test-drb

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

101090 discussions

by dkelvey＠hotmail.com

> From: ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk ---snip--->> > Alternatively make a stroboscope disk (either copy the one off a TM100 > pulley, or work out howm many segments you need and write a trivial bit > of postscript to draw it), stick that on the spindle pulley or > direct-drive motor rotor and view it under amins-powered lamp. > Hi For 60 Hz it is easy. If one uses a light like a neon, it will flash 120 times. An LED is just one direction unless one uses a full wave bridge to get a forward pulse on each cycle. As a single phase it is only 60 Hz. One thing to remember is that the LED can't take too high of a back voltage. Most red ones are rated for about 10V someplace. If feeding it with an AC source greater than the LEDs rate back voltage, one should do something to protect it. A series rectifier diode will work and reduce the power in the dropping resistor. A shunt diode will also work but the resistor will conduct on both half cycles. Lets assume we have 120 flashes per second as from a neon since the same disk would work with the 60 flash LED. A disk spinning at 300 RPM does 5 rotations per second. if we divide 120 by 5, we get 24 flashes per rotation. We just need to create a disk with 24 dark and 24 white segments. For a 360, we get 6 rotations a second. That works out to 20 flashes per rotation. That is 20 black and 20 white spaces. This could be printed with a spread sheet and a pie chart print, as I stated before. For 50 Hz, the 300 RPM is easy but the 360 doesn't work out. One gets 16.66 flashes per rotation. The only way I can think to make this work is to make a spiral that would have 50 dark and light strips over 3 revolutions. Ones eye would tend to follow the spiral. I'm not sure how to do this with a spread sheet. Maybe it could be done with some postscript code but I'm not sure how. Dwight _________________________________________________________________ Your smile counts. The more smiles you share, the more we donate.? Join in. www.windowslive.com/smile?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_Wave2_oprsmilewlhmtagline

18 years, 5 months

Fwd: ZX-81 Euro Meet

by aliensrcooluk＠yahoo.co.uk

Just found out about this (see below). I apologise if someone has already sent an email to the list about it (still behind in my emails). Regards, Andrew B aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk > Amazing that 27 years after its launch there is > planned the 12th annual meet of the ZX Team > in Mahlerts Germany. > > > 11th -13th April 2008 > > www.zx81.de >

18 years, 5 months

FD400 drive troubleshooting

by dm561＠torfree.net

------------Original Messages: > Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2007 12:17:31 -0800 (PST) > From: Fred Cisin > Subject: Re: FD400 drive troubleshooting > >>Many/most drives have 50Hz/60Hz zebra discs on the flywheel, for using a >>flickering fluorescent light. > > Which just happens to be the ratio of 300RPM vs 360RPM, so that on a 300RPM > strobe disk w/a 60Hz light the 60Hz bars = 300RPM and the 50Hz bars = 360RPM. > > FWIW, Hi I think you have the ratio backward. The 60 Hz disk for 360 RPM can be used for the 50 Hz 300 RPM. Dwight ----------Reply: Well, unless you're just saying that a 60Hz 360RPM strobe disk (if you had one) would also sync at 300RPM under a 50Hz light, I don't see what's backward. The point was that 50/60Hz 300RPM strobe disks are common, and if you're in a 60Hz zone you can use the same disk for 8" and dual-speed drives as well. m

18 years, 5 months

Comark 1905

by peter＠aumod.co.uk

Hi Alan, You made a posting 5 years ago looking for cct for Comark 1905 Insulation Meter. Did you get any joy? - I also am looking, and as with you, current Comark gave me the brush-off. Best regards, Peter.

18 years, 5 months

FD400 drive troubleshooting

by dm561＠torfree.net

--------------Original Message: Date: Sat, 24 Nov 2007 00:14:35 +0000 (GMT) From: ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell) Subject: Re: FD400 drive troubleshooting > >>Many/most drives have 50Hz/60Hz zebra discs on the flywheel, for using a > >>flickering fluorescent light. > > > > Which just happens to be the ratio of 300RPM vs 360RPM, so that on a 300RPM > > strobe disk w/a 60Hz light the 60Hz bars = 300RPM and the 50Hz bars = 360RPM. > > > > FWIW, > > Hi > I think you have the ratio backward. The 60 Hz disk for 360 RPM > can be used for the 50 Hz 300 RPM. I think you're both saying the same thing. Assuming you're in the States and have a 60Hz light source available, then take the standard '300 rpm 50/60Hz' strobe disk found on, say, the TM100. The '60Hz bars' will let you check a 300rpm spindle (obviosuly), the '50Hz bars' _used with a 60-Hz lamp_ will check a 360rpm spindle. -tony -------------Reply: Yes, I think that's exactly what I said, although I included Canada and any other place that uses 60Hz, and I don't see what's backward about it. I only mentioned this happy coincidence (and almost regret having done so) because I thought perhaps not everyone in 60Hz country was aware that they could use a common 50/60Hz strobe disk off a 300RPM drive to also check the speed of a 360RPM 8" or dual-speed drive. m

18 years, 5 months

Booting XXDP+ from a secondary controller

by bob＠jfcl.com

> Glen Slick (glen.slick at gmail.com) wrote: >What are you using for the primary and secondary MSCP controllers and >what disk units do you have configured on each controller? What I'm trying to do is very much like you configuration - my real 11/53 has a KDA50 with 2xRF70 drives and the secondary MSCP controller is a SQ703. You can demonstrate my problem with simh, though - build a bootable XXDP+ v2.5 on a RD52 image, and then do this... sim> show cpu CPU, 11/53, NOCIS, idle disabled, autoconfiguration on, 3072KB sim> show rq RQ, address=17772150-17772153*, no vector, 2 units RQ0, 159MB, attached to one.rd54, write enabled, RD54 RQ1, 159MB, attached to two.rd54, write enabled, RD54 sim> show rqb RQB, address=17760334-17760337*, no vector, 30MB, attached to xxdp25.rd52, write enabled, RD52 sim> b rqb0 HALT instruction, PC: 016146 (CLR (R1)) If you attach xxdp25.rd52 to rq0, it'll boot fine - sim> att rq0 xxdp25.rd52 sim> b rq0 BOOTING UP XXDP-XM EXTENDED MONITOR ... etc, etc .... I suspect you have to patch something in the XXDP+ image with UPDAT to get it to talk to the secondary CSR, but I don't know the details. Thanks, Bob

18 years, 5 months

Commodore PET first shipemnt in mid October 1977.

by swtpc6800＠comcast.net

I found an item based on a Commodore press release in Byte Magazine, February 1978, Page 190. This establishes the first shipment as mid October 1977. Commodore Ships First PET Computers (Photo of Chuck Peddle) The PET computer made its debut recently as the first 100 units were shipped to waiting customers in mid October 1977. Here Commodore Systems Division Director Chuck Peddle is pictured with the PETs undergoing final checkout. Shipments were made about six weeks later than expected, according to Peddle. The delay was due in part to time consuming quality control measures and the material flow problem in starting up the production lines. "In this business," Peddle argued, "six weeks is actually pretty good." Many of the first units were delivered to customers who intend to develop software for the PET. Commodore plans to create a publishing house for programs developed by users as well as employees. The company plans to increase production of the PET computers to several thousand per month by early 1978. The basic PET with 4 K memory is priced at $595, while the 8 K memory version is $795, >from Commodore Business Machines Inc, 901 California Av, Palo Alto CA 94304, (415) 326-4000. You can find a scan of the item here: http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/BYTE/Feb1978/Byte_Feb_1978_pg190.jpg Michael Holley

18 years, 5 months

Booting XXDP+ from a secondary controller

by bob＠jfcl.com

Is there a way to boot XXDP+ from a secondary MSCP controller (e.g. CSR at 760334) ? This isn't a PDP-11 boot ROM issue - the -11 (a 11/53+ in this instance) ROM has no problem booting from a secondary controller. The issue is that, once started, XXDP doesn't know that it should talk to this alternate CSR address and promptly dies. Thanks, Bob Armstrong

18 years, 5 months

MIT provides MULTICS source and documentation (DPS-8 simulation)

by aek＠bitsavers.org

> The I/O > on a full blown system is where a modern system might have emulation > problems This is exactly where simulation has been hung up for years. The mass storage and terminal system is complex, with microcoded controllers for tape and disk and dedicated front end processors for terminal/network I/O. KL10 simulation is a cakewalk compared to this (and the KL10 was no small feat of programming). I've dug up some additional information Olin Siebert didn't have, but there is still a lot of internal Honeywell HW/SW documentation on the I/O that hasn't been found. This whole issue has been bounced around on the Multics mailing list and alt.os.multics for years.

18 years, 5 months

*updating* 8088's

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: *updating* 8088's > From: Sridhar Ayengar <ploopster at gmail.com> > Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2007 14:28:30 -0500 > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > >Allison wrote: >>> Subject: Re: *updating* 8088's >>> From: "Chuck Guzis" <cclist at sydex.com> >>> Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2007 16:38:01 -0800 >>> To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> >>> >>> On 20 Nov 2007 at 16:27, Fred Cisin wrote: >>> >>>> Wasn't the PS/2 30 an 8086? (can't remember for sure) >>> Initially. A later version used the 286. The model 25 was, as far >>> as I'm aware, always an 8086. >> >> The model25 was 8088 powered and I think a few others of that series. > >Definitely not. 8086 or better. None ran an 8088. The one I have has an 8088, model 8530-002. Well actually I pulled the board out to use the case for an SB180 with Adaptec SCSI/MFM adpator, a Miniscribe 20mb disk plus reusing the 3,5" disk and power. Made a nice case for that. Been stripping the PCs board since. Must of had a strange one. ;) > >Peace... Sridhar

18 years, 5 months

*updating* 8088's

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: *updating* 8088's > From: Sridhar Ayengar <ploopster at gmail.com> > Date: Fri, 23 Nov 2007 04:02:14 -0500 > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > >Allison wrote: >>>>>> Wasn't the PS/2 30 an 8086? (can't remember for sure) >>>>> Initially. A later version used the 286. The model 25 was, as far >>>>> as I'm aware, always an 8086. >>>> The model25 was 8088 powered and I think a few others of that series. >>> Definitely not. 8086 or better. None ran an 8088. >> >> The one I have has an 8088, model 8530-002. Well actually I pulled >> the board out to use the case for an SB180 with Adaptec SCSI/MFM >> adpator, a Miniscribe 20mb disk plus reusing the 3,5" disk and >> power. Made a nice case for that. Been stripping the PCs board >> since. > >I've never owned a -002, but I have a -021 in the pile somewhere that >definitely has an 8086. The IBM Internal sales spec sheet I have here >shows the -002 having an 8MHz 8086. > >> Must of had a strange one. ;) > >If it was an 8088, you did indeed. 8-) No question on that. One of the few parts not stripped, have way to many of them and they are mostly useless to me. The 8087 however I did save. Allison >Peace... Sridhar

18 years, 5 months

Documentation for the AT&T Sceptre Videotex terminal

by classiccmp＠memory-alpha.org.uk

Hi, >....remap "Caps Lock" to be "CTRL" on my Model M's (along >with swapping ~ and ESC). Those are two of the things I detest the most about "modern" AT-style keyboards. "ESC" should be top left and "Ctrl" should be immediately below the "TAB" key. Oh, and most importantly, "Return" *SHOULD* be "J" shaped (or at least horizontal) rather than these annoying vertical ones we're subjected to nowadays....I'm forever hitting "#" by mistake, even to this day. Other than that they're OK; though I'd rather have the function keys down the left hand side of the keyboard where they belong! :-) >....If you use a keyboard long enough, you'll actually get used to >its key placement just fine, no matter how annoying it is at first, >I guess. With the sole exception of the "Return" key, I agree with you 100%. TTFN - Pete.

18 years, 5 months

FD400 drive troubleshooting

by rcini＠optonline.net

All: As you all know from previous posts, I?m having trouble with the drive system on my IMSAI. While I wait to receive a memory board and some other stuff from a friend of mine, Herb Johnson gave me some new energy in looking at the existing iCOM Frugal Floppy system. This system uses Pertec FD400 drives. One works perfectly, the other one has consistent CRC errors as evidenced by the CRC light on the drive cabinet, and BDOS errors reported by CP/M. I ensured that the spindle is engaging the diskette hub, and I also cleaned the heads using a wet cleaning diskette. Is there any common failure mode on this model of drive that I should start tracking down? I looked over the maintenance procedures for the drive and many if the tests allude to a diagnostics program that can manually control the spindle and head stepping. None of the iCOM manuals I have provide diagnostics code for manually controlling the drives in this manner. Before I start coding, does anyone have diagnostics code I can use? I found some code in the SIGM archive (for the iCOM 3712 controller) but it doesn?t seem to work properly with this controller. Thanks. Rich -- Rich Cini Collector of Classic Computers Build Master and lead engineer, Altair32 Emulator http://www.altair32.com http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp

18 years, 5 months

FD400 drive troubleshooting

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: FD400 drive troubleshooting > From: "Richard A. Cini" <rcini at optonline.net> > Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2007 19:54:46 -0500 > To: "Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > >All: > > As you all know from previous posts, I?m having trouble with the drive >system on my IMSAI. While I wait to receive a memory board and some other >stuff from a friend of mine, Herb Johnson gave me some new energy in looking >at the existing iCOM Frugal Floppy system. > > This system uses Pertec FD400 drives. One works perfectly, the other one >has consistent CRC errors as evidenced by the CRC light on the drive >cabinet, and BDOS errors reported by CP/M. I ensured that the spindle is >engaging the diskette hub, and I also cleaned the heads using a wet cleaning >diskette. Get in there and scrub the head with a swab. I found the wet disks didn't cut it long ago. Make sure the spindle speed is good and not irregular. Try swapping drives A and B and se if the problem moves with the drive or not. Just to make sure you not having a issues with something else. > > Is there any common failure mode on this model of drive that I should >start tracking down? Everyone I'd seen either had fallen apart mechanically (broken hubs, doors or other plastic) or the drive motor had gone noisy or mechanically flakey. NOTE: those motors often had bronze (oilite) bearings that dried out and then became oval or other wise out of useful shape. It was a side effect of lot of hours and the belts side tension. Result is the motor speed is uneven. I've seen bad boards too, usually tossed the board and salvaged from another mechanical pig. > I looked over the maintenance procedures for the drive >and many if the tests allude to a diagnostics program that can manually >control the spindle and head stepping. None of the iCOM manuals I have >provide diagnostics code for manually controlling the drives in this manner.. There maybe diags but your on you own to find them. > Before I start coding, does anyone have diagnostics code I can use? I >found some code in the SIGM archive (for the iCOM 3712 controller) but it >doesn?t seem to work properly with this controller. What controller (CHIP on the FDC board)? Allison > Thanks. > >Rich > >-- >Rich Cini >Collector of Classic Computers >Build Master and lead engineer, Altair32 Emulator >http://www.altair32.com >http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp

18 years, 5 months

Documentation for the AT&T Sceptre Videotex terminal

by classiccmp＠memory-alpha.org.uk

Hi, > So, uhm, am I the only person here that actually quite *liked* >the ZX81 keyboard? I never actually *liked* it, though I didn't especially dislike it either. And it was certainly streets ahead of the Spectrum's keyboard; *THAT* is one of my all time most hated keyboards....makes my flesh creep just thinking about it....uuuurghhh....<shudder>. TTFN - Pete.

18 years, 5 months

*updating* 8088's

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: *updating* 8088's > From: "Chuck Guzis" <cclist at sydex.com> > Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2007 17:01:14 -0800 > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > >On 21 Nov 2007 at 0:52, Ensor wrote: > >> I spent many happy hours running CP/M programs "under" MS-DOS on my V30 >> machine. >> >> Anyone remember the name of the program which facilitated this? > >Nope. Haven't a clue. 22nice and there were a few others. Allison > >Cheers, >Chuck

18 years, 5 months

Access to IOPAGE Registers using PDP-11 Opearting Systems

by bqt＠softjar.se

ons 2007-11-21 klockan 12:00 -0600 skrev "John A. Dundas III" <dundas at caltech.edu>: > Jerome, > > I can speak for RSTS with some authority, RSX with somewhat less authority. > > At 9:17 PM -0500 11/20/07, Jerome H. Fine wrote: > >I doubt that RSX-11 or RSTS/E allow a user access to the IOPAGE > >even via PREVIOUS DATA space. Can anyone confirm this assumption? > > Address space in the I/O page for RSTS jobs (processes) was not > directly available. The APRs are always controlled by the OS. It > MIGHT be possible for a privileged job to use PEEK/POKE SYS calls to > access the I/O page in the way you suggest but it would be > particularly difficult. I thought RSTS/E had some way of remapping the address space as well. Can't you remap parts of your memory to some shared region, for example? > RSX had a bit more flexibility (opportunity) in this regard. I > believe you can set up a CRAW$ (create address window) directive in > either Macro or Fortran to achieve the desired result. Yes with reservation. CRAW$ (create address window) is as a part of doing dynamic remapping of your address space. However, CRAW$ always required a named memory partition. You cannot create an address window to an arbitrary memory address. Also, the memory partitions have protections and ownership associated with them. On most systems, CRAW$ cannot get you access to the I/O page, simply because normally you don't have an address space and a partition associated with the I/O page. But if such a partition is created, then CRAW$, in combination with MAP$ would allow you to access the I/O page. The same thing can also be achieved even without CRAW$/MAP$, since you can specify mapping that your task should have already at task build time, with the COMMON and RESCOM options to TKB. Johnny

18 years, 5 months

Fwd: [alt.sys.pdp11] further collection reduction - TU80 availabl

by legalize＠xmission.com

This message has been forwarded from Usenet. To reply to the original author, use the email address from the forwarded message. Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2007 17:16:11 -0600 Groups: alt.sys.pdp11,comp.sys.dec,comp.os.vms,comp.sys.dec.micro From: "Lee K. Gleason" <lee.gleason at comcast.net> Subject: further collection reduction - TU80 available for free Id: <cL6dnat5DsemkNvanZ2dnUVZ_jWdnZ2d at comcast.com> ======== Free for pickup in Houston, Texas, near TC Jester and the North loop. This is a 9 track, reel to reel tape drive, it comes in a half height rack. It accepts tapes up to full size 2400 foot. Speed 25 IPS start/stop mode, 100 IPS streaming mode. Density is 1600 BPI. This TU80 was lightly used, and then stored in the back bedroom for the last 12 years or so. It was working when I stored it, don't have anything to test it with now. Here's your chance to own a piece of computing history! -- Lee K. Gleason N5ZMR Control-G Consutlants lee.gleason at comcast.net

18 years, 5 months

VAXmate for Windows

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: VAXmate for Windows > From: Adrian Graham <witchy at binarydinosaurs.co.uk> > Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2007 21:49:48 +0000 > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > >On 22/11/07 14:03, "Allison" <ajp166 at bellatlantic.net> wrote: > >>> This is why I've kept some ST225s behind. I'm pretty sure both VAXmates are >>> hard driveless, though I can't really speak for the boxed one as I've never >>> really delved in further than below the top foam :) >> >> Generally thy are. Theres a seperate underbox that adds the hard drive >> and controller. > >Ah yes! I remember those now from somewhere like the DECdirect catalogues, >though I never saw them in the field....must've been too expensive for our >customers. > >>> Yep, the one I remember using was a PCSA terminal. This was shortly before >>> we went through the sheer pain of a PCSA to LANMAN migration with Pathworks >>> V5, that's a few weekends of my life I'm not going to get back, heh. >> >> It was during my time at DEC and they wer like flies there. I still >> have kits for PCSAV4 and V5. > >Mostly the same here, I'm a CDDS hoarder, but lost the PCSA floppies I had >many moons ago. I have the complete slipcase kits with PAKs, TK50s and floppies (5.25"). However with more modern PC OS (95 on) having DECnet as a networking option along with LANman I haven't used it much. I have the uVAXes! Allison > >-- >Adrian/Witchy >Binary Dinosaurs creator/curator >Www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk - the UK's biggest private home computer >collection? >

18 years, 5 months

*updating* 8088's

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: *updating* 8088's > From: "Chuck Guzis" <cclist at sydex.com> > Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2007 12:41:07 -0800 > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > >On 21 Nov 2007 at 7:32, Allison wrote: > >> >> Anyone remember the name of the program which facilitated this? >> > >> >Nope. Haven't a clue. >> >> 22nice and there were a few others. > >That was intended as a bit of mock humility... :) > >Cheers, >Chuck ;) Yep, and I've found people that used it have forgotten it existed along with many other still useful tools. Allison

18 years, 5 months

FD400 drive troubleshooting

by dm561＠torfree.net

Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2007 07:58:17 -0500 From: "Richard A. Cini" <rcini at optonline.net> Subject: Re: FD400 drive troubleshooting >The way that the service manual tells you to check the speed is the pulse >width on a specific test point on the PCB. I was just going to use a laser >tach on the spindle...but I have to get a tach first :-) ----- Strobe disk?

18 years, 5 months

Documentation for the AT&T Sceptre Videotex terminal

by dm561＠torfree.net

-------------Original Message: Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2007 18:31:10 -0800 From: "C. Sullivan" <feedle at feedle.net> Subject: Re: Documentation for the AT&T Sceptre Videotex terminal On Nov 20, 2007, at 1:36 PM, Mark Meiss wrote: > It consists of a base unit that's somewhere around 13" x 11" x 4", > connected to a (fairly wretched) chicklet keyboard with a standard > 4-conductor telephone handset cord. The keyboard is powered by a > 9-volt battery. On the back of the main unit are connectors for > power, the keyboard, RS-232C (DB-25 female), composite video out, and > audio out. I had an AT&T SCEPTER terminal that was used with the Gateway service offered in Southern California from Times-Mirror/Pacific Telephone. It had a 1200 baud Bell 212-style modem built in. Also, the keyboard was infrared on the model I had. <snip> Gateway was a killer service back in 1983. It was expensive, but it was a lot of fun. And I remember dialing up BBSes with the SCEPTER terminal when my C-64's power supply crapped out... --------------Reply: Yeah, I have one of those (keyboards) somewhere in the pile and mine's IR as well, with the Gateway sticker still on the back. No worse than a PET to type on (if I had something to type to ;-) No Windows key either and not supported by Microsoft, so Woodelf would probably like it... m

18 years, 5 months

VAXmate for Windows

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: VAXmate for Windows > From: Adrian Graham <witchy at binarydinosaurs.co.uk> > Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2007 00:03:30 +0000 > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > >On 19/11/07 14:23, "Allison" <ajp166 at bellatlantic.net> wrote: > >> If the VAXmates have the optional hard disk box mind the cooling if RD32 >> (ST250? 40mb) as it ran very hot and tended to fail. The RD31 (st225 20mb) >> was lower power, cooler and far more reliable. > >This is why I've kept some ST225s behind. I'm pretty sure both VAXmates are >hard driveless, though I can't really speak for the boxed one as I've never >really delved in further than below the top foam :) Generally thy are. Theres a seperate underbox that adds the hard drive and controller. >> If you make it operational the VAXmate was a PCSA(Pathworks) terminal >> with Ethernet access to shared and private files on VAX/OpenVMS. The >> result made it a very useful system. Typical VAXmate had 2MB of ram >> some had 4, back then that was a large amount. > >Yep, the one I remember using was a PCSA terminal. This was shortly before >we went through the sheer pain of a PCSA to LANMAN migration with Pathworks >V5, that's a few weekends of my life I'm not going to get back, heh. It was during my time at DEC and they wer like flies there. I still have kits for PCSAV4 and V5. Allison > >-- >Adrian/Witchy >Binary Dinosaurs creator/curator >Www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk - the UK's biggest private home computer >collection? >

18 years, 5 months

Emulex QD33 and Seagate Sabre drive...

by ian_primus＠yahoo.com

I've been attempting to get a MicroVax II set up with a working, large hard drive. I have an Emulex QD33 Qbus SMD controller, and I'm trying to get it to work with a Seagate Sabre 9720-1230 hard drive. It's listed as being compatible with this controller in the manual. So far, I've gotten everything hooked up, and I can get into the controller's firmware by depositing various values at the >>> prompt. After entering the relevant settings (from the manual) for the hard drive, the controller will sort-of talk to the drive. It shows it as being available, but when I try to format it, the drive makes a buzzing noise for about 30 seconds, then I get the message that "This operation timed out". When I answer the error message with the enter key, the buzzing from the drive stops. This buzzing sounds like fast seeking, but it's not what I would expect a format to do, I am expecting more of a slow clunk... clunk... clunk... tapping noise as it seeks, and formats the drive. The CYL: display on the LCD of the drive never increments. I've tried various dip switch settings on the drive itself. The drives I have were originally used with a Wang computer system, but other than the faceplates being painted "Wang light brown" I don't know what other differences there might be. Their sector switches are set for 22 sector, so I entered that into the firmware. My next attempt, I'm going to try and change it to the default listed in the Emulex manual - but as long as the firmware and the drive agree, I don't think it much matters. I've tried different cylinder addressing modes, and both SMD modes (dip switches on the back of the drive) and no change. I've tried two identical hard drives, and get the same result, so I don't think I've just got a bad HDA. Both drives spin up and don't fault. Any ideas? -Ian

18 years, 5 months

cleaning house (actually shed)

by chrism3667＠yahoo.com

I have a few AT & T monitors (mono) I'm either giving away or throwing out. These were used w/the 6300 (640 x 400). One I found in someone's trash, the other in someone's yard (it was sitting out there for quite some time) in the snow. I turned both on 6 months to a year ago, and both worked, exhibited no noticeable screen burn, but one rolls, the other jitters. Free for shipping. If you think I'm nuts for even bothering to offer them, you're likely correct, but I hate throwing (most) anything away w/o seeing if someone can make use of them. Also 2 Atari (520ST etc) monitors, one mono, one color. Condition unknown. Found them in the trash too. Cables were snipped. There's a growing contingent of yuck-yucks 'round these parts who must think copper=gold. These were also exposed to some moisture, but not submerged. Both sets operate at about the same frequencies as a Tandy 2000, NEC APC III, and other TTL 400 line units. I also have ~2 dozen NOS SASI boards by Adaptec. I can e-mail a jpeg to any interested parties. About 1/3 are in anti-static bags, the rest wrapped in some other kind of clear plastic. 2$/plus shipping. They're driven by an 8085. I may have 2 or 3 Tandy 1000's for phree or close. Eventually I'll be unloading a few 2000's also, but those might have an issue (changing the video mode in BASIC cause the screen to lock up - ???). They belonged to a developer dude, so I'm wondering if he tinkered with them. Or maybe, just maybe the trace wasn't cut as required to upgrade the mono graphics cards to color, along with the addition of necessary ic's. Will have to check... ____________________________________________________________________________________ Get easy, one-click access to your favorites. Make Yahoo! your homepage. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

18 years, 5 months

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2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1997

test-drb