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

by waisun.chia＠gmail.com

I am currently really enjoying "Fire in the Valley", and was reliving the days when IMSAI reigned.... I learnt about the VDP-80 and how poor management chose to released the not-fully-debugged VDP-80 into the public... So anybody as a VDP-80? Until I read about it I've never head of it... /wai-sun

21 years, 5 months

4
4
0 0

Age

by bmachacek＠pcisys.net

Guess I might as well weigh in too. The first computer I worked with was a CDC 1604-A which uses the octal numbering scheme. I will be 102 in 5 days, the 19th of March. Bill

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

longevity of media

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

Hi I thought I should note here that all of the floppies that I originally created years ago have been readable. The only issues I've had with these is that the glue used on some envelopes inner linings seeps through the lining onto the disk or the envelope has been pinch in a stack so long that the disk doesn't turn. I've heard that the surfaces will begin to break down but so far, none of my disk have shown that to be true. My floppies go back to when ever the H89 first came out ( within a year after anyway ). I'd hoped that CDROMs could at least hold up that long. It looks like I'll be disappointed soon. Dwight

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

Got Videotrax card working

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Vintage Computer Festival" <vcf at siconic.com> > > >In case anyone cares, I ended up getting working that Videotrax card I >wrote about a day ago. What might be useful to know is that I followed >Dwight's advice and re-seated the only socketed chip on the board (that >customy Motorola chip). After doing this everything seems to be working >peachy. I'm more than halfway through dumping another 10 megabytes of >data from one of the VHS data tapes I have; so far so good. > >New maxim: when all else fails, re-seat. > >-- > >Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival > Hi Good to hear. Dwight

21 years, 5 months

3
2
0 0

RT11 sysgen and disk partitions

by mbg＠TheWorld.com

>I believe you want something like the following (my notes aren't handy at >the moment). >SET DU0: UNIT=0,PART=0 >SET DU1: UNIT=0,PART=1 >SET DU2: UNIT=0,PART=2 >SET DU3: UNIT=1,PART=0 Although these will work, I have found that for purposes of simplicity, and maximizing the ability to boot a given disk on multiple configurations, it is best to use the lower DU unit numbers for physical drives, and the higher ones for logical mappings. So, for example, I would have SET DU0 UNIT=0 PART=0 SET DU1 UNIT=1 PART=0 SET DU2 UNIT=2 PART=0 SET DU3 UNIT=3 PART=0 SET DU4 UNIT=0 PART=1 SET DU5 UNIT=0 PART=2 (when you use the 64-unit version of the driver, you're on your own...:-) Megan Gentry Former RT-11 Developer +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ | Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL,ST| email: mbg at world.std.com | | Member of Technical Staff | megan at savaje.com | | SavaJe Technologies, Inc. | (s/ at /@/) | | 100 Apollo Drive | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ | | Chelmsford, MA 01824 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler | | (978) 256 6521 (DEC '77-'98) | required." - mbg KB1FCA | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

21 years, 5 months

2
3
0 0

USB Universal Floppy Disk controller

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Philip Pemberton" <philpem at dsl.pipex.com> ---snip--- >> >> o Reading disks > >Easy - start when you get an index pulse, then stop when you get another >pulse. I'd be tempted to make the stop pulse lag a bit though, just to make >sure there's enough overlap to be reasonably sure that you've got all of the >data. You need a little flexability here. I have a machine that is hard sectored and used 8 holes per sector. > >> o Writing back a disk image > >See above. It does need retiming and pre-comp added back in. Still, just a software issue. I like the DSP because it can actually analyze the particular media used and generate a more exacting pre-comp than even the best controller can. This would be great for archiving since the recreated disk can be better than the original. ---snip--- Go for it Phil!!!!! Dwight

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

DEC THZ02: Wottizzit?

by kyrrin＠bluefeathertech.com

Hi, gang, I've come across a DEC THZ02 external/stand-alone tape drive in a nice enclosure with what is labeled as a SCSI interface. It resembles DLT in terms of its cartridge style, but it doesn't look like any "normal" DLT drive I've come across before in that it has no manual density selection that I can find. Details? Also, if anyone wants it (I certainly don't need it), I would be happy to send it along for the stunning total of $10 plus shipping. Let me know... Thanks much. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Bruce Lane, Owner & Head Hardware Heavy, Blue Feather Technologies -- http://www.bluefeathertech.com kyrrin (at) bluefeathertech do/t c=o=m "If Salvador Dali had owned a computer, would it have been equipped with surreal ports?"

21 years, 5 months

18
26
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USB Universal Floppy Disk controller

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "9000 VAX" <vax9000 at gmail.com> > >On Mon, 14 Mar 2005 20:51:10 +0000, Jules Richardson >> >> What about cost? (irrespective of how the device physically connects to >> the host machine) >> >> I forsee four goals to make it useful: >> >> o Cheap >> o Simple to build by anyone with a few electronics skills. >> o Open 'source' (all schematics etc. available) >> o Easy / quick connectivity >> >> Catweasel seems to lose out on 1, 3, and 4 - and 2 isn't relevant in its >> case. Can't comment on how nice its software API is as I haven't looked >> at it yet, but doubtless a bunch of us on this list could come up with >> something that'd cater for all tastes (plus the really low-level >> software would all be open source anyway!) >> >> Personally I'm not a fan of a USB version though; I'd rather have >> parallel as pretty much any machine has a parallel port - USB limits me >> to newer PCs and Macs (plus software interfacing *might* be harder). >> >> Priorities seem to me to be (highest first): >> >> o Reading disks >> o Writing back a disk image >> o Decoding disk data on host machine >> o Modifying disk data on host machine, re-encoding back to floppy >> >> Happily, that's probably order of complexity too, easiest first :) (I am >> coming at this from a preservation point of view, rather than being able >> to create disk images for use with emulators, say) > >Luckly I have experience with both ADSP2181 and a CPLD/FPGA. I built >my own little board to read out the internal memory from an ADSP2181, >designed signal generation board with ADSP2181, and wrote thousands of >lines of ADSP2181 code. On the other hand, I built a QBUS MSCP SCSI >with Xilinx CPLD and now working on an Altera CPLD. > >I didn't read much of floppy controller but in my preliminary opinion, >CPLD/FPGA is a better fit. If you use a 2181 here, you utilize only >the (synchronous) serial port which can be easily built with a CPLD. A >CPLD on parallel port has another advantage, that you might be able to >eliminate a microcontroller which I guess is needed for a USB >sollution. I don't have knowledge of USB so please correct me if I am >wrong. > >vax, 9000 > Hi Vax What you say is true. I would suspect that it would be possible to do all of the work in a CPLD, even for the USB chip that I saw. Still, the ADI device has enough horse power to do a lot of data reduction. It also has the possibility to handle the writing back to a disk, including pre-comp. Again, all this has the possibility to be done in the CPLD as well but I think that incremental development in a software environment is easier than >from a Verilog/VHDL level. I expected to use the processors ability to analyze the data to help to do data reduction from an over sampled input. This could be done on a PC with just the raw data as you state( again, even with the CPLD ). USB might not be fast enough to handle the over sampled data. By local data reduction, one can minimize the buffering requirements. In order to make a open source that all can use, you'd need to provide a compiler. ADI gives one an assembler that can be use for free. Still, if you went ahead and did this on your own, that would be great! I'm not sure if I could find the time to fiddle with it for at least a few months. All efforts here will be greatly appreciated. Having the code in Verilog/VHDL would also help to avoid obsolescent. Chips like the ADI2181 only have a few years before being obsoleted. Both should have the advantage that one can add enhancements as other types of disk media are added. Dwight

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

Qumetrak 242 drive

by rimmer＠xs4all.nl

Can anybody give me any information about this drive ? Would I for example be able to connect it to any more or less modern machine ? Thanks! Stefan Mansier.

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

Floppy drive pin 2 question?

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Mar 13 2005, 22:45, Randy McLaughlin wrote: > From: "Pete Turnbull" <pete at dunnington.u-net.com> > > Michael is correct, the exact function varies from drive to drive, and > > it always involves changing the write current. Some drives have > > several jumpers to affect this. > I have tried to research the issue further but can I find no authoritative > references to pin 2 being anything but an RPM select line. > If anyone has an authoritative reference stating it was not used to select > rotational speed I will be happy to change my website stating that it does > have multiple uses. [ ... ] > Please note I am not looking for what people remember it does but actual > documents from a manufacturer. I tested it with a TEAC FD-55GFR and sure > enough it slowed the RPM when grounded. Well, how about document 5fd0050a.pdf from TEAC's website, which is the spec sheet for the FD-55GFR-XXXX range. Page 1 lists the customer-selectable jumpers for -3xxx, -4xxx and -5xxx as including "LG" and "I". Page 7 shows where all the jumpers are. Page 8 lists the jumpers for -7xxx. Page 13 states (the CAPITALS are in the original document) ---------------------------- begin --------------------------------- LG strap: to select the logical meaning of the Hi/Normal DENSITY input signal at interface line #2 LG Strap OFF ON -------------- -------------- ------------- Density mode HIGH LOW HIGH LOW I/F #2 signal HIGH LOW LOW HIGH For an AT compatible system LG should be set to the off state. I Strap: Strap to select the rotational speed mode of the FDD for the Hi and Low density modes. ---------------------------- end --------------------------------- In other words, Pin 2 is the Density Select signal, and can be jumpered to work so that 0V (signal active) sets HD and inactive sets low density (SD/DD, or FM/MFM). Normally it's not fitted, so active (low) sets low density and inactive (or open-circuit) sets high density -- as you woould want for an IBM AT or similar. The "I" jumper controls whether the Density Select signal *also* controls the speed -- a *secondary* function of the Density Select. If fitted, speed changes when density does; if not fitted, speed is fixed at 360 RPM. Pages 16-21 of the same PDF file on TEAC's website are a scanned copy of TEAC's "FD-55-GRF-XXXX Instalation Guide" for use with IBM AT, which clearly shows the factory settings of the jumpers, with neither "LG" nor "I" fitted, so Pin 2 selects density as usual, and the signal on pin 2 does not affect the speed, which is fixed at 360 rpm. If you want more, I have data for Mitsubishi MF504C-310MP, on which jumper SS sets single speed (360 rpm) without affecting density selection, same for Mitsubishi M4854-35, Panasonic JU-475-2.AGG (jumper AX makes density select on pin 2 be latched when drive is selected, BX/CX/JX determine if speed is determined by density select or is fixed, and 1M forces it to ignore the density select signal on pin 2), and Fuji FDD5883AOK (Toshiba) which has a jumper from pin 2 to ground labelled "DD" for double density and described as disabling HD (jumpers DE/DX are described as to set the speed according to the density, or fixed). Think about this: All HD-capable 5.25" drives need a way to set the density (by changing the write current) for either 300 oersted media or 600 oersted media. The drive has no way to tell on its own. Therefore there must be some signal defined to do this. AT controllers can write both densities at 360 rpm (they just use a 300kbps clock instead of a 250kbps clock), so they don't actually need to change the speed. Therefore the signal previously unused (or, rarely, used in non-standard vendor-dependant ways) on pin 2 is the density signal; using it to reduce the speed is an optional extra. Your FD55 happens to have a jumper fitted to make the speed change when you change the density, that's all. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

21 years, 5 months

4
4
0 0

Grandfather system RTE6/VM?

by MGemeny＠pgcps.org

>it's a museum!!! Emulate hardware for display? I agree, I?m running two 2883s on Access under simulation. I run a single 7900 on the TSB E version, and a single 2883 on the F version. The largest real Access system I ever owned/ran had 1 7920 and 3 7900s. What is that, about 47MB. So two 2883s at about 25 MB each would just over the largest real system I ever ran. If you want real drives, the most rugged of them was the 7900, IMHO. The 7920 was fine, but not as tough as the 7900. The 7905 was the one that seemed to me to crash for no reason at all. I always held my breath when I spun up one of those. It seemed as though every time I got one for my inventory I would have one fail on a customer?s site. So I cursed that drive so much that I would never even try to run one on my systems. BTW Jay, Al, I have a set of 2100 Access micro-code. My brother has offered to take a shot at making copies of the ROMs. He did it once before for me in the early to mid 80s. Perhaps if he can make 2 copy sets, we could send one set to Al to be read and archived, and when he?s done have him forward them to Jay to test the copies in real hardware.

21 years, 5 months

28
95
0 0

Floppy drive pin 2 question?

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Mar 11 2005, 12:44, Randy McLaughlin wrote: > From: "Michael Sokolov" <msokolov at ivan.harhan.org> > > Changing the RPM is an option on SOME drives, and for PeeCees to work it > > must be OFF. It is very useful for Classic Computers, though. > > > > The high density select signal (pin 2) may or may not switch RPM, but it > > always switches the write current. > No, I have refered to the TEAC site and to WDC: > > WDC referes to pin 2 as speed select, their controller can be used with > either single speed or dual speed 1.2mb drives: > http://www.wdc.com/en/library/legacy/controllerboards/1006mm1.pdf Michael is correct, the exact function varies from drive to drive, and it always involves changing the write current. Some drives have several jumpers to affect this. I could show you several from my collection like that. Some controllers work at two speeds, some at two data rates. Some of the WD controllers can be configured either way. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

21 years, 5 months

5
4
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Floppy drive pin 2 question?

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Mar 14 2005, 14:30, Randy McLaughlin wrote: > 2.88 mb controllers use it one way, some 1.44mb drives use it another, some > 5.25" drives use it for one thing other another. 1.44MB drives, ie 3.5" drives, do not need to be told what density to use; they use the media sense to detect that from the holes in the diskette. Therefore if they use pin 2 at all, they usually use it to signal to the controller whether the media loaded is HD or DD. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

21 years, 5 months

2
1
0 0

Seeking Motorola S38FC012PIO2 ($$$ Bounty! $$$)

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Pete Turnbull" <pete at dunnington.u-net.com> ---snip--- > >Bad contacts in sockets, accumulation of dust and airborne detritus, >and problems resoldering or modifying boards when they get older. It's >the lighter silicones that cause the problems, though, and if you >can find a modern grease that has a smaller spread of molecular >weights, the problem will be greatly reduced. The difficulty is in >getting rid of the silicones, as they don't wash off, and flow into >holes especially when you heat them up. Hi Silicon grease has a negative coefficient over much of the normal temperature range. I actually gets thicker with heat not the other way around. > >I used to do a lot of commercial repairs, especially on 1980s micros, >and I used to hate the ones where people had put gobs of heatsink >compund on socketed chips. The compound contains lots of light >silicones, which used to get into the sockets and cause bad >connections, and then it was a pain to remove the socket and solder in >a new one. Of course, the worst were the ones drenched in "contact >cleaner" and WD40. Don't confuse with heat sink compound. I actually put silicon grease into sockets to improve contact. It is used by manufactures in many places that require improved contact. Heat sink compound is nasty stuff. It is not what I'm talking about. I have sockets that have 10-20 years of trouble free function with silicon grease in them. From experiments that I did years ago when working for Intel, silicon grease not only works well on sockets and edge connectors, it help switches as well. Especially those that have particularly high or low current. In the high current ones it helps to prevent arcing. The improved contact reduces contact heating. In the low current ones it reduces the need for contact scrubbing. About the only bad thing I can think of is that one might get it on the surface of a floppy disk. Any grease on the surface usually makes writing the disk problematic. I've never seen DC#4 cause a bad contact. I've seen many cases where it has improved it enough that problems of contact over heating are no longer an issue ( Molex connectors in pinball machines ). WD40 contains all kinds of junk. I've never had troubles soldering when the joint had silicon grease ( DC#4 ) on it. In fact, most cases, it almost works as well a flux by keeping the oxidation down ( Also done while at Intel ). The only reason Intel didn't use it after the experiments I did was because they feared that pre-labled parts would get this on them and the lables would not stay on ( a valid reason ). Dwight

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

Byte sizes

by bqt＠Update.UU.SE

On Mon, 14 Mar 2005 der Mouse <mouse at Rodents.Montreal.QC.CA> wrote: > >> A byte is the smallest INDIVIDUALLY addressable unit of data on a > >> system. > > Well, it sounds reasonable, but probably isn't the most useful, as it > would mean that, for example, the PDP-8 had 12-bit bytes. > > > The PDP-10 is an excellent example of when this isn't true. > > The smallest addressable unit is a word, which is 36 bits. > > A byte is, as noted, anything between 0 and 36 bits. Bytes are > > stored in a word, as many as can be fitted. To access bytes on a > > PDP-10, you have a byte pointer, which consist of a word address, and > > a bit pointer, and byte size. > > That sounds a whole lot like a hardware-supported way of addressing an > object of an arbitrary size in bits. And that would mean that bytes of > any size *are* individually addressible. > > Or have I misunderstood? Well, yes and no. Please note that there are special instructions to deal with bytes in the PDP-10. These instructions can deal with objects of arbitrary size (well, 0 to 36 bits anyway). However, most instructions do not deal with bytes, and thus will not play with the bit field stuff, and only deal with a simple plain address, which address a 36 bit word. Among these instructions are such things as a normal MOVE instruction. So these byte pointers are only handled by a few special instructions, that deal with bytes. For all other purposes, the PDP-10 only deal with words, which always are 36 bits. Johnny Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus || on a psychedelic trip email: bqt at update.uu.se || Reading murder books pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

AGE

by mmcfadden＠cmh.edu

53 Maybe I should try to make my wife let me buy that many computers for my birthday. Mike

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

Seeking Motorola S38FC012PIO2 ($$$ Bounty! $$$)

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Mar 14 2005, 13:37, Dwight K. Elvey wrote: > >From: "Pete Turnbull" <pete at dunnington.u-net.com> > >I still wouldn't use silicon grease, because it creeps over time, and > >can cause all sorts of problems, often at some distance from where it > >was originally put. > Yes, it does creep. I just wonder what problems you refer to. Bad contacts in sockets, accumulation of dust and airborne detritus, and problems resoldering or modifying boards when they get older. It's the lighter silicones that cause the problems, though, and if you can find a modern grease that has a smaller spread of molecular weights, the problem will be greatly reduced. The difficulty is in getting rid of the silicones, as they don't wash off, and flow into holes especially when you heat them up. I used to do a lot of commercial repairs, especially on 1980s micros, and I used to hate the ones where people had put gobs of heatsink compund on socketed chips. The compound contains lots of light silicones, which used to get into the sockets and cause bad connections, and then it was a pain to remove the socket and solder in a new one. Of course, the worst were the ones drenched in "contact cleaner" and WD40. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

Floppy drive pin 2 question?

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Mar 14 2005, 13:29, Randy McLaughlin wrote: > You have mis-read the table. > > Pin 2 can only change the speed to 300 RPM by lowering pin 2, with pin 2 > high no matter what the drive runs at 360 RPM. I have not misread the table. The point is that pin 2 controls the density, no matter how you set the "LG" jumper, and changing the density may or may not change the speed, depending on the jumper at "I". > The density mode can be high with pin 2 high or low with pin 2 high > depending on jumpering. But either way, changing its state changes the density, but not necessarily the speed. > The one and only standard the document gives for pin 2 is speed change. Read it again. I just did. It does not say that anywhere in the text, the tables, or diagrams. What it does say or show, in several places, is that the default setting is "LG" and "I" not fitted, and that that condition makes pin 2 control the change from normal density to high, and does not change the speed. It also says in the table that "LG" determines how pin 2 controls the density, and that "I" controls whether the speed changes *when the density changes*. I've also found on my system a TEAC document for the FD505. It clearly states that pin 2 is the "HD IN" density select input. And a document >from Don Maslin's archive that describes the pins and jumpers for an "FD-55GFR" (but it doesn't say which suffix). It, too, clearly says that pin 2 is the density select, that "LG" controls the polarity of the density select, and that "I" and "IS" control how this affects the speed ("I" to determine if the speed changes at all, in response to density changes, and "IS" controls whether that is latched once the drive is selected). -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

Seeking Motorola S38FC012PIO2 ($$$ Bounty! $$$)

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Pete Turnbull" <pete at dunnington.u-net.com> > >On Mar 14 2005, 9:18, Dwight K. Elvey wrote: > >> Don't use heat sink grease. That has fillers to >> make it thermally conductive. Use the clear gel stuff. >> Dow Corning #4 works wonders and doesn't harm any of >> the electrical stuff. I actually use SilGlyde that I >> got at the automotive shop. It works quite well. > >I still wouldn't use silicon grease, because it creeps over time, and >can cause all sorts of problems, often at some distance from where it >was originally put. > >-- >Pete Peter Turnbull > Network Manager > University of York > Hi Yes, it does creep. I just wonder what problems you refer to. Dwight

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

Byte sizes (was Re: 2.8M 3.5' floppy

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Mar 14 2005, 12:19, woodelf wrote: > der Mouse wrote: > > >By the "byte = addressing unit" definition? It's been a while since I > >had a PDP-8 (I had an -8/f but I long ago gave it to a collector much > >more serious than I), but I'm fairly sure the addressing unit was the > >12-bit word. > > > > > Addressing unit is WORDS... How ever text can and often was packed in 6 > bit nibbles? > The real gotya on the old machines... UPPER CASE ASCII ONLY. Who told you that? It's true of Teletype ASR33s, but not of the machines themselves. I've happily done things in mixed-case ASCII on my PDP-8/E. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

Seeking Motorola S38FC012PIO2 ($$$ Bounty! $$$)

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Mar 14 2005, 9:18, Dwight K. Elvey wrote: > Don't use heat sink grease. That has fillers to > make it thermally conductive. Use the clear gel stuff. > Dow Corning #4 works wonders and doesn't harm any of > the electrical stuff. I actually use SilGlyde that I > got at the automotive shop. It works quite well. I still wouldn't use silicon grease, because it creeps over time, and can cause all sorts of problems, often at some distance from where it was originally put. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

Age

by dm561＠torfree.net

---------------Original Message: Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2005 11:41:42 -0500 From: "John Allain" <allain at panix.com> Subject: Re: Age Let me point out that Jay had specifically mentioned this thread as one of the annoyingly off-topic ones. It's even worse now that people are off the track twice, not even keeping to the first diverted topic. John A. ---------------Reply: With all due respect to Jay and the moderators, I think it's a pretty unfriendly list if we're not even allowed to get to know a little about each other. I see that this thread is also on CCtech, so I assume that the moderators do deem it as on-topic; we're certainly all over ten years old, very much related to computers, and some of us are most definitely "classic"s. I suggest that we leave it up to Jay & the other moderators to let us know when a thread has strayed too far, and, when they do, act accordingly. mike BTW: Add me to the 59 year olds, if I'm not already there.

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

Old 9-track Tar Tapes

by bristol22＠softhome.net

I have some 9-track mag tapes, mostly 1600bpi but a couple are 800bpi or 6250bpi. They were made under 4.2BSD Unix on a DEC Vax 11/780 in about 1986. They are "tar" tapes, blocking factor 20. The contents are my C programs written then, academic papers I wrote then, and my email >from then. I want to get the data off the tapes. I am only interested in the ASCII data, and not any executable files. (The physical tapes are up for grabs, and some cost me $25 each back then, "Graham Magnetics Ultra-Mag" certified 100% error free for 25 years.) Is there a kind, generous, and tape-drive equipped soul out there that would help me out? A reply like "Only the 800bpi" or "Only the 6250bpi" would be welcome. Destination: my friend's FTP server, CD-R, DVD-R, or whatever. Compensation: I have some PDP-11 style hex boards, some of them prototypes. I have the controller for a DEC RF-11 fixed head disk. I have a "certified error free", new old stock, 80MB disk pack for a CDC 9762 (SMD). Back in 1985 2.8 BSD on a PDP-11 needed an error free disk pack. I have a RK05 disk pack. I am unemployed at the moment, but could still pay something, and shipping. Maybe I can repay the favor with my time. I am pretty good at writing websites, including Flash. Maybe you have to work on the "dark side" sometimes, and I can ease your pain. I am good at most things >from uncle Bill, including Windows 2003 server clusters, Terminal Services, and applications large and small. I study Japanese and other languages, and software for that study. Also, I am an expert in auto-feed document scanners and document management/capture software. richard bristol // email: bristol22 [at] softhome [dot] net

21 years, 5 months

3
2
0 0

File format webopedia

by vcf＠siconic.com

Just found a terrific resource: http://www.fileformat.info/ Has tons of information on file formats (mostly graphics, but also some text and markup formats). Searchable, with links to specifications and such. Might be useful when trying to decode an old file format you're not familiar with. -- 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 ]

21 years, 5 months

4
4
0 0

Age

by jec＠jcosper.com

Add another one to: 40 - 44: James.

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

Timex SC-01 Speech Synthesiser

by alhartman＠yahoo.com

Glen, I might have something somewhere, but I couldn't put my fingers on it right now.. I remember taking the source for the manuals and backing them up to Floppy in the late 80's. I don't remember if I wrote the manuals on the PC I was using, or the Imsai 8080 (8" Z-80 CPM), OR the MS-DOS Clone we used for awhile.. If it's on the PC or the Clone, I might have the files still. But, I think that Stewart kept the source to that manual on the IMSAI. Stewart is still in business, and he might still have the information. Have you tried going to www.zebrasystems.com ? I remember that the software consisted of a Binary Driver that did text to speech conversions. It was contained in REM statements at the beginning of the program, and I would pass the text to it for parsing by poking values into a memory area, which would then be sent to the Synthesiser for output after CALLing the routine. It's been a LONG time.. LOL! I didn't write the text to speech algorithim. Stewart did that. I just did the UI, and wrote the manual for it. I'm not sure I have the source for that seperate from a TS1000/ZX-81 Cassette. And I never kept one for myself. I still have a Speech Pak for the Coco (which we made for Spectrum Projects), with the software... But, I never kept one of the Timex Boards. Regards, Al > Date: Sun, 6 Mar 2005 17:06:39 -0500 > From: "Glen Goodwin" <acme at gbronline.com> > Subject: SC-01 Votrax > > Al -- do you have any documentation for the ZX81/TS1000 > version? I have both boards but no docs for the ZX81 > version. > > Regards -- > > Glen > 0/0 __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site! http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/resources/

21 years, 5 months

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Burroughs L7000 Magnetic System - What is it?

by dm561＠torfree.net

---------------Original Message: Date: Sun, 13 Mar 2005 17:21:05 -0800 (PST) From: steven stengel <tosteve at yahoo.com> Subject: Burroughs L7000 Magnetic System - What is it? Sheesh, I've been offered a Burroughs L7000, but I don't even know what it is. Any hints? http://members.cox.net/stengel/temp/L7000.jpg Steve. ----- Date: Sun, 13 Mar 2005 23:47:30 -0500 From: "James Fogg" <James at jdfogg.com> Subject: RE: Burroughs L7000 Magnetic System - What is it? Well, it looks like an A/C unit in a hotel ;-) ---------------Reply: It does indeed, but it is a somewhat misleading close-up picture of the nameplate. It's a relatively rare model of the L series accounting computer, desk size with a keyboard, dual tractor Selectric-type printer, fixed hard disk and integrated paper tape reader, capable of reading mag stripe ledger cards (hence the "magnetic"). Suggest you ask for a picture of the whole machine; see: http://www.sieler.com/L9000/original.html for excellent pictures of an L9000, identical but with solid state memory and dot-matrix printer (and a single tape drive on this particular one). Possible peripherals include PPT/EPC reader & punch, up to 4 digital cassette tape drives, external card reader, modem, etc. I believe it was the last model to use a fixed hard disk for program & working storage before they went solid state (L8000/9000). Programming was normally done in assembler on a mainframe, using punched card input and PPT output. With peripherals and the relevant software it was possible to program on the L itself; otherwise one could still program in machine language (again, with the necessary software/firmware). A real challenge if you don't have the firmware and utility tapes; threw out most of my manuals & tapes long ago, but might still have a golf & lunar lander game on cassette tape somewhere. BTW, looks like Bletchley has a restored L5000 in its collection, a very similar previous model; also, there used to be someone on this list with 2 L9000s. mike

21 years, 5 months

1
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Difference between 2 PDP11 models

by ggs＠shiresoft.com

Hi, I'm trying to figure out what the difference between a PDP-11/55 and a PDP-11/t55 is (other than the obvious "t"). Anyone out there know? Thanks. -- TTFN - Guy

21 years, 5 months

3
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RT11 sysgen and disk partitions

by mbg＠TheWorld.com

>> The Monitor you're using was Sysgen'd to load those drivers >> automatically. You could probably free up a little memory by doing a >> Sysgen that just includes the drivers you need. >Ok, makes sense. I suppose I have to find an original system master to >make my own sysgen. Though the boot disk I'm using now suits me fine for >my current purposes. Problem is that it is wrong. The monitor, at boot time, will fill in its tables for devices it finds (up to 40 devices). Except for the system device, which is loaded so that it can't be unloaded, these handlers are considered 'installed' if the I/O page addresses indicated as required in the handler exist. This does not mean that the handlers have been loaded. Handlers are not automatically loaded by RT-11. They can, however, be loaded using the startup command file. They can also be .FETCHed by properly written programs. Megan Gentry Former RT-11 Developer +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ | Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL,ST| email: mbg at world.std.com | | Member of Technical Staff | megan at savaje.com | | SavaJe Technologies, Inc. | (s/ at /@/) | | 100 Apollo Drive | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ | | Chelmsford, MA 01824 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler | | (978) 256 6521 (DEC '77-'98) | required." - mbg KB1FCA | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

21 years, 5 months

2
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OT Troubleshooting: Old computers with modern parts

by dvcorbin＠optonline.net

> The 4051,4052 and 4053 were very static sensitive. But it > is try that most were relatively insensitive. Still, if you > are hitting a part with a spark large enough to make > a sound, you are most likely doing some damage, even if > it doesn't show right away. Duiring the '70s and '80s I worked at a company that made many military and space grade components. A percentage were de-lidded at the end of each lot and sent to a SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) to look for static damage, that had NOT effected functionallity. If any (above a very small threshold) was found, the ENTIRE lot was scrapped [although they really became samples, lab grade, etc...] It was AMAZING, the various craters and cracks that were caused by static that you could not see, feel, or hear.... Wish I still had some of the prints....

21 years, 5 months

1
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Seeking Motorola S38FC012PIO2 ($$$ Bounty! $$$)

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "William Maddox" <wmaddox at pacbell.net> > >--- "Dwight K. Elvey" <dwight.elvey at amd.com> wrote: > >> Also, have you removed the chip and put some >> contact >> enhancer on it?? ( You know, some silicon grease ) >> Dwight > >I imagine that some DeOxit or similar would be >good, but silicon grease? I thought that was >for *thermal* conductivity only. > >--Bill Hi Bill Don't use heat sink grease. That has fillers to make it thermally conductive. Use the clear gel stuff. Dow Corning #4 works wonders and doesn't harm any of the electrical stuff. I actually use SilGlyde that I got at the automotive shop. It works quite well. Dwight

21 years, 5 months

1
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Mag Tapes was RE: Got Videotrax card working

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Mar 14 2005, 9:54, Paul Koning wrote: > >>>>> "Joe" == Joe R <rigdonj at cfl.rr.com> writes: > > Joe> At 11:14 PM 3/12/05 -0500, James Fogg wrote: > >> Over the years I've learned to never trust tape of any kind. > > Joe> That's been my experience. I've never been able to get a tape > Joe> backup that worked. That includes brand new ones, DATs and > Joe> everything else. I know tapes have been a mainstay in the > Joe> computer field but I've had nothing but trouble with them. > > My view is that there are PC class tapes and real tapes. Real tapes > include classic half inch reel, DLT, and presumably IBM' cartridges (I > haven't used those). I'll go along with that. I've had a few problems recovering data from 8mm and 4mm tapes -- in the latter case it's been the drives that were troublesome, rather than the media -- but not with DLTs or 1/2" magtape (except for very very old ones). I've never used QIC tapes, though some of my friends seem to think the bigger ones are OK. > It doesn't help when trade press reviewers don't take data integrity > seriously. Some years ago there was a review article about backup > software. The reviewers did some restore testing. Good of them to do > that. Some of the programs tested didn't reliably restore data, so > they were docked 30 points or so. > > That's amazing. The only correct answer would be to unconditionally > flunk such programs, because the value of a backup program that can't > restore reliably is obviously zero, not any higher value... I agree. If it won't restore, you'd be better off not bothering at all, and saving the money (and time). -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

21 years, 5 months

1
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New transputer pictures - original B004 prototype and 1st TRAM pr ototype!

by RMeenaks＠OLF.COM

Hi, Someone just sent me pictures of the original B004 prototype and prototypes of the 1st transputer tram. He also sent the 1st production run of the tram as well. Apparently, he has tons of vintage transputer equipment waiting to archived. Happy Days are coming!!! First set of pics are of the prototype B004, complete with all mod wires! Note the old-style 124pin PGA package and the unmarked link adapter. Truly an original in all respects! The TRAM is, again, prototype #1. Again, you can see the hand-wired mods. There's also a picture the first of the production rev. of the TRAM (new pcb layout). Finally, a total rarity - the T424 datasheet. http://www.classiccmp.org/transputer/images/prototypes/tram0_1.jpg http://www.classiccmp.org/transputer/images/prototypes/b4prepro_1.jpg http://www.classiccmp.org/transputer/images/prototypes/b4prepro_0.jpg http://www.classiccmp.org/transputer/images/prototypes/t424prelim.jpg http://www.classiccmp.org/transputer/images/prototypes/tram0_2.jpg http://www.classiccmp.org/transputer/images/prototypes/b4prepro_2.jpg http://www.classiccmp.org/transputer/images/prototypes/b4prepro_3.jpg http://www.classiccmp.org/transputer/images/prototypes/tram1_1.jpg Cheers, Ram (c) 2005 OpenLink Financial Copyright in this message and any attachments remains with us. It is confidential and may be legally privileged. If this message is not intended for you it must not be read, copied or used by you or disclosed to anyone else. Please advise the sender immediately if you have received this message in error. Although this message and any attachments are believed to be free of any virus or other defect that might affect any computer system into which it is received and opened, it is the responsibility of the recipient to ensure that it is virus free and no responsibility is accepted by Open Link Financial, Inc. for any loss or damage in any way arising from its use.

21 years, 5 months

1
0
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MicroVAX II - TK50 problem

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Mar 10 2005, 20:10, Adrian Graham wrote: > the uVAX II has a Q22/Q22 backplane so the positioning of the TQK50 is > important, as is the RQDX(2/3) disk controller which should be last on the > bus. No. It's only the RQDX1 that has the "must be last on the bus" problem, and only then if what's below it uses DMA and interrupts. RQDX2 and RQDX3 have no such limitation. You won't find an RQDX1 in a MicroVAX II because it is not compatible with the MicroVAX II processor. > The first 3 slots are CD types and are reserved for CPU/Memory, the > rest (I can't remember which size cab you've got) are serpentine so if > you've only got the CPU, 2 mem boards and the disk/tape controllers then the > TQK50 should be on top of the RQDX3. Well, as you mention the cabinet size, perhaps you realise this, but I'll spell it out: The backplane in a BA23 is three Q22-CD slots followed by serpentine slots; the BA123 is 4 slots of Q22-CD then serpentine. MicroVAX IIs came in both types. In either case, you must, of course, put the CPU and memory at the top, but there is nothing to prevent use of any remaining Q22-CD slot for anything else. Just remember only the left-hand side of a Q22-CD slot actually has Qbus signals on it (there are some quad boards that won't work in a Q22-Q22 slot; I can't think of any offhand that won't work in a Q22-CD slot but that doesn't mean there aren't any). The MicroVAX II Micronotes actually show such a configuration, with a processor, single memory card, a DEQNA, an RQDX2, and a DHV11 (with the DHV11 last, as usual). -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

21 years, 5 months

7
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MicroVAX II - TK50 problem

by msokolov＠ivan.Harhan.ORG

willisjo at zianet.com wrote: > [ASCII art drawing of a BA23] > Is that a BA23? Yes. > (Apologies for the ASCII drawing) Why apologize? ASCII art is great! MS

21 years, 5 months

13
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Parking heads on MFM hard drive

by vcf＠siconic.com

How does one park the heads on an MFM hard drive when there's no park command available? I don't suppose the answer is to either create one or copy one to the hard drive? :) -- 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 ]

21 years, 5 months

5
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Burroughs L7000 Magnetic System - What is it?

by James＠jdfogg.com

> Sheesh, > I've been offered a Burroughs L7000, but I don't even know > what it is. Any hints? > > http://members.cox.net/stengel/temp/L7000.jpg > > Steve. Well, it looks like an A/C unit in a hotel ;-)

21 years, 5 months

1
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RT11 sysgen and disk partitions

by mbg＠TheWorld.com

>So I imagine any device drive with the X at the end is the better one to >use with the XM monitor? Or is it mandatory to use X device drivers in >the XM monitor? It is mandatory... the system knows to append an X to any two-character device name >So this brings up another question: I've noticed that I don't explicitly >need to LOAD device drivers for the devices I want to use when I boot >RT-11. In particular, I don't need to LOAD DD when I want to use the >TU58 simulator. Are they found and loaded automatically when the OS >boots, or...? Most utilities and user applications know to .FETCH device drivers they need in order to do their task. After they are done, the drivers are .RELEAsed. If they are LOADed before the program is executed, a .FETCH and .RELEA are no-ops. If they aren't loaded and aren't .FETCHed, then they simply are not in memory. Megan Gentry Former RT-11 Developer +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ | Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL,ST| email: mbg at world.std.com | | Member of Technical Staff | megan at savaje.com | | SavaJe Technologies, Inc. | (s/ at /@/) | | 100 Apollo Drive | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ | | Chelmsford, MA 01824 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler | | (978) 256 6521 (DEC '77-'98) | required." - mbg KB1FCA | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

21 years, 5 months

2
3
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RT11 sysgen and disk partitions

by gordon＠gjcp.net

(this is one of the messages that *didn't* show up) OK, next load of questions. I've been trying to create a "virgin" system from the install media I have. I have so far successfully sysgenned and built RT11 v5.0, and installed it on an RL02. Great. However, the version that boots off one of the hard disks built into the PDP allows me to access four partitions in total - DU0: to DU3: - but my own version only has DU0: (same as normal) and DU1: (same as DU3: in the version of RT11 installed on the hard disk). If I say "SET DU2: disk=0, part=1" then I can see my "old" DU1: as DU2:, and so on. What do I need to change to get it to come up like this? It doesn't appear to be a load of "SET" commands in the STARTS.COM file. Gordon.

21 years, 5 months

9
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RT11 sysgen and disk partitions

by mbg＠TheWorld.com

>> Once done, the SET command values are held in the >> DU.SYS device driver file. You do NOT need to >> do the SET commands each time. Probably not >> recommended in any case. >Ahaaa... Is that saved in DU.SYS when you issue the commands, then? Makes >sense. I'll try it when I get home. SET commands only operate on, and change, in on-disk copy of the handler file. If you are booted from a given device and you issue SET commands for that device handler, they won't take affect until you reboot.. Same thing for issuing SET commands for device handlers which are LOADed. But at least for them you can UNLOAD and LOAD them. Megan Gentry Former RT-11 Developer +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ | Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL,ST| email: mbg at world.std.com | | Member of Technical Staff | megan at savaje.com | | SavaJe Technologies, Inc. | (s/ at /@/) | | 100 Apollo Drive | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ | | Chelmsford, MA 01824 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler | | (978) 256 6521 (DEC '77-'98) | required." - mbg KB1FCA | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

21 years, 5 months

2
1
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Burroughs L7000 Magnetic System - What is it?

by tosteve＠yahoo.com

Sheesh, I've been offered a Burroughs L7000, but I don't even know what it is. Any hints? http://members.cox.net/stengel/temp/L7000.jpg Steve. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

21 years, 5 months

1
0
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HP Integral : running ! (HP 2671 manual)

by vp＠cs.drexel.edu

The manual is at: http://www.series80.org/Manuals/HP2671-ThermalPrinter.pdf **vp

21 years, 5 months

2
1
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Wanted : Pinout of 82S83

by ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk

Does anyone have a pinout for the Signetics 82S83 BCD full-adder chip (16 pin DIL package)? A google search didn't turn up anything useful that I could see. All I can find is a comment in the 74F583 data sheet (which I have) that said chip is functionally identical to the 82S83. But that doesn't necessarily mean the same pinout (although, of course, telling me that those 2 chips are the same pinout would be enough to let me get on). FWIW, this chip is used in the high-speed language processor option for the HP9845 (which is what I am currently working on), so it's on-topic here. -tony

21 years, 5 months

2
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OT Troubleshooting: Old computers with modern parts

by sloboyko＠yahoo.com

woodelf wrote: >The main problem I see with the current >crop of PDP-8 >clones/replica's today is >lack of paper tape and other hardware >at the time -- non volatile memory. Actually, it's possible to build a reader fairly easily. I liberated read mechanisms from Remex "Director" readers I picked up cheap on eBay, and built a microcontroller stepper controller/serializer (which was fairly trivial-the power to the stepper is done with 0-brainer power FETs; it was not difficult to reverse engineer the connections to the head). The smallest one I built is not much bigger than the read mechanism itself, and runs on an old laptop power supply. It will do only about 60 CPS mostly due to power limitations, but how fast can you handle tape (I have reeled units that I built serializers for also). All of the readers and mechs that I have are industrial strength, and I beleive that in home use the mechanisms will last essentially forever (certainly longer than I will). Older Remex's used now-unobtainable lightbulbs, which I have replaced as needed with high-power LEDs (the "Intel" readers used Remex mechanisms). The oldest reader I have is an Oktronics (NIB) which had a very special (and broken) lightbulb. The #$@$#@ lightbulb cost $42-I couldn't bear hacking LED's into it. It is possible to build a "slot" type reader with LED's and photodiodes; I built one but abandoned it when I built the mechanized units because they are "neater". The real problem in a paper tape "ecosystem" is in the punches, "handling equipment" and the tape itself; I got lucky and got a lot of Mylar cheap some time ago, as well as some real DEC fanfold and reel tape. Mylar tape is now fabulously expensive at retail. The older DSI punches are very rebuildable; I got a very beat-up one in, replaced the belts (standard) and the caps in the power supply, made a replacement chad box from a $2.00 radio shack project box and some Velcro and it works great. If the electronics fails (I think that they use an F8 microprocessor) I'll just replace it with work-alike modern electronics. I have a FACIT reader that was severely damaged in shipping, but it has a good punch head. I intend to make a smaller case for it and run it with a microcontroller and FETs; I think I can reduce the power requirements by only punching one hole at a time (obviously, it will be slower, but who cares). Most of the size/weight in the thing is in the colossal linear power supply. Again, this mechanism in home use could last a very long time. Paper tape is a PITA and fun at the same time. I like to point out to friends that the data on the metallized Mylar tape will be readable (even visually!) and usable long, long after their hard disks are very deep down in landfills! -Steve Loboyko Website: http://juliepalooza.8m.com/sl Nixie Watch (one-tube):http://juliepalooza.8m.com/sl/complwatch.htm __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

21 years, 5 months

14
31
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DEC THZ02: Wottizzit?

by cctech-post＠desktopint.com

>From DEC's price list 1997: -THZ02-AA 6GBF Cipher tape drive sgl en -THZ02-AB 6GBF Cipher tape drive differ -THZ02-AC THZ02-AA in tabletop enclosur -THZ02-AD THZ02-AB in tabletop enclosur -THZ02-AE 6GB Cipher tape drive interna -THZ02-AF 6GB Cipher tape drive differe -THZ02-AG THZ02-AE in tabletop enclosur -THZ02-AH THZ02-AF in tabletop enclosur -THZ02-BA 6GB TT tape dr,SCSI OEM USD -THZ02-BC 6GB emb tape dr,SCSI OEM Phil St.Sauveur Desktop Integration Inc. -----Original Message----- From: cctech-bounces at classiccmp.org [mailto:cctech-bounces at classiccmp.org]On Behalf Of Bruce Lane Sent: Sunday, March 13, 2005 11:32 AM To: cctech at classiccmp.org Subject: DEC THZ02: Wottizzit? Hi, gang, I've come across a DEC THZ02 external/stand-alone tape drive in a nice enclosure with what is labeled as a SCSI interface. It resembles DLT in terms of its cartridge style, but it doesn't look like any "normal" DLT drive I've come across before in that it has no manual density selection that I can find. Details? Also, if anyone wants it (I certainly don't need it), I would be happy to send it along for the stunning total of $10 plus shipping. Let me know... Thanks much. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Bruce Lane, Owner & Head Hardware Heavy, Blue Feather Technologies -- http://www.bluefeathertech.com kyrrin (at) bluefeathertech do/t c=o=m "If Salvador Dali had owned a computer, would it have been equipped with surreal ports?"

21 years, 5 months

1
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Troubleshooting ATA Drives..

by leeedavison＠yahoo.co.uk

> It would be nice to know for historical purposes exactly which > vendors and when they started putting the firmware on the platter. I don't think it goes quite that far, most drives only store the geometry and block maps on tracks that are normally inaccessible to the user. All the firmware is usually in the memory on the controller. Seagate and Westarn Digital have had common electronics over different capacities from about the 1GB drive size. On Seagates the mechanism was interchangeable between ATA and SCSI controllers, something I used to exploit to transfer large ammounts of data between my Amiga and PC. > I'll also add my guesses as to why swapping platters is impossible. > When they build the drive, they clamp the platter on the hub, then > write it with servo information to let it find its tracks. Swapping > platters doesn't work because the two platters will never, ever sit > on the hub exactly the same way. It doesn't matter, all that's needed is a LL format and all the data tracks are re-written. Some manufacturers provide tools to do this as just doing a format from the OS won't do a LL format. > The expensive places must have some way to pull a platter with the > valuable info to be rescued, then re-align to find the true center, > then attempt to read the data. No need, they use things like dynamic tracking, even on data only platters, if needed but disassembling drives is always avoided if possible. Lee. . Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com

21 years, 5 months

5
6
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Sunrise T-5000 IN-CIRCUIT BOARD PROGRAMMER??

by rigdonj＠cfl.rr.com

Bruce, I have two of these. Are you intersted in them? They're supposed to be some kind of hot shot programmer. I've been playing with them this morning. They're PC based and despite what the website says these have 286 CPUs and 512K of memory. They both power up. One says 8752 error and stops. The other had a keyboard error but I took the back off and plugged in a PC keyboard and got it running. The CMOS was dead so I reset the settings. Now it attempts to boot but says that it can't find a system. I don't know if they used different settings for the HD or if it's been erased. I tried to boot it from a floppy but my 3.5" boot floppy says that it needs at least a 386. I quit at that point. The drive settings may not be right, or the drive may be erased (and you may be able to unerase it) or you may be able to install the drive from the 2nd system (or fix it). Anyway they look like they may be something $pecail so I didn't want to pitch them if they are and you can use them. If you can use them we'll work out some kind of trade. But le me know ASAP since I don't have the space to keep them around for long. Joe Is anyone here familar with this programmer? It's about the size and layout of an old Kaypro portable computer. This is Sunrise Co. of Calfornia and not the Sunshine Co. of Taiwan that made a lot of the cheap PC based EPROM programmers. Brief description here <http://www.sunriseelectronics.com/t5000.htm>.. Joe

21 years, 5 months

1
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B&K PRECISION 540 COMPONENT TESTER Manual??

by technobug＠comcast.net

On Sat, 12 Mar 2005 17:15:08 -0500 "Joe R." <rigdonj at cfl.rr.com> inquired: > I picked this up yesterday and got it working last night. Does > anyone > have a manual for it? It's a small Oscilliscope-like device that's > used > for testing transistors and the like. Oh yeah, I'm going to use it to > fix > my vintage equipment. > > Joe Push come to shove, you can get the manuals at <http://www.bkmanuals.com/401-600.htm> probably for far more than you paid for the toy. CRC

21 years, 5 months

1
0
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MAKE Magazine premier issue rocks

by vcf＠siconic.com

I just got today my copy of the new Make magazine and I cannot begin to describe how cool it is. It's like the Byte of the new millenium. Go out and buy a copy copies today so you can have one to sell on eBay in 20 years ;) Better yet, subscribe! http://make.oreilly.com/ -- 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 ]

21 years, 5 months

3
2
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Bamboo computer

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "David H. Barr" <dhbarr at gmail.com> > >On Wed, 9 Mar 2005 12:53:19 -0600, Jim Isbell, W5JAI ><jim.isbell at gmail.com> wrote: > >> At that point I began wondeering about a steam powered computer. >> Actualy I guess this laptop is actually a steam powered computer by >> that historians definition. BUT..what about a steam powered computer >> using steam valves and pistons. That could give you great gain!!! > >Wasn't Babbage's original design to be steam powered? > >-dhbarr. > Hi I think he means that the individual logic elements are steam driven. Not just a mechanical machine connedted to a steam engine. Dwight

21 years, 5 months

6
5
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Nice article on floppy drives

by vcf＠siconic.com

http://www.evenson-consulting.com/flexusergroup/pdfs/floppy.pdf -- 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 ]

21 years, 5 months

3
2
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Opinions? BeOS

by rigdonj＠cfl.rr.com

I picked up a Cd and manuals for BeOS today. Anybody here use it? What do you think of it? Joe

21 years, 5 months

9
18
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ASCII

by elf＠ucsd.edu

Scott Stevens wrote: > I believe hearing about (and seeing) a whole rendering > of Star Wars for ASCII. Unfortunately, I remember it > being 'released' as a MacroMedia Flash object. Telnet on over to <telnet://towel.blinkenlights.nl/>towel.blinkenlights.nl and see Star Wars in all its ASCII glory. :-)

21 years, 5 months

1
0
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Got Videotrax card working

by James＠jdfogg.com

> In case anyone cares, I ended up getting working that > Videotrax card I wrote about a day ago. What might be useful > to know is that I followed Dwight's advice and re-seated the > only socketed chip on the board (that customy Motorola chip). > After doing this everything seems to be working peachy. I'm > more than halfway through dumping another 10 megabytes of > data from one of the VHS data tapes I have; so far so good. Long ago I had one of these brand new. I never got it to reliably restore. It might have been the quality of my tape deck or the tapes, but I gave up.

21 years, 5 months

2
1
0 0

Got Videotrax card working

by vcf＠siconic.com

In case anyone cares, I ended up getting working that Videotrax card I wrote about a day ago. What might be useful to know is that I followed Dwight's advice and re-seated the only socketed chip on the board (that customy Motorola chip). After doing this everything seems to be working peachy. I'm more than halfway through dumping another 10 megabytes of data from one of the VHS data tapes I have; so far so good. New maxim: when all else fails, re-seat. -- 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 ]

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

MicroVAX II - TK50 problem

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Mar 12 2005, 15:18, John Willis wrote: > Here's an update, for all who may be interested in it: > > The MicroVAX II now has the following configuration: > > A B C D > +-------------------------------------+ > | CPU | > +-------------------------------------+ > | Memory | > +-------------------------------------+ > | TQK50 | EMPTY | > +-------------------------------------+ > | DHV11 | > +-------------------------------------+ > | DRQ3 | > +-------------------------------------+ > | RQDX3 | EMPTY | > +-------------------------------------+ > > > I'm trying to get my hands on a DELQA or a DEQNA. Will > this require yet another re-shuffle of the cards, or can I > move the RQDX3 to the end and put the DELQA/DEQNA where > the RQDX3 is now? Common concensus is that a DELQA is better than a DEQNA -- more reliable and less prone to dropping/corrupting packets. In either case, though, you want it fairly high up the bus because it's not very happy waiting too long while other things get their interrupts or DMA requests serviced. Also I have a feeling that DEQNA support was dropped from VMS round about 5.something -- but I'm not a VMS expert, so I stand to be corrected by others (is the driver much different? The actual Ethernet part certainly is). I'd suggest you move the DHV11, DRQ3, and RQDX3 down a slot, and put your network card in the slot below the TQK50, with your grant card beside it. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

21 years, 5 months

2
1
0 0

Sun 4/470 with plenty of spare bits available, Wellington - New Zealand

by jplist＠kiwigeek.com

Greetings; I have a Sun 4/470 available in Wellington, New Zealand, available for pick-up to whoever wants it. This was my VERY FIRST collected machine, and I truly and honestly loathe to let it go, but I have since emigrated the country and it needs to be removed from my parents house. (If anyone is famaliar with Actrix, the first public ISP in New Zealand (and one of the first in the world), this 4/470 *was* Actrix for a couple years, shemal.actrix.gen.nz) The machine does work, I bought a 'new' CPU card for it in 1999 as the original was flaky. The machine has the stock 33mHz processor and 128MB memory (4x 32MB cards) installed, two 1.3GB SCSI disks and four 911MB IPI2 disks. The 4/470 is in two cabinets (VME chassis & IPI2 disk chassis), desk side arrangement. All cabling is included, plus spare processor card, a stack of peripheral cards, spare backplane and power supply. At one point I had two entire 4/470s (four chassis), and ended up gutting one set of chassis and dumping them, keeping the parts. Pictures & little bit of (old) info: http://www.kiwigeek.com/hjp/comps/Sun_4s/ There is only one stipulation/problem - the machine can ONLY be picked up during June of this year. Thanks; JP

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

B&K PRECISION 540 COMPONENT TESTER Manual??

by rigdonj＠cfl.rr.com

I picked this up yesterday and got it working last night. Does anyone have a manual for it? It's a small Oscilliscope-like device that's used for testing transistors and the like. Oh yeah, I'm going to use it to fix my vintage equipment. Joe

21 years, 5 months

2
2
0 0

Create a VAX CPU with FPGA?

by vax9000＠gmail.com

There are many "soft CPUs" around. I wonder how hard it is to create a soft VAX CPU core that can be load into an FPGA. Other than to design from scratch, I think it might be easier if we grab the VAX-11/780, 750, or 730 schematics, and throw them into an FPGA compiler. The 780 was implemented with TTL, the 750 with gate array, and 730 with AMD 2901. I think the 730 scheme might be the easiest to implement with an FPGA. So, does anybody have the 730, 750 or 780 schematics? No, I do not plan to start the project. I just want to make sure whether it is feasible. Thank you. vax, 9000

21 years, 5 months

9
20
0 0

Seeking Motorola S38FC012PIO2

by vcf＠siconic.com

I'm trying to find a Motorola chip marked S38FC012PIO2. I've checked around and can't find anything online. Does anyone recognize this chip? I need to find one to replace a chip I have on an interface card here in the hopes that replacing the chip will fix it. -- 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 ]

21 years, 5 months

3
3
0 0

Sunshine T-5000 IN-CIRCUIT BOARD PROGRAMMER??

by rigdonj＠cfl.rr.com

Is anyone here familar with this programmer? It's about the size and layout of an old Kaypro portable computer. This is Sunshine Co. of Calfornia and not the Sunshine Co. of Taiwan that made a lot of the cheap PC based EPROM programmers. Brief description here <http://www.sunriseelectronics.com/t5000.htm>.. Joe

21 years, 5 months

2
2
0 0

USB Universal Floppy Disk Controller

by Watzman＠neo.rr.com

Re: "But yep, agreed. I certainly need *something* that can archive / restore classic formats to/from modern(-ish!) media. Shift register + counter + high speed RAM. Could even do it with an FPGA if you wanted. Buffering an entire track with 8x oversampling is going to be hellishly memory intensive though." I'd really rather see it done with a real FDC chip. While there might be some loss of flexibility in dealing with a few formats, I didn't mean to imply that I was ONLY interested in reading. With the right software, I could open an "explorer" window on an XP machine and "drag-and-drop" files .... to an 8" CP/M diskette. Or write a "system track". [As long as this is only a wish-list, why not stretch].

21 years, 5 months

2
1
0 0

USB Universal Floppy Disk controller

by Watzman＠neo.rr.com

What we need so badly is a USB universal floppy disk controller. It has to do 8" (single and/or double sides & density), 5.25" (both 360k and 1.2MB) and 3.5", at least 2 drives of each type. Ideally totally configurable to read/write any format, even "non-standard" formats (including 1k sectors on 8" drives, Microsoft's 3.5" "DMF" format, etc.) Can't anyone design one? It's way over my head, but I'd buy one in a flash. I'm desperate enough that I've been taking apart 3.5" USB drives hoping to find one that was a USB controller with a standard 3.5" drive. So far, they have ALL been "integrated" devices.

21 years, 5 months

6
10
0 0

Not quite 10, but FREE alphaserver 800 5/400

by rich_bramante＠yahoo.com

I am posting this from another list. Please reply to the email below. I have no other knowledge of this system. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Digital starion 910 alphaserver 800 5/400. works, but OLD. probably ok for parts; innomax monitor, cambridge soundworks speakers model SPS52; HP Deskjet 540 printer. works well, but is slow. I live in Raymond NH & work in Northwood - pickup can be made either place. kmbiery03077 at yahoo.com __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Get it on your mobile phone. http://mobile.yahoo.com/maildemo

21 years, 5 months

2
1
0 0

kdj11-sd eproms

by ericj＠speakeasy.org

I recently attempted to modify a decserver board to use the 11/53 roms. I installed the pullup and burned the images into a pair of am27128A-2dc eproms, but when I powered up the board it couldn't pass test #1 with the "KDJ11-D/S 1.00" message. I reverified the contents of the eproms and thought that I must've damaged the board when installing the pullup. Just to be sure though, I remapped the 11/53 images with "cat 261E5.bin 261E5.bin > 1.bin", "cat 262E5.bin 262E5.bin > 2.bin", then erased the original 27256's and burned the new images into them. After reinstalling these I powered up, and the board came up okay: 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Commands are Help, Boot, List, Map, Test and Wrap. Type a command then press the RETURN key: So my question is, did I botch the pullup install or did I use the wrong eproms? What eproms should work in the kdj11-sd? The originals were am27256dc. My next step is to test a teac fd55gfr 149-u5 floppy drive for use as an rx33. It appears to have the correct jumpers, but I haven't seen it listed as one known to work. Can anyone confirm whether this model can be configured as an rx33? Thanks, -- Eric Josephson

21 years, 5 months

2
1
0 0

USB Universal Floppy Disk controller

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Paul Koning" <pkoning at equallogic.com> > >>>>>> "Jules" == Jules Richardson <julesrichardsonuk at yahoo.co.uk> writes: > > Jules> On Fri, 2005-03-11 at 07:51 +0000, Philip Pemberton wrote: > >> ... > >> Shift register + counter + high speed RAM. Could even do it with > >> an FPGA if you wanted. Buffering an entire track with 8x > >> oversampling is going to be hellishly memory intensive though. > > Jules> Well if worst-case is 1mbps data rate at 300rpm and 8x > Jules> oversample, isn't that (8 * 10240 * 1024) / 5 = 1677722 bits > Jules> of memory maximum needed? > > Jules> (div by 5 because 300rpm gives you a whole track in 1/5 of a > Jules> second) > > Jules> So 256KBytes of RAM should always be enough to buffer a whole > Jules> track, regardless of what physical drive or media you use. > >Even if you want 8 bits per sample, that's still only 1.5 MB, and the >data rate is 7.5 MB/s (since a track is 200 ms by your calculation). > >That's a trivial bandwidth requirement; anything better than antique >DRAM will do the job easily, and the space requirement is tiny, too. > >I'm wondering if you can do this job with a microcontroller similar to >a PIC, running the sampling loop in software. If not quite, it should >be pretty close. > > paul > Hi I've always been looking at using a DSP chip for this job. I did expect to read parts of a track at a time and then reassemble them as condensed data. Chips like the Analog Devices 2181 have some 80Kbytes of onboard RAM. Although, it can't all be used for storage at the same time and some is needed for program space. These chips can be implemented with a real minimum of outside circuits. they even have a serial SPI that can be used to read disk data at higher speeds. These processor run at 30 MIPs plus. They can run some operations, such as data moving to arrays in single cycles, including updating of pointers. They can do as many as 5 operations in a single cycle. The can bootstrap from simple slowspeed EPROM of FLASH. One could easily connect one of these to that USB chip that someone pointer to earlier. Dwight

21 years, 5 months

2
1
0 0

2 Scrambled PERQs ... Going, ... Going, ... Help!

by brian.russell＠iclway.co.uk

2 Scrambled PERQs - Going, ... Going, . Help! I have two PERQs for disposal, a PERQ-1 and a PERQ-2, here in the UK. I would like to get some data off them before disposal, but am unable to do this on my own as both machines are somewhat 'scrambled'. I am in contact with half a dozen PERQ owners, who have helped with copious advice, and to whom the machines will be going once I have finished with them. The purpose of this posting is twofold. Is there anyone who can make me replacement boot floppies (I have blank discs onto which copies can be made)? Is there anyone who has successfully archived data from a PERQ to a PC who can speed up the rather tedious process of writing RS232 communications software that I have embarked upon? This is an update on a posting I placed on the alt.sys.perq newsgroup before Christmas. I am officially chairman of the Mil-DAP (Military version, Distributed Array Processor) Resurrection Working Party. These two machines were donated to the CCS (Computer Conservation Society) to help in the attempt to resurrect the Mil-DAP. We have succeeded in bringing together the complete set of hardware for the Mil-DAP itself and its PERQ-2 host computer. The DAP and host PERQ have been handed over to The Science Museum, South Kensington, London. The equipment will go to the Science Museum outstation at Wroughton, near Swindon. The Science Museum does not want our two remaining PERQs, as they are not actually a part of the Mil-DAP itself. The PERQ-1 is thought to contain some DAP-specific software, which we intend to copy off onto floppy discs. Copies will then be sent to the Science Museum. After that, we have no further use for the PERQs and we have nowhere to keep them. I would have been unhappy (euphemism!) to see them chucked in the bin. From contacts made thorough alt.sys.perq, I now have homes for the two machines, but I still have a duty to archive the data on them before I can release them. The PERQ-1 is thought to contain some DAP-specific software, which we intend to copy off onto floppy discs (and, if possible, archive onto CD). This is proving to be more difficult than we expected; any advice would be appreciated! Specifically, does anyone have precisely the right software to build boot floppies for either machine so that the hard discs can be fixed? The states of the two machines are: The PERQ-1 is the machine that might have some DAP software on it. I am effectively in the 'forgotten password' situation (except that I never knew the username or password and have tried most of the usual combinations). This is a PERQ-1 T1 with 4k Control Store, portrait monitor and no tablet. (No, we haven't lost the tablet; it was not there when we picked up the machine! We have now found a possible replacement.) The machine is running POS; the top line of the screen reads: "LogIn version 3.10 POS G.666 a-boot". The machine boots up from its 'rigid disc' and gets to the date/time and user/password prompts. After taking advice, I am going to attempt to archive the entire disk at block level before attempting to change things to give me access at file level. The PERQ-2 is a machine that I hoped to use for copying floppy discs, if nothing more. I appear to have damaged the disc, possibly (probably?) by doing a 'Bye Off' instead of just a 'Bye' or 'Bye Wait'. If this is what is wrong, then I have only myself to blame! Whatever, it now only boot up to Diagnostic 157 (Disc Failure) when supplied with its boot disc. Until recently, the machine booted up correctly when supplied with its Boot Floppy; though it has always stopped at Diagnostic 014 (Could not Boot from Either Disc) when attempting to boot from the hard disc alone. This is a PERQ-2 T2 (feature no. = F2361/06, build control serial no. = T2 1619) with landscape monitor and tablet. If there is a friendly PERQ owner out there somewhere with the appropriate boot floppy or engineering tools could you help, please? If so, please reply to this posting or get in contact at the address below. I have a stock of 8-inch floppies, donated by CCS members, which I can post out to anyone able to make me the necessary copies. Brian M. Russell. bmrussell at iclway.co.uk

21 years, 5 months

2
1
0 0

Format of '.tap' files on bitsavers ...

by john_sambrook＠yahoo.com

Hi Eric, Thank you for your help. I've had a look at your utilities link and I'm going to give them a try. Best, John Sambrook --- Eric Smith <eric at brouhaha.com> wrote: > John Sambrook wrote: > > Anyone know the format of ".tap" files found on > > www.bitsavers.org/bits/... ? > > It's John Wilson's tape image file format. > > A data record consists of a four byte record length, the data, > then another copy of the record length. The record length is stored > in little-endian byte order. > > A tape mark is fourbytes of zeros. > > There are no extra padding bytes to force any alignment. > > Bob Subnik's SIMH tape image file format is similar except that it > uses 16-bit alignment. SIMH comes with utilities to convert the > formats. > > There are also some simple tape image utilities at: > http://www.brouhaha.com/~eric/software/tapeutils/ > > Eric > > __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Easier than ever with enhanced search. Learn more. http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

Mac memory needed

by rcini＠optonline.net

All: I'm looking for at least 4 pieces (and up to 8) of 16mb, 70ns, non-parity FPM 30-pin SIMMs for a Mac IIci. The Apple part is APL30P16, but any matched set of four or eight will do. Please contact off-list. Thanks. Rich Rich Cini Collector of classic computers Build Master for the Altair32 Emulation Project Web site: http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/ /************************************************************/

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

Seeking Motorola S38FC012PIO2 ($$$ Bounty! $$$)

by wmaddox＠pacbell.net

--- "Dwight K. Elvey" <dwight.elvey at amd.com> wrote: > Also, have you removed the chip and put some > contact > enhancer on it?? ( You know, some silicon grease ) > Dwight I imagine that some DeOxit or similar would be good, but silicon grease? I thought that was for *thermal* conductivity only. --Bill

21 years, 5 months

2
1
0 0

MicroVAX II - TK50 problem

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Mar 11 2005, 23:39, Witchy wrote: > > > No. It's only the RQDX1 that has the "must be last on the bus" > > problem, and only then if what's below it uses DMA and interrupts. > > RQDX2 and RQDX3 have no such limitation. You won't find an RQDX1 in a > > MicroVAX II because it is not compatible with the MicroVAX II > > processor. > > I know of the incompatibility but I'm surprised at the RQDX3 not having > the limitation - every single microPDP and qbus uVAX I used, installed or > watched Failed Circus maintain had to have the disk controller last on the > bus; the only exception to this was if you had the RQDXE extender for > external drives. Even the machines I've got here now are built like that. The RQDX2 and RQDX3 definitely don't have the limitation. It's in the manuals, and also in Micronotes. I've seen lots of PDP-11s where the RQDX is not the last device, and my MicroVAX-II came with its RQDX3 further up, as well. If you have an RQC25 (then you have my commiserations) it usually goes below the RQDX, as does a KDA50 or a DRV11, according to Micronote 041. And of course if you have two RQDX2/3 controllers, one after the other, both work. That's not true of an RQDX1 (you can only have one). In general, the main reason for the order of things on the QBus has to do with interrupt priority and latency. For example, a DL serial interface can't deal with being too far down the bus, so it usually goes right after the memory; similar rules apply to a DEQNA. However, a DHV11 or a DHQ11 is a bit better, so it can go further down. Tape controllers are often less tolerant than disks, especially if they're supposed to be operated in streaming mode, so they usually go higher up. As I mentioned, even DEC's notes show a config with an RQDX3 further up. However, one of the FS memos says "This device may have to be placed as the last device in the CPU box because of cabling requirements." Also, there is a performance issue with the RQDX2 in systems using lots of block-mode DMA, because while the RQDX2 is doing a block transfer, it holds the bus for longer than is desirable and blocks BDMR while doing so (it does pass it the rest of the time, and an RQDX3 doesn't block BDMR at all). So it should be below things that have problems with latency, like Ethernet or DECnet controllers. However, an RQC25 is even worse in that respect, and it does block transfers in pairs! What's recommended by Field Circus, what's "supported" by DEC, and what works, are three different things! -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

Atari 1040ST

by leeedavison＠yahoo.co.uk

Free to a good home, or even a bad one. Atari 1040ST, mouse, monitor and possibly some manuals and software. Possibly another similar Atari for parts. Untested - I was given it and it's sat in it's box ever since. This is in the UK. Email me directly if you're interested. This goes to the tip in a week if no one wants it. Lee. . Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

Name that cap...

by wh.sudbrink＠verizon.net

Hi all, I'd like to get a 5 1/4 inch floppy working on my Ohio Scientific C1P-MF. Since I only have one OSI 5 1/4 inch drive available, on my C4P-MF, I want to get another working. OSI relied on the drive unit to provide data separation, relatively easy to find on 8 inchers but seems to be pretty tough to find on a 5 1/4. There is an old article describing how to build a suitable data separator circuit available on a couple of sites on the web. Seems pretty simple, just uses two chips a couple of resistors and a cap. The problem is, I can't read the cap value. The best image I can find is here: http://www.technology.niagarac.on.ca/people/mcsele/images/SA400Disk1.jpg You want to look at "Figure #3". I've used several different image processing programs, but I can't get the scribble next to the cap legible. I've looked at the data sheet for the chip, but I don't know enough for an obvious value to jump out at me. Part of the accompanying text says: "The RC time constant is adjusted to give an output pulse width on pin#1 of the 74LS121 of 5.5 ls." I assume "ls" is an oddball abbreviation for microsecond? Alternatively, does anybody have an MPI B51 or B52 with data separator available for trade, or another design for a data separator? Thanks, Bill

21 years, 5 months

4
4
0 0

OT Troubleshooting: Old computers with modern parts

by leeedavison＠yahoo.co.uk

> The lack of a punch has kept me from doing a PDP/8 in a > CPLD as well as not knowing of where to get ferromagnetic? > ram. I want real non-voiltile memory. Go to http://www.ramtron.com they do the ferromagnetic RAM. A year ago they were offering free samples and may still be doing so. FRAM is very similar to core in that a read is destructive and you have to do a write after read but this is all done transparently by the device. Lee. . Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com

21 years, 5 months

2
1
0 0

selling off my entire lot

by James＠jdfogg.com

> To all, I have taken a position with a new company and will > be closing down my warehouse. Any one interested in my entire > inventory or at least the board inventory (4000 + DEC and > VAX) please let me know. I am in Melbourne, FL and all are > welcome to come visit, or call me at 321-768-0006. THANK YOU > ALL for your past support. Do you have any kind of a list? Do you have any complete systems you are parting with? I'm particularly interested in Data General systems.

21 years, 5 months

2
1
0 0

Format of ".tap" files on bitsavers ...

by john_sambrook＠yahoo.com

Anyone know the format of ".tap" files found on www.bitsavers.org/bits/... ? I'm assuming these files somehow encode block lengths and file marks. I'll try to noodle it out, but would appreciate any tips as well. Best, John Sambrook __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site! http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/resources/

21 years, 5 months

4
3
0 0

Re installing XP on Sony

by jim.isbell＠gmail.com

I have a Sony Vio laptop and it has one partition on it, one 4 gig and 1 gig of unassigned space. (was assigned as drive "D" but I unassigned it thinking I could add it to "C"...of course, I couldnt) Windows XP is installed on the 4 gig partition and the remaining 1 gig is un assigned. BUT...no mater what I do when it boots it has Sony Vio logos and if I look at the directorys I find a bunch of crap that was left over from the days when it was running a Sony derivitave of Win ME. Lots of ISP advertisements desquised as optional ways to connect to the internet. (I use a Sprint cell phone and Sprint software to connect to the internet and dont need ANY ISP or phone line methods of connection and would love to get some more space by deleting them. I cannot delete the directorys because they are protected. If I could just erase the unused directorys I would be happy but also just cleaning the whole thing off and installing XP would be fine to since there is nothing on that drive that I need. I cannot delete IE and that takes up a bunch of room. I use Netscape and IE is an abomination I need to be rid of. I want to clean that damned thing completely off and reinstall XP. The version of XP that I have is the Home edition UPGRADE. I dont know what I need to put on there first to get the upgrade to work but I have ME Upgrade and WIn 98 and WIn 3.1. Usually just starting from 3.1 and upgrading step by step works but I cant get this damned Sony crap off the HD and it takes up over 2 gb of HD space. Any help would be appreciated, even if it is to tell me that Sony fixed it so their crap must stay, at least then I would quit trying to recover the lost space. -- Jim Isbell "If you are not living on the edge, well then, you are just taking up too much space." W5JAI UltraVan #257 CAL - 27 #221

21 years, 5 months

25
70
0 0

Seeking Motorola S38FC012PIO2 ($$$ Bounty! $$$)

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Vintage Computer Festival" <vcf at siconic.com> > >All but the big Motorola chip are soldered in. > Hi Sellam I know you are not going to put a lot of effort into it but the obvious thing would be to swap the part with the known good unit. This will tell you if it is the chip or something else. Also, have you removed the chip and put some contact enhancer on it?? ( You know, some silicon grease ) Dwight

21 years, 5 months

2
1
0 0

Catweasel opinions, sources of info etc.

by dlormand＠aztecfreenet.org

>If I format a floppy in my ST and save files to it, I can read it in my PC >without too many problems - however, files copied to the floppy from the PC >would quite often not read right in the ST. I don't know if it was >timing/interleave issues, or if there were bytes in the FAT which the ST >considered optional that the PC required (or vice versa)... The general advice is to format in the peecee. That's what I've always done, and never had any troubles.

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

FS: DEC boards

by rigdonj＠cfl.rr.com

Here's a list of some DEC cards that I picked up today. If anyone is interested make an offer via direct E-mail. As noted all of them have the proper cable, connector and mounting plate. A8000 ADV11-C Q 16-channel 12-bit Analogue-to-Digital Converter with cable, connector and mounting panel. A6006 AAV11-C Q 4-channel, 12-bit Digital-to-Analogue Converter with cable, connector and mounting panel. M9404 and M9405YB with connecting cables. M3104 DHV11-A Q 8-line Asynchronous Multiplexor, with DMA with 2 cables, 8 connectors and 2 mounting panels. M8634 IEQ11-A Q DMA version of IEEE(GPIB) interface with 2 cables, 2 GPIB connectors and mounting panel. M4002 KWV11-C Q Programmable Real-Time Clock. M7555 RQDX3 Q MFM Winchester and floppy disk controller (RX50/RX33/RD50-54/RD31/RD32/RD33). M9047 Q Grant continuity (also M9047-SA, -SF) M7606-EF KA630-AA Q As far as I can find out this is a MicroVAX II CPU w/1-Mbyte, floating point, time of year clock, boot/diagnostic ROM, Q22 with cables and control panel. M7609-AP MS630-CA Q As far as I can find out these are 8-Mbyte parity 36-bit RAM for KA630 (MicroVAX II) (2 cards and interconnecting cable). Joe

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

Seeking PC UserJun/Jul 95 ($$$)

by vcf＠siconic.com

Has anyone got PC User magazine from June or July of 1995? Looking to buy. Please contact me directly if you've got them. -- 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 ]

21 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

MicroVAX II - TK50 problem

by willisjo＠zianet.com

The saga continues... Got the system running finally, but now I can't get the TK50 tape drive to work. Have checked the cabling, reseated everything, and even tried a different TQK50 controller. Have tried the following from VMS 5.1: $ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:SYSGEN SYSGEN> SET NOAUTOCONFIG 0 SYSGEN> AUTOCONFIGURE ALL/SELECT=(PT) (at this point the system hangs... same if I omit the /SELECT, and the only way I can get out of it is to halt the system from the console.) Here's what the system is showing: Welcome to VAX/VMS version V5.1 Last interactive login on Thursday, 10-MAR-2005 10:27 $ SHOW DEV Device Device Error Volume Free Trans Mnt Name Status Count Label Blocks Count Cnt DUA0: Mounted 0 VMSRL5 184419 94 1 Device Device Error Name Status Count OPA0: Online 0 TXA0: Online 8 TXA1: Online 0 TXA2: Online 0 TXA3: Online 0 TXA4: Online 0 TXA5: Online 0 TXA6: Online 0 TXA7: Online 0 Device Device Error Name Status Count PUA0: Online 1 Thanks in advance! John P. Willis

21 years, 5 months

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selling off my entire lot

by trestivo＠tarinc.com

To all, I have taken a position with a new company and will be closing down my warehouse. Any one interested in my entire inventory or at least the board inventory (4000 + DEC and VAX) please let me know. I am in Melbourne, FL and all are welcome to come visit, or call me at 321-768-0006. THANK YOU ALL for your past support. Regards, Thom

21 years, 5 months

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DX-10 bits ...

by john_sambrook＠yahoo.com

Al, I'm genuinely grateful for your help. This is exactly what I was looking for. Best, John Sambrook --- Al Kossow <aek at spies.com> wrote: > try > http://www.bitsavers.org/bits/TI/990/ > > __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site! http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/resources/

21 years, 5 months

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ot? Simulate something....

by ron.hudson＠sbcglobal.net

Hey all! I am beginning to write a simulator for a "microcomputer", it will feature a curses (terminal) front panel. it will be a 12 bit machine. You will be able to issue commands to the simulator without stopping the program (for mounting virtual paper tapes, printing to files etc) Shown on the front panel will be a switch register, an Accumulator and the program counter (all 12 bit) a "running" light and a Overflow light. Insert = sw -> pc home = sim command Pgup = examine ([pc] -> sw delete = (deposit) sw ->[pc] end = halt pgdn = run Obviously a 12 bit computer suggests a PDP-8, but the function keys are going to be the "bit flip" front panel keys and they are grouped in three sets of four. I am not against a PDP-8 but it's instruction set is better expressed in octal right? Were there any other 12 bit computers? preferably with Hex friendly instruction sets? Operational choices - should examine increment PC?, should deposit? I am open to other meanings of the operation keys... they are arranged as above on my thinkpad. The program will be written in C.

21 years, 5 months

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I Found a Mouse!

by zmerch＠30below.com

OK, I kept digging, and I finally came across my AtariST/Amiga switchable mouse - so I might have an Amiga soon. (I still didn't find my ratzenfrackenfrippenfrumble eprom burner w/builtin eraser - so I'm considering buying a separate eraser just to have a spare.) With all this talk of "Operating Systems you're not supposed to run on your computer" lately, this just begs the question: I *thought* there were versions of OS-9 that existed for the AtariST and/or the Amiga - as in OS-9/68K. Anybody know anything about a possible Amiga version? I'd be kind of interested in running that, just because I'm not supposed to... ;-) Laterz, "Merch" -- Roger "Merch" Merchberger -- SysAdmin, Iceberg Computers _??_ zmerch at 30below.com (?||?) If at first you don't succeed, nuclear warhead _)(_ disarmament should *not* be your first career choice.

21 years, 5 months

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Floppy drive pin 2 question?

by msokolov＠ivan.Harhan.ORG

Randy McLaughlin <cctalk at randy482.com> wrote: > I am 99.99% sure it changes the RPM, I have some TEAC 1.2's laying around > I'll plug one in and ground pin 2 to check it. > > For the TEAC it is enabled via an option jumper, default is to ignore it. Changing the RPM is an option on SOME drives, and for PeeCees to work it must be OFF. It is very useful for Classic Computers, though. The high density select signal (pin 2) may or may not switch RPM, but it always switches the write current. Writing on HD media with DD write current will produce no effect (the field is too weak to affect the media), while writing on DD media with HD write current will magnetise the media so strongly that it'll be impossible to rewrite and unusable until you bulk-erase it. So pin 2 MUST always select the correct write current for the media type. 3.5" drives use the media type hole instead to select the correct write current. Those who punch or cover that hole to magically "change" the media type get what they deserve. MS

21 years, 5 months

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Floppy drive pin 2 question?

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Jules Richardson" <julesrichardsonuk at yahoo.co.uk> > >On Thu, 2005-03-10 at 17:18 -0800, Steven Canning wrote: >> Jules, >> >> I proposed doing exactly that (i.e. passing "raw" floppy data through a >> parallel port) last year along with some simple math that showed it could be >> done. > >Yep, I hadn't forgotten :-) (I made sure I kept all the relevant >messages too) > >Wasn't the problem that the parallel port just doesn't have the raw >speed for it to work for all disks though? At which point buffering >becomes necessary, which was also the point that everyone went quiet on >the subject :-) > >With the cable you mention, how are you supposed to get the created disk >image back onto a disk again? (Personally I need to be able to restore >data from an image back to a floppy) > >I need to do some reading up on what the floppy drive's write gate >signal does. If spitting data from an image down the 'write' signal wire >at the same speed as it was read is good enough (and 'write gate' is >actually a 'R/-W' signal) then maybe it isn't too complex. However if >write gate is actually dependant on the data stream too (needing it to >be understood) then it could be rather tricky. Hi There are two write signals. One is write data and the other is the write gate. The write gate is like a write enable. It also turns on the erase signal the cleans the edges of the track that is being erased and over written. The drive has nothing to set the timing of the signals coming to it. You can not just directly use the recorded data without realigning the clock edges. This includes the possibility of write compensation as well. There are rules about when you use the compensation. It helps to understand a little about digital recording. The write signal just makes a bunch of static +- signal levels on the disk. When played back, the head only sees the transitions and not the levels. This means that the effective edge of the transition is what is important. When the signals are on the surface of the disk, they are a bunch of magnetic fields. They interact in such a way that there is an averaging or frequency loss if too many transitions are close together. Compensation helps to avoid this. It is best to put some compensation in both the receive an transmit ends. It is simpler is to just use it in the transmit ( or write ) circuit. This is what is done for writing higher density floppies. If you record all the info played back, you need to realign the timing and possibly add compensation. It is not an impossible task but does require some knowledge of the particular technology used for that floppy format. You also don't need to know what the data is, just what the rules are for placing levels on the disk. It is even conceivable that one can do a better job than the original controller did. One can do some test signals on that particular media and determine just how much compensation works best on each track! Like the 6 million dollar man, "we can rebuild you better than before". Dwight > >Note that personally I *don't* need to understand the image on the host >machine (at this stage) - all I care about is backing up floppies to >modern hard disk and being able to recreate them again. Understanding >via software decoding might be nice one day, but in the shorter term my >concern's with all the thousands of disks we have at the museum with >data on that are likely decaying... > >cheers > >Jules > > >

21 years, 5 months

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Kermit for the PDP8 (in assembler)

by tomj＠wps.com

In case you need one, here it is. Found it at random looking for the RATFOR source to the DG Kermit. http://cdn.mirror.garr.it/mirrors/kermit/extra/k08mit.pal

21 years, 5 months

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Floppy drive pin 2 question?

by msokolov＠ivan.Harhan.ORG

Randy McLaughlin <cctalk at randy482.com> wrote: > Pin 2 on a 34 pin floppy connector is a little used pin. It was used to > change the RPM on some 5.25" 1.2mb drives. > > It changed the RPM from 360 RPM (pin 2 high) to 300 RPM (pin 2 low). This > was supposed to make it easier to read/write DD disks in a HD drive. > > Only early AT controllers needed it, later controllers kept this pin high > and used an odd transfer rate. Hmm, my understanding is that pin 2 is LOW when the odd 300 kbit/s transfer rate is used, and all HD drives use this pin to switch the write current to produce the 300 Oersted field necessary for DD media or the 600 Oersted field necessary for HD media. MS

21 years, 5 months

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DX-10 bits ...

by aek＠spies.com

try http://www.bitsavers.org/bits/TI/990/

21 years, 5 months

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Quasijarus Media: can anyone here write TK50s?

by msokolov＠ivan.Harhan.ORG

Mark Wickens <m.wickens at rhodium-consulting.com> wrote: > How many tapes does the software occupy, 1 > and what format do they need to be written in? Physical tape record level images are on my FTP site, just write them to the tape. Treat it as a foreign tape whose format you don't know or need to know. (The "don't need to know" part refers to those merely *writing* tapes. If you do want to know the format, you are more than welcome to, and it's described in the documentation, specifically in "Installing and Operating 4.3BSD-Quasijarus UNIX on the VAX".) MS

21 years, 5 months

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Quasijarus Media: can anyone here write TK50s?

by willisjo＠zianet.com

Any takers? I will pre-pay for shipping and media if anyone on the list can help me out with writing it with 4.3BSD Quasijarus0c. Thanks in advance, John Willis ---------- From: msokolov at ivan.Harhan.ORG (Michael Sokolov) Date: Fri, 11 Mar 05 09:12:14 GMT To: willisjo at zianet.com Subject: Re: Quasijarus Media John Willis <willisjo at zianet.com> wrote: > We had previously discussed my interest in getting some install media for > Quasijarus. I finally have my MicroVAX II running with a working TK50 drive. > Are you still offering the media kits for a fee? I would be if I had my TK50 writing setup working... It isn't at the moment :-( I really want to start providing real tapes like UC Berkeley did, but I'm so swamped that I cannot tell when, if ever, will I get myself set up to be able to do it. Until then you should ask on ClassicCmp if anyone can write you a tape from the images on my FTP site. I'm sure there are plenty of people there with the necessary setup who'll do it for you. When you post your request to the list, feel free to mention that you've asked me and that I lack the necessary hardware setup at the moment. MS

21 years, 5 months

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Name that cap...

by melamy＠earthlink.net

if you are targeting 5.5us, then it is a 220pf cap. The formula for the pulse width for a 121 is 0.7 * R * C, where 220pf is 220 X 10-12 and R is 25000 then the time comes out to 5.5us. I think the "l" was just a mistype. -----Original Message----- From: Bill Sudbrink <wh.sudbrink at verizon.net> Sent: Mar 11, 2005 7:14 AM To: cctalk at classiccmp.org Subject: Name that cap... to jump out at me. Part of the accompanying text says: "The RC time constant is adjusted to give an output pulse width on pin#1 of the 74LS121 of 5.5 ls." I assume "ls" is an oddball abbreviation for microsecond?

21 years, 5 months

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USB Universal Floppy Disk controller

by RCini＠congressfinancial.com

Actually, I know someone with the capabilities of doing this, but I don't know if he has the time. Let me ping him and see what he thinks. -----Original Message----- From: cctech-bounces at classiccmp.org [mailto:cctech-bounces at classiccmp.org]On Behalf Of Jules Richardson Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2005 8:26 PM To: cctalk at classiccmp.org Subject: Re: USB Universal Floppy Disk controller On Thu, 2005-03-10 at 19:49 -0500, Barry Watzman wrote: > What we need so badly is a USB universal floppy disk controller. Personally I'd rather have parallel or serial or SCSI interfaces, but each to their own :-) But yep, agreed. I certainly need *something* that can archive / restore classic formats to/from modern(-ish!) media. > Can't anyone design one? It's way over my head Over mine too really. I'd be able to build one given a schematic, but probably couldn't design something from scratch. Actually, I'd much prefer a schematic anyway for peace of mind as well as curiousity value. Given the know-how on the list I'm suprised there hasn't been a collective effort in the past to build something. Maybe the majority of us either: 1) only specialise in one machine and so do backups in whatever way's easiest for our own hardware, 2) are lucky enough to be blessed with online archives of software so backups aren't needed 3) aren't taking any backups at all! :-) cheers Jules

21 years, 5 months

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Name that cap...

by leeedavison＠yahoo.co.uk

>is adjusted to give an output pulse width on pin#1 of the 74LS121 > of 5.5 ls." I assume "ls" is an oddball abbreviation for microsecond? The l comes from the misinterpretation of the 'micro' symbol, a long tailed u. Anyhow 5.5us is correct and going from the resistor values and T=CR for the 74121 gives a value of 275pF. 270pF will do but with the range of adjustment in the circuit anything from 100pF to 500pF should work. Lee. . Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com

21 years, 5 months

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To be a kid again... Edusystem 50?

by dvcorbin＠optonline.net

> I was feeling nostalgic recently and would like to figure out some > way of recreating my introduction to computing in 7th grade (an > ASR-33 with acoustic coupler, timeshared to a PDP-8 at the nearest > university 60 mi. away, running Edusystem 50). The good old > days... when a large hard drive was 256Kw and functional programs > could be run in 8K of core! SAME here...except the PDP was in the building, and we were running full TSS/8 [1972] > I have a TTY basket case which is "very restorable" :) but don't > have the time or space to keep a real PDP-8 up and running. Is > there a decent program I can run on a PC? Or should I invest in an > SBC6120? A front panel with blinkenlights would be neat but not > essential to the TTY "experience". > I have an SBC6120 and a PDP-8 up an running. If you cant get (or in your case dont have room) I strongly recommend theSBC6120 over an emulator. Even though I have both, A lot of the "switch banging" I do on the SBC....hey if a paddle breaks, they are easier to repair!

21 years, 5 months

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To be a kid again... Edusystem 50?

by charlesmorris＠direcway.com

I was feeling nostalgic recently and would like to figure out some way of recreating my introduction to computing in 7th grade (an ASR-33 with acoustic coupler, timeshared to a PDP-8 at the nearest university 60 mi. away, running Edusystem 50). The good old days... when a large hard drive was 256Kw and functional programs could be run in 8K of core! I have a TTY basket case which is "very restorable" :) but don't have the time or space to keep a real PDP-8 up and running. Is there a decent program I can run on a PC? Or should I invest in an SBC6120? A front panel with blinkenlights would be neat but not essential to the TTY "experience". thanks Charles

21 years, 5 months

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Texas Instruments TM990/101 M (and its Mystery Chassis)

by billdeg＠degnanco.com

I have noticed a few recent posts about older TI systems including a question about locating a trainer/dev (?) system described a '76 byte magazine. This got me thinking about a TI chassis I have been unable to locate documentation. Can anyone help shed some light on the following. .? The closest thing I could find on the Internet was (an earlier model's users guide), but nothing about the card chassis that holds it. http://computer-refuge.org/bitsavers/ti/tm990-100/TM990-100M_usersGuide.pdf The card chassis: Within a Steel 4-slot Texas Instruments card chassis the size of a shoe box are four Texas Instruments cards manufactured in the US. These cards resemble a regular s-100 card but the 100 contacts are off center, to the left when viewing the component side with the 100 pin side down. Printed on the chassis is Assy No. is 0994676-0001 and Diag No. 0394677. I do not have a power supply, but I assume you'd attach to terminals on the back of the chassis somehow (?). Inside are 4 cards. Two cards are similar are RAM/EPROM cards with 32K in each (8 x 4 rows I assume = 32K ?). The RAM is a mix of TMS 4045-30NL, TMS 4045-30, and TMS 4014NL. There are no Eproms installed, but there are two rows of empty slots on the card. Each card has 8 dip switches. The third card is labeled TM990/101 M. This appears to be a processor/modem/term card with a TMS 9900JL EP7840 ceramic/gold processor, and a TMS 9901NL chip, etc. The card has two 25 pin female connectors apparently for serial i/o. The fourth card is labeled "universal prototype board TM990/512". This card may be newer than the rest and has an Intel P8253 chip (date = '80). There is extensive wiring on the back of the card, it could be for a disk drive, I don't know. The card has 2 40 pin flat connectors. I am hoping someone can point me in the direction for a TM990/101 M Users Guide or documentation about the chassis and/or individual components. I can post pictures by request. -Bill

21 years, 5 months

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Floppy drive pin 2 question?

by julesrichardsonuk＠yahoo.co.uk

Just futzing around with this Manta board (SCSI floppy controller). The docs I have say that pin 2 of the floppy connector is normally an input to the controller from the drive, but that some drives expect pin 2 to be an output to the drive from the controller (e.g. for changing rotation speed on a drive capable of 300 and 360rpm) That sounds wrong to me; surely most drives either don't use pin 2 for anything, or they expect it to be an output from the controller (to cope with things like speed changes) What drives use it as a signal driven by the drive, and what for? I'm tempted to ignore the docs I have and configure it as an output from the controller - I'd just rather not blow up a drive or controller board :-) cheers Jules

21 years, 5 months

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