test-drb

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

101090 discussions

by Watzman＠neo.rr.com

The H-120 was a generic designation for the "all-in-one" version of the Heathkit / Zenith Data Systems Z-100 series of personal computers (actual units had a slightly different model number depending on their configuration). It was a dual processor system, 8085 and 8088, could run both CP/M and MS-DOS (but it was not PC compatible at the hardware level). It had a large motherboard that included a 5-slot S-100 expansion backplane at the rear. The system was available both in kit form and assembled, the assembled models carried Zenith Data Systems rather than Heathkit labels but were identical. The kit was mostly pre-assembled, only the floppy disk controller and video monitor deflection boards were actually build by the buyer, otherwise the kit was just a final assembly task of factory assembled & tested boards. The system had a floppy disk controller that could support both 8" and 5" drives simultaneously (I think four 8" and three 5" drives). A hard drive controller was also offered that could support two MFM hard drives. Video came from a dedicated video board that was, for it's time, quite sophisticated (the PC had nothing better until the EGA cards came out). It was pure bit-mapped color graphics, 640x225 resolution. There was a major revision of the motherboard after about 2 years of production, the early models had a 5MHz 8088 and 3 banks of 64k each (192k total) memory, the later models COULD (but did not always) have an 8MHz 8088 and the memory banks could be 256MB chips per bank (768MB total) rather than 64k per bank. Models with the late motherboard (85-2806) could be upgraded to the faster CPU or larger memory if desired by changing some parts. The early motherboard (85-2653) could not be easily upgraded (plans for upgrading the early motherboard do exist, but it is a MASSIVE undertaking in terms of the number of changes, cuts and jumpers required. It takes a real masochist to undertake it). Barry Watzman [One of the architects of the Z-100 and the computer Product Line Director for both Heathkit and Zenith Data Systems from 1979-1983].

18 years, 4 months

Cromemco 64FDC manual, needed

by dm561＠torfree.net

Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 04:31:27 +0000 From: g-wright at att.net Subject: Cromemco 64FDC manual, needed >Content-Type: text/plain >I have been looking for a readable copy of the schematic for this card. >It seems that the Harte Technology copy is all that's out there. The >schematic is real poor quality >Anyone have one they have scanned ???? >Thanks, Jerry >Jerry Wright >g-wright at att.net ----------------- Marcus also has an excellent collection of Cromemco manuals at: http://maben.homeip.net/static/S100/cromemco/cards/index.html but it looks like his is the same scan as Howard's. They're good scans; it's the original that's bad. I'll look around to see if I've got a different revision of the manual which might be better. There were also a number of revisions and mods, depending on which CPU it was used with. Just curious: why do you need it? mike

18 years, 4 months

looking for a 16 volts dc walwart or equivalent

by chrism3667＠yahoo.com

a laptop p/s would be ideal. Anyone offhand know which lt's used 16 volts? Many thanks. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping

18 years, 4 months

Vintage Computer Marketplace Down ??

by fsmith＠ladylinux.com

On Wednesday 26 December 2007 01:00:34 pm cctalk-request at classiccmp.org wrote: Hi, It was not so much a complaint on my part but rather a observation. I run and own several web hosting companies so I know the difficulties involved. :-) I get mail from this list in digest form so there is some lag in getting notifies. > Someone has already confirmed that it was a planned outtage. Just to make > sure you don't miss this message I have CC'ed it to you. > > Sellam confessed to not doing a good job at communicating the planned > outtage, but it should be back up again soon once all the data is > transferred to new servers :) -- Kindest Regards, Francesca Smith "No Problems Only Solutions" Lady Linux Internet Services Baltimore, Maryland 21217

18 years, 4 months

Vintage Computer Marketplace Down ??

by fsmith＠ladylinux.com

Hi, I think its been over a week now as far as I can see. Just wondering if this is just me not being able to get to this site. Has it gone away ?? http://www.vintagecomputermarketplace.com/ -- Kindest Regards, Francesca Smith "No Problems Only Solutions" Lady Linux Internet Services Baltimore, Maryland 21217

18 years, 4 months

FREE: CDC CMD948

by tponsford＠rnsmte.com

Hi All One of the good things, or bad things, about being the "antique computer guy" at our local auctions is that I'm a frequent recipient of all things old, obsolete, or just unwanted. Someone mistakingly bought a lot item he did not want so rather than trashing it, he gave to me. I felt it was unique enough that maybe some of the brethren on ccomp might want it. It's a Control Data CMD 9448-96 "phoenix" modular (removable/fixed) disk drive in unknown condition. It reminds me of a RL01/02 disk. It looks to have everything there but until I find a manual, I know little about it. It is supposed to have a capacity around 80MB, has a 14" platter and is real heavy; 120+ lbs, so shipping is probably out of the question. If anyone wants it. It's yours for the taking as long as you come get it. I'm in SE Arizona outside of Tucson (near tombstone) and I do make trips to Phoenix or El Paso from time to time! I'll keep it around in my storage shed for a while at least! Cheers Tom Ponsford

18 years, 4 months

Curiosity on eBay UK: "antique" Video Conferencing System

by classiccmp.org＠stellar.eclipse.co.uk

Item number: 270198584951 <http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270198584951> A Google returns this 1993 article in which the product is mentioned: Just before Christmas, BT launched its VC7000 conference unit (made by Tandberg in Norway). This is a low-cost digital videophone, with a 25-centimetre colour cathode-ray tube screen which is switchable between 64 and 128 kbit/s working. It costs ?7500. BT puts the cost of an hour's video call at 128 kbit/s to the US at ?168, but Mercury promises to undercut this by nearly ?40. Call cost can be halved by switching the phone to work at 64 kbit/s, but most serious users prefer to pay more to get the better pictures and clearer sound available from 128 kbit/s working. The British telecommunications giant GPT is also selling 64-128 kbit/s systems, with screens measuring up to 70 centimetres, for around ?40 000.

18 years, 4 months

5.25 drive with sector output

by ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk

> The next question is, do the older drives have a filter on > them such that they would not output the index along with > the sector pulse? The normal way to separate index form secotr pulses was to have a non-retriggerable monostable that was triggered from the index sensor and which had a period a little less than the time between sector holes. It was triggered at the end of each hole. Normally it timed out after each sector hole, but was still set when the index hole came after the last sectore hole. The output of said monostabel sent the output of the index hole sesnor to either the 'sector' line or the 'index' line. What do you mean by 'older drives'? AFAIK no half-height 5.25" drive has such a feature. > The drive I'm planning on using is an old Qume drive with > a IBM lable on the front. It is a QUMETRAK 142. It is IIRC that's the drive used in the PortablePC and PCjr. In which case I'll have the schematics for it. Hang on... The index sensor on that drive goes into a schmitt trigger circuit using U16 f and U16c ('LS14). The output of that goes to U10c ('38) and thence tiooe the interface connector. TP7 is the index testpoint. There's no monostable, or filtering, or anytthing like that on this drive. Some drives, particularly 3.5" ones, have an adjustable monostable in the index circuit which lets you delay the index pulse. It's adjusted when the drive is aloighed to give the correct timing between the index pulse and the data ffrom the ehad -- twiddlign the pot is easier than moving the index sensor. Such a circuit could msess up what you're trying to do, but this IBM drive doesn't have anything like that. > good to work on because it is all descrete parts and > TTL ( some analog IC's as well ). Still, if they have a > filter on the index, I should be able to modify it. > I only see one pot in that area of the board and I suspect > that it is for the pulse witdh of the index. I can find 2 pots on the schrmatic. R56 (connected ot U1, an LM2917), sets the spidnle motor speed. R63, connectrd to U2 (MC3740) is the common read-data balance adjustment. -tony

18 years, 4 months

Yet another VT-100 emulator

by dm561＠torfree.net

Date: Mon, 24 Dec 2007 01:20:15 -0000 From: "Ensor" <classiccmp at memory-alpha.org.uk> Subject: Re: Yet another VT-100 emulator <snip> >But like everyone else, you've missed the point. The OP was originally >asking about standard IBM cards, not about VESA "standard" cards which are a >different kettly of fish.... >TTFN - Pete. ------------ Actually, I think *you*'re missing the point of this whole thread, which is the feasibility of 132 column mode in Dave's VT-100 emulator; FYI I'll quote the OP: ... "Does anyone know if any of the more modern (ie: VGA) cards support enhanced 132 column text modes? - And is the video addressing basically the same except for 132 words of memory per line instead of 80? And where to find more information? If it could be reliably determined that support was there, and it is compatible with my text windowing code, it would not be difficult to add support for it." ... m

18 years, 4 months

What is a Heathkit H120?

by legalize＠xmission.com

Supposedly its a computer, but I can't seem to find anything on the net about it. old-computers.com in particular let me down. -- "The Direct3D Graphics Pipeline" -- DirectX 9 draft available for download <http://www.xmission.com/~legalize/book/download/index.html> Legalize Adulthood! <http://blogs.xmission.com/legalize/>

18 years, 4 months

Clearout, final offers [UK]

by classiccmp＠memory-alpha.org.uk

One last try, this stuff is going to start getting junked at the end of this week unless someone pipes up: --Monitors-- SGI 19" Colour Monitor (white in colour, unknown model #) Philips MDA/Hercules Monitor --Terminals-- Televideo 950 (*2, spares or repair) Wyse 30 Zenith Z89 (spares or repair) --Computers-- Power Macintosh (Dunno model # offhand) BBC Micro (*2) CBM PET (at least 3, plus floppy drive units) Tandon PAC-286 (c/w kbd, monitor, printer) --Printers-- HP LaserJet+ IBM ProPrinter XL24 (unknown condition) --Other-- Philips CDD-462 External CD-ROM drive Odd stand alone NCR tape drive unit Telexbox III (possibly *2) BT Modem rack (contains some 10 14k modem cards) Philips BSB Satellite Receiver (*3) Tatung BSB Satellite Receiver Panasonic Analogue Satellite Receiver "Micro Decision" magazines from 1989/90 There's a reasonable amount of other stuff which I haven't been able to get at to catalogue yet which will also be on offer. Please contact me directly at "ensor" at the domain name this message came >from for more details or if you're interested in any of this stuff as I'll be quitting the list over the next couple of days. TTFN - Pete.

18 years, 4 months

Yet another VT-100 emulator

by classiccmp＠memory-alpha.org.uk

>> But like everyone else, you've missed the point.... > That must be why didn't add VESA 132-column mode to his VT100 >emuatlor.... Which is something which came along sometime AFTER the original question was posed, moron....

18 years, 4 months

Yet another VT-100 emulator

by dm561＠torfree.net

---------Original Message: Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2007 01:37:08 -0000 From: "Ensor" <classiccmp at memory-alpha.org.uk> Subject: Re: Yet another VT-100 emulator Hi, >>> Not likely - as far as I know there are no standard PC text >>>video modes that give 132 columns. >> >> Long ago I had a 132char driver for the Hercules/TTL mono video >>card. I was based on the 720x348 mono graphics mode. > > As far as I know there are no **STANDARD** PC text video modes >that give 132 columns. Precisely, just what is so difficult about that statement for people on this list to understand!!?? The bottom line is that the **ONLY** ***STANDARD*** text modes supported by EGA and VGA adapters are 40 and 80 column. END OF ARGUMENT. PERIOD. Whilst it is perfectly true that most/all "SuperVGA" cards support one or more 132 column text modes, these modes - along with their mode numbers - are unique to each manufacturer and indeed often differ between chipsets >from the same manufacturer! Great if you want to tie your software to working with only a single brand of chipset/graphics card (which I doubt is what the OP wants), but otherwise utterly useless.... <snip> The OP needs modes which work on ALL adapters, not non-standard modes which work on a small number of Mickey Mouse cards which noone uses.... TTFN - Pete. ---------Reply: VESA will be disappointed to hear that their VBE standard which does define four 132-column modes (109 - 10C) is not a "standard" at all (insofar as anything in this field can be considered "standard.") http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VESA_BIOS_Extensions I'd say a Mickey Mouse card is one that does *not* implement the VESA extensions, and I think there's more than just one brand that *does*... But if you think we should all be restricted to EGA and VGA modes (who actually has an EGA or VGA card and/or monitor?) then who am I to argue; I personally find 132 columns useful at times. mike

18 years, 4 months

5.25 drive with sector output

by cclist＠sydex.com

From: ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk > The normal way to separate index form secotr pulses was to have a > non-retriggerable monostable that was triggered from the index sensor and > which had a period a little less than the time between sector holes. It > was triggered at the end of each hole. Normally it timed out after each > sector hole, but was still set when the index hole came after the last > sectore hole. The output of said monostabel sent the output of the index > hole sesnor to either the 'sector' line or the 'index' line. The period of the monostable is pretty flexible--anything longer than half the time between sectors and less than the time between sectors will work. If you're "back of the envelope-ing" it, you might shoot for 75% of the time between sectors. This would allow a pot-less design, as the component tolerances would be well within the "slop" allowed in timing. > Some drives, particularly 3.5" ones, have an adjustable monostable in the > index circuit which lets you delay the index pulse. It's adjusted when the > drive is aloighed to give the correct timing between the index pulse and > the data ffrom the ehad -- twiddlign the pot is easier than moving the > index sensor. Such a circuit could msess up what you're trying to do, but > this IBM drive doesn't have anything like that. Most newer 3.5" drives subsume the "ready" circuit into a monolithic hunk of silicon with the rest of the drive control. Index output pulses are blocked until the period between indexes satisfies some internal "ready" standard. Also, 3.5" drives can have *very* wide index pulses when compared to 5.25" and 8" drives. Of course, any 5.25" drive with this logic (and it's very common) will view a hard-sector disk as not being anywhere near the correct speed, so will not only not come ready, but will block *all* index pulses going out. This feature has a curious implication if you decide to replace an older drive without the "block index until ready" logic with a newer drive with that logic. Many controllers (such as the WD1770) or software will count up a few sectors after select or motor on before commencing an operation. The result is that everything still works, but the latency after selecting a drive increases significantly. Note that once the drive been selected and come ready, this is not an issue. For what it's worth, Chuck

18 years, 4 months

Merry Newtonsday!

by dm561＠torfree.net

Message: 5 Date: Mon, 24 Dec 2007 16:58:17 +0000 From: ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk Subject: Merry Newtonsday! >Merry Christmas, Newtonsday, Yule, Winter Solstice, or whatever you celebrate >to all members of this list and their families. ---------------- And also from me, best wishes to all for a warm and happy holiday with friends and family, and a 2008 filled with successful cc restorations, one- of-a-kind finds, and/or whatever brings you pleasure and joy. mike

18 years, 4 months

Vintage Marketplace IS down (on purpose)...

by lbickley＠bickleywest.com

I was just email chatting with Sellam - here's the "scoop" on Vintage Marketplace: "Yep, a planned outage. ?We're moving everything over to a new server and new software. ?It'll take a while. ?I guess I should've done a better job of communicating this ;)" Cheers, Lyle -- Lyle Bickley Bickley Consulting West Inc. Mountain View, CA http://bickleywest.com "Black holes are where God is dividing by zero"

18 years, 4 months

CrayLink cabling prohibited on Origin 2000 deskside

by compoobah＠valleyimplants.com

On Dec 24, 2007, at 1:39 AM, Richard wrote: > Origin2000 and Onyx2 Deskside and Rackmount Installation Instructions > Document Number 108-0155-002 > 12/96 > pg. 6-36 > > "Caution: You cannot install CrayLink interconnect cabling on a > standalone deskside system because of power grounding > requirements. The power differential between two interconnected > modules should not exceed 500 millivolts; otherwise severe damage > can result to boards and other components inside the chassis. The > power distribution unit (PDU) inside the rack provides a common > ground source for the modules. In addition, the groundstraps are > installed on multirack configurations to help provide common > grounding across the racks as described in Section 6.16" > > That seems about as blunt as you can get. I'm not sure about that- you can CrayLink to Origin 200s together, the only requirement being the common ground (plug them into sockets with the same ground, run a thick ground between the chassis, or (as I have) stack them one on another if they don't have the skins). If you can do it with an Origin 200, then you can do it with a Origin 2000, since the hardware is very similar. You might need to get creative with the grounding, though, and make sure it's done well (perhaps two grounding straps of ~12AWG connected to different locations). Perhaps SGI did not design the ground point into the O2k deskside as they did in the O200, but we're a creative bunch here.

18 years, 4 months

2N2/256-BSCP

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: Re : 2N2/256-BSCP > From: Dave McGuire <mcguire at neurotica.com> > Date: Mon, 24 Dec 2007 11:08:01 -0500 > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic Posts Only" <cctech at classiccmp.org> > >On Dec 24, 2007, at 3:56 AM, ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk wrote: >>>> Given that there's a limit on the number of transistors, I don't >>>> see what >>>> advantage using SOT23s would give you. >>> >>> It'd be easier to assemble. >> >> Only if you don't spend hours looking for the transistors that flew off >> the end of your tweezers :-). > > Oh, SOT23s are easy to deal with. 01005-size components are the ones >that just disappear without a trace. > >> My point is that while SOT23s didn't exist 40 years ago, there is no >> real >> reason to prohibit them in a project like this. Limit the number of >> transistors, sure. Insist on an architecture that could be built 40 >> years >> ago, sure. But should the use of a storage 'scope to debug the thing be >> prohibited too, on the grounds that hobbyists 40 yrars ago were lucky >> to >> have _any_ 'scope? Do you prohibit writing simulators for the >> transistorised machine, on the grounds that 40 years ago hobbyists >> wouldn't have had anything to run them on? > > I'd have to agree. Actually the Accutron watch used a very small tansistor to excite the tuning fork the package was a three legged item of .095" diameter and 0.130 long with the 3 leads exiting the end. I've had 4 of them in my parts collection for over 35 years looking for a small project. Small existed back then. Keep in mind the Apollo Guidence computer is over 40 years old and that was 3input nor gates! Transistor computers were near their end 40 years ago with ICs making inroads. So comments on predominently transistor computers really have to point to prior to around 1968ish and thats within a week of 40 years ago. The interesting transistor machines are in the time frame of TX1 through PDP-8 roughly 1957 to 1967 (someon can fine tune those days). Anywho the dividing line is around 1963 and prior for germainium transistors (grown and diffused junctions types) and after then for silicon devices with superior characteristics. Allison > > -Dave > >-- >Dave McGuire >Port Charlotte, FL

18 years, 4 months

Merry Newtonsday!

by ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk

Merry Christmas, Newtonsday, Yule, Winter Solstice, or whatever you celebrate to all members of this list and their families. I wonder if anyone will get any classic computer related presents :-). We can always hope... I'll probably spend tomorrow doing what I've been doing for the last few months. Namely slowly restoring an HP9836 (and HP9826, they're very closely related). I am currently having problems posting to the list. Mail from my home box bounces (something about the time not being compliant with the approriate RFC). I can post from an internet cafe, but obviously not easily over the holiday period. I know I've changed nothing my end, I guess it's an 'upgrade' somewhere else... -tony

18 years, 4 months

2N2/256-BSCP

by ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk

> > Given that there's a limit on the number of transistors, I don't > > see what > > advantage using SOT23s would give you. > > It'd be easier to assemble. Only if you don't spend hours looking for the transistors that flew off the end of your tweezers :-). My point is that while SOT23s didn't exist 40 years ago, there is no real reason to prohibit them in a project like this. Limit the number of transistors, sure. Insist on an architecture that could be built 40 years ago, sure. But should the use of a storage 'scope to debug the thing be prohibited too, on the grounds that hobbyists 40 yrars ago were lucky to have _any_ 'scope? Do you prohibit writing simulators for the transistorised machine, on the grounds that 40 years ago hobbyists wouldn't have had anything to run them on? -tony

18 years, 4 months

Zilog S8000

by ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk

> Yeah, you and me both! I had two of them in 1989 or so, a Model =20 > 21 and a Model (I think) 41. I sold the former and ran the latter =20 > for quite a while. It was a really, really nice machine! ZEUS =20 > (Zilog Enhanced UNIX System) performed well and seemed nicely done =20 > overall. You're convicning me to get mine out and get it running again.... I have a model 30 (I think). It's built in 4 slices. The bottom 2 are just RS23 distribution panels, then next slice contains an SMD winchester and a QIC tape drtive, the top slice contains the cardcage. I remembr looking at the boards and seeing the Z8001 + suppoert devices, and Z80s on some of the otehr boards (not too suprising). -tony

18 years, 4 months

Unknown NEC IC's

by thrashbarg＠kaput.homeunix.org

Hi, I've desoldered some IC's off a board from an NEC workstation and there are two which I can't find any information on. Does anyone know what they are or perhaps have a datasheet? They are: D65030C022 (48 pin DIP) B6103C012 (40 pin DIP) They could be proprietary custom LSI IC's, I don't know. Also the CRT controller from the boards is a 64-pin DIP Hitachi HD63484 which will be saved for a neat project. I'm thinking of using a 6809 with UniFLEX, or even a 68000 with Minix, and perhaps making some sort of GUI for it... A long way off but I can dream :) Thanks, Alexis.

18 years, 4 months

FREE CDC CMD9448 drive

by ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk

> On Friday 21 December 2007 18:33, Tony Duell wrote: > > I do have the service manual for this drive. The thing I rememebr is th= > at > > you don't fiddle with the mechanics without reading it first, and even > > then tread carefully. There are all sorts of special tools you may need. > > That manual have "double sized" pages? That's what the one I have is lik= > e, I=20 > guess 11x17 or somesuch. No, it's normal A4-sih pages. Maybe fold-out schemcatis, but I don't think so. >From memory, my manaul doesn't say CDC on it, but it's clearly the same drive, I have a real CDC drive, and everything I've compared is identical. -tony

18 years, 4 months

OT sockets for Nixies

by ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk

> No, you still need the anode resistor. That's a > current limiting resistor. It's purpose is to prevent Rememebr that most glow discharges have a negative resistance. They will 'run away' if you don't include the limiting reisstor until the current gets so high that the tube explodes (literally!). > Remember, you don't need any fancy power IC's or DC-DC > converters - you can just rectify line voltage (an > isolation transformer is good if you do this...) and I would never recoemnd running an experimental circuit straight from the mains without isolation. Another useful trick (if your PSU already incorporates a normal mains transdormer) is to connect a small mains transformer of the same nominal voltage 'backwards' to the secodnary of the PSU transformer. That is, if you have a mains-9V trasnformer in the PSU anyway, get a small 9V mains transformer and connect the 9V winding (originally the secondary) to the secondary of the pSU transformer. You now have an isolated supply of about mains voltage, from what was originally the primary of that little transformer. -tony

18 years, 4 months

CrayLink cabling prohibited on Origin 2000 deskside

by legalize＠xmission.com

OK, I found it: Origin2000 and Onyx2 Deskside and Rackmount Installation Instructions Document Number 108-0155-002 12/96 pg. 6-36 "Caution: You cannot install CrayLink interconnect cabling on a standalone deskside system because of power grounding requirements. The power differential between two interconnected modules should not exceed 500 millivolts; otherwise severe damage can result to boards and other components inside the chassis. The power distribution unit (PDU) inside the rack provides a common ground source for the modules. In addition, the groundstraps are installed on multirack configurations to help provide common grounding across the racks as described in Section 6.16" That seems about as blunt as you can get. -- "The Direct3D Graphics Pipeline" -- DirectX 9 draft available for download <http://www.xmission.com/~legalize/book/download/index.html> Legalize Adulthood! <http://blogs.xmission.com/legalize/>

18 years, 4 months

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test-drb