Tothwolf <tothwolf at concentric.net> wrote:
>On Mon, 23 Jul 2012, Kevin Reynolds wrote:
>
>> Hey guys and gals,
>>
>> I have tried and failed to get a successful connection between my uvax
>> II and a pc rs-232 serial port. The H8751-B didn't seem to work, so I
>> pulled it off and wired my own MMJ-DB9 connector. I have tested the MMJ
>> cable, and it works flawlessly.
>>
>> For my connectors I have followed "The Cable" documentation at
>> http://www.mcmanis.com/chuck/computers/vaxen/panels.htm (chucks house of
>> vax), under "The MicroVAX II" section but it hasn't helped. I have
>> tested the MMJ-DB9 connection from my uvax III consoles and from the
>> microvax 3100 and it works fine, so I think the PC side is working
>> correctly.
>
>The pinout for the cable at Chuck's House of VAX is correct. I just opened
>up the connector shells on my own cable which I assembled more than 10
>years ago and verified that it matches the information given there.
>
>Your other option would be to use a H8571-B on the VAX side connected with
>an MMJ cable to a H8571-J (or equiv.) on the PC side. While the two
>adapters are both DE-9, the pinouts for each are very different.
>
>I've used both solutions for my own systems, and I used to make and sell
>H8571-J "work alike" adapter cables on eBay (DE-9F adapter with crimpped
>pins to 6P6C jack, wired the same as a H8571-H, along with a 6P6C to MMJ
>modular cable; I sold 100s of those things).
>
>If you'd rather not butcher an MMJ cable, I'd suggest finding an H8571-J
>adapter (useful with an MMJ cable for many other purposes as well). If
>someone else can't supply you with a second hand H8571-J, I do still have
>some NOS inventory (still in the original DEC bags) stored away (but not
>/too/ difficult to get to) but I paid a good bit for them so I can't just
>give those away.
> On 7/23/12 1:12 PM, Richard wrote:
>> In article<500BAEE9.2090102 at gmail.com>,
>> Jonathan Gevaryahu<jgevaryahu at gmail.com> writes:
>>
>>> The Tech manual on bitsavers (
>>> http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/terminal/gigi/EK-VK100-TM-001_VK100_Techni…
>> l_Manual_Apr82.pdf
>>> ) is missing a lot of information I need, and is also rife with errors!
>> It would be good to have an errata to the technical manual. Can you
>> email up a list of the errors you've spotted so far?
> that would be a good thing
>
> GIGI documentation is very hard to find.
I'm working on a list of errata (which are currently just pencil notes
on a printout of the tech manual), I'll post it when I'm done.
--
Jonathan Gevaryahu
jgevaryahu at gmail.com
jgevaryahu at hotmail.com
Hi Everyone,
I'm looking for a decent primer on Unibus termination. I'm a little
confused about M9300, M9301, M9302 and M9312. Which is to be used
where?
Camiel.
I have the power supply tested and reassembled and am ready to power
up the 11/04.
I am looking to limit the number of installed boards initially.
Certainly the RK05 controller boards can go as I haven't got the
drives operational yet.
The configuration of the 11/04 as I received it is as follows
(hopefully this is readable):
M7257 M7257 M9302
M7256 M7256 -
M7255 M7255 -
M7254 M7254 M920
M7258 M7258 M920
M7856 M7856 -
M7860 M7860 -
GRANT M9202
GRANT M9202
M7856 M7856 M7850
GRANT
M7847 M7847 M7847
GRANT
M7847 M7847 M7847
M7859 M7859 M9301
GRANT
M7263 M7263 M7263
Looking for some guidance if the following is a valid configuration:
GRANT M9302
M7856 M7856 M7850
GRANT
M7847 M7847 M7847
GRANT
M7847 M7847 M7847
M7859 M7859 M9301
GRANT
M7263 M7263 M7263
I am also looking to confirm my understanding of the M9301 card. I
have read the maintenance and operators manual for the M9301. I think
it is saying that the Console Emulator startup message from the M9301
and the console emulator commands will be available on the terminal...
which I take to mean the terminal connected to the M7856 in this
machine. Am I understanding that right.
Thanks everyone for your help.
Regards
Andrew
I shot an Tek 611 Storage display lately (230820230720), is there
documentaion available somewhere? Has someone a left over D/A converter
Card for an QBUS 11? I've found a pdf for an AA11-K card which should be
connected to such a display but this is a unibus card it seems..
I only have QBUS-gear.
Regards,
Holm
--
Technik Service u. Handel Tiffe, www.tsht.de, Holm Tiffe,
Freiberger Stra?e 42, 09600 Obersch?na, USt-Id: DE253710583
www.tsht.de, info at tsht.de, Fax +49 3731 74200, Mobil: 0172 8790 741
>
>I have tried and failed to get a successful connection between my uvax II and
> a pc rs-232 serial port. The H8751-B didn't seem to work, so I pulled it of
>f and wired my own MMJ-DB9 connector. I have tested the MMJ cable, and it
>works flawlessly.
>
>[snip]
>
I didn't really follow your description of what you have tried. I suspect the
DE9 connector you have is not wired for plugging into a pc serial port but is
intended for a DE9 connector on some DEC equipment which is wired differently
(a VAX 2000 for example).
My suggestion for an MMJ to other serial device connection is as follows:
Cut an MMJ to MMJ cable in two. Take one end and strip off a bit of the outer
insulation. Strip back the two centre conductors and join them together and to
signal ground on the pc side. Strip back the next two outer conductors
and connect one to TX on the pc and the other to RX on the pc. Ignore the two
outer conductors.
Plug in and test. If it doesn't work, swap the conductors going to TX and RX
and try again.
Regards,
Peter Coghlan.
Hi! Several builders have asked about the XT-IDE V2 PCBs and I have
reordered a batch. They should be here the second week of August. They
will be identical to the previous batch of boards. I will announce when the
PCBs arrive. Please do not send any funds until the boards arrive.
They will be $12 each plus $2 shipping in the US and $5 shipping elsewhere.
After I announce the boards have arrived please send a PayPal to
LYNCHAJ at YAHOO.COM and I will send your boards right away!
Thanks and have a nice day!
Andrew Lynch
sometime ago when I offered a non-working unit. I have one, the only problem is it's missing the plastic "whistles", or at least that's what they resemble, that allow you to set it at an angle on a table. I don't think I have them anywhere unfortunately. If you're interested, as is, should work (it was my original!), 5$ plus shipping from 08758.
Hi! Some of the N8VEM builders have gotten their N8's assembled and tested.
They are working fairly well and the new SD circuitry seems to check out
fine.
There is a new MSX BIOS and CP/M ROM image posted and photos of one of the
builds on the wiki. There is actually quite a bit of information and
ongoing discussions on the N8VEM mailing list. Here is a sample photo one
of about a dozen or so.
http://n8vem-sbc.pbworks.com/w/file/55421880/NS-2312_working_with_Floppy_DSK
Y.JPG
http://n8vem-sbc.pbworks.com/w/browse/#view=ViewFolder¶m=N8-2312%20Marti
n%20Lukasek
I still have some N8 PCBs so if anyone would like to build their own
complete home brew computer from scratch please let me know. Please see
the N8 description below for what it can do.
http://n8vem-sbc.pbworks.com/w/page/54039670/N8%20announcement
Thanks and have a nice day!
Andrew Lynch
Hi everyone,
we have finally received our first Nova. It was installed in a classroom
at a school where they taught some basics of computer science. They bought
it new in 1978 and used it until 1986. All parts still look like new, no
obvious yellowing or worn fronts. The system consists of the Nova 3/12 and
6050-2 cartridge disk drive in a 19" high-boy cabinet and two terminals, a
Dasher 6042 printing terminal and a Dasher 6052-2 CRT terminal - both have
a very cool design!
Now to my question ;-) The system came with several cartridges
(containing RDOS and BASIC, as far as I can tell), but *no* manuals. I
haven't found any manual for our system components on the net (nothing on
bitsavers, too). Does anyone have scans/images? I would need at least the
Nova 3 printset and diagnostics (e.g. papertape images) in case it needs
repair or maintenance. After all, even if the power supply and CPU seem to
work, I'd like to be sure everything is ok after 26 years. (The former
user, a teacher, didn't even know that you could dismantle the rack, nor
did he ever pull out the CPU or the power cable from the rack...).
Christian
PS:
Repairing the key switches in the terminal keyboards (disintegrated
foam) is another story...
It looks like I'm back in business collecting vintage computers. I went to the town dump today and found what looks like an H89 but the model number tag on the back says NN89-29. I haven't tried opening it up to see what's inside yet but it has a floppy drive so I assume it isn't just a H19 terminal. Also, on the front it says "Heathkit Computer". Even though I've had vintage computers before I've never followed good procedures when trying to bring them up. Usually, I just plug in the power cord and hope for the best. I'd like to do a little better this time. Can anyone suggest an approach to bringing this beast to life that minimizes the chances that I'll fry it the first time I power it on?
Thanks,
David
I have some of what you may need, but will need to scan it in. I do not have a full print set - unlike Dec, those are more rare in the dg world. But I won't be able to do anything until mid august. Check bitsavers.org, and also contact wildharecomputers.com
Christian Corti <cc at informatik.uni-stuttgart.de> wrote:
>Hi everyone,
>
>we have finally received our first Nova. It was installed in a classroom
>at a school where they taught some basics of computer science. They bought
>it new in 1978 and used it until 1986. All parts still look like new, no
>obvious yellowing or worn fronts. The system consists of the Nova 3/12 and
>6050-2 cartridge disk drive in a 19" high-boy cabinet and two terminals, a
>Dasher 6042 printing terminal and a Dasher 6052-2 CRT terminal - both have
>a very cool design!
> Now to my question ;-) The system came with several cartridges
>(containing RDOS and BASIC, as far as I can tell), but *no* manuals. I
>haven't found any manual for our system components on the net (nothing on
>bitsavers, too). Does anyone have scans/images? I would need at least the
>Nova 3 printset and diagnostics (e.g. papertape images) in case it needs
>repair or maintenance. After all, even if the power supply and CPU seem to
>work, I'd like to be sure everything is ok after 26 years. (The former
>user, a teacher, didn't even know that you could dismantle the rack, nor
>did he ever pull out the CPU or the power cable from the rack...).
>
>Christian
>
>PS:
>Repairing the key switches in the terminal keyboards (disintegrated
>foam) is another story...
>
> This might be a second post, I got a weird error message the first time.
>
>
> I just scanned my technical manual for the GNT 4604/5 which has many
references to the 4601.
>
> It does include schematics. You can find it here:
>
> http://www.dvq.com/docs/GNT/
>
> Bob
>
Many, many, many thanks! I bought a new-old-stock GNT-4604 about a decade
ago. It was so exciting to open the foil seal and --- nothing worked. I
did find the problem. It had cold solder joints on the control board. But
having the service manual means I can keep it running for years to come.
I also have a GNT-4601 so I'm doubly appreciative. Your work will not have
been in vain!
Amardeep
Date: Sat, 21 Jul 2012 21:31:20 +0100 (BST)
From: ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell)
To: cctalk at classiccmp.org
Subject: USB to GPIB interface
Message-ID: <m1SsgKj-000J4gC at p850ug1>
Content-Type: text/plain
It's of no real interet to me at the momnet (obivously) but this
month's
Elektor magazine (the summer double issue, so it's not cheap!) has a
project to make a USB to GPIB interface. It's little more than a
programemd PIC which directly drives the GPIB lines without buffers. I
don't like that much, but...
I think you can get source code for the firmware (apart from the USB
routines, which are standard routins from Microchip).
I have successfully controlled some GPIB gear with just a parallel
port, not even a pullup resistor needed.
Jon
With reference to my reply to Chuck's message, I've now dug out the
schematics.
The Sirius printer interface uses a 6522 VIA (at location U15L o nthe
mainboard). Port A is bufferec by a 75160 and fet ot the data pins on the
'Centronics' connector. Port B is used for the handshake lines, in
ascending bit order : DAV, EOI, REN, ATN, IFC, SRQ, NRFD, NDAC. Tese are
bufferec by a 75161, always in controller mode (DC is grounds). NRFD and
NDAC (o nthe 'host' side of the buffer) also go to CA1 and CA2
(respsecviely) of the VIA
The 'Talk' (buffer direction) line is controlled by PB0 of the 'system
VIA' at loccation U12L
The pinout of the 'Centroics' socket is :
DAV 1 19 Gnd
D0 2 20 Gnd
D1 3 21 Gnd
D2 4 22 Gnd
D3 5 23 Gnd
D4 6 24 Gnd
D5 7 25 Gnd
D6 8 26 Gnd
D7 9 27 Gnd
NRFD 10 28 Gnd
SRQ 11 29 Gnd
N/C 12 30 N/C
NDAC 13 31 N/C
J 14 32 NDAC
EOI 15 33 Gnd
Gnd 16 34 REN
FG 17 35 ATN
NC 18 36 IFC
A couple of non-obvious ones : 'J' (pin 14' is connected to ground via
the jumper E26-E27 (which is not normally fitted I think). FG is frame
ground (mains earth), not logic ground.
I/O chips i nthe Sirius seem ot be memory mammed for some odd reason. I
think the addresses are :
GPIB VIA : 1110 1xxx xxx0 001x rrrr
System VIA : 1110 1xxx xxx0 010x rrrr
where rrrr is selexts the VIA register in the obvious order.
-tony
Hi everyone,
I'm getting ready to see if I can get all those PDP-11's running
properly. I have most of the test equipment I'm likely to meet -
multimeter, oscilloscope, current tracer, logic analyzer - but figured
that extender cards for Qbus and Unibus might come in very handy. Does
anyone have any they'd be willing to part with?
Camiel.
I spotted a listing for the TNIX user manuals and a set of floppies in Tucker's manual
list, so there is a standalone disk and a dump of the file system with the native tools
package on bitsavers now, along with the manuals.
The standalone formatter seems to be really fussy about what kind of disk it will format.
I tried a Seagate ST4096 and a Maxtor 1140, and couldn't get either to go even though they
had more heads and cylinders than the Micropolis 1304.