> > At 10:26 AM 10/10/01 -0400, you wrote:
> > >On October 10, Iggy Drougge wrote:
> > >> >How about the original DIX Ethernet? Try a web search for Aloha.
> > >>
> > >> Was DIX really the original Ethernet? Wasn't that 10 Mbps and all?
> > >
> > > I believe the original Ethernet was 3Mbps.
> > >
> > > -Dave
> On Wed, 10 Oct 2001, Tom Uban wrote:
>
> > Hmm, looking at my copy of: "The Ethernet, A Local Area Network,
> > Data Link Layer and Physical Layer Specifications", from Digital,
> > Intel, and Xerox, September 30, 1980 -- the specification says:
> > "Data rate: 10 Million bits/sec"
>
> I don't know if it went to standard, but there definitely was 3Mbps
> ether. I have a CHANNEL-3Mbps card for an S/370 here.
You're right, Dave & Sridhar... from:
http://www.baylor.edu/~Sharon_P_Johnson/etg/ethernethistory.htm
1972-The first experimental Ethernet system, Alto Aloha Network,
was developed by Metcalfe and his Xerox PARC colleagues. It was
designed to interconnect the Xerox Alto, a personal workstation
with a graphical user interface, and linked Altos to one another,
and to servers and laser printers. The data transmission rate was
2.94 Mbps [Spurgeon].
Regards,
-doug q
On October 10, Iggy Drougge wrote:
> >How about the original DIX Ethernet? Try a web search for Aloha.
>
> Was DIX really the original Ethernet? Wasn't that 10 Mbps and all?
I believe the original Ethernet was 3Mbps.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Laurel, MD
> Anyway, I've heard that 64Meg RAM was awfully tight to run VMS on an Alpha,
> but is it still faster than Tru64 Unix? (The machine was no screamer, but
> it was still faster than my wife... ;-) Or should I just sell it to someone
> willing to give it a good home? (I have too many computers now - and I'm
> trying to purchase a [smaller] house so may be moving soon... I *need* to
> consolidate my collection & am downsizing machines which I will never have
> time to tinker with...)
If the DEC 3000/300 is anything like a DEC 3000/300LX then you should be
able to get some 72-pin true parity SIMMs and upgrade your RAM. If you can
get it up to a minimum of 112MB it should work great. If you can get it up
to 96MB it will work OK. Less than 96MB, and it will work, but will
probably do a fair amount of swaping. OpenVMS V7.2 won't even load if
you've got less than 64MB RAM.
It's definitly a good VMS box, so I say keep it, get some more RAM for it, and
play with VMS on it. I used my DEC 3000/300LX as my OpenVMS server for a
while with a BA350 chassis attached to it for disks.
Zane
On Oct 9, 17:33, Eric Dittman wrote:
> > > > IP over carrier pigeon!!
> > >
> > > UUCP over floppies ferried by cars! BLEEEAAAAAARGH!!
> > >
> > > Peace... Sridhar
> >
> > Unless I'm mistaken Dave is talking about a transmittion method that's
> > actually been used. There is actually an RFC for it.
>
> Haven't carrier pigeons been extinct long before IP and UUCP were
> developed?
Nope. The RFC exists (RFC 1149) and there has been a practical
implementation. See http://www.blug.linux.no/rfc1149/
vegard@gyversalen:~$ ping -i 900 10.0.3.1
PING 10.0.3.1 (10.0.3.1): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 10.0.3.1: icmp_seq=0 ttl=255 time=6165731.1 ms
64 bytes from 10.0.3.1: icmp_seq=4 ttl=255 time=3211900.8 ms
64 bytes from 10.0.3.1: icmp_seq=2 ttl=255 time=5124922.8 ms
64 bytes from 10.0.3.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=255 time=6388671.9 ms
--- 10.0.3.1 ping statistics ---
9 packets transmitted, 4 packets received, 55% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max = 3211900.8/5222806.6/6388671.9 ms
vegard@gyversalen:~$
--
Pete Peter Turnbull
Network Manager
University of York
I just discovered Window Maker. Installed it on my SGI Indigo2 Maximum
IMPACT. Oh my god. It's like a dream. Running IRIX with the interface
of NeXTstep. I love it. Time to install it on all my headed
workstations.
Peace... Sridhar
On October 9, Pete Turnbull wrote:
> much larger house :-) The same fibre that carries FOIRL can (if it's the
> right size, 50/125) carry 10baseF, 100baseFX, 1000baseSX, ATM, FDDI, ...
FDDI generally uses 62.5/125 fiber.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Laurel, MD
Another good one is Enlightenment.. It has some crazy deps, but it supposedly
compiles
and looks mad snazzy.. I've used it on Sun and Alpha (as well as a myriad of
wintel) but
never on SGI.
Jim
On Wednesday, October 10, 2001 12:27 AM, One Without Reason
[SMTP:vance@ikickass.org] wrote:
>
> I just discovered Window Maker. Installed it on my SGI Indigo2 Maximum
> IMPACT. Oh my god. It's like a dream. Running IRIX with the interface
> of NeXTstep. I love it. Time to install it on all my headed
> workstations.
>
> Peace... Sridhar
Non-IBM, PS/2 floppy drives?? Isn't that an oxymoron?
What about the Mitsubishi drives made for IBM?
Jim
(Isn't misuse of grammar fun?)
On Wednesday, October 10, 2001 4:46 AM, Mike Ford [SMTP:mikeford@socal.rr.com]
wrote:
> I've been looking for some 2.88 non-IBM PS/2 floppy drives, and I found
> some, but the guy says they are SCSI. Is that nuts or what?
>
> TEAC FD-235 J 5670-U W/SCSI Card
> TEAC FD-235 J 5670-U W/SCSI Card
> TEAC FD-235 J 610 W/SCSI Card
>
> Some of the HP/Apollo 725/50 computers I found recently had SCSI floppies,
> but it looked like the SCSI part might be detachable. I wonder if I should
> bother getting the above drives to work in a PC, which I would have to fuss
> around adding SCSI to?
>
> Now for real HV - I was told by an ex-electrical
> engineer - that he watched while someone
> was measuring up for a new HV cabinet with
> a tape measure. The usual metal sort you or I
> might use for DIY. He dropped it and shorted
> out the busbars, instantly melted the tape
> and ended up in hospital with major burns
> across his arms and chest.
At a place I used to work we were setting up a new raised floor.
The (licensed!) electrician that was setting up the new UPS was
leaning with his hand against one end of the bank of batteries.
He leaned down to tighten the nut on the other end of the bank
of batteries with a metal socket wrench. The UPS was about the
size of four large refrigerators side-by-side, 90% of which was
filled with batteries.
He nearly died and spent quite a long time in the hospital. The
investigation kept the area closed for almost a week.
--
Eric Dittman
dittman(a)dittman.net
Check out the DEC Enthusiasts Club at http://www.dittman.net/
On October 9, Iggy Drougge wrote:
> Since I'll be running another headless computer (HP 9000/380), I brought home
> my VT420. Nice terminal, but unfortunately this specimen will only talk, not
> listen.
> At first, I suspected my HP had lost its settings (the stupid boot PROM must
> be set via the keyboard to use a serial console). I proceeded to bring my HIL
> keyboard home and set it (without any screen) to use a "remote" console again,
> and the machine seemed to acknowledge that, beeping happily. But no response
> from the terminal. So I tested it with my DECstation. No response there
> either. So I hooked it up to my Amiga. Typing at the keyboard, there was
> output in NComm, but doing the opposite didn't work at all.
> So we have only one-way communication. What could be the problem?
Is flow control enabled on the terminal? I assume you're using a
DB25 adapter at the other end of an MMJ cable. Try turning off flow
control in the communications setup menu and shorting pins 2-3 on the
connector. At that point the terminal should echo what you type back
to the display. If it doesn't, you might have a toasty RS232 line
receiver in your terminal.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Laurel, MD
Naw.. Passenger pigeons were good eatin'.. They were hunted to death.
Jim
On Tuesday, October 09, 2001 11:41 PM, Fred Cisin (XenoSoft)
[SMTP:cisin@xenosoft.com] wrote:
> > One is extinct, the other isn't.
>
> Due to trying to carry passengers?
One is extinct, the other isn't.
Jim
On Tuesday, October 09, 2001 10:37 PM, Dan Linder [SMTP:dlinder@uiuc.edu] wrote:
> On Tue, 9 Oct 2001, Peter C. Wallace wrote:
>
> > > Haven't carrier pigeons been extinct long before IP and UUCP were
> > > developed?
> >
> > Nah, Its passenger pigeons taht are extinct...
>
> okay, I'll bite... what's the difference between a "carrier pigeon" and a
> "passenger pigeon"?
>
> - Dan
>
> Dan Linder / dlinder @ uiuc.edu
> Graduate Student, College of Engineering, Dept. of Computer Science
> - Dept. of Computer Science Teaching Assistant
> - DRES Computer Accessibility Researcher
For a birthday present, my girlfriend tracked down and bought me a Radio Shack
PC-1 with cassette adapter (Both in orig boxes!). It compliments nicely the
PC-2
and plotter I already have. After addition of four 1.35V zinc-air hearing aid
batteries,
it's humming along on my desk counting up by eights..
Does anyone still have software for this beastie?
My other Q is converter programs. wav2bin (Sharp calc converter) supports it
fine
(its just a rebadged PC-1211) but the companion program bin2wav does not. Do
other conversion programs exist? Are there any that run under *nixen? Any with
source? I have tried contacting the fine folks at www.pocketmuseum.com, as they
seem to be the author of the software mentioned already, to no avail (broken
email
addy).
Jim
It's NIBBLE Tinybasic, there was an old BYTE or KB Article
on the earlier 8a500 version of same. _If_ I ever get to the bottom
of my pile I have the manual for the National version of the SBC
with the 8073 on it.
Allison
-----Original Message-----
From: Richard A. Cini, Jr. <rcini(a)optonline.net>
To: ClassCompList <classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org>
Date: Tuesday, October 09, 2001 9:26 PM
Subject: 8073-based SBC info
Hello, all:
I just received a National Semiconductor SBC kit that's based on its
8070-series 8-bit processor. It's got a version of TinyBASIC written by
National as an instrumentation and control language.
I have a family data sheet and a short industry article but no
programming
or user's manual. The board is manufactured by Sterling. There is almost
no
information on this board available through the usual search engines.
Any info appreciated. Thanks.
Rich
Rich Cini
Collector of classic computers
Build Master for the Altair32 Emulation Project
Web site: http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/
/************************************************************/
Simple solution, use a PC for it's best other use {first one is doorstop}
and load up linux as a NAT box and put that in between cable and VAX.
Then you can run the vax with static IP. Or better yet use a
Microvax2000
and run netbsd so you dont have to have a PC in that spot.
Allison
-----Original Message-----
From: Iggy Drougge <optimus(a)canit.se>
To: Classic computing <classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org>
Date: Tuesday, October 09, 2001 11:39 AM
Subject: VMS, UCX, DHCP?
>Now that I've got "broadband", I'd like to see my VAXstation on the net.
It's
>running VMS 5.1 and UCX, but does it have any DHCP capabilities?
>It's not a great problem, but if there is some option for getting config
info
>via DHCP, it'd save me the trouble of setting up a NetBSD environment in
order
>to run dhclient. =)
>
>--
>En ligne avec Thor 2.6a.
>
>Amiga 4000/040 25MHz/64MB/20GB
RetinaBLTZ3/VLab/FastlaneZ3/Ariadne/Toccata
>
>
What about StarLan?? I think I have some full length 8-bit ISA StarLan cards
in a closet if you want em.. No other equip tho..
Jim
On Tuesday, October 09, 2001 1:50 PM, Tarsi [SMTP:tarsi@binhost.com] wrote:
> Dear all,
>
> I've decided that one of my goals is to run every networking topology
> possible in my house, regardless if I actually NEED to run them or not. :)
>
> My plan is to place 1 linux box running a card from each topology in it and
> use that to bridge all (or almost all) topologies.
>
> I currently have running 10bT ethernet, 10b2 ethernet, Localtalk over
> PhoneNET and the beginnings of Arcnet.
>
> In light of such, I have a series of questions:
>
> 1) Who knows some stuff about ArcNet? I've gotten 4 cards (8-bit ISA) and a
>
> 16-port active hub. I've read somewhere that cards are either hubbable or
> not. Any other info on that?
>
> 2) Anyone have any (I think it is) 93ohm coax arcnet patch cables that they
> want to get rid of?
>
> 3) Anyone got good resources on ThickNET? (10b5 I think it is?) I know it
> was run back in the day, and I know some precursory things about it (the
> funky vampire taps, etc.) Anyone have either resources or hardware on this
> topology that they'd like to share/sell/etc? :)
>
> 4) Any other interesting topologies I should try? I have plans to do:
> Arcnet, FDDI, Token ring, Localtalk, 10b2, 10b5, 10bT, 10bTX, 10bFiber, and
> (eventually) 802.11b wireless.
>
> Thanks folks!
>
> Tarsi
> 210
>
>
> --
> ----------------------------------------------
> Homepage: http://tarsi.binhost.com
> binHOST.com: http://www.binhost.com
> Forever Beyond: http://www.foreverbeyond.org
> ----------------------------------------------
On October 9, Absurdly Obtuse wrote:
> > Unless I'm mistaken Dave is talking about a transmittion method that's
> > actually been used. There is actually an RFC for it.
>
> I know someone who measured the bandwidth and latency of himself carrying
> a backpack full of floppies across the campus of Clarkson.
This sounds like the age-old "never underestimate the bandwidth of a
station wagon full of magtapes" story.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Laurel, MD
Hello, all:
I just received a National Semiconductor SBC kit that's based on its
8070-series 8-bit processor. It's got a version of TinyBASIC written by
National as an instrumentation and control language.
I have a family data sheet and a short industry article but no programming
or user's manual. The board is manufactured by Sterling. There is almost no
information on this board available through the usual search engines.
Any info appreciated. Thanks.
Rich
Rich Cini
Collector of classic computers
Build Master for the Altair32 Emulation Project
Web site: http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/
/************************************************************/
> Simple solution, use a PC for it's best other use {first one is doorstop}
> and load up linux as a NAT box and put that in between cable and VAX.
> Then you can run the vax with static IP. Or better yet use a
> Microvax2000
> and run netbsd so you dont have to have a PC in that spot.
I actually prefer to use a little BookPC-format boxes running Linux
Linux for my Internet gateway. The system is cheap, little, quiet,
and doesn't get very hot. I can stick it behind my other systems.
It has a large capacity IDE drive in it and I also use it for a
mail and http server.
--
Eric Dittman
dittman(a)dittman.net
Check out the DEC Enthusiasts Club at http://www.dittman.net/
On October 9, John Allain wrote:
> > a 747 was packed with DLTs and flown from
> > San Francisco to Seattle.
>
> Such a transport could easily easily exceed 1,024 TeraBytes.
> (forgot the Prefixname) What'd they need all that data for?
PORN!!
Ahem, sorry, I just couldn't resist. :)
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Laurel, MD
>4) Any other interesting topologies I should try? I have plans to do:
>Arcnet, FDDI, Token ring, Localtalk, 10b2, 10b5, 10bT, 10bTX, 10bFiber, and
>(eventually) 802.11b wireless.
If you decide to do TokenRing, and need some cards... let me know... I
have 3 box loads of them up for grabs (just pay shipping). I have ISA,
Microchannel, and I think I might have had a PCI in there somewhere. I
already got rid of the EISA ones. Oh, and I might have an HP Jetdirect
card for TokenRing. Sorry, I have no hubs (they used hubs of a sort
right?) or cables.
And you forgot to list on your list of topologies SneakerNet, unless you
never run anything around your house by foot.
-chris
<http://www.mythtech.net>
ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk wrote:
>But seriously, the advantage of paper manuals is that you can read
them
>anywhere (like in bed, on the train, etc) , you can have them open
on
>your workbench (where there certainly isn't room for a PC in my
case),
>you can write notes all over them, etc. And I find them a lot
easier to
>read...
All very true and I completely agree. I too
generally prefer paper manuals. I would
also hate to read a manual on-screen
cover to cover (i.e. for anything other than
reference). However, my space is restricted.
I could have maybe 300 manuals within easy
reach here. I have a wall-mounted CD rack
with space for 300 CDs just feet away.
>>
>> I don't expect to read my manual on the Rainbow that I
>> am repairing ... that's what the PC or laptop
>Need any hints? I've got a fair idea as to what goes on inside the
'bow
>(pinouts, theory, etc). Some of it is not obvious (like the disk
>controller test which feeds the output of the serial chip in sync
mode to
>the read data pin of the FDC to check that the latter can decode
data
>correctly).
I have the tech manuals but this is the
PSU (second one which I've had die on me!)
The first one turned out to be the bridge
rectifier ... I found a suitable replacement
and bingo it came back to life. Only a few
weeks later I found somewhere that sold
security bits online, one of which fits
the Rainbow PSU - so at least this time
I won't be sawing a slow in the screw to
get at the thing! This time whatever
died has taken out more of the downstream
stuff. I've not had too much time to look
at it - you don't happen to have the PSU
schematics do you? ... I've got
everything else (I think) except that.
>I've never quite understood this... 20-30 years ago, most computers
used
>standard chips. And thus they could be copied (I am not talking
about
>legality here). But the schematics existed. Manuals explaining the
>schematics existed.
In DEC, I was told that they stopped supplying
them when they noticed that customers did not
want them any more (and obviously these things -
especially technical manuals) cost mucho
denaro to produce ... schematics must already
exist obviously! This was when the customer
base moved from being propeller-heads to
suits.
>Now we have ASICs which are much harder to copy, and yet the docs
don't
>exist...
>
>Anyway, any half-decent hacker can reverse-engineer most devices in
a
>couple of days at most....
The board for which I am currently scribbling
software has a few standard, identifiable chips
on it but the interconnections are mostly
mediated by a few large FPGAs. There are
also some custom ASICs in there too.
The memory map is entirely decided
by the FPGA. Adding and removing
caps resistors and other SMT components
is not too bad but playing with one of the
750-plus pin BGA devices is probably
beyond the realm of the hobbyist (although
re-work houses do exist, so who knows?)
>> my current TV came with a five year guarantee and the
>> previous one was a Decca series 80 chassis that was already
>I probably have that schematic somewhere... I've got a lot of
volumes of
>Poole+Molloy (and its successors) on the shelf.
For the record, it's a Philips 21PT5322 and the
other one is a Fergusson T14R. (The latter
is now out of guarantee and is therfore
"fair game" ... ).
Antonio
On October 9, Mark Tapley wrote:
> going to college in about 10 years, so I gotta earn tuition, and then
> there's paying for the classic computer shed that the wife insists on
> filling with "nice furniture" and "decorating" because she thinks of it as
> a "house"....)
I added a decoration a while back. It's a VAX4000-700a. Gorgeous.
Functional, too.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Laurel, MD
> Chris [SMTP:mythtech@Mac.com] wrote:
>
>I wasn't that lucky... when I did it, I shorted a cap thru my
finger
>(fortuantly, just thru ONE finger, tip to knuckle). I was working
blind
You don't need HV - large currents can be nasty too.
The PSUs in some of the VAX 6000/7000 platforms
are only +5V but can dump 100s of amps. You
probably don't want to short one of those with
your ring finger!
Now for real HV - I was told by an ex-electrical
engineer - that he watched while someone
was measuring up for a new HV cabinet with
a tape measure. The usual metal sort you or I
might use for DIY. He dropped it and shorted
out the busbars, instantly melted the tape
and ended up in hospital with major burns
across his arms and chest.
Having been hit a few times by mains (240V)
voltage, I've learned to be more careful and
switch stuff off!
Antonio
Among quite a bit of other wisdom, Tony wrote:
>Heck, all I want are things like pinouts....
Ah, the pot 'o gold at the end of the rainbow!
A skilled repairman, who works for pinouts....
:-)
More seriously, while I aspire to fix things like Tony, I find that
ignorance and lack of time are powerful disincentives. (The little one
needs his diapers (nappies?) changed, and the bigger little one is gonna be
going to college in about 10 years, so I gotta earn tuition, and then
there's paying for the classic computer shed that the wife insists on
filling with "nice furniture" and "decorating" because she thinks of it as
a "house"....)
I can swap modules. When I click the switch and nothing at all
happens, and I have a new power supply on hand .... it's within my limited
time and knowledge horizons to swap 'em. Getting an o-scope, learning how
to use it, taking apart the power supply (and trusting that the little one
won't ingest some of the nuts and washers while the medium-size one is
getting a talking-to about sliding down the bannister with the power cord
in tow).... well, that may be without my horizons.
All this ranting leads to my question, to the group as a whole and
Tony in particular:
Is there a way I tell that it'll be safe to board-swap? In other words, are
there symptoms I can in general use to tell me that the fault that caused
damage was on the damaged (e.g.) board, and that therefore, if I have
another example of that board, I won't fry it too by putting it into the
place of the damaged one?
- Mark
> In light of such, I have a series of questions:
>
> 1) Who knows some stuff about ArcNet? I've gotten 4 cards (8-bit ISA) and
a
> 16-port active hub. I've read somewhere that cards are either hubbable or
> not. Any other info on that?
I've never used an active hub before... and was thus limited to 4 nodes
using my home-made passive hub.
> 2) Anyone have any (I think it is) 93ohm coax arcnet patch cables that they
> want to get rid of?
I think you'll have trouble if you use anything other than 63 ohm coax...
...
Formerly, the support for ARCNET in Linux was pretty week. However, there was
an ARCNET/LINUX mailing list for a long time, and the members were keeping the
driver sources up-to-date. The name of the list owner (or the guy cranking out
the code) was, first name, Avery, last name, Pennimum or something unusal.
hth,
-doug quebbeman
> Paul Thompson wrote:
>I think multinet supports DHCP. I am not familiar enough with
TCPIP
>services for VMS (UCX), however. Multinet has a hobby program.
>On 9 Oct 2001, Iggy Drougge wrote:
>> Now that I've got "broadband", I'd like to see my VAXstation on
the net. It's
>> running VMS 5.1 and UCX, but does it have any DHCP capabilities?
>> It's not a great problem, but if there is some option for getting
config info
>> via DHCP, it'd save me the trouble of setting up a NetBSD
environment in order
>> to run dhclient. =)
I believe that the latest UCX (TCPIP as it is
now called) does support DHCP. The manuals
should be around somewhere under
http://www.openvms.compaq.com
Antonio
(reply at end...)
! On Tue, 9 Oct 2001, Tarsi wrote:
! > Dear all,
! >
! > I've decided that one of my goals is to run every
! > networking topology possible in my house, regardless
! > if I actually NEED to run them or not. :)...
.....
! > I currently have running 10bT ethernet, 10b2 ethernet,
! > Localtalk over PhoneNET and the beginnings of Arcnet.
! >
! > In light of such,...
.....
! > 4) Any other interesting topologies I should try? I have
! > plans to do:
! > Arcnet, FDDI, Token ring, Localtalk, 10b2, 10b5, 10bT,
! > 10bTX, 10bFiber, and (eventually) 802.11b wireless.
! >
! > Thanks folks!
! -----Original Message-----
! From: Absurdly Obtuse [mailto:vance@ikickass.org]
!
! FDDI would definitely be a good one to do. It uses dual
! counter-rotating rings. How about ATM? HIPPI? CI?
! CHANNEL-CHANNEL?
...And someone asked if _I_ was masochistic when I only asked about
upgrading a 486!
--- David A Woyciesjes
--- C & IS Support Specialist
--- Yale University Press
--- mailto:david.woyciesjes@yale.edu
--- (203) 432-0953
--- ICQ # - 905818
Now that I've got "broadband", I'd like to see my VAXstation on the net. It's
running VMS 5.1 and UCX, but does it have any DHCP capabilities?
It's not a great problem, but if there is some option for getting config info
via DHCP, it'd save me the trouble of setting up a NetBSD environment in order
to run dhclient. =)
--
En ligne avec Thor 2.6a.
Amiga 4000/040 25MHz/64MB/20GB RetinaBLTZ3/VLab/FastlaneZ3/Ariadne/Toccata
Heller to everyone and Tony. ;-)
What do you do about a squealing CRT? I've got this nice terminal which is
working, but it emits a high-pitched whine which is not only unpleasant and
annoying, but quite scary, too. It feels as thoughit's going to blow in your
face any minute.
The terminal in question is a green-screen TECO VA120.
--
En ligne avec Thor 2.6a.
Ky?suke: Jag heter Kurre, Kurre Carlsson!
Jag: Det heter du inte alls!
Tony Duell wrote:
> Sinclair would never do anything that would cost a few pence more, even
> if it made the machine more useable, or work better (or in a couple of
> classic cases, even work at all).
Which Sinclair machines are you referring to here -- which ones didn't
"even work at all?"
Glen
0/0
Hi!
I just picked up an IBM PowerStation 320H from the property disposition
warehouse of my friendly educational institution. It seems to be in relatively
good shape with all components present, but all I could really afford was the
system unit (which was only one dollar).
Although the University seems to be pretty consistent with wiping the hard
drives of all the machines that it disposes of, I'm still rather eager to try
and power it up and see what the firmware's like, and whether or not it is
ACTUALLY wiped. Since I don't have a monitor/keyboard/mouse for it, though,
my only option is to try to use a serial console.
Unfortunately, these machines use a really wierd 10-pin serial port. I've
tried searching around on the Internet for a pinout, but to no avail. Does
anyone here have any idea how I can break this out to something more
standard? I think I remember reading somewhere it was rather similar to the
PC-RT serial ports...
Thanks for any help!
--Sean Caron (root(a)diablonet.net) | http://www.diablonet.net
! >>Sounds like a 486SX/25 system upgraded to a DX2/50 with an
! OverDrive chip.
! >
! >Or somebody stuck in a DX-50 and its just running at 25 MHz.
I ran an Evergreen test program on it last night. It said it was running at
50MHz, internally?
! If the chip inserted into the other socket is a plain DX-50
! then it would be just running at 25mhz. The insertion of the DX-50
! or a 487 'coprocessor' would've disabled the SX-25 as well, if it was
! left installed. Too bad the DX-50 got such a bad rap for heat
! problems early on.
!
! BTW, does anyone know how the mainboard tells the difference
! between the 486SX and a 486DX/487? Just looking at them, there
! aren't any pin differences externally, at least between the 486DX-33
! and 486SX-25 I have sitting here.
IIRC, it's how you set the jumpers for the clock multiplier, for the
speed; and it does some sort of detection test for the numeric processor. I
think...
These clock speed jumpers are what I'd like to identify first. I
have a DX4/100 just sitting here. Then, I want to identify the purpose of
the other 20+ jumpers on this board...
--- David A Woyciesjes
--- C & IS Support Specialist
--- Yale University Press
--- mailto:david.woyciesjes@yale.edu
--- (203) 432-0953
--- ICQ # - 905818
On Oct 8, 23:11, Tony Duell wrote:
> > Anneal - is that where you heat it up & hit it with a hammer? Or do you
> > just heat it up and let it cool again? I forget now... It's been a long
>
> Heat it up and let it cool slowly (very slowly).
Only for steel. Most other metals either don't care (unless the quenching
is incredibly rapid) or actually require to be quenched.
--
Pete Peter Turnbull
Network Manager
University of York
Hi again folks,
My US 8032 turned up today (yay!). Since I can't modify the transformer
(unfortunately - it looks like the US one doesn't have dual primary taps
like the UK one), I've swapped it out with the 240vac transformer from my
other (still broken) 8032.
This machine has a wobbly screen, just like the 8032-SK (which was broken,
but I installed the working motherboard), the other 8032 (which was
working, until I swapped the broken m/b), and the 3016. In fact, the only
PET I've got which *doesn't* have a wobbly screen is the 2001. Well, it
does wobble, but only a tiny bit.
ISTR a discussion (mostly with Tony) about dried electrolytics maybe
causing the problem. However, I spoke to the chap in the US who said that
when the 8032 left America it had a rock-steady screen... Since I left the
big cap in place, it can only be the transformer which is causing the
wobble - can't it?
I genuinely don't know. That's the only part I've swapped in the new 8032.
Could a flakey transformer be making the screen wobble? How do transformers
go flakey anyway, if indeed they *can* co flakey? Or is the US chap telling
porkies?
Thanks, again, in advance.
--
Cheers, Ade.
Be where it's at, B-Racing!
http://b-racing.co.uk
On October 9, Iggy Drougge wrote:
> But if I have a toasted line driver, wouldn't that strike both inbound and
> outbound data?
Nope...many RS232 interfaces are built with 1488 driver and 1489
receiver chips. Nowadays the Maxim MAX232 (and family) chips are
popular for that sort of thing since they only require +5V...but I'll
bet the VT420 uses 1488/1489 chips.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Laurel, MD
I have a Unisys 486 computer. It's a SX-25, with a DX-50 in it also.
It's mfg date is 10/92, and style number is SG-3102-425. It's "plateau" is
labelled Evaluation Unit A. That would explain the XXXX in the FCC ID
field...
On the motherboard itself, it has a sticker with...
43611896-000
PW300 486SX/25
9240 AVEX
...while near the 30-pin memory, printed on the board is...
UNISYS
PW2 300/486
PWBA 43188028-000
Does anyone know where I can find out what the jumpers do on this board? Or
other specs for it? I though I heard someone mention dual processor WRT this
board, but I doubt it. There is also a smaller LIF socket next to the 2 LIF
processor sockets. IIRC, that is for a 487 math co-processor...
--- David A Woyciesjes
--- C & IS Support Specialist
--- Yale University Press
--- mailto:david.woyciesjes@yale.edu
--- (203) 432-0953
--- ICQ # - 905818
I found this on USENET. Interesting?
Mon, 08 Oct 2001 20:36:40 comp.sys.atari.st Thread 37 of
38
Lines 10 Free Terminal No responses
DAVID L. ORMAND <dlormand(a)aztec.asu.edu> at Arizona State
University
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
I know this isn't quite the forum for this, but maybe there are
old computer types out there (mainframe hobbyists?) who would be
interested. I've rescued a practically new-in-box Visual 50,
which is an ASCII RS232 terminal with your classic green CRT look.
It handles VT52 and ADM3A protocols. Includes operator's and
maintenance manuals (with schematics!). I've tried it out and it
works fine. I don't want anything but the shipping to a good home
>from Tucson, 85711.
--
En ligne avec Thor 2.6a.
About 15 years ago(in 1984), I played many time HYDLIDE like monkey's self-
acting! HaHaHa!! Here in Nippon(Japan), many many MSX Freak played HYDLIDE
1/2/3 on MSX1/2. Perhaps, also you like HYDLIDE series!!!
K. Ikeda, MSX-Print
> > The 21064 should work in a PC64 and the 21164 should work in either an
> > EB164 or PC164. I've got extra PC64, EB164, and PC164 motherboards but
> > you're overseas so finding one nearer to you would probably be cheaper.
>
> Do you know where I could find some docs that I could check to see if my
> Alpha chips will work with these boards? I downloaded Digital/Compaq docs,
> but can't find any informoation that confirms that these chips will work
> with the boards you mention.
The motherboard manuals were on the Digital website. They have probably
moved around since I looked at them last. I'll see if I have the PDF
files stuck somewhere.
--
Eric Dittman
dittman(a)dittman.net
Check out the DEC Enthusiasts Club at http://www.dittman.net/
!From: John Ruschmeyer [mailto:jruschme@Mac.com]
!
!> From: David Woyciesjes <DAW(a)yalepress3.unipress.yale.edu>
!> Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2001 16:49:55 -0400
!>
!> I have a Unisys 486 computer. It's a SX-25, with a DX-50 in it also.
!> It's mfg date is 10/92, and style number is SG-3102-425.
!>t's "plateau" is
!> labelled Evaluation Unit A. That would explain the XXXX in the FCC ID
!> field...
!> On the motherboard itself, it has a sticker with...
!> 43611896-000
!> PW300 486SX/25
!> 9240 AVEX
!
!Sounds like a 486SX/25 system upgraded to a DX2/50 with an
!OverDrive chip.
Close. But they are both regular 486 processors. 486SX/25 & 486DX2/50
!> ...while near the 30-pin memory, printed on the board is...
!> UNISYS
!> PW2 300/486
!> PWBA 43188028-000
!>
!> Does anyone know where I can find out what the jumpers do on
!> this board? Or other specs for it? I though I heard someone
!> mention dual processor WRT this board, but I doubt it. There
!> is also a smaller LIF socket next to the 2 LIF
!> processor sockets. IIRC, that is for a 487 math co-processor...
!
!I doubt that its for a 487... I almost wonder if this was some kind of
!386/486 board.
Well, it's a 15x15 pin socket, similar to the 17x17 socket for the 486
processors... If only I had the docs... I'd like to find out how fast I can
push this board...
--- David A Woyciesjes
--- C & IS Support Specialist
--- Yale University Press
--- mailto:david.woyciesjes@yale.edu
--- (203) 432-0953
--- ICQ # - 905818
On October 4, Ethan Dicks wrote:
> I thought that it specifically _was_ the -1. I _think_ I have a DEC-
> badged RD-32 (ST-252-1) from a Pro380 VAX 8530 console, but I might
> be mistaken. Maybe they got what they could get in later years.
Probably so.
> > The ST251 had an average access time of 40ms (if memory serves) and
> > the ST251-1 was 28.5ms.
>
> That sounds right. Stepper motor vs. voice coil. (The ST-225 was
> something horrible like 65ms or more; I used to think seek-time didn't
> matter much on a micro, but when I went from 65ms to 28 on my Amiga,
> _wow_!)
The ST251-1 is a stepper drive also, believe it or not. They actually
built a stepper positioner that achieved 28.5ms. Back when it was new
I heard something about them having patented it or something.
The ST225 was indeed 65ms...scary slow. It made a great distinctive
"peep-peep" sound, though...which I liked even more than the [still
rather cool] "chirp-chirp" sound of the ST251 and ST251-1. :-)
I believe the first voice-coil drvie in that family was the ST-4096,
but I'm not positive of that. That was one nice drive.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Laurel, MD
Another 'whats-it' question here. I have two kinds of, what look like 72-pin
memory...
The first is only 64 pin, has 8 chips (AAA1M300J-08 NMBS 9122),
with an empty spot for a 9th chip. Printed on the back - "1X964P A (in a
circle) 9115". Apparently made by Microtech. My guess is it's 1MB non-parity
memory, but I don't know what uses 64 pin memory sticks. I have 4 of these
sticks.
The second is 68 pin, 2 chip memory. Printed on the back, they're
made in 1994, in the USA, by Cubig Inc. Model number (I think) of VM512K.
512KB memory sticks? Have 3 of them...
Anyone have an idea what these are, and what they're for?
--- David A Woyciesjes
--- C & IS Support Specialist
--- Yale University Press
--- mailto:david.woyciesjes@yale.edu
--- (203) 432-0953
--- ICQ # - 905818
Well sice this is not a PC centric group we may not be the best place
for advice.
However... JTS was a short lived supplier is low cost IDE drives and
were noted for high failure rates though there were the occasional
decent one in the pack. They were also very slow compared to
the better WD, Seagate, Quantum and Maxtor.
Oh, JTS disappeared withing two years after they show up.
Allison
-----Original Message-----
From: Pete Turnbull <pete(a)dunnington.u-net.com>
To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org <classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org>
Date: Sunday, October 07, 2001 6:43 PM
Subject: Re: Hard Drives
>On Oct 7, 16:50, ajp166 wrote:
>> Beats me what that drive is. This is a group for hardware over 10
years
>> old.
>> If it is that old you likely going to be fixing it yourself.
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: CByrd87043(a)aol.com <CByrd87043(a)aol.com>
>> To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org <classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org>
>> Date: Sunday, October 07, 2001 3:48 PM
>> Subject: Hard Drives
>>
>>
>> >I have a Hard Drive model P1200-2af. I need to know where can I send
it
>> to
>> >get it fix or replace. It just stop working.
>
>It's a nothing-special 1.2GB IDE drive with a bad reputation, made by
JTS.
> JTS are no more, so the only likely option is to replace it with a
>Seagate, WD, or whatever.
>
>JTS were famous for, amongst other things, buying part of Atari from the
>Tramiel family, laying off a lot of staff, and then selling it to Hasbro
>shortly after being de-listed by the stock exchange and shortly before
>going bust in 1998.
>
>--
>Pete Peter Turnbull
> Network Manager
> University of York
Joe wrote:
> One of mine has a MODEM but I've never tried to use it. Does anyone
> still support 1200 baud?
The ZX-TEAM Mailbox supports 300-14400 baud ;>)
Glen
0/0
> I was not a RS user at the time and it's quite possible that the rumors I heard
> regarding the M1 and those about the M3 were geting mixed together. I wasn't
> even aware that there wasn't a two-sided option on the stock model 3.
The third-party controllers were most popular on the Model 1, since the stock
FDC was SD. There were a few third-party controllers for the Model III and
the early Model 4, but they weren't as popular as the 1793 was more capable.
The stock Model 1 FDC also had reliability problems that lead to third-party
data separator plug-in circuits.
The only Model 1/III/4 that came stock with DS drives was the 4D. Any other
DS setup was third-party. The stock III/4 controllers (both the add-on in
the III and early 4 and the built-in on the gate-array 4) had no problems
with DS drives.
--
Eric Dittman
dittman(a)dittman.net
Check out the DEC Enthusiasts Club at http://www.dittman.net/
ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk wrote:
> Yes, stupid isn't it. I've some across programs where the
> help files for
> installation are compressed on the CD-ROM, and thus can only be read
> after installation. I wonder which genius came up with that idea.
This is not terribly clever :-)
> Ditto for putting hardware docs in machine-readable form
> only. The time you _need_ those documents (as opposed
> to just wanting a bit of light
> reading) is when the machine won't boot....
Apart from the word "only" above, I humbly disagree.
I have less than perhaps 300 paper manuals and
printsets in all (and a fair proportion of those
are non-technical Owner's Manuals and the like).
Electronic manuals are a godsend for those of us
who are severely restricted space-wise. Add to
that all the scans of manuals and printsets
that I can now find on the net, and I think
that electronic manuals are terrific.
I don't expect to read my manual on the Rainbow that I
am repairing ... that's what the PC or laptop
is for!
> And a lot of modern manuals, even when you've figured out how to read
> them do not contain the information that I would need. Not
> even what I
> would consider to be 'basic' information, like pinouts and
> data formats.
True but probably understandable these days. Things
change so rapidly that there is no time to generate
the manual. The schematics will exist somewhere (although
getting hold of them will be difficult for an outsider
for the usual reasons of commercial sensitivity) but
documentation is usually sketchy at best. Things
may be a little different in the consumer arena,
but the most I've been able to find have been
the TV manuals in the RTSG (or whatever it's called ...
my current TV came with a five year guarantee and the
previous one was a Decca series 80 chassis that was already
old when I got it ... must be 10 years since I've needed
to pop into a library to consult that book!).
Antonio
ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk wrote:
> If I was being totally honest, I would probably admit that there are
> times where board-swapping makes sense. Not _all the time_, though...
> There are certainly times when component level repair make financial
> sense (even when you consider the time taken to replace the
> component),
> and is also the fastest way to get the machine working again.
I cannot think of too many cases (at least in our
current machine room - or indeed anywhere else
I have been) where a repair is better for either the
customer or the repairer. If I look at the routers and
switches in our racks, the PSUs swap out, the fan tray
swaps out and all of the cards swap out. The backplane
and switching fabrics are a little harder - but not much.
Replacing a card is the work of moments and will be much
cheaper for the customer (in terms of down time) and
the supplier (in terms of the amount of training
needed by the FE).
Even five to ten years ago (the times of the VAX 4000
and VAX 6000) I expect that the same economics would
have applied. In fact, I believe that the machines
were designed to keep MTTR low (and MTBF high !).
You would have to go back to the early eighties,
the days of the VAX-11/7xx and the VAX 86xx, to
find FEs fixing components on site. In those days
machines cost a great deal more and people (even
highly trained people) cost a great deal less.
Now once the card has been pulled and returned to
base, then it is probably worthwhile having a repair
line where someone with the appropriate skills
can find the fault and fix it. Obviously if it costs
more to do this than it does to simply use brand new
boards as swap-ins, then even this repair won't be
done.
This is not to say that I won't fix the washing machine
or the TV myself once they go out of waranty (but
even there it was cheaper to get a new drain pump
than try to repair the broken one!)
> No, what worries me is that people are not being taught about
> component-level design and repair any more (design and repair
> are not the same thing, of course).
I too am concerned about that sort of dumbing down.
At least in those courses where it is appropriate.
OTOH it seems perfectly reasonable to me that *most*
people could care less about how their computer
works - after all most people seem to be that way
about their TV, car, DVD etc. I, for one, do
not particularly enjoy plumbing, for example.
> > replacement modules. People like Tony are few and far between.
>
> Probably because very few employers want people like me....
Economics again. Employers only need one of you
for every N field service engineers. Your kind
of skills cost money ... and if they don't you
aren't doing the rest of us any favours - stop it :-)
Antonio