test-drb

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101090 discussions

Sources for 8b TTL keyboards (Keytronics)

by aek＠bitsavers.org

> It turns out that the keyboard uses little sponge pads to hold the > capacitive disks and they have biodegraded into dust. The correct answer is replace the pads, not the keyboard.

17 years, 5 months

Sources for 8b TTL keyboards (Keytronics)

by lynchaj＠yahoo.com

Sources for 8b TTL keyboards (Keytronics) ROBO5.8 robo58 at optonline.net <mailto:cctalk%40classiccmp.org?Subject=Sources%20for%208b%20TTL%20keyboards %20%28Keytronics%29&In-Reply-To=20081124113652.A53673%40shell.lmi.net> Thu Dec 4 10:03:11 CST 2008 * Previous message: Free ZX81 kits... * Next message: Sources for 8b TTL keyboards (Keytronics) * Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ] ________________________________ Hi Folks, It's been interesting taking out my old CP/M stuff and getting it operational again. My system uses an 8bit TTL Keytronics Capacitive Sense keyboard. It was operational for about an hour and then it quit. It turns out that the keyboard uses little sponge pads to hold the capacitive disks and they have biodegraded into dust. So I went looking for an old 8b TTL replacement keyboard. So far no luck. I also looked for a black box solution that would take an AT or PS/2 keyboard and convert it to a parallel port output. So far no luck. So let me turn to the experts and ask for advice and suggestions. Please advise Robo -----REPLY----- Hi! I feel your pain on trying to obtain parallel ASCII keyboards. They are not easy to find and sometimes when you do they are not compatible or require extensive modifications to work. My suggestion is to use a PIC (16F628) to implement a simple serial to parallel converter. I did this to with a PIC to convert a spare broken KayPro II keyboard (300 bps serial) to 8 bit parallel with strobe for use with a Vector Graphic FlashWriter II parallel keyboard interface. The same could be done with an XT or AT (PS/2) keyboard although a bit more complex. The software source code examples available on the internet. One of the N8VEM builders (James) just did a project to add a AT (PS/2) keyboard to the N8VEM SBC so that might be a good place to start for a source code example. Thanks and have a nice day! Andrew Lynch

17 years, 5 months

New home sought for a PDP-11

by bob＠theadamsons.co.uk

Hi Gordon, I mailed you off list but no reply hence this posting. I'm interested in your pdp11 if you still have it available. I have a couple of pdp8s but I'd rather like a small 11 also. Like many on here I was once a DEC systems manager and I've a soft spot for these older machines. I live not so far away in Fife by the way. Bob -------------------- > Message: 20 > Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:28:48 +0000 > From: Gordon JC Pearce MM3YEQ <gordonjcp at gjcp.net> > Subject: New home sought for a PDP-11 > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts > <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Message-ID: <492C6000.6020609 at gjcp.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed > > Hi all, > I've come to the conclusion that it's time my PDP11/73 went to a new > home. Not a terribly easy decision to make, but I just don't have space > to even get to it to switch it on just now and I'd rather see someone > else get some use out of it. > > Anyway, here's the spec: > > > PDP11/73 in a large Baydel cabinet with a 40M-ish MFM drive > RX02 floppies > 2 x RL02 plus a spare RL02 > 2 x CIT101 terminals > VT520 terminal > VT220 terminal > LA36, spare ribbons and paper > spare boards including 11/03 bits, a couple of opto-isolated I/O boards > and some ADC boards > DEQNA > about a dozen RL02 packs > large box of RX02 disks > RT-11 V5.2 manuals > > Pick up in Glasgow. You'll need a van, although not a very big one, to > shift it. A large estate car would be too small unless you broke the > rack down into panels - a PITA, I've done it before though. > > Mail me on- or off-list if you're interested. > > Gordon > > ********************* >

17 years, 5 months

WTD: MPF-I/88 documentation

by stephen.johns＠hp.com

Still need the MPF I/88 Manual?

17 years, 5 months

HP13264 Data Link Interface

by ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk

Does anyone know anything about the HP13264 Data Link Interface, or the network (?) it was connected to? It's mentioned in passing in the documentation for the HP98268 comms card, and I've just bought one. Let me describe ehat I've discovered so far. Physically it's a plastic box of the same design as used for many other HP intefaces (like the 82164 HPIL-RS232 interface). 2 cables come out of it. One ends in a 50 pin Microribbon plug, which is the HP 'RS232' port connector. The other is a figure-of-8 cable ending in a strange 6-contact plug that I'll describe more later. On top are 2 LEDs marked 'Link' and 'Transmit'. Inside there's a PCB containg a few standard chips, some passives, and 2 optoisolators (one single, one dual). It draws power -- +5V, +12V, -12V from the HP RS232 port (power lines were provided on this connector). The only RS232 signals used are TxD, RxD and RTTS (which is strapped to CTS). The last is used as a transmit enable. There's an isolated PSU on the PCB, driven by a 555 astable. It provides 6.7V to the circuity on the 'network side' of the optoisolators. The TxD and RTS signals are bufferd to TTL levels (1489 chip), and fed into the dual optoisolator. The RTS signal also drives the 'Transmit' LED. On the other side of the optoisolators, they go to 4011 NAND gates, which drive 4 transitors as a full-H driver. These drive the netowrk cable (there are 3 siganls on this cable -- Sh (Shield) which is connected to the ground of the isolated PSU, and +, - which are driven by this full-H circuit). The network cable is monitoed by a 311 comparator. Its output drives the remaining optoisolator, the output of which is buffered to RS232 levels (1488) and then drives the RxD signal to the computer. This optoisolator also drives a circuit that controls the 'Link' LED, such that a '1' on the network cable flashes said LED. If the network cable is in a steady state (no matter what state), the LED is off. Note that the receiver is always enabled, a computer monitors its own trasmission. Presumably that's used for collision detection. There are 2 3-way terminal blocks on the PCB for the cable to the network connector. Corresponding terminals are linked by PCB tracks. The cable is a figure-of-8 thing with each part being a screend (twisted?) pair. Obviously the inners go to the '+' and '-' terminals on the PCB. This cable ends in a connector that's a bit like an overgrown microribbon connector without the outer hosuing, but with only 6 contacts. There's a picture of the interface and this connector on the Austrralian HP museum site. The 'business end' looks a bit like this : - | | -==--==--==-- | | | -==--==--==-- | | | - Where == is a contact area (6 in all) That would be looking at the face of the socket, which must have a 'T' shapped cutout in it to allow the plug to go in. I assume there are6 contact springs in the socekt to connect otther cotnact areas on the plug. Now, corresponding cotacts on the 2 sides of the plug are connected together. But not directly inside the plug, but rather from one side of the plug, up one of thr pairs of the figure-of-8 cable, then via PCB tracks to the corresponding wire in the other pair, back down the cable, and to the contact on the other side of the plug. This means that the figure of 8 cable won't appears as a 'stub' on the main cable. I would guess that the socket has contacts that touch when the plug is removed, thus completing the connections I've just mentioend. This looks a bit likea French teleohone socket, but I'd heard that this was normally an 8 pin device, withe the other contacts on the 'head of the T (right hand part of my diagram). Whether I could use such a socket andwhether it would need modification I don't know. I also don't know if such sockets nroammly short corresponding contacts on the 2 sides if no plug is connected (as I mentioned in the last paragraph, this would be desireable here). So, does anyone know anything about this device? What was it used for? What was it used with? What was the socket? Protocol? Any manuals/docs o the web (a google search found nothing useful)? Thanks in advance for any help -tony

17 years, 5 months

IBM DemiDiskette

by aek＠bitsavers.org

If anyone is curious about what an IBM 4" floppy drive looks like, I just uploaded a picture and the patent for it to http://bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/floppy http://www.weblog.com/comments.aspx?blogid=30290&postid=71765 4-inch floppy diskettes In the mid-80s, IBM developed a 4-inch floppy diskette, the Demidiskette. This program was driven by aggressive cost goals, but missed the pulse of the industry. The prospective users, both inside and outside IBM, preferred standardization to what by release time were small cost reductions, and were unwilling to retool packaging, interface chips and applications for a proprietary design. The product never appeared in the light of day, and IBM wrote off several hundred million dollars of development and manufacturing facility. CHM appears to have one http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/accession/X1140.93 Mismarked at 5 1/4" (grrrr..) And a disk http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/accession/102667528

17 years, 5 months

DG Disk Drive on GL

by ics65＠sbcglobal.net

Just wondering if anyone on the list won the Data General 6045 Disk Drive that was on the GL in Columbus, Ohio, recently? Just want to know if it went to a good home or if someone won the lot for the other items that were included.

17 years, 5 months

Free ZX81 kits...

by alhartman＠yahoo.com

If you saw the number of bad units we just dumpstered at the Zebra Systems warehouse, you'd blanch. I quipped to Stewart that we had a dumpster full of perfectly good door stops.... LOL! Not to mention Monitor wedges (I used to use a broken unit to wedge my Monochrome Monitor to the right angle). The sheer computing power in all those trashed units just started to approach my cell phone. LOL! Al

17 years, 5 months

MFM disk

by nico＠farumdata.dk

Further to my earlier mail : MFM disk Epson model HMD-720, 20 MB, ST412 interface. The disk was pulled years ago, so the status is unknown. Nico

17 years, 5 months

MFM controller

by nico＠farumdata.dk

Available for postage from Denmark : Longshine LCS-6210D Supports 2 MFM ST506/ST412 drives Pulled from XT compatible No floppies Max. 16 heads and 1024 cylinders Nico -- Jeg beskyttes af den gratis SPAMfighter til privatbrugere. Den har indtil videre sparet mig for at f? 14 spam-mails. Betalende brugere f?r ikke denne besked i deres e-mails. Hent gratis SPAMfighter her: http://www.spamfighter.com/lda

17 years, 5 months

Laserdisc interfaces

by jeffj＠panix.com

> I think there's at least one Pioneer with a DA15 serial interface, but > I have no idea if there's any sort of standard for them. I think I used to have a Pioneer LDV1000 with a proprietory parallel interface using a small Centronix-style connector. I scrapped it because the power supply was blown, and I got an RS232 interfaced one that plays CAV and CLV with barcode scanner, etc. I just touched the adapter box in my storage unit that converted the parallel interface to RS232 and I have the manuals ... somewhere :-(

17 years, 5 months

Wood's Metal (was Re: Open source, stand alone, ASCII terminal project)

by ethan.dicks＠gmail.com

On Thu, Dec 4, 2008 at 8:19 AM, Chuck Guzis <cclist at sydex.com> wrote: > I use adapters for things such as uCs and CPLDs and can do those > right most of the time, but occasionally, I mess up and have to start > all over again. Thank heavens for my Wood's metal desoldering trick > or I would have made garbagge out of the adapter boards. I have a "ChipQuik" kit of some flux and a slug of something like Wood's Metal, presumably the trick you are talking about. I have yet to use it (it's just a free sample). The documentation seems straightorward, though. Does anyone on the list know where to get moderate quantities of Wood's or Field's Metal at reasonable cost? By moderate, I'm thinking of a small number of pounds (kgs). I don't have an immediate use for it, but in the next year or two, I'm considering building a RepRap or a Fab at Home and one of the things on the horizon is printing circuits with low-temp metal on top of printed plastic substrates. I'd like to see how much the metal is going to cost before I go down that route. -ethan

17 years, 5 months

70's view of Army Radar Installation (with computer gear)

by cclist＠sydex.com

I just ran across this page: http://cryptome.info/0001/loc/loc-images.htm It seems that LOC has been rather ham-handedly censoring some of its online historical content. Of particular interest is a shot of computer peripherals (printers, card readers, tape drives), all of which appear to be vintage CDC gear (military versions of the 512 printer, 65x tapes, 405 card readers...). I don't know what the mainframe behind this was, nor does it seem to be shown. Anyone have any idea? BTW, the TIFF images are 20MB each and very high quality--enough so that I could read the CRT displays and the notice of "Volley Ball" and "Hayride" on the bulletin board. Cheers, Chuck

17 years, 5 months

Hard disk material

by wdonzelli＠gmail.com

It looks like sometime in the future I may need to rebuild a damaged magnetic drum. It has some scratches that may be too deep. As a brainstorm, I am wondering about recoating the surface. If I use refined iron oxide, what would I use as a fixer (glue)? What was typically used on early hard disk platters and drums? -- Will

17 years, 5 months

cctech moderator on holidays

by ethan.dicks＠gmail.com

Hi, All, Lawrence Wilkinson <lawrence at ljw.me.uk>, one of the classiccmp moderators, asked me to post a quick note to the list that he is travelling around NZ and can't check the moderator queues as often as he does when he's home. This means that moderated messages will be delayed more than usual, and that if you are a member of cctalk _or_ cctech and post from an address you did not subscribe from, it will take him longer to spot those messages and release them. Unmoderated postings to cctalk sent from subscribed accounts should go through without Lawrence having to interact with them. I'm guessing, though, that nobody has heard from Jay himself in quite some time now. -ethan

17 years, 5 months

PDP-11 Zork Manual: Save $2,348.31

by ethan.dicks＠gmail.com

On Wed, Dec 3, 2008 at 4:20 AM, Zane H. Healy <healyzh at aracnet.com> wrote: > Now if someone could just find a disk image of the software! Somewhere, I've seen _an_ original RT-11 app, but not Zork I - maybe Deadline or Starcross. Just the executable, not a disk image. I'd love to see one of those just to poke around on unallocated sectors. I've only recently learned how much cool stuff is on ancient Amiga Kickstart disks (the KS image file only occupies ~256K out of 880K, leaving plenty of space that wasn't zeroed before mastering). -ethan

17 years, 5 months

WANTED: someone to transfer IBM 5110 BASIC programs to modern PC

by tosteve＠yahoo.com

Hello, A gentleman from the East Coast contacted me to see if I can extract old BASIC programs from his IBM-5110 8-inch floppy disks. I have a working IBM-5120 with internal floppy drives, but the serial communications option is not installed in my system. I think the best I can do is LIST the programs and photograph the screen. Any other ideas? Anyone else with a serial port who can do it? Anyone with a spare communications card? Thanks- Steven Stengel

17 years, 5 months

Hard disk material

by wbblair3＠yahoo.com

> (My brain wants to say it was "how to build a working digital > computer", but I could be wrong there). I wonder if anyone ever > actually built one that worked? :-) Your brain is not leading you astray. That's the book. Here's the PDF version: http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/paperClipComputer/HowToBuildAWorkingDigitalCom…

17 years, 5 months

Tragedy in our hobby: Jay West ....

by aek＠bitsavers.org

> With the week I'm having, that subject line was decidedly unappreciated. I TOTALLY agree. I hope I have the opportunity to do something really shitty like this to you some day, Evan.

17 years, 5 months

Sony MP-F52W-00D needed

by kathy.galvin＠advantageic.com

Hello Did you find the drive you were looking for SONY MP-F52W-00D I have qty 10 of them. Make me a offer on all 10 Email: Kathy at advantageic.com Phone: 978-568-0899 ask for Kathy

17 years, 5 months

PDP-11 Zork Manual: Save $2,348.31

by fu3.org＠gmail.com

http://inventory.getlamp.com/2008/11/30/pdp-11-zork-manual-save-234831/

17 years, 5 months

problem with listserv?

by chrise＠pobox.com

Hmm... I've sent a number of things to this list which have not ever shown up here. Curious if I can actually really post to the list...?? I also see that postings from others show up about 5 to 6 days after they post them. For example, yesterday 11/29, I received gobs of postings dated 11/24. There will be many days of silence and then all of a sudden I'll get a bunch of them all at once, that many days behind. cje -- Chris Elmquist mailto:chrise at pobox.com

17 years, 5 months

Sun people and keyboards

by dgriffi＠cs.csubak.edu

Does anyone here have pull with Sun Microsystems or know someone who does? I'm trying to get the right person jazzed up about the idea of a Type 7 keyboard built like a Model M. I've already emailed clickykeyboards.com about it and they'll do the engineering and design work for about $27k. A Type 7 sells brand new for around $50. I'm sure people would be more than willing to pay twice as much for a "Type 7m". -- David Griffith dgriffi at cs.csubak.edu A: Because it fouls the order in which people normally read text. Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing? A: Top-posting. Q: What is the most annoying thing in e-mail?

17 years, 5 months

Laserdisc interfaces (was Re: SCSI identify command

by ethan.dicks＠gmail.com

On Thu, Dec 4, 2008 at 2:35 AM, Cameron Kaiser <spectre at floodgap.com> wrote: >> > My laserdisc player harks from 1986, incidentally, and even its SCSI data >> > interface has no Inquiry support - it was just too early, I suppose... >> >> SCSI LASERDISC?!?!?!?!?! I think there were only RS-232 Laserdiscs?! >> >> I'd love to have a serial-commanded laserdisc hehehe :o) I have a few - mostly to play Dragon's Lair and Space Ace (but I do have a couple of kiosk CAV discs as well). AmigaVision supports a variety of laser disc command sets, as a classic environment which could be simple and fun to explore such discs in. > I recently got an AG-LD30 with a serial interface, but I don't know the > pinout. It's a 15-pin D female connector, like a PC joystick port or Mac > monitor port. I think there's at least one Pioneer with a DA15 serial interface, but I have no idea if there's any sort of standard for them. If you can't find a manual for your AG-LD30, there's always the technique of tracing out the circuit manually. Ground should be easy, then it's a case of looking for, typically, a 1488/1489 pair and divining what your RxD and TxD are. It's probable that there's no handshaking, but I suppose there could be. Not knowing the command set could be a problem, though. Check out AmigaVision to see if it knows about your player. You could then sniff the command set with a serial analyzer. Generally speaking, the player should have commands for start, stop, and seek, at least, and perhaps lock/unlock, eject, and several more directives. When writing apps for a friendly environment, start, stop, and seek are probably the most important commands to figure out. -ethan

17 years, 5 months

Kit completion (was Re: Open source, stand alone, ASCII terminal project)

by ethan.dicks＠gmail.com

On Thu, Dec 4, 2008 at 3:22 AM, Bob Armstrong <bob at jfcl.com> wrote: >>PS: while the wrong list, Bob have many people finished the PDP/8 front > panel PCB's? > > I don't know - the majority of people who buy kits never write back to > tell me what happened. I must be in the minority ;-) I not only write back, I frequently post pictures of my successes. -ethan

17 years, 5 months

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