test-drb

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

101090 discussions

by shoppa＠trailing-edge.com

der Mouse writes: > >> What I want to know is when the US and Canada will get with the > >> program and start using ISO paper sizes like everyone else :-) > > As soon as they start using screws with metric threads ;-) > > Um, we do - well, Canada does, at least. English screw sizes and > threads are more common, at least in the hardware stores I frequent, > but metric screws are by no means unknown - and a source of much > irritation when, say, you think you have a 6-32 screw and you find it > doesn't fit your 6-32 nut.... Metric hardware on cars - even North American built - has been very nearly universal in North America for the past 15 years. There are a couple exceptions still, like lugnuts. (Though by no coincidence the most common lug nut hex sizes on small cars are 3/4" and 19mm, and it's nearly impossible to tell whether it's metric or not by the hex size!) Strangely enough, spark plug threads in North America have been metric since the beginning of time, but the heads are still fractional-inch. Tim.

17 years, 5 months

looking for an IBM 8525

by jlobocki＠gmail.com

hello, I'm trying to find a reasonable IBM 8525 all-in-one system. I've seen the ones on ebay ($200! before shipping, for a computer from the late 1980s that were in high abundance) if anybody knows where I could get one reasonably (preferrably close to illinois) please let me know, thanks! picture: http://www.recycledgoods.com/images/s_p_20127_1.jpg

17 years, 5 months

Free DEC Digital Equipment box (Computer)

by rborsuk＠colourfull.com

Here's a DEC computer I'm tossing out. Don't know anything about it. Can't find any model numbers on it. You can have it free, just pay for shipping plus a buck or two for packing stuff. It's small so I would expect it to cost too much. What you see is what you get. Computer only. USA only please. Rob ps. Some pics http://homepage.mac.com/irisworld/ebay/dec_box1.jpg http://homepage.mac.com/irisworld/ebay/dec_box2.jpg pss. Nope. Didn't bother putting it on ebay. Not worth my time to test and such.

17 years, 5 months

Help with Shugart SA801 8" floppy with 230v 50 cycle

by feldman.r＠comcast.net

For small pulleys, check out a hobby shop that deals in radio controlled model airplanes and cars. For small gears, try www.nwsl.com. They also have small drills, bolts, and metal rods (e.g., 1.5mm x 6"). In England, try http://www.ultrascale.co.uk/ for small gears. Bob

17 years, 5 months

Nice Amiga 1000 system for sale

by sellam＠vintagetech.com

See the following forwarded message. If you're interested then contact me and I'll pass on the e-mail address. I don't want to expose it to the world which is why I'm expunging it in this posting. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 27 Nov 2008 14:25:06 -0500 From: Budman <budman(a)*****.ca> To: sellam at vintage.org Subject: amiga 1000 computer Hi: My name is Joan Curtis. I live in Huntsville, Ont. Canada. I have an Amiga 1000 computer in original box with a compatible printer (Star NX-10) in original box. Plus I have Books -User Guides -(Binder) Book - Amiga Enhancer Software Featuring Amiga Dos Version 1.2 Kickstart 1.2 Extras 1.2 Includes Revised Amiga Basic and PC Utilities. Also the book - Amiga Dos Inside and Out. Also a book - An in-depth guide to Amiga Dos and the CLI. I also have Magazines - Creative Computing 1985 - Commodore Business and Amiga User 1986 - Amiga World 1987 - Amiga World 1988 - Amiga Users Guide 1989 - Amiga +Plus 1990. I also have 7 games - Sky Fox - Rogue - Hardball - Borrowed Time - Mind Shadow - The Faery Tale Adventure - and Dejavu. There are also 43 discs with case to hold them. I saw an article in the Toronto Star in Feb. 16, 2003. Would like to sell this collection, but do not know how to go about it. --- -- Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org [ Old computing resources for business || Buy/Sell/Trade Vintage Computers ] [ and academia at www.VintageTech.com || at http://marketplace.vintage.org ]

17 years, 5 months

3.5" floppy jumpers

by rescue＠hawkmountain.net

I have 3 3.5" floppy drives with configuration jumpers (and 5 times as many without :-) ). Ons is a Chinon FZ-357, and has jumpers for: MD, RDY, MM, DC, and TTL/C-MOS. Another is a TEAC FD-235HF and has jumpers for: H HO, OP, LHI, HHI, and a position (but no header pins) for FG. The last is a Sony MPF520-1 which has 2 rows of 3 pins... and I have no idea what they are for. I understand some abbreviations... RDY (ready), DC (disk change), but not MD, MM, TTL/C-MOS (assuming this is for interface logic levels?), and the TEAC ones I don't know at all. The Sony one is a mystery, and a google search hasn't turned anything up... don't know if the headers are for selecting D0-D3 only... or more than that. Can someone fill me in/point me to web pages on these 'magic' jumpers for these drives ? Thanks, -- Curt

17 years, 5 months

semi-monthly ebay grumble

by dgriffi＠cs.csubak.edu

One again, I'm getting the grumbles over Ebay's policies: its impenetrable policies on how much much I pay for what, lack of protection against insane buyers, a constantly changing look and feel, and so on. I tried out chasethechuckwagon.com for selling a couple video game carts and I like it. Their whole fee structure is generous and easily explained in one paragraph. The only problem is that I don't sell that much in the way of video games. I don't know what a good alternative for classic computer stuff would be. Right now I'm looking closely at ebid. I think this week I'll run a few things there and see what happens. -- 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

Bridges--Pertec-to-SCSI

by cclist＠sydex.com

Since we've broached the topic of bridges, does anyone have a Pertec- to-SCSI bridge that they'd like to sell? I understand that these could be found in some old Overland drives... Cheers, Chuck

17 years, 5 months

IDE <-> MFM

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: IDE <-> MFM > From: ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell) > Date: Thu, 27 Nov 2008 19:35:41 +0000 (GMT) > To: cctalk at classiccmp.org > >> >> On Wed, 26 Nov 2008, Jules Richardson wrote: >> > Fred Cisin wrote: >> >> IIRC, my Compaq "Portable 286" (NOT the "Portable 2") >> >> had a pre-standardization ISA IDE "controller" that cabled to a bridge >> >> board on an MFM drive >> > >> > Isn't that the other way around, though: IDE controller -> bridge -> MFM >> > drive? The previous poster's saying* they're doing this the other way >> >> That doesn't make sense. IDE stands for Integrated Drive Electronics, >> which means that the controller is located on the drive. Therefore IDE >> controller cards don't exist, and you can't bride IDE to an ST-412 > >OK, but IDE bus interface cards do exist. Meaning cards that link ISA >(or whatever) bus to an IDE drive. For ISA, it's little more than an >address decoder and buffers (I happen to be using one in this PC). > >> interface type drive. > >Sure you can. Make a PCB containing a WD1003-like disk controller. On one >side, have ST412 connectors to conencto to that sort of drive. On the >other, have an IDE interface -- data lines, 3 address lines, etc. In >other words the original PC/AT disk controller board minus the floppy >controller and minus most of the address decoder. Linked to the IDE bus >interface I mentioned just now, you have a complete ST412 hard disk >controller system. And the seond part of it could reasonably be called an >IDE (host interface) to ST412 (drive interface) bridge board. > >-tony If I needed to go from IDE to MFM I'd go to my junk box and pull out a WD1003 (or one of the smaller versions) and fake the interface of IDE to ISA16. The two are so close its only the matter of the IO address lines to resolve them down to CS1 and CS2. Command wise the 1003 was the prototype for IDE command set. Allison

17 years, 5 months

Unused RK06 heads

by quapla＠xs4all.nl

During cleanup I found 3 unused RK06 heads, Dec partno 74-14130-12. They are still in their original box. Next to that I have a few more RK06 heads, new, but not in a box, as well as 3 or 4 RK06 servo track heads (these have an extra cable + connector). Maybe this is Dec partno 74-14130-13 ? Make me an offer. Ed

17 years, 5 months

Flat screen for monochrome Sun output?

by silvercreekvalley＠yahoo.com

I've been trying (unsucessfully) to get various flat screen monitors to display the output from a sun monochrome frame buffer. This is proving tricky. The monochrome fb outputs 1152x900 if I recall correctly and its proving difficult to get any monitor to sync to this. Note the output is analogue not the older ECL (?) type display. Old CRT multi-sync monitors that sync on green handle this OK. Can anyone recommend a modern flat screen that will work with this kind of framebuffer? I do have various video processing units that can scale and process the output, but I'd rather not use these as they are already in use for other tasks. Ian.

17 years, 5 months

RX01 missing felt pad, repair advice

by mc＠media.mit.edu

The felt pad that presses the floppy disk into the r/w head fell off my RX01 (or whatever dual floppy drive is actually inside a DECmate model III (a late edition of 6120-based PDP-8). Has anyone tried to do that repair? What did you use for replacement, self-adhesive felt material? cctalk-request at classiccmp.org wrote: > Send cctalk mailing list submissions to > cctalk at classiccmp.org > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://www.classiccmp.org/mailman/listinfo/cctalk > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > cctalk-request at classiccmp.org > > You can reach the person managing the list at > cctalk-owner at classiccmp.org > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of cctalk digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: 5" floppy?. (Jules Richardson) > 2. Re: 5" floppy?. (Sridhar Ayengar) > 3. Re: 5" floppy?. (Sridhar Ayengar) > 4. HP3000 (Mike Loewen) > 5. Re: HP3000 (William Donzelli) > 6. Re: HP3000 (Mark Davidson) > 7. Re: HP3000 (William Donzelli) > 8. Re: Help with Shugart SA801 8" floppy with 230v 50 cycle > (feldman.r at comcast.net) > 9. Re: 5" floppy?. (David Griffith) > 10. Re: 5" floppy?. (William Donzelli) > 11. Screwheads; was 5 floppy?. (Chuck Guzis) > 12. RE: Help with Shugart SA801 8" floppy with 230v 50 cycle > (dwight elvey) > 13. Re: 5" floppy?. (Dave McGuire) > 14. RE: Help with Shugart SA801 8" floppy with 230v 50 cycle > (Chuck Guzis) > 15. RE: 5" floppy?. (dwight elvey) > 16. Re:Screwheads, was: 5" floppy?. (Chuck Guzis) > 17. Re: AT&T 7300/3B1's (was: Re: Who is vintagecomputermuseum?) > (micheladam at theedge.ca) > 18. Re: AT&T 7300/3B1's (was: Re: Who is vintagecomputermuseum?) > (Gordon JC Pearce MM3YEQ) > 19. Re: AT&T 7300/3B1's (was: Re: Who is vintagecomputermuseum?) > (Lance Lyon) > 20. IDE <-> MFM, was > Re: AT&T 7300/3B1's (was: Re: Who is > vintagecomputermuseum?) (emu at e-bbes.com) > 21. Re: The Day the Infant Internet Uttered its First Words > (Steve Maddison) > 22. RE: Help with Shugart SA801 8" floppy with 230v 50 cycle > motor... (ROBO5.8) > 23. Re: AT&T 7300/3B1's (was: Re: Who is vintagecomputermuseum?) > (Jules Richardson) > 24. Re: Help with Shugart SA801 8" floppy with 230v 50 cycle > motor... (Jules Richardson) > 25. Mystery paper tape reader (Tobias Russell) > 26. MITS Disk Boot Loader manual (Richard A. Cini) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:25:48 -0600 > From: Jules Richardson <jules.richardson99 at gmail.com> > Subject: Re: 5" floppy?. > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts > <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Message-ID: <492C897C.1080407 at gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-15; format=flowed > > Fred Cisin wrote: > >> It sure is easy to slip into off-topic mechanical griping. >> > > Yeah, funny how there's a lot of interest overlap between vintage computing, > old cars, and engineering (and that it says in the "to" field of this message > that the list is for "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts") - but > let's not go there, huh? ;-) > > > J. > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:04:06 -0500 > From: Sridhar Ayengar <ploopster at gmail.com> > Subject: Re: 5" floppy?. > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts > <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Message-ID: <492C9276.8000809 at gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed > > Tony Duell wrote: > >>> Even computer companies - people that should know better, make >>> mistakes when talking about floppy disks. Last week I was in a Staples >>> store (American office supply store chain), and saw a Memorex 3 1/2" USB >>> floppy drive, the package stating clearly that it supported "1.44mb >>> double sided and 720k single sided diskettes". > >>> >> Well, calling it mb (millibyte) is clearly wrong. And the value of >> 1.44Mbytes assumes you take 1Mbyte as 1000*1024 bytes, which is downright >> crazy. >> > > Actually, doesn't mb imply "millibit", and mB is "millibyte", with Mb as > "megabit" and MB as "megabyte"? > > Peace... Sridhar > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:06:26 -0500 > From: Sridhar Ayengar <ploopster at gmail.com> > Subject: Re: 5" floppy?. > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts > <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Message-ID: <492C9302.40404 at gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed > > Gordon JC Pearce MM3YEQ wrote: > >> (once again, sorry Jay) >> >> >>> My favourite has to be Torx. I have never had any problems with those. >>> >> Oh I have... <grumble>Bloody Volkswagens with their stupid 5-lobed >> Torx-like brake caliper bolts, that you can't even get drivers for from >> VW without ordering them from Germany... >> > > My Audi uses triple-square for that kind of stuff. > > Peace... Sridhar > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 4 > Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:01:42 -0500 (EST) > From: Mike Loewen <mloewen at cpumagic.scol.pa.us> > Subject: HP3000 > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" > <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.64.0811251950490.22596 at cpumagic.scol.pa.us> > Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed > > > Where have all the HP3000 systems gone? > > Between 1986 and 1988, I worked on a whole slew of HP3000s, from the > Series III to the Series 70. They were popular in the business > environment, especially in COBOL shops. Where did they end up? You can > find loads of DEC equipment on Ebay, even IBM System 34, 36 and AS/400s, > the occasional HP1000, but the only HP3000 I recall seeing in recent years > was a single Model 37. > > > Mike Loewen mloewen at cpumagic.scol.pa.us > Old Technology http://sturgeon.css.psu.edu/~mloewen/Oldtech/ > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 5 > Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:16:45 -0500 > From: "William Donzelli" <wdonzelli at gmail.com> > Subject: Re: HP3000 > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" > <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Message-ID: > <e1d20d630811251716q468c96f4s9ab6b8a98cecdd43 at mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > >> Between 1986 and 1988, I worked on a whole slew of HP3000s, from the >> Series III to the Series 70. They were popular in the business environment, >> especially in COBOL shops. Where did they end up? You can find loads of >> DEC equipment on Ebay, even IBM System 34, 36 and AS/400s, the occasional >> HP1000, but the only HP3000 I recall seeing in recent years was a single >> Model 37. >> > > You answered your own question. > > DEC made loads of minis (PDP and VAX). > IBM made loads of minis (S/34 and S/36). > IBM made extra sized loads of AS/400 minis (more than any other minicomputer). > HP did not make loads of 3000s. > > I think it is a simple population thing. > > -- > Will > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 6 > Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:27:42 -0800 > From: "Mark Davidson" <mdavidson1963 at gmail.com> > Subject: Re: HP3000 > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" > <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Message-ID: > <d17c35610811251727u5ec8860ayd6474c43da58e5f3 at mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > On Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 5:16 PM, William Donzelli <wdonzelli at gmail.com> wrote: > >>> Between 1986 and 1988, I worked on a whole slew of HP3000s, from the >>> Series III to the Series 70. They were popular in the business environment, >>> especially in COBOL shops. Where did they end up? You can find loads of >>> DEC equipment on Ebay, even IBM System 34, 36 and AS/400s, the occasional >>> HP1000, but the only HP3000 I recall seeing in recent years was a single >>> Model 37. >>> >> You answered your own question. >> >> DEC made loads of minis (PDP and VAX). >> IBM made loads of minis (S/34 and S/36). >> IBM made extra sized loads of AS/400 minis (more than any other minicomputer). >> HP did not make loads of 3000s. >> >> I think it is a simple population thing. >> >> -- >> Will >> > > I subscribe to the 3000 mailing list, and there seems to be one other > complaint... licensing the OS. I am no expert on the matter, but I've > gotten the impression that HP can be a real bear to deal with when it > comes to licensing the OS for users. It simply can get too expensive > for a hobbyist to run MPE... > > Trust me, I'd love to have a small 3000 at home and if one ever shows > up, I'll snap it up if I can. They just seem to be pretty rare on the > used market. > > Mark > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 7 > Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:52:06 -0500 > From: "William Donzelli" <wdonzelli at gmail.com> > Subject: Re: HP3000 > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" > <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Message-ID: > <e1d20d630811251752r7c21a151ge4ceec709310254c at mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > >> I subscribe to the 3000 mailing list, and there seems to be one other >> complaint... licensing the OS. I am no expert on the matter, but I've >> gotten the impression that HP can be a real bear to deal with when it >> comes to licensing the OS for users. It simply can get too expensive >> for a hobbyist to run MPE... >> > > A complaint, yes, but really has nothing to do with why 3000s are so > scarce. Really, it is hard to beat the IBM AS/400 group for being > disagreeable when it comes to licenses. > > I think DEC spoiled us. > > -- > Will > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 8 > Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2008 02:41:19 +0000 > From: feldman.r at comcast.net > Subject: Re: Help with Shugart SA801 8" floppy with 230v 50 cycle > To: cctalk at classiccmp.org > Message-ID: > <112620080241.25527.492CB74F00042AA6000063B722007621949DD2020E030B040A00 at comcast.net> > > Content-Type: text/plain > > For small pulleys, check out a hobby shop that deals in radio controlled model airplanes and cars. For small gears, try www.nwsl.com. They also have small drills, bolts, and metal rods (e.g., 1.5mm x 6"). In England, try http://www.ultrascale.co.uk/ for small gears. > > Bob > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 9 > Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:45:30 -0800 (PST) > From: David Griffith <dgriffi at cs.csubak.edu> > Subject: Re: 5" floppy?. > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" > <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.4.55.0811251843380.22711 at helios.cs.csubak.edu> > Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII > > On Tue, 25 Nov 2008, Chuck Guzis wrote: > > >> I once read an interview with the son of inventor Henry Phillips (an >> Oregon native) and he maintained that it wasn't the original design >> (US Patent 2046343) that was at fault, it was primarily the fault of >> ASC for cheapening the manufacturing process by relaxing >> specifications--and the propagation of inferior tools. Indeed, the >> screwdrivers I have that are labeled "Genuine Phillips" do seem to be >> quite a bit better than the generic variety. One aspect of the >> Phillips head not shared by Torx or Robertson/square is that it will >> automatically center the driving bit. >> > > I don't follow on the automatic centering. Yes, a slotted screwdriver can > slide out, but torx or robertsons? > > >> The "slipping out", I believe is referred to as "camming out". >> >> While rebuilding a deck this summer, I found that even square-drive >> screws are easy to strip when power is used to drive them. >> > > That's why you're supposed to use a drill with a slipper clutch. > > >> Fortunately, deck screws are being manufactured with the Torx head >> (mine were T25s) and allow for much better driving performance. >> > > > >

17 years, 5 months

RX01 missing felt pad, repair advice

by js＠cimmeri.com

>From: Tim McNerney <mc at media.mit.edu> >Subject: RX01 missing felt pad, repair advice > >The felt pad that presses the floppy disk into the r/w head fell off my >RX01 (or whatever dual floppy drive is actually inside a DECmate model >III (a late edition of 6120-based PDP-8). >Has anyone tried to do that repair? What did you use for replacement, >self-adhesive felt material? > *I've not worked on a RX-01 before, but I've been keeping my eye out for suitable felt button replacements. The only thing I've seen so far as these felt pellets used in pellet guns... they come in .177 - .22 inch sizes. If you've lost the carrier as well, you've got a slightly more difficult problem. JS *

17 years, 5 months

DEC Letterprinter 100 -- what are they selling for?

by js＠cimmeri.com

>Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2008 20:41:26 -0000 >From: "Jim Beacon" <jim at g1jbg.co.uk> > >From: <js at cimmeri.com> > >>> Are DEC Letterprinter 100's in nice, working, non-noticeably-yellowed >>> condition worth anything at present? Or are they pretty much recycling >>> fodder? >> >> >Don't know if they are worth anything, I've never had to pay for one - they >just keep arriving here! > >They are useful though, as they correctly emulate a Teletype and allow >overprinting, which most modern printers don't, but I suppose that's only >useful if you have an interest in ASCII art! > >Jim. > Interesting. Well, my use is just for general programming printouts on a PDP 11/23+. Is the LA75 a viable replacement for the Letterprinter 100? The 75 isn't period to the 11/23, but my concern about the 100 is ribbons. Ribbons for the LA75 are plentiful and cheap. Thanks Jim, Tony, Allison for your replies. JS

17 years, 5 months

What's a LK207-EE ?

by bob＠jfcl.com

I give up - what's a LK207-EE? http://www.sparetimegizmos.com/Downloads/LK207-EE.JPG It's clearly a cousin to the LK201; it has the same keys as a LK201 but with a different physical arrangement. The paper labels stuck on the keycaps would make me think that it was used in some kind of stock broker application, but I've never seen or heard of anything like it before. Bob

17 years, 5 months

The Day the Infant Internet Uttered its First Words

by eric940＠gmail.com

As a tangent to the "first" computer on the internet, I reference this interesting link, showing the IMP log, along with the date and time of the "birth" of said [I][i]nternet. See: http://www.lk.cs.ucla.edu/first_words.html -eric

17 years, 5 months

AT&T 7300/3B1's (was: Re: Who is vintagecomputermuseum?)

by jeff.kaneko＠juno.com

-- Jules Richardson <jules.richardson99 at gmail.com> wrote: >Gordon JC Pearce MM3YEQ wrote: >> micheladam at theedge.ca wrote: >>> Does anyone know of a 'bridge' converter that would allow a scsi >disk >>> to interface to an MFM controller? >>> >>> Michel Adam >> >> I'm not sure how that would work. Do you mean replacing an >existing MFM >> disk with a SCSI disk? > >It's been talked about at various times on the list here... > >It needs high-speed sampling of the MFM data at the track level into >buffer >memory, and some smarts to translate the buffer memory into blocks on >the drive. > >It *could* be done, but nobody's made it work yet AFAIK. > >cheers > >Jules Commercial products exist, for example at: www.mbiusa.com/mbi_000010.htm But I imagine they're *FRIGHTFULLY* expensive . . . . ____________________________________________________________ Enjoy the type-anywhere ease of a wireless keyboard. Click now! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/PnY6rw1aNvZao9Vy0jrsWZZZiMWt9Xz…

17 years, 5 months

ICL 1900 hardware documentation available

by aek＠bitsavers.org

I just put up a large collection of documentation on the 1900 hardware over the past couple of days under http://bitsavers.org/pdf/ict_icl/1900 Has anyone heard anything from Brian Spoor lateley? I'm concerned since his last post on AFC seems to be from about a year ago.

17 years, 5 months

MITS Disk Boot Loader manual

by rcini＠optonline.net

All: I?m working on adding support in the Altair32 Emulator for directly reading WAV file samples of audio cassettes. Initially, I?m working with the 88-ACR but it should be a snap to modify that code to support the KCS. A WAV sample sent to me by the person who asked me to look into adding this capability is a cassette from 1977 called the MITS Disk Boot Loader. I?ve known this to be usually distributed on PROM, but I guess if you didn?t have a PROM board, the cassette makes sense. I actually have the source and ROM binary already because I use it for the floppy disk support in the Altair32. Anyway, me and a buddy of mine are starting to parse the WAV samples and it would help greatly if we could get a copy of the manual for the DBL. The owner of the tape doesn?t have it. What I?m really looking for is the toggle loader or whatever was used to bring the DBL in from cassette. If anyone has it and would be willing to scan it for me, I?d appreciate it. Thanks! Rich -- Rich Cini Collector of Classic Computers Build Master and lead engineer, Altair32 Emulator http://www.altair32.com http://www.classiccmp.org/cini

17 years, 5 months

Mystery paper tape reader

by toby＠coreware.co.uk

Hi, I was digging through my collection at the weekend and came across this paper tape reader(?). Can anyone help me identfy it? I've put some pictures up on my blog here: http://www.pdp8.co.uk/2008/11/26/mystery-paper-tape-reader/ It is labelled on the front as a ?Paper Tape Comparator?. It has an optical array for scanning the tape and an adjustable width feeder to support 3 different sizes. I can't find any indication of its make which makes me wonder if its scratch built with bits from another device. On the back is a female 25 pin D socket which I assume to be an RS232 outlet. There is also a 3 pin power socket in a format I don?t recognise. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Toby -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.

17 years, 5 months

magnetic drums (early patents)

by kahrs＠caip.rutgers.edu

A fascinating topic. Here's a fun patent to read: http://www.google.com/patents?id=lBJtAAAAEBAJ Patent number: 2614169 Filing date: Jul 24, 1950 Issue date: Oct 1952 Inventor: A. A. COHEN Assignee: Engineering Research Asso Some mention is made of how they made it in 1950. Coombs original patent: http://www.google.com/patents?id=gSBXAAAAEBAJ&dq=patent:3119110 Patent number: 3119110 Filing date: May 2, 1949 Issue date: Jan 21, 1964 Inventor: J. M. COOMBS Assignee: Sperry Rand Corporation They appear to use spray paint --- not deposition.

17 years, 5 months

Stuff for sale, trade, and free! (Bloomington, IN)

by bdwheele＠indiana.edu

Its time to clean up things a bit...mostly stuff I've not had the time or desire to play with :) If I'm too high (or too low) make an offer! I'm not going to ship the complete NeXT boxes or the box of tapes, but I can be persuaded with everything else: buyer pays shipping I'm located in Bloomington, IN 47408 Things I'm looking for: * Playstation 2 * Amiga Stuff: A1200, A600 * CoCo stuff: Coco3 + disk controller * Commodore stuff: C128, 1571, 1581, C65 (hahaha) Get this stuff out of my house! Brian For Sale ========== NeXTstation (Mono) $50 32M RAM no HD Mono Monitor Mouse Keyboard Floppy Drive NeXTcube $75 64M RAM NeXT Dimension Card Color Monitor (needs 13w3 cable) Mono Monitor Mouse Keyboard Floppy Drive no HD 3x NeXT Mono Video Cable $2 each NeXT Keyboard+Mouse $5 DECserver 200/MC $5 Sun DDS2 DAT Drive in 611 Enclosure $10 599-2072-01 OkiData 184 Turbo $20 New in box 20x 10baseT external tranceivers with cable. $1 each Box of TK50s (86 tapes) $20 Distribution tapes circa 1989-1992. Ingres, RDB, Fortran, VMS 5.4, VMS 6.0, etc Freebies ======== DEC Multia AXP 166MHz Unknown condition. 32M RAM No HD 2x HP 715/64 Unknown condition One has 64M(?) and a disk. One has neither. Both show "Memory error" (leds -76-43--) SS20 Chassis No disks or ram. Didn't see a processor in there either. VAX C Manual Toshiba Satellite 400CS/810 P75 / 700M Disk / 16M RAM Battery seems to work, but no promises. External DAT, Centronics connectors. Unknown capacity 2x Ext SCSI enclosure w/centronics connectors. sun 411 enclosure size Model M Keyboard (original PC connector)

17 years, 5 months

coating a drum

by aek＠bitsavers.org

http://www.google.com/patents?id=o9IwAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&dq=3… gives you the general idea. lots more patents are there the proportions of binder to gamma-Fe2O3 and other magic sauce as dispersants is of interest.

17 years, 5 months

After an H960 rack..

by toby＠coreware.co.uk

Hi, I don't suppose anyone in the UK has any H960 DEC racks looking for a good home? I'm in the process of moving all of my collection from my storage unit to my office server room and I'm short of racks to put it all in. Would be nice to put it all in correct period racks. Condition not important as I am a dab hand at cleaning and de-rusting. Thanks, Toby -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.

17 years, 5 months

Hard disk material

by wbblair3＠yahoo.com

> That claim of some drums operating at 75,000rpm has to be a typo... > I can believe 7500 - but 75,000? Ouch! Eckert once made the claim that, ?laboratory models have been operated in excess of 75,000 rpm.? That's probably where they got that.

17 years, 5 months

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