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OFFER: Tektronix 4107 colour graphics terminal (Ottawa)

by jeff.boyd＠sympatico.ca

Hi, This a belated cross-post from Ottawa Freecycle. I have a Tektronix 4107 colour graphics terminal, complete with manual and keyboard. Free to good home, but you have to come and get it. Jeff

20 years

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Paper tape and 8th bit?

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: Paper tape and 8th bit? > From: woodelf <bfranchuk at jetnet.ab.ca> > Date: Sat, 26 Aug 2006 16:48:38 -0600 > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > >Chuck Guzis wrote: > >> >> If you look at the preceding character, is there any correlation to the 8th >> bit of the next one? The 8th bit just might be garbage left over and not >> masked out. > >It could be binary.The driver is loaded in the top of memory, and >seems to patch over a TTY driver. I don't have manual handy >but it does have a bootstrap loader @ 80H I think, the first >256 bytes to load in a hex loader. PT and many of the 8080 micros didn't use the punch/reader (ASR33 usually) in the same way as the PDP-8 and onter Minis. So conventions existed but didn't always get applied the same. It's not a bin tape, the manual has the source listing. Its a program "LIST" of a PT 5k basic program that loads a long list of DATA nnn,nnn into memory at an address and also pokes the output code of the program to point to VDM1 or Nominal IO depending of sense switch 8 (IN FF; ANI 80; JZ xxxx). Works on IMSAI or Altair front pannal systems,useless for NS* (no sense sw at FFh). I still have and use a VDM-1 in a Netronics Explorer 8085. I havent used PT software since '76ish as I wrote a more compact minimal VT52 screen emulation for it. Allison

20 years

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Floppy disk sizes ( was Re: Compaq Portable III fails POST? )

by aliensrcooluk＠yahoo.co.uk

--- Jules Richardson <julesrichardsonuk at yahoo.co.uk > wrote: > aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk wrote: > > That means there are 5 different floppy disk > > sizes that I now know of: > > > > 3" > > 3.5" > > 5" > > 8" > > Add 2" to that - someone handed us a box of them t he > other week. I've got a > feeling that 2.5" existed, too (and presumably by 5" > you mean what's commonly > called 5.25"?) > hmmm, now you have me slightly confused. After sendi ng the message I did remember the 5.25" disks (as us ed on BBC's etc.), but I assumed that 5" and 5.25" w ere different sizes. what's with 2" and 2.5", wouldn't they be too fiddly and/or store too small amount of data to make them worthwhile? > > 12" (used on a special Sony Laservision machine) > > Hmm, Philips certainly had laservision players (go t > one here), but they're > optical laserdisk players, not floppy (as in > magnetic media) at all. I'd be > surprised if a rival company could use the same na me > for a totally different > technology! I've heard rumours of a 12" IBM format > for one of their early > mainframes, but I don't know if that's just urban > legend or not. > No legend... give me a while and I'll find a link to a pic of a 12" disk... Robert Bernardo (Amiga enthusiast) has been pictured with one at a retro event fairly recently. > cheers > > Jules > > Regards, Andrew B aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk

20 years

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Paper tape and 8th bit?

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: Paper tape and 8th bit? > From: ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell) > Date: Sat, 26 Aug 2006 23:40:58 +0100 (BST) > To: cctalk at classiccmp.org > >> >> Hi Guys, >> >> I'm attempting to recover some software from paper-tape. >> >> Never actually had a PT reader in my "altair days", I fooled around >> with magnetic tape systems (audio and 9-track), and later went to >> the NorthStar disk system... Did a bit of paper-tape stuff with the >> university systems, but I don't recall any real details. >> >> Anyway - I'm using an OP-80A which is a very simple manual feed >> reader - you position a light over the unit and pull the tape through >> wire guides over an optical sensor and it provides parallel data. >> >> This all appears to work OK. >> >> The tape I've been testing with is a Processor Technology "BASIC >> VDM DRIVER" - it contains driver software for the PT VDM-1 video >> board. >> >> My question - Does anyone know what they are using the 8th bit >> for? - I get nicely readable ASCII BASIC source out of it, except > >Well, AFAIK few punches [1] or readers ever did anything with the 8th bit >other than just transfer it to/from the system. So what it means depends >on the device that punched that tape. > >[1] I say 'few', not none because the serial adapter board for the 4070 >can be set up to make this a locally-generated parity bit. In other words >you can send it 7 bit characters (or 8 bit with the top bit ignored) and >it will punch them with the 8th level an even parity bit. All >link-selectable. The punch and reader "dumb" devices though some did parity local that was more exception than general practice. > >> that the 8th bit seems to be somewhat randomly set on certain >> characters. If I strip the 8th bit I get what appears to be legit BASIC >> code. >> >> I thought it might be parity, however this does not appear to be In PT systems that may have been used as a "page" (VT or FF) marker. I have the VDM-1 and the basic driver is ascii and the resulting program load the binary driver. >That would have been my first guess too. Normally even parity, since then >totally blank and all holes are valid characters (the latter can be used >to overpunch any other character, and was origianlly simply ignored by >the system). > >Of course on a binary tape (true binary, not Intel-Hex or something), >it's just anothe bit. It's an Ascii punch of the PT basic "LIST: command. The 8th hole may well be random trash or a particular character in memory that had the high bit set. >> the case - the codes 0A (00001010) and 0D (00001101) both >> appear with the 8th bit clear - If the 8th bit were parity, one or >> the other should have it set. Other characters always have it set, >> for example 'T' (54) seems to always appears as (D4). > >Doe any character exist in both forms (with the top bit both clear and >set)? If so, could it be something like a 'start of statement' marker or >'start of keyword' or soemthing like that? Easier, what is the punch pattern on the tape that corrosponds to the 8th bit? My tape is deeply burried since I stopped using back in '76. I know the box it's in far enough down the stack to not warrent looking. Allison

20 years

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Floppy disk sizes ( was Re: Compaq Portable III fails POST? )

by aliensrcooluk＠yahoo.co.uk

--- Jules Richardson <julesrichardsonuk at yahoo.co.uk > wrote: > aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk wrote: > > That means there are 5 different floppy disk > > sizes that I now know of: > > > > 3" > > 3.5" > > 5" > > 8" > > Add 2" to that - someone handed us a box of them t he > other week. I've got a > feeling that 2.5" existed, too (and presumably by 5" > you mean what's commonly > called 5.25"?) > > > 12" (used on a special Sony Laservision machine) > > Hmm, Philips certainly had laservision players (go t > one here), but they're > optical laserdisk players, not floppy (as in > magnetic media) at all. I'd be > surprised if a rival company could use the same na me > for a totally different > technology! I've heard rumours of a 12" IBM format > for one of their early > mainframes, but I don't know if that's just urban > legend or not. > > cheers > > Jules > Well here's the link to the pic: http://www.dickestel.com/vintage2005.htm It's picture 7, taken at the Vintage Computer Festiv al 2005. I'm not entirely sure that is Robert holdin g the disk, but he may have taken the picture instea d? Regards, Andrew B aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk

20 years

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EV on AXPs

by compoobah＠valleyimplants.com

Ray wrote: > The Alpha chips were coded with EV - as in >Electro Vlassic. :-) That is one of those things, like VME, where the "real meaning" is kept secret. There are several hypotheses, the other one that makes sense is that it stands for Extended VAX (which, when you trace it out, means Extended Virtual Address Extension [of the PDP-11], so there's still a little bit of PDP in HP/DEC (until October...) AXP however is known to mean nothing. (could be a place shifting of something, e.g. VAX -> (v)AX[p]

20 years

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Megadata available

by fredbug＠neo.rr.com

Hi. I missed the posting untill now, is the unit still available? If so let me know, I might beat 'scrap value'. Bruce

20 years

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Scanning Formats (TIFF vs. JPEG)

by doug.jackson＠ewa-australia.com

> "I see where you're coming from - but I also know that writing a TIFF > decoder is pretty straightforward; I wouldn't fancy doing the same for > either JPEG or PDF (not sure about PNG, but I get the impression that > it's pretty simple in nature)." Noooooo!!!!! Don't do it. The problem with writing your own decoder is that you may not have your own set of reference images, so testing it would be 'interesting'. This is the major cause of security issues in software at the moment. All it takes is one case where you mis-handle input, and you have introduced a vulnerability into your application. Unfortunately, you can't work on the basis that image data is not hostile any more. That's what application libraries are for. Yes, they are larger that rolling your own, but they are also more robust.

20 years

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Feelings about vintage systems

by blstuart＠bellsouth.net

> What I'm wondering is if one's feelings about "collectable" systems have > more to do with the level of exposure to the internals of the hardware than > with any intrinsic novelty of the hardware itself. For me it really is more about the intellectual "value" in the design than about any experiential component. To be honest, I don't particularly like using computer to do things. I like making computers do things. As a result, I don't run any commercial software and very little of the other usual stuff most people run. So what does make a machine interesting to me? There are the architectures that I like, that make me feel an intellectual connection to the creators. These are ones that are clean or elegant or orthogonal, or whatever characteristic is particularly nice about it. These are the machines like the various models of the PDP-11. On the other hand there are those architectures that are far enough out of the ordinary that they're interesting mostly in just how different they are. The Intel 432 and the older AS/400s discussed recently fall into that catagory. In some cases it's the details of the design, like the aync PDP-10s and pretty much anything designed by Cray. Maybe it's interesting because of its historical influence like with the GE645 or the PDP-7. So the experience of using it is one of the least significant factors in it for me. Not to say it's negatively correlated. Some of my fondest memories are of low level stuff on PDP-11s, but most of the machines I'd love to add to my collection are ones I've never had any experience with at all. > Does this make sense? Since fewer folks are using assembly or machine > language, does this account for the indifference to modern hardware? For me, the "modern hardware" in the sense of PCs are uninteresting because they fail all the tests for interestingness. The architecture is something only its mother could love. But it's not so far out in left field that it's interesting in its own right. While the Intel and AMD guys have done a bang-up job squeezing performance out of a turnip and I'm sure some of the chip level details are interesting, the design of the overall machines is singularly boring. Now some people might think there is some significant historical value in the PC per se, but I've got to say I see it just as another step on a road toward smaller and smaller devices that will eventually approach the ubiquitous computing model Xerox talked about a while back. I can't honestly say that I see much intellectually interesting about the fact that it put computers in the hands of the masses. Sure it lets more people do more with them and I can now keep in touch using e-mail with people I couldn't 20 years ago, but I don't find that an interesting subject of study. It's kind of like the web. When things first started happening, one could recognize it as basically as networked, graphical 3270. The only thing that really seemed different and original was the fact that now the recipient was responsible for the format of the information instead of the producer (by virtue of HTML being a markup language not a layout language). But then people came along and made everything a table whether it was tabular data or not. "I don't care how wide your browser window is; these have to be next to each other." Then came style sheets and we lost the one thing that was really interesting, the chance to see what would happen with the one major change to the printing press model. So now the web is just another mass medium driven by advertising. It became less interesting as it became more "useful" and "friendly." If you've been skimming to see what the punch line is, it's this. My question is always, "Is it interesting as an object of study?" not "Is it interesting as a tool to use?" As always, YMMV BLS

20 years

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My large font (was Re: OT: Hotdog cooker links)

by aliensrcooluk＠yahoo.co.uk

--- Jim Beacon <jim at g1jbg.co.uk> wrote: > > > > > aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk wrote: > > > I surf using my Sega Dreamcast (games console > > > launched in 1998 in Japan, and 1999 for UK and > USA) > > > and I use the Dreamkey 3 (European) browser > > > which is based on DreamPassport 3 (the > > > Japanese browser). When altering it they > > > left some things in, so when I reply to emails > > > via the POP3 software they are all encoded > > > in the Japanese character set (ISO-2022JP), > > > as Don pointed out. > > > > Heh heh, that's sufficiently bonkers that I thin k > I can live with it ;-) > > > > cheers > > > > Jules > > > The only oddity here, is that opening the message > tries to load JAVA (I have > it for some other applets......). I guess most > people have JAVA disabled. > > Jim. > Yeah, I have been told something like that before. I guess it's triggered by having the email encoded in ISO-2022JP? Regards, Andrew B aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk

20 years

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My large font (was Re: OT: Hotdog cooker links)

by aliensrcooluk＠yahoo.co.uk

--- Don <THX1138 at dakotacom.net> wrote: > Jules Richardson wrote: > > aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk wrote: > > [snip] > > > ps. Any ideas why your emails to the list (and > nobody else's) appear in a > > larger font than normal? Not sure if it's just > affecting Thunderbird here or > > various other people's email clients too! > > ISO-2022JP character encoding > Sorry, I'll explain... I surf using my Sega Dreamcast (games console launched in 1998 in Japan, and 1999 for UK and USA) and I use the Dreamkey 3 (European) browser which is based on DreamPassport 3 (the Japanese browser). When altering it they left some things in, so when I reply to emails via the POP3 software they are all encoded in the Japanese character set (ISO-2022JP), as Don pointed out. Apologies if this bugs anyone, but I don't have a PC, my Amiga doesn't have a modem nor enough memory to surf the net (only has 2MB at the moment) and, whilst I can read, delete and move emails via my mobile phone, I can't reply to emails :( Regards, Andrew B aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk

20 years

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Amigaisms (was Re: Feelings about vintage systems)

by aliensrcooluk＠yahoo.co.uk

--- Ethan Dicks <ethan.dicks at gmail.com> wrote: > On 8/26/06, aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk > <aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > > --- Chris M <chrism3667 at yahoo.com> wrote: > > > --- Ethan Dicks <ethan.dicks at gmail.com> wrote: > > > > If you attempt a read larger than 8-bits on an > > > > odd-boundary, the 68000 traps... (Guru > Meditation) > > > > > > Like a blue screen? > > > > > > > No, a Guru Meditation has a completely black > > screen with a rectangle in white/grey at the > > top of the screen. > > Inside the rectangle is a message a long the > > lines of "A fatal software error has occured. > > Press mouse button to reset", followed by > > 2 8 digit (hexidecimal?) numbers. > > I think what the OP meant was functionally like a > blue screen on an MS > OS, not visually identical to one Ahh, yes. I have never had the pleasure of seeing the blue screen on an MS OS, the computers at work generally freeze up completely. > > In any case, the entire screen may or may not be > black, depending on > the nature and severity of the cause - with some > errors, the entire > screen was slid down enough to make room for the > Guru Meditation box, > which had a blinking red border and red text insid e > (red it fatal, > yellow if not, but that was rare). There _could b e_ > a "Software > Failure" requester box with "press mouse button to > reset", but that > was _prior_ to a Guru Meditation screen, not the > Guru Meditation > itself. > > > The first one is the error code, typically > 80000001 or 80000003, > > Those are examples of 68000 trap error codes... > 80000003 in particular > happens to be the odd address trap that started > things off (it was > rather common, especially if your code went off in to > the weeds and > tried to execute an instruction on an odd-byte > boundary). > > There were also _lots_ of error codes that could > tell you specifics > about what really went wrong, but unless you had t he > Rom Kernel Manual > (RKM) handy or did a lot of development, people > ignored the numbers. > > > but I don't know what the 2nd number represents . > > Either "HELP" in ASCII (0x48454C50) or the address > of the process that > was running when the machine puked. It was only > useful if you were a > developer and used it to fire up ROMWack (an > internal debugger) to > sift through the remains of your process to see wh at > it was doing when > something went wrong. Mostly, though, the second > number wasn't > particularly helpful. "ROMWack is an internal debugger", do you mean it's stored internally (ROM) and can be accessed when things go wrong, or is it some external program that can be run to see whats wrong? That could be useful if I could use it as I have some games/software that sometimes causes it to Guru, even after pluggin in my 4MB RAM PCMCIA card to give my Amiga 600 a total of 6MB of memory. Regards, Andrew B aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk

20 years

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Feelings about vintage systems

by cclist＠sydex.com

I've used a lot of different systems, but some stick in my mind as being particularly wonderful and others are but a dim memory. I've used DEC equipment (VAX 730 and 750), but never at an assembly or machine instruction level--there was simply no need. Unix is unix and everything's done in C at worst. So I don't remember much about the hardware and have no particular fondess or aversion to a system--it was just a box. If it broke, you called for field service; the peripherals were likely made by someone else, so even those weren't special. They were like my toaster--they did what they were purchased to do and when they didn't, there was someone who would fix them. Learn the right Unix invocation, know where to plug in the cables; after that, it's just a matter of putting the right software on it. On the other hand, there are many systems that I've programmed at the assembly level and have even developed hardware for that I remember quite well. Some of these were notably inferor to the DEC systems, but they occupy a fond spot in my mind. What I'm wondering is if one's feelings about "collectable" systems have more to do with the level of exposure to the internals of the hardware than with any intrinsic novelty of the hardware itself. Does this make sense? Since fewer folks are using assembly or machine language, does this account for the indifference to modern hardware? Cheers, Chuck

20 years

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Amigaisms (was Re: Feelings about vintage systems)

by ethan.dicks＠gmail.com

On 8/26/06, aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk <aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > --- Chris M <chrism3667 at yahoo.com> wrote: > > --- Ethan Dicks <ethan.dicks at gmail.com> wrote: > > > If you attempt a read larger than 8-bits on an > > > odd-boundary, the 68000 traps... (Guru Meditation) > > > > Like a blue screen? > > > > No, a Guru Meditation has a completely black > screen with a rectangle in white/grey at the > top of the screen. > Inside the rectangle is a message a long the > lines of "A fatal software error has occured. > Press mouse button to reset", followed by > 2 8 digit (hexidecimal?) numbers. I think what the OP meant was functionally like a blue screen on an MS OS, not visually identical to one, in this case, the answer is, "sorta-kinda-mostly", at least from the standpoint that it was the last thing you get to see before resetting the machine. In any case, the entire screen may or may not be black, depending on the nature and severity of the cause - with some errors, the entire screen was slid down enough to make room for the Guru Meditation box, which had a blinking red border and red text inside (red it fatal, yellow if not, but that was rare). There _could be_ a "Software Failure" requester box with "press mouse button to reset", but that was _prior_ to a Guru Meditation screen, not the Guru Meditation itself. > The first one is the error code, typically 80000001 or 80000003, Those are examples of 68000 trap error codes... 80000003 in particular happens to be the odd address trap that started things off (it was rather common, especially if your code went off into the weeds and tried to execute an instruction on an odd-byte boundary). There were also _lots_ of error codes that could tell you specifics about what really went wrong, but unless you had the Rom Kernel Manual (RKM) handy or did a lot of development, people ignored the numbers. > but I don't know what the 2nd number represents. Either "HELP" in ASCII (0x48454C50) or the address of the process that was running when the machine puked. It was only useful if you were a developer and used it to fire up ROMWack (an internal debugger) to sift through the remains of your process to see what it was doing when something went wrong. Mostly, though, the second number wasn't particularly helpful. > There is also a "recoverable error", which > gives you a Guru Meditation screen, but with > a message similar to "A non-fatal error has > occured. Press mouse button to continue". > However, apon pressing said mouse button you > can continue.... for about 5 seconds until > the same Guru screen pops up, so you end up > having to do a warm reset anyway! Yeah.... typically, if you got a recoverable error, something was likely to happen shortly thereafter that wasn't recoverable. -ethan

20 years

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need freight & crate in Cincinnati -- recommendations

by brian＠quarterbyte.com

Hi, I need to get a freight/crater to pick up a cabinet in Cincinnati OH, palletize and wrap it so that I can have it picked up for shipping. Can anyone recommend a company there? Could you email me off list? Thanks! Brian (this is OT: it's vintage computing stuff!)

20 years

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Feelings about vintage systems

by aliensrcooluk＠yahoo.co.uk

--- Chris M <chrism3667 at yahoo.com> wrote: > > > --- Ethan Dicks <ethan.dicks at gmail.com> wrote: > > > If you attempt a read larger than 8-bits on an > > odd-boundary, the 68000 > > traps. Not the same as a halt - you are free to > > install a trap > > handler, but in practice, machines like the Amig a > > just went through an > > error dump (Guru Meditation) when low-value CPU > > traps triggered. > > Like a blue screen? > No, a Guru Meditation has a completely black screen with a rectangle in white/grey at the top of the screen. Inside the rectangle is a message a long the lines of "A fatal software error has occured. Press mouse button to reset", followed by 2 8 digit (hexidecimal?) numbers. The first one is the error code, typically 80000001 or 80000003, but I don't know what the 2nd number represents. If you get a coloured screen on boot-up (eg. grey, dark grey, blue etc.) then the Amiga has halted the self test due to a hardware failure of some sort. You would also see the Caps Lock LED blink a few times aswell. The colour shown when it freezes along with the Caps Lock LED flashing is used to work out what the problem is. I can post up more details if you are interested? There is also a "recoverable error", which gives you a Guru Meditation screen, but with a message similar to "A non-fatal error has occured. Press mouse button to continue". However, apon pressing said mouse button you can continue.... for about 5 seconds until the same Guru screen pops up, so you end up having to do a warm reset anyway! Regards, Andrew B aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk

20 years

2
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hp 10391b inverse assembler/HP 1660A needed operating system files

by Gergana.Buchvarova＠jci.com

Hi Glen, I read in ClassicCmp forum that you have operating system files for HP1660A, but I couldn't find them in forum. Is it possible to send me operating system files for HP1660A? (Or to send me link which to use for thise files download) I have to use logic analyser but there is a problem with it , which requires device to be flashed. Thank you in advance! Best Regards Gergana Buchvarova Engineer SW Validation Johnson Controls Electronics Bulgaria EOOD 14 Todor Aleksandrov Blvd. BG-1303 Sofia Phone: + 359 2 9306418 Fax: + 359 2 9306462

20 years

1
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10BASE-T Ethernet Transceiver

by ploopster＠gmail.com

Does anyone within a reasonable driving distance of Poughkeepsie, NY have any Allied-Telesyn mini-transceivers they don't need? I can throw a few bucks into the deal to make it worth your while. Thanks. Peace... Sridhar

20 years

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OT?: TTL and other electronic junk...

by rtellason＠verizon.net

I sent my original reply to that poster offlist, but since there's some interest in this, have a look at my page at: http://mysite.verizon.net/rtellason/w4s.html which lists a number of parts that I have a *lot* of. Any of you folks want some of these, feel free to contact me offlist... -- Member of the toughest, meanest, deadliest, most unrelenting -- and ablest -- form of life in this section of space, a critter that can be killed but can't be tamed. --Robert A. Heinlein, "The Puppet Masters" - Information is more dangerous than cannon to a society ruled by lies. --James M Dakin

20 years

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Feelings about vintage systems

by aek＠bitsavers.org

> Well, the other choice at the time was the 68000. 32-bit registers, > yes, but it had goofy quirks all its own (didn't you halt the CPU if you > attempted to read memory not on word boundaries or something? On the original 68000, instructions had to be aligned on 16 bit boundaries or you'd get an instruction fault. The associated stupidity was wasting a bit of the branch range by NOT having the branch target word-aligned.

20 years

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Feelings about vintage systems

by blstuart＠bellsouth.net

> Jules Richardson wrote: > Well if the IBM PC hadn't turned up, surely computers would have ended up in > the hands of the masses anyway? There were plenty of good, robust, expandable > systems with good software support worldwide at the time - all it needed was > for society to be ready to accept 'the computer' on a wider scale. IBM just > happened to be in the right place at the right time, and it's unfortunate that > they'd built a turkey :-) I agree. Whether it was Apple or IBM or Tandy or someone else, it would have happened anyway. If I had my 'druthers though, what ended up in the hands of the masses would have been more of a real appliance than something to be viewed as a computer. When you get right down to it the main differences among a game console, a dedicated word processor and a "personal computer" are the expectations of the user. Nothing wrong with giving the masses a toaster that can transform into a mixer. But when you foist on them a device that they need a class at the local community college to learn "how to use" then you've done a disservice to both the masses and to the computer scientists. To bring this back to the collectibility question, there have been a few machines that seemed to be pitched in that direction. But they never seemed to generate the momentum that "we've got these at work; I'll buy one for home" did. A collection of those would make a nice niche display in a computing museum. BLS

20 years

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Where To Buy 74xxs?

by ohh＠drizzle.com

Hey, all: I've been thinking it'd be a good idea to buy and set aside some spare parts for the couple of DEC machines I have around... mostly 7400-series ICs, some switching transistors and such. It's been a while since I've bought parts, however. What places (preferably online) have you had good experiences with? -O.-

20 years

5
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Sharp PC-1211

by THX1138＠dakotacom.net

Hans Franke wrote: > Am 24 Aug 2006 11:50 meinte Don: > >> Hi, >> >> I've a Sharp PC-1211 with CE-122 "Printer & Cassette Interface". >> But, I'll be damned if I can figure out how to make the printer >> *work*! It advances paper when manually commanded to do so. >> But, I can't figure out how to get the 1211 to print *to* it! > > Try > > LPRINT "All your Printers belong to us" I've tried PRINT and LPRINT -- in all four "modes". No luck.

20 years

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PDP-8 /e/f/m memory

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: PDP-8 /e/f/m memory > From: "Ethan Dicks" <ethan.dicks at gmail.com> > Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2006 12:13:16 +1200 > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > >On 8/15/06, vrs <vrs at msn.com> wrote: >> From: "Ethan Dicks" <ethan.dicks at gmail.com> >> > OK. Is a DEC005 OMNIBUS-friendly? We used them on our Qbus COMBOARD, >> > so that's the context I think of them in. >> >> Interesting question, even though I'd never design in a DEC005. They are >> made of even more unobtainium than the regular tranceivers! I have a selection of DEC0XX parts on hand from my days in the mill. >Agreed. I have a few, but I used to make Qbus cards. For most folks, >the only source is other cards. Or plain TTL. LS241 is a good reciever for Q, U or Omnibus (Schmitt inputs) and 74LS38 makes a good open collector driver. There are others. Allison

20 years

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USR quad modems... (ontopic - really!)

by zmerch-cctalk＠30below.com

So, I have an older USR Total Control system with quad V.34 modems on each card, and prolly 12 cards in the system. I was curious as to just what makes this sucker tick, so I pulled a card & started looking at chip numbers... Each "modem section" has: an Intel 80C186 (same chip as in the Tandy 2000) - except they're rated for 20Mhz... a TI/USR DSP chip, which is prolly useless outside of the intended use 2 each 32Kx8 static ram chips, 4 each 128Kx8 static ram chips and lots of other 8/16-bit 74-series buffer chips & whanot. So, *if* I can get a Dynamic-RAM -> Static RAM converter board designed for the CoCo, I could upgrade 4 CoCo3s to 512K with each modem board. Anyone have any use for some 20Mhz 80C186's? Laterz, Roger "Merch" Merchberger -- Roger "Merch" Merchberger -- SysAdmin, Iceberg Computers zmerch at 30below.com What do you do when Life gives you lemons, and you don't *like* lemonade?????????????

20 years

10
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OT: Hotdog cooker links

by aliensrcooluk＠yahoo.co.uk

--- Teo Zenios <teoz at neo.rr.com> wrote: > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Tom Peters" <tpeters at mixcom.com> > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic > Posts" > <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2006 3:10 PM > Subject: Re: OT: Hotdog cooker links > > > > I built a hot dog cooker when I was 9, consistin g > of a small piece of pine > > (1x4 nominal), two nails, and a line-cord > connected to 110VAC mains. It > was > > based on an idea I saw in a book somewhere. My d ad > was absolutely sure it > > wouldn't work. It did. We disassembled it right > after using it because of > > the hazards of exposed line voltage and two poin ty > things sticking up. > > > > Those were the days. > > I recall a TV show a long time ago (some guy showi ng > kids how things worked) > was showing how to cook a hotdog like that (I thin k > they used those small > forks that you held corn on the cob with) and > plugged them into 110VAC for a > few seconds. The salty liquid in the hotdog > conducted enough electricity to > cook the hotdog in a few seconds. I bet that show > never gets replayed these > days because of lawyers. > > Hmmm... the only one I know like that (that isn't on today) was Johnny Ball Reveals All. It was a UK show though, but was great for learning about science and stuff... except I wasn't really into science much back then. (Johnny Ball is Zoe Balls (famous Radio DJ/TV Presenter) father). There is, of course, How 2 aswell. That show has been running in the UK since.... well, since I was a teenager. That makes it atleast 15 years old. Fred Dinage and erm... the other guy still do it, but Carol Vorderman left to do other things. Regards, Andrew B aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk

20 years

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OT; Hotdog cooker

by compoobah＠valleyimplants.com

The DEC paper is Western Research Lab (WRL) Technote #13 at http://www.hpl.hp.com/techreports/Compaq-DEC/WRL-TN-13.html . I thought everyone here had already read it when I made the joke about the pickle as a hotdog-done indicator.

20 years

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Where To Buy 74xxs?

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

>"Chuck Guzis" <cclist at sydex.com> wrote: >> On 8/23/2006 at 8:19 PM O. Sharp wrote: >> >> >I've been thinking it'd be a good idea to buy and set aside some spare >> >parts for the couple of DEC machines I have around... mostly 7400-series >> >ICs, some switching transistors and such. It's been a while since I've >> >bought parts, however. What places (preferably online) have you had good >> >experiences with? >> >> BG Micro has some. http://www.bgmicro.com as does Jameco >> http://www.jameco.com. Both have been around for ages and are fine to deal >> with. > Add JDRmicrodevices to that list as well. Me I scrounged enough TTL (in tubes) to make my former collection look pitiful. Nothing like the right part in volume to make prototypiing easier. Allison

20 years

1
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Free Newsgroup Access

by jhfinedp3k＠compsys.to

>Rick Murphy <CTR> wrote: > >On Fri, 21 Jul 2006, Jerome H. Fine wrote: > >> Hi All, >> Just thought I would ask for some help - are any text based groups >> still available? > > I use freetext.usenetserver.com - read only, but good performance. > When I want to write/reply, I use Google Groups. Jerome Fine replies: THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!!!!!! I set the required access up in Netscape 7.2 and it is functioning well. Much appreciated!!! I thought that it might be useful for others to know that "freetext.usenetserver.com" is available and that it works very well over 95% of the time. As for sending a write/reply, could you please provide a few hints as to how Google Groups work??? Do I require a user id / password, etc.??? Will my write/reply appear in "freetext.usenetserver.com" in the normal manner? ALSO, might there be any other servers which allow write access, even it it is very limited such as a text only post? Sincerely yours, Jerome Fine -- If you attempted to send a reply and the original e-mail address has been discontinued due a high volume of junk e-mail, then the semi-permanent e-mail address can be obtained by replacing the four characters preceding the 'at' with the four digits of the current year.

20 years

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For sale: Kyotronic KC-85 portable

by evan＠snarc.net

Hi all, I'm offering this to listmates before posting it to ebay / VCM / etc. ... It's a Kyotronic KC-85, made by the company which eventually became Kyocera. Most people know it better as the Tandy Model 100, NEC PC-8201, and Olivetti M-10. All three of those were OEM clones of the Kyotronic KC-85. I ended up with two of these and I only need one, so one's for sale. It's in very good condition, powers up fine with 4 standard AA batteries, and has 32K. Nothing else is included and I'll ship it anywhere. Asking for $50 because of its rarity and good condition. I'll consider interesting trades for handhelds / laptops of the late 1970s - late 1980s. Not looking for luggables. I'm specifically looking for a Sord IS-11, Teleram T-3000, and Grundy NewBrain models AD and M. But I'll listen to any reasonable offer. If you're going to VCF in the fall then I can bring it there to save you the shipping cost. Please reply OFF-LIST to spare the disinterested masses. :-) - Evan

20 years

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stack smashing

by compoobah＠valleyimplants.com

Don stated > And you have to ensure that there is *no* way the user can >execute code *before* your interpreter/virtual machine/etc. >gains control of the CPU. I.e., at the very least, you >need physical control over the machine. This isnt possible >in all cases (e.g., a consumer device!) You can make it very difficult, though. The X-box uses cryptographic hashes, the AS/400 uses completely undocumented (in the public sphere) hardware instructions.

20 years

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stack smashing

by compoobah＠valleyimplants.com

An informant has reported Will as stating > Use an AS/400. Hackproof and crashproof. And downright hobbyist-hostile. (where Sun is hobbyist friendly, SGI is hobbyist-indifferent (we really don't care if you use our machines, just don't expect any help from us)) Time-locked loadable microcode, impossible-to-transfer licenses and sky-high license fees if you can get IBM to talk to you. Saw a AS/400, found out about it, gave it a wide berth. Guess it must be like the HP3000 with too much of a "black" commercial market to risk anything that would make the systems easier to "misappropriate" commercially. Pity, everything I've heard about them is good. And the AIX group is hobbyist-indifferent.

20 years

1
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Simon computer

by marvin＠rain.org

I love the comment about a warning sign for the computer :)! I have a perverted sense of humor, and that fits right in :). I've had a number of requests for scans of the Simon manual, but the problem is one of copyrights. A number of years ago, someone got copies of the articles >from the Babbage Institute but with the restriction they couldn't distribute it. I've never pursued that, but I am certainly aware of it. I've got the original Radio-Electronics issues, the subsequent reprint and scans of the reprint. I have a better scanner now, and they need to be rescanned. Also FWIW, the Radio-Electronics magazines have color illustrations where they are in B&W for the reprint. Not much of a problem except the color makes it MUCH easier to follow, since some of the signals being discussed in the text are highlighted in red, and are not as obvious in the reprint. The next question then is what would it be worth to provide a working unit similar to the original (would need to use more modern relays, and the stepper could be a problem)? Making a simple electronic paper tape reader wouldn't be hard as there are a number of plans for a manual "pull the tape through by hand" designs to read the tape. I would think a PIC would make for a very simple and cheap design. Personally, I like the idea of seeing a hand wired chassis with laced wiring, but it certainly would take some time. What about a PC board with all of the grunt wiring done and laid out for a current relay? What would be the price point at which it might sell? Thanks! > > I'm curious what the group thinks about offering a kit for > > the Simon Computer that would include a schematic, parts > > list, and perhaps construction instructions. For those of you ********** > > I probably wouldn't go for the kit (only because I've already got enough > projects to take me beyond the year 2050) but I'd sure like copies of > the articles. Any chance of seeing a .pdf version anywhere? > > Thanks. > > Jack ********** > I think the idea has merit BUT I think it would be better to offer > the schematic, parts list, and perhaps construction instructions / > copy of the articles. > That way, the cost would be substantially lower. I'm interested in > the design, but doubt I would ever have time to build one. ********** > The computer uses paper tape. The reader and punch for the > paper tape could be a mechanical problem. Also you need a > big warning sticker -- This is a demo computer -- Do not > attempt to download music or computer porn --- > > > Rob

20 years

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HP inkjet cartridge datasheet (from 1989 Opto Handbook)

by philpem＠dsl.pipex.com

Hi, Back in February someone sent me a scanned copy of the "Inkjet Printing Products" section (chapter two, all of ten pages) of the Hewlett-Packard 1988-1989 Optoelectronics Designer's Catalog. Unfortunately I've gone and lost the files to a dead backup CDR and it looks like I've deleted the copy that was on my webserver too... To the guy who scanned this for me (I think it might have been Joe Heck) - do you still have the scans, and if so, can you send them along? If not, can someone with a copy of this datasheet (and a scanner) please scan chapter two for me? Thanks. -- Phil. | Kitsune: Acorn RiscPC SA202 64M+6G ViewFinder philpem at dsl.pipex.com | Cheetah: Athlon64 3200+ A8VDeluxeV2 512M+100G http://www.philpem.me.uk/ | Tiger: Toshiba SatPro4600 Celeron700 256M+40G

20 years

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Bill Norris Passes

by cclist＠sydex.com

At age 95: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/23/business/23norris.html?_r=1&ref=obituaries &oref=slogin --Chuck

20 years

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Simon computer

by jack.rubin＠ameritech.net

> Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2006 15:59:07 -0700 > From: Marvin Johnston <marvin at rain.org> > Subject: Simon Computer > > > I'm curious what the group thinks about offering a kit for > the Simon Computer that would include a schematic, parts > list, and perhaps construction instructions. For those of you > who aren't aware, Simon is a five bit relay computer designed > by Edmund Berkeley. A series of articles about how the > computer worked was published in the Oct 1950 - Sept 1951 > issues of Radio Electronics. I've thought about it, but I > would guess the parts cost alone would be in excess of > $300.00, and maybe considerably more. On the other hand, it > is a really cool computer :). > Marvin, I probably wouldn't go for the kit (only because I've already got enough projects to take me beyond the year 2050) but I'd sure like copies of the articles. Any chance of seeing a .pdf version anywhere? Thanks. Jack -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.11.5/425 - Release Date: 8/22/2006

20 years

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stack smashing Was: Re: Scanning Formats (TIFF vs. JPEG)

by compoobah＠valleyimplants.com

Quoth Chris >For what purpose now? Work with me here. As a night >light maybe? So you can see yer way to the latrine? Just for another slightly scary slightly unexpected aliment-electrical device. Set it up on a thermo{stat, couple, istor) to indicate when your hotdog has reached the ideal temperature, scare your friends or wife. I suppose modern research could have located something more efficient or better suited as a light source than the pickle, Digital Equipment's famous study is a bit old, but the WRL technote is the last formal study on the subject I've seen.

20 years

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canning Formats (TIFF vs. JPEG)

by compoobah＠valleyimplants.com

Alexy said: >Show me the VAXen. Well there's your problem - VMS is mostly Alpha and IA64 now. Go to your local hospital, they probably have one, the school district I work for has one, etc. etc. The VMS beasts are mostly locked up in the back room (possibly even welded shut) serving lesser desktop clients. VMS interacts quite well with Windows. Nobody is arguing that DIGITALs "What's VMS? We haven't heard of VMS" marketing in the late '90s helped, though. >has been tested by throwing the same volume of script kiddies at it as other >OSen have had thrown at them you can't make any security claims based on >relative number of breakins. I wouldn't put too much value on the kiddies - they work by exploiting known holes and very few of them would find new ones. Look at the released security patches - that tells you more. VMS managers aren't going to stand by and let holes go unpatched for 6+ months. Look at the CERT reports. VMS is good - real good.

20 years

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A little more Am2900 learning/evaluation kit info

by vdub6＠comcast.net

Came across one of your old postings. Are you still looking for an AMD AM2900 Evaluation and Learning Kit? I have one I might be persuaded to part with. Let me know. Thanks, Mark

20 years

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MO support

by dgy＠DakotaCom.Net

*Aside from Linux*, are there any OS's with suport for MO drives with > 512B sectors? I know older Macs would support some of the PMO drives but I think that required some third party support... Unfortunately (?) W2K seems to be the only practical option I've found :-(

20 years

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Megadata available

by wdonzelli＠gmail.com

Tomorrow I am turning in my pile of white elephants to the scrapyard. Of the pile, I only managed to sell one, on Ebay, for less than scrap value (20 bucks - oh boy...). So away they go. I figure I will hold one, and make a last ditch sales pitch to clear my conscious. Anyway, these Megadata minicomputers are pre-microprocessor TTL designs, and look to be from the mid 1970s. The more I look at the boards, they look like twelve bit machines. These are rack mount units about 4U high. These have no fancy front panels - just blue covers with a reset button, and two LEDs. There are comm ports on the back. The software is contained on a board with a bunch of 1702A EPROMs. RAM is an array of 48 2101s. I have zero docs on these. So anyway, if anyone wants to rescue (in the true sense) this last Megadata, please contact me TONIGHT, as I leave for the junkyard around 10 AM tomorrow. And yes, I would like something a bit better than scrap value... -- Will

20 years

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Anyone recognize this PCB?

by dm561＠torfree.net

I take it that despite the 35+ replies, no one actually recognized this board, or wants to make an educated guess? BTW, in view of the apparent confusion and at least one incorrect opinion, the non-hybrid D-sub S and P refer to female (socket) and male (pin or plug, depending on manufacturer) _connectors_, not the shell. Same thing for many similar connectors, such as XLR & DIN, where the shell is normally the opposite gender of the connectors. So, the DB25S below is the same as found on the back panel of most of our old RS-232 terminals & systems (or a pre-USB PC printer port). -----------------Original Message----------------------------------------------------------------- I'm hoping someone can ID this interesting board (sorry, no pix avail). 16Bit ISA (full-length) DB25S Connector 20pin header socket 10 pos DIP SW 10 seg green LED bar graph 3 sets of jumper pins 80186 CPU 2 x XC2064 XILINX FPGAs Pair of IDC 7130/7140 (1Kx16 dual-port memory) 2 x 256x8 SIPPs C8208 DRAM controller 2 x 27256 EPROMs 2 x DS1225Y BBU SRAM 2 x LH0033 Fast FET buffers (12 pin metal cans) Misc 74LS & F glue chips Nothing recognizable in the EPROMS or SRAMS; 1 EPROM is blank (erased/defective?) Ring any bells with anyone, or time to scrap for parts? mike

20 years

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Simon Computer

by marvin＠rain.org

I'm curious what the group thinks about offering a kit for the Simon Computer that would include a schematic, parts list, and perhaps construction instructions. For those of you who aren't aware, Simon is a five bit relay computer designed by Edmund Berkeley. A series of articles about how the computer worked was published in the Oct 1950 - Sept 1951 issues of Radio Electronics. I've thought about it, but I would guess the parts cost alone would be in excess of $300.00, and maybe considerably more. On the other hand, it is a really cool computer :).

20 years

3
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Classic Mac emulation (was Re: Microkernels (WAS RE: New to the list.))

by ethan.dicks＠gmail.com

On 8/22/06, Zane H. Healy <healyzh at aracnet.com> wrote: > Does anyone have any > experience with it? How is the frame rate? I really like the look > of Sheepshaver, it looks to be just what I'm after. Didn't it > originally run on the Amiga? ISTR, having it on my A3000. I don't know about "Sheepshaver", but "Shapeshifter" was a Mac emulator I used on my A3000 in 1996/1997. I even used it with SANA2 drivers to run Netscape 0.8 on the MacOS - very cool when Amiga web browsers were quite primitive. -ethan

20 years

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stack smashing Was: Re: Scanning Formats (TIFF vs. JPEG) (Way OT)

by compoobah＠valleyimplants.com

Dave wrote: > When I was in university (70s), I had a hot-dog cooker which cooked > weiners by connecting them across the 110v AC mains. This was a > commercially produced device. > [snip] Did it light up a pickle when the hot-dog was done?

20 years

2
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Sinclair ZX80 questions

by pete＠dunnington.plus.com

On Aug 22 2006, 17:57, Jules Richardson wrote: > Rob O'Donnell wrote: > > At 08:30 22/08/2006, Jules Richardson wrote: > > > >> You know, my prototype Torch Z80 disk unit has power out at the back; > >> I can't remember whether the production ones were like that or not. It > >> had never occurred to me that someone would want to power the machine > >> from it! They were all like that, including all the production ones, and the fitting instructions explained how to *remove* the Beeb's own PSU completely, and fit the cable to run it off the Torch disk pack. It was not a good move on Torch's part; I've seen several Beebs completely destroyed as a result of bad PSUs or miswiring. A common problem was that the Z80 card is supposed to fit inside the Beeb, on PCB mounts stuck to the case top with sticky pads. Of course, sometimes those unstick and the Z80 card -- component side down -- falls onto the Beeb's motherboard and shorts things out. If you're lucky, it crashes the Beeb. If you're unlucky, it shorts out the power. This makes the Torch switch-mode detect the over-current and shut down, and in typical SMPSU fashion, immediately try to restart. Unfortunately the regulation in that situation isn't too good and you often get a voltage overshoot. The Beeb's LSTTL does not take kindly to having 9V (approx) pumped into it. I've repaired a couple that had that happen; one of them ended up with every single IC except the NMOS socketed and replaced. It made a nice demo unit for our workshop and an excellent practice setting for our YTS trainee :-) Another one is that Torch used standard 3-core mains cable for the PSU connections, and more than one person, faced with a dismantled system, has connected this "mains cable" to the mains. > I'm still surprised that there were any beebs incapable of running the Torch > board from their own PSU though. I believe there was a change to PSU spec at > some point early in the beeb's life though, so maybe very early systems > couldn't cope. The maximum current drawn by the Torch Z80 is nominally close to the spare capacity of the Beeb's SMPSU, so they were playing safe in case people had other expansions. Besides, there were still Beebs with linear supplies around when they built the prototypes in early 1982. Yes, there were several PSUs. The original was a black linear power supply, and there were three variants of that (two matt black, one glossy). One "power adaptor/converter" originally used in Model As was so notorious for running hot in upgraded machines or Model Bs that it was nicknamed the "adaptor/exploder", after the failure mode it exhibited. I remember being told in 1982 that "hardly any of these remain in the field". I wonder why. Anyone with a linear supply was offered a free switch-mode upgrade if they fitted a DFS upgrade, or a few other things. The original SMPSU was quite a nice unit made by Astec. This is in a golden coloured metal case, or frame you might say, as it's open on three sides -- which doesn't matter because it's enclosed in the plastic case. Later Acorn had these made under license by BSR, but once again the quality suffered. Most of the BSR units have poorer regulation and less spare capacity than the Astec ones. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

20 years

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September Livermore Swapmeet

by marvin＠rain.org

I'm planning on going up to the Livermore swapmeet again on Sunday, September 3 to browse, drop stuff off, and meet some classic computer people. If anyone buys some stuff from VCM (http://www.vintagecomputermarketplace.com/) and wants to save on shipping by meeting at the swapmeet, just let me know. I think the swapmeet opens to buyers at 7:00AM and more information is available on the web at http://www.livermoreark.org/swap/swap.html.

20 years

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293xx

by ploopster＠gmail.com

Is there anyone around who has datasheets for the AMD Am29300-series chips, and wouldn't mind scanning them for me? I'm most interested in the sheets for the Am29331 sequencer and the Am29332 ALU. Thanks. Peace... Sridhar

20 years

3
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Archived a few PERQ games...

by derschjo＠msu.edu

I've spent a few hours this evening transferring software from my PERQ over the serial port at 9600 baud, and I thought I'd share them, since there don't seem to be many games archived on the 'net (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on that count :). Thus far I've archived binaries & source for: - PERQMan (seems to be an early version, looks like a 100% clone of Pac-Man, vs. the changed sprites & "Perq Interactive Debugger" name I've seen in screenshots) - Chess - Puzzle These are available at: http://yahozna.dhs.org/computers/software/PERQ/ These all compile and run under POS (I have D.6 running on my machine). If I'm wasting my time (i.e. if these bits have already been archived somewhere, let me know so I don't spend more time painfully extracting these files one at a time over a serial link...) There are a handful of other games and utilities (a vt52 emulator, a Pente game, etc..) that I'll be getting to sometime later this week. Additionally, I'm working on archiving a raw image of the 14" Shugart in my PERQ (again, over the serial port). I've written a simple pascal program to do the dumping and I'm doing it 10 cylinders at a time since it takes so long :). My goal eventually is to write a PERQ emulator, but we'll see how that turns out... Josh

20 years

6
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One for classiccmp.org? (was: Re: Archived a few PERQ games...)

by aek＠bitsavers.org

> Hmm, random thought, but does it make sense to have a list on classiccmp.org > of what preservation work (in terms of utilities, procedures etc.) has been > done for various machines? This is part of my charter as Software Curator at CHM (documentation and tools) It will be going up as part of the SCC (hopefully, with a new name soon) web site. http://community.computerhistory.org/scc along with a blog of the projects that I'm working on at CHM. -- Connectivity for me is spotty, since I can't send or receive bitsavers mail at work right now.

20 years

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MULTICS manuals

by aek＠bitsavers.org

I've got a couple of cubic feet of MULTICS manuals, here. Should I put them in the "to be scanned" pile or the "to be shredded" pile? -- Check what's already been done on bitsavers.

20 years

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Microkernels (WAS RE: New to the list.)

by compoobah＠valleyimplants.com

> But, one key difference between the QNX approach and that of >most other current OS's is the microkernel architecture. >Instead of a BIG monolithic kernel with ALL the drivers >installed (or, extra glue for LKM support, etc.), a microkernel >based design treats all of these as components which can be >plugged together. And *talk* to each other (instead of being >invoked "from above"). Yes, you just have the IPC overhead, though. Not sure if it's IPC or cheaper hardware, but large network operations on my Macintosh (System 10) bring the machine much closer to it's knees than any monolithic UNIX or even VMS on a VAX 4000/200. NB - I haven't used the microkernel based Tru64 yet. Microkernels are neat in theory, but a well-trimmed monolithic kernel seems to do pretty well with not too much space.

20 years

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Genrad 2294 + PDP-11/44 In Atlanta

by jcwren＠jcwren.com

I went over and checked out that Genrad 2294 tester here in Atlanta. The auction includes equipment not shown in the picture, namely the whole Genrad test platform itself, and the PDP-11/44 shown in the picture. There are 4 DEC drives in the rack, plus one CDC drive (over the CPU), the CPU box itself, and two 8" floppies. Either I don't know the "trick" to getting the CPU box to slide out on it's rails, or it's jammed. In any case, I couldn't get a picture of it's guts. I do have some closeups of the exteriors of the CPU box, the CDC drive, and one of the DEC drives. Maybe by looking at them, sometime can determine what model they are. I'm going to pass on the unit, as it's just too damn big for me to put anywhere, and while they have a fork lift to load it, I have no way to get it off. The company bought the system while one of the Rockwell Missile System Division buildings either closed or moved. From what I gather, this Genrad was used in some phase of the Hellfire missile construction, although he wasn't clear if it was the manufacturing process group or the development group. There's also a bunch of good older test equipment, but nothing I have any use for or don't already have. The box hasn't been running in at least 3 years. I didn't get a look inside the chassis, but overall it looked pretty clean, no dents or major bashes. Seems like a damn good deal, for someone with the right equipment to transport it. --jc

20 years

2
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Test, ignore this

by evan＠snarc.net

Ignore please.

20 years

1
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Misc SCSI cards

by THX1138＠dakotacom.net

Hi, I'm digging through boxes in an effort to "lighten the load". Are any of these worth keeping? Future Domain TMC-840 TMC-850 STB Systems (no P/N... a pair of S3 *display* controllers onboard along with a DEC DC1040F -- which I assme to be a wide SCSI controller?) IBM (no P/N... three adaptec AIC7880's, a PowerPC 403GA, IBM "Viper" and "Rattler" chips. Lots of FRU numbers but no idea which applies to the *assembly*!) Thanks!

20 years

3
3
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DEC 3000/400

by THX1138＠dakotacom.net

Hi, This box has a little fold down door in the front (below the half height CD-ROM/tape drive). It is the size of a second half-height drive bay. But, I'll be damned if I can figure out why it's there! Behind the door there is no way that anything *could* be installed (even if the opening into the chassis was NOT blocked). Perhaps this cover assembly is used for some other product(s) which *could* make use of the space behind it? (obviously, this isn't a material question -- just something trivial.... why go to the expense of putting something there that *only* serves as a place to hide the model number, etc.?) Thanks, --don

20 years

4
5
0 0

Nixdorf LK3000 (OT?)

by jim.isbell＠gmail.com

I hope this qualifies for a classic computer. If not then wipe it out. I have a Nixdorf LK 3000 and LK 3500 module that I was preparing to put on E Bay but discovered it didnt work. Examining it I discovered NO BATTERY, Inside there are a blue and a red wire that must have originaly gone to a battery clip. But I dont know what size or where it resided. I dont want to get rid of this without fixing it first. Does anyone have any info on what the battery (pack?) looked like on thei personal computer? I am glad I decided to try it out because I had remembered that it DID work. Shows what 70 years will do to your memory. I dont even remember removing the battery pack! -- Jim Isbell "If you are not living on the edge, well then, you are just taking up too much space."

20 years

4
3
0 0

Original boxes...

by wh.sudbrink＠verizon.net

Just wondering whether other collectors try to acquire original boxes to go with their machines. I have several original Ohio Scientific boxes that I prize as part of my collection. Anyway, I just got a nice Koyo 9 inch monitor (built 1979, IMSAI blue) in an IBM PS/2 Color Display 8515 box. I know that there are a few PS/2 collectors on the list. The box is not in the best shape, but it isn't awful either. Anybody interested in it or should I pitch it? Located in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC. Bill -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.11.3/423 - Release Date: 8/18/2006

20 years

5
4
0 0

Possible Deliveries to N IL, WI, MN

by useddec＠gmail.com

The second or third weekend in Sep;t. I might be going on a trip whhich will take me thru N IL, parts of WI, and close to Minn/St. Paul, MN. If you have any interest in any DEC equipment, including cabinets, disk drives, and PDP 8's, ll's or anything else, I may be able to bring it and eitaher drop off or meet you at a mutual meeting area. Please feel free to contact me off list Thanks, Paul Anderson (217) 586-5361) >

20 years

2
1
0 0

USR quad modems... (ontopic - really!)

by blstuart＠bellsouth.net

> Ah, but the real point is that PhD's don't make misteaks, > certainly not spelling ones. Hey! I resemble that remark. :-) BLS

20 years

2
1
0 0

Compaq Portable III fails POST?

by Watzman＠neo.rr.com

I have a Compaq Portable III here, worked the last time it was powered (years ago), may or may not still work. I also have a file called "SP0316.ZIP" that contains "SP0316.exe" which, I THINK, is a utility (service pack) that makes the setup disk for the Portable III. However, it needs to run on a PC with a 360k 5.25" floppy drive. I THINK.

20 years

4
3
0 0

bad keyboard wires

by rtellason＠verizon.net

Just a thought on this subject -- do pretty many of these boxes have that _fuse_ that I've seen mention of in some contexts, which would kill the +5V to the keyboard if the old one had that bad of a cable? Something that may end up needing to consider here, depending o how bad that original cable was. -- Member of the toughest, meanest, deadliest, most unrelenting -- and ablest -- form of life in this section of space, a critter that can be killed but can't be tamed. --Robert A. Heinlein, "The Puppet Masters" - Information is more dangerous than cannon to a society ruled by lies. --James M Dakin

20 years

1
0
0 0

Compaq Portable III fails POST?

by spectre＠floodgap.com

I think this one is on-topic. I got a Compaq Portable III dumped on my doorstep (more or less literally, actually), and while I don't really collect PCs, this one's form factor fascinated me. However, it seems like it's failing POST or its equivalent -- when I turn it on, the caps lock light on the keyboard (literally hanging on by a few threads) blinks, then the three lights on the front bezel and the 5.25" floppy light blink three times accompanied by three beeps from what appears to be the power supply?, and it just sits there, doing three beeps pause three beeps pause ..., until I turn it off. Nothing else spins up and nothing shows on the screen, even with me messing with the contrast. Any suggestions, or is there a troubleshooting manual to give me some starting points to see if I can refurbish this? Is the fact that the keyboard is probably incompletely connected to blame? -- --------------------------------- personal: http://www.armory.com/~spectre/ --- Cameron Kaiser * Floodgap Systems * www.floodgap.com * ckaiser at floodgap.com -- Klein bottle for immediate occupancy; inquire within. ----------------------

20 years

6
16
0 0

Anyone have an Apple Modem 1200 or 300 manual?

by darin.lory＠gmail.com

Ray, There is a good list of AT commands at http://docs.kde.org/stable/en/kdenetwork/kppp/appendix-hayes-commands.html The ATI9 will return the Apple product code and firmware version of the modem. Check out http://www.tidbits.com/iskm/modems.html#aa7 for the Apple/Hayes AT commands. -Darin Date: Sat, 19 Aug 2006 13:15:16 -0400 From: Ray Arachelian <ray at arachelian.com> Subject: Anyone have an Apple Modem 1200 or 300 manual? To: cctech at classiccmp.org Message-ID: <44E74724.2040706 at arachelian.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 I'm wondering if this was a Hayes compatible modem, and if so what the result strings were for various commands such as just "AT" by itself, and "ATI", "ATI0" and so on.

20 years

1
0
0 0

Anyone recognize this PCB?

by dm561＠torfree.net

I'm hoping someone can ID this interesting board (sorry, no pix avail). 16Bit ISA (full-length) DB25S Connector 20pin header socket 10 pos DIP SW 10 seg green LED bar graph 3 sets of jumper pins 80186 CPU 2 x XC2064 XILINX FPGAs Pair of IDC 7130/7140 (1Kx16 dual-port memory) 2 x 256x8 SIPPs C8208 DRAM controller 2 x 27256 EPROMs 2 x DS1225Y BBU SRAM 2 x LH0033 Fast FET buffers (12 pin metal cans) Misc 74LS & F glue chips Nothing recognizable in the EPROMS or SRAMS; 1 EPROM is blank (erased/defective?) Ring any bells with anyone, or time to scrap for parts? mike

20 years

21
38
0 0

iAPX432, was Re: stack smashing Was: Re: Scanning Formats (TIFF vs. JPEG)

by technobug＠comcast.net

On Sat, 19 Aug 2006 17:22:43 -0700, jim stephens <jwstephens at msm.umr.edu> wrote: > William Donzelli wrote: > >>> There were a lot of good ideas in the iAPX432, anybody knows, if >>> they >>> actually were used on any OS ? >> >> >> AS/400. Properly. >> > can you elaborate, or point to a web page? thanks I wasn't aware that Intel had anything to do with the AS/400 architecture :-) The iAPX432 was an interesting Intel failure of the '80s which provided the tools to layout subsequent Intel devices. <http://www.brouhaha.com/~eric/retrocomputing/intel/iapx432/> is a good read on the beast. An detailed overview of the architecture: <http:// www.cs.washington.edu/homes/levy/capabook/Chapter9.pdf> (Part of an interesting book on Capability-Based Computer Systems - a whole other thread... <http://www.cs.washington.edu/homes/levy/ capabook/>) I remember salivating over the chip system when it came out until I got sticker shock. CRC <

20 years

3
2
0 0

Anyone have an Apple Modem 1200 or 300 manual?

by ray＠arachelian.com

I'm wondering if this was a Hayes compatible modem, and if so what the result strings were for various commands such as just "AT" by itself, and "ATI", "ATI0" and so on.

20 years

3
6
0 0

data sheet for com5025

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: data sheet for com5025 > From: "dwight elvey" <dkelvey at hotmail.com> > Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2006 07:45:45 -0700 > To: cctalk at classiccmp.org > > >Hi >Does anyone have a pointer to a data sheet for a com5025? I believe >it to be a synchronous serial chip but I've not found much on the web. >I think it is compatable with a 2652 but the only thing I can find on that >is a 16 bit part from Philips. I don't think this is a 16 bit appliction. >Thanks >Dwight > It's a multiprotocal universal synchronous reciever/tranmitter [USYNR/T] and it's wade by SMC and show in their 82/83 databook and later. It's an 8/16 bit bus device, selectable. Allison

20 years

1
0
0 0

I need to get rid of a microVAX 3900 and some disks

by henk.gooijen＠hotmail.com

Hi all, I have a microVAX 3900 in a small cabinet (approx 90 cm deep, 105 cm high) that is taking up place that I really need. AFAIK, the 3900 is in working order, and I have also an RF215 (?) smallish tower with some disks in it. I need to check if you are interested. If you don't want the cabinet, you can get the PSU and the 3900 "crate", but given their weight, I am not going to ship it! That would get costly, but you could try to talk me into it :-) Contact me offlist (gooi AT oce DOT nl). - Henk, PA8PDP. _________________________________________________________________ 500 foto's per maand uploaden, GRATIS! http://spaces.live.com

20 years

1
0
0 0

I want to get rid of a HSC70

by henk.gooijen＠hotmail.com

Hi all, I have a HSC70 in a small cabinet (approx 90 cm deep, 105 cm high) that is taking up place that I really need. It's too crowdy. AFAIK, the HSC70 is in working order, and a tech told me that it is fairly equipped internally. I can't tell, I don't know anything of the HSC70. If somebody is interested, I can rip boards etc, before it goes to the trash :-( Somebody who wants the whole thing, comes first, as I am still hoping it can have a good "life". Contact me offlist (gooi AT oce DOT nl). - Henk, PA8PDP. _________________________________________________________________ Gratis bellen van PC naar PC? Download de nieuwste Messenger! http://imagine-msn.com/messenger/launch80/default.aspx?locale=nl-nl

20 years

1
0
0 0

Archived a few PERQ games...

by aek＠bitsavers.org

>> Do you have the POS source code? I thin I hace most of the Pascal (not >> microcode, though) sources for one version. >> >I do not several different revisions of the sources are available as floppy images on http://bitsavers.org/bits/PERQ/floppy/pos

20 years

1
0
0 0

ISO: Sony "WATCHman"

by THX1138＠dakotacom.net

Marginally on-topic (?) -- the watchman is "old", and the intended application is a "computer" ;-) I'm looking for a working Sony WATCHman (NOT *walk*man) for a wearable I am hacking together. Doesn't need to be in good cosmetic shape since I will disembowel it, regardless... Apologies if I have *stretched* the on-topic-ness on this one :-(

20 years

10
24
0 0

IBM 836 Keypunch

by roger.holmes＠microspot.co.uk

I don't suppose anyone can help, but I'll ask anyway. I have an IBM 836 Keypunch, which is similar to an 026 keypunch but has a patch panel in a pedestal to the left of the users knees. It also has three 40 pin connectors on the back panel. Does anyone know the capabilities of these? Where can I get matching plugs? The logic levels are presumably suitable for the relay logic within, but any idea what actual voltages and amperages are?

20 years

1
0
0 0

It is a great day today (bought a vax 3800)

by vax9000＠gmail.com

After I dragged it home, I found there was not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 MSCP disk controllers installed in this BA213 cabinet. They are, KFQSA, viking VIA/QTA, CQD223/M, USDC 1108. What a good day today! This is my maximum VAX 3800. My existing VAX 3900 is the minimum, by the way. vax,9000

20 years

4
4
0 0

Anyone recognize this PCB?

by elf＠ucsd.edu

Previously posted: >> Next, someone else is going to ask, "what's sex?" > Other than the 6809 did any other computers have the memonic > SEX - Sign EXtend? SDS/XDS and their Sigma 7 computer (and possibly ran on some of their other Sigma series computers?) had a hardware diagnostic program called SEX -- which was short for System EXerciser. -eric

20 years

1
0
0 0

TRS-80 Model II

by cc＠corti-net.de

Hi, A friend of mine needs to repair the power supply of a TRS-80 Model II. I've found a schematic but without part numbers and values! He needs to know the type of transistor Q1, there are no markings on the case of the transistor. I've checked the power supply of my Model II, and there are no markings, too. The Technical Reference Manual has all schematics for the Model II, but the schematic for the power supply is useless without component values. Might a BU208 for Q1 do the job? Christian

20 years

2
3
0 0

Ancient Genrad system

by kahrs＠caip.rutgers.edu

Looks like this contains tasty tidbits but it's too far away from me: http://cgi.ebay.com/genrad-2294-central-station_W0QQitemZ320017707724QQihZ0… At a minimum, it has some really deluxe 8" drives.

20 years

3
2
0 0

stack smashing Was: Re: Scanning Formats (TIFF vs. JPEG)

by aliensrcooluk＠yahoo.co.uk

--- Chuck Guzis <cclist at sydex.com> wrote: > On 8/19/2006 at 12:49 AM Alexey Toptygin wrote: > > >This is computationally expensive and complicated . > Every time you have to > >cross a privilege boundary you have to switch > context, validate any data > >going across and verify permissions. You also nee d > an exact specification > >of the interface for every such interface - if th e > system doesn't know > >what your DLL is allowed to do, how can it stop i t > from doing what it > >shouldn't? This is why this sort of pain is usual ly > reserved for the > >user-kernel interface. > > I don't think so. There is a subset of all DLLs > that can be classified as > "trusted"--they know to check arguments and the > operation is well-defined. > One might classify these as "friendly" DLLs and om it > any sort of checking. > For all others, the calling program can specify a > tighter degree of control > at the expense of more overhead. > > Cheers, > Chuck > How is the checking done? If it's purely by name then it can easily be switched for something much nastier without the user finding out. There used to be a fake "datatypes.library" for Workbench 3 on the Amiga. Instead of containing various datatypes functions/data (say for JPEG's, GIF's and IFF's etc.) it was a nasty virus. Personally I prefer Workbench 2 and have mine set up with my own custom icons and mouse pointers :) NB: For those that don't know, Workbench is the Amiga version of Windows - or should that be Windows is the PC version of Workbench :) Regards, Andrew B aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk

20 years

1
0
0 0

PDP-7 instruction set and hardware documentation

by spectre＠floodgap.com

Does anyone have documentation on the PDP-7 instruction set and hardware? I know that the PDP-7 is a superset of the PDP-4, but I can't even find much on what instructions the -4 supported (let alone the extended memory and device control operations). A Google session this morning was not useful. -- --------------------------------- personal: http://www.armory.com/~spectre/ --- Cameron Kaiser * Floodgap Systems * www.floodgap.com * ckaiser at floodgap.com -- Do not innovate unnecessarily. -- "The Tick" -------------------------------

20 years

2
1
0 0

11/34 failing trap test

by ISC277＠CLCILLINOIS.EDU

Okay, I got the 11/34 up and running, and I loaded XXDP. It fails the trap test. The instructions state you should examine the stack pointer (777706) which shows it to be a value of 000470. This is supposed to tell you the address of the Program Counter, right? So I load address 470, and the value is 000330. What instruction is failing? Am I reading this right? Any help, as always, much appreciated. Thanks! Julian

20 years

1
0
0 0

LSI 11/2 question

by pete＠dunnington.plus.com

On Aug 17 2006, 20:31, Scott Quinn wrote: > An PDP-11/03 processor, LSI-11 quad-height M7264EB (does anything > go out over the C/D fingers, or are they just there for stability?) I'm not sure exactly what version that is but it does supply refresh for the memory, although only the very earliest memory boards actually need that -- in fact your MSV11-B is the only one I can think of that does -- and it's sometimes disabled. W4 controls that, it's inserted to *disable* it. And that board possibly has 8K bytes of memory on it already, which needs the refresh enabled. Are the five MICROM sockets right at the edge of the board, or is there some circuitry just to the left of them? The former is KD11-F, the latter is KD11-J. Usually the former has on-board memory, usually the latter does not. If there's a 23-003B5 chip in the leftmost socket, you have the optional KEV11, which contains the EIS/FIS instruction set. You didn't mention -- or I missed it -- what backplane you have. I'm guessing it's a "straight" backplane like an H9273. If so, what the LSI-11 puts on the C/D fingers shouldn't matter, unless you put something immediately below it that dislikes the LSI-11. I don't think there's anything untoward on C/D, though, because they can be used in "serpentine" backplanes like the H9270 used in the small BA11-M box for small 11/03 systems. > DHV11-A 8-line async serial Interesting; that's a slightly later vintage than the other parts. > RXV11 (forgot the V originally...) That will need an RX01 (or an RX02 with the switches set for RX01 emulation) dual 8" floppy drive. > either MSV11-B 4k RAM This one needs the refresh control signal from the LSI-11. > or MSV11-PL 256K ram (18-bit, but will the LSI-11 just ignore the > extra or will it futz up?) The 18-bit designation for the memory means that it has two parity bits as well as the 16 data bits, and the processor will ignore that. Actually, the MSV11-P has it's own parity CSR so some OSs might be able to use it. It might not work because the extra address lines may not be held at the right level -- the 11/03 only has 16 address lines and no memory management, and it puts some extraneous signals on the top 4 address lines -- but although the MSV11-P supports 22-bit addressing, it also works in 18-bit systems, so it's worth trying and it shouldn't do any harm to try it. If it does work, you'll end up with 56K bytes of usable memory, because the top 8K byte page is reserved for I/O. The 16/18/22-bit designations can be confusing when you're talking about memory, because they normally refer to the size of the address bus and hence the address range. An 11/03 (and any CPU using an LSI11 or 11/02) has only 16-bit addressing. An 11/23 may be 18-bit or 22-bit, later processors are 22-bit. However, 16-bit and 18-bit are sometimes used in the contect of memory to refer to the data bus width: 16 bits with, or without, two parity bits. > Am I getting in too deep for a first-go at a PDP-11? I wouldn't say so. It's a fairly simple machine, as -11s go. You want to see if you can acquire some of the DEC handbooks for those systems, such as the 1976 "Microcomputer Handbook" and perhaps the 1978-79 "Memories and Peripherals Handbook". Other useful ones are the 1982 "Microcomputers and Memories" handbook (doesn't say quite so much about the LSI-11, though, but it does list the jumpers and etch revisions etc), 1980 "Microcomputer Interfaces Handbook", and 1983-84 "Microcomputer Interfaces Handbook". Plus, of course, you should see if you can get any of the engineering drawings as they too contain a lot of useful information. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

20 years

1
0
0 0

11/34a failing trap test

by fireflyst＠earthlink.net

Okay, I got the 11/34 up and running, and I loaded XXDP. It fails the trap test. The instructions state you should examine the stack pointer (777706) which shows it to be a value of 000470. This is supposed to tell you the address of the Program Counter, right? So I load address 470, and the value is 000330. What instruction is failing? Am I reading this right? Any help, as always, much appreciated. Thanks! Julian

20 years

1
0
0 0

first Classics (WAS Apollo DN systems)

by compoobah＠valleyimplants.com

The DN discussion left me thinking about how classic computer collecting was presented to the outside world. One of the things that stood out rapidly was that I would not recommend an Apollo as a first foray into the classic world (I know that in this circumstance it isn't a first foray, just thinking in general). So, I started thinking about what would be a good starter system. So far, I've come up with Sun-3 or Sun-4 (good availability of information, easy software accesablilty (NetBSD works well, Solaris/SunOS isn't bad if you can find it, although Sun licensing is the strictest of all the options here, with no transfers allowed). Open hardware, easy-availability of parts and upgrades. Headers come with, SunOS 4 comes with cc. Silicon Graphics IRISes of the ARCS era. Goodly amount of information (sgistuff.g-lenerz.de and futuretech are put out/aided/etc by listmembers yay!!) Software is harder to come by, NetBSD isn't very well supported on these beasts and IRIX is pricy (but the license transfers with the machine). Compilers available for 5.3, headers for 6.2 and 6.5. Parts are available readily for many classic IRISes, less so for the biggish-iron (ultramicros? what would you call those...) machines or newer machines. High cool factor. I ruled out IBM (non-PCs) because of software and some unusual hardware choices, DEC due to hard-to-find hardware parts on VAX and the highly confusing mess with Alpha (play the "will my machine run VMS or Tru64" game - step right up, watch the pea...) Apollo because of hard-to-find S/W and limited information on the net. HP 9000 could be a contender, too. - good NetBSD support, (currently) free HP-UX, good online documentation, well-built machines. You'll note this is pretty much limited to UNIX workstations, because of my space limitations and my assumption that UNIX will make for a easier transition. Any other ideas?

20 years

10
11
0 0

Mitsubishi Monitor

by statn1＠earthlink.net

Here is our E-MAIL address for response on Mitsubishi Monitor statn1 at earthlink.net

20 years

1
0
0 0

Mitsubishi Monitor

by statn1＠earthlink.net

I have a need for this monitor. It is used on a measuring system. It is not used with todays PC's, Mac or otherwise. I have been looking for one for awhile. Please contact me at following phone number 1-888-769-9017 Roger Fairman Specialty Tires of America 1000 Don Mateer Drive Unicoi, TN. 37692

20 years

1
0
0 0

Need NEC ProSpeed 386 and docking station ($$$)

by sellam＠vintagetech.com

I have a new bounty. A client is seeking an NEC ProSpeed 386 with docking station. If you've got one then it's definitely worth money. Contact me privately if you have one for more information. Thanks! -- 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 ]

20 years

1
0
0 0

ASR-33

by THX1138＠dakotacom.net

Hi, I am desperately trying to make room here so my ASR-33 has got to go. I'll either eBay it or ship it off for "long term storage" ;-) In either case, I need to pack it so it will survive the UPS gorillas. I figured pull the mechanism off the base (is the base REALLY worth saving??) and put it in one box (the mechanism) and the "skin" in another. Wrap each in plastic. Shoot the *mechanism* box full of self-expanding foam -- so everything is encased in a conformal block of foam (the plastic wrap preventing the foam from migrating into the mechanism itself). And pack the skin in "cheetos" (peanuts)? Does this sound like a safe approach? It usually works for *monitors* but they aren't quite as irregularly shaped... Thanks! --don

20 years

7
6
0 0

USR quad modems... (ontopic - really!)

by Billy.Pettit＠wdc.com

Don <THX1138 at dakotacom.net> wrote: TIP: An embroidery hook works wonders for fishing wirewrap wires out of a nest without too much damage! ;-) (but you have to find the right size hook to ensure a "good grab" on the wire) For those of us who go back to the dawn, there was the spring hook, a beautifully functional tool used on the relay machines. They worked great on the thick wire mats. I still have all of mine and even today find the spring hook to be one of the most useful tools around the shop. Another tool I found useful was a jewelers device to hold rings for soldering. It looks like a pair of tweezers with the ends bent out so they can't touch. You squeeze it, stick it in the wire mat, and release. The tension holds the wires apart. We made a bunch of copies using piano wire and put shrink tubing over the ends. If you get a chance, look at the 6600 or 7600 in the Museum. Seymour loved those dense wire mats - he used wire lengths to tune his systems. If you worked on one of his machines, you spent a significant part of your working hours buried in wire up to your forearms. The worst was the Cyber 170 machines. They were twisted pair 30 gauge wire mats. If you weren't careful, the pins bent and touched. And there was what we called "tingles". The broken piece off the end of a wire would disappear into the wire mat and eventually short two pins out. Even more fun, if you were tuning clocks, the power was on, so you could watch the path of the tingle by the little sparks. Always happened on a Friday night, of course. One of the worst nightmares I worked on was a machine that the engineers working on, had set their coffee cups on top of the cabinet and forgot about them. This was before the styrofoam cups, just waxed paper. It soaked through and dumped the coffee down into the wire mat. We tried for a few days to fix it but finally had to scrap the entire chassis. Per the Peter Principle, the chief suspect was later promoted to be my manager. Billy

20 years

3
2
0 0

batteries Was: PDP-8 /e/f/m memory

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: PDP-8 /e/f/m memory > From: Don <THX1138 at dakotacom.net> > Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2006 11:00:57 -0700 > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > >Allison wrote: >> >> What has this to to do with the topic at hand? > >If people are griping about the *possibility* of a battery >leaking inside their gear, I contend that if you're storing >that gear in conditions that would bring about this sort >of problem (e.g., excessive ambient temperatures, humidity) >then there are bound to be *other* things that are happening >to that gear besides the potential of a battery leak. Different topic and worth discussion. I attack it from a different view. I assume batteries will discharge when least desired in storage and will leak. All my PCs that have CMOS batteries accessable have a external (.6x2x1.5 inches) plastic box with a suitable battery placed in it and wires to the internal battery location. I had a bad experience early on with NiCd leakage on a board so off the board they go. External makes for accessability without opening the cases. It also allows me to use a battery that is larger or better that would not fit where the orginal was. I apply this to a my otehr systems as well, S100 toy clock battery, MicrovaxII TOY clock battery and similar. I agree heat and batteries generally do not get along well and storing equipment with batteries installed is also risky. Allison

20 years

2
1
0 0

free stuff near Toledo

by paulrsm＠buckeye-express.com

The Toledo craigslist just posted the following for free: - An SGI Indy with its giant, heavy monitor. - An HP PA-RISC Pizza box machine with its heavier-than-the-Indy's monitor. I am not interested, but I could help someone else get them. -- Paul R. Santa-Maria Temperance, Michigan USA

20 years

1
0
0 0

PDP-8 /e/f/m memory

by aek＠bitsavers.org

> Firstly, this is, as I am sure you agree, not a list to provide answers > to members questions. Thank you for the clarification. This will save me a great deal of time in the future not researching answers to questions. If this list is meant to be just another wank like alt.folklore.computers, enjoy the noise.

20 years

4
3
0 0

Stuff for Sale

by marvin＠rain.org

I am in the process of doing a major downsize in the collection. Most of what I am getting rid of will be posted on the Vintage Computer Marketplace, probably at the rate of 5 - 10 items per day. The URL of the Vintage Computer Marketplace is: http://www.vintagecomputermarketplace.com/ My real interests are in the pre 1981 era although I will be keeping a few interesting later machines from the early 80's. What I intend to concentrate on are the Polymorphic and Lobo Drives computers since they were made here in Santa Barbara, and I still have enough contacts to find people who used to work there. And of course, I'll still be working with anything *I* find interesting :).

20 years

1
0
0 0

The KS/NE Trip is Booked

by jrkeys＠concentric.net

Great News !!!! I have received enough in donations to pay for the KS/NE trip next month on Sept 8th. I now need just 135 more people to donate $10 or whatever amount they can from $1 to $$$ book the GA trip to rescue those items. Remember your donation is tax deducible and is for a great cause. Thanks to everyone that donated to make the KS/NE trip a go. I will get lots of pictures and hope the drive back will be smooth. Read more about the two trips at www.houstoncomputermuseum.org

20 years

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LSI 11/2 question

by compoobah＠valleyimplants.com

Got a few of my numbers backwards- the boards are in reality An PDP-11/03 processor, LSI-11 quad-height M7264EB (does anything go out over the C/D fingers, or are they just there for stability?) DHV11-A 8-line async serial RXV11 (forgot the V originally...) either MSV11-B 4k RAM or MSV11-PL 256K ram (18-bit, but will the LSI-11 just ignore the extra or will it futz up?) Am I getting in too deep for a first-go at a PDP-11? These were offered in trade for a scope, and I don't have any other PDP stuff (it would timeshare a VAX 4200 chassis with the VAX, with a very advanced "card-pull" scheduler to prevent conflicts). Scott

20 years

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Attention PDP-8 Fans

by madcrow.maxwell＠gmail.com

I've started a new wiki on the Wikia Scratchpad about the exploration of computer history through emulation and my first digital "victim" is the PDP-8. I have the outline of a basic PDP-8 (OS/8) in SIMH started, but I still need to flesh it out. I'll probably write my basic OS/8 tutorial tommorow, but input from more experienced fans would be welcome. Various articles (any red link) need to be written and while I plan on wrting most of them if need be, help from the community would be much appreciated. Just remember that your audience is presumably going to be curious newbies, not "old hands" who just need a little reminder. That said I look forward to your comments and contributions. Main Wiki Page: http://scratchpad.wikia.com/wiki/Computer_History_Exploration PDP-8 Article: http://scratchpad.wikia.com/wiki/PDP-8 Michael "Madcrow" K.

20 years

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ISIS-II

by walter＠kaiserseder.de

Hi Steve, i'm located in Germany, an i was responsible for INTEL from 1980 to 1986 at an Distributor. I found your ISIS-II stuff, when i'm looking for an CrossAsm for Mostek MK3870. If you need something i've a lot of original INTEL Software for ISIS-II and ISIS-III, and also Literature - feel free to ask me I read you have disassembled ISIS-II, - i'm interested in the source code. Also i'm looking for an XASM running on ISIS-II for MOSTEK MK3870 an Single Chip Controller based on the FAIRCHILD F8. Greetings from Germany Walter

20 years

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LSI 11/2 question

by compoobah＠valleyimplants.com

I have the opporitunity of getting some LSI 11/2 boards (LSI 11/2 processor, some memory, serial MUX, RK floppy driver) (I think) Couple questions: will the multiport serial work for a console or do I need a specific "console" card? Will these boards work in a VAX 4k BA430 chassis/backplane, or will the C/D wiring and DSSI over C/D throw them off?

20 years

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Apollo DN systems

by CaptnZilog＠aol.com

Just figured I'd post this out here... I have a collection of old Apollo DN systems (3000,3010,3500,4000,4500,5500 I think sums it up) I did a little work on porting NetBSD to and then have just never had the time to pursue. Might be willing to part with them to someone in the New England area, since I have monitors with some of them, and OS tapes, spare hard drives, etc. Anyone interested, feel free to contact me... really not up for shipping monitors around, but for someone fairly local with interest I might be willing to do a road trip. email reply, or to: phufnagel at snet.net -- Pete

20 years

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Apollo DN systems

by aek＠bitsavers.org

> Dude, I'm very interested in that stuph Anyone who uses "dude" and "stuph" in a sentence doesn't need to have anything other than a Linux box, preferably "modded".

20 years

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summagraphics MM1103 tablet

by hardware＠ees1s0.engr.ccny.cuny.edu

Hello Everyone, I ran across a Summagraphics MM1103 tablet. I see that there was a thread on this list in 2004 regarding this device. Do we know the communication protocol/format? Do we know what the 3 8-bit DIP switches inside do? Any documentation or pointers to documentation would be appreciated. thanks, -kurt

20 years

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test-drb