi everyone, Update on the barn-find Sun 3/260 that I have been restoring and was supposed to exhibit at VCF PNW until the show was cancelled for some odd reason. The system had been failing to get through self-test because, in the memory tests, bit 13 was always set, whether intended or not. I borrowed a couple Sun 501-1102 boards (8M ECC memory for VME) and one of them passes the self-tests and, if I had a bootable device, the system is now ready to try that. But my question here is about Sun 3 memory. Sun part 501-1102 is described as Sun 3/2xx, 3/4xx, and 4/2xx memory (The Sun System Handbook does not list it as 3/4xx memory). The memory board that worked is tagged 501-1102 and was described as memory to go along with a Sun 3/160 CPU board. I was loaned both boards in case the problem was the backplane. But the System Handbook does not list that memory as an option for that CPU. Does anyone here know whether a 501-1102 memory board be used with a 3/160 CPU? Does anyone here know whether Sun 3/260 schematics are available anywhere like the 3/160 and 3/60 ones are? I would like to give repairing the memory board that came with the 260 a shot, since that is a better story when I exhibit it and the memory board that I have that works now is a loaner. Finally, will a SD2SCSI (configured as 2 Sun0424 drives), Archive 150M QIC drive, or CD-ROM drive work on the 3/260 if I connect them up to the SCSI cable for the QIC-24 drive that the system came with? alan

5 years, 8 months

2
1
0 0

VAXmate PSU

by robert.jarratt＠ntlworld.com

I have posted here a couple of times because I have a failed VAXmate PSU. I have just posted a little bit more information here: https://robs-old-computers.com/2020/03/28/further-analysis-of-the-vaxmate-h7 270-psu-failure/ with some scope traces and a greatly improved schematic. Although the schematic is likely to have errors still. Unfortunately, a stray scope probe ground lead blew the fuse so now I have to wait for a new fuse to arrive before I can continue work. I would really like to know if all the spiking I am seeing is to be expected, and any suggestions why it appears to be detecting an overcurrent? There do not appear to be any shorts on the secondary side, but that could be wrong of course. I don't know if a genuine short anywhere would cause it to trip the SCR quite so quickly (within 20ms of the switching transistor starting to switch). Any thoughts gratefully received. Thanks Rob

5 years, 8 months

7
34
0 0

Old X11/Xt/Motif books

by barto＠kdbarto.org

Going through old books. If no one wants these then they go to the tip. Willing to deliver locally, split shipping over a distance. David O?Reilly Volume 4 X Toolkit Intrinsics for version 11 Volume 5 X Toolkit Intrinsics for X11 R4 and R5 Volume 4 X Toolkit Intrinsics (Motif Edition) For OSF/Motif 1.2 Volume 6A Motif Programming Manual for OSF/Motif 1.2 Volume 6B Motif Reference Manual For Motif 2.1 OSF Published OSF/Motif Programmer?s Reference Release 1.2 OSF/Motif Programmer?s Guide Release 1.2 OSF/Motif Style Guide Release 1.2 By Eric F. Johnson/Kevin Reichard X Window Applications Programming Advanced X Window Applications Programming Advanced X Window Applications Programming Second Edition (Missing CD) Power Programming Motif Second Edition (1.2)

5 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

DEC VR290 Colour Monitor, free to good home (UK)

by Aaron.Jackson＠nottingham.ac.uk

I have a DEC VR290 colour monitor for use with VAXstations. It was working fine when I last powered it on (2-3 years ago), hooked up to a 3100 M76. It's free to a good home (preferably a home with a VAX), absolutely collection only. I'm in Nottingham UK. It's too heavy and large to ship safely. I have two video cables which are intended for use with it. I think they are both for VAXstations of some kind, one might be for DECstation. You've welcome to have them both with the monitor. Please let me know if you are interested. If in the unlikely event there is more than one person interested, it'll be mostly whoever picks it up first but I will prioritise those who actually do have a suitable VAX to use it with. Also, if there are any documentation hoarders I have an entire book case of VAX/VMS manuals (thick red binders). Full list is here, let me know if you want any. aaronsplace dot co dot uk / dec-manuals.html Cheers, Aaron This message and any attachment are intended solely for the addressee and may contain confidential information. If you have received this message in error, please contact the sender and delete the email and attachment. Any views or opinions expressed by the author of this email do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nottingham. Email communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored where permitted by law.

5 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Prime 50-Series emulator announcement

by drb＠msu.edu

I'm reposting this announcement from Jim Wilcoxson. De #### Newsgroups: comp.sys.prime Date: Wed, 11 Mar 2020 08:34:13 -0700 (PDT) Message-ID: <0c560b91-35d2-4dcc-b859-a8eb4d22bd17 at googlegroups.com> Subject: Prime emulator source released on GitHub From: Jim Wilcoxson <prirun at gmail.com> Today, with much help from Dennis Boone, I'm releasing the Prime emulator source code on GitHub for non-commercial use. This is the full version of the emulator running on Linux and supports: - all Prime CPU modes: 16S, 32S, 32R, 64R, 64V, 32I - all Prime models, from the P400 to P6550 - up to 512MB of memory, depending on the Primos rev and CPU - a system console - 128 incoming telnet terminal connections - 8 disk controllers, 8 drives each - support for all 25 disk drives sold by Prime - a tape controller, 4 drives, using the .TAP format - a PNC controller emulating RingNet over TCP/IP - a bypass for Primos system serial number checks - Unix utilities to read/write physical tapes & Magsav tapes Dennis owns the emulator GitHub repo and has also kindly agreed to take over hosting of the public Prime emulators that have been online since 2008. There are 7 public emulators running in a virtual Prime ring, allowing both remote terminal sessions (netlink) and remote disk access via PrimeNet. The Prime emulator on Linux is currently running 45-55 Prime MIPS in 64V mode. A wide range of Prime software is loaded on the public emulators: - ftn screaming fast Prime Fortran 66 compiler, written in assembler - f77 the not-so-screaming but full-featured Fortran '77 - pl1g the PL/I Subset G compiler - pl1 the full PL/I compiler - plp the original Prime systems language (like PL/I) - spl the 2nd generation Prime systems language - cc the C compiler written by Garth Conby of Pacer Software - pascal the Pascal compiler - modula Wirth's successor to Pascal - dbg Prime's source level debugger rivaling modern debuggers - pma the Prime assembler - basicv the Prime BASIC compiler - cobol the original Prime COBOL compiler - cbl the Prime COBOL '74 compiler - emacs the full screen editor still used by many today (me!) - midas the Prime indexed sequential file software This week we are working on releasing Prime disk images for all of the public emulators to make it easy for others to get their own Prime up and running. For the truly adventurous who want to bootstrap their own Prime system, there are links in the emulator readme to Prime tape images at Bitsavers and to a large library of Prime manuals. I learned more about operating systems, compilers, concurrency, and other systems programming topics by reading Prime source code, making changes to Primos, and fiddling with Prime hardware, than I did from all of my college degree work. I loved Prime computers, Prime software, Prime hardware, and the Prime Computer company, and am grateful to all of the former Prime engineers that provided this robust and interesting hardware and software platform. I hope you enjoy it too! https://github.com/prirun Jim

5 years, 8 months

4
14
0 0

Core Memory Photo

by keith＠saracom.com

"Ouch. Looks like that core took a serious hit." Yep it did. We ran the microscope into it at the lab. Ouch. Someone had asked for a picture of core memory without the cover so I thought it would do.

5 years, 8 months

3
2
0 0

Prime Sample System Releases

by Kevin＠rawfeddogs.net

Prime Fans, I just noticed on comp.sys.prime that I missed a couple of sample system releases. I have a process set up to dump messages from some news groups into my IMAP server for easy reading with my mail client, but I don't have anything set up to easily reply via the news groups. Does anyone know what's new in the recent sample system releases? -- Kevin http://www.RawFedDogs.net http://www.Lassie.xyz http://www.WacoAgilityGroup.org Bruceville, TX What's the definition of a legacy system? One that works! Errare humanum est, ignoscere caninum.

5 years, 8 months

2
1
0 0

Computing and communicating in a COVID-19 world

by c.murray.mccullough＠gmail.com

The virus-world we are living in has seen Internet usage dramatically increase world-wide. Thanks to pioneers like Cerf, Kahn, Crocker and Kleinrock, sounds like a law firm, paved the way for the packet-switch system Bell & others fought to prevent. I recall the early days of computing, classic, retro or otherwise defined, that was slow, but had to do more than now, as the hardware wasn?t so great or more accurately small and fast. Their were machines that allowed us to communicate at 300 baud and I was happy! Stay safe. Happy computing and communicating. Murray ?

5 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Core Memory Photo

by keith＠saracom.com

Here is a link to pictures of core memory from a PDP1145. https://devilanse.wordpress.com/2009/11/03/nablopomo-digital-equipment-corp…

5 years, 8 months

2
1
0 0

RIP John H Conway - Creator of the game of life

by frank＠tuccio.net

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Horton_Conway

5 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

RIP John Conway

by frank＠tuccio.net

https://www.math.princeton.edu/people/john-conway Creator of "the game of life" -----Original Message----- From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of cctalk-request at classiccmp.org Sent: Sunday, April 12, 2020 1:00 PM To: cctalk at classiccmp.org Subject: cctalk Digest, Vol 67, Issue 12 Send cctalk mailing list submissions to cctalk at classiccmp.org To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://www.classiccmp.org/mailman/listinfo/cctalk or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to cctalk-request at classiccmp.org You can reach the person managing the list at cctalk-owner at classiccmp.org When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of cctalk digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Re: Discord (Anders Nelson) 2. Re: pdp11/05 key? (Liam Proven) 3. Re: pdp11/05 key? (Eric Smith) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Sat, 11 Apr 2020 13:40:39 -0400 From: Anders Nelson <anders.k.nelson at gmail.com> To: Jay West <jwest at classiccmp.org>, "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> Subject: Re: Discord Message-ID: <CAJ2mpAhK_iwO0J8mD2_9E64LED=CiRKpxmVDB-GXpQuQRpMTMw at mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Medal of Honor is one of my all-time favorite games. -- Anders Nelson On Fri, Apr 10, 2020 at 4:09 PM jwest--- via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote: > Perma-invite > > > > https://discord.gg/CwhYHY2 > > > > From: Derek Newland <derek.newland at gmail.com> > Sent: Thursday, April 9, 2020 7:47 PM > To: jwest at classiccmp.org; General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic > Posts <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Subject: Re: Discord > > > > Hi J, it appears the invite has expired. Any chance to get a fresh one? > Thanks! > > > > On Fri, Nov 15, 2019 at 12:55 PM jwest--- via cctalk < > cctalk at classiccmp.org <mailto:cctalk at classiccmp.org> > wrote: > > I believe I sent the invite to my game channel, NOT the new classiccmp > server..... please use this instead: > https://discord.gg/gV6PKYW > > -----Original Message----- > From: cctalk <cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org <mailto: > cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org> > On Behalf Of jwest--- via cctalk > Sent: Friday, November 15, 2019 11:26 AM > To: 'General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts' < > cctalk at classiccmp.org <mailto:cctalk at classiccmp.org> > > Subject: Discord > > Greetings folks > > > > The past few years I?ve become fairly focused on a particular old > 1999/2000 ww2 fps computer game. Of course playing it but I?m also on the > development team for the game (EA has given up on it, but we still put out > new releases, maps, patches, etc.). As a result of that, I pretty much live > on Discord text/audio chat these days. If you send me an email I will > eventually see it and may even respond heh. But if you send me anything on > Discord I?m going to see it immediately. If any of you are on discord, I am > ?Todesengel#9624?. Feel free to add me as a friend and that way you can get > me usually immediately. I am not leaving the hobby, nor am I saying not to > email me at the usual address. But a lot of you do talk to me > semi-frequently and I?m just saying discord will get to me far quicker. > > > > In addition, mostly as an exercise to see how to do it, I set up a > ClassicCMP discord server. That Discord server is NOT meant to replace this > list, nor should it be taken to signal any less commitment on my part to > keeping this list running. They are fundamentally different things; Discord > is great for real time text chat back and forth. There are also audio and > video channels if people want to use that to talk verbally or via video. To > get on that server, here is a semi-permanent invite: > https://discord.gg/U8Skw5g Joining the server gets you to all the other > folks who may join the classiccmp discord, not just me. Of course, that > could be zero ? Like I said, I just did it as an exercise, and discord is > how some of my family and friends stay in touch. But it is there if peeps > want to use it. > > > > I?d rather not turn this into a long debate of whether discord is good or > bad or anything like that. I?m just saying it?s there, and it?s quicker to > get ahold of me that way at times. > > > > Best, > > > > J > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > Derek Newland | (828) 234-4731 | <mailto:derek.newland at gmail.com> > derek.newland at gmail.com > > ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Sat, 11 Apr 2020 23:51:29 +0200 From: Liam Proven <lproven at gmail.com> Cc: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> Subject: Re: pdp11/05 key? Message-ID: <CAMTenCGrLP8yHOsQMtAzm2+Emq9CfFfFZJJEXZTJmHod9XboAQ at mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" On Sat, 11 Apr 2020 at 13:55, Chris Elmquist <chrise at pobox.com> wrote: > > This might be one of those jokes that if you have to explain it, it looses the punch ... but I?ll try, > > There used to also be something called a Hong Kong Whore House, similarly staffed with young Asian women, but they didn?t make core planes there. I've been to HK and I was never aware of this! Thank you for the clarification. :-D -- Liam Proven ? Profile: https://about.me/liamproven Email: lproven at cix.co.uk ? gMail/gTalk/gHangouts: lproven at gmail.com Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn/Flickr: lproven ? Skype: liamproven UK: +44 7939-087884 ? ?R (+ WhatsApp/Telegram/Signal): +420 702 829 053 ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Sun, 12 Apr 2020 02:14:12 -0600 From: Eric Smith <spacewar at gmail.com> To: Norman Jaffe <turing at shaw.ca>, "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> Subject: Re: pdp11/05 key? Message-ID: <CAFrGgTRg_xc3_QSNaL79h5cP-LhjoQD-xBaEWGQ_L3aUtG=BQw at mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" On Thu, Apr 9, 2020 at 11:35 AM Norman Jaffe via cctalk < cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote: > I hope that you mean 'hardware porn', not 'hardcore porn'... :) > Trivia: for a while in the mid-to-late 1990s, a Google search for "computer porn" had as the number one result one of my web pages, of that title, containing images of computers with covers removed. I could see from the server log that the search was fairly popular, but nevertheless I believe that most of the people doing the search were not satisfied with the result. End of cctalk Digest, Vol 67, Issue 12 **************************************

5 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Weird Behaviour of VAXstation 4000 Model 60 Power Switch

by robert.jarratt＠ntlworld.com

This machine acts oddly. After powering it off, you usually can't power it back on again for about 30 seconds or so, it just seems to ignore the power switch. Similarly, if it has been switched off at the front power switch, it will switch itself on after maybe a minute of two of being switched off. In all other respects the machine seems fine. I have not opened up the PSU at all, just wondering if anyone has ever seen this and might know what the problem is? Thanks Rob

5 years, 8 months

3
2
0 0

John Conway

by aek＠bitsavers.org

https://www.i-programmer.info/news/82-heritage/13614-john-conway-dies-from-…

5 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

DEC OS/8 Question (getting an error TOO BIG INIT)

by billdegnan＠gmail.com

Hi, I am sure this question has come up before, but can anyone advise an OS/8 change I can run to avoid the following issue (below)? I am unsure if I need to fix my simh INI file or make more space for the program from the OS/8 dot prompt, or FORTRAN * prompt. Running pidp-8i (simh PDP 8i kit) I load OS/8 and initiate the command from the dot prompt: . FRTS ..dumps me to the * prompt ... *RKB0:ADVENT.LD [return] * [esc] rather than loading ADVENTURE I get the following result: D.F. TOO BIG INIT 0000 MAIN 1740 . (..andkicks me back to the dot prompt). the INI is the default reset set cpu 32k set cpu noidle att rk0 ../imagefiles/os8/advent.rk05 boot rk0 what changes are needed? I searched around, I don't quite understand how to load an LD file in OS/8 to debug the error. It may be I have the wrong RK05 disk, but I'd really like to understand what this error means if anyone knows. My physical RK05 disk loads ADVENT as an SV file, I don't need the extra steps. Thanks BIll

5 years, 8 months

5
7
0 0

pdp11/05 key?

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Ian McLaughlin > I can confirm that about 6 months ago I gave this very information to > our corporate locksmith, and he was able to make a key for me that > works. Thanks for the confirmation that that info is sufficient to produce a working key. I have updated the page to indicate that the info has been confirmed. Noel

5 years, 8 months

13
17
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Discord

by jwest＠classiccmp.org

Greetings folks The past few years I?ve become fairly focused on a particular old 1999/2000 ww2 fps computer game. Of course playing it but I?m also on the development team for the game (EA has given up on it, but we still put out new releases, maps, patches, etc.). As a result of that, I pretty much live on Discord text/audio chat these days. If you send me an email I will eventually see it and may even respond heh. But if you send me anything on Discord I?m going to see it immediately. If any of you are on discord, I am ?Todesengel#9624?. Feel free to add me as a friend and that way you can get me usually immediately. I am not leaving the hobby, nor am I saying not to email me at the usual address. But a lot of you do talk to me semi-frequently and I?m just saying discord will get to me far quicker. In addition, mostly as an exercise to see how to do it, I set up a ClassicCMP discord server. That Discord server is NOT meant to replace this list, nor should it be taken to signal any less commitment on my part to keeping this list running. They are fundamentally different things; Discord is great for real time text chat back and forth. There are also audio and video channels if people want to use that to talk verbally or via video. To get on that server, here is a semi-permanent invite: https://discord.gg/U8Skw5g Joining the server gets you to all the other folks who may join the classiccmp discord, not just me. Of course, that could be zero ? Like I said, I just did it as an exercise, and discord is how some of my family and friends stay in touch. But it is there if peeps want to use it. I?d rather not turn this into a long debate of whether discord is good or bad or anything like that. I?m just saying it?s there, and it?s quicker to get ahold of me that way at times. Best, J

5 years, 8 months

13
20
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IBM Series 500 1/2" tape reels--What does the little red peg do?

by cclist＠sydex.com

I'm working with a batch of tapes that includes several IBM Series 500 7 track reels. If you look at the back of the reel, there's no customary thumb recess for removing the write ring. Rather, the reels have a small red plastic peg that extends through to the front of the reel. Is this for ejecting the write ring (I haven't tried)? In any case it's a bit annoying because it grazes the edge of the ring sensing finger, making a little "click" every time the reel makes a complete revolution. --Chuck

5 years, 8 months

1
0
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ArcNet board Wanted, Intercontinental Micro

by new_castle_j＠yahoo.com

Thank you Richard, yes if you're willing to check your inventory of ARCnet cards I may find something useful. ARCnet boards are pretty much all the same, but this particular one I'm hunting for from Intercontinental Micro is compatible with a special boot ROM I have that promises to unlock wonders unknown to the world since 1987. Maybe I exaggerate a little bit, but I do appreciate you checking. Jonathan

5 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Help installing HP 2000 contributed library in simh

by nospam212-cctalk＠yahoo.com

Okay, I've only ever been a user, back in high school, of HP 2000F TSB system but wanted to play with it again and learn more about the system. I've been able set up Simh with 2000F TSB and everything is working fine. Using the latest release I can find out there, HP2100 release 29. Now I'd like to be able to install some of the Contributed Software Library but despite reading the various TSB manuals and Simh doc, I've been unable to actually get anything loaded. Can anyone with experience with this lend me a hand, some tutorial or point the way to some instructions I may have missed? Thanks in advance. David Williams

5 years, 8 months

5
22
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ArcNet board Wanted, Intercontinental Micro

by new_castle_j＠yahoo.com

I'm on a quest to find an ISA ARCnet board from Intercontinental Micro. It's called the LANPC and would be very useful to me since I have the special software to run it. Here's a picture of what it looks like. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1xAib47IUbTP7Vrclh_vaeGYwrLCA4aeO Thank You, Jonathan

5 years, 8 months

2
1
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