- test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org - classiccmp.org

by Philip.Belben＠pgen.com

Jim Willing: > I've added a fairly complete Tektronix 4054 graphics computer system to the > collection. Along with it came a hard copy unit, external tape drive, a > rather large flat bed plotter, and a full set of docs and tapes! You. Lucky. Beggar. (Green with envy) Philip. (sorry there's not much content in this message, but I had to get it off my chest. More and more 4050 series coming out of the woodwork! Keep up the good work!)

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

How scarce (valuable) is core for the PDP-8?

by Philip.Belben＠pgen.com

><My first thought was something like a small compass near each bit. I want ><to avoid lights since I think they are less engaging, less an indicator ><that something has happened. Ideally this should be an attractive looking ><toy, that sparks curiousity. > > The ferrite would not show enough external field change to be a reliable > indicator. However when the wires were driven they indeed would! OK, how about it. Put a ring of compasses around the wire with needles strongly enough magnetised that they will stay pointing N-S around the ring regardless of the Earth's field. Can you then flip them with a current? A very good visual demonstration of how core works! Philip. BTW Siemens make some torroidal cores down to 1mm thick ferrite, slightly larger in other materials. RS Components stock some - http://rswww.com/ and go in through the catalogue: "Electronics", "Transformers/Inductors/Ferrites", "Ferrites", "Torroids" (sic). There are even data sheets but I didn't manage to download them.

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

PC question

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<Yesterday, at the KS10 move, I came away with two IBM PCs, but I <don't know enough about them to know if they are the AT or XT <models... they both have a 5.25" floppy and a hard drive, and <both have color monitors. One was a 5150 (xt) the other was a 5170 (also XT) If all fails look at the cpu: XT 8088 or 8086 AT 80286 or later Allison

27 years, 2 months

6
8
0 0

Powerlines

by Philip.Belben＠pgen.com

I'm not sure whether this was satisfactorily cleared up. Anyway, the message was still on my list of Classiccmp mails to be answered when I finally caught up with reading them this pm. >> > Realy 234V (strange) and 180 degree ? Where do you know ? By definition ? >> > Just remember, if you tap between 2 phases of a 3~ signal you still get >> > a perfect sinus and you can't decide if it is a single phase or part of >> > a 3 phase signal. Ok, I'm always learning new things on this earth :9 >> > The numbers just saemed to fit well. >> I'm sure the power company has a legal obligation to keep the voltage >> within a certain range of values. Although, I don't know exactly what that >> range is. I think 117 is probably the optimal value for each of the legs >> giving 234 for the total. I've heard it referred to as 110, 115, 117, and >> 120. Since the actual voltage varies any of these could be correct. > > Anybody out there knowing the US regulations ? AFAIR somewhen in the > late 70s the acording definitions have been worldewide standardized > on 115V/200V and 230/400V - the intention was to allow manufacturers > (especialy the ones for power transmission systems) to develop more > efiecently and to lower building costs, since within the lower power > range (up to some MW) designs could be standardized on a simple level. >> Since it is a simple transformer, the phases are 180 degrees out of phase >> (by definition). That's assuming a balanced resistive load. Of course, that >> could change under a heavy inductive or capacitive load but, that's an >> extreme and won't normally present a problem. > > Still not an argument against 2 phases from an 3~ signal. 1. Voltage The voltage will be declared by the supply company to be some value +/- some tolerance. This will usually be according to a national standard. The transformer will usually have a higher voltage on its rating plate - if the nominal voltage is 115 or 117 volts, the transformer may be rated at 120V. People near the transformer will get 120V, people at the far end of the cable will get 110V. My house is very near the transformer so I get 248V on a nominal 230V supply (NB when it was nominally 240V I got 248V. Nobody has adjusted the transformer...) 2. Phase. As I understand it the usual practice in the US is take _either_ a phase and earth (neutral) _or_ two phases of the HV supply and feed a single phase transformer from this. The LV side of the transformer is (say) 240V with a centre tap. The centre tap is earthed and provides the neutral connection, the outer two taps are then both hot at 120V, 180 degrees apart. This is true _even if_ the primary (HV winding) is connected between two phases of the HV 3-phase system. In the UK the usual practice is to connect all 3 phases of the HV (almost invariably 11kV phase to phase) to a delta-star 3-phase transformer. The secondary, the star-connected winding provides 3 phases and neutral. Neutral is earthed at the transformer. Protective earth can be provided by _either_ a separate wire from the main earth at the transformer _or_ an earthing electrode at each customer's site _or_ the neutral is earthed at a large number of points on the system and the customer's protective earth is bonded to neutral at the point of entry of the supply. In all cases the customer sees 240V line to neutral; if he gets more than one line (hot) connection, they will be 120 degrees apart. In remote locations, only 2 phases of the 11kV system are taken to the site. Small loads get a single phase 11kV/250V transformer with one end of the LV earthed; larger loads get a single phase 11kV/500V transformer with a centre tap earthed. Some farm equipment (I am told - I have never seen this) is rated for 480V single phase. It is very unusual for a domestic installation to get more than one phase and neutral. But 3-phase can be done - the supply company don't mind putting it in if they think you'll buy a lot of electricity! Philip.

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

GEM GPL'd?

by healyzh＠aracnet.com

Here is a site that claims Caldera just GPL'd GEM. http://www.devili.iki.fi/cpm/gemworld.html I've no idea of the validity of this statement, but apparently the guy running the site browbeat Caldera into releasing it. They've got a pretty good selection of GEM PC software, and it sounds like other stuff elsewhere on the site. If you're interested in such things. Zane | Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator | | healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast | | healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector | +----------------------------------+----------------------------+ | Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, | | and Zane's Computer Museum. | | http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ |

27 years, 2 months

4
3
0 0

It's Alive!!!

by healyzh＠aracnet.com

Wow!!! I think I just smoked the power distribution unit on the RL02 rack, but I just booted RT-11 V4 on the PDP-11/44! It is Alive!!! Zane | Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator | | healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast | | healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector | +----------------------------------+----------------------------+ | Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, | | and Zane's Computer Museum. | | http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ |

27 years, 2 months

4
3
0 0

The TI 34010

by dpeschel＠u.washington.edu

I've been reading back issues of Micro Cornucopia... They have a lot of glowing things to say about the TI 34010. Has anyone used one? They sound very powerful and they fit my ideas about what graphics hardware should do. my ideasx: easy programmability and flexible memory architecture are good. Comprehensive text routines are as important as graphics routines. If hardware is proprietary (like 3D cards for IBM clones) or nonstandard (like cheap VGA cards for IBM clones) or the OS can't deal with it, I don't really want to deal with it either. -- Derek

27 years, 2 months

21
69
0 0

NEC APC III Boot Disk

by jolminkh＠nsw.bigpond.net.au

There was a thread earlier about APC III's and I recall people asking for boot disks. I found a working machine today with a hard drive, and have made a teledisk image of a 360k boot disk that works if the machine has an SLE card fitted. It's MS Dos 2.11 . Email me for a copy. If there is no SLE card it would need the original OS on a quad density disk. The SLE card in this one wasn't labelled as such, just a card in an expansion slot with an 8086 chip and Eproms on it. Hans

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Highgate's PDP-8 Web Page Updated!

by mcquiggi＠sfu.ca

Hi Gang: This evening I completed some long-overdue information updates on the highgate.comm.sfu.ca PDP-8 web page. 27 new pdp-8 related documents are now available. About two dozen more items will be added shortly. See http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/pdp8 for details. The new items are flagged. Thanks as always to "scanmaster" David Gesswein for the content. Kevin --- Kevin McQuiggin VE7ZD mcquiggi(a)sfu.ca

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Good Weekend, bad weekend...

by jimw＠agora.rdrop.com

Seems like someday you just can't buy a break... Good or bad, and sometimes they come in lots! The past two weekends have been both good and bad around the Computer Garage... The good: some major new additions to the collection The bad: my faithful Chevy Surburban that has provided transport for so much gear over the years has suffered a rather major mechanical failure... (sigh) Preferring to think to the good side tho... I've added a fairly complete Tektronix 4054 graphics computer system to the collection. Along with it came a hard copy unit, external tape drive, a rather large flat bed plotter, and a full set of docs and tapes! Now I've just got go get a large enough flat spot cleared out to light this critter up! (it supposedly all works!) And man, that is one LARGE (19 inch) storage tube!) Then just today I picked up a rather complete set of IBM F.E. manuals and docs for the early Unit Record / EAM machines! The docs are in fine shape for their age (received them from a 31 year IBM vet.) and appear to cover all of the early key punches, sorters, collators, tabulating machines, etc... Most cool! And to go with it, I just picked up an IBM model 82 sorter! (that was on Friday tho...) Also sorting thru the acqusitions from the Paxton auction last week... DEC TU-81+ tape drive, MINC-11, and RA-81 hard drive, a pair of HP 1000F (aka 2117F) CPUs (anyone got docs on these critters?), a Tektronix 4006-1 graphics terminal and model 230 digital unit, an HP 9000/20 (aka 9000/520) workstation, and other minor random goodies... I'd be having an even better time if I were not so bummed over the 'Sub... But, all in all, not a totally horrible weekend or two, eh? And hopefully, I'll get caught up with my photography of the collection as I finally broke down and picked up a digital camera, which has already made it's debut with the shots of the Paxton auction. If of course, I can stop running around picking up new equipment and crawling under vehicles having to fix things... B^} (ok... so maybe if I could just stop having to crawl under vehicles!) -jim --- jimw(a)computergarage.org The Computer Garage - http://www.computergarage.org Computer Garage Fax - (503) 646-0174

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

RARE: Original Macintosh found!!

by gregorym＠cadvision.com

At 04:57 PM 4/25/99 -0700, you wrote: >>Just kidding, but I am looking for some info. I found a good condition 128K >>Mac at a sale today, with most of the original packaging and materials. I'd > >If it says 128k, its not the first Macintosh, which was just labeled >Macintosh. The 128k marking didn't come out until later models were >released to differentiate it. > > My original post may have been misleading. It just says "Macintosh" on the back of the case. I'm assuming that it's a 128K Mac because: it has a 400K floppy drive, no hard drive port on the back, and all of the system software (Finder, MacWrite, MacPaint) is version 1.0, dated early in 1984. Also, all of the accompanying documentation seems to be from the original issue. There's a "limited time" subscription offer to a brand new magazine called MacWorld - think they'll still honour it? How can I check the memory capacity, to see if it's a 128K or a 512K Fat Mac? I'm not that familiar with Macs. Regards, Mark.

27 years, 2 months

4
3
0 0

PC question

by jolminkh＠nsw.bigpond.net.au

This all sounds like a lot of trouble. They all had labels on the front you know. The AT had "IBM Personal Computer AT", the XT similar with "XT". The only one that looks indistinct was the original PC which just said "IBM Personal Computer". Failing that they had labels on the back. The PC was model 5150, the XT model 5160 and the AT model 5170 as I recall. Hans Olminkhof -----Original Message----- From: Richard Erlacher <edick(a)idcomm.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Monday, 26 April 1999 10:09 Subject: Re: PC question >If they are IBM boxes, then the shape will give that away. If the box has a >sloped front, then it's an XT. If the floppy is a full-height drive, it's >an XT, and if you look inside it will be really obvious, in that the XT >motherboard is confined to the area to the left (as you face the front of >the box) of the power supply. Most obvious of all, of course, is the fact >that the XT had no 16-bit slots in the motherboard. XT-types generally had >a floppy controller and a separate hard disk controller. The AT had a >single controller for both. > >Dick > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Megan <mbg(a)world.std.com> >To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers ><classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> >Date: Sunday, April 25, 1999 5:55 PM >Subject: PC question > > >> >>Yesterday, at the KS10 move, I came away with two IBM PCs, but I >>don't know enough about them to know if they are the AT or XT >>models... they both have a 5.25" floppy and a hard drive, and >>both have color monitors. >> >>They are both desktop boxes... the monitors were sitting on top >>of them. >> >>So, how do I tell... >> >> Megan Gentry >> Former RT-11 Developer >> >>+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ >>| Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | Internet (work): gentry!zk3.dec.com | >>| Unix Support Engineering Group | (home): mbg!world.std.com | >>| Compaq Computer Corporation | addresses need '@' in place of '!' | >>| 110 Spitbrook Rd. ZK03-2/T43 | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ | >>| Nashua, NH 03062 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler | >>| (603) 884 1055 | required." - mbg | >>+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ >

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

It's Alive!!!

by mbg＠world.std.com

>No, it's really wierd. I smelled smoke, at which point I started >worrying, and then realized the RL02 wasn't spun up, so I figured that >was it. Then I noticed the breaker on the back of the RL02 was tripped, >so I switched it back on, it started to spin up, and it tripped again. >Plugged it into the surge supressor, and it worked. I didn't notice any >load buzzing, but then with the way stuff is arranged at the moment for >testing, I probably wouldn't, unless it was REALLY loud. Just to let you know... when the RLs are powered on, there is about a 10 second or so period in which they sound like they might be buzzing... the motor is turning very slowly during that time. After it does this, you should hear a click as the buzzing stops and the cover interlock disengages. Megan Gentry Former RT-11 Developer +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ | Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | Internet (work): gentry!zk3.dec.com | | Unix Support Engineering Group | (home): mbg!world.std.com | | Compaq Computer Corporation | addresses need '@' in place of '!' | | 110 Spitbrook Rd. ZK03-2/T43 | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ | | Nashua, NH 03062 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler | | (603) 884 1055 | required." - mbg | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

27 years, 2 months

2
1
0 0

PC question

by edick＠idcomm.com

If they are IBM boxes, then the shape will give that away. If the box has a sloped front, then it's an XT. If the floppy is a full-height drive, it's an XT, and if you look inside it will be really obvious, in that the XT motherboard is confined to the area to the left (as you face the front of the box) of the power supply. Most obvious of all, of course, is the fact that the XT had no 16-bit slots in the motherboard. XT-types generally had a floppy controller and a separate hard disk controller. The AT had a single controller for both. Dick -----Original Message----- From: Megan <mbg(a)world.std.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Sunday, April 25, 1999 5:55 PM Subject: PC question > >Yesterday, at the KS10 move, I came away with two IBM PCs, but I >don't know enough about them to know if they are the AT or XT >models... they both have a 5.25" floppy and a hard drive, and >both have color monitors. > >They are both desktop boxes... the monitors were sitting on top >of them. > >So, how do I tell... > > Megan Gentry > Former RT-11 Developer > >+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ >| Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | Internet (work): gentry!zk3.dec.com | >| Unix Support Engineering Group | (home): mbg!world.std.com | >| Compaq Computer Corporation | addresses need '@' in place of '!' | >| 110 Spitbrook Rd. ZK03-2/T43 | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ | >| Nashua, NH 03062 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler | >| (603) 884 1055 | required." - mbg | >+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

RARE: Original Macintosh found!!

by gregorym＠cadvision.com

Just kidding, but I am looking for some info. I found a good condition 128K Mac at a sale today, with most of the original packaging and materials. I'd like to know if anything's missing, other than the original packing box for the system unit itself. I'd like to have a complete set of Mac Ver. 1 materials. What I have is: -the original boxes for the mouse and keyboard, with stylized colour paintings of a mouse and keyboard on the boxes. -a plastic box with the word Macintosh at the upper left, and a stylized Apple at the lower right. It contains a Mac System Disk, a disk Guided Tour to the Mac, an audio cassette Guided Tour, a "Programmers Button" option, several Apple computer stickers, several Apple disk labels, a Macintosh manual, and power cord. -a MacWrite/MacPaint box, with a MacWrite/MacPaint disk, a disk Guided Tour to MacWrite/MacPaint, an audiotape Guided Tour, and a MacWrite manual. Should there be a separate MacPaint manual as well? Any help would be much appreciated. Mark.

27 years, 2 months

3
2
0 0

The "FIRST PC"...

by yakowenk＠cs.unc.edu

This not only makes it the first home computer, but the first kitchen computer as well! Didn't Honeywell try to market a kitchen computer in the late 70's or early 80's? I'm sure it would have taken off, if only they had been the first. :-) But, sadly, without internal video circuitry, it can't be a personal computer. <snort!> :-) Bill. On Sat, 24 Apr 1999, Max Eskin <max82(a)surfree.com> wrote: ] ... ] Speaking of which, wasn't the Zuse built on a kitchen table in the ] mid-30's? Wouldn't that make _it_ the first personal computer?

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Wanted: PC-4 thermal printer

by yakowenk＠cs.unc.edu

I got this note, seems this guy saw the Rescue Squad web page, but isn't generally interested in classic computers; he just wants one specific part. If you can help him out, kindly reply directly to him. Gracias, Bill. ] Name Steve King ] E-mail address sfjk1(a)usaf.net (delete 2 f's) ] State Florida ] Computers of interest Radio Shack TRS-80 Model PC-4 "Pocket Computer" ] Note I am looking for the thermal printer, ] in working order.

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Pictures of my damaged core

by ethan_dicks＠yahoo.com

Not to follow up my post with another post, but I found a typo (and I suspect some of you did, too) --- Ethan Dicks <ethan_dicks(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > Here's some photos of that stack I got back in '82 with a partial PDP-8/L http://www.infinet.com/~erd/retrocomputing/pdp8/pix/coreassy.jpg - external view http://www.infinet.com/~erd/retrocomputing/pdp8/pix/coremat1.jpg - one bad mat http://www.infinet.com/~erd/retrocomputing/pdp8/pix/coremat2.jpg - another one Sorry for the inconvenience. -ethan _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

It's Alive!!!

by mbg＠world.std.com

>Oh, and don't worry, the VT420 is only for testing purposes, I've got >VT100's and a DECwriter II for the PDP-11/44 :^) Although the DECwriter >II will take some serious work before it's usable. I know what you mean... although the KS10s we got the other day had video terminals for the console, we also got a true LA36 in order to have that is a more traditional console for such an old beast... Megan Gentry Former RT-11 Developer +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ | Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | Internet (work): gentry!zk3.dec.com | | Unix Support Engineering Group | (home): mbg!world.std.com | | Compaq Computer Corporation | addresses need '@' in place of '!' | | 110 Spitbrook Rd. ZK03-2/T43 | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ | | Nashua, NH 03062 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler | | (603) 884 1055 | required." - mbg | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

The "FIRST PC" and personal timelines (Was: And what were the80s id AA20656; Fri, 23 Apr 1999 18:48:08 -0400

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<I think what they don't realise is that computers at this point had <names, not numbers. 20 is probably quite close. I know there's a site <that catalogues them. I think at this point, the firts generation IBM 600' <hadn't been been built yet, although they have been in planning. I'd have to hunt on that too. I believe that the 1952(ish) was the year of the first production computer (univac, vacuum tubes). It was '58ish maybe later for the first production transistor machines. I'd extend that with some error the 60s would be the advent of the first volume production machines. (IE: hundreds of a kind). The watershed event was the forcasting of an election with a computer on TV. That would bring the idea of a computer from the labratory to something people could relate to. Radios went through the same curve though the peried of time was longer. Allison

27 years, 2 months

3
2
0 0

The "FIRST PC" and personal timelines (Was: And what were the80s

by edick＠idcomm.com

Well, Sellam, it's a question of statistics. The population was about 225 Million back then +/- some number, and the people in the US or even the world who had any notion of what a digital computer was was probably around a hundred, well, maybe a thousand. Now, you started out with an "average" American. Of the thousand or so to whom owning a computer didn't amount to slavery, how many do you think could afford to spend the equivalent of a half-year's groceries, during the period when the word "recession" was invented, on something the maximal function of which was strictly limited in purpose to some form of mental masturbation? They couldn't use the excuse that "we could use it to manage our checking account . . ." or some such, because it wouldn't do that. Do you think the average American could afford to spend that kind of dough on something he didn't need? Do you think he'd have spent the dough on something it probably would have benefitted him NOT to have? . . . like a digital computer toy? Dick -----Original Message----- From: Sellam Ismail <dastar(a)ncal.verio.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Saturday, April 24, 1999 2:27 AM Subject: Re: The "FIRST PC" and personal timelines (Was: And what were the80s >On Fri, 23 Apr 1999, Richard Erlacher wrote: > >> No, Sam, those were not necessarily MY attitudes. I, after all, was only 6 >> years old during most of 1952. However, I'd submit that my statement is >> more or less correct, inasmuch as most Americans had no idea what a digital >> computer was in 1952. My grandfather worked for one of New York's large > >What does having "no idea what a digital computer was in 1952" have to do >with being able to afford one? Can you make an argument and stick to it >please? > ><...> >> whatever was the model of the day, and they got the work done. That's what >> the average American thought of when you asked him about a computer, though >> most didn't really even recognize the word. > >Ok, thanks for that history but it does nothing to further your argument, >nor does it have any relevance to your assertion. > >> In 1954-55 a friend of my parents bought an airplane for $300. He also >> liked those British sports cars, which traded, 2nd-hand for about $300 in >> the late '50's, though they were not that "reasonable" by the time I wanted >> one (goodness only knows why I wanted it). > >Oh?? I thought $300 was hardly an amount one could afford to be spending >in the 50s! Seems like it wasn't that big of a deal after all. > >> Back to the attitudes . . . I certainly hope that you don't purport YOUR >> attitudes to be typical. I know mine aren't. What brings balance to a >> discussion is the presentation of perceptions. > >No, I'm not so arrogant (or myopic). > >> One other point . . . I don't know how you can claim to know about what's on >> the mind of an "average" American. People who, ten years ago, were rabidly > >I made no such claim. However, you pretty much DID make such a claim. > >Sellam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com >--------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- >Don't rub the lamp if you don't want the genie to come out. > > Coming this October 2-3: Vintage Computer Festival 3.0! > See http://www.vintage.org/vcf for details! > [Last web site update: 04/03/99] >

27 years, 2 months

2
1
0 0

It's Alive!!!

by CLASSICCMP＠trailing-edge.COM

>Wow!!! I think I just smoked the power distribution unit on the RL02 >rack, but I just booted RT-11 V4 on the PDP-11/44! It is Alive!!! Good! Why do you say you smoked the power distribution box? Is it buzzing loudly, by any chance? This is usually a sign of a bad capacitor in the relay/contactor power supply, and is easily repaired. -- Tim Shoppa Email: shoppa(a)trailing-edge.com Trailing Edge Technology WWW: http://www.trailing-edge.com/ 7328 Bradley Blvd Voice: 301-767-5917 Bethesda, MD, USA 20817 Fax: 301-767-5927

27 years, 2 months

2
1
0 0

It's Alive!!!

by mbg＠world.std.com

>Wow!!! I think I just smoked the power distribution unit on the RL02 >rack, but I just booted RT-11 V4 on the PDP-11/44! It is Alive!!! Congrats on booting! Sorry the PS smoked... Megan Gentry Former RT-11 Developer +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ | Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | Internet (work): gentry!zk3.dec.com | | Unix Support Engineering Group | (home): mbg!world.std.com | | Compaq Computer Corporation | addresses need '@' in place of '!' | | 110 Spitbrook Rd. ZK03-2/T43 | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ | | Nashua, NH 03062 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler | | (603) 884 1055 | required." - mbg | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

27 years, 2 months

2
1
0 0

The "FIRST PC" and personal timelines (Was: And what were the80s id AA20656; Fri, 23 Apr 1999 18:48:08 -0400

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<(if available at 1/4th of a year salery) and I can't see any <difference to the situation in the 70s - the same group of electonic <fascinated people would have taken the chance. < <The effect is just that there was no such device. And ther ewas more importantly no concept of having/building one outside of university circles (how did they do it!). Allison

27 years, 2 months

3
2
0 0

Building Core, Stage 2

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<1) I'm using copper clad board to provide a ground plane "under" the core. <After my last message it became obvious that this was the other half of th <winding "through" the core. Not required. Any whire with durrent passing through it has a field around it. That is all that is required. More turns only reduce the current required to attain a given field. <2) I'm using "magnet" wire (enameled copper wire) for the core wire. I'm <guessing it can take a couple of amps for a short period of time. I'm not <sure that is sufficent to "switch" the #2 nut I'm using but we'll see. The current can be quite high as those pulses will be short (microseconds). <3) Allison referenced a waveform that looked like this: Keep in mind that will switch the core in both directions. that was mostly a test signal for trying materials. <4) The diagram in the 8a manual shows the sense wires going through one se <of cores, looping and coming back through another set. The sense wire is <also used as the 'inhibit' wire when one wants to write a zero. This is <done by reversing the X or Y current so that the selected cores don't get <full write current (and thus don't switch.) Yep the two matic selects and the sense/inhibit wire. Some planes used four wires with the inhibit being seperate. <5) So this is the plan: < put three wires through the nut and wire them up as follows: < -- < 1/h select ----------\ | | /----- GND < 1/h select ---------------| |-------------- GND < sense + ----------/ | | \----- sense - For testing a "core" only two are needed. makes life simpler. < The scope will display the current on the select lines on channel 1 < the sense lines on channel 2 (floating ground) Good! <6) When the current is sufficient, I should see a pulse on the sense line. < (This is the hypothesis part, now to apply the scientific method) Actually even if the current is low there will be a pulse coincident with the drive pulse (transformer action). However when the core switches the waveform will not corospond to a 1:1 transformer and also it will be shifted in time. If the core is not suitable the signal may not be visible. Allison

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Thinkpad 500 Power Supply

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

how bad do you need it? IBM still stocks it. www.direct.ibm.com/ In a message dated 4/25/99 7:22:21 AM US Eastern Standard Time, gene(a)ehrich.com writes: > Does anybody have one or know where I can get one? > > gene@ehrich > http://www.voicenet.com/~generic > Computer & Video Game Garage Sale

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

The "FIRST PC" and personal timelines (Was: And what were the80s id AA20656; Fri, 23 Apr 1999 18:48:08 -0400

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<On other point: Do you have any idea how many computers there were in <1952? Or their cost? I do, do they? I think a number totaling under 20 would be about right. the volume of computers were about to increase around '52 but the next production step was the transistor machines. Allison

27 years, 2 months

2
1
0 0

z80 timing... 6502 timing

by edick＠idcomm.com

I suppose that's true, Hans, BUT, in1982, there were few other processors than the 6502 and Z-80 in popular use, with the exception of the 8080A and the 8085, of course. The majority of home computers, though, used one of these two, at that time. Several years later, we found the 6510 and 6809 in commercially interesting applications, but not for as long a period as the Z-80 and 6502. These two had a life of nearly ten years before the IBM-PC and its clones wrenched the home computer market from their grasp. My last, albeit not "commercial" application was designed with a pair of 65C02's (just under 5MHz) and a pair of 8751's in '86. The 6502 and Z-80 made their appearance in '76, as I recall, though there may have been a few out in '75. The big 6502 rollout was in '76, though. Dick -----Original Message----- From: Hans Franke <Hans.Franke(a)mch20.sbs.de> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Wednesday, April 21, 1999 11:32 AM Subject: Re: z80 timing... 6502 timing >> While your comments are valid observations, I submit, however, that we're >> coming at this from two different viewpoints. I wish to address the >> question "Which processor is faster, 6502 or Z-80?" while you want a general >> comparison of processors. Unfortunately, answering one question doesn't >> address the other. > >The 6502 vs. Z80 is only a subplot in the all CPU question - so >if the measurement does fit the general question it also fits >the specific. In fact, if we go for the general thing, the rules >will be much more aprobiate then when we only focuse on two >examples. > >Gruss >H. > >-- >Stimm gegen SPAM: http://www.politik-digital.de/spam/de/ >Vote against SPAM: http://www.politik-digital.de/spam/en/ >Votez contre le SPAM: http://www.politik-digital.de/spam/fr/ >Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut >HRK

27 years, 2 months

17
34
0 0

Building Core, Stage 2

by cmcmanis＠mcmanis.com

Ok, I'm getting to the point where I can _almost_ start taking pictures of the waveforms on the oscilloscope. Now, if you are wondering, this does have a point. I've got a 4K core stack for a PDP-8 that I've been loath to get into because I didn't feel I had a strong enough understanding of the basics in order to figure out just what the heck was wrong with it, once this project is complete and I understand core memory, theory and operation, I'll be ready to tackle fixing that stack. I've been reading and re-reading the theory section in the PDP-8a manual and some parts are starting to seep into my consciousness. This is where we are at. 1) I'm using copper clad board to provide a ground plane "under" the core. After my last message it became obvious that this was the other half of the winding "through" the core. 2) I'm using "magnet" wire (enameled copper wire) for the core wire. I'm guessing it can take a couple of amps for a short period of time. I'm not sure that is sufficent to "switch" the #2 nut I'm using but we'll see. 3) Allison referenced a waveform that looked like this: +--+ | | | | ----------+ +-------------+ +--------- Gnd | | | | +--+ Now in the ToO section in the manual it was written that the first pulse "reads" the core, and the second pulse "writes" the core. A light bulb went on because of course core is "destructively" read, and has to be rewritten. 4) The diagram in the 8a manual shows the sense wires going through one set of cores, looping and coming back through another set. The sense wire is also used as the 'inhibit' wire when one wants to write a zero. This is done by reversing the X or Y current so that the selected cores don't get full write current (and thus don't switch.) 5) So this is the plan: put three wires through the nut and wire them up as follows: -- 1/h select ----------\ | | /----- GND 1/h select ---------------| |-------------- GND sense + ----------/ | | \----- sense - The scope will display the current on the select lines on channel 1 the sense lines on channel 2 (floating ground) 6) When the current is sufficient, I should see a pulse on the sense line. (This is the hypothesis part, now to apply the scientific method) We'll see ... if there are obvious errors in the above please let me know! --Chuck --

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Saving BIG OLD Iron...

by mbg＠world.std.com

The first part of the effort has been a success... we had about 8 people show up today to load the KS10 systems and their disks and tapes (and printers, and some terminals, and documentation and printsets) into two trucks... one going up to New Hampshire and one going down to Rhode Island. It turns out that we were unable to lock down the head carriages on the RP06 drives, and I know we're taking a little risk because of it, but we did not have the procedure available in the manuals we referred to. What little we did find led us to believe that there were parts required (removed at the time of installation) which the site no longer had... Anyway, it all got loaded. Tomorrow some of use will unload the truck which went to Rhode Island... One of the things I found out about the systems is that they were apparently the last set of decsystem-10s in active commercial in the new england region. One of the machines is an ADP onsite machine. It has a modified front panel which can apparently display the number of local and remote users, the %utilization of the machine, and two other displays which can be selected as to what they display. It is an LCD display which appears to have been cracked at some point, so it may take some work to make it work again. Megan Gentry Former RT-11 Developer +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ | Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | Internet (work): gentry!zk3.dec.com | | Unix Support Engineering Group | (home): mbg!world.std.com | | Compaq Computer Corporation | addresses need '@' in place of '!' | | 110 Spitbrook Rd. ZK03-2/T43 | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ | | Nashua, NH 03062 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler | | (603) 884 1055 | required." - mbg | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ p.s. Anyone have any information on the ADP onsite modifications which might have been standard?

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Chrislin Industries

by mbg＠world.std.com

>My question is if I stuck the RQDX3 in slot 4 would it work? If I found a >copy of RSX-11M could I boot it on this system (128KB of memory) how >about RT-11? Do I need the BDV11 if I have the RQDX3 ? The RQDX3 is only the controller, it doesn't have any boot code on it. If your BDV has the boot code for an MSCP disk, then it should just work. If not, you'll need to get some... One point, the RQDX3 was not supported until V5.3 of RT-11. Megan Gentry Former RT-11 Developer +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ | Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | Internet (work): gentry!zk3.dec.com | | Unix Support Engineering Group | (home): mbg!world.std.com | | Compaq Computer Corporation | addresses need '@' in place of '!' | | 110 Spitbrook Rd. ZK03-2/T43 | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ | | Nashua, NH 03062 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler | | (603) 884 1055 | required." - mbg | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Chrislin Industries

by edick＠idcomm.com

Have you visited www.chrislin.com ? Dick -----Original Message----- From: Chuck McManis <cmcmanis(a)mcmanis.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Saturday, April 24, 1999 6:30 PM Subject: Chrislin Industries >I've got disk box, 19" rack mount, that is labelled Chrislin Industries. >Inside is an SA612 hard disk labelled DL0: on the front, and two 8" >floppies (NEC floppies) labelled DY0: and DY1: on the left. (horizontal >mount). Inside the box is a PC board that takes a 50pin connector (labelled >"Controller") and has connectors labelled WINC0, WINC1, 5" FLOPPY, 8" >FLOPPY, and WINCHESTER. > >This is the zillion dollar question, it looks as if this box could be >plugged into an RQDX3 and emulate two RX02 and an RLxx. Or, it could plug >into some CI controller that did its own emulation. > >My "Microcomputers and Memory" handbooks lists on the back the following >boards for an 11/23 in a BA11-N >#0 KDF11-AA >#1 MSV11-DD >#2 MSV11-DD >#3 DLV11-J >#4 spare >#5 spare >#6 spare >#7 spare >#8 BDV11-AA > >My question is if I stuck the RQDX3 in slot 4 would it work? If I found a >copy of RSX-11M could I boot it on this system (128KB of memory) how about >RT-11? Do I need the BDV11 if I have the RQDX3 ? > >--Chuck >

27 years, 2 months

2
1
0 0

Chrislin Industries

by CLASSICCMP＠trailing-edge.com

>I've got disk box, 19" rack mount, that is labelled Chrislin Industries. >Inside is an SA612 hard disk labelled DL0: on the front, and two 8" >floppies (NEC floppies) labelled DY0: and DY1: on the left. (horizontal >mount). Inside the box is a PC board that takes a 50pin connector (labelled >"Controller") and has connectors labelled WINC0, WINC1, 5" FLOPPY, 8" >FLOPPY, and WINCHESTER. This is a box that works with a Chrislin Industries Q-bus controller. >This is the zillion dollar question, it looks as if this box could be >plugged into an RQDX3 and emulate two RX02 and an RLxx. Nope. > Or, it could plug >into some CI controller that did its own emulation. Yep, the Chrislin controller does RX02 emulation and RL02 emulation. Most also had a small bipolar boot ROM on it. >My "Microcomputers and Memory" handbooks lists on the back the following >boards for an 11/23 in a BA11-N >#0 KDF11-AA >#1 MSV11-DD >#2 MSV11-DD >#3 DLV11-J >#4 spare >#5 spare >#6 spare >#7 spare >#8 BDV11-AA > >My question is if I stuck the RQDX3 in slot 4 would it work? The RQDX3 will work, but it won't talk to your Chrislin industries box. There's a 50-pin to 34-and-20-pin breakout board you need to hook floppy drives and MFM drives to a RQDX3. In a BA23, the breakout board resided in between the card cage and the drive bays; in a BA123 there was a breakout board, with a Q-bus form factor, that plugged into the "dummy" Q-bus slots at the front of the backplane; in a BA11N-type box, the breakout usually resided in the Leprechaun box that holds the MFM or floppy drive. > If I found a >copy of RSX-11M could I boot it on this system (128KB of memory) Sure. You need the drive, of course... and installing RSX from floppy is just plain cruel (about as convenient as the Wagner Ring Cycle on 45's...) > how about >RT-11? Sure, again you need media and matching drive.... > Do I need the BDV11 if I have the RQDX3 ? No. The official rules for when you need a terminator in a box and when you don't need one are in Micronote #29, "Q-bus Expansion Concepts", available from http://metalab.unc.edu/pub/academic/computer-science/history/pdp-11/microno… Keep in mind that you won't have a MSCP bootstrap in this system, meaning you'll have to use console ODT to put the MSCP bootstrap in for each cold boot you do. -- Tim Shoppa Email: shoppa(a)trailing-edge.com Trailing Edge Technology WWW: http://www.trailing-edge.com/ 7328 Bradley Blvd Voice: 301-767-5917 Bethesda, MD, USA 20817 Fax: 301-767-5927

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Chrislin Industries

by cmcmanis＠mcmanis.com

I've got disk box, 19" rack mount, that is labelled Chrislin Industries. Inside is an SA612 hard disk labelled DL0: on the front, and two 8" floppies (NEC floppies) labelled DY0: and DY1: on the left. (horizontal mount). Inside the box is a PC board that takes a 50pin connector (labelled "Controller") and has connectors labelled WINC0, WINC1, 5" FLOPPY, 8" FLOPPY, and WINCHESTER. This is the zillion dollar question, it looks as if this box could be plugged into an RQDX3 and emulate two RX02 and an RLxx. Or, it could plug into some CI controller that did its own emulation. My "Microcomputers and Memory" handbooks lists on the back the following boards for an 11/23 in a BA11-N #0 KDF11-AA #1 MSV11-DD #2 MSV11-DD #3 DLV11-J #4 spare #5 spare #6 spare #7 spare #8 BDV11-AA My question is if I stuck the RQDX3 in slot 4 would it work? If I found a copy of RSX-11M could I boot it on this system (128KB of memory) how about RT-11? Do I need the BDV11 if I have the RQDX3 ? --Chuck

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

RARE: Original Macintosh found!!

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

In a message dated 99-04-24 19:02:39 EDT, you write: > Just kidding, but I am looking for some info. I found a good condition 128K > Mac at a sale today, with most of the original packaging and materials. I'd > like to know if anything's missing, other than the original packing box for > the system unit itself. I'd like to have a complete set of Mac Ver. 1 > materials. What I have is: sounds like you have everything and even more than what i got with my 128k system i bought. I didnt get a audiotape with mine. should be manuals for macwrite and macpaint though. Be on the lookout for dodgy video due to that infamous cold solder joint problem. My machine has it.

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

PDP-11/44 Power Supply Questions

by healyzh＠aracnet.com

OK, the good news is it didn't blow up when powered on, though did have a few worried minutes till I got smart and got out the console key, and turned it to a on possition :^) I just got done measuring the voltages and if I'm reading the manuals correctly the voltage levels are within limits. Flexprint Cable: +5.37V P1 Connector Pins Voltage Overvoltage Limit (according to BA11-A manual) 1-10 +5.05 +6.5 11-16 +11.92 +15.0 17,18 -11.91 -15.0 25,27 -14.97 -18.0 26,28 +15.11 +18.0 However the following pins seem reversed 23 GND SENSE 24 +5 SENSE I get nothing on the +5 SENSE, but I get +5.24V on the GND SENSE. What is up with that?!?!?! I'm possitive that I'm not the one that is reversed as I checked this several times. The voltages all are under the overvoltage limit, so I assume I'm OK on that note. Zane | Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator | | healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast | | healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector | +----------------------------------+----------------------------+ | Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, | | and Zane's Computer Museum. | | http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ |

27 years, 2 months

2
3
0 0

The "FIRST PC" and personal timelines (Was: And what were the 80s

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<console interface. In fact I don't know of a graphics card that was, thoug <on toward '82-83 there were a few with some of the more "capable" graphics <support chips like the NEC 7220 or that "BIG" Hitachi graphics chip, thoug <I never saw one except at a trade show. The 7220 was introduced early 1980 and volume ships were 5 months later. By 1983 it was well on it way to next generation. <Some of these were pretty demanding applications which quickly pointed up <the weakness in using 8-bit computers for multi-plane graphics. They also <pointed up the fact that decent high resolution color monitors cost about a <much as a house . . . well, not quite, but you get the idea. If you bough <one, you'd better keep the box, because you'd need a place to live when you <wife found out . . . We did a multibus baord with the first 7220s and we had a heck ofa time with the monitors as most really could not do the bandwidth and the .042 dot size didn't help! As to using a z80, it was awkward but doable though we designed with a 8086 in mind as we sourced that as well. By late 81 we were running a 4plane (1 megabit planes) graphics CPM86 with 512k of ram. The key was the system was cheap for the time considering it was multibus based. Allison

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

The "FIRST PC" and personal timelines (Was: And what were th

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< The ham radio or electronic hobbyist would have been more likely building <or adapting tube technology to solid state. Yes, they tended to be frontrunners but the various ARRL handbooks (I have many going back to '47) which tend to be a good indicater of the hot radio technology of the time. Aywho the transistor was far to expensive and to cranky to work with until the 60s. Some of the tranistors failings were they were poor at anything but audio and low RF and very expensive. I found it hard to find a good RF transistor until the mid-late 60s that weren't several bucks a peice. So there wes another little aspect of the technology that had to happen. devices that could do logical switching (tubes, transistors...) available in low enough prices and compact enough to consider. The first HOBBYIEST IC based frequency counters were not appearing until 1967 give or take 6 months. Now a frequency counter is a pretty trivial logical device but one that has immense value to radio folk. Again convergence of technology is one factor. Discussing the 50s is fairly pointless as even the portable transistor radio was a late 50s advent. Allison

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Leaky nicad battery

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<I have an old PC which has a leaky nicad battery soldered to the PCB. There <stuff coming out of the battery, which has corroded the PCB traces near it <This is probably the reason why the machine doesn't work properly. Any mild acid works to neutralize the alkaline NICAd eletrolyte. I personally found lemon juice or vinegar effective and then washing the board well afterwards. Replace the battery! <guess I'll just have to solder some wires in place. Yep! Allison

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

DEC

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< I have a manual for PrintDirecter put out by Digital Products Inc-"the sub <Company" of Watertown, Ma. Was this a division of DEC ? I know there were <several companies with Digital in their name. No connection to Digital Equipment Corp, Maynard MA. there were no subsidiaries. Allison

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

building core

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<Ok, one step closer. The description of core in the PDP-8/a miniprocessor <users manual shows the wires going straight through the cores. Is this <correct? I'd expect the wire to make one or two turns around the core so <that the magnetic field it induced would be "inside" the torroid. Comments? So it's a fraction of a turn. There are reasons for not doing multiple turns. One being the size of the wire. another is adding turns increases the inductance of the "coil" and with literally hundreds of "coils" it would be very hard to get a good switching waveform. <What about driving voltages? I've got a +/- 36v @ 3amps supply here, the <PDP-8 uses its 15 volt supplies. I'm building a simply push-pull direct <coupled amp out of a couple of transistors to send the signal that Allison <drew. I'm using a Parallax BASIC Stamp to generate the waveforms (I could <use the HP but then it wouldn't be portable) It's current driven through the wire that is important. <Sense wire? Straight through the core or also with a wrap? Same as core plane. Actually for testing you could used a turn or two for the driving wire and the sense wire to make life easier(less drive, bigger signal) but for multiple cores you need to do the matrix as fractional turns. Allison

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

The "FIRST PC" and personal timelines (Was: And what were the 80s id AA20486; Fri, 23 Apr 1999 18:47:56 -0400

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<Ummm... must beg to differ here. While the SOL uses the VDM-1 circuitry, <it is an integral part of the main board rather than an S-100 add-on, and <I do not recall any variant offered that would have been minus the video <system. Oops, confused the systems. PT sole a board set that gave a virtual SOL but at S100 board level. The VDM-1 I have still works nicely in the Netronics Explorer 8085. In that case the SOL had the video locked in, that makes the point I was driving toward move valid. Allison

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Semi-ot/Semi-odd game requrest

by review＠RyansPC.ryanspc.com

Hi. I've been thinking about asking this for a while, but never got around to it. When I moved, some of the floppies that were in my possession seemingly disappeared/didn't get shipped. In any case, I don't have them anymore. Most of the data was just personal stuff and/or backups, but there were two things in particular that I've permanently lost (both origonals and backups were together, as I didn't think of them getting stolen, but instead infected/defective) were Sid Meier's Civilization I from Microprose, the origional PC edition, as well as the origional PC edition of Castles I from (IIRC) Interplay. I have all applicable documentaiton, as well as a liscense, but just not the software. Would anyone be willing to either make copies of the disks or to email a compressed (either zip or .tgz or .tar.gz would be preferable) copy of the disks? For floppies, I'd be willing to pay the cost of floppies and mailing to Wash., DC, USA, however, the Internet method would probably be better. Also, if anyone knows a used software store where I could get a copy, htat'd also work out. Please eMail me privately at tim(a)thereviewguide.com. Thanks a billion, Tim D. Hotze

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

PDP-11/44 Boot ROMS

by healyzh＠aracnet.com

I've identified that I've got boot ROMS for the following 751A9 RL01 765A9 TU58 757A9 TU16,45,77,TE16 767A9 <-What is this one, the manual doesn't list it. I assume that I can boot RL02's with the RL01 ROMS. Zane | Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator | | healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast | | healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector | +----------------------------------+----------------------------+ | Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, | | and Zane's Computer Museum. | | http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ |

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

PDP-11/44 Boot ROMS

by CLASSICCMP＠trailing-edge.com

>I've identified that I've got boot ROMS for the following > >751A9 RL01 >765A9 TU58 >757A9 TU16,45,77,TE16 >767A9 <-What is this one, the manual doesn't list it. The 767A9 is the UDA50 (and other third-party-MSCP-emulating board) bootstrap. >I assume that I can boot RL02's with the RL01 ROMS. Yes. In case you're looking for a list of boot ROM's, see: http://metalab.unc.edu/pub/academic/computer-science/history/pdp-11/hardwar… Tim.

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Bringing up a old Powersupply

by healyzh＠aracnet.com

I'm getting ready to test the /44's Power Supply tomorrow. Finished the initial AC checks tonite, of verifying that the power distribution unit is working. However, I just remembered a thread that was on the list MONTHS ago about powering on Power Supplies that have been out of service for half of forever. I seem to recall something about slowly applying AC power to the powersupply. I've got access to a variable powersupply that will provide 0-140 VAC. Is this a good idea? If so, how slowly is a good idea? Also, in talking to a friend tonite he was suggesting I hook an O-Scope up to the PS to check for "ripple". Is this necessary? I've got a scope, but honestly do not have any idea how to use it, and haven't had time to learn. Zane | Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator | | healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast | | healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector | +----------------------------------+----------------------------+ | Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, | | and Zane's Computer Museum. | | http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ |

27 years, 2 months

9
11
0 0

PDP-11/44 Boot ROMS

by danburrows＠mindspring.com

>I've identified that I've got boot ROMS for the following > >751A9 RL01 >765A9 TU58 >757A9 TU16,45,77,TE16 >767A9 <-What is this one, the manual doesn't list it. The DU rom Add 23-E39-A9 to your manual also. MU ROM > >I assume that I can boot RL02's with the RL01 ROMS. Yes I may want to talk you out of a copy of the 765A9. I don't have that one. Dan

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

DEC

by edick＠idcomm.com

I don't really have an anti-DEC bias. They kept the industry moving forward (which served their interests if no one else's) at a time when the BIG guys didn't really want it to move form mainframes to distributed minis/micros. I did however, back in the days when this happened, have a bias against buying what we could make and sell at a profit, since I was the resident hardware/systems guru. Having come from a circuit design background as opposed to the usual "rack 'em and stack 'em" position assumed by defense/aerospace contractors, I wanted build something which inherently was suited to the task as opposed to buying a bunch of stuff that didn't and then filing, cutting, and gluing until it did. -----Original Message----- From: Bill Pechter <pechter(a)pechter.dyndns.org> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Saturday, April 24, 1999 1:10 PM Subject: Re: DEC >> That's the name of the guy! Stan Olson . . . the fellows at that one pitch >> to which I was referring in my original post on this subject were touting >> Stan Olson as being so cagey that he kept the gov out of the company's books >> by selling his wares to the gov through integration contractors so that the >> folks at the gov could specify DEC without naming them, and the various >> competing contractors would always decode the RFP to mean DEC and so DEC >> would win every time. I thought it was clever, if true, but the genius's >> name was Stan Olson. > This is actually a very clever and inherently legal way to get around the risk that someone else's product might get introduced into a market you nearly own all for yourself. > >No. Stan Olson's Ken Olson's brother and one of the folks who >kept pushing the company into things like the VT78 and WPS word >processors. He left the company a while back. > Well . . . it COULD have been Ken Olson to whom reference was being made. > >I think you've got a serious anti DEC bias here. > >Someone's very misinformed here or (more likely) the sales guy's full of it. > Well, there were bunches of them swooping down on us . . . the project in question involved about 60 8800's and bunches and bunches of microVaxen with each one. It was many hundreds of the taxpayer's millions that were involved . . . > >Q: How do you tell a computer salesman is lying? >A: His lips move. > >Q: What's the difference between a computer salesman and a used car salesman? >A: The used car salesman KNOWS when he's lying. > >Bill

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Leaky nicad battery

by mark_k＠iname.com

Hi, I have an old PC which has a leaky nicad battery soldered to the PCB. There is stuff coming out of the battery, which has corroded the PCB traces near it. This is probably the reason why the machine doesn't work properly. Can anyone recommend an effective method of cleaning off this stuff so that further corrosion does not occur? When it comes to repairing PCB traces, I guess I'll just have to solder some wires in place. -- Mark

27 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

DEC

by edick＠idcomm.com

That's the name of the guy! Stan Olson . . . the fellows at that one pitch to which I was referring in my original post on this subject were touting Stan Olson as being so cagey that he kept the gov out of the company's books by selling his wares to the gov through integration contractors so that the folks at the gov could specify DEC without naming them, and the various competing contractors would always decode the RFP to mean DEC and so DEC would win every time. I thought it was clever, if true, but the genius's name was Stan Olson. I worked for a while at a major Government Agency which shall remain nameless . . . Every time I called one of my colleagues to leave a message, his lab partner would ask "are you from Digital?" I interpreted this as being digital, since we were digital systems group in the organization in question, and answered with a resounding YES, being new and underinformed as to the culture. One day at lunch the matter happened to come up and that's when I found out the message my colleague was receiving was causing him to call the DEC salesman. Too bad we haven't a way of pronouncing the case of a letter so people will understand. Dick -----Original Message----- From: Bill Pechter <pechter(a)pechter.dyndns.org> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Friday, April 23, 1999 9:34 PM Subject: Re: DEC >> I have a manual for PrintDirecter put out by Digital Products Inc-"the sub-Lan >> Company" of Watertown, Ma. Was this a division of DEC ? I know there were >> several companies with Digital in their name. >> > >Digital was a bad name... too often used and too generic. >Too bad K.O. didn't allow the company to do business as DEC. >I believe Stan Olson was in favor of this at one time. > >Nah... the great story is people coming to the DEC facility in >Nashua to get their DIGITAL clocks and watches fixed. > >Bill > >--- > bpechter@shell.monmouth.com|pechter@pechter.dyndns.org > Three things never anger: First, the one who runs your DEC, > The one who does Field Service and the one who signs your check.

27 years, 2 months

2
1
0 0

2026

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

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