test-drb

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

101090 discussions

by dwightk.elvey＠amd.com

Hi Actually, I was bummed. I gave away about 1/2 lbs of candy corn and hardly got any votes. Many walked by and looked at my monitor and said " Ah, a Apple III." I finally had to put a piece of paper over the label so people would look a little closer. The monitor was just the first thing I could find at the top of the pile that lit up. I had a Poly-88 setup but I think only one in 10 noticed and even then, I think only 2 in those ten knew what it was. Of course, my display was all about tape recovery and not the Poly-88. I don't think, maybe, 5 people all together realized that. It was partly my fault. My title was a little small and I spent most of my time fighting with Larry over table space instead of talking to people ( Larry was cheating with Tootsie Pops! ). I had no cool graphics either. Next year I'll have better candy and a bigger title! Still, I had a great time. Thanks Sellam!!! Dwight >From: "Sellam Ismail" <foo(a)siconic.com> > >On Mon, 28 Oct 2002, Bill Sudbrink wrote: > >> Anyone out there want to enlighten us poor slobs stuck on the wrong side >> of the continent? Anyone putting any pictures on the web? > >It was a wholly awesome event. The most well-run VCF in the history of >the VCF (all talks on time and recorded and video taped). Nearly a >perfect exhibit (one problem with a circuit breaker on Sunday that was >promptly fixed) with Kraftwerk playing in the background, not to mention >the excellent exhibits themselves. We had broadband Internet access >in the Exhibit Hall plus a WAP. Plenty of good stuff in the vendor >area (much stuff for which I had to quell my impulse to buy, though I >did get a lot of keen donations). Lots of great literature at the >Propaganda Zone. Tours to the Computer History Museum, the California Air >and Space Center (which were only a short walk away) and an excursion to >the DigiBarn (http://www.digibarn.com). And the attendance was way >higher than expected (right up around 300). > >In my opinion it was one of the best VCF's yet. Next year it will be even >bigger and better. > >I will now turn my sights to VCF East 2.0. > >Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival >------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org > > * Old computing resources for business and academia at www.VintageTech.com * > >

23 years, 5 months

NeXT Dimension Question

by jingber＠ix.netcom.com

23 years, 5 months

Tales of VCF 5.0?

by dwightk.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Jim Battle" <frustum(a)pacbell.net> >At 06:09 PM 10/28/02 -0800, dwight elvey wrote: >>Hi >> Actually, I was bummed. ... >> I had a Poly-88 setup but I think only one in 10 noticed >>and even then, I think only 2 in those ten knew what it was. > >I spotted it, and I knew what it was. But how could you tell >that? Probably other people were the same. > >> Of course, my display was all about tape recovery and not >>the Poly-88. I don't think, maybe, 5 people all together >>realized that. > >That, I didn't spot. I noticed the waveforms on the wall, but amidst the >din (auditory and visual) it didn't register. I wish I had noticed, >though, since it is an area I want to spend some time working on one of >these years. Rather than letting it be lost to the moment, is there any >chance of you writing up your work and putting it online somewhere (even >posting it to this list and letting it get archived would work). > >I've read a half dozen very terse summaries of emulators and such that do >this, but most work only on really clean tapes. They simply do some DC >correction, perhaps a bit of filtering, and then time zero crossings and >decode from there. Have you done something more sophisticated than >this? Some of the Sol tapes I've looked at are way too corrupted for such >a simple technique to work. > >There are a lot of communication theory ideas that could be applied to the >problem directly; in addition, the file format is going to have some known >structure that could be used to help train the receiver and disambiguate >some cases. > >I'd be interested to hear more. >----- >Jim Battle == frustum(a)pacbell.net > > Hi Jim I will try to put something together. I did have an outline posted at the exhibit but hoped many would ask questions ( quite a few did but only about 1/3 of those knew what a Poly-88 was ). First, I didn't use any of the high tech methods. I know a reasonable amount about DSP, having taken a couple of courses and tinkered some as well. There is little in DSP that will fix a dropout caused by folded tapes. DSP can be used for such problems as high frequency rolloff or print-thru. These problems are often over stated and are not the most common problems. Understanding how the data is recorded and how your machine reads these back can be a large help. One also needs an alternate method of reading the tape because the canned software usually won't continue after an error. You also need to know the method used to validate the replay. If you are lucky, they used a CRC or ECC. In most cases, it was a simple check sum. Recovery is more about bringing all the known stuff together and recreating the missing parts. As long as the recorded data is something like a program or text the problem can often be solved. If it is something like raw data, ( strings of meaningless numbers ) the chances are poor. One of the first things to look for is duplicate tapes. Not all errors happen at the same place and same time. Like solving a mystery, it is all about putting all of the pieces together and not just a single part. It is easier then one would think but does take some time to develop the tools needed to get all the information. I don't have a web site to publish such information but I suspect someone will provide it. Anyway, I apologize for not having a bigger title. Even though Sellam gave us plenty of extra time, I was still doing a lot of last minute preparations. Dwight

23 years, 5 months

KIM-1 24-hour clock

by richy2000_nl_2000＠yahoo.co.uk

Hi Ross, Do you have the Source of your "KIM-1" clock for me. You told me about your clock, here: http://www.learnmicros.com . I have a KIM-1, but I'm afraid to connect it with power. I only can test it on emulators, so maybe you have it for me... Greetz, Richard, The Netherlands. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page >from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com

23 years, 5 months

VCF East ? [was:Re: VCF5]

by Qstieee＠aol.com

Connecticut sounds good to me too. I am around Hartford and I presume David A. Woyciesjes who is often on this list is around New Haven. If someone wants advice on venues ask me by direct e-mail.

23 years, 5 months

TRS80 Model 3 i/o connectors

by acme_ent＠bellsouth.net

> From: Fred Cisin (XenoSoft) <cisin(a)xenosoft.com> > IIRC, #26-1401 It is basically straight through, and can be made by > crimping a card-edge connector on one end of ribbon cable, and a > "centronics" amphenol connector on the other. Sorry, but I don't remember > which direction to offset the cable (for the 34 v 36) Thanks, Fred. The docs give the pinouts on the card-edge, so a cable should be no problem. > The other 34 pin is for external floppies. It should be possible to > identify which 34 is which by proximity to the disk controller. Piece of cake -- thanks again. > "expansion bus" On the model 1 it was 40 pin. Did they change to 50 on > the 3? I don't know -- I wonder why this is not shown in the docs? Later -- Glen 0/0

23 years, 5 months

360K drives

by acme_ent＠bellsouth.net

> From: DAVID L. ORMAND <dlormand(a)aztec.asu.edu> > I'm trying to help some guys outfit TI-99/4As with 360K > drives. A year or so ago, they were still available from > some of the surplus dealers I know about, but they seem > to have disappeared. > > Does anyone have a line on supplies of 360K drives? The > only ones I find via web search are $25, which seems a > bit much for a once-ubiquitous drive that is now a little > obsolete. I've been picking them up on eBay, often in never-been-used condition, for $10 - $12 including shipping. I've also found some in junk systems at thrift stores. They are not as easy to find (at least in my neck of the woods) as they were a couple of years ago, but the high-density "1.2 MB" drives seem to be everywhere (including my shop -- I've got almost 50 of them here!). Glen 0/0

23 years, 5 months

Repairing devices

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Oct 30, 16:38, Patrick Finnegan wrote: > I've got a 35mW HeNe Laser + Power supply that I picked up today for next > to nothing. It seems to be having some problems - the laser (somtimes) > blinks a few times when I first turn it on, and then stops. As a few others have said, most common cause of an HeNe laser failing to "lase" is loss of the helium. I, too, found that out the hard way. Interestingly, the more it's used, the less likely that is to happen in a given time (at least, so said the notes with the last HeNe tube I bought). > Now, I've never really worked on a HV power supply before, and I'm trying > to be careful when I play with things. First off, does anyone have a > general idea of what sized dummy load ("resisitor") I should try haning > off of the HV output to properly load it? I noticed that the laser tube > has 3x27kohm resistors in series, would a couple watt approx 81kohm > resistor be a good idea? Probably not. Although not always obvious from the specs, most resistors are only rated to some hundreds of volts, maybe a thousand or two. That's why your laser has three in series instead of one bigger one. > Also, does anyone have an idea for a failure mode to look for? I've got > an O'scope, dmm, and various other tools at my disposal, but no > 'authentic' HV test/mesurement gear. You want a proper insulated HV probe for a start... you need to be able to measure kilovolts if you want to check the power supply. Check out Sam's laser FAQ at www.repairfaq.org -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

23 years, 5 months

Manuals for IBM 2520 Card Reader?

by brian＠quarterbyte.com

Hi -- does anyone have any documentation for the IBM 2520 card reader? I know it's a long shot. (I checked Al Kossow's archive and don't see it there). Any leads would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Brian =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _| _| _| Brian Knittel _| _| _| Quarterbyte Systems, Inc. _| _| _| Tel: 1-510-559-7930 _| _| _| Fax: 1-510-525-6889 _| _| _| Email: brian(a)quarterbyte.com _| _| _| http://www.quarterbyte.com

23 years, 5 months

Bringing up a 10 years dormant VAX 11/750

by jwillis＠arielusa.com

I've removed (as of tonight) all the parts out of the chassis, documenting where everything goes. I cleaned the chassis very carefully. Once the card cage/ backplane was out, it was obvious that these parts were in beautiful condition, if not more than a little bit dusty. A couple of bent pins in back were easily corrected, and the entire assembly sits waiting to be reinstalled in the chassis. The TU58, unfortunately, did not fare quite as well, as the mice had chosen it as their nesting place. After finally managing to get the tape that was in it loosened up, it came out coated with mouse fur and mouse droppings etc. The rollers are entirely wound up in this stuff. It sits in a box awaiting later attempts at cleaning. I hold out little hope. The power supply, which seems to consist of a controller and two actual PSUs, looks solid from the outside, and also what I can see of the inside. It appears to have large battery packs in the bottom of it. These, certainly, would be dead after all this time. Are they important? Maybe theyre not even batteries... The H7112A looks solid, but again, I haven't explored inside. Everything in the system has a light coating of New Mexico red clay dust. The blower/motor assembly from the bottom of the cabinet awaits cleaning. The blower itself turns freely, which I'm taking as a good sign. The cards are pristine, L0002, L0003, L0004, L0008, L0007, L0016. There are 8 memory boards (M8750), several bus grant cards, a card labeled "M9313" and one labeled "M9202." I also found in the bottom of the system an M9014 Unibus to H854 adapter that wasn't plugged in. I also have a DELUA. -----Original Message----- From: Zane H. Healy Sent: Tue 10/29/2002 9:35 PM To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org Cc: Subject: Re: Bringing up a 10 years dormant VAX 11/750 > I just a couple of days ago picked up a VAX 11/750. This machine has Cool! > been stored > in a damp shed for ten years or so, has had mice living in it, and the > usual assortment of spiders, etc. Oh, SHUDDER! It sounds like you're in for an interesting restoration process. > to the control panel and TU58 tape drive. I'm in the process of cleaning > all the components, > but am in search of some advice on this process, especially the power > supply. How long > should I let the power supply dry out from its prior damp condition, and > what should > I do to bring it up for testing without risking damage to other > components? I wish to > do this methodically and carefully. Unless this is a powersupply that needs a load on it when you power it on (anyone know?), I'd recommend having it totally disconnected when you power it on. I'd also recommend you have someone else standing by with a C02 Fire Extinguisher for safety. As for how long it needs to dry before powering up, I'm not really sure, if you've got it in a warm, heated location, I'd say a week or two should be plenty (probably doesn't need that much but it's better to ere on the side of caution). Something to do in the mean time is to look for corrosion and to get everything good and clean. I'm most concerned about your powersupply and backplane. Also take a look at the rollers in your TU58. While the following is for a PDP-8, you might find it useful. http://pdp-8.org/revive.htm Definitly read up on what Aaron has to say about Backplanes. Zane

23 years, 5 months

I can't believe this?!??!

by dittman＠dittman.net

BTW, I've found my VAX 4000 reports errors and will not boot if the KZQSA is not properly terminated. -- Eric Dittman dittman(a)dittman.net Check out the DEC Enthusiasts Club at http://www.dittman.net/

23 years, 5 months

Best version of AIX for my RS6000

by ceby2＠csc.com

> ...Yes it does! I'm using it right now on a POWERserver 370 (7012-370) at > work an it runs just fine. (That's a 62,5MHz POWER proc, 64bit memory > bus, and MCA for those who don't know.) ... Let me just echo those sentiments. I'm currently running AIX5L on a 7013-591 at the office and a 7012-390 at home. Both of these machines are similar in spec to the 370 and 580 Pat mentioned. Mine have 128MB and 256MB RAM respectively. I can also add that I've had full graphic support on both. In fact the only graphics nightmare I've had with backward compatibility is with my 860(RS6000 Laptop). It depends on your card of course, but the graphics on my systems are just fine. Odd to say, but in most things non-CPU bound, these are the fastest machines I have at the moment, including the PII linux boxes. The IO in these boxes is fab'. > If you need any help with AIX things feel free to email me, I'm now > involved (somewhat) with some sysadmining of AIX boxen at work, so I might > be able to help with OT things (or talk to someone who has been for a > while).... I'll also echo Pat's offer of help. I'm trained, current and even somewhat proficient with both the recent gear and the vintage stuff. I'm not a sysadmin anymore, though -- I consult on performance engineering. Colin Eby ceby2(a)csc.com

23 years, 5 months

[OT] paper on Retro ?

by xds_sigma7＠hotmail.com

However, documentation/softwareless old computers make wonderful doorstops. Actually, I gave a couple gutted 5360s away to a friend who made them into a workbench, I had stripped the good stuff from them already. Waste not, want not. Will J _________________________________________________________________ Internet access plans that fit your lifestyle -- join MSN. http://resourcecenter.msn.com/access/plans/default.asp

23 years, 5 months

Destroying a SX-64.. :-(

by xds_sigma7＠hotmail.com

Yeah, everyone knows you're supposed to put a blown, alcohol-injected 392cid Chrysler hemi in a T-bucket, not some chevy garbage... LOL Will J _________________________________________________________________ Choose an Internet access plan right for you -- try MSN! http://resourcecenter.msn.com/access/plans/default.asp

23 years, 5 months

VCF East ? [was:Re: VCF5]

by cb＠mythtech.net

>I'll second that, although a VCF 'near' New Jersey *might* be close >enough for me to attend... Being that everything in NJ is within driving distance (as opposed to RI where everything is within walking distance)... I would most likely attend if it were held within about 4 hours drive from Northern NJ (so DC or similar to the south, Mid to West PA to the west, and Boston or abouts to the North.... not much of a swimmer, so going east is out of the question for me). But I would attend purely as a spectator/buyer (I'm assuming that is allowed... you aren't forced to expo things to get in right?) -chris <http://www.mythtech.net>

23 years, 5 months

[OT] paper on Retro ?

by Fred.van.Kempen＠microwalt.nl

All, Today I got a call from one of Holland's major daily newspapers (for those of you who are curious: its the NRC Handelsblad). They asked me if I were willing to write them a feature article on "Retro computing: strange people, or a necessity for the future?". This (working) title is mine; what they mean is: are we just being weird geeks, or is preserving the computing past something required for future generations to understand the world in which they live, and how things got to be that way? I have done books and various articles in papers before, but I do feel a little uncomfortable writing about things I have been involved in for only about 5 years or so. Any suggestions here? [the answer, by the way, is: "yes, we're weird. so deal with it."] Cheers, Fred

23 years, 5 months

FS: hard sectored floppy disks, E&L Z-80 SBC, slide rules, CBM disk drive manual -- More!

by rigdonj＠cfl.rr.com

<http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=rigdonj> Some ending today so check now!

23 years, 5 months

Need a Corvus Mirror

by foo＠siconic.com

Does anyone have a Corvus Mirror? I need it for a project. Please contact me directly if you do. <sellam(a)vintage.org> Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org * Old computing resources for business and academia at www.VintageTech.com *

23 years, 5 months

VCF East ? [was:Re: VCF5]

by CordaAJ＠NSWC.NAVY.MIL

D.C. Sounds like a good idea. There are a also a number of other attractions in the area, such as the Smithsonian and various historical sites, etc. (Of course, the fact that it's local to me has had no impact on my opinion ;-) -al- > -----Original Message----- > From: Dan Veeneman [mailto:dan@ekoan.com] > Sent: Wednesday, October 30, 2002 10:58 AM > To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org > Subject: RE: VCF East ? [was:Re: VCF5] > > > At 10:11 AM 10/30/02 -0500, you wrote: > > > I vote for somewhere in CT this year, it will give those in the > > Southeast an > > > easier drive up (seems like a lot of people in Virginia > and PA would > > attend) > > > and be more of a median point for all. > > > >I vote for Washington, DC. The above mentioned people could attend > >plus the Florida contingent might come up. (Not to mention it's > >where I live :-) ) > > I vote for DC as well, or at least somewhere close by. It > would also give > the attendees a chance to visit the NSA's Cryptologic Museum, which > does have some interesting old computers as well. You can read more > about the museum at http://www.nsa.gov/museum/ . > > > Cheers, > > Dan >

23 years, 5 months

I can't believe this?!??!

by dittman＠dittman.net

> I must be google-ly impaired, I tried all different combo's of kzqsa > jumpers, settings, technical and so forth and the closet I found was a > cryptic response from the HP/Compaq Vax Wizard which said a lot but told you > nothing, thanks Eric, where do you want that Jolt sent? :-) No charge, Curt. :-) -- Eric Dittman dittman(a)dittman.net Check out the DEC Enthusiasts Club at http://www.dittman.net/

23 years, 5 months

OK, I think I've stepped in it... (MICOM 2000)

by wh.sudbrink＠verizon.net

I just got the UPS tracking info, this thing weighs 100 pounds!? I thought I was being gouged on the shipping, but now I see I wasn't. It just doesn't look that big in the pictures. Anyway, when these two crates show up on my doorstep, my wife is going to have a cow! Space is tight here and I've just managed to get my collection as it stands under control. So, I'm going to need to move this beast fast. Is there anyone in the Washington, DC area that wants to take it off my hands for what I have invested in it ($30 cost + $50 shipping)? Email quick, UPS says it arrives on Friday (11/1). Thanks, Bill

23 years, 5 months

I can't believe this?!??!

by dittman＠dittman.net

> In all that is the collective geek-dome of classic computers, I find it > boggling to see that no one has (or wishes to share... you greedy SOB ;-) > the technical manual and/or jumper settings for the elusive DEC KZQSA Qbus > to SCSI adapter boards.... come on, I challenge the collective knowledge > base of the DEC geeks to come up with this mysterious and treasured > knowledge and share it with the list. The winner gets a free 6 pak of > JOLT soda for those looooonnnnngggggggg caffeine induced late nights ;-) Courtesy of Google (first entry I found): There are three sets of jumpers on the KZQSA: 1) W1 to W7 select the CSR address; the interrupt vector is programmable, so there are no jumpers to set it. Since it sounds like your setup is fairly simple, I'll guess that your CSR is at or near the default address and list a few corresponding jumper settings ... if the CSR that CONFIGURE gives you is not below, you might want to post it, so that one us can verify the correct jumper settings, just to be on the safe side. CSR W7 W6 W5 W4 W3 W2 W1 ------ -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 761300 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 (default) 761400 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 761500 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 But generally, you can work out the jumper settings as follows: if W7 is 0 (not set), the CSR is 76xy00, but it it is set (1), the CSR is 77xy00; the octal digit "x" is determined by the settings of W6 to W4, and the digit "y" is determined by W3 to W1 as illustrated by a few examples: 760100 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 760400 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 761000 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 764000 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 770000 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2) W9 to W13 determine the memory base address; the default is the address range 01000000-01377777 for the 128 KB memory on the KZQSA, for which only W10 is set and the others are not. You need to arrange for all modules that use Qbus memory space to have unique address ranges ... but this is normally not such a problem, since not so many modules use Qbus memory space. To see if it is a problem in your configuration, issue a SHOW QBUS command from the console prompt (>>>); at the end of the output (after the scan of IO space), you will find the Scan of Qbus Memory Space, which shows which address ranges are in use. If 01000000-01377777 does not overlap any range currently in use (if any), you have no problem and can just use the default jumper setting here. Otherwise, the address selection jumpers just increase the base address of the KZQSA's 128 KB memory in steps of 128 KB; i.e., address range W13 W12 W11 W10 W9 ----------------- --- --- --- --- --- 00000000-00377777 0 0 0 0 0 00400000-00777777 0 0 0 0 1 01000000-01377777 0 0 0 1 0 (default) 01400000-01777777 0 0 0 1 1 ... 17400000-17777777 1 1 1 1 1 Also note that W8 is in the same jumper block as W9-W13; I have no idea what it does, probably best to leave it alone... 3) W14 to W16 set the SCSI ID of the KZQSA; W14 sets the MSB (4) and W16 the LSB (1). The default is 7, which should be OK for most purposes. -- Eric Dittman dittman(a)dittman.net Check out the DEC Enthusiasts Club at http://www.dittman.net/

23 years, 5 months

Anyone need 486 motherboards?

by cb＠mythtech.net

Does anyone want some 486 motherboards? I'm not sure who makes them (made in Tiawan, SiS chipset). They have the CPU (486 DX/2 50Mhz); 6 ISA slots, 2- 72pin SIMM slots and 8- 30 pin slots, AMI bios, AT keyboard, SiS chipset. And I'll throw in the VGA card and I/O cards that are currently installed with them (I/O card has FDD, IDE, LPT, 2- Com). Both are ISA cards, but have a 2nd connector that looks a bit like AGP and hangs off the back end of the ISA slots (3 of the 6 slots have this addition connector, so these two cards fit into 2 of those). CMOS batteries are soldered on, and corroded, but were working and holding power as of not too long ago (these machines were last used a month or so ago). If anyone wants them (there are 4), let me know before I pull all the jumpers off and toss the motherboards. Or if anyone just wants 486 CPUs, let me know. I have the 4 listed above with the boards, and another 3 or 4 pulled from other boards (not sure on the specs for them, if there is interest, I'll check). -chris <http://www.mythtech.net>

23 years, 5 months

The 5155 Challenge...

by SecretaryBird＠SoftHome.net

could fit in there. > > Here is a picture of the (almost) final results... > Naturally, I forgot to post the link to the picture... http://www.oz.net/~otter/geekworks/Crysta-00.JPG -- Scarletdown

23 years, 5 months

Bringing up a 10 years dormant VAX 11/750

by Antonio.Carlini＠riverstonenet.com

>I just a couple of days ago picked up a VAX 11/750. This machine has >been stored in a damp shed for ten years or so, has had mice living in it, Sounds like you are in for a bunch of fun ! If the mice chewed through the docs you can find a set of prints and a few manuals at: http://208.190.133.201/decimages/moremanuals.htm I don't think the Installation and Acceptance manual covers infestation in great depth though :-) Antonio

23 years, 5 months

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test-drb