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

by swtpc6800＠comcast.net

I found two HP Pen Plotters in a closet at work. One is a 2 pen 7470, the other is a 6 pen 7475. There is also a bunch of pens (50) that still work.. I powered up the 7470 and it works from the front panel. The self test prints an *. I haven't tried the RS232 interface yet. I don't have the manuals for these plotters. I do have a summary of the switch setting and RS-232 pinout. Does anyone want them? Does anyone have access to the manuals? Michael Holley www.swtpc.com/mholley

22 years

2
2
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Wanted: IBM Convetible (5140) "Application Selector" software

by tosteve＠yahoo.com

Does anyone have the "Application Selector" software for the IBM 5140 Convertible computer? It used to be on the IBM website for download, but no longer. Thanks- Steve. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - 50x more storage than other providers! http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail

22 years

2
1
0 0

Semiconductor Books

by jeff.kaneko＠juno.com

I'm cleaning out my basement, and I have a few semiconductor books I would like to dispose of: Analog Devices, Data Converter Reference Manual, Vol I & II, 1992 Motorola Silicon Rectifier Manual, 1980 Hitachi ECL logic and Memory Data Book, Year Unknown Precision Monolithics Linear and Conversion Products, 1984 Intersil Semiconductor databook, mid-1980's (has a section for the IM6100) Analog Devices, Special Linear Reference Manual, 1992 Harris, Analog and Telecomm Product Data book, 1984 Motorola Power Mosfet Transistor Data, 1984 Motorola Semiconductor, Master Selection Guide and Catalog. 1984 I will favor offers for the entire lot; plus book rate postage. Thank you for your attention . . . .. Jeff ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!

22 years

1
0
0 0

floptical drives

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Aug 19 2004, 11:10, Jules Richardson wrote: > > Hmm, my first ever floptical drive just landed on the doorstep amongst a > pile of hardware. Never seen one before now, and it seems there's very > little info on the web about the technology. > > I assume that although it'll (probably) read/write normal 3.5" floppy > disks, it needs special media to reach the 21MB that I keep on seeing > quoted in various places? (i.e. it can't reach that figure combining the > optical tracking technology that it uses with standard magnetic media) > > (the drive's an Insite I 325VM, likely culled from an SGI I think) Yes, it will read normal 3.5" floppies (at least HD and possibly DD), and yes it needs special floptical media to do 20MB. Good luck finding the media. I have some but I'm keeping it for my flopticals. Do keep the drive clean. My experience is that they're vey prone to dying (and trashing disks) if they get too dusty. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

22 years

3
2
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IBM 5100

by msokolov＠ivan.Harhan.ORG

Hello ClassicCmp friends, Right now as I type this an interview is in progress on the Coast to Coast AM late night radio talk show about a supposed time traveler who went back from 2036 to 1975 to obtain a classic computer, specifically IBM 5100. Needless to say, this story got me highly intrigued. Since I don't really know anything about the machine in question, I thought I would ask the collective list wisdom. There must have been something really special about IBM 5100 for them to go back for it from 2036. Does anyone know anything about that machine? MS

22 years

22
38
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DEC Infoservers

by msokolov＠ivan.Harhan.ORG

meltie <lists(a)microvax.org> wrote: > Failing that, has anybody taken an image of the ROMs in an IS100/150 - i'd > quite like to try making a uVAX3100 think it's an Infoserver... To my knowledge there are no special ROMs in an InfoServer other than the standard MV3100 console ROM, and it's what lives on its boot disk that makes it an InfoServer. MS

22 years

5
4
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E-Mail Quoting...

by classiccmp＠vintage-computer.com

> I beg to differ on opinions on e-mail quoting. I really dislike having to > scroll past all of the stuff I have already read, or even scan through a > mix of old and new. That's one of the reasons I like threaded message boards better then email lists. Sure, the information isn't "delivered to your door" but you can follow a thread from A to B easily, ignore threads you don't care about completely and figure out what the latest additions are very quickly. Of course, there's the possibility of the same types of issues you see here with excessive quoting and such, but it seems a lot less prevalent on boards I frequent. Erik Klein www.vintage-computer.com www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum The Vintage Computer Forum

22 years

3
4
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Vintage computer sighting in This is Spinal Tap

by vcf＠siconic.com

I'm not sure this one's been reported before, but I'm watching This is Spinal Tap, and in a short scene where the band is on a tour bus the keyboardist is playing a Missle Command like game on an original TRS-80 Color Computer :) -- 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 ]

22 years

4
4
0 0

Complete HP1000 F-series system on UK ebay

by stanb＠dial.pipex.com

Hi, I don't normally post such things to mailing lists, but this looks like a nice bit of kit. It's very near me but there's no way I could get it in the house :-( http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1247&item=51165939… -- Cheers, Stan Barr stanb(a)dial.pipex.com The future was never like this!

22 years

3
2
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Education (Was radiation)

by melamy＠earthlink.net

my experience has been... 1% of the people really like science 1% don't mind listening to science and can actually learn something 1% will listen but retain nothing now for the gender split... 50% of the males in the remaining 97% are thinking about what the are going to eat for dinner and the remaining 50% are wondering who they are going to sleep with next 50% of the females in the remaining 97% are thinking about their makeup and the remaining 50% are trying to reduce, change, enlarge their physical appearance. best regards, Steve Thatcher

22 years

1
0
0 0

Power transformer for a Wells Gardner 19V2000 monitor?

by aek＠spies.com

your best bet is to find the entire Atari power supply chassis assembly with the transformer, and the power supply pcb that goes along with it. they show up on eBay, or you can try Scott Evans (thomas43(a)aol.com) who should have a set. d

22 years

1
0
0 0

Morrow Micro Decision

by jeff.kaneko＠juno.com

In case anyone's interested, I've just listed a Morrow Micro Decision at the VCM: http://marketplace.vintage.org/view.cfm?ad=1121 Thank you for your attention . . . . Jeff ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!

22 years

1
0
0 0

TRS 80 Model III mini drive problem...

by billdeg＠degnanco.com

Looking for diagnosis or URL with troubleshooting guide: TRS 80 Model III with two mini drives. Powers up, drives spin and do not stop. Does not attempt read, no red drive light. Cass? and Memory Size? Ok Basic prompt OK. Type in and Run basic progam OK Did not test loading program from tape. Never opened (until yesterday). Seeking help. I have sme experince with basic board work/IC replacem. Could it be U40 or U41? "upper" RAM? Thanks! Bill vintagecomputer.net (coming soon) I have -- E N D --

22 years

2
1
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Fwd: (1) HP 286/12 & (2) 486's

by dan＠ekoan.com

I received a note from a gentleman in Horseheads, New York, with the following equipment he'd like to dispose of: >(1) HP 286/12 ... working >(1) 486 Leading Edge ... working >(1) 486 ? ... working >(1) Dot Matrix printer ... working Send me an e-mail off-list if you're interested and I'll forward his contact information. Cheers, Dan

22 years

1
0
0 0

Gaps in the collection (was Re: rarest computers. )

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Aug 18 2004, 9:05, Stan Barr wrote: > I built a 1-transistor regenerative reflex receiver back in the > late '60s. I used a OC170 transistor salvaged from a scrap Ferranti > computer board, which keeps it on-topic I suppose :-) > > I wish I'd kept the board now...probably an Atlas one :-( I wish I'd kept the Ferranti ones I had -- lovely PCBs with alloy surrounds, carefully wirewrapped. They were TSR2 avionics. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

22 years

2
1
0 0

Origin of row/column based database software

by mmcfadden＠cmh.edu

Bob asks about row/column based database software. +ADw-snip+AD4- Lots of mainframe database software existed but it was expensive and took lots of CPU power and disk space. From my experience it all depended if you purchased software or wrote your own. At the University of Missouri in 1976 we made a database of food poisoning victims. I used one punch card for each patient which was one row. Each column on the card was for each symptom or food consumed. Columns 1-16 was usually last name Column 17 might be Saturday morning vomiting Column 18 might be Saturday afternoon vomiting Column 19 might be Saturday evening vomiting Column 20 might be Saturday morning diarrhea Column 21 might be Saturday afternoon diarrhea Column 22 might be Saturday evening diarrhea Column 23 might be Saturday morning beer Column 24 might be Saturday afternoon beer Column 25 might be Saturday evening beer We would usually look at a 3 day interval. It usually takes 18 hours for food poisoning symptoms to start. Some people are +ACI-immune/tough+ACI- and don't get sick. Some people have symptoms from other sources+ADs- beer, other foods If you listed a data deck of cards then row columns were how the data was listed. We looked to trends and correlations. On one outbreak the highest correlation was the potato chips but the chicken salad was the actual cause. We used to get a lot of false positives for vomiting due to the amount of beer consumed by students. We also used SPSS on IBM 370/168 to analyze data also printed 2 X 2 tables of cross-correlations. The data was punched on an IBM 026 card punch, later we got a 029. We moved the analysis into FORTRAN programs on PDP-11/20 using DOS. Later in 1979 I used BMDP and Datatrieve on a PDP-11/35 to computer percentages of bacteria that consumed certain sugars. The table looked like S L M C U A A A C C N S R T I I O O T N S S O E E E L e.coli 75 5 5 10 s.aureus 5 1 1 95 P.aeruginose 10 50 50 1 The PDP-11/35 was later upgraded to a PDP-11/70. BMDP required overlays and lots of common areas to fit in the limited memory we had. We had 320K words of memory for 6 users, the RSX-11M OS and all external device pages. All of our data was on RK05's. The system was on one RK05, the programs on another, one for scratch and another for data. We changed the data packs a lot to load more data. Our first RP04 was setup by us to look like lots of RK05's since we stored data and analyzed in those increments. For the clinical machines the data was stored in a PROM board on a PDP-11/04 that analyzed bacterial growth and identified the bacteria. If I remember correctly the table was about 30 rows by 26 columns. Minicomputers were an attempt to move out of the computer center. We weren't really classed as computer programmers but R+ACY-D engineers. We stored lots of data in RAD50 and bit flags to save space.

22 years

1
0
0 0

E-Mail Quoting...

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Vintage Computer Festival" <vcf(a)siconic.com> > >On Wed, 18 Aug 2004, Patrick Finnegan wrote: > >> Anyhow, on discussion groups like this one, "conversations" over email >> (exchanging email about a topic) is what the mailing list is all >> about... It sucks when you end up seeing something 1/2 way through the >> thread and can't determine what the people were talking about anymore, >> from people either top-posting or deleting useful quoted info. > >I wouldn't mind as much if they would learn to TRIM THEIR REPLIES!!! > Trim replies and change subject when appropriate. I'm guilty of failing to do both at times but I'll try to do better. Dwight

22 years

2
1
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E-Mail Quoting...

by melamy＠earthlink.net

thanks and kudoos to Dwight and Dave for lightening a stressful day at work. To have taken my rather terse comment and created such wonderful content is what life is all about. LOL best regards, Steve now my only problem is whether I should leave the rest of the email or snip it off... sigh -----Original Message----- From: "David V. Corbin" <dvcorbin(a)optonline.net> Sent: Aug 18, 2004 12:41 PM To: "'Dwight K. Elvey'" <dwight.elvey(a)amd.com>, "'General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts'" <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> Subject: RE: E-Mail Quoting... I believe that Steves Last Comment (that being the last comment that I received before any comments that he may have sent that I don't believe you to have read at the time you sent the message that I am responding to and you will soon (hopefully) be reading). It would be a personal insult to Steve to NOT believe that he was sincere an honest in that comment. Although the one prior to it (in the same message), which has previously generated feedback from me (oh should I include that too) may be taken in a number of ways, as I have previously done. Additionally the interveneing comments by other members have an impact also (although I am not sure what it is), but if you mook solely at the messages that were sent in the interval between Patricks first post on this subject and Hans first response you will see that Dave Dunfield has been tring to focus on his own issue (which Wayne has of course been helping on). I do suspect that Wayne may hve just been lurking since himing in in on the other issue, which I wonder if the original poster ever got an answer that he can use for hist original purpose..It would be interesting if the 94 responses (subjed to the one by Wayne mentioned above) did not provide such an answer. Or is it really not suprising since that is difficult to determine using this technology.... David. >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: cctalk-bounces(a)classiccmp.org >>> [mailto:cctalk-bounces@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Dwight K. Elvey >>> Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 2004 12:15 PM >>> To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org >>> Subject: Re: E-Mail Quoting... >>> >>> >From: "Steve Thatcher" <melamy(a)earthlink.net> >>> >>> Hi Steve >>> You make several good points but I find your last >>> statement without foundation. >>> I tend to agree. >>> Dwight >>> >>>

22 years

1
0
0 0

E-Mail Quoting...

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Steve Thatcher" <melamy(a)earthlink.net> Hi Steve You make several good points but I find your last statement without foundation. I tend to agree. Dwight

22 years

2
1
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E-Mail Quoting...

by melamy＠earthlink.net

I disagree (tongue-in-cheek) best regards, Steve Thatcher

22 years

4
3
0 0

FTGH - Wyse Adapter

by cb＠mythtech.net

>It's a 5 pin DIN socket, to an RJ11 + lead with a single large pin with a >slot in it. > >I /think/ it was for a Wyse AT computer to allow the use of a standard PC >AT Keyboard, but don't quote me on that. You are correct, that is what the adaptor is for. Or at least it looks just like the one I had for that purpose. I'm not sure if I still have mine or not (I no longer have the Wyse PC it went with) I have a crappy diagram and pinout to make one of these: <http://www.mythtech.net/WyseKey.gif> -chris <http://www.mythtech.net>

22 years

1
0
0 0

Help! TU81 Plus tape drive problems.

by msokolov＠ivan.Harhan.ORG

Antonio Carlini <a.carlini(a)ntlworld.com> wrote: > I have the following: > EK-TUA81-TM-002 TU81/TA81 Technical Manual > EK-TUA81-UG-004 TU81/TA81 and TU81 PLUS Subsystem User's Guide > which both show up on http://vt100.net/manx, but > without any links. > > If you think they'll be useful, I'll put them on > an FTP site for you (and Paul I guess :-)). When I finally get to play with my TU81E, I'm sure I will find them useful! My drive is known good, but still having manuals is very valuable just in case. Please put them up for all of us! MS

22 years

3
3
0 0

Help with IBM 5100 - ROS error

by dave04a＠dunfield.com

>> According to the maintenance manual, line 1 cols 1 and 2 should >contain the ID of the module it is looking for (18) and > 5 and 7 >contain an error code (07). >> >> I have not been able to determine what '07' means ... Perhaps its in >the manual, but I have not found it yet. (Please > > bear with me, I >haven't seen a real live 5100 in aver 20 years, and I have never worked >on one before). > >My 5100 maintenance manual is buried, but my 5110 manual says that error >"07" is a CRC error in the ROS. I have notes diagnosing a similar >problem indicating that one possible solution is to remove any tape in >the tape drive before powering on. Seems unlikely that this would work, >but you never know. Hi Wayne, Where exactly in the maintenance manual are the codes listed - I did not find them when I looked. Although the machine was stored with a tape in the drive (keep mice out), I had already removed it before my tests.-- dave04a (at) Dave Dunfield dunfield (dot) Firmware development services & tools: www.dunfield.com com Vintage computing equipment collector. http://www.parse.com/~ddunfield/museum/index.html

22 years

1
0
0 0

nice hp on ebay

by jwest＠classiccmp.org

Item 5116593901 Very impressive. Look like a F series in dual bay rack, lots and lots of memory (HSFCA at that!), and a 7925 disc drive that looks to be mint. My trailer would have no problem driving to the UK *GRIN* J

22 years

2
1
0 0

Help with IBM 5100 - ROS error

by wayne.smith＠charter.net

> Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 18:08:17 -0400 > From: Dave Dunfield <dave04a(a)dunfield.com> > Subject: Help with IBM 5100 - ROS error > To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org > Message-ID: > <20040816220816.XZGR13092.berlinr.sprint.ca(a)smtp.sprint.ca> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > According to the maintenance manual, line 1 cols 1 and 2 should contain the ID of the module it is looking for (18) and > 5 and 7 contain an error code (07). > > I have not been able to determine what '07' means ... Perhaps its in the manual, but I have not found it yet. (Please > > bear with me, I haven't seen a real live 5100 in aver 20 years, and I have never worked on one before). My 5100 maintenance manual is buried, but my 5110 manual says that error "07" is a CRC error in the ROS. I have notes diagnosing a similar problem indicating that one possible solution is to remove any tape in the tape drive before powering on. Seems unlikely that this would work, but you never know. -W

22 years

1
0
0 0

Gaps in the collection (was Re: rarest computers. )

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Geoffrey Thomas" <geoffreythomas(a)onetel.com> > >Just remembered - it was the "spontaflex" ,- it was Sir Douglas Hall and >there is a web page devoted to his circuits. >Geoff. > Hi A quick search shows that these are at: http://freespace.virgin.net/spontaflex.reflex/ From looking at some of the text, these are a combination of a reflex with some regenerative feedback to increase the Q of the tuning circuits. I suppose one could write programs to sing through such a receiver on their clasic computer. Later Dwight

22 years

2
1
0 0

TRS-80 Model III and Holmes VID-80 Schematics / Technical Reference

by nbreeden2＠comcast.net

Hi, I'm looking for a Technical Reference manual / schematics for a TRS-80 Model III and the Holmes VID-80 add-on board. I've found a fair amount on the model I and 4 via Google however there seems to be nothing on the Model III. -Neil

22 years

1
0
0 0

atc-510 simulator

by rdy4immediate＠sympatico.ca

I have picked up one of these ATC 510 also ... I have full set of docs for it, all maintenance books and tapes ... I don't recall seeing any charts for it .. but I have not got into all the boxes ... I would love to talk sims or real aviation some time . More than glad to share what I have ,I got this sim given to me from a school that wanted rid of it ... they say it does not work ... if fly's wrong .. but I am pretty sure that I can get it going ... I love to fart around with stuff like that, jeeps me out of trouble. Anyway drop me line if you like Mark Jones MSN messenger - clubwood(a)hotmail.com

22 years

1
0
0 0

anyone ever shipped an NEC APC?

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

>I've got a monochrome NEC APC (dual 8" floppies) that >I was going to eBay, but it hovers right at that magic >70lb rate which seems to hit all kinds of shipping >issues with USPS (won't deliver it), UPS (big $$$ >surcharge), & FedEx (only deliver to a business >address, $$$). Seems by the time you factor in ship >costs it wouldn't be worth it unless someone was >really desperate. Fedex ground ships to home addresses you know. Price isnt too bad. You could also try Airborne/DHL or Emery/Menlo worldwide for ideas also. -- I am not willing to give up my liberties for the appearance of 'security'

22 years

10
12
0 0

Help! TU81 Plus tape drive problems.

by pat＠computer-refuge.org

(I sent this from the wrong email address last night...oops!) So, I was hoping to find some sort of manual (any kind) for my TU-81+ via google, but have failed. So, my TU-81+ doesn't want to power up. I've found the "hidden" power switch under the cover that I've flipped back and forth a couple of times, I've made sure the 110/220V jumper was set properly (110V), and tried different power cords, all to no avail. (I've bypassed the power controller in the rack and directly hooked the drive to an outlet.) The power supply "sounds" like it's getting some power when I plug it in, as I hear a small arc, presumably charging up some capacitors. However, the fan doesn't start up, and none of the front panel lights. Does anyone have any suggestions of where to go next? (Tony? :) I could just start pulling it apart and going through it, but I prefer to have some direction before I do that. Pat -- Purdue University ITAP/RCS --- http://www.itap.purdue.edu/rcs/ The Computer Refuge --- http://computer-refuge.org

22 years

4
4
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Gaps in the collection (was Re: rarest computers. )

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

Hi Reading the article by Sir Douglas Hall, he mentions making an adjustment to keep the positive feedback below the point of oscillation. This sure sounds like regenerative to me. Regenerative feedback was used quite often to increase the effective Q of circuits to increase selectivity. The article of May 1976 seems to indicate that this is how this circuit works. This makes sense. There are many, many ways to introduce regenerative feedback. One of the early ones was to place a variable coil in the plate circuit that was not coupled to the tuned input. The circuit worked by the parasitic capacitance of the triodes grid to plate. This can be done with a transistor as well. I remember when I was a kid, I had one of those 2 transistor reflex receivers made by GE ( wish I still had it ). I modified it to be regenerative and was able to greatly extend both range and selectivity. At night, I pulled in stations across the US. Dwight >From: "John Honniball" <coredump(a)gifford.co.uk> > >Geoffrey Thomas wrote: >> Yes, thanks - but the author had a special name for it - that's what I can't >> remember. > >Was it "regenerative"? Or is that a different type of circuit >altogether? See, for example: > > http://www.electronics-tutorials.com/receivers/regen-radio-receiver.htm > >-- >John Honniball >coredump(a)gifford.co.uk >

22 years

1
0
0 0

corrected TU81 url

by aek＠spies.com

www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/magtape/tu81

22 years

1
0
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Help! TU81 Plus tape drive problems.

by aek＠spies.com

The TU81 diag pathfinder and tech manuals are up now on www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/magtape/tu78 The drive itself is an OEMed CDC Keystone, there are some docs for it under cdc/magtape.

22 years

1
0
0 0

Gaps in the collection (was Re: rarest computers. )

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "ben franchuk" <bfranchuk(a)jetnet.ab.ca> > >Geoffrey Thomas wrote: >> Reminds me of the old Radio Constructor designs where the designer made one >> transistor do both rf and af amplification. >> Can't remember his name - or what he called his designs. >> I'm sure he was knighted or something like that .... anybody ? >> - Sir Alec Douglas Hall ? was it ? >> Sounds too much like Alec Douglas Hume ! > >I have no idea who invented it since it was used every where, since the >humble >vacume tube ( valve) was invented. You can still buy or build them today. > >http://www.vcomp.co.uk/one_tube_1935/one_tube_1935.htm >http://schmarder.com/radios/tube/index.htm >Ben. > > Hi The circuit is called a reflex circuit. The second web page above shows a tube reflex circuit. Dwight

22 years

3
3
0 0

Monroe-Matic CSA-10

by spm1960＠yahoo.com

Hey Chuck what would one of these things be worth. If it was in great operating condition? Where would a guy find out. MonroeMatic help __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

22 years

1
0
0 0

Fwd: Commodore Computers

by dan＠ekoan.com

Contact me off-list for this gentleman's e-mail address if you have an interest in these Commodore computers and software. He's located in St. Joseph, Michigan (United States), which is in the southwest part of the state. >We have Commodore Computer 64 & 128 systems and software. These were used >in my wife's Special Education class room. We would like to find a new >home(s) for this equipment and their educational software. Cheers, Dan

22 years

1
0
0 0

FW: <Silly> RE: Help with question about web page access

by dvcorbin＠optonline.net

Aslo.... I just measured my average distance to the screen 26-28 inches. Readability begins to suffer at about 7pt text. David -----Original Message----- From: David V. Corbin [mailto:dvcorbin@optonline.net] Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2004 4:01 PM To: 'General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts' Subject: RE: <Silly> RE: Help with question about web page access If I use "blah" Notepad to open a text file at the default font size of 10pt I see 106 lines of text. This is slightly less than one might calculate because you need to subtract the taskbard,frames and other things... This is being displayed in a physical vertical area of just over 10.5 inches, to the text is being displayed nearly ACTUAL SIZE. Holding up a piece of printed paper I get about 4 lines of drift over the vertical distance. Considering that most printed material [eg. Paperback books and newspapers] will use a smaller font...I don't see why ther is any surprise about working at this resolution..... >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: cctalk-bounces(a)classiccmp.org >>> [mailto:cctalk-bounces@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Patrick Finnegan >>> Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2004 3:40 PM >>> To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts >>> Subject: Re: <Silly> RE: Help with question about web page access >>> >>> On Tuesday 17 August 2004 14:33, David V. Corbin wrote: >>> > 2048x1536 (with is 4 1024x768 areas on the same glass) is >>> what I use >>> > on some of my 21"/22" monitors. >>> >>> Ick. I don't do anything higher than about 1280x1024 on a 20" >>> monitor, and I usually am sitting no more than 16" back from it. At >>> 1600x1200, even on "good" monitors, I can't see things anymore. My >>> rule of thumb is you should be able to see the individual dots in a >>> grid of 1x1 pixel dots (but they shouldn't be too big). >>> >>> > 1600x1200 [not 1280 which you may be confusing with >>> 1280x1204] is what >>> > I run on my 17" screens. >>> >>> You must have 20-10 vision or something, because no human should be >>> able to see 1x1 pixel dots on something with that high of DPI. >>> >>> Pat >>> -- >>> Purdue University ITAP/RCS --- >>> http://www.itap.purdue.edu/rcs/ >>> The Computer Refuge --- http://computer-refuge.org

22 years

1
0
0 0

Help with question about web page access

by Pres＠macro-inc.com

At 11:23 AM 8/17/2004, you wrote: > >>> Subject: Re: Help with question about web page access > >>> > >>> At 10:49 AM 8/17/2004, you wrote: > >>> >WHY DOES SOMEBODY HAS TO SLAP A TINY TINY UNREADABLE FONT > >>> IN MY FACE? > >>> > >>> It takes less bandwidth and server space. > >>> >Um...NO...not at all.... Well certainly then because of reduced X radiation from the CRT. The smaller fonts disturb less phosphor. You'd probably get increased life from your CRT also in that case. Ed

22 years

24
70
0 0

<Silly> RE: Help with question about web page access

by Pres＠macro-inc.com

At 01:26 PM 8/17/2004, you wrote: >But you are assuming that radiation is bad.....How else would I get this >good amber tan [with a slightly green tint]???/ Bypass your microwave door safety switches?

22 years

1
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Help with question about web page access

by m.wickens＠rhodium-consulting.com

It's worth pointing out that Jerome is talking about 132 character access in text-mode, not within the GUI. I used to have a Tseng Labs card that supported all sorts of great text mode resolutions. Just for your information Jerome, if you were to go down the Linux route text mode console is fully supported in 132 character mode with a variety of line options. You could also plug in a VT terminal such as a VT520 and have a 'real' terminal to program from. Regards, Mark. (who has shunned using a laptop in the louge at home for a VT520 - it focusses the mind on what is really important and stops endless 'browsing'. I'm not addicted to the internet, honest!) -- Mark Wickens Rhodium Consulting Ltd

22 years

1
0
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Hawley Mouse?

by DGoldgrabe＠spraycool.com

Sir, earlier this year you posted a question as to whether anyone had a non-dec Hawley mouse for sale. I have an X063X, is that what you are looking for or are you after something else? Daniel Goldgrabe Component Engineer Isothermal Systems Research 2218 N. Molter Rd Liberty Lake, WA 99019 PH: (509) 232-3442 Fax: (509) 444-1082 email: dgoldgrabe(a)spraycool.com

22 years

1
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Anyone ever shipped an NEC APC?

by melamy＠earthlink.net

just a thought, remove the two 8" drives and ship them separately. It will also make the system a little less prone to internal breakup when the shipper keeps dropping it on a corner... best regards, Steve Thatcher -----Original Message----- From: Rich Bramante <rich_bramante(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Aug 16, 2004 9:55 PM To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> Subject: Re: Anyone ever shipped an NEC APC? --- Vintage Computer Festival <vcf(a)siconic.com> wrote: > On Mon, 16 Aug 2004, Rich Bramante wrote: > > > I've got a monochrome NEC APC (dual 8" floppies) that > > I was going to eBay, but it hovers right at that magic > > 70lb rate which seems to hit all kinds of shipping > > issues with USPS (won't deliver it), UPS (big $$$ > > surcharge), & FedEx (only deliver to a business > > address, $$$). Seems by the time you factor in ship > > costs it wouldn't be worth it unless someone was > > really desperate. > > > > Anyone ever sold-shipped one of these before, and are > > my concerns founded? > > I just had a package shipped to me which, according to Fedex, weighed 75 > pounds. I had the sender use one of my pre-paid shipping labels. No > problems. Perhaps the pre-paid label helped. It only cost $39 according > to the breakdown. This was from Texas to California. Yes, 75lbs is about what I am guessing once the box and packing materials is added in. I assume you had it shipped to your business address, so Fedex wouldn't beef about the weight. > > On a tangent, anyone in the Boston area interested in > > one of these that can pickup? If so drop me an email > > for machine details and maybe we can work something > > out. > > What model is it? It is an APC I (APC-H01 Basic Monochrome APC) the big honkin' unibody with the dual 8" floppies. I also have a very clean APC III which I am loathe to part with, but could make it available for a really good offer ;-) I am trying to sell alot of what I currently have and just concentrate on a small subset of systems. The old time/space argument. rich __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses. http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail

22 years

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Anyone ever shipped an NEC APC?

by rich_bramante＠yahoo.com

I've got a monochrome NEC APC (dual 8" floppies) that I was going to eBay, but it hovers right at that magic 70lb rate which seems to hit all kinds of shipping issues with USPS (won't deliver it), UPS (big $$$ surcharge), & FedEx (only deliver to a business address, $$$). Seems by the time you factor in ship costs it wouldn't be worth it unless someone was really desperate. Anyone ever sold-shipped one of these before, and are my concerns founded? On a tangent, anyone in the Boston area interested in one of these that can pickup? If so drop me an email for machine details and maybe we can work something out. rich _______________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Express yourself with Y! Messenger! Free. Download now. http://messenger.yahoo.com

22 years

3
5
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PDP-1 Paper Tapes (DECUS)

by aek＠spies.com

>>> Question for list members.... what's the oldest functioning >>> PDP computer that anyone out there has, to your knowledge? The Computer History Museum's PDP-1 http://pdp-1.org/

22 years

1
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PDP-1 Paper Tapes (DECUS)

by aek＠spies.com

> I'll try to get an image of the contents of the tape if I win. The tapes have already been read.

22 years

2
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Compaq Luggable on eBay (ending soon)

by blair＠averagebacon.com

Just thought folks might be interested in this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=5115163292&ssPageNa… Blair

22 years

2
1
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Brother Wordprocessor Floppy Disks

by T.Baillie＠mcauley.acu.edu.au

Hi I saw in a forum your discusion about reading Brother wordprocessor floppy disks and am in the same situation, could you forward the tool spoen about on the forum please? does the software only convert the file, or does it allow you to read the disk on a pc? thanks Tim Don Maslin donm at cts.com Wed Mar 3 16:05:07 CST 2004 Previous message: Brother Wordprocessor Floppy Disks Next message: Brother Wordprocessor Floppy Disks Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ] On Wed, 3 Mar 2004, tim lindner wrote: > Yesterday my boss came to me and handed me a stack of 3 1/2 inch floppy > disks and asked me to get the data off them. > > Ahh, the perils of being the geekiest person in your orginazation! :) > > Anyway, all he could tell me is that they were from a Brother word > processor. It didn't have a model number and no serial port. > > One of the disks is a system disk ("Spreadsheet, punctualtion alert and > data storage disk for Brother Word Processor version <1.0>") and is > dated 1991. > > I tried the disk in my DOS 6.22 PC, no deal. > > Then I tried cw2dmk (thanks Tim!) and my Catweasel, but I guess the > format isn't close enough to IBM 370 (FM) or IBM 34 (MFM) formats to be > useful. > > Does anyone know of a tool I can use to read these disks? Tim, the attached ZIP contains software that was sent to me a while back which is supposed to convert Brother Word Processor stuff to other - perhaps, more common - WP formats. I have not had occasion to try it, so will be interested in your experience. It will not make it to the list, of course, thanks to the attachment 'scraper'. - don > Barring that: does anybody know what format the disk is using? I'm not > past modifying cw2dmk to read it, but I would hope not to have to > reverse engineer the "on disk" format. > > Thanks! > > -- > tim lindner > tlindner at ix.netcom.com > Timothy Baillie ACUweb Online Education, ACU National T +61 7 3623 7425 F +61 7 3623 7193 PO Box 456 Virginia Qld 4014, Australia http://www.acuweb.com.au/

22 years

1
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PET startup sequence?? (was LF: Commodore PET schematics, troubleshooting info)

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Pete Turnbull" <pete(a)dunnington.u-net.com> > >On Aug 13 2004, 11:27, Dwight K. Elvey wrote: > >> You should try to create a more exhaustive RAM test. >> Although, time consuming, GALPAT is just about the >> most intensive. > >I know Dave doesn't need it now, but a GALPAT is a very slow test for >any sizeable amount of RAM. It's also very old, and not 100% effective >against certain errors, though much better than some of the common >march tests. Hi There are many kinds of test. The simplest effective test for stuck-at and address problems is the March C. It lacks many possible problems that are not simple stuck at. Worst case column test require various types of walks ( GALPAT is one of these ). Still, most simple RAM test Used by POSTs will do about as well as a March C. Now we get into some of the other problems of address line switching, retention and pattern problems. One need not include the entire memory in there GALPAT test. One can work in blocks and then work on a block to block sampling. It is a long test but then it does a lot of things that take a long time. I only suggested it because it seemed that he had an issue that a simple RAM test wasn't showing. I am involved with creating BIST engines for use on arrays in uP's I would never put a GALPAT in a production test but if I can get two address generators, it is easy to implement as a programmable element. It, along with other test, can often be used for diagnostic operations to help understand a fault until a simpler/quicker test can be used to detect that particular fault. Dwight

22 years

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RAM test: was Re: PET startup sequence??

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Aug 14 2004, 11:11, Vintage Computer Festival wrote: > On Sat, 14 Aug 2004, Pete Turnbull wrote: > > > registers), though it would on a 6502. If anyone wants a copy I can > > give you the Z80 code, some notes from the project writeup, and the > > CACM references. > > Please! OK, it's below. First I ought to explain a couple of things about the code and the system it was written for. This was for a very basic Z80 system consisting of some EPROM, RAM, timers, and minimal I/O, which included a 2-line x 16-char LCD display. It was used for second-year project work. The way the LCD display was interfaced precluded the use of normal hanshaking or reading, so the routines that write to it incorporate a delay long enough to ensure that the display has completed the update before another write can occur. Secondly, the whole system was designed to report any error (and refuse to continue if it was serious), and to do this, the startup routines perform a number of tests, each of which uses no part of the hardware that's not already been passed "good". Well, that's the ideal; it's not so simple in practice. It begins with a ROM CRC check (and it's a proper CRC, not a simple checksum, so it will catch all single-bit errors, most 2-bit errors, and many multiple-bit errors). It should really do a CPU test first, but that would need the ROM to hold the test routines. The justification here is that it uses nothing except the processor and the ROM itself, and the assumption is that any serious fault in the processor will cause that to fail. If so, it's easy to take out the ROM, CRC check it on an EPROM programmer, and tell whether the ROM really is at fault -- if not, it must be the CPU. The chances of a CPU failing are quite small; the chances that a failing CPU will still execute instructions are a fraction of that; the chances that a CPU with faulty instructions will still execute the CRC test are a fraction of that; the chances that a faulty CPU that still passes the CRC has faults in common instructions used elsewhere are ... etc. So at the point that the RAM test executes, we "know" the CPU is OK and we know the ROM is OK, but we don't want to use the RAM to hold data during the RAM test. So no variables other than in registers, and *no stack* hence no subroutines. Hence the rather odd way of executing pseudo-subroutines to display things (on the LCD which we assume is working; it's just been "exhaustively tested" by the visual test of seeing a "ROM CRC ERROR" or "ROM CRC PASSED" message, followed by "RAM test" on it :-)). Lastly, this test does everything one bit at a time, not one byte at a time. That's because the system used byte-wide RAM, in which in theory any bit could interact with any other. You could safely parallelise this to do a byte at a time if you used a separate RAM chip for each bit (because you could assume they wouldn't interact except through a faulty data bus or power glitches) and that would speed it up more than 8 times. Here's the code: # Filename: RAMtest.s # # Author: Pete Turnbull # Address: Department of Computer Science, University of York, # Heslington, YORK YO10 5DD. # Email: pnt1(a)york.ac.uk # # Created: 26-Nov-1995 # Last update: 18-Nov-1996 # Description: An efficient RAM test # Version: 0.4 now uses 20-bit error-counter # 0.3 modified to work as standalone test for CTS 19-Oct-1996 # 0.2 code converted from ZASM to as80 for MCP, March 1996 # 0.1 original module for inclusion in CTS 1995, coded in ZASM # # ************************************************************************** # * # * An implementation of Suk and Reddy's Test B RAM testing procedure. # * Implemented from information in an article "Functional Testing of # * Semiconductor Random Access Memories", M.S.Abadir and H.K.Reghbati, # * Computing Surveys, Vol.15 No.3 September 1983, ACM. # * The original NTA article is "Efficient Algorithms for testing # * Semiconductor Random Access Memories", Nair, Thatte and Abraham, IEEE # * Transactions on Computing, Vol.C-27, No.6, June 1978. # * A similar fault model was used by D.S.Suk and S.M.Reddy, to develop even # * better tests, including their Test B, described in "A march test for # * functional faults in semiconductor random access memories", IEEE # * Transactions on Computing, Vol.C-30, No.12, Dec 1981. # * This is an O(n) procedure, much more efficient for large memories than # * GALPAT. It also finds coupling faults invisible to GALPAT tests. # * # * GALPAT complexity 4n^2 + 2n, finds all stuck-at, and some coupling faults # * GALPAT-II 4n^2 + 4n, finds all stuck-at, and all coupling faults # * T&A 8n.lg(n), finds all stuck-at, and all coupling faults # * NTA 30n, finds all stuck-at, and all coupling faults # * S&R-B 16n, finds all stuck-at, and all coupling faults # * assuming no decoder multiple-access faults, # * and all decoder faults if no coupling faults. # * # * The proviso about coupling/decoder faults really just means that the two # * types of fault are seen as equivalent (indistinguishable) by the test, # * not that they are not detected. # * # * There are even faster tests than S&R-B but they don't necessarily find # * all errors (some errors may mask others). # * With our Z80 running at 3.6864MHz, this test takes about 6 seconds. # * From the formulae above, an "equivalent" GALPAT would take over an hour. # * # * Byte operations would be acceptable for 1-bit wide memories, merely # * being an application of parallel testing. However, our RAM is 8-bit, so # * we use multiple operations to access each bit in a byte. This is not # * quite according to the test specification, as the lower bits in each # * byte are read/written up to 21 more times than they should be. # * However, if the RAM is OK, correct values are written every time, and # * consideration of the fault model shows that this will only affect soft # * errors, which, by definition, are likely to be corrected by other # * operations in the test procedure and would not be detected by most test # * algorithms. # * If we just used byte operations, we might miss some coupling faults. # * # * Errors are reported on the LCD, using in-line code (no subroutine stack), # * in the form "aaaa:xx (yy) -pp" where "aaaa" is the address with the error, # * "xx" is the found data, "yy" is the expected data, and "pp" is the section # * number (1A, 1B, 1C, 2, 3 or 4). DE holds an error count, supplemented by # * H to use 20 bits so that multiples of 8*8192 errors (eg every bit in every # * byte of 8K) can be recorded. # * # * The test always runs to completion, but then displays the error count and # * HALTs if it's non-zero. If it is zero, this version prints the message # * "RAM OK " and halts. # * # ************************************************************************** # # # ***** Memory addresses ***** # rom = 0 # start of 8KB EPROM area romtop = 0x1FFF # last byte in ROM ram = 0x4000 # start of 8KB RAM area ramsize = 8192 # size of RAM ramtop = ram+ramsize-1 # last address in RAM # # # ***** I/O addresses ***** # LCDins = 0x80 # LCD base address, instruction register LCDdat = LCDins+1 # LCD data register # # # ***** assorted constants ***** # LCinit = 0x3C # LCD "Funct.Set": 8 bit data, 2 lines LCDoff = 0x08 # set off: OR this with D/C/B for ON Don = 4 # sets Display ON LCDon = LCDoff + Don # set on: OR this with C/B for cursor Con = 2 # sets Cursor ON Bon = 1 # sets Blink ON (else cursor is solid) LCDclr = 0x01 # clears LCD display/RAM, sets address 0 LCDhom = 0x02 # moves cursor to position 1, line 1 setCG = 0x40 # sets "write to char gen RAM". OR with addr. setDD = 0x80 # sets "write to data display". OR with addr. line2 = 0x40 # address of second line setL2 = setDD + line2 # sets "write" to write to line 2 # dly120 = 32 # loop constant for just under 120 microsecs space = ' ' # ASCII space character # # # ************************************************************************** # * # * Here is the actual code... # * Note there's no point in pushing registers or calling subroutines, # * as we're scribbling all over all the RAM including the stack area. # * Before we start, reset LCD and tell the world what we're going to do. # * # ************************************************************************** # .org rom init: ld a, LCinit # tell it about data format etc out (LCDins), a ld b, dly120 waitI0: djnz waitI0 # let the LCD sort itself out ld a, LCDclr # clear display and RAM, home cursor out (LCDins), a ld bc, 4900/7 # that takes about 4.9ms waitLC: dec bc # loop takes 26 T-cycles, about 7 microsecs ld a, b or c jr nz, waitLC # wait for init to complete ld a, LCDon + Con # turn on the display out (LCDins), a ld b, dly120 waitI1: djnz waitI1 # let the LCD get it done ld hl, SRBmsg jp mssgHL # and return from there to following code SRBmsg: "RAM test " # this message fills the first line .byte 0 # terminator # # # ***** Step 0. Initialise, and set all RAM to 0's (we hope). # 8Kbytes-worth of LDIR takes 21 T-cycles x 8192, about 47 milliseconds # SRB0: ld de, 0 # assume we're going to pass - no errors ld h, d # (error counter is 24-bit) exx # save that thought! ld hl, ram ld (hl), 0 # set first location to zero ld bc, ramsize - 1 # make 1FFF copies... ld de, ram + 1 # ...starting here ldir # block copy, fastest way to set all the rest # # ***** Step 1. 3 pairs of read/write operations for each *bit* (not byte). # This is a marching pattern, but tests that each bit can be 1 or 0. # For sake of speed, loops are done with JP, faster than JR if jump # is made. However, JR is faster if the jump is not taken, so is used for # the jump-on-failure -- which hopefully is rarely taken! # "nxtbit" loop takes 110 T-cycles, about 30 microseconds. # "nxtbyt" loop takes 8 nxtbits + 60 T-cycles = 940 T-cycles, about 255us # 8Kbytes-worth takes 255us x 8192 = 2.09 seconds. # ld bc, ramtop + 1 # where to stop ld d, 1 # mask for current bit in current byte ld hl, ram-ramtop-1 nxtbyt: add hl, bc # start position ld e, 0 # what the whole of the current byte should be nxtbit: ld a, (hl) # ** Read: Ci(=0) and d # select current bit jr nz, fail1a # if not still 0, it's duff OK1a: ld a, e # what it should be, so far or d # ** Write: Ci <-- 1 ld (hl), a # put it away ld a, (hl) # ** Read: Ci(=1) and d jr z, fail1b OK1b: ld a, e # current bit is still zero in E ld (hl), a # ** Write: Ci <-- 0 ld a, (hl) # ** Read: Ci(=0) and d # select current bit again jr nz, fail1c # if not still 0, it's duff OK1c: ld a, e # what it should be, so far or d # ** Write: Ci <-- 1 ld e, a # update the copy ld (hl), a # put it to bed rlc d # next bit - NB 8-bit rotate jp nc, nxtbit inc hl ccf # it was set by the last RLC D sbc hl, bc # see if we've run out of RAM jp nz, nxtbyt # # ***** Step 2. Check each bit Ci(=1), then toggle it twice. # "nxtbi2" loop takes 62 T-cycles, about 17 microseconds. # "nxtby2" loop takes 8 nxtbits + 46 T-cycles = 542 T-cycles, about 147us # 8Kbytes-worth takes 147us x 8192 = 1.2 seconds. # ld hl, ram-ramtop-1 nxtby2: add hl, bc # E is still FF, this section doesn't change it nxtbi2: ld a, (hl) # ** Read: Ci(=1) and d jr z, fail2 OK2: ld a, e # what it should be (0FFH) xor d # make current bit zero ld (hl), a # ** Write Ci <-- 0 ld a, e # restore the '1' ld (hl), a # ** Write Ci <-- 1 rlc d jp nc, nxtbi2 inc hl ccf # it was set sbc hl, bc # see if we've run out of RAM jp nz, nxtby2 # # ***** Step 3. Check each bit Ci(=1), then toggle it three times. # "nxtbi3" loop takes 77 T-cycles, about 21 microseconds. # "nxtby3" loop takes 8 nxtbits + 46 T-cycles = 662 T-cycles, about 180us # 8Kbytes-worth takes 180us x 8192 = 1.5 seconds. # ld hl, ram-ramtop-1 nxtby3: add hl, bc ld e, 0xFF # it gets changed to 0 as we go round nxtbi3: ld a, (hl) # ** Read: Ci(=1) and d jr z, fail3 OK3: ld a, e # what the byte should be xor d # make current bit zero ld (hl), a # ** Write Ci <-- 0 ld a, e # restore the '1' ld (hl), a # ** Write Ci <-- 1 xor d # make current bit zero ld e, a # copy it ld (hl), a # ** Write Ci <-- 0 rlc d jp nc, nxtbi3 inc hl ccf # it was set sbc hl, bc # see if we've run out of RAM jp nz, nxtby3 # # ***** Step 4. Check each bit Ci(=0), then toggle it twice. # "nxtbi4" loop takes 62 T-cycles, about 17 microseconds. # "nxtby4" loop takes 8 nxtbits + 46 T-cycles = 542 T-cycles, about 147us # 8Kbytes-worth takes 147us x 8192 = 1.2 seconds. # ld hl, ram-ramtop-1 nxtby4: add hl, bc # E is now zero, after finishing Step 3 nxtbi4: ld a, (hl) # ** Read: Ci(=0) and d jr nz, fail4 OK4: ld a, e # what it should be (00H) xor d # make current bit a '1' ld (hl), a # ** Write Ci <-- 1 ld a, e # restore the '0' ld (hl), a # ** Write Ci <-- 0 rlc d jp nc, nxtbi4 inc hl ccf # it was set sbc hl, bc # see if we've run out of RAM jp nz, nxtby4 jp SRBend # testing completed # # # ************************************************************************** # * # * The following code uses IX to store the return address. It uses BC, # * but restores BC = ramtop + 1 on exit. It prints a message to give # * the failed address, data as read, expected data, and section where # * the error was detected. # * # ************************************************************************** # fail1a: ld ix, OK1a # here if Read: Ci(=0) failed in Step 1a ld a, 0x1A # section code jr fail fail1b: ld ix, OK1b # here if Read: Ci(=1) failed in Step 1b ld a, 0x1B jr fail fail1c: ld ix, OK1c # here if Read: Ci(=0) failed in Step 1c ld a, 0x1C jr fail fail2: ld ix, OK2 # here if Read: Ci(=0) failed in Step 2 ld a, 2 jr fail fail3: ld ix, OK3 # here if Read: Ci(=1) failed in Step 3 ld a, 3 jr fail fail4: ld ix, OK4 # here if Read: Ci(=0) failed in Step 4 ld a, 4 # # ***** This is the part that actually does the printing # fail: ex af, af # save section code for the moment ld a, setL2 out (LCDins), a # address LCD second line ld b, dly120 fwait1: djnz fwait1 # give it time to do its stuff ld c, h # upper byte of failing address ld iy, f.L jr f.hex # print it f.L: ld c, l # lower byte of failing address ld iy, f.coln jr f.hex f.coln: ld a, ':' # print colon out (LCDdat), a ld b, dly120 fwait2: djnz fwait2 ld c, (hl) # get the duff data ld iy, f.spc jr f.hex f.spc: ld a, space # print space out (LCDdat), a ld b, dly120 fwait3: djnz fwait3 ld a, '(' # print left bracket out (LCDdat), a ld b, dly120 fwait4: djnz fwait4 ld c, e # expected data ld iy, f.brk jr f.hex f.brk: ld a, ')' # print right bracket out (LCDdat), a ld b, dly120 fwait5: djnz fwait5 ld a, space # print space out (LCDdat), a ld b, dly120 fwait6: djnz fwait6 ld a, '-' # print a dash out (LCDdat), a ld b, dly120 fwait7: djnz fwait7 ex af, af # where we saved the section number ld c, a ld iy, f.fin jr f.hex f.fin: exx # remember H,DE' had zero to signify "pass" inc e # so update error count jr nz, f.exx inc d # update middle byte too, if necessary jr nz, f.exx inc h # update top byte if necessary f.exx: exx ld bc, ramtop + 1 # caller expects this to be here jp (ix) # back to "caller" (or wherever!) # # # ************************************************************************** # * # * This pseudo-subroutine is "called" to print a pair of hex digits. # * # * Entry: value in C, return address in IY. # * Exit: A and B mangled. # * # ************************************************************************** # f.hex: ld a, c # get value to print rrca # move upper nibble to lower rrca rrca rrca and 0x0F # remove any garbage cp 0x0A # do we need a letter? jr c, AOK.1 add a, 'A' - 0x3A # yes, adjust it AOK.1: add a, '0' # make it ASCII out (LCDdat), a # print it ld b, dly120 Await1: djnz Await1 # give LCD time to do his stuff f.hex1: ld a, c # get lower nibble this time and 0x0F cp 0x0A jr c, AOK.2 add a, 'A' - 0x3A AOK.2: add a, '0' out (LCDdat), a ld b, dly120 Await2: djnz Await2 jp (iy) # return to wherever caller specified # # ************************************************************************** # * # * This pseudo-subroutine prints a message (if the as-yet-untested LCD is # * working) -- for use by the test routines that have no stack. # * # * Place the required message immediately after the call; this code returns # * to the address immediately beyond the message. # * # * Entry: HL points to the message, zero-terminated # * Exit: A, B mangled, HL updated # * # ************************************************************************** # mssgHL: ld a, (hl) # get the character or a # is it the terminator? inc hl # doesn't affect the flags... jr nz, do.mhl # ...so this depends on the character jp (hl) # to the code following the message do.mhl: out (LCDdat), a # send character to LCD ld b, dly120 waitm: djnz waitm # wait for our slow LCD jr mssgHL # repeat until cooked # # # ************************************************************************** # * # * Arrive here on completion of RAM testing # * # ************************************************************************** # SRBend: ld a, setDD + 4 # to replace "test" on LCD with count out (LCDins), a ld b, dly120 fwait8: djnz fwait8 # give LCD time to do his stuff exx # alternate reg set had DE = error count ld a, h # ...see if it passed or d or e jp nz, SRBerr # skip if errors ld hl, SRB.OK # tell the user all is well jp mssgHL SRB.OK: "OK " .byte 0 # marks end of message halt # we're all done here # # ***** do this if RAM failed test # SRBerr: ld c, h # error count, MSByte ld iy, SRBE.M jr f.hex1 # only show 5 digits, to fit 16-char display SRBE.M: ld c, d # error count, middle byte ld iy, SRBE.L jr f.hex SRBE.L: ld c, e # error count, LSByte ld iy, SRB.em jr f.hex SRB.em: ld hl, errors # message " errors" jp mssgHL errors: " errors" # with 20-bit count, just fits 16-char display .byte 0 # marks end of message SRBhlt: halt # unwise to carry on with duff RAM -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

22 years

1
0
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Help with IBM 5100 - ROS error

by dave04a＠dunfield.com

Hi Guys, Now that the SuperPET's are off the bench, I have moved on the 5100. This is an IBM 5100, BASIC only, 16K model - I received it about a week ago. It was reported working the last time it was powered up (I have a picture of it taken then with a BASIC program on the screen), however it has been stored in an attic for quite a few years since then. The machine runs, however the "BRING UP" program is reporting an error in the non-executable ROS content and CRC test. At least thats which I understand from the maintenance manual. It gets as far as the 'I' test, then lights the PROGRESS-CHECK light. The screen displays: -------------------------------------------- ABCDEFGHI 18 07 (Bottom line of display) A B C B ~ N_ 13 EZEP (Z and P are underlined) -------------------------------------------- According to the maintenance manual, line 1 cols 1 and 2 should contain the ID of the module it is looking for (18) and 5 and 7 contain an error code (07). I have not been able to determine what '07' means ... Perhaps its in the manual, but I have not found it yet. (Please bear with me, I haven't seen a real live 5100 in aver 20 years, and I have never worked on one before). I have tried removing and reseating all the cards (which is very unplesant as the rubber/foam which supports then when they are in their normal "upside down" position is about the consistance of tar on the surface, which has glued itself to the faceplates of all the cards - I'll be looking for a good way to replace this eventually). Anyone have any experience with reports of bad ROS - is there any other cause (power supply tolerance etc.). I know this is a long shot, but anyone have a unused 5100 ROS? (perhaps >from an APL upgrade or a dead machine) ... (I'd really like to find a full APL ROS :-) Anyone have the code? Anyone ever tried making a substitute? According to the manual, you can get into the level 1 diagnostic mode by pressing either: Cmd * - or possibly - Cmd + / Cmd - / Cmd * Page 3-10 indicates just 'Cmd *' while page 3-15 indicates the longer sequence - neither does anything on my unit - am I doing it wrong, or is this a function in the non-executable ROS, which is not being allowed due to the error? (Does it even recognize this sequence when in the process-check state, as according to the register displays it appears to be halted?) Any help / insight would be greatly appreciated! Regards, Dave -- dave04a (at) Dave Dunfield dunfield (dot) Firmware development services & tools: www.dunfield.com com Vintage computing equipment collector. http://www.parse.com/~ddunfield/museum/index.html

22 years

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Heathkit EPROM programmer 8401

by depfoto＠earthlink.net

To whom it may concern, I was searching google.com for information relating to my old Heathkit 8401 and stumbled upon your message from almost a year ago. Do you still need to contact someone that owns this device? If so, feel free to drop me a return e-mail.

22 years

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Quotations From Chairman Morrow

by vcf＠siconic.com

I located and transcribed a copy of "Quotations from Chairman Morrow", a collection of things that George Morrow of Morrow Designs said over the years he was in the computer business, for Fred. Morrow died earlier this year of cancer. He had been out of computers entirely and was into collecting LPs. He was a good guy. I'm posting this here because there are some gems in there, and some stuff is still relevant. It's also an interesting take on the 1980s microcomputer business. This text is hard to find, so posting it here will make it easier to find for people and hopefully preserve it. I typed it in basically as it was typeset. Numbers preceding each section are actual page numbers in the original booklet. I'm pretty sure I got all the typos, but if you find one please let me know. Enjoy! COMPUTER USERS OF THE WORLD UNITE! QUOTATIONS FROM CHAIRMAN MORROW MORROW DESIGNS PRESS, SAN LEANDRO, CALIFORNIA First Edition: November 1984 Copyright (C) 1984 by Morrow Designs Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced without prior written permission of Morrow Designs Inc. Individual quotations can be used at any time with standard attribution. Quotations By GEORGE MORROW Introduction By JOHN C. DVORAK (Portrait of George Morrow) Introduction Morrow: Mayo to Mao It started when George Morrow was a young fry-cook. He had a spoonful of mayonnaise in one hand and a piece of bread in the other. "Hey, I can't do this all my life. Besides the fact that I can't tell good food from bad, this job is boring. I'm going to be an engineer," he thought to himself. So young George pursued the life of an intellectual. For awhile he took engineering, but he figured that to fully understand engineering he needed to know physics. He changed his major to physics. Soon he figured that to fully understand physics he needed to know mathematics. He changed his major to math. Just as he was about to get his PhD in math, he figured that to fully understand mathematics he needed to know philosophy. So he quit and went to work in the semiconductor business. "Otherwise, I would have never gotten out of school," he recalls. Working for William Shockley gave George more insight into philosophy than any college curriculum. It must have. George Morrow has become the top philosopher in microcomputerdom. If you're in the newspaper business, George is the guy to call when you need a quote. Some time back, Adam Osborne was the most quotable, with guys like Seymour Rubinstein and a few others occasionally coming up with a zinger or two. But over the years, Morrow has outdistanced them all. Enough to fill a book--a little red book. I recommend you take this little red book and hunt down George and make him autograph it. It's an obvious collector's item, and it will probably be worth a fortune someday. When you corner George for the autograph ask him about his sugar to gross national product theory. He's convinced there's a direct relationship between sugar consumption and gross national product. George is a little embarrassed by this book, I'm told (by George himself). His public relations firm in cahoots with the staff made him agree to it. You see, George is an interesting guy and these quotes are great, but George thinks it detracts from the great equipment that the company manufactures. You know, takes away from the seriousness of it all. Then again, maybe George feels obliged to be humble. After all, how many little red books are there in history? None as good as this one. John C. Dvorak Berkeley, California October 10, 1984 Contents SOFTWARE 1 PROOGRAMMERS 5 THE INDUSTRY 9 COMPUTER DESIGN 21 BUYING COMPUTERS 27 SELLING COMPUTERS 33 CREATIVITY 41 BUSINESS/FINANCE 49 MISCELLANEOUS 55 1 Software 2 Hardware is just a pernicious little thing required to allow software to solve the application problem. Good software is software that succeeds without having to work hard in the marketplace. 'Self-teaching software' is an oxymoron--like 'military intelligence' and 'postal service.' The only industrial costs software companies have is the printing of serial numbers. What drives the prices so high is thievery. 3 Instruction sets have eternal life; once created, they never disappear. So a programmable instruction set is critical to the health of the industry. The user world would be better served if it could run software without hardware. The floppy disk and its incorporation into microcomputers has been responsible for all the software innovation that's taken place in the last five years. 4 The formula for a successful software product: It has to be technically excellent but user-hostile; that way all the consultants and software cognoscenti can write about it and feel they're making a contribution. Without the proper software, computers make very good bookends. 5 Programmers 6 Programmers are like rock stars. But with rock stars, at least you get to hear the song before you buy the record. A programmer spends six months tuning his instrument and, whether it works or not, you're paying the whole time. There's been no real change in progrmammer productivity since compilers were developed in the 1950s. Software hasn't kept up with hardware in terms of productivity improvement. 7 The key to increasing programmer productivity is universal software that runs in a wide variety of hardware environments. This will keep the programmer from having to re-invent the wheel every time a new piece of hardware comes along. Ninety percent of the software gets written in 10 percent of the time. The next 9.5 percent takes 90 percent of the time. The last one-half percent never gets done. But the software still gets solds. 8 A good programmer can only write about 250 lines of code a day. Programming speed is a universal constant. Something like the speed of light, but a lot slower. Programmers stand on the toes of those who came before them. Anyone who trusts a programmer deserves what happens to him. 9 The Industry 10 Computer companies are like desert flowers--they bloom overnight and they're gone. Manufacturers have a responsibility to ther customers to promote the use of standards. That's the only way to bring volumes up and costs down. It is the user's responsibility to promote standards. Companies that try to set their own standards should not be rewarded by getting the users' dollars. 11 'Immediate delivery' means 'we have working prototypes.' Products should die a graceful death and move on. Hanging on is a disservice to the marketplace. Adam Osborne was initially successful not because he introduced portability, but because he provided utility through bundled software. To be successful, a product must satisfy a need in the market by providing utility where there was none before. 12 Being in the microcomputer business is like going 55 miles an hour three feet from a cliff. If you make the wrong turn you're bankrupt so fast you don't know what hit you. But if you make the right turn you're on a rocket with people throwing money at you. As long as product technology is changing the Japanese can't get into the market. But let the technology settle down into a well-defined market and God help you if you're an American manufacturer getting into it today because you're going to get run over flat. Just look at what happened with 5-1/4 inch floppy drives. 13 If you want to get into the marketplace with IBM it's kind of like going to a movie--a beautifully attractive movie that you can really get into. They put you in this nice chair and say 'please sit down and be comfortable.' You're probably a little bit nervious when you first go in, but the service is so great, the surroundings are so great, the drugs are so great, you think, why not relax and enjoy it. Meanwhile, what's going on up above you is that thuis huge weight is slowly being positioned and there's a guy calling down, 'How heavy do we need to make it? We want to make sure when we drop it he's totally flat and there's no way for him to crawl out from underneath. Are you over him now? He's comfortable? 14 He's not going to jump? He's unconscious? Okay.' Kachunk. And if you don't believe that, all you have to do is look at Memorex. Or Storage Technology. Apple created a problem for the industry by attracting the attention of companies like IBM and Radio Shack. Before Apple became big and successful, the big companies sneered and held their noses whenever the word 'microcomputer' was mentioned. 15 IBM came into the personal computer market when Apple threatened their base--when they saw Apple start selling into business, into the corporate environment, especially to run VisiCalc. If Commodore had done what Chuck Peddle put it in a position to do, there would be no such thing as Apple today. There'd be no such thing as Radio Shack. Commodore would completely own the market. 16 Three major factors made the personal computer happen. One was the microprocessor -- taking the power of a computer and putting it on a piece of silicon. The others were cheap semiconductor memory and cheap mass memory -- floppy disks. Not much has happened since then. Microprocessors and semiconductor memory have just gotten bigger. 17 The microcomputer market started because there was a pent-up demand for computers. The first users were willing to do virtually anything to have a computer around--put together kits, form clubs. Next came a slightly less technical group, which still was willing to do a lot of programming to make their computers breathe. And then, instead of moving to the home, as many of us thought, the market moved into small business. 18 In the early days of the microcomputer industry, you came up with a product concept, took out an ad, got some money from orders, began to develop the product, did some more advertising. If you where really lucky, you could ship the product before people realized it had just been a figment of your imagination when you first talked about it. Today the microcomputer industry is like the fashion industry; products are only good for seven or eight months. If skirts are going up, you can always re-hem. If they're going the other way, you've got the wrong product. 19 The problem with the semiconductor industry is that theit vision is very short. In bad times they'd fire whole departments to cut costs. So engineers developed a loyalty not to individual companies, but to the industry. Once the Japanese start building your product for you, they don't know how to stop. If the market changes, you're stuck with a huge inventory. A consultant is someone who's called in when someone has painted himself into a corner. He's expected to levitate his client out of that corner. 20 Market research is a major area of abuse. It is responsible for the overcrowded Winchester disk drive market. Early market researchers called up all the companies making Winchsesters and asked them their assessment of the market; then they published a report and sent it back to the vendors. The conservative ones saw from the report that they'd underestimated the market. So the next time the researchers called them, they inflated the numbers. It finally dawned on them that they were buying their own garbage. I believe in standards. Everyone should have one. 21 Computer Design 22 The computer's hardware is its body. The software is its soul. In the early days of the personal computer industry, hardware and software were completely separate disciplines, both emotionally and technically. One didn't mix the two. You did something either in hardware or in software. Sixteen-bit machines are important because of their technological sizzle; eight-bit systems are important because you can build them cheap. 23 Sixteen bits for the sake of 16 bits is an engineer's approach to products. There's an unwritten rule in the computer industry that says each new product must have special bells and whistles to spark the customer's interest. This has kept costs high and made the buyer pay for benefits of questionable value. Customers in the low-end segment of the market have been victimized by vendors who concentrate on product differentiation for its own sake instead of on what those customers really need. 24 The engineer who gets carried away with bells and whistles should be required to spend time in the customer service department--then he can see what it's like to support those additional features he's dreamed up. The formula for a successful hardware product: take a technology that can't fail but that is too immature for a big company like IBM to be comfortable with, and run with it. Using liquid crystal displays on portable computers is a current example. Tooling is an opportunity to waste money. 25 One of the great mysteries of life is how the printer and computer get hooked together. Mediocrity or adequacy is all most people need in a computer. Successful products are simple products. If George Lucas designed a lunch pail for Darth Vader, it would look like a Kaypro. 26 27 Buying Computers 28 The most important thing in buying computer hardware is to buy as little as possible. The less you buy at a given time, the more you'll be informed about what to do next. Small computers let you computerize in small clumps. You find out right away what will work and what won't. If it doesn't work you've wasted $2,500; that's better than spending $50,000 and wasting the time of a whole department. 29 Always use the 6-18 month rule in buying a computer. It takes about six months to bring a user up to speed on a new machine, so the system can't be expected to pay for itself before that. On the other hand, if it hasn't paid for itself in 18 months, it shouldn't have been purchased in the first place. Technology is changing so rapidly that a user should consider his needs only as far as 18 months down the road. Then he can upgrade, taking advantage of the knowledge he's gained by experimenting with his first system. Short-sightedness is a virtue when it comes to choosing a computer system. Know what you need now--not two years from now. 30 A user should need at least two applications before he purchases a computer. Every small business in this country needs at least two computers. Choose your hardware only after you've chosen your software; the complexity of the software will determine the appropriate hardware. The more exotic a user's software needs, the more expensive the hardware will be. 31 The user's only interest in a CPU should be whether or not his software will run on it. Memory and peripherals, however, are much more important because they determine how much you can do and how fast you can do it. People who call systems user-friendly don't know what the first-time user thinks about. You never know what to spend on a computer until after you've spent it. 32 About 35 percent of the people who buy computers don't need them. They're potentially unhappy users who'll spread bad news about computers. If you're spending your own money on a computer, shop arouund for the best value. If you're spending your company's money, buy IBM; that's the safe route. 33 Selling Computers 34 Bundling software with hardware lets the customer 'test-drive' the computer so he knows how it'll work before he buys. That means security. Computer distribution channels are not well. Sixty percent of their business has gone away and it's not coming back. Today the government and big corporations are buying direct from the IBMs, Sperrys, the Burroughs, the ITTs. 35 There's a difference between computer dealers and office equipment dealers... At COMDEX (Computer Dealers Exposition) you introduce a product and computer dealers will attack you...they're turned on by technology. At NOMDA (National Office Machines Dealers Assn.) the guy strolling by looks at the booth and says "Ah, computers...we'll have to get into that some day." Office supply dealers should become more venturesome, computer dealers more cautious. 36 Computers should be made affordable to the mass market. Computer makers should first decide what prices will make this possible, then find ways to build computers that can be sold for those prices. In the old days, our customers were as technically competent as we were, or more so. They bought from us because they had an emotional need to have a computer. Today's customers are less technically aware. They buy machines because they think they can do something practical with them. We have to show them it's worth the price. 37 We're not selling toothpaste or bubble gum or soft drinks, in which there's no difference in the basic product from one year to another except packaging. We're selling technology, and there's a difference. Look at Detroit. In the early days, the auto industry was run by engineers and technical types. It was only later, to squeeze every last dollar out of profit, that they brought in the bean-counters. And as soon as they did that, Japan came in, and there wasn't anything left. 38 Not everybody needs a computer. If a dealer sells one of my computers to the wrong person, my reputation and the dealer's are on the line. Only two groups benefit--the phone company and United Parcel Service. All the computers that have been sold so far have been sold to people who knew they wanted computers. That market is saturated. The real test will be our ability to sell to people who have never had a burning desire to own a computer because they didn't know what they could use it for. 39 Adam Osborne was the first hardware manufacturer to recognize what bundling software could do for the user. I watched what he did and figured that if a little software was good, a lot would be even better. With bundled machines you can throw away the hardware and keep the software, and it's still a good buy. 40 41 Creativity 42 The most valuable thing you can make is a mistake--you can't learn anything from being perfect. Children have an easier time learning about computers than adults because they're not afraid to make mistakes. Children are used to making mstakes all day long and getting yelled at for it. So they're more willing to experiment with something that might intimidate them. Adults can't experiment because they won't risk mistakes. The computer is simply a device to amplify mental powers. It provides leverage for your mind. 43 A technologically reckless person is one who knows just enough technology to be dangerous but not enough to be cautious. You're not trying hard enough if you don't fail sometimes. You can only tell if you're breaking ground if you're stubbing your toes. Engineers add parts to machines to solve problems; I take parts out of machines to solve problems. The people who make money in this industry are the ones who engineer a product and get others to build the parts. 44 I listen to the marketplace better than anyone else, and I don't mind borrowing. Never do anything yourself if someone else can do it better. The stabilization of markets encourages big business; upheaval and innovation encourage small business. For my father's generation, work was not supposed to be pleasant. For me, work is the greatest pleasure. I'm not a workaholic, I'm a work enthusiast. The most potent drug of all is being on a "hot" project. 45 The most successful company isn't the first one with a good idea. It's amazing how smart you can be if you're second and do your homework. My first microcomputer was an attempt to understand Osborne's success. When a company gets bigger, it can't afford to be adventurous. If it gets into high volumes, it has to stick with established technology, take what it knows works. 46 Most of us in the early days had entrepreneur's sickness--we wouldn't do anything that would dilute our control of our companies. Steve Jobs of Apple was the only one smart enough to see that he had to give away parts of his company to get the most talented people. You can still have ideas, develop products, without being entrepreneurial. Entrepreneurial just means you gamble a lot. Apple hasn't been entrepreneurial for some time and neither has H-P. 47 Being a successful entrepreneur means being able to do it more than once. If you can't repeat your success, you probably were just lucky the first time. 48 49 Business/Finance 50 Venture capitalists are like lemmings jumping on the software bandwagon. Japanese accounts payable are like heroin; they get you hooked with 120-day payment plans. The best way to keep the competition out is to price low; if there's too much fat in the profit, someone else will come in under you. I'm happy with 10 percent after-tax profits. After 15 percent I rebel; that's rape. 51 The Morrow theory of finance: When you're a little guy operating out of a garage, you have to pay all your own bills. But when you get more successful, you get a line of credit, and the bank starts paying your bills. Then you get a little more successful, and the bank won't pay anymore, so you pay your bills slowly--30, 60, 120 days late--and now your vendors are paying your bills. Now you're even more successful, you get venture capitalists, and they're paying your bills. And it used to be when you reached the highest level of success, you could go public and have the public paying your bills. But nowadays, when you finally reach the pinnacle of financial success--like Chrysler--you're so successful you can't be allowed to fail, and the government starts paying your bills. 52 People in Silicon Valley don't like the first stage--paying their own bills. They've been very successful at leapfrogging this step, by getting venture capital up front. Big corporations used to sneer at small computer companies; but the small companies forced the big ones to get into the small computer business. Money coming in says I've made the right marketing decisions. If you make enough units of a product, front-end costs are insignificant noise. 53 Money is the only lethal drug available on a non-prescription basis. Bankers aret he druggists. It's a definite sign of success when your vendors pay your bills. U.S. venture capitalists will hold on while a firm dies, to get more money for it. They deliberately prolonged Osborne's existence. At the end, with every Osborne I they shipped, they lost at least $200. 54 Venture capitalists don't know how to decide which companies are going to be successful. They don't have the slightest idea what the ingredients of a success are. The only thing they know is what worked the last time. They have a tendency to repeat. They'll work it to death. When Osborne first came out he had a startling product that captured people's imaginations. Then everybody began building portables. If you had an idea for a computer with a handle on it, it was easy to go out and get venture capital. The good thing about venture capital is that it provides a lot of jobs. 55 Miscellaneous 56 The MIS department wants control of the computer revolution; they have power and position and want to protect it. But the insurrection will win; as micros get cheaper, more and more of them will enter the corporation. They may be hidden, but they'll be there. As an organization leaves the startup phase and grows, it needs a different kind of employee--one who doesn't have to see the job from start to finish. There'll be a special place in hell for the tape back-up people. 57 User groups are an excellent device to bring pressure upon manufacturers. If I had a business that relied on kids sticking quarters in a machine, I couldn't sleep at night. People think computers will keep them from making mistakes. They're wrong. With computers you make mistakes faster. The small businessman is smart; he realizes there's no free lunch. On the other hand, he knows where to go to get a good inexpensive sandwich. 58 More money has been wasted in artificial intelligence than in any other area of computer technology. We're still not close to having any real idea or model of how the human brain works. Networking hasn't come of age. For right now, carrying a floppy disk from one computer to another is probably still the most effective way to transfer information. Ths is the ultimate con game--I'm having fun and people pay me to do it. 59 Lawyers. The worst parasites this country has produced. The guy who knows about computers is the last person you want to have creating documentation for people who don't understand computers. Portable computers took off because people seem to want handles on their computers--handles that don't really serve them well. People are attracted to handles. 60 Western Union had the chance to buy the telephone patents in 1883 for $40,000--even then a drop in the bucket. They didn't do it because they thought they were in the telegraph business, when really they were in the communication business. Similarly, the railroads didn't realize they weren't in the train business, but the transportation business; so they sat back and watched as cars and planes took it away from them. I don't know what business I'm in. The computer business? The information business? Somebody at IBM knows what business they're in. If there's one thing I'd like to find out, it's what business IBM thinks they're in. They're sure not telling anyone. -- 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 ]

22 years

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UV Eraser assistance in NY...

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: cvendel(a)att.net > >Hi, > >Sorry to post off topic, but I'm in a bit of a bind... > >Anyone in the Westchester/Putnam area have a spare UV Eraser that they could either loan or trade with me??? I have a project I need to work on and my UV eraser has completely up and died, looks like the transformer and I really need to update some eprom's to complete code testing for work. > >I a spare VT320, a vaxstation, Atari PC-1 computer, Odyssey2 Video game console and several other items I'd be willing to do a trade for, I also have some tape drives, cd-roms drives and token ring equipment, SCSI cards, older ISA ethernet adapters and so forth if anyone is interested, please contact me off-list if you can help me out, thanks much! > >Curt >cvendel(a)att.net > Hi It is most likely a balast and not a simple transformer. They can usually be replaced by another balast of the same wattage. These can be bought from electrical shops. The bulbs are a little harder to find but they can be ordered from most any electrical shop ( they are expensive, having quartz glass tubes ). Dwight

22 years

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Tek 4115B out there

by aek＠spies.com

I have the entire unit > with keyboard, manuals, etc; in storage -- I've been looking for the service manual for 411x series terminals for a while now. I'd like to scan it if you have a copy.

22 years

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ASR-33....its alive (sort of)

by CPUMECH＠aol.com

Try Dataterm Inc. for Teletype parts. 781-938-1010 or Dataterm.com.

22 years

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help id'ing these 2 Kaypro boards

by rich_bramante＠yahoo.com

pics here: http://www.metabarn.com/forsale/pics/#KAY Top one has "81-914 REV E" on back. Bottom one has "81-1590 REV E" and "KV-01" on back. Thanks. rich __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? New and Improved Yahoo! Mail - 100MB free storage! http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail

22 years

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VCF West hotel

by evan947＠yahoo.com

Jay and others -- last year I stayed at the Comfort Inn, at 1561 West El Camino Real, in Mountain View. It wasn't exactly luxorius (no restaurant, though there are a million places to eat on El Camino), but it was cheap, had high-speed Internet, and was very convenient to the CHM (where VCF is). My favorite amenity: there is a movie-theatre style hot popcorn machine in the lobby, and the popcorn is free. Of course if Sellam gets us a discount rate at a Marriott, such as at VCF East, I imagine that would be much nicer than the Comfort Inn...

22 years

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UV Eraser assistance in NY...

by cvendel＠att.net

Hi, Sorry to post off topic, but I'm in a bit of a bind... Anyone in the Westchester/Putnam area have a spare UV Eraser that they could either loan or trade with me??? I have a project I need to work on and my UV eraser has completely up and died, looks like the transformer and I really need to update some eprom's to complete code testing for work. I a spare VT320, a vaxstation, Atari PC-1 computer, Odyssey2 Video game console and several other items I'd be willing to do a trade for, I also have some tape drives, cd-roms drives and token ring equipment, SCSI cards, older ISA ethernet adapters and so forth if anyone is interested, please contact me off-list if you can help me out, thanks much! Curt cvendel(a)att.net

22 years

4
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m4 9914

by jwest＠classiccmp.org

I got a single ended interface for the 9914... but I'm having fits getting my system to work with it. Anyone really up on these? Jay

22 years

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9
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System/32 update

by mross666＠hotmail.com

On Mon, 2004-08-09 at 19:22, Mike Ross wrote: >On Sun, 8 Aug 2004, Al Kossow wrote: > > >>how about a Univac 90 30 ? > >> > >>http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=162&item=3740834255 > > > >Mmmmm. Nice. I hope someone in the UK can grab this. > >Consider it grabbed. I'm in the USA, but I'll go back home to Britland to >grab that! Spoke too soon... two newly-registered zero-feedback bidders have run the price up to nearly $2000. Bugger that for a game of soldiers - I smell a rat! If anyone else wants to risk getting ripped-off, feel free. I'm outa here. Mike http://www.corestore.org

22 years

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More Goodies from the Silicon Valley Refugee

by rcini＠optonline.net

I would be interested in one. ----- Original Message ----- From: D Jensen <dougjensen(a)sprint.ca> Date: Saturday, August 14, 2004 10:35 pm Subject: More Goodies from the Silicon Valley Refugee > Hi please reply as to yes/no availability. > > Thanks > > Doug. > > > > C-64 Speech synthesizer cartridge - $5 each > "Voice Messenger", by Currah Technologies. I have 2 of these, > still shrinkwapped. Uses a hardware synthesizer chip (SSI263??), > and has an extension ROM that adds speech functions to the > built-in > BASIC. The first buyer gets a free light pen that plugs into the > joystick port, but has no docs or software unless I get a surprise > while sorting through my old files. My recollection is that > there's a photodiode in it that generates an interrupt when the > CRT beam > sweeps past it. > > >

22 years

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Tek 4115B out there

by sloboyko＠yahoo.com

I have one of these, unused(!) from a gov't auction (a spare, I think). I played with it a little, and then it stopped working but it might have been something I screwed up with a DIP switch. I have the entire unit with keyboard, manuals, etc; in storage, one of the caster legs broke. If someone actually wants (parts) of this, I would trade/sell it for a little more than shipping (it's really big and its impossible to ship the monitor or whole thing); otherwise, I was planning of getting rid of all of it in the fall. It has no 8" drives, just the housing. Wow-it's an incredible, overdesigned machine, with a fairly interesting automatic convergence system. For what it does, it's too large for me! John Allain Said: >Tektronix 4115B on eBay >http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4133748396 >Haven't seen more than one or two of these in years, even on eBay. >No keyboard. >If someone on the list has the KB, I'll buy the 4115. Yea... likely. >John A. >ex-User, not the seller. ===== -Steve Loboyko Incredible wisdom actually found in a commerical fortune cookie: "When small men cast long shadows, then it is very late in the day." Website: http://juliepalooza.8m.com/sl __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - 50x more storage than other providers! http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail

22 years

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More Goodies from the Silicon Valley Refugee

by dougjensen＠sprint.ca

Hi please reply as to yes/no availability. Thanks Doug. C-64 Speech synthesizer cartridge - $5 each "Voice Messenger", by Currah Technologies. I have 2 of these, still shrinkwapped. Uses a hardware synthesizer chip (SSI263??), and has an extension ROM that adds speech functions to the built-in BASIC. The first buyer gets a free light pen that plugs into the joystick port, but has no docs or software unless I get a surprise while sorting through my old files. My recollection is that there's a photodiode in it that generates an interrupt when the CRT beam sweeps past it.

22 years

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Terminet 200 on ebay

by mross666＠hotmail.com

FYI: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3832302264 Mike http://www.corestore.org

22 years

3
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The Trip is On...

by m_thompson＠ids.net

I live about 10 miles south of TF Green airport just off of I-95. If you are interested in some free Sun Microsystems SS-10s, IPC, IPX, or LX systems let me know. At 11:19 PM 8/13/2004 -0400, you wrote: >And off I go...Traveling up to Wayland to pick up a Teletype, LSI-11, VT-52, >Assorted Documentation, Commodore 64 Items, and other Misc Stop. Going to >hopefully stop in RI and pick up an Apollo, IBM Printer and some other >items. > >Most of the known items are already spoke for by some list members, but I >will post and additional items that are not on "our" keep list early next >week. > >Thanks to Jays wonderful advice, I have checked the spare, and even bought a >can of "fix-a-flat" (Plus I am AAA)..... > >If there is anyone in CT, RI, or South East MA that has computer equipment >they are looking to dispose of, send me an e-mail...mayby the traveling van >can stop buy you this weekend [send me a direct e-mail] > >Of course if you have a PDP-8, TU-56 or relased items, the van WILL stop buy >(even if just to oogle) and will have cash! > >David > > > Michael Thompson E-Mail: M_Thompson(a)IDS.net

22 years

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Fixed! RE: Where to see vintage computers in (your town here) ???

by evan947＠yahoo.com

The site now works properly on Mozilla and Navigator. Personally I use Opera, where it also works fine. For those who missed the original email, here's the scoop: I recently update the site http://news.computercollector.com (the informational page for my weekly email magazine), and there's now a new "On the road" section where you can find places to see vintage computers all around America. - Evan

22 years

1
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Where to see vintage computers in (your town here) ???

by news＠computercollector.com

Hello fellow collectors, There's a new resource for finding places to see antique computers, at the (updated) web site of the Computer Collector E-mail Newsletter. The URL remains the same as before (http://news.computercollector.com) but now there's a much improved section called "On the road" with a directory of museums and stores. I created this page because I keep seeing the same question appear on classiccmp over and over again, and then I started getting the same question >from newsletter readers too. Currently there are 53 listings. Mostly they are museums (some for adults and some for children) and there are some stores too. In the future, I plan to add more listings of electronics and surplus stores, swap meets locations, and bookstores. The "On the road" directory and the newsletter itself, which still publishes every Monday(-ish), are and will always remain free. However, I do ask for your help. If you know of any museums, stores that sell old computers or relevant parts, swap meets, or science/technology bookstores, no matter how small or out-of-the-way they are, then please tell me. For now the directory is sorted by U.S. state, but when it becomes more full, I'll probably make it searchable and also separated by category (museum, store, etc.)... eventually I'll add non-U.S. locations too. Another idea I have is to post reviews from people who've been to the locations in person. I hope this helps! - Evan

22 years

3
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PET problem SOLVED!

by dave04a＠dunfield.com

Ethan, Dwight (and anyone else who helped), Thanks for all the help - I've solved it and it works! Turns out it was NOT the ROM's -- After my last post I got to thinking that the PET ROM's are probably fused type, and wouldn't go marginal like an EPROM, so I focused on the RAM - sure enough, testing again, and I found that bit 1 of location $11 was stuck at zero (I'm positive I tried it before and it seemed to work - bit the funky PET monitor with it's exact # of spaces required was causing me some grief!) Anway, when 01 got incremented, instead of 02, it got 00 - this was hanging the search for end of RAM, which never incremented the high byte and therefore never traped at 32k.. Checking the Schematic, bit 1 of the low memory bank is U17 - pulled it, put in a socket (always!) and stuffed another 4116 - voila!!! it came right up! Also figured out the startup "noise" mystery (such unanswered questions "bug" me), turns out the PORTA bit 7, which is used for the DIAG input is also used to control the speaker (it was right on the schematic once I looked for it - duh) - pulling this line low disabled the speaker. Regards, Dave -- dave04a (at) Dave Dunfield dunfield (dot) Firmware development services & tools: www.dunfield.com com Vintage computing equipment collector. http://www.parse.com/~ddunfield/museum/index.html

22 years

6
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Custom made front panels

by sloboyko＠yahoo.com

I've had Front Panel Express make some things and I think it's worth the price. Real quality work, and nearly what you see on your screen is what you get >from UPS. ===== -Steve Loboyko Incredible wisdom actually found in a commerical fortune cookie: "When small men cast long shadows, then it is very late in the day." Website: http://juliepalooza.8m.com/sl __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - 50x more storage than other providers! http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail

22 years

1
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Let's develop an open-source media archive standard

by mmcfadden＠cmh.edu

If someone is going to make the effort to decode the information from the original computer media into the archive standard then if the data is 10 or 100 times larger than the original should not be an issue. The same is true for costs. I have seen too many systems where there was a perceived decision that it would be too costly to "do it right". The idea is to take a copy of a program or data and convert it/archive it once and know that it is then saved. Think of the following; Stone once was expensive so clay tablets were used. Papyrus was expensive so wax tablets were used At one time paper was too expensive so it was not used chalk on a board was used instead. Later pulp paper was cheaper and acid free paper was expensive. Punch cards once were cheap Mark Sense forms Magnetic tape Magnetic disk Optical disk CD-ROM DVD The "best" real long-term media that I can think of is "eye ball" readable. Think Rosetta stone. Do you want to use Big-Indian, Little-Indian, Intel, Motorola, Cyrillic, cuneiform, hieroglyphs, binary, hex, octal RAD50, left-to-right, right-to-left, Chinese, Japanese, English, Pig Latin, Latin, Spanish, Old English, Old Latin, Norse, Mayan or Esperanto? I have heard that the Mormon Church is using iridium disks inscribed with an ion writer, it may take a magnifying glass but it's readable. It's supposed to last 1,000 years. This may be slightly sacrilegious. We will then need a "priesthood" of fanatical zealots to protect the archived data for posterity. I nominate Sellam to be the patron saint of data retention. Tony can be the patron saint of hardware restoration. I'll be friar Mike hunched over a lectern transcribing data with an ion writer. Mike

22 years

15
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RQZX1 setup?

by doc＠mdrconsult.com

I'm trying to find documentation on an RQZX1 Qbus SCSI controller. I'd like to know the dip switch settings, and especially how to access the ROM-based configuration tool. Any help would be sincerely appreciated. Doc Shipley

22 years

2
4
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He shoots... he scores!

by jwest＠classiccmp.org

Just obtained an M4 Data tape drive, model 9914 (800/1600/3200/6250)... just pulled from working service...desktop enclosure... $50 bucks :) I believe it's Differential, not single ended. I haven't kept up with PC technology (hooking this to a PC). Is this older Differential the same as LVD? I believe it had a centronics 50 pin connector labeled "differential". I'm wondering what SCSI card I can use with this... Adaptec 2940? Jay

22 years

7
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Custom made front panels

by swtpc6800＠comcast.net

When I restored my TV Typewriters I made a metal case. I was looking for a good way to label the back panel. I found an online source for engraved panels. FrontPanelExpress provides free design software (Windows only) and very reasonable prices. www.frontpanelexpress.com I ordered a 4.5 by 13.5 inch panel with punched holes for a DB25 connector, switches and fuseholder. It was anodize aluminum with in-filled lettering. The cost for one was $46 plus shipping. I have a write-up here. http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/CT_1024/Restore/BackPanel.htm Michael Holley www.swtpc.com/mholley

22 years

4
4
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PET startup sequence?? (was LF: Commodore PET schematics, troubleshooting info)

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Dave Dunfield" <dave04a(a)dunfield.com> > ---snip--- > >Any further ideas? Hi Dave It still sounds like a RAM related issue. The 6502's needed to gate the VMA with Phase2 ( as I recall ) to get clean address selects. You might put a scope on this circuit and make sure it looks like it is working well. You should try to create a more exhaustive RAM test. Although, time consuming, GALPAT is just about the most intensive. Dwight > >Regards, >Dave >-- >dave04a (at) Dave Dunfield >dunfield (dot) Firmware development services & tools: www.dunfield.com >com Vintage computing equipment collector. > http://www.parse.com/~ddunfield/museum/index.html > > >

22 years

4
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PET startup sequence?? (was LF: Commodore PET schematics, troubleshooting info)

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Aug 13 2004, 11:27, Dwight K. Elvey wrote: > You should try to create a more exhaustive RAM test. > Although, time consuming, GALPAT is just about the > most intensive. I know Dave doesn't need it now, but a GALPAT is a very slow test for any sizeable amount of RAM. It's also very old, and not 100% effective against certain errors, though much better than some of the common march tests. It was common in the 70s but a fair amount of work on testing has been done since then and there are much better tests now. I had to do a project for a degree course a few years ago, and found a much better test (in Communications of the ACM), which I coded for a Z80. It tests 8KB RAM in less than 6 seconds at 4MHz, but one of its nice features is that it runs in linear time, so 32K would only take 4 times as long (24s) not 16 times as long -- a GALPAT has order O(n^2). During the project, one of my colleagues worked out that the GALPAT he'd coded would take an hour or two for the same memory. It also doesn't need to use any RAM itself on a Z80 (because there are enough registers), though it would on a 6502. If anyone wants a copy I can give you the Z80 code, some notes from the project writeup, and the CACM references. BTW, most modern tests used commercially are less thorough than a GALPAT; they generally depend on the assumption that most faults depend on the bit(s) immediately adjacent to the faulty one, and require knowledge of the cell topography to be properly effective. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

22 years

2
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Xerox Alto Restoration + Emulation (Mike Ross)

by mross666＠hotmail.com

>>the McMasterUniv/KevinStumpf PDP-15 several years ago. >How is Kevin.S lately? I got the impression that he was one of the older >collectors looking to get out of the hobby, or at least lower the >collection >by an order of magnitude. I bought from him a sys/370-168 control panel. >The guy was definitely into big stuff. He's pretty much out of the hobby, I believe. I think the stuff I got from him was pretty much the last. He's pursing other interests, AFAIK. Mike http://www.corestore.org

22 years

3
2
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Custom made front panels

by rcini＠optonline.net

Mike: I've prototyped (and Scott has refined) a replacement Altair 8800 front panel with this service. $98 for single units dropping to the low-$80's. I haven't ordered samples yet but if I get the front panel attachment for the Altair32 Emulator done, I will. Rich ----- Original Message ----- From: Michael Holley <swtpc6800(a)comcast.net> Date: Friday, August 13, 2004 11:38 pm Subject: Custom made front panels > When I restored my TV Typewriters I made a metal case. I was > looking for a > good way to label the back panel. I found an online source for > engravedpanels. FrontPanelExpress provides free design software > (Windows only) and > very reasonable prices. > www.frontpanelexpress.com > > I ordered a 4.5 by 13.5 inch panel with punched holes for a DB25 > connector,switches and fuseholder. It was anodize aluminum with in- > filled lettering. > The cost for one was $46 plus shipping. I have a write-up here. > http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/CT_1024/Restore/BackPanel.htm > > Michael Holley > www.swtpc.com/mholley > > >

22 years

2
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Anybody have $35K to $89K to spend...

by rmeenaks＠olf.com

Aladdin 4D is now on ebay (with source and full rights): http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2992&item=3693574489& rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW I contacted the guy asking about the transputer port (the Amiga Warp boards) but he only said it was a contracted item. Also asked who did the port so that I could contact them, but he wouldn't say. Anyone here know???? Thanks, Ram

22 years

4
4
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8" floppy drives

by Gianmario.Scotti＠nokia.com

Hello, I know this is a long shot, but I can try: do you still have any of those 8" floppy drives you mentioned in classiccmp.org newsgroup? thanks in advance mario

22 years

1
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PET problem SOLVED!

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Aug 13 2004, 22:07, Dave Dunfield wrote: > Ethan, Dwight (and anyone else who helped), > > Thanks for all the help - I've solved it and it works! > > Turns out it was NOT the ROM's -- After my last post I got to thinking that the PET > ROM's are probably fused type, and wouldn't go marginal like an EPROM They're masked ROMs, not fusible-link types. Even fusible-link ROMs can occasionally go bad, though less often and more slowly than EPROMs. Sometimes the fuses "grow back" by diffusion. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

22 years

1
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Tandy

by tyger69＠chartermi.net

Someone said: Tandy was trying to peddle some "business" "mini-computer"s. IIRC, it was built into a desk. I don't know where you had to go to actually SEE one (I don't think that even the Radio Shack "computer center"s had them), but Tandy did have a catalog for them. Yup! That's the animal, all right...built into a desk. I can post the picture on a webpage if anyone is interested in eyeballin' it. --T Jam the computer...trash every lethal machine in the land! -- Timothy Leary

22 years

3
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PET startup sequence?? (was LF: Commodore PET schematics, troubleshooting info)

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

Hi If I understand you right, there is a RAM test. Place this same code in low RAM ( assuming it test going up ) with the initial value such that it doesn't overwrite your code. If it hanges, it is something that it is talking to. If it hanges, the ROM problem is likely. You migh also look at changing the PS voltage slightly. Rasing the voltage by 3% should not cause any failures but if it starts to work, it is an indication. Dwight >From: "Dave Dunfield" <dave04a(a)dunfield.com> > >A little more progress... > >Here is the BASIC startup code, which is jumped to by the kernel (in F000 ROM) if DIAG is >not pulled low (Basically, it goes either here or the monitor): > >; initcz Initialize BASIC RAM > D3B6 iD3B6 LDX #$FB > D3B8 TXS > D3B9 LDA #$4C > D3BB STA $51 > D3BD STA $00 ; USR Function Jump Instr (4C) > D3BF LDA #$73 > D3C1 LDY #$C3 > D3C3 STA $01 ; USR Address [4: C373] > D3C5 STY $02 > D3C7 LDX #$1C > D3C9 iD3C9 LDA $D398,X > D3CC STA $6F,X > D3CE DEX > D3CF BNE $D3C9 > D3D1 LDA #$03 > D3D3 STA $50 > D3D5 TXA > D3D6 STA $65 ; Floating -accum. #1: Overflow Digit > D3D8 STA $10 ; 3: width of source (unused - from TTY) > D3DA STA $15 > D3DC STA $0D ; 3: Flag to suppress PRINT or PRINT# > D3DE PHA > D3DF INX > D3E0 STX $01FD > D3E3 STX $01FC > D3E6 LDX #$16 > D3E8 STX $13 ; Pointer Temporary String > D3EA LDY #$04 > D3EC STA $28 ; Pointer: Start of BASIC Text [0401] > D3EE STY $29 > D3F0 STA $11 ; Temp: Integer Value > D3F2 STY $12 > D3F4 TAY > D3F5 LDA #$80 > D3F7 BNE $D400 > D3F9 LDA #$00 > D3FB LDY #$B0 > D3FD JMP $D41B > D400 iD400 INC $11 ; Temp: Integer Value > D402 BNE $D408 > D404 INC $12 > D406 BMI $D417 ; initms Output Power-Up Message > D408 iD408 LDA #$55 > D40A STA ($11),Y ; Temp: Integer Value > D40C CMP ($11),Y ; Temp: Integer Value > D40E BNE $D417 ; initms Output Power-Up Message > D410 ASL > D411 STA ($11),Y ; Temp: Integer Value > D413 CMP ($11),Y ; Temp: Integer Value > D415 BEQ $D400 > >; initms Output Power-Up Message > D417 iD417 LDA $11 ; Temp: Integer Value > > >On the working PET, I can use 'G D3B6' and it starts BASIC, just as if it >were running normally. On the bad PET, it hangs, and never prints the message >which is output by the very next block (D417). > >[Interesting side note - this NEVER produces the startup "noise", so it is >clearly not produced by BASIC either ... a mystery] > >Now, on the bad pet, if I do 'G D417', which bypasses this block of code, >it issues the startup message and comes up in BASIC (somewhat weird because >various things were not setup, but it's there). > >So - thats pretty conclusive proof that this is the block where the problem >is manifesting itself. > >Looking at the block of code, it "shouldn't" hang ... There are only two >loops, the first is counted by a register (as long as the CPU is good this >should work, and I have swapped the 6502 with the other machine) ... the >second goes until RAM fails to verify (this will definately happen by the >time it reaches the ROM), or the $11,$12 location wraps to a negative >value (32k max RAM). There are no subroutine calls in this block, so it >should not depend on a valid stack. > >Using my "try BASIC then reset to monitor without interrupting power" >technique, I see that $11,$12 almost always contains $01,$40, which means >that it reached the INC $11 once (first time through). > >The only way I can see this loop crashing is if the $11 (or $12) location >does no increment correctly (RAM fauly) - I've manually tested all kinds of >values in them, or if the ROM "goes bad" during code execution. > >[If the $12 location was faulty, I should see "random" values in $11 depending >on the timing of when I hit reset] > >I'm thinking ROM again (this was my "gut feel" when I started because I have >seen so many PET ROM's go bad) - although it reads OK in my EPROM programmer, >and also this block dumps correctly from the monitor, both of these accesses >are fairly laid back - hitting the code is the first time we execute code from >this device... Timing on execute could be tighter (I haven't checked the >databook yet), also the frequency of accesses will be much higher ... Perhaps >if the ROM is marginal, one of these factors is enough to cause a failure. > >I think a bad ROM is more likely than a single location in the RAM appearing >to work for manual tests, but failing during this particular block of code, >especially considering that the rest of RAM is good enough for lots of other >stuff to run ... > >What do you guys think? Anyone have experiences with marginal PET roms? > >Regards, >Dave > >-- >dave04a (at) Dave Dunfield >dunfield (dot) Firmware development services & tools: www.dunfield.com >com Vintage computing equipment collector. > http://www.parse.com/~ddunfield/museum/index.html > > >

22 years

1
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PET startup sequence?? (was LF: Commodore PET schematics, troubleshooting info)

by dave04a＠dunfield.com

>Hi Dave > It still sounds like a RAM related issue. The 6502's >needed to gate the VMA with Phase2 ( as I recall ) to >get clean address selects. You might put a scope on >this circuit and make sure it looks like it is working >well. > You should try to create a more exhaustive RAM test. >Although, time consuming, GALPAT is just about the >most intensive. >Dwight Hi Dwight, I've checked all the RAM signals - everything looks OK (about the same as the other unit). I tried putting my diagnostic jumper on both the other (working) SP9000 and the PET 4032 that I have here, and both of them exhibit the same problems with getting the monitor up and running - so I think those issues are just a red herring and are not realated to the actual fault. (For some reason, entering 'M 6666' seems to cause a "break" which comes back with SP=FF and from then on it works OK - on all three machines). I haven't seen a RAM error yet in my poking around (and I've done a fair bit), however there could be address bus errors etc. which I would not see. I really wish I had a better way to load code into the machine then through the keyboard - I may still do up a RAM test replacement for the kernel ROM. (Which is a big job, since I don't have a plug-in replacement for the 2332 so I need to make up an adapter etc.) Has anyone created a "virtual" tape deck? - The monitor has commands to load and save memory from/to tape... I'm still trying to fathom what exactly is happening at power-up - I can't explain the timing of the "beep" - I thought it might bave been generated by the interrupt, however with pin4 physically pulled out and tied high (no IRQ) the beep still happens... I think the key to understanding what is going on is to figure out exactly where it's hanging during the initialization of BASIC. Btw, if I hit 'X' at the monitor prompt, I do get the BASIC 'READY' prompt, although you can't do anything due to the fact that in this case, BASIC never got initialized ... Same thing happens on the other machines. Argh... this is turning into a bigger job than I had expected (It's a lot easier when things don't work at all) ... I want to get these d*mn things off my bench - I acquired a 5100 earlier this week which is has been calling to me ever since I brought it home. Regards, Dave -- dave04a (at) Dave Dunfield dunfield (dot) Firmware development services & tools: www.dunfield.com com Vintage computing equipment collector. http://www.parse.com/~ddunfield/museum/index.html

22 years

2
1
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PET startup sequence?? (was LF: Commodore PET schematics,troubleshooting info)

by dave04a＠dunfield.com

Hi Ethan, Thanks again for the very useful information. I've had some success - but now have more questions than answers. Reminder: This SuperPET 9000 has been stripped to just the 6502 board. On power-up it init's screen (can see garbage, then clear), plays the "bee-dle-bee-dle-bee-dle" startup noise, then hangs with the blank screen (never displays basic startup message). Some experimentation suggests the it continues to run code at this point (ie: is hung waiting for something), however this is by no means certain. I hunted around funet and found the Basic4 ROM disassembly - as far as I can tell, it exactly matches the ROMs in this PET. Looking at the startup code ($FD16), and the schematic, I was able to identify the diagnostic input signal (Pin 5 of user port), and when held low, it DOES startup in the monitor (Took me a long time to figure out the commands - especially the fact that you need TWO spaces after ':' to write to memory). Now is where things get interesting. The monitor always starts up, and the 'R' always works, however 'M' to display memory causes it to crash about 80% of the time - however if it works, it is reliable, and 'M' will continue to work until the next time I restart the machine. Even 'M xxxx' (no second address which normally never outputs anything anyway) will fail. Depending on the value of 'xxxx', it will either crash (hang), or more often re-enter the monitor with 'B*' indicating it thinks a breakpoint went off (not suprising if the stack is corrupt - read on). At first I thought this might be an indication of bad RAM (still might be), however after playing with it for a while, I noticed that the SP in the register display is always '01', '03' or some low value when it doesn't work - I'm guessing the monitor tries to locate it's stack below here and it wraps) - sometimes SP shows up as FF or FE, and then all works fine. I have no idea how this is (not) getting initialized on power-up entry to the monitor through the diag signal (any idea)? Once it "works", I can read and write RAM and it appears to be holding the values (although by no means an exhaustive test). Another thing I don't understand yet: When powered-up with diag held low, the system goes directly into the monitor ($D472), and DOES NOT play the "bee-dle-bee-dle..." startup noise. This indicates that this noise should be generated by entry into BASIC ($D3B6). Looking at this code, it sets up a few location in zero pages, and then output the startup message (no other subs are called in between) - I see nothing which would generate the "noise" - so one would think it is being generated AFTER the startup message, however ... When I start the machine with DIAG high (normal), I see screenful of garbage (briefly) and then it clears, then the "noise" plays - no message comes out, but I know the screen is working. Referring to the working machine, it is clear that the "noise" finishes BEFORE the text comes out, however I don't see where it could be generated. The only function called before the message is output is $E000 to setup the I/O, however it is called before DIAG is tested (ie: even if entering the monitor), and the noise is not heard in this case... By using a reset switch, I was able (after several attempts) to bring the machine up from power off in "normal" mode, and then pull DIAG low and reset to enter the monitor and examine the RAM - comparing the values in ZPAGE to those written by the BASIC init code, I can confirm that the code just before the message is output is in fact executing... Any further ideas? Regards, Dave -- dave04a (at) Dave Dunfield dunfield (dot) Firmware development services & tools: www.dunfield.com com Vintage computing equipment collector. http://www.parse.com/~ddunfield/museum/index.html

22 years

2
1
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Introduction

by jwstephens＠msm.umr.edu

nice page of systems, especially the core one. Was the photo of your system, or taken from the book? user anonymous wrote: > I have been on this list for about a month now. Very interesting how many people still play around with this old stuff. I have a few pictures of some of my old computers and peripherals for those interested. > > http://www.dickey.intell-a-sys.com/collect.html > > Most are my original systems and have some interesting peripherals attached. I have a few other computers that I am still rebuilding. I have not worked on them in a while, but reading all your mail may ignite that spark. Too many hobbies. > > Well, just thought I would introduce myself.

22 years

1
0
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PET startup sequence?? (was LF: Commodore PET schematics, troubleshooting info)

by dave04a＠dunfield.com

A little more progress... Here is the BASIC startup code, which is jumped to by the kernel (in F000 ROM) if DIAG is not pulled low (Basically, it goes either here or the monitor): ; initcz Initialize BASIC RAM D3B6 iD3B6 LDX #$FB D3B8 TXS D3B9 LDA #$4C D3BB STA $51 D3BD STA $00 ; USR Function Jump Instr (4C) D3BF LDA #$73 D3C1 LDY #$C3 D3C3 STA $01 ; USR Address [4: C373] D3C5 STY $02 D3C7 LDX #$1C D3C9 iD3C9 LDA $D398,X D3CC STA $6F,X D3CE DEX D3CF BNE $D3C9 D3D1 LDA #$03 D3D3 STA $50 D3D5 TXA D3D6 STA $65 ; Floating -accum. #1: Overflow Digit D3D8 STA $10 ; 3: width of source (unused - from TTY) D3DA STA $15 D3DC STA $0D ; 3: Flag to suppress PRINT or PRINT# D3DE PHA D3DF INX D3E0 STX $01FD D3E3 STX $01FC D3E6 LDX #$16 D3E8 STX $13 ; Pointer Temporary String D3EA LDY #$04 D3EC STA $28 ; Pointer: Start of BASIC Text [0401] D3EE STY $29 D3F0 STA $11 ; Temp: Integer Value D3F2 STY $12 D3F4 TAY D3F5 LDA #$80 D3F7 BNE $D400 D3F9 LDA #$00 D3FB LDY #$B0 D3FD JMP $D41B D400 iD400 INC $11 ; Temp: Integer Value D402 BNE $D408 D404 INC $12 D406 BMI $D417 ; initms Output Power-Up Message D408 iD408 LDA #$55 D40A STA ($11),Y ; Temp: Integer Value D40C CMP ($11),Y ; Temp: Integer Value D40E BNE $D417 ; initms Output Power-Up Message D410 ASL D411 STA ($11),Y ; Temp: Integer Value D413 CMP ($11),Y ; Temp: Integer Value D415 BEQ $D400 ; initms Output Power-Up Message D417 iD417 LDA $11 ; Temp: Integer Value On the working PET, I can use 'G D3B6' and it starts BASIC, just as if it were running normally. On the bad PET, it hangs, and never prints the message which is output by the very next block (D417). [Interesting side note - this NEVER produces the startup "noise", so it is clearly not produced by BASIC either ... a mystery] Now, on the bad pet, if I do 'G D417', which bypasses this block of code, it issues the startup message and comes up in BASIC (somewhat weird because various things were not setup, but it's there). So - thats pretty conclusive proof that this is the block where the problem is manifesting itself. Looking at the block of code, it "shouldn't" hang ... There are only two loops, the first is counted by a register (as long as the CPU is good this should work, and I have swapped the 6502 with the other machine) ... the second goes until RAM fails to verify (this will definately happen by the time it reaches the ROM), or the $11,$12 location wraps to a negative value (32k max RAM). There are no subroutine calls in this block, so it should not depend on a valid stack. Using my "try BASIC then reset to monitor without interrupting power" technique, I see that $11,$12 almost always contains $01,$40, which means that it reached the INC $11 once (first time through). The only way I can see this loop crashing is if the $11 (or $12) location does no increment correctly (RAM fauly) - I've manually tested all kinds of values in them, or if the ROM "goes bad" during code execution. [If the $12 location was faulty, I should see "random" values in $11 depending on the timing of when I hit reset] I'm thinking ROM again (this was my "gut feel" when I started because I have seen so many PET ROM's go bad) - although it reads OK in my EPROM programmer, and also this block dumps correctly from the monitor, both of these accesses are fairly laid back - hitting the code is the first time we execute code from this device... Timing on execute could be tighter (I haven't checked the databook yet), also the frequency of accesses will be much higher ... Perhaps if the ROM is marginal, one of these factors is enough to cause a failure. I think a bad ROM is more likely than a single location in the RAM appearing to work for manual tests, but failing during this particular block of code, especially considering that the rest of RAM is good enough for lots of other stuff to run ... What do you guys think? Anyone have experiences with marginal PET roms? Regards, Dave -- dave04a (at) Dave Dunfield dunfield (dot) Firmware development services & tools: www.dunfield.com com Vintage computing equipment collector. http://www.parse.com/~ddunfield/museum/index.html

22 years

1
0
0 0

Pile of Mac IIFX

by mkmizote＠raytheon.com

Hello, Do you still have that pile of Mac IIFX's. We may be interested in them if they still work. Thanks. Mike

22 years

1
0
0 0

Let's develop an open-source media archive standard

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Antonio Carlini" <a.carlini(a)ntlworld.com> > >> The necessity of CRC's depend on what you plan on doing with the data. >> If it is just going to be sitting in a nice, safe box, then >> it doesn't >> matter. > >True. Unless you've gone to the trouble of archiving the >stuff because you would like it to be reliably retrievable >at some point in the future. > >If reliable retrieval in the future is of no concern, >then I propose a format conisting of an empty file. >At least you'll be certain of what you get :-) > >Seriously, after all the discussion of bit-rot on >various media, how can you consider some sort of >checksum to be anything other than essential? > >Some sort of error-correcting code might be an >even better idea. > >Antonio > > Hi Part of the problem here is that if the file containing the archive had any bit rot, most systems designed to read that media would simply fail to read the information. In many cases, it might not even be possible to read the CRC after the error occured. For error correction, one must also realize that one can only correct a single burst of errors that is smaller than a size specified by the correction method. Most of these can at least detect any single bit error. I have been known to recover data from cassette tapes by simply recording all of the data that comes out and modifying the data after the error. In my case, it was machester encoded and, by flipping and shifting the data, I was able to determine the size of the missing data. In some cases, the check sum was used to replace the missing bits. Still, in this case, I was able to bypass the normal code that read the media. I'm not against putting CRC's in, I'm just stating that there are limitations to its usefulness if something is lost other than to detect the loss. To keep from losing things still takes full redundency. Dwight

22 years

6
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Let's develop an open-source media archive standard

by melamy＠earthlink.net

you have to think beyond emulators and think of just getting the data. You started this whole thing out by asking for ideas and concepts to make sure that disks could be made in years to come. I challenge you to expand the horizon and suggest that what you need is a way to get the data out easily and make disks. Personally, I have zero use for a image file format that can only be used to make disks and makes getting data out of it a pain in the backside. Maybe in years, I will need to make a floppy disk, but I believe that getting the data out (files or whatever you choose to call them) is more important and will be that way in the future also. Where small things can get lost, having a "standard" image file format that let's me do both makes more sense to me. As for emulators, Microfast by Simeon Cran uses an import from ms-dos and the emulator runs great. The original BabyBlue card wrapped the cp/m program in a ms-dos wrapper and then you didn't even have to think twice about running a compiler, linker, etc. Would it do direct disk access? No, but that is what the original platforms are for. Most programs went through the OS for disk access because they were file oriented. I can't recall how Fred arranged his emulator, but I have a copy of that to. Your arguement about emulator programmers wondering "why" about binary is a non-issue. The spec defines ascii and that is the way data is represented. They will probably more appreciate the the standard then complaining about such things. If they do, then they certainly don't need to write anything. A user could easily write the utility or someone who is part of the standards group will make software templates and simple utilities available. Writing the utilities would be something that I wouldn't mind helping with for example. The image file that you are discussing is only good as a "how to" to write arbitrary data to arbitrary media. It is only good for creating a final media image because the format being contemplated (mixing data into the physical spec) will preclude the file from standing on its own. I was proposing identifying data blocks as files if that is what they were. The data blocks would have been sequential and trivial to retrieve. That is hardly what I would call defining a file system as part of the image file. best regards, Steve Thatcher Original Message: ----------------- From: Vintage Computer Festival vcf(a)siconic.com Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2004 10:25:20 -0700 (PDT) To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org Subject: RE: Let's develop an open-source media archive standard On Wed, 11 Aug 2004, Steve Thatcher wrote: > what is wrong with making things easier? If a small amount of effort > could be put out to make the image file have a more useful purpose then > to ONLY be able to create media, why not? Your view seems to be to make > all the emulators tyhat are currently available not work anymore because > now they have to be modified to access an image file. My idea is to not Steve, All emulators for 8-bit machines today that I'm aware of use disk images. Emulators like SIMH can read in individual files by, for instance, turning the file into a virtual paper tape reader. Your point, again, is taken, but so is Dwight's. I think it depends on what emulators you spend most of your time playing with which defines your outlook on this. One problem I did think of after I sent my last message concerning this is that if you do start including filesystems, people (probably emulator writers in particular) will start to wonder why you didn't store the data in binary. "Why," they ask, "do I have to convert the data from ASCII when the file is fully capable of holding binary data?" Then you might get some joker making unauthorized extensions to the spec with binary data fields. Perhaps I'm getting carried away here, but I do see this as potentially problematic. > If you thought of an emulator is to BE the machine in absolutely all > respects then yes who ever is writing it needs to understand the file > structure intimately and we need to add even more to the specification > to allow writing to an image file... Isn't the specification itself a "how to" for writing an image file? Also, the image file we are discussing is *NOT*, again, intended to serve the emulators. Emulator usage is a SECONDARY concern. -- 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 ] -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ .

22 years

4
4
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MC670P ICs

by psmith＠fox19.com

Tim, I just saw your e-gram stating you had some MC679P ICs. Is there any chance you still have them? I have some ancient equipment that uses this "coal fired logic" and I recently blew up some chips. Paul K Smith Chief Engineer WXIX-TV (513) 562-2428

22 years

1
0
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Let's develop an open-source media archive standard

by RCini＠congressfinancial.com

This example represents the block data using metatags...I guess along the "XML" part of the thread. I was thinking similarly to you but not using XML metadata: ;Hardware descriptor MFGR MACHINE SUBTYPE DRIVETYPE (this of course defines what follows) ;for floppy DRIVESIZE ENCODING TRACKS SECTORS SECTSIZE ;HexData ; Each record or group of records contains the related media data. The address record would be used for encoding the metadata 00TTSSHH: (00-track-sector-head) I looked to Intel Hex (or Motorola) because it had built-in CRC facilities and it was human-readable ASCII. The drive and machine description could be encoded in special MOT records probably. XML is more a more "current" technology but I was trying to keep with the platform neutrality by sticking to text-only and not assuming the use of any other technology like XML. Rich -----Original Message----- From: cctalk-bounces(a)classiccmp.org [mailto:cctalk-bounces@classiccmp.org]On Behalf Of Vintage Computer Festival Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2004 1:56 PM To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts Subject: RE: Let's develop an open-source media archive standard On Wed, 11 Aug 2004, Cini, Richard wrote: > I might have missed what the ultimate use of this archive would be. Will the > archive be used to (1) re-generate original media; (2) operate with > emualtors; (3) both? Both. Emulators will certainly be able to make use of the archive by having parsers built-in that can translate the archive data into something the emulator can use. So instead of point the emulator to a binary disk image, you would point it to an archive file and it would translate the file back into tracks/sectors, or punch cards, or whatever. > To ensure integrity of the data I would propose recording the data in the > Intel Hex format -- it's text-based and has built-in CRC. Now, we'd have to > modify the standard format a bit to accommodate a larger address space and > to add some sort of standardized header (a "Hardware Descriptor"). This data > would be used by the de-archiver to interpret the stream of data read from > the data area (the "Hex Block"). I think you're thinking of this in terms of a large binary file encoded as ASCII hex. If so, this is not what's being proposed. What is being discussed is a format which actually describes the physical medium. For example, on floppy: <MEDIA TYPE=FLOPPY SIZE=5.25 SIDES=1 DENSITY=SINGLE FORMAT=GCR TRACKS=35 SECTORS=16 SECTORSIZE=256> <VOLUME>Apple ][ System Disk</VOLUME> </MEDIA> <DATA> <TRACK 0><SECTOR 0> HERE WOULD BE THE ASCII HEX DATA FOR TRACK 0, SECTOR 0 </SECTOR></TRACK> ... <TRACK 34><SECTOR 15> HERE WOULD BE THE ASCII HEX DATA FOR TRACK 34, SECTOR 15 </SECTOR></TRACK> </DATA> > I think that we should start compiling a list of the various media we want > represented and how that media is organized natively. I don't mean "well, it > has blocks and sectors" either. We should examine the exact format down to > the actual numbers (i.e., "2048 blocks of 256-bytes recorded twice"). Seeing > how the various data stores are organized should bring some clarity to how > we should represent it. I agree. This would be useful. Does someone want to volunteer to do this? -- 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 ]

22 years

7
10
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Old stuff

by HB＠kpll.dk

Hi, I assume you have left the B26 platform for a long time ago. But what you had in your hand was a excellent machine, with no comparison at that time, think about running multitasking on an 80186 platform, no one else, as far I know, has done that. You can not boot on any DOS/Windows disks, you have to have an B26 operating system, the prompt V 9.2 B,D,L,M,P,T:_ is at debug level, you can choose here to boot on varios sources, but again you need an old BTOS/CTOS os I did work for Burroughs-Unisys- and a Unisys consultant company at that time working primary with BTOS/CTOS. Best regards / Med venlig hilsen Henrik Bigum IT-Consultant KPLL Pilestr?de 65 1112 K?benhavn K e-mail hb(a)kpll.dk Phone +4533744100 Fax +4533744001

22 years

3
2
0 0

Let's develop an open-source media archive standard

by melamy＠earthlink.net

what is wrong with making things easier? If a small amount of effort could be put out to make the image file have a more useful purpose then to ONLY be able to create media, why not? Your view seems to be to make all the emulators tyhat are currently available not work anymore because now they have to be modified to access an image file. My idea is to not change all that, make the image file simple enough to extract data. I really believe that to not do that simple thing will make the project less than what it could have been. I am not proposing something that takes a lot of code, but rather let's us do things simpler. Maybe you need to define what an emulator is so I can understand why you think being able to access data easily should not be done. If you thought of an emulator is to BE the machine in absolutely all respects then yes who ever is writing it needs to understand the file structure intimately and we need to add even more to the specification to allow writing to an image file... If you are designing an emulator to look like a front panel and run cp/m programs from you favorite stash, then having to design a complicated file structure interface to an image file is not needed. best regards, Steve Thatcher From: "Dwight K. Elvey" <dwight.elvey(a)amd.com> Sent: Aug 11, 2004 3:24 PM To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org Subject: RE: Let's develop an open-source media archive standard >From: "Steve Thatcher" <melamy(a)earthlink.net> > > >I realize that the idea is to create a format to make re-creation >of media possible for a variety of platforms. We can certainly do >that and have its only function be to maintain a physical data format. >My added idea is that the data and the formatting be separated so >that a simple utility on a non-target platform could extract data >from the image file. > >If we create a physical description only and do not abstract the data >then any emulator must understand the OS file structure in order to >retrieve any internal file representation. My idea would make the >file re-creation simple in that the xml image file would be parsed >for the actual file data that an emulator would need. This makes >the emulator easier. No, this is to archive the disk, not to make life easy for emulators. Again, you assume that the data is files. Also, anyone making such an emulator will surely know how to find files ( if they exist ) in an image of the disk. Most emulators include the BIOS and such. The emulator that we have in the H8 group simply uses the BIOS code and the boot code from the disk to find file ( as it should ). It just needs raw data. The emulator I/O is just tracks and sectors, not files. >To retrieve a file from the physical layout that it at the end of this >message, >the emulator must know the actual disk format that is used on >the target system (the one the image file was made for). I have seen >cp/m systems where the actual physical sectors were sequential on disk >and the OS file sector was actually virtual to increase speed. Not my >idea of the way to do it. It is much easier to make the physical >sectors slewed so that a physical sector is a file sector. These >are the types of issues you will have to overcome if an emulator >must totally understand each and every file system for a cp/m >version for example. Like I said, the archive file can include sufficient information to extract the data in any form that you'd like but it must as a minimum be able to recreate the physical disk. It may take some human to actually make the physical media generator but the data in the file should be sufficient to do that. This is not an easy task and goes beyond simply finding files in the raw data. Dwight > >Sellam, let me know if you would like to discuss this via telephone > so I can convery the idea that I am proposing. > >best regards, Steve Thatcher > >-----Original Message----- >From: Vintage Computer Festival <vcf(a)siconic.com> >Sent: Aug 11, 2004 3:00 PM >To: Steve Thatcher <melamy(a)earthlink.net>, > "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> >Subject: RE: Let's develop an open-source media archive standard > >On Wed, 11 Aug 2004, Steve Thatcher wrote: > >> I agree with Sellam on the point about using it both for media >> re-creation and emulation. The trouble with the approach below of just >> using raw data on a track sector basis is that now you have created a >> file that can only be used with an emulator that understands the >> physical format and OS access for the computer system you are emulating. > >That is the point, really. What we are attempting to do is describe as >faithfully as possible a physical media with logical data in a purely >logical form. The goal would be that the physical media could be >re-created from the imagefile if need be. The parameters of the physcial >media are specified so that this can be possible. > >> My earlier point of separating the data and the format information >> allows a single file (that would not be much bigger that the one >> described below) to contain multiple platform specific files that can be >> "read" by a simple utility that does not require any knowledge of the OS >> or the platform. > >I'm not quite understanding you here. Or maybe I am. An image in the >format shown below could be read by any emulator. Making sense of the >data with respect to that emulator is a different issue altogether, but it >does make it possible for, say, a Northstar Horizon emulator to load up an >Apple ][ disk image and then try to access it. > >Anyway, I don't think I am quite getting the point you are trying to make. > > >> <MEDIA TYPE=FLOPPY SIZE=5.25 SIDES=1 DENSITY=SINGLE FORMAT=GCR TRACKS=35 >> SECTORS=16 SECTORSIZE=256> >> >> <VOLUME>Apple ][ System Disk</VOLUME> >> >> </MEDIA> >> >> >> <DATA> >> <TRACK 0><SECTOR 0> >> >> HERE WOULD BE THE ASCII HEX DATA FOR TRACK 0, SECTOR 0 >> >> </SECTOR></TRACK> >> >> ... >> >> <TRACK 34><SECTOR 15> >> >> HERE WOULD BE THE ASCII HEX DATA FOR TRACK 34, SECTOR 15 >> >> </SECTOR></TRACK> >> </DATA> > >-- > >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 ] > > >

22 years

3
4
0 0

Searching for SunOS 4.1.3

by mross666＠hotmail.com

>I am looking for a copy of SunOS 4.1.3, preferably version C. Your wish is my command: http://www.corestore.org/solaris1.1.2.zip Download, unzip, burn the enclosed ISO image. Bootable CD. I (and some of my Xerox Buddies) had exactly the same problem trying to ressurect Xerox GVX - the Xerox Mesa/Viewpoint emulator (in effect) for X. Wanted a very particular version of SunOS (think it also runs on AIX but don't quote me on that). (If anyone wants to play with this stuff, you can also grab http://www.corestore.org/GVXv1_0.zip - or http://www.corestore.org/gvwin21.zip for the M$ windoze version - win 9x *only*) Mike http://www.corestore.org

22 years

1
0
0 0

TKQ50 proms

by Adrian＠beovax.co.uk

Yeah, I saw that somewhere in amongst the other 530 messages I downloaded yesterday :) > -----Original Message----- > From: cctalk-bounces(a)classiccmp.org > [mailto:cctalk-bounces@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Pete Turnbull > Sent: 13 August 2004 10:48 > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts > Subject: Re: TKQ50 proms > > > On Aug 12 2004, 20:23, Witchy wrote: > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: cctalk-bounces(a)classiccmp.org > > > [mailto:cctalk-bounces@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Pete Turnbull > > > > I'm looking for ROMs (or ROM images would be better) for a TQK50 > > > controller. The ROMs I want are 23-330E5 and 23-331E5. > Can anyone > > > help? > > > > Yep, I'm sure we've got a TQK50 on the shelves in stores; I can pull > it > > and dump the ROMs for you. > > Thanks, but I've now got several copies of both sets of TQK50 > ROMs (23-248E5/23-249E5 and 23-330E5/23-331E5). > > I did mail the list to say I had them now, but perhaps it got > lost amongst the archive messages :-) > > -- > Pete Peter Turnbull > Network Manager > University of York >

22 years

1
0
0 0

TKQ50 proms

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Aug 12 2004, 20:23, Witchy wrote: > > -----Original Message----- > > From: cctalk-bounces(a)classiccmp.org > > [mailto:cctalk-bounces@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Pete Turnbull > > I'm looking for ROMs (or ROM images would be better) for a > > TQK50 controller. The ROMs I want are 23-330E5 and 23-331E5. > > Can anyone help? > > Yep, I'm sure we've got a TQK50 on the shelves in stores; I can pull it > and dump the ROMs for you. Thanks, but I've now got several copies of both sets of TQK50 ROMs (23-248E5/23-249E5 and 23-330E5/23-331E5). I did mail the list to say I had them now, but perhaps it got lost amongst the archive messages :-) -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

22 years

1
0
0 0

He shoots... he scores!

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Aug 12 2004, 12:05, Jay West wrote: > Just obtained an M4 Data tape drive, model 9914 (800/1600/3200/6250)... just pulled from working service...desktop enclosure... $50 bucks :) > > I believe it's Differential, not single ended. I haven't kept up with PC technology (hooking this to a PC). Is this older Differential the same as LVD? I believe it had a centronics 50 pin connector labeled "differential". I'm wondering what SCSI card I can use with this... Adaptec 2940? No, older "differential" is not the same as Low-Voltage Differential. It's often referred to as HVD (though that term didn't appear until later, once LVD entered the scene). LVD devices can (almost always) work with single-ended controllers, because it's supposed to recognise the Diffsense signal (grounded for SE) -- hence you often see labels "LVD/SE" -- but the same is *not* true for HVD. Connecting HVD to LVD or SE won't work, and may let out the Magic Smoke forkm either or both devices. 2940 is SE or LVD; the HVD equivalent is 2944 (3944 is also HVD). There are a few on Ebay right now. I just bought one; I have a similar problem. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

22 years

1
0
0 0

Moving Image Archive Standard discussion to new mailing list

by vcf＠siconic.com

I'm officially moving this discussion to the new mailing list Roger just set up for it. The mailto: address is: ccarchive(a)list.30below.com For anyone who's familiar with the qmail/ezmlm-idx combo, you'll know what to do... ;-) For those who are not, here's how to sub/unsub to/from the list: To subscribe, send an empty email to: ccarchive-subscribe(a)list.30below.com you will receive a confirmation message, just click reply and send. To unsubscribe, send an empty email to: ccarchive-unsubscribe(a)list.30below.com you will receive a confirmation message, just click reply and send. I'll be taking a day or so to re-cap all the messages I've saved, taking the highlights and condensing them into a set of notes, and then posting a message to start off more formal discussions of the project. I'll also create a web page from the VCF website that contains a spec-in-progress for people to review and comment on. I hope to see a lot of people joining in! -- 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 ]

22 years

1
0
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New list for media archive info...

by zmerch＠30below.com

Just to let you know, I've created a mailing list so we can offload the discussion of the media archive format/specification jazz... The mailto: address is: ccarchive(a)list.30below.com For anyone who's familiar with the qmail/ezmlm-idx combo, you'll know what to do... ;-) For those who are not, here's how to sub/unsub to/from the list: To subscribe, send an empty email to: ccarchive-subscribe(a)list.30below.com you will receive a confirmation message, just click reply and send. To unsubscribe, send an empty email to: ccarchive-unsubscribe(a)list.30below.com you will receive a confirmation message, just click reply and send. To read the list FAQ (which has not yet been modified from the default -- I'm working on it), send an empty email to: ccarchive-faq(a)list.30below.com you will receive a reply message with the FAQ. For general list function help, send an empty email to: ccarchive-help(a)list.30below.com you will receive a much more detailed email listing more of the list-server's features (including retrieving emails from the archive & other things) If you have any questions, you can email Sellam or myself -- I have also aliased the email address: ccarchive-owner(a)list.30below.com to go to my main email address, so you can use that as well. The list is being archived, but on our mailserver which is not currently running a webserver daemon. Until I work out email-address munging (should take a week, maybe less) web-based retrieval/viewing of the messages won't be possible. Mailing list retrieval functions will be, however. Laterz! Roger "Merch" Merchberger -- Roger "Merch" Merchberger -- sysadmin, Iceberg Computers zmerch(a)30below.com What do you do when Life gives you lemons, and you don't *like* lemonade?????????????

22 years

1
0
0 0

rarest computers

by tyger69＠chartermi.net

Are we counting one-off homebrews, or just production models. Surely a one-of-a-kind would have to be the rarest kind of all. --T Jam the computer...trash every lethal machine in the land! --Timothy Leary

22 years

1
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