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

CP-M Z80 home brew computer circuit board

by cclist＠sydex.com

From: "Andrew Lynch" > Implementing floppy IO can take on many variations and picking the FDC > is just the first of many challenges [FDC1793? NEC765? SMC9266? > WD2797?]. What about the data separator? Few chips remain and viable > sources are scarce. Even integrated FDCs with built in data separators > are not readily available. The WD1770/1772/1773 is still my favorite "almost no external circuitry" chip, but they're getting harder to find, in spite of being used on Atari and Commodore boxes. You don't need to buffer the floppy interface and the things have integrated data separators-- and come in a 28-pin package. I wonder if it might be practical to implement an FDC in a uC or even a CPLD. Common sense might be to use an IDE-interface floppy, such as a Superdrive (again, getting scarce) or implement a USB UHCI to interface to USB floppies (still easy to find). I shudder to think at the effort and space required to implement a USB stack in Z80 code, however. Cheers, Chuck

18 years, 2 months

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Apple 1 on eBay

by cclist＠sydex.com

> Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2008 22:27:44 -0700 (PDT) > From: Sellam Ismail > I only know where the ones are that I know of :) I am discovering roughly > 2 new ones out in the wild every year or so, though I expect that trend to > drop off sharply over time as I've already located 42 so far and my > research tells me that there are probably (PROBABLY) no more than 50 still > in existence. I suspect that many of them are still in the Bay Area--I vaguely recall a Homebrew meeting or two where they were being sold to the membership for a substantial discount off the $666.66 retail price. Of course, the S-100 clan didn't think much of the board. After all, it was just a board... Cheers, Chuck

18 years, 2 months

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CP-M Z80 home brew computer circuit board

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: CP-M Z80 home brew computer circuit board > From: "bfranchuk at jetnet.ab.ca" <bfranchuk at jetnet.ab.ca> > Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 11:06:33 -0600 > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > >Andrew Lynch wrote: >> -----REPLY----- >> >> Hi! Thanks Jim for the comments. Please let me address the issues raised >> by Ben: >> >> If you look closely at the SBC design, you'll notice it has a feature even >> better than a floppy controller -- it has a fully buffered IO bus! It >> contains all the Z80 signals brought out to the DIN 41612 connector. The >> peripheral bus adheres to the published ECB standard. >> >> If you want floppy IO, the solution is simple -- just design one and attach >> it to the bus! I have already done this with my Disk IO board (IDE and >> NEC765 FDC) which plugs into my home brew ECB backplane along with the SBC. >> Assuming there is enough interest in these home brew SBCs, I hope to make a >> PCB version of the Disk IO board. >> >Well when you get a PCB of the Disk I/O board , I'll take the set of PCB's. >Will a 8272 (intel) Disk controler replace the NEC765? for the floppy >controler The 8272 and 765 are interchangeable and available. If you can find a WD37c65 thats far less pars to implement fdc. Myself I'd suggest to Andrew to not mess with floppy. Everyone has their own idea of what to use and how it should be done and what formats it MUST support. >for the track formatting for CP/M? Unicorn Electronics is my favorite >shopping for electronic parts and I can find a 8272 there. JDRmico has them too. Having done way to many floppy based sytems and having many on hand doing something without the noise, power needs and limited space is a welcome change. Sonmetimes working with cpm is not about floppies but instead the OS itself. Allison > >> >> Yes, this SBC is a slightly modern variation of a vintage Z80 CP/M design. >> I relaxed some of the traditions to make it affordable, reliable, and still >> useful. The P112, while an excellent design and a wonderful SBC, costs $165 >> for a kit when it is available. I know of no other hobbyist Z80 projects >> where one can purchase the PCB. >> >> There are many Z80 designs available, however, without a PCB it means most >> hobbyists will have to use temporary breadboards, wire wrap, or prototype >> boards. None of those lend themselves to long term reliable solutions -- >> especially for a wide range of hobbyist builders. >> >> The SBC PCB is meant to be *low cost* and the *common* element of a home >> brew computer with *simple* IO. Adding unnecessary and complex IO >> peripherals increases PCB area and cost, raises part count, and pushes away >> the hobbyists it is meant for. >> >> Selecting IO has to be done very carefully. Not everyone who builds this >> SBC wants floppy IO. I have had numerous requests for many forms of IO >> ranging from SCSI, IDE, floppy, CF, SD, USB, the Zilog peripherals, etc. >> There is no solution which will satisfy everyone. >> >> Implementing floppy IO can take on many variations and picking the FDC is >> just the first of many challenges [FDC1793? NEC765? SMC9266? WD2797?]. What >> about the data separator? Few chips remain and viable sources are scarce. >> Even integrated FDCs with built in data separators are not readily >> available. >> >> Please remember, this is a *home brew* computer project -- a *real* Z80 >> running CP/M 2.2 on *real* hardware. It is what you make of it. If all you >> want is a PC CP/M emulator then this project is not for you. >> >> Thanks and have a nice day! >> >> Andrew Lynch >> >> >>

18 years, 2 months

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big bucks for a Tek computer on eBay

by chrism3667＠yahoo.com

Man it would have been nice to own one of these: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=220243243508&ssPage… or item # 220243243508 apparently 6800 based. O woe is me. 322$ + 90$ shipping. O woe is me. why are these things so rare? sniff

18 years, 2 months

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CP-M Z80 home brew computer circuit board

by lynchaj＠yahoo.com

CP/M Z80 home brew computer circuit board bfranchuk at jetnet.ab.ca bfranchuk at jetnet.ab.ca <mailto:cctalk%40classiccmp.org?Subject=CP/M%20Z80%20home%20brew%20computer% 20circuit%20board&In-Reply-To=48546EA0.8000301%40pacbell.net> Sat Jun 14 21:08:23 CDT 2008 * Previous message: CP/M Z80 home brew computer circuit board * Next message: Fwd: Manual "IBM Card" Punch on eBay... * Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ] ________________________________ Jim Battle wrote: > > Great, Ben! I look forward to seeing your design. Debug it, document > it, put up a web page, build PCBs, and offer to sell them at cost and > see how many grumbles you get. > Well when you think about it , I can down load a Z80 - CP/M emulator that is just as fast and I can read emulated disks from my PC. When I think CP/M I think floppy disk and I think you still can get the floppy disk controller chips. -----REPLY----- Hi! Thanks Jim for the comments. Please let me address the issues raised by Ben: If you look closely at the SBC design, you'll notice it has a feature even better than a floppy controller -- it has a fully buffered IO bus! It contains all the Z80 signals brought out to the DIN 41612 connector. The peripheral bus adheres to the published ECB standard. If you want floppy IO, the solution is simple -- just design one and attach it to the bus! I have already done this with my Disk IO board (IDE and NEC765 FDC) which plugs into my home brew ECB backplane along with the SBC. Assuming there is enough interest in these home brew SBCs, I hope to make a PCB version of the Disk IO board. Yes, this SBC is a slightly modern variation of a vintage Z80 CP/M design. I relaxed some of the traditions to make it affordable, reliable, and still useful. The P112, while an excellent design and a wonderful SBC, costs $165 for a kit when it is available. I know of no other hobbyist Z80 projects where one can purchase the PCB. There are many Z80 designs available, however, without a PCB it means most hobbyists will have to use temporary breadboards, wire wrap, or prototype boards. None of those lend themselves to long term reliable solutions -- especially for a wide range of hobbyist builders. The SBC PCB is meant to be *low cost* and the *common* element of a home brew computer with *simple* IO. Adding unnecessary and complex IO peripherals increases PCB area and cost, raises part count, and pushes away the hobbyists it is meant for. Selecting IO has to be done very carefully. Not everyone who builds this SBC wants floppy IO. I have had numerous requests for many forms of IO ranging from SCSI, IDE, floppy, CF, SD, USB, the Zilog peripherals, etc. There is no solution which will satisfy everyone. Implementing floppy IO can take on many variations and picking the FDC is just the first of many challenges [FDC1793? NEC765? SMC9266? WD2797?]. What about the data separator? Few chips remain and viable sources are scarce. Even integrated FDCs with built in data separators are not readily available. Please remember, this is a *home brew* computer project -- a *real* Z80 running CP/M 2.2 on *real* hardware. It is what you make of it. If all you want is a PC CP/M emulator then this project is not for you. Thanks and have a nice day! Andrew Lynch

18 years, 2 months

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Anyone need a TI Professional PC monitor & video card?

by derschjo＠msu.edu

Picked up what turned out to be a video card & monitor for a TI Professional PC, thinking I might be able to use it in one of my old PCs to experiment with one of the "also rans" of the early PC video card biz :). Unfortunately while it may be ISA compatible (is it?), the card is longer than the standard "full length" and it won't fit into any of my machines. No idea if it works, monitor powers up OK. If you want it, it's yours. It's in the Seattle area. Let me know, Josh

18 years, 2 months

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(copy of ) Apple I on ebay

by tonym＠compusource.net

Sounds too dang fishy....too many coincidences... Sold on eBay, bought on eBay, relisted on eBay... Oh - and both in Indiana, and HAPPEN to know each other? Pictures of 2 auctions show same item, except the cassette adapter is washed out on upper-right corner, where it was evident they tried to remove the word "homebrew" and whatever else? Doesn't have any idea on this stuff, and dropped nearly 4 large ($4K) on it? I wouldn't buy an athlete's autograph for over $100 without some 3rd-party authentication, and he drops $4K like that? Selling something as what it's not, such as that, is fraud, and being near $4000, that's Grand Theft and a Felony in every state of our fair country - and he's not worried about losing $4K? Oh, and his buddy "Mark" bought it from him for $1500? Dang - another coincidence - that seller (2nd one, claiming it was real) HIS name happens to be Mark as well, as evidenced by his only current eBay listing, where he answers a question, and putting "~Mark" at the end: http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-Apple-Computer-Freestyle-Tablet-PowerBook-Laptop_W… Has no idea, no knowledge of the stuff, yet in the auction listing he says he hooked it all up and tested it with an 'ACSII' <sic> keyboard? Come on - a n00b knowing nothing can do that? In the listing, he says it was blown off because it had a thick layer of dust? Hmm...I didn't see that on the FIRST listing...plus, didn't he claim it was in a display case, which was supposedly available for local pickup? Sorry - I don't buy it. Maybe I'm more cynical than most, but that whole string of cr at p is unbelievable. I see too many similarities in completed auctions of BOTH of those eBay ID's. He saw the first listing, saw the clone was local, he bought it, tried to scam it on fleaBay, and he got spanked in his attempt. Thanks to the eagle-eyed honest folks out here, someone did NOT get ripped off. Nice catch, guys! Tony -----Original Message----- From: Evan Koblentz evan at snarc.net Sent 6/15/2008 1:27:35 AM To: 'General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts' cctalk at classiccmp.org Subject: RE: (copy of ) Apple I on ebay I traded some email tonight with the seller. His replies were interesting so I asked if I could share them here on cctalk. He said yes. ---------------- In the first message he said (exact quote, unedited): Well, I didn't want people getting something they don't want or expect, thats not what I'm about. BTW after talking to my friend locally... The whole story and truth came out about this computer! So, the guy (a long close freind of mine ebay account MacEffects bought this from the seller listed recently, and sold to a guy in a city about 20 miles away... I love auctions, went to what I thought was an Estate auction... But it was a house full of scams... And it was being offered as the real deal, and advertised in local paper, sevral bidders, I won it for $3950 (a low price I thought, but I didn't know of this Obtonic computer), and figured I'd make some money being that I have no idea of these computers, or collect (serious) anyways, I thought I'd sell it... Turns out, I got screwed, he won't take it back and the cops are 'investigating' him for other things similar to it, anyways my buddy in town Mark bought it for $1500 off me (he lost a little) but, its better then nothing, he plans to sell it as well. I lost an additional $160 on eBay listings .. I tried going on your site, but I can't figure out the Forum thing. Are you a member there? Anyways, thanks for helping me out I appricate it, I got 30 e-mails in 6 hours, so I pulled it, the 4 'experts' are wrong... pfft, happens, it fooled ME! Then in a second message he said (again, unedited): Yeah, its odd... The net makes it a small world, rarity that I ended up with something a good friend and fellow "noob" collector, both had it, and not directly. But life happens, anyways, yeah if you could just let them no, I didn't try to scam anyone, as I pulled the auction within 1.5 days of being listed, I don't want anyone to get screwed, it happened to me, but it sucks, and I don't want someone else to go though it. Anyway if you'd let them know that'd be nice, if not thats fine too. Just don't want a bad rep. Thanks Again. ------------------ So there ya'll have it. According to this seller, he got fooled. At first he heard from some self-proclaimed "Apple experts" (probably just fanboys) insisting it is a REAL unit. Then he got a bunch of emails from we crazy cctalk'ers who scared him into reality. :) -----Original Message----- From: Evan Koblentz [mailto:evan at snarc.net] Sent: Saturday, June 14, 2008 11:01 PM To: 'General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts' Subject: RE: (copy of ) Apple I on ebay Yah, right - just so happened that he got busted trying to rip people off. It appears, at least in my opinion, that the seller was merely uninformed and/or in denial because HE got duped -- not trying to scam anyone. Or at least that's what I want to believe ...

18 years, 2 months

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(copy of ) Apple I on ebay

by tonym＠compusource.net

Seller pulled the auction....says he will "return the item to the person he bought it from" Yah, right - just so happened that he got busted trying to rip people off. Oh, btw, I just found a 1970 Hemi Cuda Convertible in a barn in central florida - first $200K gets it! Tony -----Original Message----- From: Grant Stockly grant at stockly.com Sent 6/14/2008 10:00:23 PM To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts cctalk at classiccmp.org Subject: Re: (copy of ) Apple I on ebay Does anyone have high-resolution scans of a known genuine board and an obtronix replica? I'll share with everyone... http://www.stockly.com/images4/080614-Obtronix_Top.jpg http://www.stockly.com/images4/080614-Vintage_Apple1_Top.jpg http://www.stockly.com/images4/080614-Vintage_Apple1_Cassette_Topt.GIF

18 years, 2 months

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Apple 1 on eBay

by sellam＠vintagetech.com

Well, I thought I'd chime in since I'm somewhat of an "expert" on these. As has been thoroughly deduced already, the board in question was an obvious fake. The lack of the copyright message, the font of the lettering, the contour of the PCB traces, and the other more fine details are all dead giveaways. It's obviously and Obtronix clone. The fact that the definitive telltale marks have been washed from the board is damning. I'm sure there's an interesting story behind this either way. With regards to the auction text: "Trophy For 1st place 2002 Vintage Computer & Electronics Faire" If the guy was talking about the Vintage Computer Festival then I don't know what he's talking about. We didn't feature any Apple-1 in the exhibits at VCF 5.0 in 2002. Al said: "I though Sellam knew where all of them were?" I only know where the ones are that I know of :) I am discovering roughly 2 new ones out in the wild every year or so, though I expect that trend to drop off sharply over time as I've already located 42 so far and my research tells me that there are probably (PROBABLY) no more than 50 still in existence. I emphasize "probably" because this number was deduced through research that was not exacting (I can provide details if there's interest). I'm glad the guy had the sense to pull the auction. -- Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org [ Old computing resources for business || Buy/Sell/Trade Vintage Computers ] [ and academia at www.VintageTech.com || at http://marketplace.vintage.org ]

18 years, 2 months

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(copy of ) Apple I on ebay

by labomb_s＠yahoo.com

> > Is anyone else questioning if this 'original' might instead be one of Steve > Gabaly's > > (aka 'obtronix') replicas? > > > That appears to be the case. The Rockwell 40 pin chip is wrong as well. > > Unfortuantely, "counterfeits" doesn't appear to be in any of the categories > eBay lets you report. In taking a second look, the cassette board doesn't have a copyright message (or NTI logo) because it too, appears to have been specifically altered to remove Steve's 'Homebrew 2005' message. What a shame... Scott

18 years, 2 months

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CP/M Z80 home brew computer circuit board

by lynchaj＠yahoo.com

Hi, If anyone would like to make their own low cost home brew Z80 CP/M computer please contact me by email. I have manufactured PCBs available for sale for $20 each plus shipping. Preprogrammed EPROMs are also available for sale. The hardware and software are documented including schematics, source code, binary images, PCB layout, parts list, etc. Details of the single board computer are available at: http://groups.google.com/group/n8vem Thanks! Andrew Lynch

18 years, 2 months

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(copy of ) Apple I on ebay

by aek＠bitsavers.org

> Is anyone else questioning if this 'original' might instead be one of Steve Gabaly's > (aka 'obtronix') replicas? That appears to be the case. The Rockwell 40 pin chip is wrong as well. Unfortuantely, "counterfeits" doesn't appear to be in any of the categories eBay lets you report.

18 years, 2 months

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Apple I on ebay

by labomb_s＠yahoo.com

----- Original Message ---- > > Apple I on eBay with Bid Now of $19,9999 or starting bid of $9,9999. It's > 220246191431 Is anyone else questioning if this 'original' might instead be one of Steve Gabaly's (aka 'obtronix') replicas? Note the lack of the copyright message under the close-up of the 'Apple Computer 1' logo (I believe the original has 'Palo Alto, Ca. Copyright 1976'). Also note that the edge connector appears to have tin plated pads (like Steve's replica) vs. gold plated pads (like the original). Coincidentally, there appears to be an air-brushed (or rubbed out) spot on the back of the board ...precisely in the spot where Steve included the 'Homebrew 2005' message to help differentiate his replica from the original. Last, the ROM labels on the cassette board are identical to those provided with Steve's cassette board kit (and I thought that the original cassette board had a copyright message on the upper right corner as well). Can't speak for the referenced owner manuals, certificates, etc... (conveniently not pictured ...I would think that the $20k asking price would warrant a couple of extra pix of those items). Scott

18 years, 2 months

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sorry for the downtime

by jwest＠dewey.classiccmp.org

A list member emailed me saying there appeared to be a problem with the list. When I looked at the server I saw the usual problem, fixed it, and neglected to check further (this is a reoccuring problem that I have to "fix" every month or so). I assumed as usual this would fix the problem and was in a hurry to get out the door. Turns out, this time there was also something else amiss, so I went through a day or two of "it's already fixed" emails, only to find out it wasn't. My apologies, all should be well now. Jay West

18 years, 2 months

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Apple I on ebay

by aek＠bitsavers.org

"This computer will only be sold to a MUSEUM OR SERIOUS COLLECTOR ONLY" eBay is absolutely the WRONG venue to try proving that. The whole notion of someone going to an estate sale and picking this up is unfortunate as well. I though Sellam knew where all of them were?

18 years, 2 months

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Apple I on ebay

by jrkeys＠concentric.net

Apple I on eBay with Bid Now of $19,9999 or starting bid of $9,9999. It's 220246191431 John

18 years, 2 months

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PDP8: Anybody with RALF assembler experience?

by hachti＠hachti.de

Hi folks, I recently added a LAB-8/e (PDP-8/e) to my collection. Most of the machine is just running fine (except that I still urgently need at least 8K of core!!). One of the two racks contains the FPP-12 floating point processor. So I can write programs in FORTRAN IV, compile them and run them on the FPP. An awsome device - with it, the 8/e becomes a real dual core machine as the FPP-12 fetches its own instructions from core by data breaks (getting at most half of the 8's memory bandwidth). Now I want to run my Mandelbrot set program written for the H316 on the 8/e with FPP as well. The FORTRAN IV code was quite compatible (had to adjust some of the FORMAT statements and IO channel numbers). But now I want to write a "putchar" routine needed by the program. On the H316 that was simple: One CPU, perfectly documented calling conventions etc. On the 8/e the FORTRAN IV compiler produces output for the RALF assembler. RALF is capable of producing machine code for PDP-8 *and* the FPP as well. The main part of FORTRAN IV programs (nearly everything except IO) runs on the FPP. Subroutine calling and argument passing are also done on the FPP. I now want to know if there are people out there who are able to help me to program a simple PDP-8 assembler subroutine that can be called from within a FORTRAN IV program. Sounds easy - but isn't. I have written a template function and then compiled to RALF assembly - I don't understand very much :-( If anyone has experience with the FPP, RALF and "trapping" (they really call it that way) to PDP-8 code, **please** get in touch with me! Many thanks and best wishes, Philipp :-) P.S.: In FORTRAN IV the desired subroutine would have a signature like "SUBROUTINE PCHAR(I)"

18 years, 2 months

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IBM 5120 (~1980) , IBM 5363 free in Gainesville, FL

by tosteve＠yahoo.com

They are not mine, do not contact me, contact: PyramidMotorLine at aol.com if interested. Actually, it's an IBM 5110-3 with the 5103 printer - no 5114 floppy drive. Also, IBM 5363 newer model of the System/36. Some pics here: http://www.geocities.com/tosteve/5120.jpg http://www.geocities.com/tosteve/5363.jpg They are not mine, do not contact me, contact: PyramidMotorLine at aol.com if interested.

18 years, 2 months

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Basic interpreter 8080 source code needed

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Basic interpreter 8080 source code needed > From: Jeff Erwin <jerwin at PureNetworks.com> > Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:30:08 -0700 > To: <cctech at classiccmp.org> > > >I have my Imsai 8080 fully running and communicating with my Mac Pro as a >dumb terminal. Many thanks to this group for helpful pushing along the way.. >I have also modified SCS1, the Imsai monitor program, to my liking and have >it burned into PROM. Since I do not yet have a floppy system for this >antique, I wrote an Intel hex format loader and just send the hex files over >the serial line to load them. > >Life is good. > >What I am looking for now is the 8080 asm source code to a good 8K basic >interpreter. I found one called TinyBasic but it was so concerned with >space the author built in a ton of self-modifying code and trying to follow >the logic is like untying a plate of spaghetti. I have another one called >BASIC85 which is better but assumes a VIO memory-addressable video system. >If necessary I will take this one apart and make it work. I hear a lot >about Imsai having an 8K basic, and I can find the manuals, but I can?t seem >to locate the actual 8080 source. > >Anyone out there know of or have the asm source code to a basic interpreter >or know what became of the Imsai Basic8K? There are a pot load of BASICs on the net in source form. One can be found on the Dave's old Computers [Dave Dunfield]. Others are around try looking for LLL Basic. Tinybasic is a good one really despite appearances as it was from my memory romable [There were several different ones]. Get back with what you find. I do have LLL and a version of PT 5K basics in my archive and I got them off the net. Allison > >Jeff Erwin

18 years, 2 months

2
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Fwd: Manual "IBM Card" Punch on eBay...

by lbickley＠bickleywest.com

My Oops, that should have been Wright Line Model 2600, not "Write Line...". Sigh, it's a Friday... Lyle ---------- Forwarded Message ---------- Subject: Manual "IBM Card" Punch on eBay... Date: Friday 13 June 2008 14:03 From: Lyle Bickley <lbickley at bickleywest.com> To: "General Discussion: On-Topic Posts Only" <cctech at classiccmp.org>, Bay Area Collector List <baccl at lists.baccl.net> There is a Write Line Model 2600 IBM Card Punch on eBay (#370060251979). I know the seller (Weirdstuff Warehouse) - and took a look at it. It is in good shape - the escapement works fine and the keys don't stick. One of the folks at Weirdstuff punched blank IBM cards I gave him (which is what you see in the eBay pictures). I would bid on this item myself - but I've managed to "avoid" card reader and punch I/O ;-) This is not my item (i.e., consignment) - nor do I have any business interest in this auction. Regards, Lyle -- Lyle Bickley Bickley Consulting West Inc. Mountain View, CA http://bickleywest.com "Black holes are where God is dividing by zero" ------------------------------------------------------- -- Lyle Bickley Bickley Consulting West Inc. Mountain View, CA http://bickleywest.com "Black holes are where God is dividing by zero"

18 years, 2 months

1
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HP 7035B Plotter replacement drive belt?

by neilm＠excaliburengineering.com

Hello Tom, Do you have any replacement parts or are willing to part with your 7035B? Best Regards, Neil J. McGee Excalibur Engineering 9201 Irvine Blvd. Irvine, CA 92618 P - 949-454-6603 xt 26 F - 949-454-6642 www.excaliburengineering.com <http://www.excaliburengineering.com/> "The only way to beat the lawyers is to die with nothing." - Will Rogers

18 years, 2 months

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Manual "IBM Card" Punch on eBay...

by lbickley＠bickleywest.com

There is a Write Line Model 2600 IBM Card Punch on eBay (#370060251979). I know the seller (Weirdstuff Warehouse) - and took a look at it. It is in good shape - the escapement works fine and the keys don't stick. One of the folks at Weirdstuff punched blank IBM cards I gave him (which is what you see in the eBay pictures). I would bid on this item myself - but I've managed to "avoid" card reader and punch I/O ;-) This is not my item (i.e., consignment) - nor do I have any business interest in this auction. Regards, Lyle -- Lyle Bickley Bickley Consulting West Inc. Mountain View, CA http://bickleywest.com "Black holes are where God is dividing by zero"

18 years, 2 months

1
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Replacemnets for F8 Microprocessors

by jrr＠flippers.com

Has anyone seen a replacement part for the older F8 series of Fairchild/Mostek 3850/3851 etc. components? Or possibly the Mostek 3870 single chip CPU replacement? I have an application that needs a few of these replaced... John :-#)# -- John's Jukes Ltd. 2343 Main St., Vancouver, BC, Canada V5T 3C9 Call (604)872-5757 or Fax 872-2010 (Pinballs, Jukes, VideoGames) www.flippers.com "Old pinballers never die, they just flip out"

18 years, 2 months

2
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sunos sources? (pre solaris)

by brad＠heeltoe.com

I know this is probably the wrong place to ask, but I'll claim sunos is vintage, or at least classic :-) Anyone know anything about old sunos sources, like sunos 2.0, or 4.1? Since solaris is now more "open", I wondered if sunos might also be. I keep fiddling with booting sunos 2.0 on the sun2 emulator. It's close - I got a banner at one point but still won't go. I'd love to look at the code where it probes the multibus... -brad

18 years, 2 months

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IMSAI BASIC source

by jefferwin＠gmail.com

> >> >> I have my Imsai 8080 fully running and communicating with my Mac Pro as a >> dumb terminal. Many thanks to this group for helpful pushing along the way. >> I have also modified SCS1, the Imsai monitor program, to my liking and have >> it burned into PROM. Since I do not yet have a floppy system for this >> antique, I wrote an Intel hex format loader and just send the hex files over >> the serial line to load them. >> >> Life is good. >> >> What I am looking for now is the 8080 asm source code to a good 8K basic >> interpreter. I found one called TinyBasic but it was so concerned with >> space the author built in a ton of self-modifying code and trying to follow >> the logic is like untying a plate of spaghetti. I have another one called >> BASIC85 which is better but assumes a VIO memory-addressable video system. >> If necessary I will take this one apart and make it work. I hear a lot >> about Imsai having an 8K basic, and I can find the manuals, but I can?t seem >> to locate the actual 8080 source. >> >> Anyone out there know of or have the asm source code to a basic interpreter >> or know what became of the Imsai Basic8K? > > I have an itty-bitty (3K) integer basic for the 8080 which I wrote way back in > the 70's. You can get it up and running pretty easily and it doesn't depend on > any special I/O ... Source is included on my Altair disks, which you can > access > under my simulator (you can also run the BASIC to try it out if you like). > > I have a number of other 8080 code bits which you might find useful - editor, > assembler, disassembler, debugger, games etc. much of which is also available > in my Altair disks. > > Regards, > Dave > > -- > dave06a (at) Dave Dunfield > dunfield (dot) Firmware development services & tools: www.dunfield.com > com Collector of vintage computing equipment: > http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/index.html > Dave, I did purchase your kit and am using your asm85 (I do have a couple of questions but it can wait), many thanks for having these available. Most of the BASIC source I have found is either poorly written or so tightly wound into a specific hardware implementation that it isn't really usable. I did recently find something called BASIC-5.ASM, written by a Kevin Jordon and modified by a Jeff Zurkow. It looks to be the Processor Tech 5K BASIC adapted for CPM. It looks like I can pretty easily stub the CPM calls and replace them with the IO routines I have created. For anyone interested or anyone who has an IMSAI 8080 with a basic rs232 IO system, I have modified SCS1 (the Imsai monitor) to be a bit more robust as a debugger and to include an Intel HEX loader and Cromemco ByteSaverII prom programming system. I also have the BASIC5K source which appears to be pretty clean and well documented. I haven't found a lick of self-modifing code in it! I am more than happy to make these sources available. Jeff Erwin

18 years, 2 months

1
0
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Silly uses for stepper motors

by trixter＠oldskool.org

Okay, so I saw this today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4SCSGRVAQE It's a video of a floppy disk drive playing music by screwing with the stepper motor. It is my understanding that the video was a hardware hack, but it got me thinking... For those who know floppy drives well, do you think such a thing could be possible via IBM PC floppy controller software calls only? Or is a hardware hack required to generate the right frequencies? -- 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/

18 years, 2 months

7
7
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HP 85 error 23

by vp＠cs.drexel.edu

> My HP 85 starts up with "Error 23 SELF TEST" > but seems to work. Does anybody know how > to get it to be more specific about what > isn't working correctly? thanks, -kurt You may want to check the service manual for the HP-85 http://www.series80.org/PDFs/HP85-RepairCourse.pdf (username: pdf, passwd: iamhuman) There is also a service manual for the HP-85 at: http://hpmuseum.net/document.php?hwfile=3256 but it assumes that you have the self test ROM. Now back you the SELF TEST error. This can be caused by many things (e.g. RAM problem), but it may be due to the configuration of the machine. Do you have any accessories connected to your HP-85? In particular I believe that if you have the HP-IB interface and the Mass Storage ROM, you may get a SELF TEST error in some cases (I am intentionally vague because I don't have an HP-85 near me to check). Try removing all cards from the back of the computer and power it on to see if you still get the error. Regards **vp

18 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Basic interpreter 8080 source code needed

by jerwin＠PureNetworks.com

I have my Imsai 8080 fully running and communicating with my Mac Pro as a dumb terminal. Many thanks to this group for helpful pushing along the way. I have also modified SCS1, the Imsai monitor program, to my liking and have it burned into PROM. Since I do not yet have a floppy system for this antique, I wrote an Intel hex format loader and just send the hex files over the serial line to load them. Life is good. What I am looking for now is the 8080 asm source code to a good 8K basic interpreter. I found one called TinyBasic but it was so concerned with space the author built in a ton of self-modifying code and trying to follow the logic is like untying a plate of spaghetti. I have another one called BASIC85 which is better but assumes a VIO memory-addressable video system. If necessary I will take this one apart and make it work. I hear a lot about Imsai having an 8K basic, and I can find the manuals, but I can?t seem to locate the actual 8080 source. Anyone out there know of or have the asm source code to a basic interpreter or know what became of the Imsai Basic8K? Jeff Erwin

18 years, 2 months

2
1
0 0

Wang VS systems around?

by tjunker＠tjunker.com

Jim Battle wrote: > Believe it or not, the Wang VS still lives on. Thomas > Junker, who for a long time was one of the last real > champions of the Wang VS, has actually revived the Wang VS > family. Getronics bought out Wang and then essentially > milked the dwindling user base without introducing new > products. > > Thomas took the initiative, hired a programmer, and wrote a > Linux-based emulator for the VS family. Enough time had > passed the a fast PC with his emulation software is still > much faster than the old high end machines. He worked with > Getronics to make it legal and they are now in some kind of > cooperative arrangement. > > Thomas Junker's page: > http://www.tjunker.com/ > > TransVirtual Systems page: > http://www.transvirtualsystems.com/ Hi Jim, and thanks! The story is close enough for gummint work. The New VS, also called the VS22000 family, is running happily at about 60 sites in 10 countries, and steadily growing. It usually runs in the Dell PowerEdge 2900, although it can also run in the smaller 2950 and even the 1950. The high end is exactly twice the peformance of the top-of-the-line legacy VS18950, and on the newer PowerEdge 29xx III, 220% of the fastest legacy performance. The current VS OS, 7.54.12, handles up to 1,000 devices/users, and the soon to be released 7.54.20 will handle up to 2,000. Current virtual VS disk sizes supported range up to and including 34 GB. In the VS world, where the first VS supported 32 users in 512 KB (yes, KB) of memory, a 34 GB drive is huge. We virtualized not only the VS machine but the principal I/O Coprocessors as well -- SCSI, of course, Resource Sharing Facility (RSF), the VS clustering technology, the "serial" IOC that used to handle coax/twisted-pair workstations and printers, now providing TCP connections to virtualized workstations, telecommunications, virtual Printer Interface Box and other devices. We even built a PCI Universal Serial IOC to actually run legacy Wang coax, twisted pair and fiber links. The latest virtualizations have been a virtual device that provides high-capacity pipes to and from Linux, such as for access to an Oracle database, and an Integrated Virtual Tape, which allows the VS to seamlessy work with image files of tapes instead of physical tapes. Our goal from the beginning was to make the New VS 100% seamlessly compatible with the legacy VS for all VS software from the OS to languages to utilities and applications. We have done that. A New VS is loaded from legacy VS backup tapes or disk drives. No program or data conversion is needed. The New VS runs the unmodified VS Operating System and all other VS software. And yes, we signed a multiyear contract with Getronics (the succesor to Wang) in early 2005 to work together to bring the new generation of Wang VS to market. So it's all legal. Both Getronics and we sell the New VS worldwide. Your correspondent wrote that the VS appears to have been a pretty fair midrange system. It was and continues to be much more than that: The VS is the easiest and most efficient mainframe to program, operate and use that has ever existed. It supports about a dozen languages and is now in its 31st year, with full object code compatibility throughout, something I don't think any other computer company has ever achieved. And, yes, it is a mainframe, distinguished by all the same characteristics that caused the term to be coined to describe the IBM 360 -- decimal arithmetic at the machine level, an instruction set that makes COBOL almost an assembler for the machine, intelligent I/O "channels", huge connectivity for block-mode workstations, disk drives, tape drives, printers and telecommunications devices. The VS has an instruction set and memory architecture almost identical to the IBM 370. Regards, Thomas Junker tjunker )at( tjunker.com +1 281-890-5312 The Unofficial Wang VS Information Center http://www.tjunker.com/ Vice President TransVirtual Systems tjunker !-at-! transvirtualsystems.com www.transvirtualsystems.com +1 832-615-6050 voice +1 832-553-7863 fax 888-796-0601 (toll free, U.S. and Canada)

18 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Fixing a DEC Letterwriter (LA100)

by tiggerlasv＠aim.com

> I've started tracing back from the logic controlling the > LINE and CTS indicators but haven't found anything obviously wrong as > yet. I have however read some funny-looking voltages off the 7406 in > this part of the circuit: 11.something volts while the datasheet says > 30. Could of course be down to my test equipment as I'm limited to a > basic digital multimeter at the moment. Before you start tracing things out, you might want to track down the actual USER manual for the LA100. (It's not on Manx or Bitsavers) As far as I know, the LA100 logic circuitry performs a SELF TEST on power-up, and will illuminate various LED's above the keyboard, depending on the problem found. The user manual may tell you what the various lights are trying to tell you. (Paper jam, etc) T

18 years, 2 months

2
1
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HP 85 error 23

by hardware＠ees1s0.engr.ccny.cuny.edu

Hello Everybody, My HP 85 starts up with "Error 23 SELF TEST" but seems to work. Does anybody know how to get it to be more specific about what isn't working correctly? thanks, -kurt

18 years, 2 months

4
3
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Anyone interested in early to mid 90s Mac software?

by oldcomps＠verizon.net

I've got a collection of various software packages for various Mac flavors that I need to get rid of. If there's any interest in such things I'll put together a list. -- Frank ------------------------------------------------------------------------- C. Frank Helvey email: cfhelvey at yahoo dot com President home phone: 540.947.2526 Montvale Software Services Inc work phone: 540.947.5364 Blue Ridge, VA 24064 cell phone: 540.529.3740 Classic Comps Email: oldcomps at verizon dot net

18 years, 2 months

4
5
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Fixing a DEC Letterwriter (LA100)

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: Fixing a DEC Letterwriter (LA100) > From: ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell) > Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 05:00:42 +0100 (BST) > To: cctalk at classiccmp.org > >> I have since found the full print set on vt100.net, so I'm all set on >> that front. I've started tracing back from the logic controlling the >> LINE and CTS indicators but haven't found anything obviously wrong as >> yet. I have however read some funny-looking voltages off the 7406 in >> this part of the circuit: 11.something volts while the datasheet says >> 30. Could of course be down to my test equipment as I'm limited to a >> basic digital multimeter at the moment. > >The 7406 has what's called an 'open collector output'. The output pin is >connected to the colelctor of an NPN transsitor (the emitter being >grounded), but to nothing else inside the chip. What this means is that >the output pin is either low (transistor tuend on) or floating >(transistor turned off), it'll never be pulled high bu that chip. > >The 7406 can handle and external voltage oof 30V on the output (that is, >you could connect a resistor between the output pin and any voltage less >than 30V, in shich case that supply voltage essentially becomes the >'high' output voltage). But there's no reason why you _have_ to use 30V. >Any lower voltage is fine. In particualr, using this chip (and its >non-inverting brother, the 7407) to convert between TTL and 12V levels is >quite common, ans what I suspect is happening here. > >-tony Make sure the power supply is working. It's a multiple output deal and it's possible or even likely one output has gone away. Also that machine will error mode if any PS output fails. I have two working LA100ROs here and worked part of the program when I was at DEC. FYI the datasheet for the 7406 only give limits not how it will be used in the circuit. The 11V sounds about reasonable. FYI the common failyure modes for LA100 were Printhead, PS and drive mechanics [Motor and the sprague clutch for ribbon feed]. Logic board failures were commonly RS232 related (usually form really nasty ground loops >25V). The printer can be start in diagnostic and feature setting mode. It requires paper in the printer and a ribbon with a working printhead to see the result. Get the LA100 user manual as the serial interface does use CTS/ and RTS/ unless disabled. there are a bunch of DIP switched hidden under a flap in the printing area that set up some of the features. Allison

18 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Apple Lisa

by dm561＠torfree.net

Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:54:22 -0700 From: "Rick Bensene" <rickb at bensene.com> Subject: RE: Apple Lisa >Please apologize for my typo in my original message -- the $10K Lisa sold on eBay in 2004, not 1994. >Rick Bensene ---- Hrmph! I don't see why *we* need to apologize... m

18 years, 2 months

1
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Last call for anyone wanting old AS/400 features, cables, printers

by oldcomps＠verizon.net

All: I have a collection of AS/400 parts all of which I need to get rid of. I'm in the process of scrapping out this stuff, so you have to let me know if there's anything here you want in the next week or its gone. Also, each item is provided for shipping charges. Any donations to help with my time would be appreciated. Its easier to scrap it out that to ship it, but I hate to throw away working hardware... a problem a lot of people on this list have, I think! :) I am pretty much clueless on AS/400 stuff, so if you see something here that doesn't make sense, ask. Features; the busses may still be available. I have cables for these too: 9406-5010/5030 IBM I/O Card Unit Feature (rackmount bus for AS/400) 940x-6019 IBM Card for 5030 feature (bus controller?) 940x-6031 IBM 2 line communications ADAP card for 5010/5030 bus 940x-6040 IBM twinax workstation controller card for 5010/5030 bus 940x-6130 IBM Communications I/O processor card for 5010/5030 bus 5042 IBM Expansion chassis - AS/400, rackmount. Includes some blank panels. Has power controller cards. 940x-2621 IBM removable media device attachment for 5042 bus 940x-2623 IBM 6 line communications controller for 5042 bus 940x-2626 IBM Token ring adapter 16/4 Mbps for 5042 bus 940x-2684 IBM Optical bus adapter (< 266 Mbps) for 5042 bus 940x-6050 IBM Twinax workstation controller for 5042 bus 940x-6140 IBM Twinax workstation controller for 5042 bus 940x-6141 IBM ASCII workstation controller for 5042 bus 940x-6501 IBM DASD Controller for 5042 bus 940x-6501 IBM DASD controller; in box, possibly new/unused, for 5042 bus I also have these two tape drives: 7460 Decision Data Corp Dual 8MM tape drives for AS/400, with 6860-CTRL from IPL Systems Inc. Rackmount, includes rack hardware, SCSI cable. 9348-001 IBM/remanufactured 9 track reel tape drive, SCSI. Includes cable and rackmount hardware. This unit has suffered damage to the front cover; its not known if the unit still works at this time. Twinax printers. 4224-01 IBM These printers that don't seem to work. 6262-T12 IBM Parts only, too big to ship. Telex 225 Genicome/Telex Parts only, already disassembled These Twinax and Token Ring networking parts, including twinax cables and some new twinax covers in bags: 5294 IBM 5294-43185 twinax controller with V.35 interface 2452259 EC 834326 IBM Modem to 5294 controller cable 299AT, OR 3C510013 STAR-TEK/3COM ACTIVE HUB, RJ45 CONNECTORS IC028-A STAR-TEK/3COM 299AT HUB EXPANSION MODULES, RJ45 CONNECTORS, WITH POWER SUPPLY 828AT STAR-TEK Intelligent multistation access unit CPA2501 Cisco CiscoPro access unit. Has 2 cards installed - SMART SM536X29001C457 102396-29 memory expansion, and SM732C1000B-12 093096-13 flash memory card for firmware. 3C510511B 10511B-00 3COM SuperStack II Token ring hubs. 7 units include a connecting cable to interconnect them to another SuperStack II hub. All have power cords. Operational until AS/400 deinstalled. 3C16900A 3COM SuperStack II Switch 1000 main assembly 1690-010-000-3.01 15013002 Madge Pccard token ring adapter, ringnode Mk2, 16/4 Mbps, with cable 15013002 Madge ringnode Mk2 as above without cable 34L1499 IBM Pccard token ring, 16/4 Mbps, with cable 933929 IBM Pccard token ring with cable 3C389 3COM Pccard token ring, 16/4 Mbps, without cable J3264A HP JetDirect 500X token ring print server, w/ power supply 309938-002 Intel Netport Express XL token ring print server, no power supply Intel Netport ExpressPRO token ring print server, w/ power supply ------------------------------------------------------------------------- C. Frank Helvey email: cfhelvey at yahoo dot com President home phone: 540.947.2526 Montvale Software Services PC work phone: 540.947.5364 Blue Ridge, VA 24064 cell phone: 540.529.3740 Classic Comps Email: oldcomps at verizon dot net

18 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Fixing a DEC Letterwriter (LA100)

by oldcomps＠verizon.net

Steve: I don't have the doc set for fixing a LA100, but I believe I do have a working LA100 that I need to move out. I should have another one or two LA type printers, but w/o the keyboards. -- Frank ------------------------------------------------------------------------- C. Frank Helvey email: cfhelvey at yahoo dot com President home phone: 540.947.2526 Montvale Software Services PC work phone: 540.947.5364 Blue Ridge, VA 24064 cell phone: 540.529.3740 Classic Comps Email: oldcomps at verizon dot net ----- Original Message ---- From: Steve Maddison <steve at cosam.org> To: cctalk at classiccmp.org Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 5:02:54 AM Subject: Fixing a DEC Letterwriter (LA100) Hello all, I have a half-dead Letterwriter 100 KSR here I'd like to get working again. I get a short buzz from the paper feed motor at power-up but instead of flashing all it's indicator LEDs, both CTS and LINE stay illuminated. There's no carriage movement and the keyboard does nothing either. The basic vital signs are OK but I'm stuck without a service manual or schematics. Does anyone have access to these docs? I'd of course also be interested to hear of any common problems and/or things to check before I dive into all-out mending mode... Cheers, -- Steve Maddison http://www.cosam.org/ "The great thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from."

18 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

H7821 Power Supply

by vrs＠msn.com

I recently acquired an H7821-00 power supply, and I'm wondering if has any technical drawings or specifications for it? Or at least a pinout for the 14-pin connector? Thanks, Vince

18 years, 2 months

1
0
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Anyone interested in early to mid 90s Mac software?

by oldcomps＠verizon.net

To everyone: I've had three folks come forward so far interested in this s/w, so I'll come up with a list of what I have and post it to the discussion list, hopefully sometime this next week. All of it will be available first come first served for the price of shipping. Donations for my time to pack it up will be appreciated. The software I have is geared towards art production for prepress work, not programming. There should be some general office apps too. -- Frank ------------------------------------------------------------------------- C. Frank Helvey email: cfhelvey at yahoo dot com President home phone: 540.947.2526 Montvale Software Services PC work phone: 540.947.5364 Blue Ridge, VA 24064 cell phone: 540.529.3740 Classic Comps Email: oldcomps at verizon dot net ----- Original Message ---- From: Frank Helvey <oldcomps at verizon.net> To: cctech list <cctech at classiccmp.org> Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 11:55:12 AM Subject: Anyone interested in early to mid 90s Mac software? I've got a collection of various software packages for various Mac flavors that I need to get rid of. If there's any interest in such things I'll put together a list. -- Frank ------------------------------------------------------------------------- C. Frank Helvey email: cfhelvey at yahoo dot com President home phone: 540.947.2526 Montvale Software Services Inc work phone: 540.947.5364 Blue Ridge, VA 24064 cell phone: 540.529.3740 Classic Comps Email: oldcomps at verizon dot net

18 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

invading varmints

by cclist＠sydex.com

> Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2008 15:57:29 -0700 (PDT) > From: Chris M > I arguably my first vintage computer invaded by > apparently teeny tiny critters once! I had the box, a > TI PC, stuck in my parked van for a winter anyhow. Thank your lucky stars that you didn't suffer the fate of one of our customers several years ago. He'd pulled out his Zorba from storage, opened the door of the A: drive and was bitten by several irritated brown recluse spiders that had decided to call his luggable "home". Out of curiosity, does anyone take any sort of precautions when rescuing an old piece of equipment that's been in storage for awhile? I can imagine that if brown recluse spiders can feel at home inside a computer, black widow spiders also would, not to mention cockroaches, etc. If you're going to fumigate a piece of equipment, what's the least destructive (to the equipment) fumigant? Cheers, Chuck

18 years, 2 months

13
19
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IBM PC/XT/AT/PS/2s and old Apricot kit up for grabs

by mikewalder＠yahoo.com

Hello fellow Computer Collectors, I have recently got married and moved house, and now no longer have the space for my computer collection: http://www.mikewalder.com/mcm.? I have found new owners for my HP and Digital kit, but still have much of the rest left.? This is all now sitting in storage, costing me ???, and the preasure to move it all is getting greater.? So, the offer is there.? If anybody on this list would like to come down to Wokingham (UK) and collect some or all of the machines, I'll be glad that they are not going on the scrapheap. I have everything on "Mike's Computer Museum" website, except the DEC, HP, Merlin, Sirius, Altos?or Exorcet stuff, I think.? But to summarize I have a large collection of IBM equipment including PCs, PC/XTs, ATs, XT/286, PS/2 model 30 (8086 ISA), model 50 (286 MCA), 55sx (316sx 16 MCA), 60 (286 MCA tower), and 80 (386DX MCA tower).?? I also have some ACT?Apricot stuff.? Drop me a mail directly at mikewalder at yahoo.com if you are interested.? I am after no money, just the willpower and time to come and collect it, and the warm feeling that they are going to someone who will make use of them. Regards, Mike Walder.

18 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

IBM PC/XT/AT/PS/2s and old Apricot kit up for grabs

by mikewalder＠yahoo.com

Hello fellow Computer Collectors, I have recently got married and moved house, and now no longer have the space for my computer collection: http://www.mikewalder.com/mcm.? I have found new owners for my HP and Digital kit, but still have much of the rest left.? This is all now sitting in storage, costing me ???, and the preasure to move it all is getting greater.? So, the offer is there.? If anybody on this list would like to come down to Wokingham (UK) and collect some or all of the machines, I'll be glad that they are not going on the scrapheap. I have everything on "Mike's Computer Museum" website, except the DEC, HP, Merlin, Sirius, Altos?or Exorcet stuff, I think.? But to summarize I have a large collection of IBM equipment including PCs, PC/XTs, ATs, XT/286, PS/2 model 30 (8086 ISA), model 50 (286 MCA), 55sx (316sx 16 MCA), 60 (286 MCA tower), and 80 (386DX MCA tower).?? I also have some ACT?Apricot stuff.? Drop me a mail directly at mikewalder at yahoo.com if you are interested.? I am after no money, just the willpower and time to come and collect it, and the warm feeling that they are going to someone who will make use of them. Regards, Mike Walder.

18 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

PDP 11/34a Console dead, powersupply problem?

by asholz＠topinform.de

Hello all, just tried to power up one of my 11/34a and found it's console dead: Power on LED and adresse display are not lit. The PSU fans are running. Using the field maintenance print set for the 11/34a and docs provided at bitsavers I checked the voltages at the backplane and found the +5V Voltage seems to be out of range. Are there any docs, advices and procedures to check an repair a H7441 Powersupply? Looking at the bottom side of the PSU untit there are three PSU's, two H7441 with a red LED, the LED of one H7441 is lit, and a H755 with a bulb, which is not lit. What is the meaning of these LED and bulbs? Andreas

18 years, 2 months

3
3
0 0

Fixing a DEC Letterwriter (LA100)

by steve＠cosam.org

Hello all, I have a half-dead Letterwriter 100 KSR here I'd like to get working again. I get a short buzz from the paper feed motor at power-up but instead of flashing all it's indicator LEDs, both CTS and LINE stay illuminated. There's no carriage movement and the keyboard does nothing either. The basic vital signs are OK but I'm stuck without a service manual or schematics. Does anyone have access to these docs? I'd of course also be interested to hear of any common problems and/or things to check before I dive into all-out mending mode... Cheers, -- Steve Maddison http://www.cosam.org/ "The great thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from."

18 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Apple Lisa

by aek＠bitsavers.org

> I know that a Lisa sold on eBay for $10K back in '94 - eBay didn't exist in 1994 - only a Lisa I (with twiggy drives) would go for that much

18 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Funny Tek 2445 scope problem

by tiggerlasv＠aim.com

Not ever having seen the internals of an Imsai, I obviously can't say anything even remotely definite. However, you may see this behavior on older electronics that have capacitors between line voltage and ground. (This was popular in tube stereos and TV's for many years.) Eventually, the capacitors would leak, and you'd get a low-current tingle when you touched the chassis. Very scary. Some surge supressor circuitry is designed with MOV's between Hot-and-Neutral, Hot-and-Ground, and Neutral-to-Ground. It may be possible that you have leakage in the MOV's, and your connection to ground is weak or missing. Since it's fairly common to tie the ground to the chassis, that COULD be a source of the 60hz wave you're seeing, whether the MOV's are inside your unit, or inside an attached power strip. I would check your electrical grounds first. Also check for power supply wires hitting the chassis, or even a cable with the insulation worn through. Is the power supply a switching unit, or a traditional linear power supply ? I have two laptop power supplies, made by different manufacturers. They are two-wire (ungrounded) plugs. When plugged into my laptop, both will give me a slight tingle when I touch the metal speaker grills on the laptop, and a source of ground. Yes, metal speaker grills. It's a 233Mhz Thinkpad. ;-) It may be something inherent in the design of the switching power supplies. It might be helpful to disconnect the power supply >from the rest of the electronics, and see if you get any AC readings off of the outputs. T

18 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Funny Tek 2445 scope problem

by jefferwin＠gmail.com

I purchased a used Tek 2445 scope which works well on both CH1 and CH2. Both 10x probes check out as well. I am working on getting an rs232 interface working, if I scope the TX signal from my terminal I get a clean and synced image on the scope on both channels. All is good. I am rebuiding an IMSAI 8080. The unit I have is working well, 48K of RAM all tested, I can enter programs through the front panel and run them. Getting it to talk to my terminal program is the task at hand. Now comes the mystery. If I scope ANY bus line, chip lead on any board, I get a 60Hz sine wave that measures about 70 volts. Now, in my logical head I realize this can't be real, the IMSAI would not only not work but would be pouring smoke from every nook and cranny, bringing my wife running with claims of 'I told you so...'. So, what the hell? I have checked ground, I have checked the bus lines, I have checked the scope. I do have the active terminator card in the last slot and as I mentoned, the IMSAI works fine otherwise. Where am I picking up this 60hz sine wave? Thanks in advance! I love the fact that there are others out there that remember these great old machines and appreciate them for what they represent! Jeff Erwin

18 years, 2 months

6
7
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Terminals ( was Re: HP 2000F' )

by kweiler＠adobe.com

Jay West - I found your 18 month old post via a Google search and wondered if you had manuals for the Micro-Term ACT-IV. I hope the email address is still valid. I have an ACT-IV but have misplaced the manual and thought it would be nice to have the complete package. Thanks! - Kevin Weiler Terminals ( was Re: HP 2000F' ) Jay West jwest at classiccmp.org <mailto:cctech%40classiccmp.org?Subject=Terminals%20%28%20was%20Re%3A%20 HP%202000F%27%20%29&In-Reply-To=> Fri Dec 22 16:38:25 CST 2006 ________________________________ Richard wrote... > What's an ACT terminal? There was a terminal manufacturer located in Saint Louis, MO around the 70's & 80's called "MicroTerm". They made quite a number of terminals that were popular across the US. As it turns out, the folks at MicroTerm had a relationship with my high school (St. Louis University High) such that they often delivered prototype and/or beta terminals free of charge or at a reduced price so that we could test them and give them feedback, find bugs, etc. Some of the terminals they made were called ACT I, ACT II, ACT IV, ACT Va, MIME 1, MIME 2, MIME 340, MIME 420, and Ergo 2000. I'm sure there were others, but those are the ones I have a manual or sales sheet or some other specific proof that they existed. I know for sure that our high school had an ACT IV as the system console (it replaced an ASR 33), and I believe the user terminals were ACT II, ACT V, and MIME 1's. In addition to these microterm terminals, we also had four LA120's and a MiniBee 4. The ACT IV was unlike the others. It was a terminal but had no crt. It had 75ohm video out that was typically hooked to a small 9" monitor. It was available assembled or as a kit. I happen to have one of these - working. With a 9" sanyo monitor, user manual, and service manual with schematics, theory of operation, etc. I would give my left arm for a Mime I or Mime II, or a Minibee 4. Oh, some time ago I looked up the VP of Engineering for MicroTerm. He sent me a nice email talking about his time at MicroTerm and he was glad someone still remembered them and their terminals. He seemed a bit surprised. I asked if he had any hardware or documentation left over, he said no. When I picked up a bunch of stuff a few years back from my high school, I got multiple copies of many of the MicroTerm manuals. I've tried seeing if there's interest in them but no one seems to want 'em. I also have a manual for the MiniBee 4. Jay West

18 years, 2 months

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Epilogue Pantone or RAL reference for the blue color of the IMSAI

by chabib451＠yahoo.com

Hi everybody finally i got the cover and base of my Imsai repaint here in Switzerland. For who may be interested here are the colour references Blue Cover; NCS S 2050-B (Europe) Pantone Blue 740L Grey Base NCS S7502-B Pantone cool grey 11C Both are powder coated with structure Hope this will help someone out there Charles Habib

18 years, 2 months

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invading varmints

by tiggerlasv＠aim.com

> Thank your lucky stars that you didn't suffer the fate of one of our > customers several years ago. He'd pulled out his Zorba from storage, > opened the door of the A: drive and was bitten by several irritated > brown recluse spiders that had decided to call his luggable "home". Kind of odd that he was bitten by "several" spiders, merely by opening a disk drive door. Recluses aren't at all aggressive, and generally don't go out of their way to attack. It seems highly unsual that they would "charge out in numbers", and bite. But, anything is possible. Did they manage to salvage his hand? (See link showing pictures of what a SINGLE bite will do. Note: These pictures are VERY graphic.) http://www.ascendedhealth.com/brown-recluse/bite-picture.htm We're "fortunate" enough to have both black widows, and the desert recluse here in Vegas. I'm not sure though if anyone has done any studies on the differences on the severity of the bites between the brown recluse and the desert recluse. I wouldn't be worried so much about widows; It would be unlikely to find one tucked away inside equipment, without the tell-tale sprawling tangle of spider web around it. The hobo spider of the Northwest, and the recluse of course, are different stories altogether, as they tend to wander. At any rate, back to the actual topic. ;-) If you are concerned about critters hiding inside your equipment, your first, best defense is caution. If you're in a hot-spot for venomous insects, physically protecting yourself is a good start. Wear a long sleeved shirt, and reasonably thick gloves. Make sure that your sleeve isn't exposed; tuck it under the gloves, or use some tape or other material, to ensure that nothing runs up your sleeve. If you're picking up equipment, bag it in clear plastic. That will keep critters from hopping out into your vehicle. (Watch out for static, though) Clean your equipment outdoors. If you must work indoors, then work in the middle of a large open area, preferrably with light-colored flooring. Laying down sections of white kraft paper works well. Try to establish an EMPTY 5-foot buffer zone around you. The idea is to be able to see escaping insects, before they have a chance to hide somewhere. Working on a cluttered bench is the worst idea; there too many hiding places. I honestly don't have any proven information on using insecticides inside computers / electronics. My gut tells me that it's probably not a good idea; who knows what the residue would do to the boards and components. Merely blowing out equipment with canned air isn't enough to get rid of any would-be stow-aways, either. Short of disassembly, the only other thing I could think of would be a hair dryer. I know. . . such a high-tech solution. Short-term heat from a reasonable distance shouldn't hurt any electronics, but should be enough to kill any insects, or bring them out of hiding. Component chiller would work too, although that may leave residue behind. As for any eggs, I can only recommend inspection & cleaning. T

18 years, 2 months

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s100-manuals.com snatched?

by dgriffi＠cs.csubak.edu

Who had s100-manuals.com? It's now showing a generic "parked at godaddy" page. -- 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?

18 years, 2 months

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FFS: Syquest 44MB internal drive model SQ555

by rmd10000000000＠hotmail.com

Hi Tom, How are you? Do you still have this? Is this a drive that takes a 44mb SyQuest Disk? Thanks, Richie McDermott FFS: Syquest 44MB internal drive model SQ555 Tom Uban uban at <mailto:cctech%40classiccmp.org?Subject=FFS%3A%20Syquest%2044MB%20internal%2 0drive%20model%20SQ555&In-Reply-To=> ubanproductions.com Wed Dec 22 15:21:47 CST 2004 * Previous message: wanted: <http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctech/2004-December/037013.html> Votrax PSS manual * Next message: mpf <http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctech/2004-December/037010.html> 1 manual please * Messages sorted by: [ <http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctech/2004-December/date.html#37014> date ] [ <http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctech/2004-December/thread.html#37014> thread ] [ <http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctech/2004-December/subject.html#37014 > subject ] [ <http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctech/2004-December/author.html#37014> author ] _____ I have a Syquest 44MB internal drive, model SQ555, which came with an enclosure that I picked up. I don't know the status of the drive but it is free for the price of shipping to the first person to claim it... --tom _____ size=2 width="100%" align=center> * Previous message: wanted: <http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctech/2004-December/037013.html> Votrax PSS manual * Next message: mpf <http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctech/2004-December/037010.html> 1 manual please * Messages sorted by: [ <http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctech/2004-December/date.html#37014> date ] [ <http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctech/2004-December/thread.html#37014> thread ] [ <http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctech/2004-December/subject.html#37014 > subject ] [ <http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctech/2004-December/author.html#37014> author ] _____ More <http://dewey.classiccmp.org/mailman/listinfo/cctech> information about the cctech mailing list

18 years, 2 months

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HP IIISi: "50 SERVICE"

by lee＠dot.geekdot.com

> Anyone have the manual, or at least have some idea what "50 > SERVICE" means I need to do? "50 SERVICE" means the fuser is not up to temperature. This is usually one of three things, the fuser element, the thernal cutout or the fuser power supply has failed. The element and the cutout can be measured with a VOM and should be < 20 ohms. The easiest way to test the PSU is to swap it with a known good one if you have one. There is a power on timer that takes a long time to discharge so it can take turning the printer off for 20 minutes to clear this fault. Lee.

18 years, 2 months

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Looking for 1Mx8 EPROMs (27C080 or 27C801)

by lynchaj＠yahoo.com

Looking for 1Mx8 EPROMs (27C080 or 27C801) Eric Smith eric at brouhaha.com <mailto:cctalk%40classiccmp.org?Subject=Looking%20for%201Mx8%20EPROMs%20%282 7C080%20or%2027C801%29&In-Reply-To=001501c8c898%24e7331d10%24a903a8c0%40andr ewdesktop> Sat Jun 7 13:22:24 CDT 2008 * Previous message: Looking for 1Mx8 EPROMs (27C080 or 27C801) * Next message: (E)PROM, PAL, GAL, CPLD, etc. programming * Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ] ________________________________ Andrew wrote: > If anyone can help out or knows a low cost supplier of 1Mx8 EPROMs, I They're not at all hard to find, e.g., http://www.unicornelectronics.com/IC/EPROM.html -----REPLY----- Hi Eric, Thanks for the reply! Yes, finding new 1Mx8 EPROMs is not difficult but that isn't what I am asking about. They only cost about $10 new and are an excellent value, IMO. However, I am trying to find some low cost *used* EPROM parts to help out some homebrew SBC builders. The N8VEM SBC homebrew computer I designed uses the 27C080 or 27C801 for its boot device/block device/ROM drive. I'd like to keep the costs as low as possible and am trying to keep the EPROM at or below $5 each. OTPs are an option but they are less desireable than the reuseable parts with UV windows. As it turns out, most of the people requesting the PCB for building their own homebrew computer are also requesting the EPROM. It rather surprised me as I thought more people would have their own EPROM programmers and erasers. I have a limited quantity of the 1Mx8 EPROMs on hand but not very many. At the rate they are going out with the PCBs, I will exhaust my stock quickly -- long before I run out of PCBs. In retrospect, that is probably bad planning on my part this is an amateur project and I am not a professional businessman. I found a few more 1Mx8 EPROMs on eBay but that doesn't really solve the problem. What I need is the 1Mx8 EPROM equivalent to this website: http://epromman.com/ I have purchased bulk used EPROMs from "Mr. EPROMMAN" before and they are an excellent value. Unfortunately, he doesn't carry the 1Mx8 parts. :-/ Thanks in advance if anyone can help. Andrew Lynch

18 years, 2 months

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invading varmints

by reevejd＠mchsi.com

Finally, a classic computer question involving insects. If you're dealing with insects and probably arachnids as well, a small chunk of no-pest strip should rapidly kill them. I'd enclose the machine in a plastic bag to concentrate the fumes. Rural King has it. Cheers, John R. -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. It has removed 129 spam emails to date. Paying users do not have this message in their emails. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len

18 years, 2 months

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TRS9200BBDED MANUAL (922534)

by raquel.garcia＠psi-corp.com

Would you happen to have a manual for unit# TRS9200BBDED (EECO UNIT#) even a pdf file would work. Thanks, Raquel L. Garcia Electronics Purchasing PSI Repair Services, Inc. raquel.garcia at psi-corp.com <mailto:raquel.garcia at psi-corp.com> 734-853-5222 ph. 734-853-5038 fx.

18 years, 2 months

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OT: Low-poer real-audio player

by cclist＠sydex.com

> Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2008 07:55:03 +0100 > From: Gordon JC Pearce > I can recommend the Freecom Musicpal too, especially with the most > recent firmware update (unless there's been one since I updated last > month). I wound up getting an HP E-PC cheap, disconnecting the CD-ROM drive and subsituting a CF card for the hard drive (no swap partition). I can run Linux on it and even use it as a router without drinking a lot of power. While other devices like the Musicpal may be better candidates, the PC box gives me the most flexibility. Cheers, Chuck

18 years, 2 months

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IBM XT diagnostic ROM

by amouses＠gmail.com

Andrew et al, For some time I've seen these extremely cheap PC diagnostics cards posted on ebay Search www.ebay.com for pc diagnostic isa and you get something like this http://cgi.ebay.com/PCI-USB-LPT-Analyzer-Diagnostic-POST-Test-Cards-ISA-PC_… How about somebody get the ISA version of such a card and see if it's at all useful. I suppose it might be able to help you fault find a seemingle dead system though I am somewhat suspicious. Regards marcus. -- marcus bennett amouses at gmail.com

18 years, 2 months

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OT: Low-poer real-audio player

by cclist＠sydex.com

I know this is off-topic, but I'm looking for suggestions and a solution may involve a "vintage" box. If you feel that discussion of this on-list isn't appropriate, please email me privately. Here's my situation. I like to listen to web-based radio and I transmit an FM signal so that I can listen on any FM radio. It works very well and I'm happy with that aspect. However, the system doing this is an old built-like-a-tank 500MHz P3 Compaq Deskpro box running RedHat somehing-or-the other (it's been so long since I've upgraded it that I don't remember) 24x7. I'd like something that drinks less power. Interface to the web is via 100BaseT copper. Station switching is accomplished via a simple shell script and initiated via telnet. My current thought is that I could pick up something like an HP e-PC and equip it with a CF hard drive. But a 1.7GHz CPU again seems like overkill for a very limited application. Does anyone have any other low-power ideas? Note that most of the streams I listen to are RA, not MP3. Thanks! Chuck

18 years, 2 months

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1Mx4 DRAM 20-pin dips

by keithvz＠verizon.net

I'm searching for a source of a DRAM memory IC that would have the following specs: 20-pin DIP DRAM memory chips (16) 1meg x 4-bit dips make up a bank of 8mb. Should be 60-ns Fast Page Mode non-parity An example would be Toshiba TC514400AP-60. Other manufacturers might use the following base part numbers: Fujitsu MB : 814400 Goldstar GM : 71C4400 Hitachi HM : 514400 Hyundai HY : 514400 Micron MT : 4C4001 Mitsubishi M5M: 44400 Any idea where I could find these would be appreciated. I'm even up to pulling the DRAM from some old boards, if I can find someplace that has boards that contain these chips. Maybe an old printer buffer memory card or something. Certain Epson ActionLaser printers contained the correct chips. There's some surface mount versions that won't work, and there's also a 26/20-pin version that won't work. These incorrect dips would have 20-pins, but are laid out in a 26-pin configuration with 10 pins on each side, separated by a small (3-pin) gap on either side. These seem popular, but unfortunately, they won't work! Thanks! Keith

18 years, 2 months

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Looking for 1Mx8 EPROMs (27C080 or 27C801)

by cclist＠sydex.com

One can also purchase (very inexpensively) 32 pin DIP-to-PLCC adapters to enable one to use the still-abundant 1 and 2 Mbit Flash chips used on PC motherboards. Many of these things have boot block protection, another big plus if you're worried about inadvertently destroying the contents. The adapter allows them to programmed in your favorite ZIF-equipped programmer, if you don't want to enable in- circuit programming. FWIW, Chuck

18 years, 2 months

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powering up older machines - is it safe?

by jfk＠kuenzigbooks.com

Hi all - I'm new to the list, been lurking for a while. By way of introduction, back in the 80s I was a bonified software developer (wrote a mag tape locking device for an early version of UNIX back when there wasn't such a thing, did work in telecom test equipment and speech recognition for years) but these days I'm in the old/rare book business, technical books and all. I like old hardware, though don't have the storage space for much. When I was in high school I took apart a Friden computyper in my parents basement just to see what was in it. Still have the "core memory" board around here somewhere. I've tried to salvage manuals for old computers, component manufacturer technical books, and an IMSAI or two over the years. Still have 20 boxes of old components (everything from transistors, caps, resistors, etc to tubes) in the garage I've accumulated over the years when I'm buying old books >from hobbyists - buried deep enough I don't even remember what's in them. Anyway, a friend asked me to try and sell a DEC Robin for him (he tells me it's a DEC VT180 with a separate drive unit that he tells me was only available to DEC employees), and my question is this: Is it safe to try and plug this machine in and try to power it up? I've seen various discussions about old capacitors dying, etc but I'm not sure if this machine is old enough to worry about. My plan was to try and power it up (my consignor also gave me some software with it, not sure if it's related or not yet), and see if it still ran ok, take some photos for the group (if anyone wants to see it) and my own records, and then try to sell it. It appears to be in good shape, in the original boxes, "monitor" in one box w/keyboard (looks to be a VT180), and a disc drive unit in the other. My consignor said it ran the last time he had it out many years ago. I've always enjoyed and preferred photographs of old machines with their startup screen displayed rather than a dark screen. Seems like they have more life with a live screen. Any pointers appreciated (on or off list) - what to do or check in what order would be great. Its been a long time since I blew up directional capacitors in lab...so long I don't even remember what they're called. Thanks in advance!<grin> -- Sincerely, John Kuenzig, Bookseller Kuenzig Books PO Box 452, Topsfield, MA 01983 978-887-4053 9am-7pm Eastern Standard Time 866-512-3053 tollfree 9am-7pm EST orders at kuenzigbooks.com (orders or inquiries) Important Books in Science, Technology and Speculative Fiction Secure ordering at http://www.kuenzigbooks.com Save time, money and earn other exclusive benefits. Members of: ABAA http://www.abaa.org MARIAB http://www.mariab.org ESA http://www.ephemerasociety.org Buying 18th-21st century books, manuscripts, ephemera, scientific instruments, artifacts, and related material

18 years, 2 months

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Looking for 1Mx8 EPROMs (27C080 or 27C801)

by lynchaj＠yahoo.com

* Previous message: Looking for 1Mx8 EPROMs (27C080 or 27C801) * Next message: The Machine That Changed the World: Great Brains * Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ] ________________________________ On Sunday 08 June 2008, Andrew Lynch wrote: > During the design, I wrestled with Flash ROM versus EPROM for quite a > bit. > > I went with EPROM since they are unchangeable in circuit and have > larger capacity for the same 32 pin socket. > > My assumption was with cheap and plentiful EPROM programmers (search > for Willem on eBay ~$20) that practically everyone interested would > have one. > > Flash ROM has its advantages but requires more advanced software for > in circuit reprogramming. The software would have to be written too. Flash should actually be easier than an EPROM to program, especially in-circuit, as it's designed to do that. If you're worried about accidental erasure, just throw a switch or jumper on the board to disable the /WE input to the flash. Pat -- Purdue University Research Computing --- http://www.rcac.purdue.edu/ The Computer Refuge --- http://computer-refuge.org ________________________________ -----REPLY----- Hi Pat, Well, in theory you may be right but this SBC has already been designed and manufactured. The PCB exists and is shipping now so it is a bit late for the initial design considerations. I understand the appeal of Flash ROM but the parts are more expensive and many can be corrupted in circuit with errant software. Even with code protection modes, there is no guarantee of non-corruption on Flash ROMs. At some point you'll have to lower the protection if you ever want to write to that part of the chip. In circuit reprogramming ability opens the door for those sorts of bugs to creep in to the code. EPROMs cannot be corrupted in circuit, short of a broken component, AFAIK. Some Flash ROM chips do support code protection but not all. Really, any part you select for this job has its costs and benefits. It all gets down to trade offs. One of my primary goals of the SBC is to keep the overall cost to a minimum while providing something useful. Generally speaking, EPROM is cheaper than Flash ROM and also has larger capacity. The price is requiring external programming and erasing. Incorporating EPROM is also requires less complex circuit and the software is easier to write and debug. There is no chance of "bricking" the SBC due to a bug in the CBIOS code either. At least in this case, I am also more familiar with the technology and I was able to reuse my prototype design almost as is. Not having to write special software was a big plus too. In short, EPROM seemed like a hands down winner. What caught me by surprise was the larger than expected demand for the pre-programmed EPROMs. Even that isn't really much of a problem since if I can't find a source for low cost used parts, I can just buy a tube or so of new ones from Jameco. Brand new, they only cost $6.25 each when you buy 10 or more. I can just raise the price of the EPROM but I would rather keep it as low as possible. Thanks for the help and comments. Please let me know if anyone gets any other ideas. Have a nice day! Andrew Lynch PS, I did some investigating and experimenting with the 29F020 style chips. It turns out making a shim socket for getting them to work is trivial. I have several compatible chips on hand. It still doesn't add in circuit reprogramming but even that would be fairly easy with some cuts and jumpers and appropriate software.

18 years, 2 months

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pdp-10

by mross666＠hotmail.com

1. It's in the USA, not the UK. 2. High-res images can be found by clicking on the low-res images at: http://www.corestore.org/DEC2065.htm Mike http://www.corestore.org _________________________________________________________________ Enjoy 5 GB of free, password-protected online storage. http://www.windowslive.com/skydrive/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh…

18 years, 2 months

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Source for one-off ICs?

by trixter＠oldskool.org

I'm looking to buy 1 or 2 DS-1216e chips (they're clock chips) but am having trouble finding a reseller/distributor that will sell them in lots of less than 300. Does anyone know of a reseller for ICs that has somewhat reasonable one-off prices? -- 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/

18 years, 2 months

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Looking for 1Mx8 EPROMs (27C080 or 27C801)

by lynchaj＠yahoo.com

* Previous message: Looking for 1Mx8 EPROMs (27C080 or 27C801) * Next message: Looking for 1Mx8 EPROMs (27C080 or 27C801) * Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ] ________________________________ Glen wrote: > Digi-Key lists the M27C801-100F1 @ $7.12 each for q >= 10. > IC EPROM 8MBIT UV 100NS 32-FDIP > > That's not too far away from $5 ... Though it's an OTP, so as soon as you need to reprogram it once, you've lost the cost savings. -----REPLY----- Regarding the OTPs, I agree and am looking for the UV eraseable EPROMs. Possibly, 27C4001 chips may work as an alternative and they are being sold by Mr. EPROMMAN. I'll get one soon and test it. I would really like to avoid OTPs as the primary method to update the software on the SBC is to download and/or create a new ROM image. OTPs have their uses and could be a "fall back to known good" chip but the lack of reprogrammability makes them wasteful in my mind. During the design, I wrestled with Flash ROM versus EPROM for quite a bit. I went with EPROM since they are unchangeable in circuit and have larger capacity for the same 32 pin socket. My assumption was with cheap and plentiful EPROM programmers (search for Willem on eBay ~$20) that practically everyone interested would have one. Flash ROM has its advantages but requires more advanced software for in circuit reprogramming. The software would have to be written too. Some Flash ROM chips have "code protect" modes as well which make them more reliable. I am considering some possible modifications to the design using shim sockets to convert to Flash ROM as they are very cheap and readily available. The best design would be flexible and accept either chip but there are differences in pin outs that prevent "drop in" replacements from working. I have already tested a variety of Flash ROM devices with no luck so far. The best solution though, IMO, would be a low cost source of used 27C080/27C801 chips. There has to be someone out there with lots of surplus used 1Mx8 chips laying around. They were common as dirt just a few years ago. Thanks and have a nice day! Andrew Lynch

18 years, 2 months

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The Machine That Changed the World: Great Brains

by marvin＠west.net

I just got this in email from a friend, and thought the list might be interested. http://waxy.org/2008/06/the_machine_that_changed_the_world/ The Machine That Changed the World: Great Brains Posted Jun 3, 2008 (Updated Jun 4, 2008) The Machine That Changed the World is the longest, most comprehensive documentary about the history of computing ever produced, but since its release in 1992, it's become virtually extinct. Out of print and never released online, the only remaining copies are VHS tapes floating around school libraries or in the homes of fans who dubbed the original shows when they aired. It's a whirlwind tour of computing before the Web, with brilliant archival footage and interviews with key players ? several of whom passed away since the filming. Jointly produced by WGBH Boston and the BBC, it originally aired in the UK as The Dream Machine before its U.S. premiere in January 1992. Its broadcast was accompanied by a book co-written by the documentary's producer Jon Palfreman. With the help of Simon Willison, Jesse Legg, and (unofficially) the Portland State University library, we've tracked down and digitized all five parts. This week, I'm uploading them, annotating them with Viddler, and posting them here as streaming Flash video as they're finished. Also, the complete set will be available as high-quality MP4 downloads via BitTorrent by Friday. Here's the first of the five-part series, The Machine That Changed the World. Enjoy! Note: Like all the other materials I post here, these videos are completely out-of-print and unavailable commercially, digitized from old VHS recordings. If they ever come back into print, or the copyright holders contact me, I'll take them down immediately.

18 years, 2 months

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Looking for 1Mx8 EPROMs (27C080 or 27C801)

by lynchaj＠yahoo.com

Andrew, eBay is usually the place to find used eproms here's one #330229142491 lot of 11pcs @ $47.95 'Buy it now' there's 4 lots left That's about $5 each *after* shipping =Dan [ RFK ] [ Pittsburgh --- http://www2.applegate.org/~ragooman/ ] Andrew Lynch wrote: > Hi, > > I am searching for some used 1Mx8 32 pin DIP UV EPROMs like 27C080 or > 27C801. > > If anyone can help out or knows a low cost supplier of 1Mx8 EPROMs, I would > much appreciate it. > > THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR ANY HELP! > > Andrew Lynch > > > > -----REPLY----- Hi Dan, Thanks! Yes, I found those on eBay and bought some. They should be enough so I can finish this round of PCBs without running out of EPROMs. I checked with the helpful people at Mr. EPROMMAN and I think I may be able to substitute a 27C4001 for the 27C801. They are only half the size but they are available used, inexpensive, and in quantity. Thanks and have a nice day! Andrew Lynch

18 years, 2 months

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Looking for 1Mx8 EPROMs (27C080 or 27C801)

by lynchaj＠yahoo.com

Looking for 1Mx8 EPROMs (27C080 or 27C801) Al Kossow aek at bitsavers.org <mailto:cctalk%40classiccmp.org?Subject=Looking%20for%201Mx8%20EPROMs%20%282 7C080%20or%2027C801%29&In-Reply-To=> Sat Jun 7 16:15:04 CDT 2008 * Previous message: Looking for 1Mx8 EPROMs (27C080 or 27C801) * Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ] ________________________________ > I'd like to keep the costs as low as possible and am trying to keep the > EPROM at or below $5 each. How much of the megabyte of space have you ACTUALLY used? A meg of EPROM seems insane to me for a low-cost SBC. ________________________________ * Previous message: Looking for 1Mx8 EPROMs (27C080 or 27C801) * Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ] ________________________________ More information about the cctalk mailing list <http://www.classiccmp.org/mailman/listinfo/cctalk> -----REPLY----- Hi Al, Insane is such a harsh word... :-) I consider it a slight modern adaptation to a Z80 SBC designed in the classic vintage style. Of the 1MB EPROM, the current SBC uses a little over 128K. It includes the boot loader, RAM monitor, CP/M boot image, the standard transient CP/M commands, the VDE full screen editor, BBC basic, and a smattering of small utilities like the RTC, XMODEM5, and start-the-RAM-monitor-from-CP/M. The rest of the EPROM is reserved for user expansion in the various CP/M USER spaces. The SBC really only needs probably 4K or so to boot the RAM monitor but the rest of the ROM is used as CP/M block devices (32K A: and 992K F: drives). There is also a 448K RAM block device for CP/M drive B: for temporary files in addition to the full 64K main memory for the OS and RAM monitor. Memory block devices allow the SBC to have a usable and reliable OS for relatively easy user expansion without the hassle and reliability issues of real disk devices. Real disk drives are supported (IDE and floppy) on a Disk IO board I built on the prototype. I plan to make a PCB for later on. Disks are good things but I made them an option rather than a requirement to keep it simple. Believe me, a 1MB EPROM block device is *MUCH* less expensive than adding even the least expensive floppy drive controller and even IDE. The ROM control circuitry is there regardless of size and the cost difference between a 27C64 and a 27C801 is minimal in the overall cost. The benefits of reliable storage tremendously outweighs the minor extra cost, IMO. Thanks and have a nice day! Andrew Lynch

18 years, 2 months

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Looking for 1Mx8 EPROMs (27C080 or 27C801)

by lynchaj＠yahoo.com

Hi, I am searching for some used 1Mx8 32 pin DIP UV EPROMs like 27C080 or 27C801. If anyone can help out or knows a low cost supplier of 1Mx8 EPROMs, I would much appreciate it. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR ANY HELP! Andrew Lynch

18 years, 2 months

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Looking for 1Mx8 EPROMs (27C080 or 27C801)

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: Looking for 1Mx8 EPROMs (27C080 or 27C801) > From: Al Kossow <aek at bitsavers.org> > Date: Sat, 07 Jun 2008 14:15:04 -0700 > To: classiccmp at classiccmp.org > > > I'd like to keep the costs as low as possible and am trying to keep the > > EPROM at or below $5 each. > >How much of the megabyte of space have you ACTUALLY used? > >A meg of EPROM seems insane to me for a low-cost SBC. > One application is a CP/M romdisk, multiple program loader. Allison

18 years, 2 months

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Looking for 1Mx8 EPROMs (27C080 or 27C801)

by aek＠bitsavers.org

> I'd like to keep the costs as low as possible and am trying to keep the > EPROM at or below $5 each. How much of the megabyte of space have you ACTUALLY used? A meg of EPROM seems insane to me for a low-cost SBC.

18 years, 2 months

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(E)PROM, PAL, GAL, CPLD, etc. programming

by lynchaj＠yahoo.com

(E)PROM, PAL, GAL, CPLD, etc. programming Seth Morabito sethm <mailto:cctalk%40classiccmp.org?Subject=%28E%29PROM%2C%20PAL%2C%20GAL%2C%20C PLD%2C%20etc.%20programming&In-Reply-To=> at loomcom.com Thu Jun 5 19:33:59 CDT 2008 * Previous message: MicroVax batteries <http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-June/259065.html> * Next message: (E)PROM, PAL, GAL, CPLD, etc. <http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-June/259026.html> programming * Messages sorted by: [ date ] <http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-June/date.html#259024> [ thread ] <http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-June/thread.html#259024> [ <http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-June/subject.html#259024> subject ] [ author ] <http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-June/author.html#259024> _____ Hey folks, I'd like to get some advice on getting a general-purpose (E)PROM burner. I've never burned a PROM in my life, but as I get more into digital design and home-brewing logic, I'm finding myself wishing I had access to a burner. I am a helpless newbie on this front, so perhaps someone can show me the light. I'd ideally like to be able to dump and burn PROMs, EPROMs, and PALs of various flavors. Bonus points would be GAL and CPLD programming capability, but I don't know how common it is to find both of those in the same box. Is it? Or is programmable logic typically handled by a totally different device? Availability is important -- I'd prefer to find one I can buy soon rather than waiting for just the right one to show up on eBay. And yes, just to prove that this is more or less on topic: I have been given a box of early 80s EPROMs I would like to try to get dumps of! Thanks much, -Seth _____ * Previous message: MicroVax batteries <http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-June/259065.html> * Next message: (E)PROM, PAL, GAL, CPLD, etc. <http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-June/259026.html> programming * Messages sorted by: [ date ] <http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-June/date.html#259024> [ thread ] <http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-June/thread.html#259024> [ <http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-June/subject.html#259024> subject ] [ author ] <http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2008-June/author.html#259024> _____ More information <http://www.classiccmp.org/mailman/listinfo/cctalk> about the cctalk mailing list _____ [apologies in advance for HTML format email but this message contains links] Hi Seth, As you can probably tell from the responses so far your choice in EPROM programmers is a highly personal one. Certainly the Data IO is a nice programmer. I have a Data IO 29B and use it frequently for older EPROMs like 2708s and such. There probably isn't the perfect EPROM programmer that does everything for everybody. I have managed to get several for various needs. For very low cost but limited in that it can only program fairly recent EPROM, Flash, EEPROM, SRAM, etc, I would go with an eBay special Willem programmer. At $20 plus shipping they are hard to beat and are good for the vast bulk of requirements. They do not do GALs, PALs, CPLDs, but do PICs and AVRs. http://search.ebay.com/willem-programmer_W0QQdfspZ32QQfromZR40QQfsooZ1QQfsop Z34QQsbrsrtZd If you need GALs, PALs, CPLDs as well and can spend a little more go with the EasyPro 90B or Top 2007 http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs <http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&from=R40&sati tle=easypro+90B&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D2&sadis=200&fpos=4 5429&sabfmts=1&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=34%26fsoo%3D1&coaction=c ompare&copagenum=1&coentrypage=search> &sbrftog=1&from=R40&satitle=easypro+90B&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&sargn=-1%26sa slc%3D2&sadis=200&fpos=45429&sabfmts=1&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop= 34%26fsoo%3D1&coaction=compare&copagenum=1&coentrypage=search http://search.ebay.com/top2007_W0QQcatrefZC6QQdfspZ32QQfromZR40QQfsooZ1QQfso pZ34QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsabfmtsZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsbrsrtZd You can shop around for various models online but here is a good place to comparison shop. The prices aren't too bad either and pretty convenient: http://www.mcumall.com/comersus/store/LeftStart.asp?idCategory=27 If all you want to do is get started with EPROM programming and maybe read some old EPROMs, I would just get the Willem and use it until you determine what you really want and need. My guess is the Willem will do practically everything you'll need until you get some specialized requirements like 2708s/1702s/GALs/PALs etc. Thanks and good luck! Andrew Lynch PS, When buying an older EPROM programmer, be sure to check the socket size. Some older programmers only accept up to 28 pin devices. Many newer DIP memories are 32 or 42 pin chips and even larger.

18 years, 2 months

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C <-> ASM translation problem

by cclist＠sydex.com

> Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2008 20:02:22 +0200 > From: Oliver Lehmann I don't have any experience with your particular compiler, but from what you say on your web page, it makes me wonder if an additional temporary variable isn't involved. Something like: x = (caddr_t)(((long)uap->linkname)); x &= 0x7F00FFFF; u.u_dirp.l = x; Of course, the intermediate variable would have to be register- resident. Just a guess... Cheers, Chuck

18 years, 2 months

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MicroVax batteries

by ian_primus＠yahoo.com

The batteries in my MicroVaxen need to be replaced. A couple of questions: What's the best way to clean up corrosion damage caused by these batteries? With Alkaline batteries, I usually use vinegar (since alkalines leak a base, not acid). What about NI-CD? What types of batteries can these be replaced with? I'm assuming that this is a NI-CD battery pack. I went to Radio Shack expecting to simply find a cordless phone battery that I could use to replace it - the pack appears to be nothing more than three AAA NI-CD cells in series. Unfortunately, the only sort of phone batteries they carry are either too big (AA's) or NIMH. I wouldn't imagine that it would work, but is it possible to use NIMH batteries to replace the original pack? I ended up buying a small pack at Target, it's a small, three cell (half or third AA, it appears), phone battery pack. NI-CD, 400mAh. But, you know, I'd like to know what my options are for the other MicroVaxen... Thanks! -Ian

18 years, 2 months

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MicroVax batteries

by cclist＠sydex.com

Time again for a stupid question. Why replace the original? I hate the idea of batteries inside equipment where the electrolyte goo can leak all over sensitive components. If I had your MicroVAX, I'd get a bunch of primary cells in a battery holder and place them outside of the case, so the goo will leak out onto the floor. A diode in series with the battery pack should disable the charging circuit and drop the pack's voltage to near-optimal. (3x1.2 NiCD = 3.6v; 3x1.5 primary = 4.5v - 0.7v for the series diode = 3.8v; pretty close). If the battery's function is to keep the clock and some RAM alive, 3 "D" cells will probably last a year or two. Make them Lithium-iron cells and you'll probably get 10 years of service. Cheers, Chuck

18 years, 2 months

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(E)PROM, PAL, GAL, CPLD, etc. programming

by sethm＠loomcom.com

Hey folks, I'd like to get some advice on getting a general-purpose (E)PROM burner. I've never burned a PROM in my life, but as I get more into digital design and home-brewing logic, I'm finding myself wishing I had access to a burner. I am a helpless newbie on this front, so perhaps someone can show me the light. I'd ideally like to be able to dump and burn PROMs, EPROMs, and PALs of various flavors. Bonus points would be GAL and CPLD programming capability, but I don't know how common it is to find both of those in the same box. Is it? Or is programmable logic typically handled by a totally different device? Availability is important -- I'd prefer to find one I can buy soon rather than waiting for just the right one to show up on eBay. And yes, just to prove that this is more or less on topic: I have been given a box of early 80s EPROMs I would like to try to get dumps of! Thanks much, -Seth

18 years, 2 months

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[personal] UK Computer Museum on TV

by roger.holmes＠microspot.co.uk

> From: "Mike Hatch" <mike at brickfieldspark.org> > > TM4's were on the SDS9300, six of them, as I recall they were 10 > track but > something also says 9 track, after all it was 35 years ago !.. Thanks for that. Yes a long time ago. > There were also TM4's fitted to an ICL (I think a 1901) machine up > in London > but I only visited for service once (dirty contacts on the tape arm > switches). More likely a 1301. When the 1301s were being phased out they had to connect a pair of 7 track decks to the 1301s to transfer data to 1900. If they'd had 1900s with TM4s they would surely have chosen that route instead. I presume you mean the contacts with the dash-pot attached, not the switches at the end of arm's travel as these are fairly bullet proof. Now I've said that, they will of course fail next week! I was chatting to a friend who was an ICT field engineer yesterday and he said 'we must clean the vacuum chambers sometime'. I asked him how often they should be cleaned and he said at the start of every morning shift. This made us both grin because they have not been cleaned since about 1977 and they are still not causing any problems, we can read tape last written at that time too, though the writing logic 'runs away' for some reason. > There were also TM2 drives on a LEO3 #26 at Charles House in London > maintained by ICL for running gas bills. I gather quite a number of > the Leo > machines used TM drives. They were popular on 1301s too, though no TM2 equipped 1301s have survived. They had four times the throughput of the TM4 decks as they used 8 data bits per frame plus 8 cyclic redundancy check bits. The tape moved as 150 inches per second too compared with just 75 on the TM4s giving 90k digits per second compared to 22.5k on the TM4. Still 300 bits per inch on each track though, seems very low density by today's standard. Roger Holmes.

18 years, 2 months

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powering up older machines - is it safe?

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: powering up older machines - is it safe? > From: Steven Hirsch <snhirsch at gmail.com> > Date: Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:00:15 -0400 (EDT) > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic Posts Only" <cctech at classiccmp.org> > >On Mon, 2 Jun 2008, Allison wrote: > >> Generally yes in my exerience. The PS is a ASTEC switcher in the drive snippage... >Allison, > >Do you recall anything about the semi-mythical Corvus interface for the >VT180? It's mentioned in the Corvus technical literature, but I've never >talked to anyone that's actually seen it in the wild. I'm curious if it >ever actually existed. > >Steve Nothing mythical. There was a version of the corvus interface that was a board that went under the Z80 and therefor allowed most any Z80 system to accept the corvus hardware. It wasn't however sold as a uniquely Robin thing. FYI the Robin does not have any for of external bus. If you want access to the bus you have to jack up the Z80 and grab it there. I ahve a Vt180, Vt185 (VT125+VT185 board) and maybe 4 VT180 boards rigged as standalone and a dozen more if I need a Z80, 8k of shadow rom, 65K of ram, 4 serial ports and a FDC on one nice board. Allison

18 years, 2 months

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PDP-11/40 for sale

by dave＠mynatt.biz

Hi, I'm the program director for a non-profit in Colorado and I am looking for a PDP-11 that we could use to introduce students to the early IT beginnings. I am hoping you may still have a surplus PDP-11 that we could pick up and cart away. You ad on http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctech/2008-February/091447.html is perfect for me, if it's still available. Dave Mynatt ===== http://sciencecenter.no-ip.org SID ID: S-0258 APRS UI-View KA0SWT LAT: 38'16.278" N LON: -104'40.537" W Alt: 4780ft DM78

18 years, 2 months

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MicroVax batteries

by cclist＠sydex.com

> Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2008 17:23:03 -0700 (PDT) > From: Mr Ian Primus > > The batteries in my MicroVaxen need to be replaced. A couple of > questions: > > What's the best way to clean up corrosion damage caused by these > batteries? With Alkaline batteries, I usually use vinegar (since alkalines > leak a base, not acid). What about NI-CD? They still use a strong base (potassium hydroxide), so vinegar is still a good idea. KOH is nasty--keep it off your skin and out of your eyes. Rinse well; follow up with methyl alcohol. Cheers, Chuck

18 years, 2 months

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powering up older machines - is it safe?

by eric＠brouhaha.com

Brian wrote: > If that's the smoke he smelled, he wouldn't care about the other > machines. He'd be off looking for munchies... "Now where were > those chips?" Mmmmm... NMOS chips... With just a hint of boron...

18 years, 2 months

1
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C <-> ASM translation problem

by lehmann＠ans-netz.de

Hi, As I promissed here comes my first question ;) While writing several C files for the WEGA/ZEUS kernel out of the disassembled objects (with unresolved symbols marked as external) I came across a piece of code I can't get to reproduce when compiling C. The original object contains: 0006de: 35a2 0004 ldl rr2,rr10(#$0004) 0006e2: 9424 ldl rr4,rr2 0006e4: 0704 7f00 and r4,#$7f00 0006e8: 5d04 8000 0004 ldl $8000+$0x4,rr4 I tried to reproduce it: ipc.ip_addr.l = *(unsigned long)(uap->addr.l)&0x7F00FFFF; Which generates: 0008 35a2 0004 59 ldl rr2,rr10(#4) 000c 0702 7f00 60 and r2,#32512 0010 5d02 8000* 61 ldl _ipc+4,rr2 0014 0004* which looks for me functional the same... I also tried: ipc.ip_addr.l = *(unsigned long *)(uap->addr.l)&0x7F00FFFF; Which generates: 0010 35a2 0004 60 ldl rr2,rr10(#4) 0014 1424 61 ldl rr4, at rr2 0016 0704 7f00 62 and r4,#32512 001a 5d04 8000* 63 ldl _ipc+4,rr4 Which looks "better" but isn't the same as the original because the adress of rr2 gets loaded into rr4 first, not rr2 itself. I'm a bit lost because I tried several different */&-pointer stuff to get this as it is in the original object without success. the elements ip_addr and addr are both of type saddr_t which is declare as follows: typedef union { caddr_t l; struct { unsigned left; unsigned right; } half; } saddr_t; /* segmented address with parts */ rr4 itself gets later overwritten in both codes - my code and the original object - it is not reserved for an internal C-variable. Maybe someone from you can help me here? -- Oliver Lehmann http://www.pofo.de/ http://wishlist.ans-netz.de/

18 years, 2 months

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[personal] UK Computer Museum on TV

by roger.holmes＠microspot.co.uk

> From: "Mike Hatch" <mike at brickfieldspark.org> > > Have past experience with Elliott 803b, Digital PDP7 & 11/20, > Scientific > Data Systems SDS9300, ASR/KSR 33 & 35, Ampex TM4 tape drives. May I ask what machine the Ampex TM4 tape drives were connected to? I have them on my ICT 1301s, and I have a slightly different deck marked TM4 Leo but if you know of any other machines which used them it would be interesting. Do you know if they were always ten track read/write heads or were they different configurations? I guess the formats were different across different machines, it seems unlikely anyone else would have chosen to use 4 data bits and 6 CRC bits, and certainly not in multiples of 12 digits with the digits from each half of the word interspersed ending at a word of hex FFFFFFFFFFFF. Roger

18 years, 2 months

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Australian Computer Museum

by jules.richardson99＠gmail.com

Does anyone know the fate of the Australian Computer Museum? Looking at their website at http://www.acms.org.au it looks like they were in real trouble a couple of months back. Does anyone know if they found alternative storage space for the collection (and therefore that the website just hasn't been updated)? cheers Jules

18 years, 2 months

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Venner Electronics Modules

by thrashbarg＠kaput.homeunix.org

Hi, I've got here some electronic modules made by Venner Electronics LTD, Kingston By-Pass, New Malden, Surrey. One is a Transistor Decade Unit type TS.10/5 and the other just has Type TS 11/HF on it, where 11/HF is scratched into the metal label. Opening one reveals a number of Mullard OC44 Ge transistors. What on earth are they for? I can imagine they're for some sort of digital machine or even a whole computer, but I can't find any information about them or the company. Thanks, Alexis.

18 years, 2 months

11
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Reconstructing Fastback Plus Backups from floppies

by johnwatson97＠optusnet.com.au

Hi Gary, I saw your 12 Mar 2007 post about reconstructing Fastback files. I have EXACTLY the same problem ! Did you get a solution ? Regards, John Watson.

18 years, 2 months

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is this a terminal multiplexer?

by legalize＠xmission.com

See ebay item # 120269073061 We've talked about terminal multiplexers here before, as opposed to terminal servers. They sound like interesting devices to me and I was wondering if this item on ebay is one of those muxes or some kind of telecom equipment instead (its listed under telecom, but ebay items are often listed under the wrong category). -- "The Direct3D Graphics Pipeline" -- DirectX 9 draft available for download <http://www.xmission.com/~legalize/book/download/index.html> Legalize Adulthood! <http://blogs.xmission.com/legalize/>

18 years, 2 months

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classic computer/game machine color video generation

by chd_1＠nktelco.net

How is the color video for display on a TV generated? I have a reasonable understanding of how the composite video signal works, although probably not all the details. Each horizontal scan line consists of a lower frequency signal that represents the brightness with higher voltage being darker. Added to this is a higher frequency signal that represents color and the color is determined not by amplitude, but by phase shift relative to a reference generated during the horizontal retrace time. So, if this is how the video signal works, then to generate 16 colors, we could use one bit for a brightness level and 3 bits to select a color. I can see a D F/F to hold the brightness level during a pixel time.For color, I see an 8 bit shift register with the color signal being shifted though and an 8 to 1 multiplexer to select the phase based on the 3 color bits during each pixel time. Now add some resistors to set the right levels and maybe some capacitors to take off the sharp edges and you have a video signal. I know this is ignoring the sync signals. I am really interested in how you get color. OK, so how close am I? -chuck

18 years, 2 months

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N8VEM homebrew SBC PCBs

by lynchaj＠yahoo.com

Hi All, I did finally finish my homebrew SBC PCBs and made an order for several. The manufacturer says they should arrive about 5 Jun 2008 or so. If anyone is interested in building their own, please let me know. The details about the SBC are at: http://groups.google.com/group/n8vem/web/n8vem-single-board-computer-home-pa ge http://groups.google.com/group/n8vem Thanks! Andrew Lynch

18 years, 2 months

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Trying again, wanted: volker-craig terminals

by dgahling＠hotmail.com

I'm trying this again, since I still haven't gotten one, I'm looking for a volker-craig terminal, preferably an 4404 (not a 3000-series). I used these at western and would love to have one. If anyone has one they want to get rid of, sell, trade, etc, please let me know. Thanks, Dan. _________________________________________________________________ If you like crossword puzzles, then you'll love Flexicon, a game which combines four overlapping crossword puzzles into one! http://g.msn.ca/ca55/208

18 years, 2 months

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Searching (again) for some Arpanet-related Documents

by spedraja＠gmail.com

Hello. I should agree if someone could provide me one copy of these documents related with the Arpanet: * BBN Report n.2184, "TIP Hardware Manual" * BBN Report n.2161, "A Study of the ARPA Network Design and performance" * BBN Technical Information Report (TIR) n.89, "The Interface Message Processor Program" * BBN Technical Information Report (TIR) n.90, "The Network Control Center Program" * BBN Technical Information Report (TIR) n.91, "The Terminal Interface Message Processor Program" * BBN Technical Information Report (TIR) n.93, "The Remote Job Entry Mini-host" * BBN Reports n.2999, 2930, 3000, 3001, 2931, 3002, 3004, 3056 and 3126, all of them related with the Pluribus IMP. * NIC 6740, "The Network Resource Notebook" * NIC 7104, "ARPA Current Network Protocols" * NIC internal/informal notes named "TIP Users Group Notes" Thanks and Greetings Sergio

18 years, 2 months

1
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Documation tags

by wdonzelli＠gmail.com

I have a couple of metal tags for a Documation M200 card reader - one the front green tag with M200 and the logo, and the other the back (bottom?) black tag with the serial number and stuff. Both in pretty nice shape. All this for a buck! Postage included! Don't be a dick and reply off list, please... -- Will

18 years, 2 months

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is this a terminal multiplexer?

by aek＠bitsavers.org

It is a T1 channel bank. One end of a multiplexed point to point connection through a (roughly) 1mbit pipe. Most of the cards are for POTS lines.

18 years, 2 months

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PDP 11/93 + RSX 11M

by support＠simation.com

Hello Henrique, i have same problem as you, reading BRUSYS floppy from RX33, do you get any help according to your question?, i would appreciate any help you can give me thank you Rolando Cornejo Dear Sir, I?m in trouble with the system as the boot stops at : RSX-11M - Plus V4.3 BL66 2044.KW System "Pt/Ps" > RED DU:=SY: when loading from RD53 (RZ 28M-E) and stops at: RSX-11M/RSX-11M Plus Standalone Copy System V03 when loading from RX33 (Brusys floppy) Do you have an idea why the boot does not go on? Thanks in advance, Henrique Gomes.

18 years, 2 months

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Australian Computer Museum

by gerhard.kreuzer＠liftoff.at

Hi, I just recognize this situation before 1th of April, and I send eMails, that I could take care of one or two dec systems (pdp8) but I never get an answer back. Hope their systems arnt scraped!!!!!!! Yours Gerhard

18 years, 2 months

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UK Computer Museum on TV

by aliensrcooluk＠yahoo.co.uk

I for one would like to see it (hope you remembered to record it!). I would see it myself, but our aerial is actually pointed to Central and not Sandy Heath (Anglia TV) after my parents got some guy out to allow my & my bro to have a 2nd aerial line fitted into our bedroom years ago. We didn't realise what he had done until he had left and he never returned any of my dads phone calls. I guess you could say he was a rogue trader of sorts. I couldn't be more local to Cambridge... ok, perhaps I could if I lived *in* Cambridge and not nearby (Cottenham). I'd certainly be interested in being involved with the museum, once I get up and running with my car. Regards, Andrew B aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk

18 years, 2 months

2
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MicroVax 3900 current draw and heat output?

by ian_primus＠yahoo.com

I'm in the process of thoroughly cleaning my MicroVax 3900 in preparation for installing it in my upstairs computer room. This will be the only "big"* machine up there, all the rest of the iron lives in my semi-finished basement computer room. (concrete floors, plenty of headroom, easy power installation...). The problem is, that my upstairs computer room has always had a bit of a problem with heat and power. I'm installing a second 15amp circuit, but heat dissapation will be limited to the central air conditioning and ceiling fan. So, what I'm wondering is... how much power will a MicroVax 3900, with two RA90's, draw? And similarly, how much heat will it put out? Thanks! -Ian * Note how I put "big" in quotes. I know that a MicroVax 3900 is not a big machine, compared to, say, most of the other Vaxen and stuff I own. But, it's bigger than an SGI Octane, it's bigger than a Macintosh, and it's bigger than the PC's and all the other boxen that live upstairs. So, comparatively, it's "big". Ironically, however, I think it's smaller than my printer.

18 years, 2 months

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Prepare to chuckle...

by tshoppa＠wmata.com

At 6:02 PM -0700 3/9/08, Sellam Ismail wrote: >http://www.vintage.org/blog.php?action=read&pid=22 That's not bad at all compared to some of the stuff I've bought over Ebay. I've been pretty disappointed at some of the 50 or 70 pound lab instruments that look to be in perfect pristine condition before they're shipped to me - but arrived in way way too little packaging and with all the corners bashed in and knobs broken off by the time they get to me. Usually I'm so sad about the whole destruction of what was just a few days before a very nice example of 50-year-old technology that I can't even bring myself to leave negative feedback. What's the point, the seller won't learn, and history's been lost in any event. I'm even sad that I participated in the destruction (although I make it very very clear to the seller what I think he ought to do in shipping, usually the seller just takes it to the "UPS Store" and let them put it in a lightweight carboard box with some peanuts.) I'm left not chuckling but pretty depressed. Tim.

18 years, 2 months

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powering up older machines - is it safe?

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: powering up older machines - is it safe? > From: ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell) > Date: Tue, 03 Jun 2008 04:39:09 +0100 (BST) > To: cctalk at classiccmp.org > >> > The main worry is not a capacitor Failing. The main worry IMHO is that if >> > there's a fault in the power supply regulation circuitry then that could >> > make the +5V line jump to a high enough voltage to wipe out just about >> > every chip in the machine. Expansive and difficult to put right. However the swithers used are less likely to overvolt than fry the high voltage side (chopper fails!). In the case of the Robin that is there the risk is (other than the video board cap). Allison >> >> I don't disagree with the concern, but I'd be interested in hearing >> estimates on the probability of this taking place. Has anyone had it >> happen to them? > >Yes, sort-of.... > >I've never had it happen in a classic computer, but years ago I was >making a homebrew SC/MP machine. I'd obtained a surplus PSU which I'd >tested and worked fine, and then stuck on the shelf. I was foolish enough >to get it out a couple of mnths later and attempt to use it to power my >homebrew board. Alas something had failed in the PSU (I forget what, it >might just have been a dry joint...) the +5V output was at about 9V. This >wiped out the SC/MP, a couple of 2114s, and at least one TTL chip >(amazingly much of the TTL eurvived). > >I was a schoolboy at the time, and it took a lot of weeks of saving >pocket money to replace that SC/MP. I guess that's why I'm now (over-) >cautious... > >-tony

18 years, 2 months

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Semi-OT? HP 1630G Logic Analyser (grabbers, invasm packs & disk drives)

by jplist2007＠kiwigeek.com

Hey folks; So I'm busy reading the manual to my brand-new-offa-eBay 1630G and, page by page, I'm more and more impressed. I've never owned one before and it just seems like pure magic. I've got it hooked up to a huffy Vector Graphic in my basement (which diagnosed a bad Z80 in a matter of seconds on my test try!) and boy is it useful. First business - does anyone have swaths of the double-grip HP probe grabbers they might be willing to part with for a reasonable sum? Just askin' :) I'm reading the section on the 'inverse assembler', which really is remarkable (like I said, I'm new to this) to have it disassemble various CPU instruction sets. What I do not have, though, is either the appropriate disk drive set (HP 9121S or 9121D, according to the manual) nor any of the invasm packs. I don't suppose there's anyone out there who may be willing to also part with either of the above, again, for reasonable recompense? With the Vector I'm interested in Z80 invasms - but, frankly, the options seem endless given the smattering of 8-bit processors I have covering my shelves in need of attention. There's a 9121D on eBay (6 days out) for $60 w/shipping, which is... do-able but seems a shade hefty. Maybe they're getting harder to find these days, I don't know. As for the invasm packs, for all I know they're complete unobtanium - but I figured I'd go to the repository for such knowledge and see what people thought. Many, many thanks to all. - JP

18 years, 2 months

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