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

by charlesmorris800＠centurytel.net

While cleaning I found, still sealed in the original shrink wrap and marked "For Distribution Only With a New PC": Microsoft MS-DOS User's Guide (6.22) Microsoft Windows User's Guide (think it's 3.0 or maybe 3.1) Lotus Organizer Release 1.1 User Manual ... also, unwrapped, but in good shape: ClarisWorks Handbook for Windows DeskMate User's Reference dated 2/91 $5.00 plus Media Mail shipping from zip 65775. They go out with the trash on Monday otherwise ;) thanks Charles

17 years

1
0
0 0

Round-pin mains leads (old HP, etc)

by roger.holmes＠microspot.co.uk

Your description does not mention the shape of the outside of the plug so I don't know if the ones other people have been talking about are the ones you want. Wouldn't happen to be this one would it? http://uk.farnell.com/bulgin/px0646/socket-3way-free/dp/313970?in_merch=tru…

17 years

1
0
0 0

logic probe cases have arrived

by dgriffi＠cs.csubak.edu

Those of you who are in on the logic probe case group buy I organized will be pleased to read that the cases have arrived. They should arrive in their new owners' hands in a week. -- David Griffith dgriffi at cs.csubak.edu A: Because it fouls the order in which people normally read text. Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing? A: Top-posting. Q: What is the most annoying thing in e-mail?

17 years

4
3
0 0

UNIBUS <-> PCI bridge

by hachti＠hachti.de

Hi folks, what do you think about a Unibus to PCI bridge? I think such a device - if well done - could be real fun. There has been a commercial approach somewhere - but it doesn't seem to be available anymore. Hardware needed: A PCI board with an FPGA and full Unibus connection. Possible features: * Unibus mapping into PC address space. Makes Unibus devices and memory directly visible to the PC. Porting of old Unix drivers for RK, RP, TC, and friends could become possible. * Unibus bus arbitration (if no CPU with arbiter on the bus) * Unibus memory implementation * Unibus->PCI interrupt forwarding With those features (arbiter and memory only if not already present on the bus) it should be possible to use ALL Unibus peripherals from the PC. Make memory dumps of a running system (Unibus is multi master capable). It would even become possible to integrate real peripherals with SIMH :-) Possible addons: * QBus interface * Unibus mass storage device implementations (using a storage card on the FPGA board or the PC) I'm thinking of this because I got a whole bunch of Unibus stuff (CPUs and peripherals) in unknown condition. Comments welcome! Best wishes, Philipp :-) -- http://www.hachti.de

17 years

9
21
0 0

HP Integral I/O cards

by c-f＠bigpond.net.au

Hi Tony, A few years back you we looking for an IPC HP-82919A Serial interface I believe? I have an HP82919A RS232 used and 2x 82927A 512k memory modules new if you're interested? Not sure of a price yet but may eBay them. Kind Regards, Ashley

17 years

2
1
0 0

Slidewire lubricant

by ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk

Sort-of a tangent to the 'contact lubricant' thread... I've just bought an HP9125 plotter for my 9100 :-). For those who don't know this device (built entirely from discrete transistors from what I can see), it's basically a calcualtor interface (4 boards of logic) driving a pair of DACs, driving an analogue X-Y plotter. Anyway, the last part has slidewires (essentially long sliding potentiometers) to detect the pen position and provide a feedback signal to the servo circuits. The HP service manual (OK, it's a boardswapper guide, but I read all the information I can find...) says you have to clean said slidewires with special cleaner and then coat them with special slidewire lubricant. Of course I want to make my slidewires last as long as possible, getting replacements is non-trivial :-) Does anyone know what modern product I should use? -tony

17 years

3
4
0 0

Slidewire lubricant

by tshoppa＠wmata.com

> I've just bought an HP9125 plotter for my 9100 :-). For those who don't > know this device (built entirely from discrete transistors from what I > can see), it's basically a calcualtor interface (4 boards of logic) > driving a pair of DACs, driving an analogue X-Y plotter. Anyway, the last > part has slidewires (essentially long sliding potentiometers) to detect > the pen position and provide a feedback signal to the servo circuits. I have a HP9125 hooked up to my 9100 too. It's way cool. For a while I used noncompatible HP plotter pens kinda tape/wedged on but the last couple times it was just felt tip pens, definitely not quite as good as real plotter pens. > The HP service manual (OK, it's a boardswapper guide, but I read all the > information I can find...) says you have to clean said slidewires with > special cleaner and then coat them with special slidewire lubricant. Of > course I want to make my slidewires last as long as possible, getting > replacements is non-trivial :-) > Does anyone know what modern product I should use? I would guess a good cleaner/lube for slide audio faders would be the right thing. When I did some techie work in the recording industry, in fact, the old-timers called the faders "slidewires". Tim.

17 years

1
0
0 0

Vax 11/750 disks

by bqt＠softjar.se

Ethan Dicks <ethan.dicks at gmail.com> wrote: > On Mon, Aug 17, 2009 at 2:20 PM, Pontus<pontus at update.uu.se> wrote: >> I now have the 11/750 in my house (yay!), it was "fun" to carry up the >> stairs. > > That must be a new use of the word "fun" of which I was previously unaware. ;-) Indeed. But I'm sure you actually know what kind of fun that is, Ethan. ;-) >> Now, I just mounted the RA70 disks I got into their rack and dusted them >> off. They are mounted four in box similar to the RA90 and has a small >> front panel. I have only found the Pocket Reference Guide. So I'm >> wondering: does anyone have a manual? >> >> Alternatively, can anyone give me an introduction how to operate the >> front panel. Can I run diagnostics like on the RA90 ? > > I, too, would appreciate any documentation pointers or especially > "lessons learned" with RA7X drives. My former SDI experience was all > with RA81 drives (starting back when they were $24,000!) but I have a > couple of RA70s that I'd love to use either in a BA123 with either a > MicroVAX II or a KDJ11, or with my 8300/KDB50 or an 11/750/UDA50. > ISTR there were "internal" SDI cables that weren't as sturdy for > in-cabinet use. I only have external, heavy, black, rubberized SDI > cables. A pointer to where to acquire light-weight SDI cables would > be good to have. RA70 drives have switches so that you can set the unit number directly on the without having a front panel (look at the PCB). "Internal" cables are just the cable from the controller, which is an unshielded cable, usually red. You normally connect that cable to a bulk head, but you can connect that one directly to a drive as well, if you want to. That's what you usually have in a BA223(?). Apart from that, RA7x drives are nice and easy. All except the RA70 must have a front panel to set the unit number, meaning they don't work as well directly in a BA cabinet. You can connect one without a front panel, and it will be unit #0, but don't try connecting several this way. There aren't any diagnostics you can run on the disks without a computer, as far as I know. There are some power-up diagnostics of course, but they are run without operator control. Johnny -- Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus || on a psychedelic trip email: bqt at softjar.se || Reading murder books pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol

17 years

1
0
0 0

100 Q-bus boards available

by trash3＠splab.cas.neu.edu

Getting ready to toss 100 boards. No idea of functionality. 11/03, 23, 73 processors, memory, third party boards, serial boards. pickup only in Wrentham, MA FREE Joe Heck

17 years

2
2
0 0

Anyone in the Seattle area have the ability to write an RL02 pack for me?

by derschjo＠mail.msu.edu

I have my PDP-11/40 in a state where it should be able to actually boot an OS, but I have no OS media to boot. And VTServer won't work for me -- it requires 192K of RAM as well as EIS, neither of which I have (I have 128K and the basic CPU set.) Anyone nearby Seattle who can put some manner of OS on one of my RL02 packs? Alternately, anyone have RX02 images of a bootable system they can share? (I'm really looking forward to toggling in the RX02 bootstrap, you see...) Thanks as always... Josh

17 years

3
2
0 0

RA70 stuck platters? [was: Vax 11/750 disks]

by pontus＠update.uu.se

Hi I'm breaking out from my own VAX11/750 thread to ask a question about RA70 disks. I just powered them up and got six out of eight disks (I have two enclosures) to spin up. Two disks took a few tries, but eventually started turning. Pretty good turnout given that these disks has been stored in a damp and cold place. I've read about older disks getting stuck if not used for longer periods. The fix range from gently twisting the disks in your hand to smacking the disks with two hammers to get the platters moving. Does any one have any experience and suggestions on how to get these oldies going? Kind regards, Pontus.

17 years

2
1
0 0

Vax 11/750 disks

by pontus＠update.uu.se

Hi all. I have a Vax 11/750 coming my way. It currently has a three RA81 disks in a half-height rack. I feel that the RA81 takes up a little too much room. I would rather run on as small disks as possible (physical size of course). What options do I have? I believe that RA90 would work with existing controllers and I could fit one or two of those into a rack I already have. Kind regards, Pontus.

17 years

6
11
0 0

VT420s, 80 meg packs (update)

by wdonzelli＠gmail.com

Demand has been impressive for the packs and stuff, so please bear with me while I ration these things out. Earlier responses get preference. Sorry, I am no longer accepting orders. Please be patient and I will get invoices out soon. -- Will

17 years

1
0
0 0

Probe cases are shipped

by dgriffi＠cs.csubak.edu

Thanks to all of you who participated in the logic probe group buy. The cases are now at the post office. Because I overestimated the domestic postage, everyone will see a partial refund in their Paypal accounts by now. -- David Griffith dgriffi at cs.csubak.edu A: Because it fouls the order in which people normally read text. Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing? A: Top-posting. Q: What is the most annoying thing in e-mail?

17 years

2
1
0 0

Searching for IBM 1620 software images

by bob＠jfcl.com

I'd like to find some software images - SPS, FORTRAN, FORTRAN-II, GOTRAN, (gasp) Disk Monitor! - to use with the simh 1620 simulator. Curiously there aren't any 1620 software kits included with simh, and I've searched the web and there just don't seem to be any for that machine, anywhere. It's ironic that simh can simulate a complete 1620 system, including the 1311 disk drives, but there's nothing to run on it. I don't mind writing a little program to massage file formats if what you have isn't in the right format for simh - just let me know. And I don't even mind OCRing and correcting a listing, if you have one and you're willing to scan it. Yes, I know the CHM has a 1620 and a lot of software, but I've talked with them about it and they just aren't ready to release what they have, so that avenue is a non-starter. Thanks, Bob Armstrong

17 years

4
3
0 0

Lisa 2 (Mac XL) Screen showing multiple images

by roger.holmes＠microspot.co.uk

> > Roger Holmes wrote: >> Was there ever any other interface cards which fitted into the three >> slots? > The Dual Parallel card is the most common one. > There was a quad port serial for use with Xenix > There was the SunRem SCSI card, which sometimes was attached to an > actual SCSI card (that would eat up two slots worth of space) but > would > only work for Macworks > There was some sort of network card for it as well, but that never > made > it, and yes, with MacWorks you can use LocalTalk on serial port B > instead. > > There may have been others. One guy has some strange 3 port Parallel > Card, but no drivers for it. Thank you. >> I suppose I might leave Mac OS on it and load up MacWrite and MacPlot >> (which I wrote) or even an early MacDraft (for which we were European >> distributors and which I still maintain). Maybe I will put Lisa OS on >> the other Lisa when I retrieve it from my brother's shop where I had >> it running stock control, reading from a bar code reader and >> controlling a till (cash register) drawer and printing receipts to an >> Apple dot matrix printer until the whole system was retired. >> Incidentally it replaced an Apple /// doing the same job using a >> floppy auto-changer with five 1.2MB floppy disks in it instead of a >> hard drive. The bar code reader was a one bit input device originally >> hooked up to an Apple ][ but re-connected to parallel cards on >> the /// >> and then the Lisa and the device driver re-written. > You could always split the hard drive in half and use the environments > window to switch between Lisa Office and MacWorks if you want both. Maybe, though first thought from a 2009 perspective, 10MB does sound somewhat small to split in half, but I suppose its no worse than a 5MB Profile and a lot better than a pair of Twiggy drives. > > > Did you write the bar code driver yourself? Was it for MacOS or Lisa > Office System? Thinking about it, I'm fairly sure it was in MacOS by the time Lisas were cheap enough for my brother's budget. Getting at a one bit input >from MacOS was easier too. I think I had it generate an interrupt every time there was a change from black to white or vice-versa and used the system clock to measure the time, and hence the distance assuming a reasonably constant acceleration. It used the guard bars at each end to find the start and end speeds and assumed constant acceleration in between. The decoding algorithm was based on the Apple ][ code which came with the reader, which I disassembled and re- coded, probably in 68k assembler, but maybe Pascal. The Apple ][ code just polled the games port and you had to call it when you expected a bar code to be read. The MacOS version just processed interrupts whenever they occurred and when it found a valid 8 or 13 digit EANA code or a local 6 digit item number of the locally printed labels, it told the host application. I think it generated key events including a carriage return so the app thought the user had typed a bar code in, which they could do by hand if necessary. Roger Holmes.

17 years

2
1
0 0

HP 2000 Timesharing BASIC source

by hilpert＠cs.ubc.ca

A fellow has contacted me about the HP 2116 / 2000 Timesharing BASIC. Apparently he used to work on the software and has some source code listings of the dual-processor 2000 TSB software. I know a couple of people here have, or are interested in, getting a 2000 system going (Jay..). Perhaps the source listing should make it's way to Al, if such a listing is not already archived. Regardless, he would be interested in communicating with others working on 2000 TSB. If anyone is interested I will forward addresses. -------- <QUOTE> I had noticed on this web site: http://www.cs.ubc.ca/~hilpert/e/HP21xx/HP2116CSys/index.html#requests that you were interested in software to run. I noticed some of the memory dumps with BASIC keywords on the page. I'm not sure if I can be all that much help, but I did happen to work on those machines back around 1973-1975 and I have a complete source code listing for the 2116 part of the 2000F timesharing system (which I extensively modified, back then.) I do not know where (I did get copies at one point) the source code listings for the I/O processor (I think it was a 2114) are at, though. Might be in some box, might be thrown away. (The I/O could be rewritten, if necessary. It wouldn't need to support the lineprinter, which it used to support, and a lot of it was wrapped around handling 32 separate user buffers. So even if it is lost to me, it's possible to tinker things without facing a horrible job to do it.) I'm located in Portland Oregon, not far away. </QUOTE> <QUOTE> By the way, I'm pretty familiar with the internals of it and the 2116 assembly language itself, as I modified the system to include timeshared assembly services and added many commands to the system. It would be very interesting to me to participate in some useful way in getting such a system operational. Not merely out of nostalgia, by the way. HP 2000F BASIC was actually an impressive software design on almost every level. It included some of the very best practices in the numerical approaches used for the transcendentals; practices which are rarely bettered even today. It included matrix operations that were impressive in design. It's performance in terms of users was also impressive -- especially so when one considers the limitations in memory and processor speed and features -- a level that is also very rarely achieved today, even with processors much, much more capable. Much of the kind of combined skill sets that were applied so well in developing a system like this remain rare and rarely understood. Having an operational system would provide a hands-on experience to show others what can be done so well and with so little, and perhaps provide benchmark that others trying their own hands on modern processors may find instructive. I've often wished that I could find a working system to buy and bring up, too. </QUOTE>

17 years

1
0
0 0

Late-Summer cleaning!

by derschjo＠mail.msu.edu

So about 5 months ago I converted some unused attic space into storage and moved a bunch of my computer collection up there (not quite enough to bring down the ceiling, but close :)). Since then I haven't touched most of it, which made me realize I'm just hoarding this stuff for no good reason. So I'm looking to get rid of it. I'll be listing this stuff on the VCM forums as well. Stuff is free unless otherwise noted. Stuff is As-Is. I'm trying to be as accurate as possible here, if you need more clarification feel free to ask. PICKUP ONLY in the Seattle, WA area (I live about 15 mi north of Seattle). I'm happy to drive out a ways (say, 2-3 hours) to meet you halfway if that helps. I will not ship. (I suck at it, and I just don't have the time.) Thanks, Josh The Stuff! ---------- Computers: --------------- - 2x Compaq Portable. Neither work, but enough parts between the two to build one working machine. - TRS-80 Model II with 8" drive expansion box (with 2 drives populated). I have M16 upgrade cards that should work with it. Works, but could use a cap kit. - HP-1000 E-Series. Needs power supply repair, bare system with just the main system planar/motherboard and front panel (which does work, last I tested it.) - Commodore PET 8032 and 4032. One 4040 drive. Cabling, should you need it. (4032 had some parts scavenged from the system board.) - HP 9000/236 (works, but floppy controller is not happy) - SGI Personal Iris 4D/35. Does not power up, slightly dirty. I have some RAM for it. Otherwise complete. - Misc Macintosh II/IIx systems. Very dirty, do not power up. (Possibly just need new PRAM batteries.) - Misc Macintosh Portables. Some power up (if a new battery is in place) but have lines missing from LCDs or other issues. None have working hard drives. (Sorry.) - HP C100/9000 (PA-RISC). Works, to the best of my knowledge. - Sun Ultra Enterprise II. 2xUltraSparc IIi (233Mhz?). 512mb ram. - DEC MicroVax II boardset w/16mb ram. - DEC MicroVax I boardset. Monitors: --------- - Commodore 1702. Works. - Amdek Color II. Works. - Apple II color. Works. - NeXT 17" and 21" color displays. 21" is a bit beat up. Misc: ----- - Beehive terminal. (I believe it is a Super Bee) No keyboard. Needs repair. 8008 CPU! - HP LaserJet 5P. Works great, relatively new toner cartridge. Missing rear-side panels. - 2x Teletype M43 for repair (both power up but print head does not move). Need new ribbons (of course.) - Various SCSI enclosures (full and half-height...) Whew, that's it. Again, ask if there are any questions, and no, honestly, please no, I can't ship any of this.

17 years

8
8
0 0

Lisa 2 (Mac XL) Screen showing multiple images

by roger.holmes＠microspot.co.uk

On 7 Aug 2009, at 18:00, cctalk-request at classiccmp.org wrote: > Date: Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:13:53 -0400 > From: Ray Arachelian <ray at arachelian.com> > > Roger Holmes wrote: >> I've taken my old Lisa 2 home after a few years disuse and tried it >> out. It currently has MacWorks installed on the hard disc and it >> booted fine but the screen has a problem, it shows three smudged menu >> bars equally spaced down the screen and it also has fairly bright fly >> back lines at about 30 degree angles. >> >> I have the official spares kit for it but never went on the training >> course as I programmed them, someone else who has now left the >> company, repaired them. >> >> Is this likely to be a minor logic fault in the video generation >> circuitry, presumably on the I/O board, or there is a small board in >> the spares kit which handles the high tension for the screen, is it >> more likely to be that? >> >> How do I get at the HT board? Do I have to remove the four screws at >> the front of the CRT? It seems unlikely Apple would have made >> engineers do that but how else can I get into the HT enclosure? > Unplug all cables from the back. > Unlock the back panel by twisting the two screw locks, and pull it > down. > Next find the two thumb indentations under the Lisa display in the > front, push up and remove the front panel. > Next remove the top of the case. > > You'll find the analog card right behind the CRT. It's accessible > from > the top. > > You can crush a small bit of cardboard - a small crumpled slice of one > of those fall out subscription cards from magazines will work nicely. > > Reconnect the power & mouse. > > In the front, there's a small power cut off switch around where the > thumb indentation on the front of the case is, jam the bit cardboard > in > there. There's another one in the back near where one of the thumb > screw locks is. Doing so will allow you to turn the Lisa on with the > case off and adjust the pots on the analog board. > > If you've had the screen modification kit (ROM version will show as > 3A/88 or 3A/A8), you may have a transformer between the analog board > and > the CRT. Perhaps this is related to the issue. > > Problems could be anywhere from the VS ROM on the I/O board, or the > signals from the I/O board going out through the motherboard to the > analogboard, and also in the power supply. > > Before you do much else, I'd disconnect the I/O board, and motherboard > and clean out the contacts. Ditto for the power supply. Usual > anti-static precautions apply to the card cage/motherboard. > After you do that, and whatever you've used to clean the contacts is > dry > and clean, play with the pots on the analog board (I've had good luck > with DeOxit, other stuff works too, as does a rubber eraser - but > caution there as these can cause static buildup and might scrape the > contacts off if they're worn.) > > The pots on the analog board are usually glued down so note their > position before touching them, and be careful not to crack them, or > you'll have yet another part to replace. :-) wiggling them around > with > a screw driver gently is best - if you can find a plastic tipped > one, so > much the better, or if not shave down a plastic knife into the shape > of > a flathead screwdriver so you don't electrocute yourself, or short > something out by accident. (I've personally used metal ones and have > been careful, so YMMV.) > > If it's not a 2/10 (if it has an external parallel port on the > motherboard) make sure it no longer has the AA NiCad batteries, if it > does and they've leaked, they could have damaged the I/O board. > > Usual warnings about electrocution and causing damage to the Lisa > through shorts apply, but you sound like you know what you're doing so > I'll spare the usual broiler plate babble about the dangers of > touching > the wrong items while the machine is powered on and frying yourself, > etc. > > :) > > Have fun. Thank, I now have a fairly solid picture. For a while I thought I had zapped it with static as I was getting random patterns on the screen and no disk activity. I cleaned all the edge connectors twice, swapped the two RAM boards and gave it one last try and it started working again. The machine is just loaded with Mac OS, MacPaint and MacWrite. I'll try out the floppy drive next, if it works I'll probably load the Lisa OS and all the Apps. I have the full set of about ten manuals with the floppy disks in the back, I hope they are readable. Not that I really used Lisa OS, I used the development environment to write software, first for Lisa and later for Mac. In the early days there didn't seem to be any libraries for doing things like menus and I even wrote the code to save the original pixels then draw a pull down menu and do the highlighting as the mouse moved down the menu. Apple supplied QuickDraw and the memory management system and the debugger. I think there was a 3D library which was useless so we wrote our own, including hidden line removal, both on screen and for output to pen plotters hung off one of the serial ports or sometimes off a parallel card. Was there ever any other interface cards which fitted into the three slots? I suppose I might leave Mac OS on it and load up MacWrite and MacPlot (which I wrote) or even an early MacDraft (for which we were European distributors and which I still maintain). Maybe I will put Lisa OS on the other Lisa when I retrieve it from my brother's shop where I had it running stock control, reading from a bar code reader and controlling a till (cash register) drawer and printing receipts to an Apple dot matrix printer until the whole system was retired. Incidentally it replaced an Apple /// doing the same job using a floppy auto-changer with five 1.2MB floppy disks in it instead of a hard drive. The bar code reader was a one bit input device originally hooked up to an Apple ][ but re-connected to parallel cards on the /// and then the Lisa and the device driver re-written. Roger Holmes. > >

17 years

2
1
0 0

Fwd: FW: P390/500 to give away - in Israel

by cube1＠charter.net

FYI, a posting recently to IBM-MAIN... I have no personal knowledge of the individual and the machine. Jay -----Original Message----- >From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:IBM-MAIN at bama.ua.edu] On >Behalf Of Binyamin Dissen >Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 12:42 PM >To: IBM-MAIN at bama.ua.edu >Subject: P390/500 to give away - in Israel > >It was working before I put it in storage a few years ago. > >-- >Binyamin Dissen <bdissen at dissensoftware.com> >http://www.dissensoftware.com > >Director, Dissen Software, Bar & Grill - Israel > > >Should you use the mailblocks package and expect a response from me, >you should preauthorize the dissensoftware.com domain. > >I very rarely bother responding to challenge/response systems, >especially those from irresponsible companies. > >---------------------------------------------------------------------- >For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, >send email to listserv at bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO >Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html --- Jay R. Jaeger The Computer Collection cube1 at charter.net

17 years

1
0
0 0

Looking for TK-50 (and a few TK-70) tapes

by sethm＠loomcom.com

Hi folks, Does anyone have any TK-50 (CompacTape) tapes that they'd be willing to let go of? I need maybe six to ten of them. I'd also welcome some TK-70 (CompacTape II) tapes, but my need of TK-50s is more pressing. Thanks much! -Seth -- Seth Morabito Union City, CA, USA sethm at loomcom.com

17 years

4
3
0 0

contact lubricant

by emu＠e-bbes.com

Hi all, so, after all this cleaning of contacts on old computers, is there anything really good to put on the contact surface to protect it ? Grease/Lubricants/etc. ? Thanks

17 years

11
28
0 0

N8VEM floppy CBIOS in the making

by lynchaj＠yahoo.com

Hi! There is good news on the N8VEM home brew computing project. At long last it appears a true floppy drive CBIOS is going to be available soon. One of the builders has been building a FDC CBIOS for the N8VEM SBC and Disk IO board. As of now there is a new floppy disk monitor (FDCMON) which does most everything my original did but much better organized and easier to work on. Just tonight I got a crude disk format feature working so now it can format floppy disks. Also there is a draft CBIOS available on the wiki. It currently supports 720K DSDD 3.5" floppy disks. The plan is to build up the infrastructure with a single model and mode as its core functionality. The 3.5" DSDD is the most straight forward and easiest to make work since it can use the polling mode. Certainly other formats and disks are possible with later revisions. Things appear quite promising. If anyone would like to join in this exciting phase of the project to see the N8VEM SBC boot CP/M 2.2 from a real floppy drive please contact me off list. You can also join the N8VEM mailing list and/or wiki to see what's happening. We are always looking for talented and motivated developers to have fun building home brew computers! Thanks and have a nice day! Andrew Lynch PS, please join us on the N8VEM mailing list and wiki. There are several other N8VEM home brew computing PCBs available. More are in development at present. <http://n8vem-sbc.pbworks.com/> http://n8vem-sbc.pbworks.com/ <http://groups.google.com/group/n8vem> http://groups.google.com/group/n8vem

17 years

1
0
0 0

David Ahl @ VCF East

by evan＠snarc.net

Dave Ahl was a big hit at VCF East 3.0 (2006), so we're bringing him back this year. He will lecture on the second day (Sunday, Sept. 13) at 1 p.m. on the subject of "Blunders in Personal Computing." http://www.vintage.org/2009/east/

17 years

1
0
0 0

vintage equipment sighting

by brian＠quarterbyte.com

OK, this is really geeky, but a DecWriter appears for a few seconds in a short film by Neil Blomkamp, who wrote and directed "District 9." At www.spyfilms.com, click on Directors, Short Films, Neil Blomkamp, and click on Tempbot. At about 1 minute, 15 seconds, Tempbot walks through a room with a DecWriter in it. Where the heck did that come from!? The other short on that page is "Alive in Joburg," the short that District 9 was based on, worth watching to see the germ of the idea. Brian

17 years

1
0
0 0

PDP 11/40 Unibus termination query...

by derschjo＠mail.msu.edu

Tony Duell wrote: >>> What I would do next is grab a logic probe and the Unibus pinout (for the >>> terminator slot) and see which grant(s) is being asserted at the >>> terminator, if any. IIRC, the grants are active _high_, unlike most >>> Unibus signals. Check the NPG, BG4, BG5, BG6 and BG7 signals at the M9302 >>> terminator >>> >>> -tony >>> >>> >>> >> Finally got a chance to do this; I hooked my logic analyzer to all the >> grant signals on the last unibus slot and BG6 is held high constantly, >> > > Rememebr a floating signal will appear as high. Also, if there's a device > that uses BG6 and the BG6 is open between the CPU and that devices, > thenBG6 In on said device will appear high, so the device logic wil > faithfully pass on the grant and set BG6 Out high. > > >> the others seem to be OK. I've confirmed that these are supposed to be >> active high. Now to figure out what's raising the signal... >> > > First check it's not stuck high at the processor end (this could be a > fault with the rbitration logic or similar). > > Then I guess you do a half-split. Check it at a slot midway along the > backplane, and move in the apropriate direction until you find what's > causing it. > I disconnected 4-slot the UNIBUS backplane and just stuck the terminator in A/B of slot 9 of the CPU backplane, and removed the SLU from the SPC slot. I got the same readings there. I was fairly sure that it's not the processor -- I make this supposition (and please don't get mad, Tony :)) because I have a spare 11/40 set and they both exhibit the exact same behavior when swapped around . Then I double-checked the wiring for BG6 and the four wires are not continuous, if I'm reading the wirelist correctly there's supposed to be a connection from D07F2->F03R2->F03V2->D09M2. The connection between F03R2 and F03V2 is nonexistent (no evidence of a wire at all). I built a crude jumper (I need to get a wirewrap tool) and powered it up... and it works! My God it works! Ha ha ah ahhah a hahahhaa! Thanks for all the help, Tony (and everyone else too!) Now to see if I can get the RL02 to boot something. :) - Josh > -tony > > >

17 years

1
0
0 0

PDP 11/40 Unibus termination query...

by derschjo＠mail.msu.edu

Hey all -- I'm one step closer to bringing my 11/40 back to life -- the front panel is now responding and I can examine and deposit memory. But the machine is only responsive without the Unibus terminator (an M9302) installed. If it's installed, the front panel is basically hung -- toggling "Start" causes a brief flurry of activity, but that's the only thing that causes any response. Without the terminator installed, the front panel more or less works, I can examine and deposit memory, load the address register, etc... but I can't get any toggled in code to run, obviously -- it traps to the bus error vector at 00004. (There's also an odd issue, which I doubt is related, but Examining/Depositing does not correctly increment the address -- starting from 0, it's "0, 2, 6, 12, 16, 22, 26..." and if I start at 1 it's "1, 3, 7, 13, 17, 23, 27...") I currently have the CPU boards + MMU option installed in the correct order with a SLU card in the SPC slot, and an M981 connecting to a 4-slot Unibus backplane with a single 64K MOS memory card (M7891) in slot 2 -- all other slots have grant continuity cards installed. The Unibus terminator is installed in the last slot. Any ideas? Thanks as always, Josh

17 years

7
23
0 0

Programming 68764s

by cclist＠sydex.com

Has anyone here done much programming of Motorola 68764s? I'm using my usually reliable EZEP programmer, but the EPROMs don't show a good erase (after an hour in the eraser, I can still see bytes with F7/F3 values). And trying to program 00 fails on the first byte after 25 pulses, showing 07 instead of 00. I'm using Vcc of +6 and Vpp of +25. These EPROMs are supposedly NOS and have date codes of 1982. Any suggestions? Thanks, Chuck

17 years

9
11
0 0

Getting started with Transputers

by derschjo＠mail.msu.edu

Hi all -- Is there a good site/documentation covering the ins and outs of Transputer hardware? (Or can anyone here help?) I'm interested in building a small Transputer setup to play around with but I can't find a good guide covering what's necessary and what hardware works with what, etc. Of course, finding the hardware is probably going to be the major issue here :). There are some TRAMs on ebay right now (item 220464801141) but I need more hardware to actually interface it with a PC, etc... are there any good sources for this hardware other than waiting for something to show up on eBay? Thanks as always, Josh

17 years

5
10
0 0

VT420s, 80 meg packs

by wdonzelli＠gmail.com

Is there any serious interest here for DEC VT420s? I have a large pile of them now, and am wondering if they are worth refurbing, or if I should just scrap them out. Also, I have access to a large number of 80 meg disk packs for the CDC SMD drives. I do not really need them (I am more a 300 meg guy), but is there interest in these? -- Will

17 years

11
20
0 0

plastics

by generalordertwentyfour＠gmail.com

many types of course. Generally speaking do the materials used in pc's from the 80s fall into a single category? Everything is injected into a mold for sure, from largish cases to tiny keytops. Would all this qualify as polystyrene? Whatever the case, what's a good solvent (not necessarily glue) that's useful for repairing big cracks or splits, to tiny hairline cracks. I say solvent, and some glues can fall into this category, because it makes more sense to reinforce the materials from behind to effect a strong bond, and for cosmetic sake meld the item from the front, to obscure the defect itself. Many surfaces are anything but smooth. Has anyone tried, given they were successful in melding the surface, in reproducing the look of the surface surrounding it? Smooth surfaces can be melded then touched up lightly w/ultra fine emery cloth and some sort of lubricant I would guess. But the rough textures are a different story.

17 years

6
7
0 0

Apple Memorabilia For Sale

by marvin＠west.net

I have no connection or knowledge of this site; I saw it posted as a tweet from Ed_Dale from the Thirty Day Challenge (free IM course) since apparently this is a site built using the 30DC lessons. http://www.saldanah.com/applesale/

17 years

1
0
0 0

contact lubricant

by jonas＠otter.se

e.stiebler wrote: > > Hi all, > so, after all this cleaning of contacts on old computers, is there > anything really good to put on the contact surface to protect it ? > Grease/Lubricants/etc. ? > > Thanks > The model railway people use ordinary light oil, extremely sparingly applied (e.g. 1 drop for several metres of rail). Apparently the oil forms a very thin film which protects against oxidation, and the wheels penetrate the film, making contact despite the oil being an insulator. Obviously the rails/contacts need to be cleaned first. Also the film is so thin that it does not attract gunk.

17 years

2
1
0 0

Visual 1050 sys disks diff from Daves Old Computers

by d_cymbal＠hotmail.com

I have a set of the system disks available from Daves Old Computers - System / Install Disks. These are revision 1.1 of the 1050 BIOS for CP/M 3. Does anybody have a later BIOS revision they could share? I am looking for a version that had support for an external hard drive off the winchester port, e.g. the presence of the file WINCH.ASM on the BIOS source disk would indicate this. I know revision 1.3 had this support, not sure about other versions.

17 years

2
1
0 0

HP 4100 printer, is this a bad toner cartridge or roller kit?

by vbriel＠yahoo.com

Pressure?surface on those go bad and usually starts with the edges. If you print the settings there is a box outline that prints on the settings page that will be shadowed or smudged. Vince?Replica 1 the Apple 1 clone Micro-KIM the KIM-1 clone The new PockeTerm Terminal board http://www.brielcomputers.com

17 years

1
0
0 0

PDP-11/53 Collectors Unix Computer - $400 (Gaithersburg) @craigslist

by stephane.tsacas＠gmail.com

On craigslist: http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/sys/1318503916.html<http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/sys/1318503916.html> -- Stephane http://3w.posterous.com

17 years

1
0
0 0

HP 4100 printer, is this a bad toner cartridge or roller kit?

by brianlanning＠gmail.com

Hi everyone. I'm ready to do the last fix on the hp 4100. Looks like I fixed the mangled paper problem. I managed to pull a loose 1/8" thick 1" square piece of black plastic out of the printer. So the paper path is looks right now. The last problem is a print quality problem. The left 1/2" of the page prints strangely with some ghost images, from higher up the page or the last page, copied every few inches down the page. This sounds to me like the toner drum, but since I don't know exactly what the roller kit is for, I'm not sure if that's the problem. Is the toner not coming off of the drum and on to the page? Or is the drum supposed to be cleaned off with something between pages and it's not? Any ideas what's happening? brian

17 years

2
1
0 0

Ithaca Intersystems DPS-1 in Keene, NH (craigslist)

by wmaddox＠pacbell.net

http://nh.craigslist.org/ele/1314921855.html He says: "I would hate to throw it out but it is too heavy to ship anywhere at a reasonable price." Clearly, he's not hip to the eBay market for these things. It will probably go free/cheap. The DPS-1 is an S-100 machine with a very nice full front panel, similar to an IMSAI, but a bit more stylish. This webpage has a photo of someone else's DPS-1: http://www.computercloset.org/InterSystemsDPS-1.htm --Bill

17 years

3
3
0 0

Question for the Dutch collectors...

by hp-fix＠xs4all.nl

Jos, Did you try the cvml ? Ruud Baltissen has scanned a lot of Elektuurs and Radio Bulletins from that period , may you can find a reference there . -Rik -----Original Message----- From: "Jos Dreesen" <jdr_use at bluewin.ch> To: cctalk at classiccmp.org Sent: 08/11/2009 19:39 Subject: Question for the Dutch collectors... I remember quit well reading, around 1977, a booklet from around 1973, I believe by Kluwer, describing a DIY computer build around the Siemens/Philips FDxnnn series of TTL chips. Memory was a philips corestack-module, something like 1K or 2K x 12 or x16. Of course there was no way of me building that in 1977, but now.... Does this ring a bell with anyone ? Jos

17 years

1
0
0 0

RL02 / RL01 rack mounting rails needed

by herb＠sportwaves.com

Hi Ashley: I was looking on line to see if anybody out there is still interested in these vintage computers. Are you really using, or operating, a DEC RL02? If so, we would like to share our parts with you. Do you want to call me? (Or email) I have an 800 # 1-(800) 580-4122, ext 201 or my cell (303) 668-4002 Herb Riehl Lafayette, Colorado

17 years

1
0
0 0

Question for the Dutch collectors...

by jdr_use＠bluewin.ch

I remember quit well reading, around 1977, a booklet from around 1973, I believe by Kluwer, describing a DIY computer build around the Siemens/Philips FDxnnn series of TTL chips. Memory was a philips corestack-module, something like 1K or 2K x 12 or x16. Of course there was no way of me building that in 1977, but now.... Does this ring a bell with anyone ? Jos

17 years

1
0
0 0

DENCON

by trixter＠oldskool.org

A PDP-11 gets some love: http://ascii.textfiles.com/archives/2114 -- Jim Leonard (trixter at oldskool.org) http://www.oldskool.org/ Help our electronic games project: http://www.mobygames.com/ Or check out some trippy MindCandy at http://www.mindcandydvd.com/ A child borne of the home computer wars: http://trixter.wordpress.com/

17 years

8
8
0 0

Reading data from a CDC Hawk Drive

by altcompco＠gmail.com

I know that this reply is quite dated, but if you are still trying to use a hawk drive you might be interested in knowing that a 3rd party company used to manufacture an i/o board to it that allowed it to work with a TRS-80. fyi -- Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/

17 years

1
0
0 0

Facit 4070 Paper Tape Punch

by tsw-cc＠johana.com

I found one on EBAY that looks like it may go for a song. If you get it, I have done an interface for a parallel printer port. It works without kernel software modification (assuming you use plain text) on Linux where I've used it. Ebay info: Facit Paper Tape Punch Model 4070 (290335224061). My interest is not in the punch, but I'm willing to supply the interface (it isn't that big). What I'm after is the plastic chad box as I don't have one, and a plastic baggie is a poor substitute (*SIGH*).

17 years

5
5
0 0

DENCON

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: DENCON > From: Ethan Dicks <ethan.dicks at gmail.com> > Date: Mon, 10 Aug 2009 22:02:23 -0400 > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > >On 8/10/09, Brent Hilpert <hilpert at cs.ubc.ca> wrote: >> Jim Leonard wrote: >>> >>> A PDP-11 gets some love: http://ascii.textfiles.com/archives/2114 >> >> Wow. That's a rather, umm, unique combination of machinery and carpet, but >> somehow they work together. Sort of. > >I was thinking more that the panoply of machinery was straight out of >one of DECs handbooks, but on garishly "modern" (by comparison) >carpet. > >I couldn't tell from the photos - is that an HSC50 on the far right, >or if not, what? > >-ethan I'd offer that it looks like a VAX/750 and two disk/tape racks. There appear to be several systems there with the -11 being the featured one. Allison

17 years

1
0
0 0

UNIBUS <-> PCI bridge

by bqt＠softjar.se

Roger Ivie <rivie at ridgenet.net> wrote: > On Mon, 10 Aug 2009, Johnny Billquist wrote: >> Roger Ivie <rivie at ridgenet.net> wrote: >> Second, the vector transfer isn't a normal bus transfer in the sense of the >> device addressing the CPU and transferring a word. > > Page 2-13 of the UNIBUS spec (1979): "INTR is a bus signal asserted by > an interrupting device *after it becomes bus master* to inform the > interrupt fielding processor that an interrupt is to be performed and > that the interrupt vector is present on the D lines." > > Technically, you don't even have an interrupt until the device hands you > the vector. Which it does as a bus master. Ah. Yes, I see now (or remember). INTR is a bus transaction, with the interrupt fielding processor as the implicit slave. >> The CPU cannot be a slave, >> unless my memory fails me. > > Page 2-14: "INTR is negated upon receipt of the assertion of SSYN from > the interrupt fielding processor." I was just remembering the DATI/DATIP/DATO/DATOB transactions, which can't address the CPU. I didn't remember that the vector transfer had it's own operation on the bus. Nice design really. Yes, once your bus request is granted, you can do anything on the bus. >> It's been way many years since I looked at the unibus map of the VAX UBA, but >> I can't for my life imagine that it could be any simpler than the Unibus map >> of the PDP-11. > > The PDP-11 can map a UNIBUS page to any *word boundary* in the memory > space. That means there are adders in there somewhere. The VAX > scatter/gather map just replaces bits 9 and up with the contents of the > map entry. Having an adder, or an or with a mask, isn't much different, or conceptually any more complex in my eye. But maybe that is just me. :-) Johnny -- Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus || on a psychedelic trip email: bqt at softjar.se || Reading murder books pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol

17 years

1
0
0 0

Classic computer classifieds anywhere?

by alanp＠snowmoose.com

As previously noted, I have been thinning my collection. Rather than filling this list with updates, are there classic computer classifieds where I can just post a list of stuff that is available and then add and subtract items from the ad as appropriate? alan

17 years

2
1
0 0

Results from a pickup today...

by ken＠seefried.com

> Venix would be awesome to try out... I had used > their 386 variant in days long past. Fair warning...the Pro/350 version of Venix is about as much like the i386 version as 2BSD is like 4BSD. KJ

17 years

2
1
0 0

ASR-33 original price?

by evan＠snarc.net

Does anyone know the (approximate) original prices for the ASR-33 and KSR-33?

17 years

5
4
0 0

[rescue] Tapes, Drives, Libraries, and Arrays Need to Go (fwd)

by dgriffi＠cs.csubak.edu

If someone would forward this to CC-talk and elsewhere, I'd appreciate it. I am preparing to move soon. I don't know how soon, but it's likely going to be the case that I find something in a neighborhood I want, that I can afford, and that I need to pounce on quickly, so I'm trying to be rid of anything I don't have any hope of ever using. I have a huge cabinet (I think it holds either 300 or 500 reels) of full of 2400ft nine track tapes. I no-longer have a working nine-track drive. This cabinet is about four feet wide, seven feet tall, and two feet deep. This pile o' tapes, the cabinet in which they hang so uselessly, and the non-working DEC SCSI tape drive[0] need to go. I don't want any cash for it or the tapes, just please come and get them. If you only want the drive, I'll deliver it anywhere in Austin, but preference will go to someone who'll pick up the cabinet full of tapes. I also have a Sun StorEdge L3500 tape library with six DLT7000 drives. It is mechanically sound, and the drives work, but there's a defective optointerruptor that determines the X position of the carriage; it's a cheap part to replace and shouldn't take a lot of labor, but I'm backing up to disk now. You may either pick this up, or help me load it and unload it, and I'll drive it to your central Texas location with my truck. Photos of the library are here: http://jonathan.celestrion.net/photos/library/ I also have a Compaq Storageworks BA370 24-slot enclosure with dual controllers. This takes SCSI Storageworks "storage building blocks", and I may actually have enough of them to fill the unit (not necessarily with disks in the blocks). I have spare batteries, controllers, and other bits. Need a fiber switch? I have gigabit Brocade Silkworm and possibly enough GBICs to fill it. Feel free to make an offer on the BA370 or the switch. I'll mail the switch or deliver the BA370 in central Texas, but I won't ship the BA370 anywhere; it's just too hard to crate reasonably. [0] I don't recall the model, but it's vacuum-loading, SCSI, and 5 or 6 rack units tall. The failure mode is that it fails to load the tape (or loads, fails to notice, and then unloads), so hopefully it's just a sticky sensor. -- Jonathan Patschke ( "They don't have the right to read a book out loud." Elgin, TX ( --Paul Aiken USA ( Executive Director, Authors Guild _______________________________________________ rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue

17 years

6
7
0 0

Commodore 1526 ribbons?

by evan＠snarc.net

Can anyone recommend a source for new Commodore 1526 ribbons? Only place I found online is http://www.ocla.com/makepagebak8.php?SUBCAT2B=COMMODORERIBBONS .... hoping that someone here can vouch for that business, or (better yet) direct me toward a lower price.

17 years

2
1
0 0

UNIBUS <-> PCI bridge

by bqt＠softjar.se

Roger Ivie <rivie at ridgenet.net> wrote: > On Fri, 7 Aug 2009, Johnny Billquist wrote: >> > Interrupt stuff is usually a bit more complicated than what you seem to >> > envision above. You have the interrupt request line, the interrupt grants, >> > which is followed by the vector at the interrupt acknowledge, and then you >> > have the interrupt dismiss stuff, which cause the device to remove the >> > interrupt request, and allow other devices at the same priority, but farther >> > from the bus arbiter to get their interrupt through. > > Interrupts are actually a bit odd on the UNIBUS, where interrupt > requests are really just prioritized DMA requests. A UNIBUS device > asserts a bus request and gets a bus grant, at which point it may do > *any* kind of bus traffic. Providing a vector to the computer is just a > specialized kind of DMA write; one with an implied address, as it were. Hmm. Now I'm just writing from memory, which sometimes is a really big mistake, but I don't think that is correct. First of all, interrupt bus requests are only granted at instruction fetch time, while DMA bus requests can be granted at any stage of the CPU execution cycle. Second, the vector transfer isn't a normal bus transfer in the sense of the device addressing the CPU and transferring a word. The CPU cannot be a slave, unless my memory fails me. However, at the interrupt acknowledge cycle, the device is expected to put out the vector, and the CPU will read the data in from the bus and gate it into temporary storage, followed by pushing the PSW and PC, and reading a new PSW and PC from the address given by the vector. This is a rather complex behaviour, and not something you can manage to trick the CPU into doing under any other circumstances. As for asserting the interrupt request, and getting a bus grant in return, that is pretty much how all CPUs work. The big difference is only in what they call the signal, and how the device is expected to behave once the grant comes in. Many CPUs have just a single interrupt request line, and a single interrupt acknowledge line. The fact that the Unibus defines four is nice, though. :-) > It's been a few years, time kills brain cells, yadda yadda yadda, but I > did actually design a UNIBUS processor board once upon a time. With a > UNIBUS map. The PDP-11 UNIBUS map is not as simple as the one used on the > VAX. It's been way many years since I looked at the unibus map of the VAX UBA, but I can't for my life imagine that it could be any simpler than the Unibus map of the PDP-11. But maybe that's just me. :-) Johnny -- Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus || on a psychedelic trip email: bqt at softjar.se || Reading murder books pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol

17 years

2
1
0 0

Results from a pickup today...

by ken＠seefried.com

You can also run Venix 2.x on a Pro/350, and I think there are images floating around. It's System III based with real-time extentions. Not a bad system for the time. Interesting contrast to 2BSD. KJ

17 years

3
2
0 0

List admin problems?

by wmaddox＠pacbell.net

Am I the only person who has had trouble subscribing to the list? I've attempted a couple of times over the last couple of weeks to subscribe another email address with no success. I don't know if the moderators are just backed up, or if the requests are getting black-holed. --Bill

17 years

6
5
0 0

DG MP200 / DG6095 info sought

by jdr_use＠bluewin.ch

The one piece in my collection that is lacking documentation is my Data General micronova MP/200. It has a 2901 based CPU, 16k or 64k dram memory,( 32x DG1100 DRAMS) and loads of ECO wires. Furthermore it has a DG6095-1 diskdrive. One fixed, one cartridge platter. Is this a 5MB platter ( as previously indicated on this list ) or a 10 MB platter (as indicated on a sticker on the device itself ). So : - any schematics out there ? - any cartridges avaliable ( Europe...) - from the farris website i deduced that Diablo 44 cartridges would fit . Correct? - Formatting software available should I find some fitting cartridges ? Jos

17 years

3
2
0 0

Results from a pickup today...

by mdavidson1963＠gmail.com

I just got back from picking up some nice equipment from a friend of mine... I'm hoping to get some pointers to software and more information. I don't have all the details in front of me, but here's a summary: 1) DECmate III (with display) 2) Altos 586 (main box only with terminal connector cable) 3) DEC Pro/350 (I think) 4) MicroVAX II (no drives) 5) DG MV/4000 DC (which I'm very excited about, being a DG lover) I know a bit about VAXen, but haven't opened this box to see what's inside. The DG supposedly works, but I haven't tried it yet. As for the other boxes, they *should* work, but I don't know much about their working state yet (or what they have inside). More to follow as I dig deeper... Mark

17 years

3
2
0 0

VCF East 6.0 flyer

by evan＠snarc.net

Cctalkers: please help us advertise the VCF East 6.0 by either printing and distributing our flyer, or posting the flyer link wherever you can: http://www.snarc.net/vcfe6.pdf .... the hobby and we @ VCF thank you!!! - Evan, Sellam & crew

17 years

1
0
0 0

UNIBUS <-> PCI bridge

by bqt＠softjar.se

Philipp Hachtmann <hachti at hachti.de> wrote: > The most important (and difficult for me) part is to design a PCB with an FPGA that plugs into the > PCI bus. The other ugly part is the cabling from there to the Unibus/Qbus. The rest is programmable. > > Those are the features to expect in an early version: > > * Unibus mapping to PC's memory > * Interrupt forwarding to PCI INTA-INTD > * Interrupt vector interrogation mechanism > > Later then: > > * Unibus arbitration > * Unibus memory > * QBus Reading your other messages... Without Unibus memory you'd be restricted to only interrupt-driven single byte transfer devices, since you have no solution to manage DMA devices on the Unibus. For DMA, you need either to allow the Unibus to get access to the PCs memory (that would imply a Unibus map, which by the way wasn't just used by a VAX. Large Unibus PDP-11 systems also have a Unibus map). A Unibus map is nothing magical by the way. It's just a way to remap the 18-bit Unibus address of a DMA transfer into a larger address of the host. It's usually a simple addition of the Unibus address with a large constant that can be written by the host (usually you have several separate map registers, so that multiple DMA transfers can proceed in parallell. I don't know what you mean by "Unibus mapping to PC's memory". Would that be a Unibus map, or are we just talking about a way for the PC to read data from arbitrary addresses on the Unibus? Interrupt stuff is usually a bit more complicated than what you seem to envision above. You have the interrupt request line, the interrupt grants, which is followed by the vector at the interrupt acknowledge, and then you have the interrupt dismiss stuff, which cause the device to remove the interrupt request, and allow other devices at the same priority, but farther from the bus arbiter to get their interrupt through. And what about Unibus memory? There is nothing special about Unibus memory. It behaves the same way as any other thing on the Unibus, with the additional "restriction" that memory can never be bus master. But that just makes it easier. If you implement enough to communicate with a device on the Unibus, then you will have done enough to talk with memory as well. > Software would initially consist of a "do nothing"-driver for Linux. It would simply find the card > and then export the base address into the kernel name space. Other drivers then could use that. > Probably also some code for interrupt handling. > I am a bit reluctant to register the bridge as a /proc/bus/unibus thing. That would probably only > work without much use, as there are no PnP things on the Unibus. Why do you even bother with questions about how a driver would present the data in a specific OS? That is definitely software that you can change any number of times. You need to figure out how to construct the hardware so that it will work, and after that you can play with software as much as you want to without problem. Oh, and not everything is software. There are some things that are very demanding for precise timing considerations. Software is usually not a good solution for those cases... Johnny -- Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus || on a psychedelic trip email: bqt at softjar.se || Reading murder books pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol

17 years

2
1
0 0

Problems with IBM 5150 Power

by starbase89＠gmail.com

I recently acquired a 5150. It is a 16-64k with two drives and color. I have not been able to boot it up yet. I cleaned the inside, and made sure everything was well connected. When I flick the power on, the CPU fan goes, and nothing else. There is power coming out of the motherboard and drive connectors, but there is nothing at the ISA slot. No beeps or anything. I tested the power supply with a modern CD drive. It worked. I removed the motherboard and inspected it for obviously bad components and scorch marks. I then opened the power supply. It was pretty clean, except for the hornet's nest inside. I haven't yet removed that board, but plan to soon. The fuse is intact. Can anyone suggest what to do next? I have PDFs of the Hardware Maintaince manual and the technical service manual. Thanks Joe

17 years

5
6
0 0

OFFLIST (due to being placed on moderated mode) was Re: Problems with IBM 5150 Power

by chrism3667＠yahoo.com

Assuming I read you correctly, the mobo appears to have problems. You should invest in a multimeter. 20$ or so from Radio Shack or even Walmart (probably in the automotive section). This way you can measure the voltages coming off the p/s pins accurately. Yes you sometimes need to "load down" a p/s to determine if it is functioning properly (in other words apply an actual resistance - the circuit it was meant to power or something equivalent. You can plug it into the mobo and test it by say pushing a paper clip into the back of the p/s connector for instance. Sounds like your mobo has issues. You want to start playing with old PCs and stuff - find some replacement mobos and whatnot. I'm too disorganized at the moment to even offer to provide one. Others in the group (MARCH) are bound to. Try Bill Degnan. But he's hours away... Besides swapping boards, try removing the socketed chips (CPU, etc.) and replacing just those. Or using that CPU in another computer or board. You have to have something else that runs an 8088 by now, don't you... Regards and best of luck. P.S - get a copy of "Inside the IBM PC", Peter Norton. Has to be PC-era. Has a picture of a mobo on the cover, but is very green. The earliest addition is not as useful as the slightly larger more commonly known one (i used to have the *newer* one, but have only the older, uglier, less useful addition now. Somewhere). It's a M-U-S-T if you're going to develop a basic understanding of what's going on under duh hood. You need to get a copy. --- On Mon, 7/27/09, Joe Giliberti <starbase89 at gmail.com> wrote: > From: Joe Giliberti <starbase89 at gmail.com> > Subject: Problems with IBM 5150 Power > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Date: Monday, July 27, 2009, 7:03 PM > I recently acquired a 5150. It is a > 16-64k with two drives and color. I have > not been able to boot it up yet. I cleaned the inside, and > made sure > everything was well connected. When I flick the power on, > the CPU fan goes, > and nothing else. There is power coming out of the > motherboard and drive > connectors, but there is nothing at the ISA slot. No beeps > or anything. I > tested the power supply with a modern CD drive. It worked. > I removed the > motherboard and inspected it for obviously bad components > and scorch marks. > I then opened the power supply. It was pretty clean, except > for the hornet's > nest inside. I haven't yet removed that board, but plan to > soon. The fuse is > intact. > > Can anyone suggest what to do next? I have PDFs of the > Hardware Maintaince > manual and the technical service manual. > > Thanks > Joe >

17 years

7
30
0 0

OT: Linux netbooks?

by Watzman＠neo.rr.com

Well, I bought one that isn't Linux, it's XP Home, but I am VERY happy with it. I got it from TigerDirect, it's an Acer Aspire One. It was a "refurb", but I can't tell it from new. 1GB of memory, Atom processor, 8.9" screen, 160GB [real] hard drive .... I paid $199, with $3 shipping. I opened the unit up and increased the RAM to 1.5GB, which is the max for this unit. The chipset on this one is an Intel 945, so it's video system is actually powerful enough to run Vista's "Aero" interface if I wanted to do so. The unit also has a built-in modem, wired Ethernet and WiFi, plus three USB 2.0 ports and a slot that takes many types of flash memory cards. You can find "refub" netbooks VERY cheap ... as low as $149. They are usually some variant of Asus Eee or Acer Aspire One. At the low end, they usually have the 8.9" screen and tiny 4GB SSD's (solid state drives). In general, you can put Linux or XP Home on any of these machines (XP Home is tight fit in a 4GB solid state drive, however ... although it can be done). Some of the sources I would look at to find a cheap netbook: 1. Woot.com 2. Sellout.woot.com 3. TigerDirect 4. Buy.com And there are others. Surprisingly, Wal-Mart has had some good deals on Netbooks (they had the one I bought as a new unit rather than a refurb for $249). Screen size is a matter of choice, the small screen size that I have has fallen out of favor and the 10" screens are now more common .... but the resolution is the same, and the difference is only 1.2" diagonal, but the entire laptop is larger. Keyboard size is also an issue; I'm happy with mine but it's a bit smaller than normal, again, a concession to overall machine size. Some of the Asus Eee's also have an issue, apparently, with a non-standard location of the right shift key (again, size not withstanding). If possible, look for a machine with the "Atom" processor rather than a Celeron; the Atom is faster and also uses less power. Many of the models are offered with a "3-cell" or a "6-cell" battery, obviously the 6-cell battery lasts longer (but, again, is bigger and heavier). Keep in mind that you will probably want to buy an external optical drive if for nothing else than loading software. To do this cheap, salvage a drive >from a dead laptop and get a slimline USB optical drive case on E-Bay (about $12). You can use a burner or even a DVD burner if you want to. I know the original post was about Linux OS models, but I personally prefer and get a lot more use from XP. If you have a model with a "real" hard drive, you can go up to 500GB, although the 160GB drive that mine came with is fine for this type of unit.

17 years

2
1
0 0

VCF East Keynote Speaker Announcement

by evan＠snarc.net

This year's VCF East (6.0) keynote speaker is Ted Hurewitz. Unlike some of our past keynoters -- Bill Mauchly, Chuck Peddle, David Ahl, etc. -- most collectors probably never heard of Mr. Hurewitz. But he's quite awesome. He was in the engineering group for RCA's Bizmac tube computer, and he worked on the design for the RCA 501. This all went down in Camden, N.J. in the 1950s. Amusing sidebar: one of his employees was Arnold Spielberg -- father of Steven. Some info about Bizmac is here: http://www.cedmagic.com/history/rca-bizmac-computer.html and also here: http://www.computermuseum.li/Testpage/RCA-Bizmac-1951.htm ...... some info about the 501 is here: http://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/text/RCA/RCA.501.1958.10264627… (and in many other places, according to Google.) Hurewitz will give his lecture on the morning of Sat., Sept. 12 (exact time to be determined) followed by audience Q&A.

17 years

3
6
0 0

UNIBUS <-> PCI bridge

by bqt＠softjar.se

Philipp Hachtmann <hachti at hachti.de> wrote: > I am a bit reluctant to register the bridge as a /proc/bus/unibus thing. That would probably only > work without much use, as there are no PnP things on the Unibus. Oh, yeah. "PnP" for Unibus/Qbus? Yes there are. I think "PnP" for the PC is mostly bollocks. Sounds good, but not that impressive in reality anyway. Anyway, yes. If you start reading through the specs for Unibus address assignments, you'll find that there are rules to it, and if you follow those rules, you can autodetect all devices on the Unibus. Johnny -- Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus || on a psychedelic trip email: bqt at softjar.se || Reading murder books pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol

17 years

1
0
0 0

HP C3010 drives (SF Bay Area)

by tshoppa＠wmata.com

Al writes: > I will have about 20 HP 2gb 5" HD50 HV differential > drives available for pickup in the Bay Area I was lucky enough to pick up a bunch of these HP drives in the 90's for a song, they are excellently reliable built-like-a-tank drives. Tim.

17 years

1
0
0 0

Open source, stand alone, ASCII terminal project, UPDATE

by bob＠jfcl.com

Back in December I posted about an open source, stand alone ASCII terminal project for old computers - http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-December/265312.html The VT6, a simplified single host port version, is available now - PC boards, partial kits and full kits of all parts. It was actually available back in March, but the first run of parts sold out just on the Spare Time Gizmos group and I never got a chance to announce it elsewhere. The second, much larger, run of parts is now available and hopefully there should be plenty this time around. The VT6 is a small PC board, about 2.5" by 4", that uses a VGA monitor and a PS/2 keyboard and is able to do pretty much anything a VT220 can. The firmware is about 95% written in C (with about 5% assembler) and is open source and GPL licensed. The tool chain used for development, including the SDCC C compiler, is all free. The microprocessor is flash based and firmware updates can be downloaded from any PC over an ordinary serial port. If you need a terminal, it's just the thing to stick in the back of your classic computer. The hardware for the other version of this terminal, known as the VT5 is also finished and really only needs the firmware to be ready. The VT5 supports multiple host ports and sessions with split screen displays, downloadable fonts and (if we can get the firmware written!) ReGIS and/or Tek 4010 type graphics. The firmware is really the limiting factor for everything (isn't that always the truth??) and we could use help with the programming. There's a Source Forge project for the firmware here - http://vt4.sourceforge.net and the Spare Time Gizmos page for the VT6 parts and PCBs is here - http://www.sparetimegizmos.com/Hardware/VT.htm There's also a manual (unfinished - we could use help with that too!) - http://www.sparetimegizmos.com/Downloads/vt.pdf Bob Armstrong

17 years

6
9
0 0

Re-request for 11/40 unibus clarification...

by bqt＠softjar.se

Hi. Josh Dersch <derschjo at mail.msu.edu> wrote: > I'm still trying to figure out what's gone wrong with the unibus on my > 11/40. To recap -- the machine is responsive if I run it without a > terminator at the end of the bus; with a terminator installed the front > panel is unresponsive. I've checked the following: > > - The NPG grants are continuous from the front to the back. > - There are grant continuity cards in each empty slot. > - I am running with a minimal configuration (only CPU and 64K MOS memory) > > I made one final discovery about two months ago -- the SPC slot in slot > 9 of the main CPU backplane (which I am 100% sure is an SPC slot and not > some special-purpose slot) does not work properly. I cannot get the > Console SLU/LTC board to function when installed in slot 9 (which is > where it's typically installed, or so I hear). It works fine in other > unibus slots. That is not a good sign. > I have three questions, any help on these would be, well... helpful. > I'm hoping to have some time to play around with it in the coming months. > > 1) Is the NPG grant on the SPC slot on the processor backplane (slot 9) > supposed to be connected to the NPG grants on the Unibus expansion? > That is -- right now if I set my DMM to continuity mode and put one > probe on CA1 on the first slot of the unibus expansion, and the other on > CB1 on the last slot of the unibus expansion, since all NPG grant > jumpers are in place, the DMM shows the circuit as closed. This is as > I'd expect. However, if I move the probe from CA1 on the first slot of > the expansion to CA1 on slot 9 of the processor backplane, the circuit > is then open. I'm guessing this is not correct. (There is currently an > NPG jumper installed on slot 9.) All other grant lines seem to be > continuous. That sounds really bad. NPG should originate from the CPU (unless my memory fails me), and pass through each SPC slot. If it don't even make it to the first slot (slot 09 of the CPU box) then you'll never get a working system. But how can you have a connection from CB1 out from the CPU slot 9, but not a connection from CA1 out, when you do have a jumper between CA1 and CB1 (of slot 9)? That sounds like a broken jumper to me. > 2) Where is the +15V to the processor backplane supposed to be > connected? (I suspect this may be the reason the SLU won't function in > slot 9...). Right now it's plugged into pin CV1 on slot 9 (if I'm > reading the Unibus pin chart right :)) but the docs I have found say > this should be ACLO_L... Have you measured? Is it +15V, or +5V? ACLO_L is active low, and if you have a good AC in, then I would expect that pin to be +5V in that case. Afraid I can't help more right now. Any description of an SPC slot should tell you, but I'm not sitting next to any manuals right now. > 3) Does anyone have a wirelist for the 11/40 CPU backplane (or is this > in any of the service/reference manuals)? Worst case, I can probe out > the wiring and figure out what's missing/incorrect on slot 9. Sorry that I can't help more on this one. Didn't see any on bitsavers. Maybe someone else have them? Johnny -- Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus || on a psychedelic trip email: bqt at softjar.se || Reading murder books pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol

17 years

5
7
0 0

OT: some random books available

by rcini＠optonline.net

All: I cleaned off my bookshelf the other day and came across the following stuff that I no longer need: * The Best of Ciarcia?s Circuit Cellar...$5 (this is a compilation book) * TRS-80 Microcomputer Technical Reference Manual (Model I schematics and tech ref)...$5 * A slew of Tandy 2000 manuals: MS-DOS and GW-BASIC binders (NO disks), Introduction to the Tandy 2000, Tandy 2000 Quick Reference, Programmer?s Reference, and Technical Reference...$60 (basically my cost). * Inside Commodore DOS...$5 All prices in addition to shipping to the continental US from 11791. I would also consider making a trade or partial trade...I'm looking for a working Atari 800 system unit (with BASIC, 48k and a power supply). If interested, drop me a note off-list. Thanks! Rich -- Rich Cini Collector of Classic Computers Build Master and lead engineer, Altair32 Emulator http://www.altair32.com http://www.classiccmp.org/cini

17 years

1
0
0 0

Lisa 2 (Mac XL) Screen showing multiple images

by roger.holmes＠microspot.co.uk

Just for a change, I don't want to talk about my ICT 1301. We are having a clear out at work and I'm taking various bit home (like an H.P. DraftMaster MX+ A0/E sized plotter as well as a little 7475A A3/B size plotter). There is also a Graphtec MP3200 flatbed plotter. It seems to be all there except the plug-in power supply which supplies 7v and 24v DC through an unusual 3 pin plug. I don't suppose anyone has a spare power supply, or even just the socket ? (or receptacle for US readers) I've taken my old Lisa 2 home after a few years disuse and tried it out. It currently has MacWorks installed on the hard disc and it booted fine but the screen has a problem, it shows three smudged menu bars equally spaced down the screen and it also has fairly bright fly back lines at about 30 degree angles. I have the official spares kit for it but never went on the training course as I programmed them, someone else who has now left the company, repaired them. Is this likely to be a minor logic fault in the video generation circuitry, presumably on the I/O board, or there is a small board in the spares kit which handles the high tension for the screen, is it more likely to be that? How do I get at the HT board? Do I have to remove the four screws at the front of the CRT? It seems unlikely Apple would have made engineers do that but how else can I get into the HT enclosure? Roger Holmes

17 years

2
1
0 0

HP C3010 drives (SF Bay Area)

by aek＠bitsavers.org

I will have about 20 HP 2gb 5" HD50 HV differential drives available for pickup in the Bay Area, if someone has a use for them, in about a week. Mail me off list if interested. I'll have them tagged as dead if any aren't working. Unfortunately BACCL is gone, or I would have posted them there.

17 years

1
0
0 0

ELBUG monitor listing

by f.heite＠hccnet.nl

----- Original Message ----- > Date: Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:45:13 +0200 > From: Holger Veit <holger.veit at iais.fraunhofer.de> > Subject: ELBUG monitor listing > > You can find a commented listing at the following link: > http://www.scribd.com/doc/18114130/ELBUG-monitor-listing Very interesting stuff! Holger, are you the author of this commented disassembly? Lying on top of my still-working Elektor SC/MP system, I have the original, 40 page, green Elbug user manual "ELBUG Monitor-Software fuer den Elektor-SC/MP-Mikrokomputer" written by Elbug author Dr. H. (Hans) Huschitt, dated November 1977. This has a description of Elbug, the commented source code, and some flowcharts - all in German. It's my intention to scan and publish this manual, once my Elektor-SC/MP-Elbug emulator wil be ready - but probably that will not be before next year. However, if it would make some Classiccmp people happy, I could scan this Elbug manual next week and send it by email. If anyone is interested, please let me know. Have fun, Freek Heite.

17 years

2
1
0 0

Important DEC auction on ebay (USA)

by stephane.tsacas＠gmail.com

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200370400397 <http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200370400397#ht_6759wt_1…>A quite impressive DEC bits lot, including some PDP's and VAXEN (including a VAX750), RA disks etc. Local pick up only, Plainfield, NH, United States... -- Stephane http://3w.posterous.com

17 years

2
1
0 0

Anyone been in touch with Jay West?

by jhfinedp3k＠compsys.to

I have sent 3 private e-mails to Jay West in the past week, but no reply. I know he is often too busy to respond, so it might take a while. Has anyone been in touch with Jay in the past few days? Jerome Fine

17 years

3
2
0 0

OT: Linux netbooks?

by iamvirtual＠gmail.com

I have loaded the standard Ubuntu 9.04 on my Asus 901. Works great. The screen resolution is 1024x600 which is adequate, but is a little low. The keyboard on the 9" Asus Eepc's are cramped. The 10" is much closer to the laptop sized keyboard. I use an USB-to-RS232 adapter to talk to my paper tape reader and my DecTapeII drive. The small size of the netbook is quite handy for use as a portable terminal. Wireless works properly on my Asus machine using the latest standard Ubuntu 9.04 release. I have not tried using Bluetooth with it. I upgraded the memory in mine from 1GB to 2GB. Boot time is impressive. <30 seconds for full boot. <10 seconds for resume from standby. Feel free to contact me offline if you have any questions. --barrym

17 years

1
0
0 0

logic probe case group buy

by dgriffi＠cs.csubak.edu

I have placed the order with kelvin.com for the logic probe cases. To date I have not yet seen payment from two people (you know who you are). Don't worry too much -- I ordered the amount you two wanted. -- David Griffith dgriffi at cs.csubak.edu A: Because it fouls the order in which people normally read text. Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing? A: Top-posting. Q: What is the most annoying thing in e-mail?

17 years

1
0
0 0

OT: Linux netbooks?

by slawmaster＠gmail.com

Can anyone suggest a decent netbook for use with Linux? I'm looking for something reasonably priced, with compatible wireless, and preferably containing a hard drive rather than SSD. It would be nice to get a "real" resolution instead of 1024x600, but I don't expect that in a netbook. Replies can be off-list or on, depending on how interesting you think this topic might be to other members. Thanks John -- "Object-oriented design is the roman numerals of computing" -- Rob Pike

17 years

5
6
0 0

ELBUG monitor listing

by holger.veit＠iais.fraunhofer.de

Hi, maybe some Europeans may still remember the SC/MP project in Elektor/Elektuur around 1978. The hex monitor program "elbug" was published as a hex dump in issue Jan 1978 (German, maybe with a delta in other countries). This code did not yet appear in Internet; it is of historical interest, IMHO, though. You can find a commented listing at the following link: http://www.scribd.com/doc/18114130/ELBUG-monitor-listing (no, I won't accept any discussion about "better uploading to bitsavers" any more, Al may have a reason to ignore/neglect/reject my submissions). Regards Holger

17 years

3
4
0 0

Available: Commodore SX64's - Tampa FL.

by tosteve＠yahoo.com

Contact Jerry if interested:: --------------------------- > I have 2 Commodore SX64's that are not working. > I used to be heavily into commodore back in the day. > I ran "The Ravens Nest" BBS > ? > My contact info is > > jdraven at verizon.net ? > Jerry Werner > Tampa, Florida > --------------------------- Contact Jerry if interested^^^

17 years

1
0
0 0

Fw: HP 7880 Reel to Reel Tape Drive

by lee_courtney＠acm.org

Passing along the offer of a free HP 7880 tape drive. Contact the person below, not me. Lee C. --- On Tue, 8/4/09, Debby Flynn <dflynn at prologicredemption.com> wrote: > > My firm has a very old HP7880 Reel to > Reel Tape Drive that > we were going to turn over to a metal recycling > center.? A person I know said > that it may be of interest to a collector. > > Please let me know if you are > interested and if not, I will > just have it recycled. > > Thank you, > > Debby Flynn > > Director, Client Services > ProLogic Redemption Solutions > > 100 S. Alto Mesa > > El Paso, TX? 79912 > > P (915)581-6237 ext 121 > > F (915)584-7968 > > dflynn at prologicredemption.com

17 years

1
0
0 0

TEK 4107A and TEK 4209 color raster graphic terminals free for pickup in Seattl

by BIDDR7＠aol.com

STILL GOT THESE? IM INTERESTED THANKS MJ

17 years

2
1
0 0

MCA i860

by ken＠seefried.com

This looks like an interesting MCA i860 card. http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-i860-or-A80860XR-40-Super-CPU-Board-with-Mem_W0QQi… KJ

17 years

3
2
0 0

MCA i860

by hp-fix＠xs4all.nl

-----Original Message----- From: "Teo Zenios" <teoz at neo.rr.com> To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> Sent: 08/04/2009 7:20 Subject: Re: MCA i860 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ken Seefried" <ken at seefried.com> To: <cctalk at classiccmp.org> Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 12:45 AM Subject: MCA i860 > This looks like an interesting MCA i860 card. > > http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-i860-or-A80860XR-40-Super-CPU-Board-with-Mem_W0QQi… > > KJ >$250 is a bit pricey for a bare card don't >you think? It's all about perspective , isn't it ? Pricey for you cheap for him. If you want something bad enough you pay every price.

17 years

1
0
0 0

I'm sure someone has info on this...

by tiggerlasv＠aim.com

One can't really tell much without opening the back panel, but I will make a guess based on the photos provided in the auction listing, and typical system configurations from the period. It would appear that this is a PDP-11/23+ system. This is based on the basic "Micro PDP-11" medallion on the front panel, and the 2-port cab-kit, which is standard for the 11/23+ only. (11/53's, 11/73's, and 11/83's have single-port cabinet kits.) I see two 4-port cab-kits on there, which, based on the era is most likely a DHV11, but it could be a pair of DZV11's as well. There is a lone connector in one of the "A" slots, which could be just about anything. It sort of looks like the LPV11 cabinet kit with the 37-pin connector, but that is just speculation. The RX50's tell you that there should be an RQDXn controller installed (most likely an RQDX2) which might also indicate the presence of an RD52 or RD53 disk drive behind the front bezel. It probably has an MSV11-P memory card installed, for 512K of ram. The BA23 chassis looks to be the newer style, with black buttons on the front panel. Hopefully this indicates an upgraded power supply harness. Again, these are just the "most probable"; someone could have done some upgrades, but without a peek behind the panel or more information from the e-bay poster, it will be impossible to say for certain. T

17 years

6
6
0 0

Slightly-OT: Philips SAA5240 User's Manual

by philpem＠philpem.me.uk

Hi guys, I seem to recall there being a few folks here with copies of old Philips Semiconductor, Signetics and Mullard databooks kicking around... Basically, I've dug my old Ground Control UTA-1 "Universal Teletext Adapter" out of the cupboard, and I'd rather like to make it work on my Linux box. I've found some details on the CITAC chip that controls the tuning, and a bit more info on the tuner module, so at this point I can connect it up, get an I2C ACK from the CITAC, and tune in a channel. Problem is, my datasheet for the SAA5240A Teletext controller chip is either an early release, or is just plain incomplete. For a start, there's a reference to Ghost Rows Mode, which from what I can tell allows access to the "extended" Teletext data rows which carry the Fastext page-jumping data. Does anyone have a copy of the "SAA5240 user's manual" to hand? FWIW, I suspect the SAA5243 manual would be just as good, the register maps seem to be mostly identical... Thanks. -- Phil. philpem at philpem.me.uk http://www.philpem.me.uk/

17 years

4
8
0 0

PDP-8/11 bus interfacing ICs (Tobias Russell)

by gerhard.kreuzer＠liftoff.at

Hi Toby, please keep me informed, if you find some solution, I am also thinking of some project, but I want to develop an universal spare board, so you can easily replace a DEC board to find problems easier. With best regards Gerhard www.compuseum.at

17 years

1
0
0 0

MacLynx 2-7-1 sources

by spectre＠floodgap.com

Because I have nothing else to do, and because I actually did use MacLynx on my IIsi when all I had was 4MB of RAM and dialup SLIP, I decided to see if I could update MacLynx (which is based on the old Lynx 2-7-1) to something in the 2.8 range. However, I can't find the sources anywhere, and the Wayback Machine copy of the original site truncates the sources (1.5MB) at 1MB. Anyone out there still have a copy of this source code rotting somewhere? -- ------------------------------------ personal: http://www.cameronkaiser.com/ -- Cameron Kaiser * Floodgap Systems * www.floodgap.com * ckaiser at floodgap.com -- What's another word for thesaurus? -----------------------------------------

17 years

2
3
0 0

Re-request for 11/40 unibus clarification...

by derschjo＠mail.msu.edu

I'm still trying to figure out what's gone wrong with the unibus on my 11/40. To recap -- the machine is responsive if I run it without a terminator at the end of the bus; with a terminator installed the front panel is unresponsive. I've checked the following: - The NPG grants are continuous from the front to the back. - There are grant continuity cards in each empty slot. - I am running with a minimal configuration (only CPU and 64K MOS memory) I made one final discovery about two months ago -- the SPC slot in slot 9 of the main CPU backplane (which I am 100% sure is an SPC slot and not some special-purpose slot) does not work properly. I cannot get the Console SLU/LTC board to function when installed in slot 9 (which is where it's typically installed, or so I hear). It works fine in other unibus slots. I have three questions, any help on these would be, well... helpful. I'm hoping to have some time to play around with it in the coming months. 1) Is the NPG grant on the SPC slot on the processor backplane (slot 9) supposed to be connected to the NPG grants on the Unibus expansion? That is -- right now if I set my DMM to continuity mode and put one probe on CA1 on the first slot of the unibus expansion, and the other on CB1 on the last slot of the unibus expansion, since all NPG grant jumpers are in place, the DMM shows the circuit as closed. This is as I'd expect. However, if I move the probe from CA1 on the first slot of the expansion to CA1 on slot 9 of the processor backplane, the circuit is then open. I'm guessing this is not correct. (There is currently an NPG jumper installed on slot 9.) All other grant lines seem to be continuous. 2) Where is the +15V to the processor backplane supposed to be connected? (I suspect this may be the reason the SLU won't function in slot 9...). Right now it's plugged into pin CV1 on slot 9 (if I'm reading the Unibus pin chart right :)) but the docs I have found say this should be ACLO_L... 3) Does anyone have a wirelist for the 11/40 CPU backplane (or is this in any of the service/reference manuals)? Worst case, I can probe out the wiring and figure out what's missing/incorrect on slot 9. Thanks as always... Josh

17 years

1
0
0 0

I'm sure someone has info on this...

by tiggerlasv＠aim.com

On Sun Aug 2 07:25:04, Pete Turnbull wrote: -- Snip -- You mean a "microPDP-11/23". The badge could be any of the microPDP-11 series, as far as I can see. -- Snip -- The badge appears to say "Micro PDP-11" with no suffixes. 11/73's and 11/83's and 11/93's have their own badges, assuming it wasn't an upgrade. I can't speak to the 11/53. My intent was to just list the most likely contents of the chassis, so the poster could get an approximation of what kind of CPU and device(s) to expect, although I should have been more precise, and said "PDP-11/23+ BASED system", since the "Plus" only calls out the quad board vs the dual. -- Snip -- If it were an 11/23 variant it would much more likely be an RQDX1, but that's very similar. -- Snip -- It was my (mis?) understanding that the later BA23's had the black buttons on the front panel, which to me would suggest the chassis has the FCO'd power harness, and an RQDX2, for RD53 support. But again, this is all speculation. For all we know, there could be an 11/83 in there, with a RQDX3, DHQ11 and SCSI. ;-) T

17 years

2
1
0 0

N8VEM project status

by lynchaj＠yahoo.com

Hi All! It's been a while so I thought I'd post an update on the N8VEM home brew computing project. There are now 7 PCBs available for builders to build their own system; the Z80 SBC, ECB backplane, ECB bus monitor, ECB prototyping board, Disk IO (IDE & FDC), Zilog Peripherals (CTC, DART, & dual PIO), and the 6809 host processor. All the boards have been built by multiple builders so by now we know they work and most of the bugs found. There are a variety of builder projects underway and there is always room for new ones. I am presently working on a VDU board for composite character mode video with PS/2 keyboard and mouse support. The prototype is working and the PCB is in trace layout. I am also working with another builder to make a Propeller based IO board called the PropIO. I have a prototype assembled and some functionality. When it is done, it will provide VGA video support, PS/2 keyboard, and micro SD storage. Especially if you've been itching to build that new peripheral board or custom SBC please consider joining us and using the substantial resources available for home brew computing hobbyists. If anyone would like to join the N8VEM project and build their own home brew computer please contact me by email. Thanks and have a nice day! Andrew Lynch

17 years

1
0
0 0

PDP-8/11 bus interfacing ICs

by toby＠coreware.co.uk

I've just got some prototyping boards from Douglas Electronics that I'm planning on using to build some prototype cards for my -8s and -11s. My intentions are to develop an interface to a PC to implement some virtual storage devices. If all goes well I'd like produce these cards in small volumes and so I'm keen to use off the shelf components as far as possible. The main problem of course is the bus receivers and drivers as these are pretty much unobtainable as far as I can tell. I'd therefore like to find suitable alternatives. Does anyone have any suggestions of suitable devices? Examples of chips I'm looking to replace are the DEC 8881 driver, DEC 8640 (or DEC 380) receiver. Thanks, Toby -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.

17 years

1
0
0 0

Russian emulator announce preliminary PDP11 emulation

by stephane.tsacas＠gmail.com

From: http://soviet-pc.narod.ru/changes.html - added simple script editor with syntax highlighting; - more visible drive icons flashing on access; - preliminary implementation of PDP-11 compatible 16-bit CPU; - added configs of Soviet PDP-11 compatile home comuter "BK-0010.xx". - preliminary implementation of Motorola 68000 32/16-bit CPU; - added config of Sega Genesis console (not workable, to test CPU); - some other small changes, fixes, cleanups and improvements. -- Stephane http://3w.posterous.com

17 years

1
0
0 0

I'm sure someone has info on this...

by mdavidson1963＠gmail.com

Ebay item #250475444508 It's listed as a complete PDP-11. I was hoping someone could shed some light on this system, as it looks interesting. Thanks. Mark Davidson mdavidson1963 at gmail.com

17 years

1
0
0 0

FS cheap: PC-related manuals

by charlesmorris800＠centurytel.net

While cleaning I found, still sealed in the original shrink wrap and marked "For Distribution Only With a New PC": Microsoft MS-DOS User's Guide (6.22) Microsoft Windows User's Guide (think it's 3.0 or maybe 3.1) Lotus Organizer Release 1.1 User Manual ... also, unwrapped, but in good shape: ClarisWorks Handbook for Windows DeskMate User's Reference dated 2/91 Please make any reasonable offer (gas & beer money :) if interested, before I pitch them in the dumpster... shipping from zip 65775. thanks Charles

17 years

1
0
0 0

Wanted - Philips SAA5240 User's Manual, or parts thereof

by classiccmp＠philpem.me.uk

(This is a repost; my first attempt seems to have vanished into the aether) Hi guys, Apologies for the slight OT-ness of this post, but I seem to recall there being a few folks here with copies of old Philips Semiconductor, Signetics and Mullard databooks kicking around... Basically, I've dug my old Ground Control UTA-1 "Universal Teletext Adapter" out of the cupboard, and I'd rather like to make it work on my Linux box. I've found some details on the CITAC chip that controls the tuning, and a bit more info on the tuner module, so at this point I can connect it up, get an I2C ACK from the CITAC, and tune in a channel. Problem is, my datasheet for the SAA5240A Teletext controller chip is either an early release, or is just plain incomplete. For a start, there's a reference to Ghost Rows Mode, which from what I can tell allows access to the "extended" Teletext data rows which carry the Fastext page-jumping data. Does anyone have a copy of the Philips/Signetics/Mullard "SAA5240 User's Manual" to hand? If so, I could do with scans or photocopies of parts of it, especially the stuff about Ghost Row mode. I'm also open to buying the book outright if anyone wants to get rid of theirs... FWIW, I suspect the SAA5243 or SAA5246 manual would be just as good, the register maps seem to be more or less identical (based on the datasheets). Hardly surprising, really. Thanks. -- Phil. classiccmp at philpem.me.uk http://www.philpem.me.uk/

17 years

1
0
0 0

Andromeda Systems (ebay)

by trag＠io.com

> Date: Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:33:42 -0700 (PDT) > From: William Maddox <wmaddox at pacbell.net> > > Ebay Item # 350229860975 > > VINTAGE ANDROMEDA SYSTEMS 11/B ASI TAPE/DISK DRIVE > > Despite the seller's description, this looks to be a complete > computer. Any idea what it is? I don't know, but if you hurt your back lifting it, you'll have the Andromeda Strain.... Jeff Walther

17 years

4
3
0 0

UNIBUS PCB mailers

by silvercreekvalley＠yahoo.com

Looking for some UNIBUS size PCB mailing boxes. Sending various spare boards out to people and have run out of mailing boxes that are suitable. UK if possible. Mail me of list if you have anything. Thanks! Ian.

17 years

1
0
0 0

Very strange auction

by evan＠snarc.net

On the surface, it's an auction for a Kenbak-1. In reality it's the "CTI" version. But moreso, the seller is auctioning "full rights" to the current owner's autobiography .... !? That is very strange. Suppose someone wants to write a book disparaging this man. http://cgi.ebay.com/KENBAK-1-Vintage-PC-with-Books-Schematics-Much-More_W0Q…

17 years

2
1
0 0

Very strange auction

by wmaddox＠pacbell.net

--- On Thu, 7/30/09, Evan Koblentz <evan at snarc.net> wrote: > In reality it's the "CTI" version.? But moreso, the > seller is auctioning "full rights" to the current owner's > autobiography .... !?? That is very strange. > > Suppose someone wants to write a book disparaging this > man. I believe Mr. Nielson has already written an autobiography (indeed, an *auto*biography is, by definition, written by its subject), and is acutioning the rights to publish it. --Bill

17 years

1
0
0 0

IBM System/3 turns 40 !

by h.j.stegeman＠hccnet.nl

Hi all, On 30 July 1969 IBM announced the IBM System/3 in the United States. It is today fourty year ago that IBM offered the first medium-sized computer for the small business companies. The System/3 was not compatible with the System/360, as it featured a complete new architecture. It also featured a complete new punch card format, which was a small revolution within IBM. See for the development story behind the System/3: http://www.ibmsystem3.nl/hist.html IBM promoted this new system with a 14 minute promotion movie. This movie can be seen on youtube. Be patient, it takes until 3:22 until you find out what it's about: "Are you getting the most out of your workforce and tools?" And until 8:18 before you see the new S/3. See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRS3eXQ9gGY and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3Jrn9yNZAM During its live span approx 50,000 System/3 where build. Today only a few have escaped the scrapyard. The number of still running S/3 can be counted on one hand. See: http://www.ibmsystem3.nl/remaining.html After the succesful S/3 IBM announced the S/32, S/34, S/36, S/38 and AS/400. The S/38 was architecturally completely new compared to the S/3/32/34/36 All System/3 models had been withdrawn from marketing by June 1985. --//--

17 years, 1 month

5
6
0 0

am29c111

by emu＠e-bbes.com

Trying again, nobady has a datasheet for them ? Thanks in advance

17 years, 1 month

3
3
0 0

DEC RP02/RP03 issues

by hachti＠hachti.de

Hi folks, I just stumbled across two RP02 and RP03 disk drives (2 RP02, 1 RP03) in probably repairable condition. We have all cables (power, "bus", "unit") needed to hook the beasts to a RP10 controller of a pdp10. Thinking of restoring and connecting them to a Unibus pdp11. The issues: - No controller - No media (RP02/03 use the same pack) - No information I currently don't even know if there's a special sector layout for pdp10, pdp11 etc. (like with RK05 drives). Or if there are any RP11 (or RP211?) controllers around. Does someone know anything? Have documentation? Have a controller? Packs? Does someone know anything about pack compatibilities? That could help a lot! The packs seem to have 10 disks and two half disks (only one surface used). I have not seen one. Any hints welcome. Best wishes, Philipp :-)

17 years, 1 month

8
11
0 0

2026

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1997

test-drb