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

by mbg＠world.std.com

>For one thing, I want to ask what a few of these items are. For one >thing, what are the three identical units on the rightmost rack? Also, >what is the tall unit right above the green PDP in the middle rack? Also, >what is the top unit in the short blue rack? If you check my home_systems web page, in the recent_acquisitions section, I have the items listed. To answer the question, in the first rack are 3 RL01s, 1 RX01, a pdp-8/a and a pdp-8/e. In the second rack are TU56, 2 Diablo (RK05 equivalents) and a lab-8/e (the section above the blue/green 8/e panel is the I/O area for data acquisition). The third rack contains a laboratory peripheral system (LPS) which is a UNIBUS option... >Next question: Is there anything you can do with these that my DECMate >can't do (besides peripherals that the DECMate doesn't have) I will be able to copy data between multiple formats -- RK05, RL01, DECtape, RX01. I'll be able to breadboard stuff that could be connected to the lab-8/e... something not pictured is a display scope on which the lab-8/e could display stuff by driving beam X and Y and beam intensity. >Last question: What did you use to make this picture? Powershot 350 digital camera, downloaded to my PC, gamma-edited, uploaded to the web page along with updates to the home_systems.html page to point to the new picture... 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, 3 months

1
0
0 0

ASR-33 Data Format?

by fmc＠reanimators.org

bill_r(a)inetnebr.com (Bill Richman) wrote: > Teletype, so I'm pretty sure the Elf code is correct. I'm using 110 > bits per second, no parity, 8 data bits, one low (logic 0) start bit, > and one high (logic 1) stop bit. It seems to like the data I'm thinking that when you get down to 110 bps it is more usual to use two stop bits (or one that's twice as long as a data bit). -Frank McConnell

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Paging Bill Pechter...

by kyrrin＠bluefeathertech.com

...Would Mr. Bill Pechter please respond, either to the list or to me, with a valid E-mail address? I cannot make either of the two I have work. I've got pechter(a)pechter.ddns.org and pechter(a)ddns.org. Both bounce with timeout messages. Thank you. We now return to your normal programming. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Bruce Lane, Owner and head honcho, Blue Feather Technologies http://www.bluefeathertech.com Amateur Radio:(WD6EOS) E-mail: kyrrin(a)bluefeathertech.com SysOp: The Dragon's Cave (Fido 1:343/272, 253-639-9905) "Our science can only describe an object, event, or living thing in our own human terms. It cannot, in any way, define any of them..."

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

followup: Rinky dink hamfest

by edick＠idcomm.com

I agree that the ramdisk improved performance. It was just the implementations that made the system so fragile once ramdisk was in place. The usefulness of the ramdisk was limited by its size, and, since I had hard disks back then anyway, the speed of which was nearly infinite as compared with the floppies, it didn't improve things very much. The virtual disk features with which I had contact were pretty memory hungry, in that they required a fair sized buffer in order to allow speedy caching of data from the drive from which it was being loaded. They typically used a mini-bank switching arrangement on the order of what EMS used in PC's at one time, which required your system be compatible with it or that it provide a buffer in lower memory so that the higher memory could be switched in and out. This became quite taxing in terms of hardware resources and memory bandwidth. Ramdisk didn't become interesting until I could copy a whole diskette to it. Since that was much more easily accomplished with hard disk, I didn't devote too much time to it. You're certainly right about the observations you made of the effect of various floppy disk handling factors, e.g. sector skew, on performance. Since you're probably referring to SSSD floppies, which were not only the smallest but also the slowest, I can see why you might favor such a scheme. I seldom used SSSD except for interchange of data. Buffering a whole track in memory while reading the next meant a fair amount of memory since the same buffer was used hard disks and floppies. A hard disk track had between 32 256-byte sectors, and 10 1K sectors. With the Lark drive (SMD) it was a bit more, but I don't remember the details. The sectors were odd-sized. The software overhead was burdensome only because it had to reserve quite a bit of memory in order to block and deblock on a track-by track basis. That's why we didn't use ramdisk. One could manage disk I/O almost transparently when the disk was spinning at 3600 instead of 360 rpm. Dick -----Original Message----- From: Allison J Parent <allisonp(a)world.std.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Monday, March 29, 1999 5:33 PM Subject: Re: followup: Rinky dink hamfest ><I would mention that I had 128K in each of my Systems Group systems and ><never used it under CP/M. MP/M had a mechanism for cashing in on extra ><memory, but it was awkward at best under CP/M 2.2. >< ><Needless to say, the use of a RAMdisk would speed things up, but unless ><there was an extensive amount of software for managing it, and that took u ><too much TPA, even a RAMdisk didn't help much. > >Way off. Caching disks for CP/M-any (especally 2.2) is a huge performance >boost. CPM suffers from waiting on the disk and often the difference >between a slow system and a fast one is how the disks were handled. Having >run ram disks, caches, caching controllers I have studied where the >bottlenecks are and the most common is the CPU spinning in PIO or worse >waiting for the sector to come around to do PIO. > >the software over head for caching is small. once you go over 128 byte >sector size yo need a host buffer to deblock it... you can read a whole >track in and deblock that. Free cache. > >Allison >

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Hi and PDP stuff...

by allisonp＠world.std.com

Ok folks here is the deal... Tony has his hand full with an impending move and work. I'm going to pickup a truck (toyota) load of the stuff. I have first dibs on vax and Qbus but will gladly share excess (there will be plenty!). If it doesn't fit in the truck I will not be getting it. If it can't easily be shipped UPS dont ask me to ship it. I will ship stuff IF... It's under 30lb and fits in reasonable cardboard boxes. I do not have a shipping dock or service so if I ship it, people will pay for packing, and UPS. Just being upfront. <If you can proxy any of it for people on the list, feel free. We just want <to be rid of it before we move. < <According to Joan there is: <1 11/03 Processor Boards <1 11/23PLUS CPUs <5 11/23 CPUs W/KTF11A <2 32KWORD 16-bit MOS RAM <2 SLU PLUS RTC Option (DL11-W) <3 LSI-11/2 CPUs <2 HD Parallel Line Units <1 RX-01 Floppy Cont (U) <1 16KWORD 18-bit RAM (U) <1 M7809 ???? Who knows what this is? <1 RL-01/02 Drive Controller (U) <1 RD-51/52 & RX-50 Control Module <3 DR11-C <5 M8047 (16KWORD RAM, 2 ASYNCH SLU ROMS) <1 4 SLU Interface <2 16-Bit PLU <1 11/34A CPU (3 boards) <1 11/34A Programming Console <1 Unibus Terminator & Bootstrap ROMs <Assorted parity and terminator boards < <Computer Designs and Applications: <1 MSP-3/A Memory Board < <MDB: <1 MDZ-11 <1 MDL-11 <1 DRV-11c clone <1 Q-Bus Terminator < <Paritech: <2 VRG-Q (Color video card?) <2 VCH-Q (mono video card?) < <Matrox: <1 MDC-512-HS (U) (Mono video card) < <USDC: <1 Some sort of controller card (HD? FD?) (U) < <Andromeda Systems: <2 UDC-11X < <Analog Devices: <4 D/A Board (DAS1150) < <Plessy: <3 703521-001 <1 703680-100B <1 703695-100E < <Charles River Data Systems: <2 FC202 < <National Instruments: <1 179055-01 Rev G < <Chrislin: <6 Memory Cards < <Intel: <1 05-0848-012 (memory?) <1 05-0787-002 (Unibus Memory?) < <Heath: <3 WHA-11-5 (serial I/O?) <2 H-11-2 (parallel I/O?) <2 WHA-11-16 (16Kx16 Memory) < <Unknown: <1 64k Memory??? <1 2010-60 (U)?? < <MOSTEK: <1 8001-H-00 (U) < <Yale EDL: <3 Custom XYZ Plotter Controller (U) < <1 11/34A Enclosure W/Good PS <1 DEC RL-01 W/25 Disk Packs (not an accurate count) W/unknown data <1 Charles River DS 2xRX-01 Enclosure <1 Chrislin??? RX-02 & 10MB HD and Enclosure <1 Chrislin HD W/Enclosure <1 Plessy?? 10/20MB Hard Drive W/Enclosure <1 Bag-o-Cables for above stuff <Full docs for almost everything (including RT-11 manuals) <About 150 or so 8" disks < < <Must pick it all up from us in Lawrence, MA before 4/6/1999 or I'm afraid <we'll have to dump it all in the dumpster. < <Allison, take what you want off of here and forward the rest to the list. <Its all first come first served, no holding of anything, no money, no <trades, no shipping. If you want it, you come get it, if someone else <already got it, then oh well. <

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Picture of my latest haul

by jlwest＠tseinc.com

Ok Megan, I'm officially Jealous..... Nice Gear! (Especially the RK05 drives I've been looking for)... Congrats! Jay West -----Original Message----- From: Steve Robertson <steverob(a)hotoffice.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Monday, March 29, 1999 10:15 AM Subject: RE: Picture of my latest haul > >> >> For a quick route to the picture... >> >> http://world.std.com/~mbg/move_step00.jpg >> >> Megan Gentry >> Former RT-11 Developer > > >Very nice!!! > >Steve Robertson -<steverob(a)hotoffice.com> > >

27 years, 3 months

3
2
0 0

Decwriter II

by netcafe＠pirie.mtx.net.au

-----Original Message----- From: Marvin <marvin(a)rain.org> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Tuesday, 30 March 1999 4:00 Subject: Re: Decwriter II >It looks like the Paper Out signal goes into J3-6 of the keyboard assy. and >goes into the main logic board on J2-AA/BB; the main board test point is >TPZ17. It looks to be lo true judging by the pullup resistors. Looks right, IIRC, the microswitch is tied to ground. >it goes into E37 pin 12 (7474) and comes out on pin 9 as MPC8 Ready H. Ok, that's what I needed to know, I'll have a play in that area, I think we have a stuck output here. >test point is TPV20. I might add that the logic board I am looking at is the >M7728. I can scan in that portion of the schematic if you need it. Ok, thanks, that would be great. I'll don't recall offhand the main board id, I'll have a look later today. Kindest Regards Geoff Roberts

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Tandy 100 pile - could it be valuable?

by dpeschel＠u.washington.edu

Periodically I swing by Surplus Property here. It's very disappointing; there hasn't been anything exciting in a few years. Also, the University gets first dibs at surplussed things; whatever survives is auctioned off in big lots. So whatever interesting things ARE there tend to either disappear again or be sold with a pallet of uninteresting things. Having said that, I did see a good amount of Model 100s and their accessories (disk drives, manuals) and a couple of other Tandy things (cassette recorders). Is any of this especially rare? Some machines might be model 102s, since I saw the 102 tecnical manual. It would be a fair amount of effort to get everything; I might be able to convince the surplus people to make the Tandy stuff their own lot, but I'm not optimistic about that. -- Derek

27 years, 3 months

3
3
0 0

Rebirth of IMSAI

by edick＠idcomm.com

please see comments imbedded below. regards, Dick -----Original Message----- From: Allison J Parent <allisonp(a)world.std.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Monday, March 29, 1999 5:30 PM Subject: Re: Rebirth of IMSAI ><signals? I guess it's no wonder people liked the 8085, with its silly muxed ><data/address bus better than the 8080 . . . > >The 8085 had different control signals, didn't require 3 voltages, a clock >chip, a bus control chip, was faster and allowed better memory timing. Yes, but, moreover, it had two signals to tell you when to read and when to write, and it had two signals telling you whether your target was memory or I/O. The fact that it had those essentially useless (for this environment) multi-level interrupts internally, or that it had the bizzarre (for the time) serial I/O on chip, was relatively uninteresting in light of the benefits of fewer power supplies, faster operation, internal clock generation, less critical timing, and lower parts count. ><Soooo . . . the signals were named the same also, eh? pSYNC, /pWR, sMEMR, ><etc??? > >Follow them back to the 8080. it should answer themselves. Also the 8080 >muxed status on the data bus at the early part of the cycle so the control >signals reflect the raw 8080 status and control for the most part. Unfortunately, all my 8080's appear on Multibus-I cards. I've NEVER owned an S-100 8080 CPU. In fact, it wasn't until there were some single-board computer boards on the S-100, e.g. SD Sales' SBC-100 that I even considered using S-100 for anything. >That's why board with 8085 and Z80 had all sorts of screwy logic to take >their mostly decoded controls and encode them. I certainly agree on that one! Half the logic on most of my later CPU cards was dedicted to making the processor create the 8080-compatible signals required for the bus. It takes less logic to implement a floppy controller, two serial ports, a parallel port or two, and a full compliment of DRAM on an S-100 board than it takes to make the a Z-80 or 8085 appear to the bus to be an 8080. >Allison >

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Rebirth of IMSAI

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<be cross-referenced to the '696 standard signal names. I do hve the 8080 <data in house, but nothing tying it to the S-100 bus pinout or timing. Someone must have the imsai or altair cpu board schematic on the net. If not get Bursky's The s100 Bus Handbook. <One of the reasons the S-100 required such fast memory for its relatively <slow processors was that you had to operate relatively complex timing <structures to create proper timing. That's a reason the standard, in my <considered opinion, killed the S-100 rather than perpetuating it. Intel No. The 8080 had short timing thats all. Then the later z80s wer faster and wanted fast (relatively) memory. Bus speed was never a problem and was good for 10mhz if terminated. <result of course, was the chaos that results when surplus vendors e.g. <CompuPro/Godbout (cited here because they were BIG, not because they were Compupro was one of the closest to 696 early on! I say this as I likely have more operational and in use S100 hardware than most. Allison

27 years, 3 months

2
1
0 0

Picture of my latest haul

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<For one thing, I want to ask what a few of these items are. For one thing, <what are the three identical units on the rightmost rack? Also, what is <the tall unit right above the green PDP in the middle rack? Also, what is <the top unit in the short blue rack? I'll leave this for Megan to map. <Next question: Is there anything you can do with these that my DECMate <can't do (besides peripherals that the DECMate doesn't have) Not much other than the difference in expansion capability. However for much of the PDP-8 software the 8E is the "standard" for many devices in the IO realm. One thing does stand out... you can load core with a program, power off and years later power up and execute that program. Allison

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

followup: Rinky dink hamfest

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<I would mention that I had 128K in each of my Systems Group systems and <never used it under CP/M. MP/M had a mechanism for cashing in on extra <memory, but it was awkward at best under CP/M 2.2. < <Needless to say, the use of a RAMdisk would speed things up, but unless <there was an extensive amount of software for managing it, and that took u <too much TPA, even a RAMdisk didn't help much. Way off. Caching disks for CP/M-any (especally 2.2) is a huge performance boost. CPM suffers from waiting on the disk and often the difference between a slow system and a fast one is how the disks were handled. Having run ram disks, caches, caching controllers I have studied where the bottlenecks are and the most common is the CPU spinning in PIO or worse waiting for the sector to come around to do PIO. the software over head for caching is small. once you go over 128 byte sector size yo need a host buffer to deblock it... you can read a whole track in and deblock that. Free cache. Allison

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

OT: 'Melissa' Virus

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<>The problem in a nutshell, don't open any messages in a Microsoft E-Mail <>program with the following title "Important Message From: {persons name}" < <The solution in a nutshell... run Linux, or some other more reasonable <OS... Actually it's the problem of word and email tightly meshed. Add to the mix a programming language (VB macros) and you've got an open door to an otherwise insecure system. I run win3.1 and don't have Word so I have no problem. Though another OS or better yet another processor would kill the bug straight out. Allison

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Rebirth of IMSAI

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<signals? I guess it's no wonder people liked the 8085, with its silly muxe <address bus better than the 8080 . . . The 8085 had different control signals, didn't require 3 voltages, a clock chip, a bus control chip, was faster and allowed better memory timing. <Soooo . . . the signals were named the same also, eh? pSYNC, /pWR, sMEMR, <etc??? Follow them back to them 8080 it should answer themselves. Also the 8080 muxed status on the data bus at the early part of the cycle so the control signals reflect the raw 8080 status and control for the most part. That's why board with 8085 and Z80 had all sorts of screwy logic to take their mostly decoded controls and encode them. Allison

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Drive alignment tool, diskettes

by edick＠idcomm.com

If you have to align an 8"drive, the alignment diskette is pretty essential, i.e. you can't really do well without it. The 5.25" diskettes are about as easy to manage with software and one of the "digital alignment diskettes" if you can get them. Dick -----Original Message----- From: Joe <rigdonj(a)intellistar.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Sunday, March 28, 1999 6:46 PM Subject: followup: Rinky dink hamfest > Today I went to see a couple of the people that I meet at yesterday's >hamfest. One of them used to service XEROX computers. He told me that he >threw out three rooms full of old XEROX computers less than a year ago. :-( > He gave me part of the stuff that he had left, I have to take a Truck >(note capital) back to get the rest (estimated at two cubic yards but no >complete machines). So far I've found lots of docs and 8" flopppy disks >for the 820 and 16/8. The 16/8 looks pretty interesting, it ran CPM, >CPM-86 and MS-DOS. Does anyone have one of these? What's your opinion of >them? > > He has a floppy disk drive control box to manual operate 3.5", 5.25" and >8" drives during alignment. Anyone have an idea of what one of these is >worth with the alignment disks and manuals? > > Alos found a Lisa mouse to go with the Lisa that I got yesterday. > > Joe >

27 years, 3 months

5
5
0 0

Picture of my latest haul

by Anthony.Eros＠digital.com

Pretty snazzy looking stuff! If you get bored with the TU-56, I'd love to take it off your hands!! :-) -- Tony >> For a quick route to the picture... >> >> http://world.std.com/~mbg/move_step00.jpg >> >> Megan Gentry >> Former RT-11 Developer

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Picture of my latest haul

by mbg＠world.std.com

Can now be found on my home_systems web page... just go to my home page, follow the link to retrocomputing, then to home systems... I've got the pictures all loaded, I just have to start doing the writeup... For a quick route to the picture... http://world.std.com/~mbg/move_step00.jpg 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, 3 months

4
3
0 0

Sage Computer info wanted.

by kevan＠heydon.org

I have a Sage IV computer out on loan to a company that is using it on their production line. It turns out that they need to use it for longer than expected which means that they are concerned about Y2K problems with the hardware. (They need for another year possibly) I offered to ask around so if there is anybody out there with a Sage IV I would like to talk to them. They are investigating too but any data I can get would be most welcome. Thanks -- Kevan Collector of old computers: http://www.heydon.org/kevan/collection/

27 years, 3 months

2
1
0 0

followup: Rinky dink hamfest

by edick＠idcomm.com

I don't know why I posted the previous empty reply . . . it's hell getting old . . . <sigh> I would mention that I had 128K in each of my Systems Group systems and never used it under CP/M. MP/M had a mechanism for cashing in on extra memory, but it was awkward at best under CP/M 2.2. Needless to say, the use of a RAMdisk would speed things up, but unless there was an extensive amount of software for managing it, and that took up too much TPA, even a RAMdisk didn't help much. Dick -----Original Message----- From: Richard Erlacher <edick(a)idcomm.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Monday, March 29, 1999 11:07 AM Subject: Re: followup: Rinky dink hamfest > >-----Original Message----- >From: Joe <rigdonj(a)intellistar.net> >To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers ><classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> >Date: Monday, March 29, 1999 8:26 AM >Subject: Re: followup: Rinky dink hamfest > > >>At 08:40 AM 3/29/99 -0500, you wrote: >>>Joe, CP/M-80 is 2.2, >> >> I looked throgh the XEROX manuals last night. There's a separate manual >>for 2.2, CPM-80 and CPM 86 and MS-DOS 2. 2.2 is the oldest in this bunch. >> >>> and real computers don't need more than 64K... >> >> Yeah I know but 128K is nice to have. >>> >>>The 820, at least the later ones, used big 984K discs. I hardly ever ran <snip>

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

followup: Rinky dink hamfest

by edick＠idcomm.com

-----Original Message----- From: Joe <rigdonj(a)intellistar.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Monday, March 29, 1999 8:26 AM Subject: Re: followup: Rinky dink hamfest >At 08:40 AM 3/29/99 -0500, you wrote: >>Joe, CP/M-80 is 2.2, > > I looked throgh the XEROX manuals last night. There's a separate manual >for 2.2, CPM-80 and CPM 86 and MS-DOS 2. 2.2 is the oldest in this bunch. > >> and real computers don't need more than 64K... > > Yeah I know but 128K is nice to have. >> >>The 820, at least the later ones, used big 984K discs. I hardly ever ran >>out of space. There was an 8 meg rigid drive available too, but I neever >>filled that up either. WordStar on the 820 just grinds along, and works >>very satisfyingly. > > I got new manaul and 8" disk with WS 3.3. Also D-Base II and some other >stuff. > >> At least 3 word processing packages were avialable >>plus business graphics, multiplan, quite a few programming languages. >>XWP wasn't so great, apparently a primitive WordStar, WordStar was superb >>if cryptic, and there was another nice one, a bit glitzy and modern for >>my taste, but put WordPerfect to shame, but hey, even a blank screen does >>that. Don Maislin may remember the name, he likes that particular >>programme. Ran very well on 5-1/4 inch drives. >> >>There was a memory expansion available for the 16/8, but I've never seen it. >>The DEM-II is interesting because the card rack is very like the NEC APC-II. >> >>Incidentally, Hyperion's DOS 1.25 runs circles around the Xerox DOS 2.0. > > Do you know where I can find a copy of that? Do you still have any of >your XEROXs? I think I have the CPU portion of an 820-II here but no >drives (or the controller/daughter board) and no keyboard. The drives and >keyboard should be a problem but the controller is. > > Joe >> >>On Mon, 29 Mar 1999, Joe wrote: >> >>> Merle, >>> >>> At 10:24 PM 3/28/99 -0500, Merle wrote: >>> >The 16/8 is an interesting machine. It came in 2 versions, the earliest >>> >with 8" Shugart drives, a later with a DEM-II expansion case housing >>> >5-1/4 inch drives. The CP/M-86 is not bad, but the MS-DOS is...well >>> >MS-DOS. >>> >>> Not surprising considering it's only ver 2.0 . At least that's what I >>> got in this load. >>> >>> > Incredibly primitive compared to CP/M 2.2. >>> >>> I don't know that much about CPM but this machine only has CPM-80 and >>> CPM-86. How do they compare to CP/M 2.2? >>> >>> One problem is that >>> >many were shipped with 128K memory. With the dinky drives, the machines >>> >are disappointing. The old 8" 820-II is a far better and more usable >>> >machine. >>> >>> Better than the 16/8? I thought it was newer. How much memory did the >>> 820-II have? >>> >>> Thanks for the info. >>> Joe >>> >>> > >>> >On Sun, 28 Mar 1999, Joe wrote: >>> > >>> >> Today I went to see a couple of the people that I meet at yesterday's >>> >> hamfest. One of them used to service XEROX computers. He told me >that he >>> >> threw out three rooms full of old XEROX computers less than a year >ago. :-( >>> >> He gave me part of the stuff that he had left, I have to take a Truck >>> >> (note capital) back to get the rest (estimated at two cubic yards but no >>> >> complete machines). So far I've found lots of docs and 8" flopppy disks >>> >> for the 820 and 16/8. The 16/8 looks pretty interesting, it ran CPM, >>> >> CPM-86 and MS-DOS. Does anyone have one of these? What's your >opinion of >>> >> them? >>> >> >>> >> He has a floppy disk drive control box to manual operate 3.5", >5.25" and >>> >> 8" drives during alignment. Anyone have an idea of what one of these is >>> >> worth with the alignment disks and manuals? >>> >> >>> >> Alos found a Lisa mouse to go with the Lisa that I got yesterday. >>> >> >>> >> Joe >>> >> >>> >> >>> > >>> >M. K. Peirce >>> >Rhode Island Computer Museum, Inc. >>> >215 Shady Lea Road, >>> >North Kingstown, RI 02852 >>> > >>> >"Casta est qui nemo rogavit." >>> > >>> > - Ovid >>> > >>> > >>> >>> >> >>M. K. Peirce >>Rhode Island Computer Museum, Inc. >>215 Shady Lea Road, >>North Kingstown, RI 02852 >> >>"Casta est qui nemo rogavit." >> >> - Ovid >> >> >

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Rebirth of IMSAI

by edick＠idcomm.com

GAWD! The 8080 data sheet! I wonder if my archives go back that far . . . I know the signals are modeled after the 8080, but are they all 8080 signals? I guess it's no wonder people liked the 8085, with its silly muxed address bus better than the 8080 . . . Soooo . . . the signals were named the same also, eh? pSYNC, /pWR, sMEMR, etc??? Is there a web site which has details on the 8080=>'696 standard decision tree? Dick -----Original Message----- From: Allison J Parent <allisonp(a)world.std.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Sunday, March 28, 1999 8:12 PM Subject: Re: Rebirth of IMSAI ><I've been after the original spec's for the IMSAI pre-1977 bus timing, etc ><in case anyone has that data in shareable form. > >Read the 8080 data sheet for the part running a 2mhz clock... the rest is >obvious to the point of painful. > ><I've found the schematic for my IMSAI PIO-6 board but only half the manual ><fortunately with the schematic, of the PIO-4. I don't seem to have any bu ><timing informtion, though. > >Thre wasn't any bus timing info published. The S100 bus was based on >the raw 8080 timing. All the bus was is the buffered 8080 signals plus a >few handy ones. A quick look at the processor board is everything. > >Allison >

27 years, 3 months

2
1
0 0

Messed up Apple (clone) video

by edick＠idcomm.com

This appears to me to be an intermittent trace on the main board's video addressing logic I'd look in the counter chains. Careful examination of the boad may enable you to find it. Dick -----Original Message----- From: Doug Spence <ds_spenc(a)alcor.concordia.ca> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Monday, March 29, 1999 4:18 AM Subject: Messed up Apple (clone) video > >Hi, > >Along with a dead 4116 (which I recently replaced with a hacked 4164), >my Microcom II+ (Apple II+ clone) has a video problem which has kept me >from using it for the past few years. > >Usually when it's cold, the display is a complete mess. As it warms up, >the image becomes clear but in four parts. Each quarter (corner) of the >screen is a mini-image of what should be displayed on the whole screen. >Out of each group of four pixels of what would be displayed normally, each >will be displayed in a different quadrant of the screen. > >After about 10 minutes, the screen becomes normal, with occasional "zaps" >and returns to the quartered screen image. > >Just about everything in the II+ is TTL, so it's probably just a matter of >knowing which piece of TTL to replace. Does anyone know? > >I'm looking at the schematics (for a _real_ Apple II) now, but I have no >idea how to locate the problem because there are several lines leading to >the video output, and the problem chip may be farther back into the >curcuitry and not connected directly to the output. > >I know that some of you are fairly expert with Apple hardware. > >I want to get the Microcom II+ working because it's the only machine I've >got that's capable of using my Z80 Softcard or my SMC-II Light Pen. >Neither will work in my Apple //e. > >Besides, it also has a better keyboard than the //e, once it's been worked >in to cure the 'bounce'. > > >(As an addition note on the machine's history: >The machine was repaired at the Microcom store in early 1987, and it came >back with a loose, drifty keyboard. I found out the reason was that the >keyboard's curcuit board had been cracked and the keyboard only works if >it's not screwed in too tightly. I'll get around to looking at that after >the video is fixed. It's just one corner that's folded a bit, but there >are traces on there! The keyboard tends to report the wrong characters >when it's screwed in properly.) > >-- >Doug Spence >ds_spenc(a)alcor.concordia.ca >http://alcor.concordia.ca/~ds_spenc/ >

27 years, 3 months

2
1
0 0

The move is accomplished!

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<In return for her help, she took the pdp-8/f (smaller unit than the <pdp-8/e), a core stack from the -8/e, and a second serial line card. < <I believe she is pleased... I know I am... You bet! I've wanted a physically small 8 to hack with for years. This was lots of fun saving some really unique interesting machines. Now to go through the bring up for a machine that may have been sitting for too long. Any thoughts out there on the 8F power supply? I plan to pull all the cards and load it so I don't cook anything. <I took pictures and hope to document the procedure at some point <in the future... This was a fun move and Megan made it easier to do it by being persistant and finding a good rental truck vendor with a liftgate. Nice truck! Everything moved and none broken. A handy item to have are the nylon web straps. They are handy to keep stuff on slides from sliding and also made securing the racks to the walls of the truck. Other things were plenty of rope and a good pair of movers dollies. Allison

27 years, 3 months

3
2
0 0

Picture of my latest haul

by danburrows＠mindspring.com

The Diablo drives look like model 31's. I should still have the docs on them if you need to make a copy. Dan

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Picture of my latest haul

by mbg＠world.std.com

>Who was the nut who mounted the CPU units near your ankles? Looks like >you're suposed to lie on your belly in order to read the displays and >toggle the switches! Well, the lowest of the machines (the pdp-8/e and pdp-8/f) were actually not even configured for operation... they were simply stuck in the racks, taking up space. The 8/f now has a home with Allison, so there is empty space in the 11/34 rack... which I will probably fill with an RL01 (or RL02 if I can find one). The pdp-8/a, which doesn't have any blinkenlights, was the actual operating machine for the person who owned it before... its backplane can handle a hex board, which was required for the RL8 controller, apparently. The 8/e is currently out of the rack as I figure out what I'm going to do next... 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, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Superbrains in the UK.

by edick＠idcomm.com

As single-card-single-box CP/M systems went, these were about as good as any you could get back in the lat '70's-early '80's. They were well equipped with documentation and human support. There was a users' group which supported them as well. Dick -----Original Message----- From: Kevan Heydon <kevan(a)heydon.org> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Monday, March 29, 1999 6:41 AM Subject: Superbrains in the UK. > >I have a lead on a couple of Superbrains available here in the UK. I am >not interested but if anybody else is then I can pass on the details. > >-- >Kevan > >Collector of old computers: http://www.heydon.org/kevan/collection/ > >

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Picture of my latest haul

by steverob＠hotoffice.com

> > For a quick route to the picture... > > http://world.std.com/~mbg/move_step00.jpg > > Megan Gentry > Former RT-11 Developer Very nice!!! Steve Robertson -<steverob(a)hotoffice.com>

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Need software and docs for AlphaMicro

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

Hi All, I've decided to try and get my Alpha Micro 100 running again so I'm hunting for any docs or software that I can find. Can anybody help me? Joe

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Drive alignment tool, diskettes

by steverob＠hotoffice.com

On Monday, March 29, 1999 12:17 AM, Don Maslin [SMTP:donm@cts.com] wrote: > On Sun, 28 Mar 1999, Richard Erlacher wrote: > > > If you have to align an 8"drive, the alignment diskette is pretty essential, > > i.e. you can't really do well without it. The 5.25" diskettes are about as > > easy to manage with software and one of the "digital alignment diskettes" if > > you can get them. > > I am pretty sure that they are still available from: > > Accurite Technologues, Inc. > 231 Charcot Avenue > San Jose CA 95131-1107 > > - don Looks like the disks are still available. http://www.accurite.com/Products.html Steve Robertson - <steverob(a)hotoffice.com>

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Superbrains in the UK.

by kevan＠heydon.org

I have a lead on a couple of Superbrains available here in the UK. I am not interested but if anybody else is then I can pass on the details. -- Kevan Collector of old computers: http://www.heydon.org/kevan/collection/

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

pdp-11s and rainbows becoming available...

by mbg＠world.std.com

As usual, contact the person in the post, not me... I don't have anything to do with the machines... - - - - - Rainbow and DECMate fans: Please feel free to cross-post in full to any and all interested LISTSERVS and groups: The Press of Atlantic City NJ is about to begin unloading its supply of well-maintained (and heavily used) DEC Rainbows, and possibly other equipment as well, including one or more PDP-11/84s(? the last -11 built, the half-height equivalent of the PDP-11/70) with lots of heavy-duty port equipment, etc. The monitors, keyboards, and I believe power supplies, chasis components and disk drives are identical to those used on the DECMates and some parts seem identical to components of the earlier VT 1XX and 2XX terminals. Final negotiations between newsroom/pressroom management, MIS and corporate are now underway. It appears the situation will be 12 will go immediately upon paperwork approval, with another three dozen or so, operating, plus parts, to follow. Tentative price for working machines with 2 floppies, no HD, a random monochrome monitor (green, white or amber) and random keyboard (many with special labels on keys for the editing system) and varying amounts of memoryis $25, +packing and shipping, or $25 for direct pickup in Pleasantville, NJ (southern NJ, about 12 miles inland from Atlantic City) We (them of us who have used the machines and kept them alive) would prefer seeing them used or put on display or put to use repairing DECMates rather than scrapped. The price for the -11s and/or their components have not been set, but they are due to be out of service by December. Software is a question - I believe the machines can be released with MS-DOS 3.10, but licenses for the newsroom and classified advertising systems would probably have to be negotiated separately. While the Rainbows have passed my personal Y2K basic complience tests (they keep running and reporting the right date) I have not done any file creation or editing tests. MS-DOS 3.10 is NOT supposed to be Y2K complient. The newsroom software (I forget the vendor) and PDP-11 software in use is reportedly NOT Y2K complient, and you wouldn't want to try to run a newspaper off one of these systems anyway unless you're still using Linotypes. Please post any offers to tips(a)pressplus.com and note in the first line of the body of the message Attention: David M. Razler. I'll pass them on to the folks doing the selling and arranging the shipping. PLEASE - Do not respond to originating address of this message. dmr David M. Razler david.razler(a)worldnet.att.net

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Tandy 100 pile - could it be valuable?

by fauradon＠pclink.com

http://www.the-dock.com/club100.html is a good place to find info and software for the Model T (100 and the likes). ther is also a very active mailing list where one can gather a lot of information about the Model T (even though it seems like the Y2K is a big issue these days) you can subscribe from the link above. I'm not sure what a complete set is, a nice system would include the disk drive (there were various models) a memory extension and any eripheral that could be available. Apparently the Model T has still a large base of users. Francois >Isn't there some really active Model 100 mailing list or newsgroup even?

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Kitchener, Ontario, Canada declared safe haven for vintage minicomputers.

by dogas＠leading.net

Hi p1, I'm glad you're well. Please list nodes. :) Mike: dogas(a)leading.net -----Original Message----- From: p1(a)p1.brouhaha.com <p1(a)p1.brouhaha.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Sunday, March 28, 1999 3:11 PM Subject: Re: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada declared safe haven for vintage minicomputers. >> dosen't p1 ensure that? > >OOLCAY ITAY. >

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Tandy 100 pile - could it be valuable?

by dogas＠leading.net

-----Original Message----- From: Lawrence LeMay <lemay(a)cs.umn.edu> >Well, There were model 100, then 102, then 200. I doubt that anything >came with it out of the box except a manual of some sort. > there was also a model 80 - Mike: dogas(a)leading.net

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

The move is accomplished!

by dogas＠leading.net

you go girls. ;) Mike: dogas(a)leading.net -----Original Message----- From: Megan <mbg(a)world.std.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Sunday, March 28, 1999 7:00 PM Subject: The move is accomplished! > >It's finally been done... after many weeks of talking about it and >not having it happen, Allison and I drove up to New Hampshire this >morning and drove back with a couple of tall (H960, 6') racks with >the following: > > pdp-8/a > pdp-8/e > pdp-8/f > lab-8/e > pdp-11/34a > vr14 > lps > DECwriterII > 3 RL01s > 1 RX01 > 3 Diablo RK05-work-similar > TU56 DECtape dual drive > >Funny thing... the pdp-8/e was originally Allison's... she had given >it several years ago to the guy from whom I got all of the above... >In return for her help, she took the pdp-8/f (smaller unit than the >pdp-8/e), a core stack from the -8/e, and a second serial line card. > >I believe she is pleased... I know I am... > >I took pictures and hope to document the procedure at some point >in the future... > >Now to get them all wired back up and tested out... > > 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. YIPPEE!! > >

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

The move is accomplished!

by mbg＠world.std.com

>Now to go through the bring up for a machine that may have been sitting >for too long. Any thoughts out there on the 8F power supply? I plan to >pull all the cards and load it so I don't cook anything. Didn't a post come through here just earlier today about someone offering a pdp-8/f power supply for $30? >This was a fun move and Megan made it easier to do it by being persistant >and finding a good rental truck vendor with a liftgate. Nice truck! >Everything moved and none broken. A handy item to have are the nylon web >straps. They are handy to keep stuff on slides from sliding and also made >securing the racks to the walls of the truck. Other things were plenty >of rope and a good pair of movers dollies. I'm going to document all that we used... since I'm taking chemistry, it may just end up looking like a lab report... (abstract, apparatus used, procedures, actual write-up)... At this point I'd like to heartilly recommend Budget Rentals. They do have lift-gate trucks... the one I got was 15' with 7' inside vertical dimension. The truck is 11' total height, it handled really well, and the 90 mile move was about $65 itself. Unfortunately, since the budget place wasn't open today, I had to rent yesterday, for two days, so the total price will be higher. 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, 3 months

3
2
0 0

Budget rentals

by jpl15＠netcom.com

I recently rented a Budget cargo van one-way from Seattle to Los Angeles, and filled it with about 1.5 kilopounds of DEC Stuff. I drove straight thru all one day. The van was comfortable, handled well, got great gas mileage, with a handy cruise control. 1139 miles in 18 hrs.... but all-in-all a nice trip. It was $269 plus the petrol... so if you're contemplating a Rescue Mission, you might try your local Budget place. And, I'm not a Budget employee, nor do I play one on Television! Cheers John

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

AES 7100

by amichael＠nortelnetworks.com

On Sun, 21 Mar 1999, Lawrence Walker <lwalker(a)mail.interlog.com> wrote: > Would stand to reason AES would be a Canadian company. Dorsey now heads > Voice and Data Systems. A major player in packet technology. Sounds like a > > minor version of Corel's Cowpland. Yes Virginia ,Canada does have a > computer > aristochracy. > Here in Ottawa, old AES boxes used to turn up fairly often. But I don't recall if they were the 7100 model that Doug described. I think the Canadian government must have used hundreds of the things for word processing, and they used to show up in junk stores and even the occasional garage sale. Haven't seen one for a while, Doug, but I will keep my eyes open for boot disks or anything else AES, just in case. Also, if you need a blank hard-sectored floppy to test-feed your uncooperative new house-guest, send me your address and I'll pop one in the snail-mail. -- Arlen Michaels amichael(a)nortelnetworks.com

27 years, 3 months

3
2
0 0

OT: 'Melissa' Virus

by mbg＠world.std.com

>The problem in a nutshell, don't open any messages in a Microsoft E-Mail >program with the following title "Important Message From: {persons name}". The solution in a nutshell... run Linux, or some other more reasonable OS... 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, 3 months

2
1
0 0

Drive alignment tool, diskettes

by edick＠idcomm.com

I don't know how much a couple of hundred bucks is worth to you. You can use an operational S-100 computer running CP/M, or even an 820 to run the drive for alignement. Though I've had an alignment tool for many years, I usually use a computer. It's the alignment diskettes that are scarce. If you have a digital alignment diskette, made by Dysan, among others, and the software to run one, it makes alignment easy. If you need to read a 5-1/4" floppy, a drive you can buy today won't help you much. I keep a half dozen of the old DS minifloppies around. regards, Dick -----Original Message----- From: Joe <rigdonj(a)intellistar.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Sunday, March 28, 1999 9:14 PM Subject: Re: Drive alignment tool, diskettes >At 07:08 PM 3/28/99 -0700, you wrote: >>If you have to align an 8"drive, the alignment diskette is pretty essential, >>i.e. you can't really do well without it. > > Yes I know, I used to repair and alignment drives. What I wanted to >know is what the whole setup is worth and weather I should buy it. He >wants a couple of hundred bucks for it. He said it cost ~$3500 new. > > The 5.25" diskettes are about as >>easy to manage with software and one of the "digital alignment diskettes" if >>you can get them. > > I doubt 5.25" drives are worth reapiring, even if you could get the parts. > > Joe >> >>Dick >> >>-----Original Message----- >>From: Joe <rigdonj(a)intellistar.net> >>To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers >><classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> >>Date: Sunday, March 28, 1999 6:46 PM >>Subject: followup: Rinky dink hamfest >> >> >>> Today I went to see a couple of the people that I meet at yesterday's >>>hamfest. One of them used to service XEROX computers. He told me that he >>>threw out three rooms full of old XEROX computers less than a year ago. :-( >>> He gave me part of the stuff that he had left, I have to take a Truck >>>(note capital) back to get the rest (estimated at two cubic yards but no >>>complete machines). So far I've found lots of docs and 8" flopppy disks >>>for the 820 and 16/8. The 16/8 looks pretty interesting, it ran CPM, >>>CPM-86 and MS-DOS. Does anyone have one of these? What's your opinion of >>>them? >>> >>> He has a floppy disk drive control box to manual operate 3.5", 5.25" and >>>8" drives during alignment. Anyone have an idea of what one of these is >>>worth with the alignment disks and manuals? >>> >>> Alos found a Lisa mouse to go with the Lisa that I got yesterday. >>> >>> Joe >>> >> >> >

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

The move is accomplished!

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<>for too long. Any thoughts out there on the 8F power supply? I plan to <>pull all the cards and load it so I don't cook anything. < <Didn't a post come through here just earlier today about someone <offering a pdp-8/f power supply for $30? I don't know this one is bad, only that I have to test it well before subjecting boards to it. Even if it were bad I'd repair it, that part of the fun. Allison

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

The move is accomplished!

by geoffrob＠stmarks.pp.catholic.edu.au

-----Original Message----- From: Allison J Parent <allisonp(a)world.std.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Monday, 29 March 1999 11:56 Subject: Re: The move is accomplished! ><I took pictures and hope to document the procedure at some point ><in the future... Be interested to see them... >Everything moved and none broken Good catch / nice work ladies. I have to move a 6410/6240/HSC70/RA9x/TA79 Cluster in a couple of weeks. I hope it goes as well for me. (But it probably won't). Cheers Geoff Roberts Computer Systems Manager Saint Mark's College Port Pirie, South Australia. Email: geoffrob(a)stmarks.pp.catholic.edu.au ICQ #: 1970476 Phone: 61-8-8633-8834 Mobile: 61-411-623-978 Fax: 61-8-8633-0104

27 years, 3 months

2
1
0 0

followup: Rinky dink hamfest

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<The Xerox 820 is one I really liked for a while. It only supported <single-sided single density drives, but had on-board terminal-style video They were quite popular as when Zerox got out of cpm those were cheap and common. Other really nice boards were the amproLB and the SB180. the SB180 was 1985 design and offered the 64180 (z180) that had a MMU and a bit more speed. Allison

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Rebirth of IMSAI

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<I've been after the original spec's for the IMSAI pre-1977 bus timing, etc <in case anyone has that data in shareable form. Read the 8080 data sheet for the part running a 2mhz clock... the rest is obvious to the point of painful. <I've found the schematic for my IMSAI PIO-6 board but only half the manual <fortunately with the schematic, of the PIO-4. I don't seem to have any bu <timing informtion, though. Thre wasn't any bus timing info published. The S100 bus was based on the raw 8080 timing. All the bus was is the buffered 8080 signals plus a few handy ones. A quick look at the processor board is everything. Allison

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Just another Rinky-Dink Florida hamfest

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

At 07:56 AM 3/28/99 -0800, you wrote: > >Might this be a chassis for a TI9900 system, Allison? Yeap, I think it is. I found "TM 990/520" marked on the MB. Guess I'll leave it alone for the time being. Anybody need it? I have to get some of this stuff out of here and I don't really have the room to keep it. > >If so, I'd leave it in tact as bait for the cards that go with it. >Otherwise, if you modify it you'll attract S-100 cards with the edge >connectors cut off. :( Not if I move the MB over and modify the card cage. Joe

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Just another Rinky-Dink Florida hamfest

by edick＠idcomm.com

Nope, the 99/4 was never intended to fill any niche other than the home/video-game market. The 990 series was a "business minicomputer" while the 9900 was a microcomputer development environment. It's kind-of like comparing a 747 with a bicycle. Each has its place, of course. Dick -----Original Message----- From: Max Eskin <max82(a)surfree.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Sunday, March 28, 1999 10:44 AM Subject: Re: Just another Rinky-Dink Florida hamfest >On Sun, 28 Mar 1999, Richard Erlacher wrote: >>Yes, that's probably a chassis for a 9900 system. I once marveled at the >>similarity to S-100 when it was shown to me in a TI sales office when I was >>considering using TI's 9940 single-chip microcontroller in a product. > >Is this thing in any way related to the TI-99/4A expansion box? > >--Max Eskin (max82(a)surfree.com) >

27 years, 3 months

2
1
0 0

Just another Rinky-Dink Florida hamfest

by edick＠idcomm.com

I bet you're going to be disappointed in the TI chassis, Joe. TI made (back in the '70's) a line of their microcomputers which used a connector and a card form-factor like the S-100, sort-of, but which wasn't S-100. One easy way to tell the difference, I believe is that the TI system, which I never inspected, hence can't say for certain, used a global power supply rather than the s-100's on-card local regulation. Their power and other supply leads were in different places, too. Let me know if I'm wrong, Joe, as I hope you're getting something you can use, but something tells me . . . Dick -----Original Message----- From: Joe <rigdonj(a)intellistar.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Saturday, March 27, 1999 12:51 PM Subject: Just another Rinky-Dink Florida hamfest > Went to another one this morning. Didn't find much except three Lisas >(two Lisa 2s and one Lisa 2/10), two HP 715/50s, two Zorbas and a *NICE* >S-100 chassis made by TI. I managed to get the L 2/10 and the Zorbas. >Pictures and questions to follow. > > Joe > > PS the HPs are still available if anyone wants them. >

27 years, 3 months

3
3
0 0

followup: Rinky dink hamfest

by edick＠idcomm.com

The Xerox 820 is one I really liked for a while. It only supported single-sided single density drives, but had on-board terminal-style video circuitry (24 lines of 80 characters) and used a BIOS which could be banked in and out, which I don't know for certain even banked in the entire BIOS. I once concluded that it only banked in the parts it needed at the time, thereby leaving a larger TPA. I'm probably wrong about this, but I don know the hardware was present to allow this. With the addition of a little daughterboard from Denver Business Systems, which replaced the 1771 FDC on the board, the device was double-density capable once the BIOS was patched. I even made and sold a daugherboard which replaced the CPU in order to interface WD1000-05 and 1002-05 boards (bridge controllers) by Western Digital. Both this board (the 820) and the TVI 80x seemed to be pretty solid boards for CP/M. Dick -----Original Message----- From: Joe <rigdonj(a)intellistar.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Sunday, March 28, 1999 6:46 PM Subject: followup: Rinky dink hamfest > Today I went to see a couple of the people that I meet at yesterday's >hamfest. One of them used to service XEROX computers. He told me that he >threw out three rooms full of old XEROX computers less than a year ago. :-( > He gave me part of the stuff that he had left, I have to take a Truck >(note capital) back to get the rest (estimated at two cubic yards but no >complete machines). So far I've found lots of docs and 8" flopppy disks >for the 820 and 16/8. The 16/8 looks pretty interesting, it ran CPM, >CPM-86 and MS-DOS. Does anyone have one of these? What's your opinion of >them? > > He has a floppy disk drive control box to manual operate 3.5", 5.25" and >8" drives during alignment. Anyone have an idea of what one of these is >worth with the alignment disks and manuals? > > Alos found a Lisa mouse to go with the Lisa that I got yesterday. > > Joe >

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

8" drives

by edick＠idcomm.com

I've thrown out LOTS of 8" drives. I have a few packaged and, in some cases, powered single as well as double sided drives if anyone is willing to pay the freight. Dick -----Original Message----- From: Joe <rigdonj(a)intellistar.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Sunday, March 28, 1999 6:46 PM Subject: Re: Hard-sectored 5.25" disks >At 06:34 AM 3/28/99 -0500, Doug wrote: > > >>Maybe next month I'll drag home something with an 8" drive. :) >> > > Doug, how far are you from British Columbia? I know where there's a >Tektronix 4051 AND a 4052 up for sale. Both can use optional 8" drives, I >think they have drives but I'm not sure. I'm in Florida, so it's a mite too >far for me to go get. > > Joe >

27 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Rebirth of IMSAI

by edick＠idcomm.com

Speaking of the rebirth of IMSAI . . . Has anyone seen anything new on their web page? I've been following a few of the items and have seen no changes since the 20th or so. I'm not sure of the market for a hot pentium system packaged behind an Imsai trademark and front panel. I'd much rather see them pick up the support thread for the already existing Imsai-branded hardware and publish the existing doc's on their web site. I'm sure there is a market for between 50 and 500 of each of several boards, and, if he already has the rights and the artwork, reproducing the originals. If he ( Todd Fischer ) made them, perhaps to order, and perhaps with a dry-film solder mask and high-quality bright-white silk screened legends, with some jumper definitions as are on many no-longer-current PC ISA add-ons, to distinguish between the old boards and the new as well as to minimize the support requirements, I don't think he'd lose his shirt. I've been after the original spec's for the IMSAI pre-1977 bus timing, etc, in case anyone has that data in shareable form. I've found the schematic for my IMSAI PIO-6 board but only half the manual, fortunately with the schematic, of the PIO-4. I don't seem to have any bus timing informtion, though. Any help with this would be appreciated. Dick -----Original Message----- From: Tony Duell <ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Sunday, March 28, 1999 2:25 PM Subject: Re: Rebirth of IMSAI >> As the purchaser of mostly Thrift-Store Classics (i.e. incomplete, dirty, >> sometimes broken machines for $10 and less) I really don't know what was >> being displayed in the showroom. I remember the cool 3D wireframe stuff >> on the Northstar Advantage, the Juggler and Boing! demos on the Amiga, the >> aforementioned Christmas Demo, and that's about it. > > >There was a (tape) program for the TRS-80 model 1 called (IIRC) Micro >Marquee. It let you type in a message and it would display it on large >characters built from the graphics blocks (something like about 12 >characters/line, 3 lines/screen), scrolling up the screen. > >There was a default built-in message which seemed to be advertising for >the machine. Something like 'Hello, I'm the new TRS-80 computer that >you've heard so much about...' I've always assumed that was a shop demo >program. > >There was a demo program for the PERQ. It showed some very fast graphics >(windows moving over the screen, lines being drawn, etc). AFAIK, they >_were_ being created in real-time - it wasn't just a set of full-screen >bitmaps. Don't think you could call it a 'store demo', though. > >-tony >

27 years, 3 months

1
0
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