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

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<I think this calls for the development of a custom Pascal unit to access <foreign filesystems (ie. FAT). I don't think Pascal gives you enough lo <level control to do this right from the language itself, but I'm sure <there are ways to link in assembled code. A project to add to the <spare-time list. P-sys pascal can get to devices and disks so to write a disk with a different directory structure is doable. It's been done for P-sys to CP/M, Turbodos, apple][. You can also link in assembly code. Also I believe it may be possible to write a disk driver(for hard disk) in pascal and bind it to a free unit. For that you would UCSD pascal Docs and any implementation docs for the specific system. Some of that might be possible to infer. Though it's been 10 years since I last ran my copy of NS* UCSD P-sys but other than speed I remember it as flexible, well organized and cramped (northstar* single density drives were only 80k!). Allison

28 years, 2 months

1
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UCSD Pascal

by jfoust＠threedee.com

UCSD Pascal for IBM PC-DOS could run on a hard disk by using .VOL files, which were floppy images of the P-System block format. For much UCSD P-System info, see my web page, including utilities that can get a directory and burst these .VOL files. - John Jefferson Computer Museum <http://www.threedee.com/jcm>

28 years, 2 months

1
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Mac hi-res monitor

by A_Finney＠wfi-inc.com

Are you still interested? At 10:56 AM 2/11/98 EST, you wrote: >yes! i need one! glad to pay shipping to nc. is it available? > >david > > >In a message dated 98-02-10 15:25:34 EST, you write: > ><< Does anyone need a Mac mono monitor? Model number MO400, circa 1987. Best > offer takes it, no matter how pathetic. Recipient either pays shipping or > picks it up in the LA area (it's not heavy at all, I can't imagine that ups > ground would be more than a few bucks on this thing). >> > >

28 years, 2 months

1
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TIMSAI (was Photo of Smithsonian microcomputer exhibit)

by rcini＠email.msn.com

On Wed, 25 Feb 1998 08:28:45 -0800 (PST), Tim Shoppa <shoppa(a)alph02.triumf.ca> wrote: {snip} >>For those who really want a S-100 front panel machine, maybe they'd be >>willing to pay for me to make duplicates of my TIMSAI. Features: {snip} Tim, I heard that at one point you were making schematics and info about your TIMSAI project available to those who are interested. Is this still the case? ------------------------------------------------- Rich Cini/WUGNET <nospam_rcini(a)msn.com> (remove nospam_ to use) - ClubWin Charter Member (6) - MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking

28 years, 2 months

1
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Photo of Smithsonian microcomputer exhibit

by photze＠batelco.com.bh

Well, I've had an idea for quite some time, and now's the best time yet to pop it up... in many developing contries, resources are streesed out, and many attempts to industrialize these contries are going underway. The thing is that in some areas, going to school's a new requirement, and that these schools arn't up to specs. The idea for them going to schools is so that they have better opertunities than their parents did (so that they could say do accounting instead of sweeping floors). Now, to me, that means having at least a little coputing experience. I want to design (with help!) a computer that gives the most power at the lowest price. The shipping computers to other contries idea is noble, but we need to go farther, and, this can be fun. We could use the same idea, etc. if anyone's interested, please contact me privately. I'm really interested in it now, but need lots of help. Thanks, Tim D. Hotze -----Original Message----- From: Charles A. Davis <cad(a)gamewood.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Wednesday, February 25, 1998 5:49 PM Subject: Re: Photo of Smithsonian microcomputer exhibit >Scott Walde wrote: >> >> > >Thinking out loud: >> > >I wonder what the market would be for an Apple I replica? >> >> Also thinking out loud: >> Maybe if we as collectors flood the market with Altair and IMSAI and Apple >> I replicas it would drive the price of the real things back down. > >Yeah, but!!! > >Can you picture the problems trying to document the lenieage of a >'genuine' Altair, IMSAI, or Apple. > >Chuck > >-- >----------------------------------------------------------- >He, who will not reason, is a bigot; William Drumond, >he, who cannot, is a fool; Scottish writer >and he, who dares not, is a slave. (1585-1649) >While he that does, is a free man! Joseph P. 1955- >----------------------------------------------------------- > (be sure to correct the return address when using 'reply') >Chuck Davis / Sutherlin Industries FAX # (804) 799-0940 >1973 Reeves Mill Road E-Mail -- cad(a)gamewood.net >Sutherlin, Virginia 24594 Voice # (804) 799-5803

28 years, 2 months

3
3
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[Fwd: Any info on an 8-bit Sharp computer?]

by hansp＠columbia.digiweb.com

Can anyone help with info/softwre on a Sharp MZ-700. Reply directly to Eurico and perhaps suggest that he subscribes. -- Hans B. Pufal : <mailto:hansp@digiweb.com> Comprehensive Computer Catalogue : <http://www.digiweb.com/~hansp/ccc/> _-_-__-___--_-____-_--_-_-____--_---_-_---_--__--_--_--____---_--_--__--_

28 years, 2 months

1
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Pascal System

by mallison＠konnections.com

I have an IBM Pascal System for the PC Does anyone know if it's possible to use a hard drive with this system? There are no references and no seeming commands for manipulating storage.... Ideas?? -Mike

28 years, 2 months

2
2
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Photo of Smithsonian microcomputer exhibit

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< My recent COSMAC 1802 find had a white CPU with gold cap. I'd <never seen anything like that before. That was the ceramic package RCA used until about 1981ish. I must have two or three date coded '76-78 time frame. Actually I have tubes of LSI all from before 81 just laying around. Allison

28 years, 2 months

2
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Pretty good week

by adam＠merlin.net.au

> Re: where to find them. You guys should be down here in Florida. I find >so many that I have to pick and choose. I left behind 4 AT&T 3B2s, a NeXt, >an AT&T 6300, 2 HP Appollos and 2 HP 9000/300s yesterday. All of that was >at a GSA auction at KSC. I did get a COMPLETE Commodeore Pet set and a Vax >Station 3100 for Zane. Do you have any idea what I would do for a NeXT Cube? :) Almost anything - it is right up the top of my wish list. I have only seen one for sale in Australia in the past 12 months, and they were asking $1200 for it. :( Mind you, it didn't sell. Adam.

28 years, 2 months

1
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Classic Displays (was RE: Future Computing Trends)

by foxnhare＠goldrush.com

From: Ward Donald Griffiths III <gram(a)cnct.com> Subject: RE: Future Computing Trends >I defy _anybody_ to say that a "better" display would improve any >Big Five Software arcade games as they ran on the 128x48 monochrome >graphics of the TRS-80 1/3. And I defy anybody to find a better >batch of arcade games, unless you really want to see the blood from >kicked-in faces, a fetish I outgrew 25 or so years ago. I know exactly what you mean, I recall my few months of playing with a TRS-80 (loaned to me from the high school) with that wobbly picture when there was too much white on some lines... Sometimes you loose the translation with the sharp graphics generated on multi-sync displays by the emulators. I recall a video flaw on the PET what would generate a hairline verticle line between two characters which I took advantage of in one program (I would not expect VICE to reproduce that)... Then on the 64 some games looked cooler on regular composite monitors than on the crisp split-composite due to the artifacting (case in point was the game Sword of Fargoal, the unicorn's horn looked more like a rainbow than a white dotted line). It was those minute blurs that made the graphics a bit more fancy. Larry Anderson -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- Visit our web page at: http://www.goldrush.com/~foxnhare/ Call our Commodore 64 BBS (Silicon Realms 300-2400 baud) at: (209) 754-1363 -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

28 years, 2 months

4
3
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Is the RL02 cable straight-through?

by adavie＠mad.scientist.com

>Stupid question: > >You are putting the bottom cover of the disk pack >on top of the disk pack before you close the top, >aren't you? The "lid closed" microswitch won't trip otherwise. The only stupid question is the one you didn't ask. And stupidity is in the eye of the beholder. A.

28 years, 2 months

2
1
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Provenance and lineage

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< I don't care for replicas. Instead of building a replica why not try < to make your own design from scratch? At least it would be original. I'm likely one of the few that could build a TRS-80/altair/? clone and use unused parts all of the correct age! My spares bin is that deep and old. To me there is no point, I can find an original and bring it back to life easier. Allison

28 years, 2 months

2
1
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Photo of Smithsonian microcomputer exhibit

by photze＠batelco.com.bh

No, WE make the computer, specifically designed for education/appliance apps and then ship it across the pond. Tim D. Hotze -----Original Message----- From: Joe <rigdonj(a)intellistar.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Thursday, February 26, 1998 1:29 AM Subject: Re: Photo of Smithsonian microcomputer exhibit >At 08:45 PM 2/25/98 +0300, you wrote: >>Well, I've had an idea for quite some time, and now's the best time yet to >>pop it up... in many developing contries, resources are streesed out, and >>many attempts to industrialize these contries are going underway. The thing >>is that in some areas, going to school's a new requirement, and that these >>schools arn't up to specs. The idea for them going to schools is so that >>they have better opertunities than their parents did (so that they could say >>do accounting instead of sweeping floors). Now, to me, that means having at >>least a little coputing experience. I want to design (with help!) a >>computer that gives the most power at the lowest price. The shipping >>computers to other contries idea is noble, but we need to go farther, and, > > Tim, > > It's a noble idea but before a country can manufacture their own computer >they sould be able to manufacture the majority of the components for it >otherwise they're nothing more than assembly line workers using imported >parts. When you stop and consider all the stuff that goes into even the >simplest computer (sheet metal, molded plastics, resistors, capacitors, >ICs, transformers, circuit boards, special connectors, floppy drives, hard >drives, etc etc etc) you realize the industrial scale that is needed for >this sort of effort. I used to work in aerospace engineering and some of >our foreign contracts called for a minimum percent of the components to be >built in the country that was buying our systems. We made every effort to >meet that requirement but I can tell you it's very hard to find companies >capable of this level of technology outside of the US, England, Germany and >Japan. For example, we had a contract with Canada and one of the parts we >subcontracted to Canadian manufacturers was flexible circuit boards similar >to those used in the hinge of laptops. NO Canadian manufacturer was able >to make those parts despite their best efforts. > > PS I'm Canadian by birth so I don't want any flames about what Canada >can and can't do. > > Joe > > >>this can be fun. We could use the same idea, etc. if anyone's interested, >>please contact me privately. I'm really interested in it now, but need lots >>of help. >> Thanks, >> >>Tim D. Hotze >>-----Original Message----- >>From: Charles A. Davis <cad(a)gamewood.net> >>To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers >><classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> >>Date: Wednesday, February 25, 1998 5:49 PM >>Subject: Re: Photo of Smithsonian microcomputer exhibit >> >> >>>Scott Walde wrote: >>>> >>>> > >Thinking out loud: >>>> > >I wonder what the market would be for an Apple I replica? >>>> >>>> Also thinking out loud: >>>> Maybe if we as collectors flood the market with Altair and IMSAI and >>Apple >>>> I replicas it would drive the price of the real things back down. >>> >>>Yeah, but!!! >>> >>>Can you picture the problems trying to document the lenieage of a >>>'genuine' Altair, IMSAI, or Apple. >>> >>>Chuck >>> >>>-- >>>----------------------------------------------------------- >>>He, who will not reason, is a bigot; William Drumond, >>>he, who cannot, is a fool; Scottish writer >>>and he, who dares not, is a slave. (1585-1649) >>>While he that does, is a free man! Joseph P. 1955- >>>----------------------------------------------------------- >>> (be sure to correct the return address when using 'reply') >>>Chuck Davis / Sutherlin Industries FAX # (804) 799-0940 >>>1973 Reeves Mill Road E-Mail -- cad(a)gamewood.net >>>Sutherlin, Virginia 24594 Voice # (804) 799-5803 >> >> >

28 years, 2 months

1
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BBC troubleshooting (remote debugging)?

by adavie＠mad.scientist.com

Hi all. Thanks to the BBC people who have helped me so far in my quest to restore to life my BBC-B. I have some detailed descriptions of the problem, hopefully to help you help me. Actually its kind of interesting, as I'm sure the problem can be deduced without touching the hardware at all. But first, I have fairly carefully made sure ALL socketed chips are firmly pressed down. And, to be sure, I tried the obligatory half-inch-drop test. More like a 3g WHAM actually. Nothing fixed, nothing further broken :) So, here's a sequence of events and what happens... Power on - BEEP you see just a flashing cursor about 1/3 way down the screen Interestingly, you seem to always see the cursor in the correct spot on screen - this is kind of strange as it doesn't follow the problems evident in the characters - I'd guess that the cursor is some sort of hardware cursor rather than software, and applied independantly of video memory - am I right? So, you see a flashing cursor - I also guess that the top few lines above the cursor are some sort of boot message for the machine. You don't see anything but the cursor. type (AAA, for example) and you see the cursor move horizontally. But no characters. If you power up again, and hit about 9 returns, you see a > that is, the prompt. But, you also see it all over the top half of the screen repeated every 64 character positions. I counted. The screen is currently in 40 x 25. type AAA and you see AAA beside every prompt on the screen (about 9, from memory). delete the AAA, back to the > now type 12345678901234567890123 etc you can type exactly 31 characters (32 with the prompt included) and then you can't see what you're typing anymore. Delete all that. Hit Returns to the bottom of the screen. A prompt appears, and the bottom of the screen is also filled with prompts every 64 characters. now do the 1234567890 etc. You can type 63 (64 with the prompt) and as you type, the lower screen fills (ie: beside every prompt) with what you're typing. After 64, you've filled the lower screen and can't see what you're typing anymore. Typing more characters DOES NOT erase the characters under the cursor (ie: you're seeing different video memory from where the data is being stored). When lines scroll off the top of the screen, those lines appear again at the bottom of the screen. I did see some interesting random colours and corruption on the screen, but only once. now type CLS type 40 As 40 Bs Cs, Ds, Es, Fs. you get a beep (limit is 6 lines) press return all you see is the flashing cursor (screen is empty) now Gs Hs Is Js... you type 8 Js, and suddenly you start seeing what you type another 32 Js Ks .... you type 32, and the entire top of the screen is now filled with Js and Ks. the next 8Ks are invisible. Ls... BEEP (6 line limit) Ms Ns Os Ps Qs Rs.... BEEP NONE of the above 6 lines appear onscreen RETurn > appears in bottom half of screen (7 of them, in the 64 spacing pattern) type Ss..... when you get to the last 8, they appear (with the >) beside the Ks where the last 8 were unseen. So, quite a puzzle. 64 is a magic number, implying to me that somewhere a 7th bit is misbehaving on an address. I'd appreciate any comments and insights on this pattern. Where do I go from here? Cheers Andrew

28 years, 2 months

3
2
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front panels

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<>> Processor. The 8080 CPU does I/O To/From the accumulator which is <> <>I beg to differ. Last I checked, today the 8080 IO is from and to the accumulator. <>All you have to do is to put the CPU into a wait state, tri-state the <>bus buffers and directly drive the address, data and control lines from <>hardware on the frontpanel controller. You can access memory or I/O port <>that way. <> <In other words, make the front panel do a DMA access, either to memory or <I/O port? That way it doesn't affect the CPU state at all, except the CP <has to be running in order to handle the DMA grant. Show me a simple mod that would make the Altair or IMSAI or their direct decendants do it. I'd suggest looking at what they did do first as it will limit your options. As to what can be done with a clean sheet of paper I can give you the following: Good, Fast, Cheap: you may pick any two. Allison <

28 years, 2 months

4
4
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Walnut Creek CP/M CDROM Discontinued

by bwit＠pobox.com

The Computer Journal used to carry this CD. Try at http://www.psyber.com/~tcj/ Bob ---------- From: Jason Brady[SMTP:jrbrady@mindspring.com] Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 1998 5:15 PM To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers Subject: Walnut Creek CP/M CDROM Discontinued Tried to order one today - Walnut Creek discontinued this product a couple of weeks ago. Lousy timing, eh? Does anyone know of a third party vendor that might have some available? Thanks, Jason Brady jrbrady(a)mindspring.com Seattle, WA

28 years, 2 months

2
1
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Northstar Horizon

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<I'm not sure if the Horizon bus is fully IEEE-696 compliant. Tim or <Allison? Close enough, it never caused me grief. Allison

28 years, 2 months

1
0
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Epson Equity LT 286

by alanr＠morgan.ucs.mun.ca

I have recently come into an Epson Equity LT 286 laptop, however I didn't get an AC adapter with it. Does anyone out there have one they can part with, or better yet, have the specs handy so I can hack on together myself? Any help would be appreciated. ------------------------------------------------------------ __________________________________________Live from the GLRS The Man From D.A.D ------------------------------------------------------------

28 years, 2 months

1
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Future Computing Trends

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

Last night, I was mucking around eBay (don't ask me why, I'm so broke I can't pay attention) and spotted an AirMedia "NewsCatcher Internet Antenna!" with a starting bid of $5 and no bids. So I put in a bid of $5. I'm not worried about whether or not I'm the high bidder when all is said and done, but it did get me thinking. I've got a Ricochet modem (Yeah!), there's this thing, I know there was another PCMCIA card thing that did wireless connectivity... Probably others I'm not aware of. IIRC, one of the features of Alan Kay's (proposed) Dynabook was that whereever you went, (school, office, library, etc.) the computer would be aware of what resources were available at that facility and would be able to access them wirelessly. As I see it, we're going to get to a point somewhere down the line where Alan Kay's idea will come true -- except that instead of just being able to access local resources, you'll be able to access the 'net from just about anywhere, wirelessly. This will all be built in to laptops. So it occurs to me that these first, early attempts at wireless connectivity are important milestones, and are worth collecting now (or in the near future when they become affordable). I guess, then, my question is, does anyone have any suggestions as to what else may fall into this category? Feel free to e-mail me directly... --------------------------------------------------------------------- O- Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know." Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates San Francisco, California http://www.sinasohn.com/

28 years, 2 months

2
1
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Future Computing Trends

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 12:41 AM 2/22/98 -0500, you wrote: >I defy _anybody_ to say that a "better" display would improve any >Big Five Software arcade games as they ran on the 128x48 monochrome >graphics of the TRS-80 1/3. And I defy anybody to find a better I dunno if "eliminat" (Eliminator) was a Big Five game, but it was great. I too, have yet to see much on anything newer that can beat it. (Okay, well, maybe BallBlazer on the Atari.) --------------------------------------------------------------------- O- Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know." Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates San Francisco, California http://www.sinasohn.com/

28 years, 2 months

1
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Photo of Smithsonian microcomputer exhibit

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 08:42 PM 2/25/98 +0000, you wrote: >Yuck!!! Why on earth would anybody want to do that? If you want a machine >that's not available, then recreate it using parts as close to the >originals in function as possible, sure (as an example, say you couldn't >get any 2102 1K*1 RAMs. Use 2114 1K*4 RAMs instead - just a quarter of >the number). But to use the logic board out of some other machine >attempting to emulate a classic is plain stupid. Look, opinions differ. No need to get ugly about it. Different aspects are more important to different people. I won't try to defend my position here, you win, I'm stupid. There. Now isn't that better than a flood of messages back and fourth?

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

BBC troubleshooting (remote debugging)?

by adavie＠mad.scientist.com

>> Power on - BEEP >That should be a two-tone beep. It's the standard BBC power-up sequence. Ok... bEEP...BEEP! >In mode 7, 1 byte of video memory corresponds to 1 character on the >screen. So it looks like you have a problem with address line MA6 from >the 6845. If you can borrow a logic probe, look at pin 10 of the 6845 >(look at 8, 9, 11 as well, in case I've miscounted) - there should be a >square wave (pulsing) there, and then trace it through IC36c (again, >there should be pulsing at pin 8 of this chip). Will be a while before I can borrow a logic probe. However, removing and reseating the 6845 has had no effect on the problem. To be continued... A

28 years, 2 months

1
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Re.: PDP Diagnostic card

by rcini＠email.msn.com

On 2/24/98, Tony Duell wrote: {snip, snip about the DEC KM11 maintenance card} Tony: I took a look at the KM11 diagnostics card and compared the pinout to the Unibus pinout that was posted on the list in the last week. First off, do you think that the KM11 will work on an 11/34?? Anyway, I'm not clear as to whether the function descriptions that I have match what the KD11 is supposed to use: 1. bus pin B1 (I'm assuming that that's really pin AB1) is BIRQ6 (according to the post last week), but is shown supplying 8v to the display drivers. 2. The switch S1 is shown providing a ground path on closure to pin AB2. According to the previous post, AB2 is a -12v supply rail. 3. Switch S2 is feeding pin AV2, which is BDAL01. 4. Switch S3 is debouncing pin AA1, BIRQ5. 5. Switch S4 is debouncing pin AU1, PSpare1. Hopefully I'm looking at the right diagram! Rich Cini/WUGNET <nospam_rcini(a)msn.com> (remove nospam_ to use) ClubWin! Charter Member (6) MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking ============================================

28 years, 2 months

2
1
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Motorola MEK6802D5

by ian＠okjunc.junction.net

Hello all, I just aquired a "Motorola Memory Systems MEK6802D5" single board computer. It appears to be a 6802 evaluation or prototyping unit. It has a hex keypad and a 6-digit HEX display. In my old Motorola literature, I can find a reference for a MEK6802D3 from 1979, which appears to be an older version of this. The date code on the chips places it at circa 1980. Does anyone have any information on this unit? Any idea where I can get any documentation or programming info? It appears to be fully functional (at least, I get a display, and I can page up and down through memory examining and changing contents, etc). Any info would be appreciated. ___ __ __ __ _ _ _ _ |_ _|__ _ _ _ | \/ / _| | __ _ _ _ __ _| |_ | (_)_ _ Okanagan | |/ _` | ' \ | |\/| \__| |_/ _` | | / _` | ' \| | | ' \ Internet |___\__,_|_||_| |_| |_| |___\__,_|___\__, |_||_|_|_|_||_| Junction Network Operations Centre |___/ Phone +1 (888) 944-INET

28 years, 2 months

1
0
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Walnut Creek CP/M CDROM Discontinued

by jrbrady＠mindspring.com

Tried to order one today - Walnut Creek discontinued this product a couple of weeks ago. Lousy timing, eh? Does anyone know of a third party vendor that might have some available? Thanks, Jason Brady jrbrady(a)mindspring.com Seattle, WA

28 years, 2 months

2
1
0 0

Photo of Smithsonian microcomputer exhibit

by lisard＠zetnet.co.uk

tim shoppa: :But you can't just run an Apple I emulator on the Apple II. The :memory maps are completely different and the video chain of the :Apple I is radically different than any home micro designed since :the late 70's (i.e. it is *not* a memory-mapped video system; it's :closer to a dumb terminal bolted onto a 6502. Well, a really dumb :dumb terminal :-) ) hell, you can emulate anything on anything. it'd just mean you had to emulate a 6502 on a 6502 and trap the pesky screen-write instructions. then again, some things are better left undone... ;> for the benefit of the unenlightened (ie. communa), could you please decsribe the principles of the apple i's video system? thanks. (or point us in the direction of such a description.) -- Communa (together) we remember... we'll see you falling you know soft spoken changes nothing to sing within her... Net-Tamer V 1.08X - Test Drive

28 years, 2 months

1
0
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Modern Minimalism (Was: Future Computing Trends)

by lisard＠zetnet.co.uk

jeff said :Oh man, now you're talking! I really wanted to Use Arachne as my :web browser, but I could never get the TCP/IP package to work :(either KLOS, or the other one whose name escapes me). we had good results with DOSPPP, the conversions of the linux daemons. they should be available on simtel. very good; haven't let us down yet (except when the machine we run gets confused about which com ports it has and hasn't got). and you can put pppd and comtool in your dos directory and build a dialling batch file without lots of little bitty files lying around :> arachne is a good browser, yes (someone mentioned webspyder - that's just arachne rebadged, isn't it?) but we got annoyed with the resources. now we use a combination of htget and kevin solway's vh if we're reading, or nettamer if we're searching. -- Communa (together) we remember... we'll see you falling you know soft spoken changes nothing to sing within her... Net-Tamer V 1.08X - Test Drive

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

IMSAI 8080 <> TRS-80

by MPritchard＠EnsembleStudios.com

I noticed it all right.... only off by the make of computer and 5 years... *sigh* <gag> <choak> -Matt Pritchard Graphics Engine and Optimization Specialist > -----Original Message----- > From: bill_r(a)inetnebr.com [SMTP:bill_r@inetnebr.com] > Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 1998 8:36 AM > To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers > Subject: IMSAI 8080 <> TRS-80 > > Did anyone besides me notice that, judging by their ad in the latest > issue of Computer Gaming World magazine, the software division of > Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM INTERACTIVE INC.), producer of the original > "Wargames" motion picture, doesn't know the difference between an > IMSAI 8080 and a TRS-80? Their ad goes something like "In 1983, a > teenage computer hacker almost destroyed the world with one of these: > [picture of TRS-80 Model 1, with caption reading 'TRS-80, 4K RAM, no > hard drive']". It goes on to talk about how much damage he could do > with today's computers (go figure), and introduces their new > "Wargames" computer game. Maybe the marketing department should jog > down to the film vault and watch the movie, because _it_ used an IMSAI > 8080 with a piece of paper stuck over the name for the young > "hacker's" computer. Sheesh. > > -Bill Richman > bill_r(a)inetnebr.com > http://incolor.inetnebr.com/bill_r > (Home of the COSMAC Elf Simulator!)

28 years, 2 months

1
0
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Modern Minimalism (Was: Future Computing Trends)

by maxeskin＠hotmail.com

What would be nice is an ELKS-like thing for DOS, so that one could stick in a floppy disk, and it would boot into any program that you choose, without Command.Com. This would be great for web browsers. But I really don't get this emphasis on making multimedia kiosks with weird software combos! Every other OS page is about this, and I would like to see something besides using DOS to sell clothes... >>QNX is a very small micro-kernel OS that has the look of Windows 95, has >>builtin TCP/IP networking, a notepad, a few other little doodads, and to >>top it off, a fully functional HTML 3.2 compliant web browser. Also > >Okay, QNX sounds pretty cool, but I hafta throw my vote in for Arachne. >Graphical DOS web browser runs on anything, I think, and works great. I >found it when I was looking for something to preview my web pages in (I do >'em in a DOS Editor). > > >--------------------------------------------------------------------- O- > >Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad >roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know." >Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates >San Francisco, California http://www.sinasohn.com/ > > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

28 years, 2 months

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FW: still want one??

by DFRITZKE＠ci.crystal.mn.us

---------- From: DAVID FRITZKE To: displaywriter Subject: still want one?? Date: Wednesday, February 25, 1998 1:22PM Hey, I have an IBM displaywriter system I am looking to unload. I thought I'd spend a second trying to find somebody who may want one, and I ran across your address. I've got the whole works, manuals, disks galore "toaster" floppy drive (what is up with the dual cables??) I was hoping to find a driver for the hammerhead printer so my Dad could use it with his "new" 486dx33 and Microsoft word. The printer has a standard serial connector, so I was hopin'...........??? dave PS I wish I still had my Zenith PC2, sigh.

28 years, 2 months

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Weekend finds! (CPU's, Printers, Disk Drives, Software, etc.!!)

by archive＠navix.net

Hello: This weekend I was fortunate to have made some very good finds.... all in one place, all at one time! Anyway, below is a list of the truck-load I got. Along with many of the items is a question or two, and this is where I am hoping you could please help me out! At the very end is the total price I paid for everything as one lot. Let me know if you think it was a good buy or not. Maybe let me know some current values to you collectors? Also let me know if you're interested in any of the items... we may be able to work out a deal. Basically, all items can be considered FOR-SALE!! Remember, this is just what I acquired this last weekend. Feel free to check out the URL on my signature at the bottom to find our complete inventory (well, minus about 5000 items we are trying to get entered into the computer!!) Oh, and the site is quite new, so many links are broken yet, and the pages are far from complete!! Give me a few days :-) Oh, please forgive me, as I know some of you don't enjoy reading these "weekend additions." But, I figured this was the best place to post my questions as well. Thank you very much, and please let me know if you would like any of this stuff, or have more information on any of it! Thanks, CORD COSLOR ___________________________________________________ | Cord G. Coslor : archive(a)navix.net |\ | Deanna S. Wynn : deannasue(a)navix.net | | |---------------------------------------------------| | | http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Vista/4395 | | |---------------------------------------------------| | | PO Box 308 - Peru, NE - 68421 - (402) 872- 3272 | | |___________________________________________________| | \____________________________________________________\| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The list follows: Computers/CPU's ---------------------- *Epson HX-40! On the front of this little laptop, it says "MajicBox." Has a LCD, adjustable (tilt) display, full keyboard and is model #H401A. It runs off batteries or a rechargeable battery pack which is still with the machine. Has a "backup on/off" switch on the underside. Also on the underside is a bay for programmable ROM chips. Without the chip inserted, it boots to an A> prompt, but I don't know what I can do after that. Does anyone have a BASIC chip for it. With the chip inserted, it boots to a Pharmecy drug order program that is pretty slick. This computer has ports for cassette, seriel, RS-232C, and printer. Also has something labeled cartridge out, but I can't get it to do anything. It looks like it's been converted with something that looks like a audio jack, from the factory or factory add-on. There is also a small compartment on the right of the monitor -- unknown use. It looks very similar to the Epson HX-20 -- which is known as the first lap-top. Could some of you give me some more information on my particular unit? I could find no information searching the web! *Data General One laptop. This was made by Data General in the early 1980s.... it is said to be the first successful laptop. Full screen, and two 3.5" disk drives. Curious if it has a ahrd drive inside. I really need power supply information for this, does anyone have it?? What type of software does it run? This is in near mint condition and want to get it up and running. It is said to be working, but I really need that power supply!! *Visual -- I have no information on this one! Full keyboard.. missing the keypad Return key. Dual 5.25" drives. Has a phone jack i the front by the keyboard. It says the Model is a Visual 1083, and is made by Visual in Lowell, MA. Does anyone have more information on this??? *Hewlett Packard 9121. Does anyone have some info on this for me? It has dual 3.5" drives. No monitor, etc. with it. What kind of software does it run, etc., etc.? *Laser 386/SX-25 CPU. Has both 3.5" and 5.25" disk drives. Also has a VGA card, and a 100+ meg hard drive. Boots up great --- has 1.5 (??) meg of Ram.... need a keyboard for this guy. I thought my TRS-80 Model 2000 keyboard would work. The keyboard gets power, recognizes caps, etc., but still get a keyboard error --- anyone have any ideas? *Apple //c computer. Works perfectly *Apple //c computer. Works perfectly *Apple //c computer. Works perfectly *Apple //c computer. Works perfectly *3 empty Apple //e cases. Does have keyboard and keyboard circuitry. One case has a volume knob and a ear-phone jack added to it. *Apple //e computer. Long cable coming out of the back. *Franklin Ace 1000 computer.  Apple compatible... great condition. *TRS-80 Model 1 - keyboard only. Missing the #8 key from the keypad. Cat # 26-1006 *Radio Shack TRS-80 Color Computer 2 - cat# 26-3026 Serial # 0007201- a lot of yellowing. *Tandy Personal Computer keyboard for the Tandy 1000 series. * Tandy TRS-80 Personal Computer keyboard for the TRS-80 Model 2000 computer *Tandy TRS-80 Model 2000 #26-5103 - great condition. Dual 5.25" drives. What DOS does this run? *Commodore Vic-20 computer. Great shape, works excellent! *Commodore Plus/4 computer. Mint condition with original box, power supply, & cables. Also both factory manuals. *Commodore 128D computer. Mint condition CPU. No monitor, disk drives, cables, etc. What does it take... also what type of keyboard does it use? Monitors ---------- *Apple monochrome monitor. Aug. 1989 - Model #A2M6016 * Apple //c monochrome (?) monitor - Model #G090S -- has some screen shimmying going on. *Apple high-resolution monochrome monitor. Model # M0400 works great. *Tandy TRS-80 High Resultion Color Monitor CM-1 . Model #26-5112 with all cables. *Tandy RGB Color Monitor CM-5 *Three more Apple monitors -- info on them not handy right now. Oh, one is an Apple /// monitor? Disk drives, other storage ----------- *Three IBM disk drives (5.25") info. not available right now on them. *2 more Apple disk drives - specifics not handy right now. *FileSafe Tape Series 7150 by Mountain. I believe this is a type of tape storage system. I have no power supply, and am wanting more information on this. What computers used it? *Percomm Data 5.25" disk drive. No other writing on this silver case. Probably used with a TRS-80 Model 1 or similar computer. *Disk //c for the Apple //c. Model #A2M4050. Does this run off of the computer's power supply? It must. *5.25" disk drive. No information on it. It says it is by AE. External. Has built-in interface cable. *3 external Apple Unidisk drives. *Apple 3.5" disk drive for the macintosh. Model #M0130. *Super 5 5.25" disk drive. No info on this except it was made by EI-EN Enterprises in Tokyo. * 2 more Apple Disk // external drives. *Franklin Ace 10 disk drive for the Franklin Ace 1000. 5 1/4" disk drive.with built-in cable. *Apple UniDisk Model #A9M0104 -- newer style *Apple disk drive(?) No writing on the 5.25" drive -- colored like the Disk // units. *Tandy 10 Meg hard disk system. What computers was this made for? 1000 series?  #25-1025. Will it work with a Model 4 or CoCo 3?Underneath It says 3 head 303 Cylinder. Last repaired in 1988. *IBM 3.5" internal disk drive (??) Says TEC. *Need more info. on this one. Internal drive the size of a 5.25" drive. But, it looks like it takes small business-card sized wafers of some sort. Anyone heard of something like these for an IBM/compat? Printers ---------- *Imagewriter // printer for Apple *3 misc. printers - don't have their info right here now. *Radio Shack TRS-80 lineprinter VII *Radio Shack DMP 200 *Radio Shack Ink Jet Printer JP1000 *Commodore MPS 802 *Vic 1525 Graphic Printer *Apple image writer 2 *Hush 80 P portable printer. This is an odd bird? More info.?? It is by ergo systems. About a foot long by 4" wide. Looks like a thermal printer? Books/Manuals, etc ----------------------- Commodore 64 Programmer;s Reference Guide. 486 pages by Commodore. *Commodore 64 User's Guide - 170 pages or so --- by Commodore. *Commodore Wordstar Colt manual. From MicroPro. *Apple // UniDisk Owner's Manual *Apple //c Owner's Manual *Setting Up Your Apple //c *Apple // Model 300/1200 User's Manual -- still in shrink wrap. *leather Goddesses of Phobos cartoon maps by Infocom. Xerox's?? *Tandy DMP 203 User's Guide *Commodore 1802 Color Monitor User's Guide *ThinkTank: The First Idea Word Processor original manual and box for the Apple Mac. *A bunch of Apple books and manuals -- info. not handy right now. *Apple //c Scrube Printer User's Guide to the //c still in shrinkwrap. *Apple /// Imagewriter User's manual. *Apple // Disk Two Installation Manual. Miscellaneous ---------------- *Apple //c power supply *Apple //c power supply *Apple Scribe printer robbin cassette for use with Apple Scribe Printer. Unused. *Apple //c video accessories in original box. Comes with cable, TV switch box, and Modulator... any more info?? *Commodore 128 power supply. *Mustek Twain-Scan color handheld scanner. Still in box with installation software, PC card, & manuals! *10 Blank 5.25" diskettes - Memorex 2s/2d *Something called a BlackBox. It has a phone jack on one end and on the other it plugs into some type of port. Model #ME723B-M -- does anyone have some info on this? *KoalaPad. I think for the Commodore computer. Does anyone have some more info on this? Maybe some software? *Commodore Model 1200 Model #1670 *Joystick by IBM. Very small with a really odd connector on it (8 pin squares). *Concord Data System 224 - Is this a modem? It's a rectangualr box has has phone jacks on the back, and many labeled lights on the front. With power supply. *Apple roller (whatever they're called)... oh, track-ball type of deal. Model #Ap07055 *Three various Apple cables. TV/ Video cables, printer cables, and something else. Software ----------- *Samna word processor for IBM Dos 2.0, 2.1,  or 3.0 (3 disks) with manual and book holder. *The Hibbot for the Commodore 64 - with original box, manuals, maps, etc. Distributed by Addision-Wesley. *Radar Rat Race cartridge for the C-64 *MasterType cart for the C-64 *Below the Root (???) game copy on dissk for the Commodore 64. *Aztec game original box, manual, and game disk for the Apple/Commodore. *the Bard's Tale III Thief of Fate original box, manuals, code wheel, and disks (2) for C-64. *Aple //e original disk - An Introduction by Apple - written in Pascal. *Volcanoe orginal game disk by Softsmith for the Apple // - Franklin *OptionX " " " " *Little Speller " " " *SpaceWare Educational/Game software for the Apple series *Thunderclock basic software by Thunderware for the Apple (Dos 3.3) *Cosmos Screen Mixer utility software by Astar Co. for the Apple (?) original disk *The Assembler original disk by MicroSparc for the Apple *Certificate Maker original disks for the Apple // (2 disks) *The Newsroom for the Apple original disks by Springboard (2 disks) *VisiCalc for Apple by Personal Software, Inc. *VsiCalc progrma diskette for the Apple by VisiCorp. *The Professional Sign Maker original disk for Apple by Sunburst Software. *Apple //+, //e demo disk by Robot Corp *The Star Gazer's Guide for the APple original disk. *Xerox Desktop Publishing Series (10 disks) plus 4 disks of a patch. All original-- more info?? *Macrosoft for Apple *VAI II operating software for the Apple ][ and ][e *VAI II Exercises original disk for the Apple * Frogger for the Apple, distrib. by Main STreet Publishing *Space Shuttle, A Journey into Space by Activision - original disk *dig Dug for the Apple // family. Dist. by Thunder Mountain *Choplifter by Broderbund orginal game disk for the Apple (?) *Apple // orginal demo disk - dist. by Wichita Software * Vic-20 cartridges: Pin Ball, Omega Race, Jupiter Lander, Gorf, Radar Rat Race, Raid on Fort Knox, Avenger, Poker, Cosmic Cruncher, and Mole Attack In 8 cartridge storace holder. Was it all worth my $150. :-) ___________________________________________________ | Cord G. Coslor : archive(a)navix.net |\ | Deanna S. Wynn : deannasue(a)navix.net | | |---------------------------------------------------| | | http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Vista/4395 | | |---------------------------------------------------| | | PO Box 308 - Peru, NE - 68421 - (402) 872- 3272 | | |___________________________________________________| | \____________________________________________________\|

28 years, 2 months

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Nec PC-8201a

by wraith＠prysm.net

Hello my name is Wraith and I am looking for a manual for the 8201a by NEC. If you have any information, please send it my way. I am a computer tech. and I also collect old computers. Thankyou for your time. Wraith

28 years, 2 months

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Provenance and lineage

by Marty＠itgonline.com

I don't care for replicas. Instead of building a replica why not try to make your own design from scratch? At least it would be original. I don't have an Apple 1, doubt I'll ever luck into one at a reasonable cost and am happy with that (well... fatalistic anyway and have accepted the situation). At least the rest of what I'm preserving is real. No replicas/tributes/fakes for me. Marty Mintzell ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________ Subject: Re: Provenance and lineage Author: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu at internet Date: 2/25/98 12:57 PM At 09:41 2/25/98 -0500, Chuck wrote: >Scott Walde wrote: >> > >Thinking out loud: >> > >I wonder what the market would be for an Apple I replica? >Yeah, but!!! > >Can you picture the problems trying to document the lineage of a >'genuine' Altair, IMSAI, or Apple. That's called provenance, and antique dealers do it all the time -- and I've written provenance on an Apple One myself, which was easy, since the board was being bought from a retired Apple exec and he showed me all the right stuff. Car and airplane collectors have procedures in place to deal with these matters, and we will end up copying those. For example, there aren't many Bugattis around any more with ALL their original parts, but thanks to the infrastructure that's evolved, people simply know which parts are in what car. It only matters when they change hands, anyway. This is what's behind, for example, Chris Bachmann's attempt to establish an Apple One registry. Absent that, though, I think that any Apple One "replica" would currently be considered a forgery. __________________________________________ Kip Crosby engine(a)chac.org http://www.chac.org/index.html Computer History Association of California ------ Message Header Follows ------ Received: from lists3.u.washington.edu by smtp.itgonline.com (PostalUnion/SMTP(tm) v2.1.9i(b5) for Windows NT(tm)) id AA-1998Feb25.125728.1767.28732; Wed, 25 Feb 1998 12:57:28 -0500 Received: from host (lists.u.washington.edu [140.142.56.13]) by lists3.u.washington.edu (8.8.4+UW97.07/8.8.4+UW97.05) with SMTP id JAA07558; Wed, 25 Feb 1998 09:49:36 -0800 Received: from mxu1.u.washington.edu (mxu1.u.washington.edu [140.142.32.8]) by lists.u.washington.edu (8.8.4+UW97.07/8.8.4+UW97.05) with ESMTP id JAA40054 for <classiccmp(a)lists.u.washington.edu>; Wed, 25 Feb 1998 09:49:20 -0800 Received: from relay.batnet.com (relay1.batnet.com [204.188.144.18]) by mxu1.u.washington.edu (8.8.4+UW97.07/8.8.4+UW97.09) with SMTP id JAA12177 for <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>; Wed, 25 Feb 1998 09:49:19 -0800 Received: from goldrush by relay.batnet.com (SMI-8.6/SMI-SVR4) id JAA12863; Wed, 25 Feb 1998 09:48:26 -0800 Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19980225092735.011aa480(a)pop.batnet.com> Date: Wed, 25 Feb 1998 09:27:35 -0800 Reply-To: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu Sender: CLASSICCMP-owner(a)u.washington.edu Precedence: bulk From: Kip Crosby <engine(a)chac.org> To: "Discussion re-collecting of classic computers" <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: Provenance and lineage In-Reply-To: <34F42DB3.72E1(a)gamewood.net> References: <Pine.LNX.3.96.980225081924.1883A-100000(a)walde.cprompt.sk.ca> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" X-Sender: chac(a)pop.batnet.com X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.1 beta -- ListProcessor(tm) by CREN

28 years, 2 months

2
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cold computing

by adavie＠mad.scientist.com

I feel so bloody silly. OK, so my eyes were blurry and I just woke up. And I wasn't wearing my glasses. Cold MEDICINE. Doh!! *sigh* -----Original Message----- From: Andrew Davie <adavie(a)mad.scientist.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Thursday, February 26, 1998 6:52 AM Subject: cold computing >Typing on a cold machine?!! Now THAT brings back memories. >I remember borrowing a friend's OSI Challenger 1P one winter. >With a metal case, and a fan that sucked air IN to the computer, and forced >it out the keyboard, that was one COLD cold cold way to program!! >A > >-----Original Message----- >From: George Rachor <george(a)racsys.rt.rain.com> >To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers ><classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> >Date: Thursday, February 26, 1998 6:39 AM >Subject: Re: Photo of Smithsonian microcomputer exhibit > > >>Oh no!.. not down that rat hole.... >>80% of the original Matchbox car! >> >> >> >>I shouldn't really type while on cold medicine. >> >>George Rachor >> >>========================================================= >>George L. Rachor george(a)racsys.rt.rain.com >>Beaverton, Oregon http://racsys.rt.rain.com >> >>On Wed, 25 Feb 1998, Tim Shoppa wrote: >> >>> > Maybe replicas should follow the example set by Matchbox (Diecast model >>> > cars). In their case all replicas were made at 80% of original size. >>> >>> A diecast car replica 80% of original size? That's a lot bigger than the >>> ones I used to play with as a kid! And isn't the lack of a motor a >>> dead give-away that it isn't the original? >>> >>> [ :=) for the humor-impaired ] >>> >>> Tim. >>> >> >> > >

28 years, 2 months

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Photo of Smithsonian microcomputer exhibit

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 06:54 PM 2/24/98 -0800, you wrote: >> A friend of mine was recently in D.C. and took this >> photo of the Microcomputer exhibit in the Smithsonian >> Museum. I recognize the Altair and the Sol but what >> is the Apple prototype sitting on the table? Here is the >> link to the photo... Thinking out loud: I wonder what the market would be for an Apple I replica?

28 years, 2 months

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Punched tape reader being auctioned

by manney＠lrbcg.com

Description: 5'X5'X5',500#,GOES WITH CASE#7323S001. C.N.C. CONTROLLER FOR PRATT & WHITNEY MILLING MACHINE. It's at -- http://ltwebp.lerc.nasa.gov/980006detail.htm

28 years, 2 months

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logic probe

by adavie＠mad.scientist.com

I asked my boss if he had a logic analyzer i could beg borrow or buy... his reply below. > Do you have a logic probe I can beg borrow or buy? I have quite a fancy 32-channel 100mhz unit, which I haven't used for many months. At around $8000 you would probably prefer to borrow rather than buy it... Mine is a 110v unit, so you'd want to remember to use a transformer... So, I'm assuming I'm set for a logic probe. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOw. Can it make tea and coffee too? At THAT price it better. Now for the Multimeter :) Cheers A -----Original Message----- From: Tony Duell <ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Wednesday, February 25, 1998 10:13 AM Subject: Re: a brain... my kingdom for a brain? >> >> Tony's comment, below... about the only equipment needed to repair... was >> helpful. >> So, as I have an Altair, a BBC, a KIM, a Sorcerer and various other beasties >> awaiting ressurection, and having little (well, OK... no) electronics >> experience, starting at square 1... >> a) What should I be looking for in a logic probe. Any recommended models >> (say, <$100) > >I did a lot of repairs using a very cheap Tandy/Radio Shack/Micronta >logic probe, which was officially a 10MHz unit (although it would do a >bit more than that). It only cost about $25, I think. Note that there's a >logic pulser (the equivalent of a signal injector) in the same range >which is a lot less useful than the probe, so if you go for this one make >sure you're buying the right unit. > >HP make some beautiful logic probes, but alas I've never seen one cheap >enough to be worth buying. They do turn up at radio rallies, though. > >It's 8 times your price range (!), but the HP LogicDart is excellent if >you are serious about repairs and doing new designs. Probably total >overkil for repairing micros, though. > >As regards specs, all you really need are TTL thresholds (you don't find >much else in micros - ECL is useful for some minis and workstations, but >few cheap logic probes have that), and pulse detection down to (say) >100ns or better. Just about any logic probe will do. > >> b) Ditto for multimeter. > >Again, you don't need too high a spec - high accuracy is not that useful >in most digital work. > >Analogue or Digital display is fine. I have both - the analogue meter is >better for looking at >What you need are : > >DC voltage ranges up to about 50V (you only need higher voltages if you >repair monitors, etc). A sensitivity of 20000 Ohms/volt (== 50uA fsd >current) for an analogue meter would be fine. Any digital meter would >have a low enough input current. >Ohms - especially a good continuity tester. A lot of faults are broken >wires, defective switches, etc. Make sure the continuity tester responds >quickly - you want to be able to clip on probe onto (say) a connector >pin at one end of a cable and run the probe down the pins at the other >end. If you have to stop for a few seconds on each pin you'll soon go mad. > >Again, that's a pretty low spec. AC voltage (up to mains) is useful for >checking transformers in linear supplies. Current ranges can be handy for >checking PSU load, etc. But I would estimate that 90%+ of all my >measurements are either DC voltage or resistance. > >If you can afford it, get a Fluke (a 77 or a 79 would be _very_ nice). >AVO is another good brand. And although I've never used one, there's a >meter from Tektronix which is probably good. > >If those are out of your price range, then just about _any_ digital meter >costing about $50.00 would be fine. It won't be as robust as the Fluke, >it won't be as accurate. But it'll be enough for most repairs. > >A recomendation. Get a cheap-ish meter like I've just recomended. When >you get more experience and want something better, get the Fluke. Put the >cheap one in the car for checking bulbs/battery/fuses/etc when you break >down. > > >> c) Where can I find a brain? :) > >I wish I knew :-). Mine needs upgrading :-) > >If you want a book recomendation, try 'The Art of Electronics' by Paul >Horrowitz and Winfield Hill. There's also a practical book 'The Student >Manual for the Art of Electronics' by (I think) T. Hayes and P. >Horrowitz. These books cover everything from resistors to >microprocessors, and have an intuitive rather than mathematical approach. >But you won't 'grow out' of them - there's a lot of good sound >information in there. > >> Actually, the Altair will be my first task. I'm thinking of #1 taking out >> all the boards. Good idea? > >Indeed. Pull the boards and clean all the edge connectors (and just about >any other metal-metal contact). > >-tony > >

28 years, 2 months

5
4
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cold computing

by adavie＠mad.scientist.com

Typing on a cold machine?!! Now THAT brings back memories. I remember borrowing a friend's OSI Challenger 1P one winter. With a metal case, and a fan that sucked air IN to the computer, and forced it out the keyboard, that was one COLD cold cold way to program!! A -----Original Message----- From: George Rachor <george(a)racsys.rt.rain.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Thursday, February 26, 1998 6:39 AM Subject: Re: Photo of Smithsonian microcomputer exhibit >Oh no!.. not down that rat hole.... >80% of the original Matchbox car! > > > >I shouldn't really type while on cold medicine. > >George Rachor > >========================================================= >George L. Rachor george(a)racsys.rt.rain.com >Beaverton, Oregon http://racsys.rt.rain.com > >On Wed, 25 Feb 1998, Tim Shoppa wrote: > >> > Maybe replicas should follow the example set by Matchbox (Diecast model >> > cars). In their case all replicas were made at 80% of original size. >> >> A diecast car replica 80% of original size? That's a lot bigger than the >> ones I used to play with as a kid! And isn't the lack of a motor a >> dead give-away that it isn't the original? >> >> [ :=) for the humor-impaired ] >> >> Tim. >> > >

28 years, 2 months

1
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front panels

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<b) The Intellec MCS8i panel can access not only the 64K address space of <the 8080 but also the 256 I/O ports. If you flip the right switch you can <use the top 8 switches to select a port and output data to it using the <bottom 8 switches. All this is done in hardware (the frontpanel simulates <an 8080 I/O cycle) without the use of the 8080. It was a neat hack too! Allison

28 years, 2 months

4
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IBM 5250 emulator???

by foxvideo＠wincom.net

In one of our original PC's I found a board labeled "5250 emulator" with a 1 1/2" square chip and a fifteen pin connector on the back. Can anyone tell me anything about this? Thanks Charlie Fox

28 years, 2 months

2
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BBC - something fell out

by adavie＠mad.scientist.com

Re: BBC repair Oh, forgot to mention I have this interesting gold thingy. It fell out of the BBC when i opened it. To be more precise, it was wedged between a couple of chips, which I guess were RAm. top right near the video connector. It's about half an inch long, looks like it wrapped around the end of a wire. Hollow, one end looks like it can be crimped (its split in half). THe other end shaped like the mouthpiece of a wooden flute/recorder. I have an image up. http://www.comcen.com.au/~adavie/bbc.jpg What is this and do I really really need it? A

28 years, 2 months

2
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Modern Minimalism (Was: Future Computing Trends)

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

>QNX is a very small micro-kernel OS that has the look of Windows 95, has >builtin TCP/IP networking, a notepad, a few other little doodads, and to >top it off, a fully functional HTML 3.2 compliant web browser. Also Okay, QNX sounds pretty cool, but I hafta throw my vote in for Arachne. Graphical DOS web browser runs on anything, I think, and works great. I found it when I was looking for something to preview my web pages in (I do 'em in a DOS Editor). --------------------------------------------------------------------- O- Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know." Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates San Francisco, California http://www.sinasohn.com/

28 years, 2 months

3
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DataNumerics DL8 more info...

by adavie＠mad.scientist.com

When I get it, I will :) >Has anyone actually opened up this Datanumericls DL8A to see if it has >a S-100 bus, power supply, etc?

28 years, 2 months

1
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BBC Model B - video help

by adavie＠mad.scientist.com

>Firstly, does Mode 7 behave correctly? Not only does it have the simplest >mapping, it also uses different address buffers between the 6845 CRTC >chip and the RAM. On my diagram, IC10 and IC11 are used in Mode7. IC8 >and IC9 are used in all the other modes. So if _all_ modes, including >Mode7 are faulty, then it's unlikely to be a buffer problem. Mode 7 behaves as my earlier email. Basic repeat unit 64. Mode 0 behaves as if we had two mode 7 screens - and the repeat unit and behaviour unchanged. That would make it unlikely to be a buffer problem, by your reckoning. >Secondly, go into mode 0, and count the number of characters until it >repeats. Multiply that by 8 (to get the the number of bytes before it >repeats) and that'll tell you which address line to look at. Well, 64 characters. That would make it.... 256 bytes, no? Therefore, (guessing) um.... address line 8 (I start counting at 0). SO... uh.... where? Sorry I'm such an electronic idiot. A

28 years, 2 months

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FW: Freebie Tape Drive in Milwaukee

by kyrrin2＠wizards.net

Anyone feel the urge to own a TU81 6250BPI tape drive that's in Milwaukee at the moment? Get in touch with this fellow... -=-=- <snip> -=-=- Path: Supernews70!Supernews73!supernews.com!sunqbc.risq.qc.ca!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!europa.clark.net!169.207.30.81!newsfeeds.sol.net!newsops.execpc.com!posts.execpc.com!daily-planet.newsops.execpc.com!usenet From: "Dan Reese" <danreese(a)execpc.com> Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec Subject: TU81E 9-track tape drive available Date: Tue, 24 Feb 1998 07:16:02 -0600 Organization: Exec-PC BBS Internet - Milwaukee, WI Lines: 15 Message-ID: <6cuh95$4md(a)newsops.execpc.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: bacrana-44.mdm.mke.execpc.com X-Trace: daily-planet.newsops.execpc.com 888326245 4813 (None) 169.207.82.172 X-Complaints-To: abuse(a)execpc.com X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.2106.4 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.2106.4 Xref: Supernews70 comp.sys.dec:60814 There is a TU81E 6250 BPS 9-track reel-to-reel tape drive available for the taking in Milwaukee, WI. Has been out of service for over a year, but was in good working order when last on-line. A KLESI adapter is also available for use in a Vax 4000 system. Connecting cables included, along with whatever manuals that can be found. You pick up, but will consider shipping if you absorb shipping costs. Contact: Dan Reese danreese(a)execpc.com -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Bruce Lane, SysOp, The Dragon's Cave BBS (Fido 1:343/272) kyrrin2 {at} wiz<ards> d[o]t n=e=t "...No matter how hard we may wish otherwise, our science can only describe an object, event, or living creature, in our own human terms. It cannot possibly define any of them!..."

28 years, 2 months

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front panels

by peacock＠simconv.com

The one thing you could do with a real front panel (not the debugger ROMs and a keyboard/LED display) is debug new card designs. Remember the Morrow S-100 extender card with the built-in logic probe? For those of us who wanted to build our own cards (remember wirewrap too?) but couldn't afford a home o-scope, much less a logic analyzer, the logic probe and single stepping front panel were invaluable. You could actually single step execute an I/O command and see the address and data bus decode on the peripheral card. And when you finished soldering that new 8KB static RAM board full of 2102s, you could see the bit change from 1 to 0 right before your eyes, no better way to find a bad chip or solder joint. The best thing IMSAI ever did was come out with a good front panel, not that wiring nightmare that MITS put on the Altair. I still have a running IMSAI with the front panel (circa 1977), plus an Ithaca Intersystems S-100 with the front panel, which was only a slight improvement over the IMSAI version. I also had one homebrew S-100 with the Wameco front panel, which used hex displays for address and data but otherwise was identical to the IMSAI front panel. Does anyone remember other front panel S-100 cards besides MITS, IMSAI, Ithaca, and Wameco? Wasn't there a Byte-8 sold by Olson Electronics for a while that also had a front panel?

28 years, 2 months

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Vector Graghics

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

Well actually the Vector 4 (accoding to the doc) has both a Z80B and a 8088-2, they can be individually selected through the use of port 0cH and port 0dH. They are both clocked at 5.1 MHz. And yes the Floppies are hard sectored (16) for a total capacity of 630 KB. They can also be eqiped with a 5MB HD ------------------------------------------------------------- Fran?ois Visit the Sanctuary at: http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon >Yes it was. One of my s100 boxen is a Vector MX (s100 crate only none of >the original boards). The MX was z80 powered byt the Vector 4 may >have been 8088(cpm-86 V1). > >Allison >

28 years, 2 months

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Photo of Smithsonian microcomputer exhibit

by altair8800＠hotmail.com

A friend of mine was recently in D.C. and took this photo of the Microcomputer exhibit in the Smithsonian Museum. I recognize the Altair and the Sol but what is the Apple prototype sitting on the table? Here is the link to the photo... http://home.att.net/~rwood54741/Museum50.jpg Bob Wood ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

28 years, 2 months

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North Star Horizon

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<I did some software work on a Horizon many years ago. As I recall, it ha <two full height 5.25" bays, a good sized power supply behind the bays (o <the right side) and a shorty S-100 card cage on the left, 8 card slots? <the NS motherboard also had some logic on the motherboard, at the rear. <believe there were one or two 8251 serial ports, a baud rate generator, <maybe a parallel port or interrupt controller (look for an Intel 8214 or <28-pin AMD IC)? Err no. The back plane will have two 8251 serial port and a parallel port and supporting ttl for same. It has a heartbeat timer for that can drive interrupts. The interrupt logic is on the CPU ZPB-A and it allows 1-of-8 RST locations to be used (z80 mode 0). there isn't a 8214 in the whole thing if it's a Horizon unless the board with it is not from NS*! BTW, 112 slots though a full 64k system could be configured in as few as three cards! The lineup would be CPU, 64k ram card, disk controller and the IO already built into the mother board(2 serial and 1 parallel). The power supply is responsable for 30% of the total weight and is electrically robust. It was easy to check, mine is sitting here cranking a z80 asm file. Allison

28 years, 2 months

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North Star Horizon

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< I think it uses the S-100 bus. According to their manual, North Star <used the same disk controller in the Horizon that they sold for the S-10 <systems. I have a NS S-100 controller. They are the same electricaly and <software wise but maybe physically different. They are the same or close cousins and both S100. NS* prior to advantage was nothing but an S100 house. The first one sold (still have mine) was MDC-A a single density unit that cound address up to three single sided drives. The later MDS-A was a Double density controller for up to four twosided drives. Both were S100, the same form factor and had on board boot proms nominally at the same standard address. The latter DD version would read and write SD media as well. Now as to formats and non NS* controllers. NONE of the FDC chips can read the NS* format but a controller that could is easily built for most any bus or cpu capable of reading data at the required rate and doing the housework inbetween. Allison

28 years, 2 months

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