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

by eric＠brouhaha.com

Bill Sudbrink wrote: > So, the 2532 predates the 2732? I have no idea whether the TMS2532 was announced before or after the Intel 2732, but it's obvious that TI was far along the development path before Intel announced the 2732.

14 years, 2 months

1
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EPROM and EEPROM Programmers

by eric＠brouhaha.com

Dave Wade wrote: > I have some "TMS2532" chips. Bill Sudbrink wrote: > Data sheet claims pin compatibility with 2732. No, the TMS2532 doesn't make any such claim. It claims that it is "pin compatible with existing ROMs and EPROMs (8K, 16K, 32K and 64K), but that does not include the 2732, and their reference to 32K and 64K was only in regard to ROMs. The TMS2532 is most definitely *not* pin compatible with 2732, and attempting to program a 2532 as a 2732 will likely damage it. They aren't read-compatible either, but damage is far less likely to occur when attempting to read a 2532 as a 2732 (or vice versa). pin TMS2532 2732 --- ------- -------- 18 A11 CE* 20 PD/PGM* OE*/Vpp 21 Vpp A11 As with the earlier TMS2716, which was not compatible with the Intel 2716 or anyone else's, TI tried to second-guess what the standard pinout for the 2732 would be, and failed. At least they anticipated this possibility and referred to their part as the 2532; if it had matched, they could later have dual-marked it 2532 and 2732.

14 years, 2 months

2
1
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EPROM and EEPROM Programmers

by dave.g4ugm＠gmail.com

On 30/04/2012 13:16, Bill Sudbrink wrote: > Jim Brain wrote: >> I know others have defended the Willem units, and I'll add my note as a >> satisfied customer. > I'll add another. > >> Be aware most Willems will require a parallel port. Most newer units >> will also sport a USB port, but it's for power only. > If you decide to use the "USB power" be sure whatever USB port on your > computer can handle it. I had mine plugged into one of the "back" > ports on my computer and it worked fine. Later, I put the same > motherboard in a different case that allowed me to hook up some "front" > USB port connectors to the pin headers on the motherboard. Apparently, > these ports did not supply enough current and the Willem behaved badly. > I was just considering pitching it when it occurred to me to plug it > into the back port as before. Sure enough, that fixed it. > >> Either way, buy a unit with a socket for an external power supply. The >> on board charge pump can't do enough with USB supplied power to handle >> all of the EPROM programming variants. > Yes, after the above experience, I went ahead and rigged up a "wall > wart" supply. > > Bill S. > I have some "TMS2532" chips. Any suggestions on how to program them (I have a project in mind that will need these or a similar device)

14 years, 2 months

2
1
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discrete transistor computer

by tshoppa＠wmata.com

On 29 Apr 2012 at 18:46, Richard Smith wrote: > This thread reminds me of a computer we built at school from discrete > transistors. Each transistor was a NOR gate with three resistors on > the base and a collector resistor. All soldered onto squares of tag > board. We put a bunch of them together to build a shift register with > small laps as output. That would be about 1969 or 1970. Does anyone > remember any more? It must have been a published design somewhere. In the late 60's and 70's, radio shack sold some little one-bit-flip-flop boards with lamps. Each flip flop was a little square of circuit board. There may have been other logic functions available one-to-a-board. I'm pretty sure they were discrete transistors for the most part (even the round package SSI Motorola RTL typically had two gates or flip flops per package.) You could buy multiples and configure them as a counter, and I'm pretty sure they could be wired as a shift register too. May have been "Archerkit" brand name. Or "Pbox" brand name although what I remember were not Pbox's but circuit boards. I tried using websearches to find pictures or docs, but the Googles, they do nothing! Tim.

14 years, 2 months

4
3
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EPROM and EEPROM Programmers

by jfoust＠threedee.com

At 07:16 AM 4/30/2012, Bill Sudbrink wrote: > If you decide to use the "USB power" be sure whatever USB port on your > computer can handle it. I had mine plugged into one of the "back" > ports on my computer and it worked fine. Has anyone made a device that provides a simple indication of the power supplied by a USB port? Or is there a standard for indicating how much a device needs to get from the port? This is obviously a source of consumer frustration. - Joh

14 years, 2 months

4
3
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discrete transistor computer

by michael.99.thompson＠gmail.com

> From:?Jon Elson <elson at pico-systems.com> > Date:?Sat, 28 Apr 2012 18:20:30 -0500 > Subject:?discrete transistor computer > A while ago somebody mentioned thinking about building a > discrete transistor computer. ?I ran across the link again of > the one I saw (only online) > http://www.6502.org/users/dieter/mt15/mt15.htm > > With all SMT, he packs the boards very closely, performance > is of course not so great with discrete junction transistors running > in saturation. > > Jon The Rhode Island Computer Museum has four discrete transistor computers. A PDP-9 and three PDP-8/S systems. The RCS/RI crew in Providence has a PB-250. -- Michael Thompson

14 years, 2 months

1
0
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one good ripoff deserves another / Iomega Zip's

by tshoppa＠wmata.com

> Why not the SD card? Cheaper, smaller and easy to interface! :) My gut feeling is that compact flash will live a little longer in terms of being able to get interface hardware a decade into the future. But I could be wrong and SD might have more legs (certainly fewer contacts). And as you point out the serial interface to a SD card is very straightforward so I think you have a good point! Tim.

14 years, 2 months

28
94
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Stripping Down a DEC Professional 350

by robert.jarratt＠ntlworld.com

I have had this machine for a while now and decided today to at least start cleaning it up. It is very dirty inside. The trouble is I can't see how to get at the motherboard, which I can needs cleaning; it seems to be under a riveted plate and I can't see any way to get it at it, or even just to remove the cover for the option cards. Is there a trick to this that I am missing? I have looked around for manuals, but there don't seem to be any online. I am also unsure how to remove the option cards, do I just turn the plastic knob clockwise? It is stiff and I don't want to apply too much force and break something. I also just noticed that it is missing the power switch, don't suppose anyone has one going spare? It looks like probably any DEC rocker switch would be OK. You can see the type I mean by looking at this http://www.recycledgoods.com/zoom.aspx?productID=19036. Incidentally, I opened up the PSU to clean that out. It looks pretty bad: there are quite a few patch wires there, extra components clearly added after it was built, components that look poorly placed, two resistors soldered together in series by their leads, an inductor soldered with large blobs of solder that look worse than anything even I could do. I am left wondering if this typical of these PSUs or if I have just got something that has been hacked about. Thanks Rob

14 years, 2 months

2
1
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Replacement Diode

by cctech＠vax-11.org

According to http://so-much-stuff.com/pdp8/repair/subst.php a D672 crosses to a 1N3656 diode, which you can (theoretically) get from amazon.com (or your local flavor thereof) I would resist the urge to plug something that looks similiar in to see what happens. You run the risk of damaging something else. Clint On Sun, 29 Apr 2012, RobJ wrote: > The saga of my broken PDP11/24 PSU (H7140) continues. I have now found a > shorted diode and need to find a suitable replacement. On the printset it is > described as "D 672 TR=14NS PIV=60V SI". > > What would be a suitable replacement? > > There is a local Maplin that would be open today that has this one: > http://www.maplin.co.uk/switching-diode-46386, would that be suitable? > > Regards > > Rob >

14 years, 2 months

6
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Replacement Diode

by robert.jarratt＠ntlworld.com

(Sending again because I sent it from the "wrong" account, apologies if this gets duplicated) The saga of my broken PDP11/24 PSU (H7140) continues. I have now found a shorted diode and need to find a suitable replacement. On the printset it is described as "D 672 TR=14NS PIV=60V SI". What would be a suitable replacement? There is a local Maplin that would be open today that has this one: http://www.maplin.co.uk/switching-diode-46386, would that be suitable? Regards Rob

14 years, 2 months

1
1
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audiophools,

by jonas＠otter.se

On Thu, 26 Apr 2012 06:15:06 -0500, cctech-request at classiccmp.org wrote: > Send cctech mailing list submissions to > cctech at classiccmp.org > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://www.classiccmp.org/mailman/listinfo/cctech > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > cctech-request at classiccmp.org > > You can reach the person managing the list at > cctech-owner at classiccmp.org > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of cctech digest..." > >> I'll say. The kind that can buy into a phrase like "Cryogenic >> processing renders the Reference-II absolutely grainless." >> >> I read that as "brainless" at first, and I still think that's >> what they meant. > > There were some classics sold (?) over here. > > Like 'carpet earthing clips', of which yuu must always use an odd > number > so that more charge runs away than comes back. > > Or electret foils. I have no problem with the existance of electret > foil, > or indeed of its use in audio (microphones). Butsticking an odd > number of > trianges cut from it on your record turntable, pointing in the > direction > of rotation would, IMHO, make no improvement tot the sound. > > Or cuttint the corner off your amplifier front panel (appearmetn and > odd > number of corners sounds better). > > And we all rememebr the green pen :-) > > -tony On April 1, 1962, Swedish Television had an item on the news where a well-known technical expert explained that the broadcasting company had just installed new equipment which would allow viewers to see the programmes in colour, if they cut up a ladies' nylon stocking and fixed it over the screen. I believe quite a few people actually tried it. It became one of the best known April Fools jokes in Sweden, at least with those who were around at the time. /Jonas

14 years, 2 months

3
2
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book sale, including some computer classics

by jecel＠merlintec.com

A friend from Tucson, Arizona, is selling all his books since he will be moving soon. Since his collection includes some computer classics, I thought there might be some interest here. http://tucson.craigslist.org/gms/2980831256.html -- Jecel

14 years, 2 months

3
2
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Help on HP9836CU

by alberto＠a2sistemi.org

I have an HP9836CU (series 9000/200) without monitor cable. The computer seem to boot up, the monitor, when powered, has no activity. The cable (15 pin Dsub male to male) is pin to pin ? all pin used ? I'm going to build the cable, but I'm not sure about pinout There is a service manual with circuit diagrams ? I've found only the manual on the HP Australian museum, but is a board level manual. Thanks in advance Alberto ------------------------------------------------------ Alberto Rubinelli Mail : alberto at a2sistemi.it A2 SISTEMI Web : www.a2sistemi.it Via Costantino Perazzi 22 Tel 0321 640149 28100 NOVARA (NO) - ITALY Fax 0321 391769 Skype : albertorubinelli Mobile +39 335 6026632 MUSEO DEL COMPUTER / COMPUTER MUSEUM http://www.oldcomputers.it Mail:info at oldcomputers.it Tel 0321 1856032 Fax 0321 2046034 ------------------------------------------------------ Le telefonate con numero nascosto sono filtrate Calls with no caller identifier are filtered ------------------------------------------------------

14 years, 2 months

3
4
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Filemaker Pro 6/7?

by fraveydank＠gmail.com

This is vintage for certain values of vintage, but I suppose this is as good a forum to ask as any. I suspect it's a little too new/esoteric for most people here, since it's really only about 5 years old, but it's right before the series went downhill, which is certainly a common enough topic of discussion around here. :-) I have two NIB (sealed) copies of Filemaker Pro 6, one for Windows and one for Mac. I additionally have one opened upgrade copy of Pro 7, but to my recollection it hasn't actually been used (because we didn't realize it was an upgrade before we opened the box). All should be 100% legal and ethical to use. Anyone want? Free to a good home. Pro 6 was a nice version of Filemaker, 7 maybe slightly less so. - Dave

14 years, 2 months

8
22
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Fujitsu Super-Eagle SMD-drive documents

by p.gebhardt＠ymail.com

Hi everybody, does anybody have documents related to the Super-Eagle drives made by Fujitsu (Model M2361A)? Documents for the predecesor (namely Eagle, M2351A) have been around for quite some time on bitsavers.org, but strangely, though the Super-Eagles are not that rare, no online-versions of its decuments are around. The Super-Eagle is different in certain aspects compared to the Eagle, so using the Eagle-documents is not a solution. One of my drives to be used with a PDP 11/24 via an Emulex-Controller turns off itself 2 seconds after turing it on and I'l like to find the reason for that some day. Documents are usually of great help here :) Kind regards, Pierre ? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pierre's collection of classic computers : http://classic-computing.dyndns.org/

14 years, 2 months

1
0
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paper tape trays

by tdk.knight＠gmail.com

i'm going to be venturing down the road of making some is anyone interested in any prolly be july befor i have anything in stone got access to a vacuum molder and such but got to make molds first for it. when i talk trays i mean as close to a reproduction of the original DEC trays as i can get http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/5597/data.jpg

14 years, 2 months

14
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Arduino vs 555 reliability

by bob＠theadamsons.co.uk

> My expeirence is that more compelx ICs are noticably less reliable than > simple ones. That's much too simple analysis even if it were correct. Failure rates in ICs are primarily down to processing, packaging and handling (and to a lesser extent die area), not complexity. > > I would think the 555 had a much better lifetime than any > microcontrolelr > therefore. You would be wrong however. Today's ICs have a much better lifetime. Statistically today's commercial grade ICs have a significantly better lifetime than military grade ICs of the 555 era. > > The origianl 555 (as opposed to the 7555, etc) is large-ish junciton > bipolar and thus less likely to suffer static damage than a MOS > microcotnroller. It also has a much wider supply votaeg range and is > less > likely to be damaged by supply problems. That's not a definition of reliability - it's one of robustness. Within their specifications the 555 would be less reliable (IMHO of course). > > And of coruse if a microcontroller fails, unless you have the program > to > put into it, you're stuck. If a 555 fails, well, there's a tube of 50 > in > my spares box. And I cna go to any number of suppliers anf buy one. > Agreed, but off-topic ;o) > -tony > Bob

14 years, 2 months

21
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cctech Digest, Vol 104, Issue 44

by jonas＠otter.se

Tony Duell and <unknown> wrote: > >> > How coome 2 of use here (at least) seem to have contradictory = >> findings? >> >> Because it's anecdotal. BTW here's the definition: >> (of an account) not necessarily true or reliable, because based on >> personal accounts rather than facts or research > > By the same token, your evidence is anecdotal to me. You have not > provided (for perfectly valdi reasons) any hard data, and certainly > not > any hard data that I can verify. OK, I haven't either. > > But I ahve to say that while you may not beleive what I see, I > certainly > do. I know what components I rpelace... > >> Fine. There's lots of things that I've started to say on this list >> to = >> deal with an >> argument and couldn't because it would violate various NDA's that I >> have = >> to >> live under (I kinda like my job). Arguments on this (and other >> fora) = >> while >> fun aren't worth sacrificing my livelihood. >> >> I'm sorry if you can't/won't understand how large companies work and >> the >> restrictions that are put on employees and the products (though some >> = >> have > > I mosster certainly understnad that (having signed a fair few NDAs in > my > time too, and yes, I do honour them). And that's the 'valid reasons' > I > mentioend. > > But to be fair, if I can't verify the data, why on earth should _I_ > beleive it? You could be telling me anything. > > -tony Now this is getting silly. There is no point in trying to say that what Tony is seeing is wrong: unless he is psychotic he is actually observing something that really has happened to him. And all that "I have this fancy job in industry and I have signed lots of NDAs, so I am important, while Tony is just a geek living with his parents" is a) rude and patronising and b) hiding behind these NDAs you claim to have signed. So go out and find publically available research reports or whatever on the Internet to prove your point, instead of trying to impress us with smoke and mirrors. However I think <unknown> is probably right in one respect about modern computers being more reliable: considering the complexity of a modern $500 PC, it is probably much more reliable than anything made in the '70s *at a corresponding price for the period*, i e today's cheap junk is more reliable thatn cheap junk from the '70s and '80s. OTOH Tony is also right that old computers were/are at least as reliable: they were better made than today's cheap junk. /Jonas

14 years, 2 months

2
1
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Prototype PCBs?

by elson＠pico-systems.com

> > > Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:29:22 -0500 > From: Jim Brain <brain at jbrain.com> > > Message-ID: <4F976182.50500 at jbrain.com> > > Anyone know an inexpensive source for prototype DIY circuit boards? > From time to time, I like to use them to prove out ideas, and I'm > running low on stock. > I have been using E-Teknet in Arizona for some time. They are not the cheapest, but they are very good. The match your board characteristics with the best shop in China to make it. I've never had a bad board from them, and I have done everything from two-layer boards smaller than a postage stamp to 6-layer boards the size of a full sheet of paper. If you order 4 or less they don't charge you for the testing. Jon

14 years, 2 months

1
0
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Fwd: Query Any TI-961 experts?

by rpartridge1949＠gmail.com

Hello, Is this message still valid? Regards, Richard

14 years, 2 months

4
4
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Less than 2 weeks until VCF East!

by evan＠snarc.net

Hellooooooooooooooo world. Vintage Computer Festival East 8.0 is less than two weeks from now: it happens on May 5-6, 2012, at the InfoAge Science Center (2201 Marconi Rd., Wall, New Jersey, USA.) This year's VCF East will be the biggest ever. As of last weekend, we're up to six lectures, eight technical workshops (the newest being an all-weekend, kid-friendly "learn to solder" class), and two dozen hands-on exhibits. You'll also find our book sale, consignment sale, lunch, museum tours, prizes, and more. This year's lectures are highlighted by keynotes at 12:30 each day. Saturday's keynote is Dr. Thomas Kurtz, who co-invented the BASIC programming language. Sunday's keynote is Daniel Kottke, who was Steve Jobs' college buddy, India travel companion, Apple 1 board debugger, and Apple II, III, and Macintosh engineer. We are thrilled that Kurtz and Kottke accepted our invitations! Admission to VCF East 8.0 is very inexpensive. Adult tickets are just $10 per day and $15 for the whole weekend. Anyone 17 and younger are admitted free. Tickets are sold at the door. Directions, lodging, and related details are also on the VCF web site at http://www.vintage.org/2012/east/ and be sure to 'like' us at http://www.facebook.com/vcfeast8. All questions, such as admission, how to exhibit, how to become a VCF sponsor or vendor, etc., as well as any other questions from the public and from media, should be addressed to event producer Evan Koblentz -- evan at snarc.net, or call him at (646) 546-9999. Proceeds from the VCF East 8.0 benefit the InfoAge center, which is a grassroots, all-volunteer educational facility, and the MARCH user group (Mid-Atlantic Retro Computing Hobbyists). Thanks, and we hope to see you at the VCF East!

14 years, 2 months

1
0
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MicroSD: one good ripoff deserves another / Iomega Zip's

by jlobocki＠gmail.com

On Sun, Apr 22, 2012 at 4:36 PM, Zane H. Healy <healyzh at aracnet.com> wrote: > At 3:32 PM -0400 4/22/12, Dave McGuire wrote: > >> On 04/22/2012 03:22 PM, Fred Cisin wrote: >> >>> Compact-Flash seems to have almost disappeared. >>> >> >> Huh? Not at all. It is the mainstay of pro-level digital camera >> work. It has just disappeared from consumer-shit-grade stuff because it >> >> is "huge". Heh. (still aching from moving an RK07 last night, and >> that's on the "light" side of my stuff!) >> >> -Dave >> > > To the best of my knowledge the only Pro-level digital camera that doesn't > use Compact-Flash is the Leica M9 (trust me, there is no room in there). > What sucks is that Costco no longer carries it in the stores (at least not > my local ones). > > The new Nikon D4 has two slots, one for the older Compact-Flash cards, and > one for the new XQD cards. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/**XQD_card<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XQD_card> > I use a SD to CF adapter in my canon digital rebel without an issue, as I can no longer find CF (I also haven't tried a camera store but they are probably a ripoff...)

14 years, 2 months

2
1
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Looking for: Venix books

by bub7734＠yahoo.com

js at cimmeri.com wrote on Mon Apr 23 21:47:23 CDT 2012: > Does anyone have any Venix manuals they're no longer needing that they'd > like to sell? > > I'm running Venix 1.0 on a DEC Pro 350.? The manuals for this version > would be dated 1984 - 1986. I haven't the Venix 1.0 or Pro version manuals. What I do have are the Venix/11 2.0 manual set as well as the base (root) distribution on 9-track tape.?? Unfortunately, the second distribution tape with the /usr filesystem has gone missing. Does anyone else on the planet have the Venix/11 2.0 tapes? Please let me know if you do. Cheers, -scott

14 years, 2 months

1
0
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Looking for: Venix books

by js＠cimmeri.com

Does anyone have any Venix manuals they're no longer needing that they'd like to sell? I'm running Venix 1.0 on a DEC Pro 350. The manuals for this version would be dated 1984 - 1986. Please PM me. Thanks, John Singleton

14 years, 2 months

1
0
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Arduino vs 555 reliability

by bob＠theadamsons.co.uk

> A metal-film resistor, used > below its ratings, will outlive any microcotnroller. > > -tony > Well maybe (though no guarantee there), but the 555 would likely have the same sort of lifetime as a microcontroller - arguably poorer. Bob

14 years, 2 months

13
33
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[REWARD] Request for documentation - update

by l4b.bogdan.barbu＠gmail.com

Hi, I'm offering a reward of $500 to anyone who is able to find any of several IBM documents. I'm not including the list in this message because the table I have prepared might not be displayed correctly with anything except a fixed-width font and I have no idea what each of you are using. Anyway, the details can be found here: http://forum.osdev.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=25164&p=207984#p207984 Cheers, Bogdan

14 years, 2 months

12
41
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VAX on Reddit

by lproven＠gmail.com

Shocking headline: "23 year old computer still in daily use at a silver mine. MicroVAX 3100 running openVMS on 12mb memory." Pictures: http://www.reddit.com/tb/sl3ll Comments: http://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/sl3ll/23_year_old_computer_stil… -- Liam Proven ? Profile: http://lproven.livejournal.com/profile Email: lproven at cix.co.uk ? GMail/G+/Twitter/Flickr/Facebook: lproven MSN: lproven at hotmail.com ? Skype/AIM/Yahoo/LinkedIn: liamproven Tel: +44 20-8685-0498 ? Cell: +44 7939-087884

14 years, 2 months

18
22
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Wanted: Tektronix 1992 catalog

by legalize＠xmission.com

Anyone got one? -- "The Direct3D Graphics Pipeline" -- DirectX 9 version available for download <http://legalizeadulthood.wordpress.com/the-direct3d-graphics-pipeline/> Legalize Adulthood! <http://legalizeadulthood.wordpress.com>

14 years, 2 months

3
4
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USR

by wdonzelli＠gmail.com

> Those Total Control Net servers were awesome. It is a good think you included "Total Control" in your post, because USR had an unrelated product called NetServer that was the complete opposite of "awesome". They, along with friends FaxServer and CommServer, were absolute disasters, with field failures hanging around 50 percent. -- Will

14 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

one good ripoff deserves another :-(

by jeffj＠panix.com

replying to Grumpy Ol' Fred (Fred Cisin) > I wonder what happened to the class action suit and the regulatory actions? Google found http://www.iomega.com/rinaldi/ Rinaldi Class Action Settlement Wikipedia clarifies that the settlement was a rebate towards the future purchase of an Iomega product. What a ripoff! They made a faulty product and instead of paying a penalty with real money, they issued "funny money" coupons useful only for BUYING more of their crap! The Sharper Image pulled a similar ripoff during their bankruptcy. All gift cards were invalidated, but were then honored ONLY if you paid an equal amount towards a purchase. What a steal: turning perhaps $100 million of debt >from pre-purchased gift cards into a matching-grant program to get another $100 million for their overpriced stuff :-/ Long ago, a fellow was so pissed off with his Vydek word processor that he sponsored a floppy-flinging contest for his stock of 8" floppies. We ought to have a similar contest for Iomega products!

14 years, 2 months

17
24
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Last Chance on Apple/TRS-80 Stuff before it gets recycled

by slandon＠centurylink.net

I really need to get space back in my house and shed. Got 4 Apple IIGS Monitors tested and working at $20 each TRS80 Magazines, Owners Manuals, Documentation, enough to fill the back of the car for free. Box of 50 Pin SCSI Hard Drives 40-80MB Drives $20 Apple //e Platinum tested and working $20 Lots more from PC Stuff to external 3.5 drives all of it. Monday morning it will be recycled. Im located in Flushing MI

14 years, 2 months

8
9
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one good ripoff deserves another / Iomega Zip's

by tshoppa＠wmata.com

>> > Why not the SD card? Cheaper, smaller and easy to interface! :) >> >> My gut feeling is that compact flash will live a little longer in >> terms of being able to get interface hardware a decade into the future. >> But I could be wrong and SD might have more legs (certainly fewer >> contacts). And as you point out the serial interface to a SD card is >> very straightforward so I think you have a good point! > As far as I know, both CF and SD cards are docuemtned. The only custom > interfce hardware is the connectors ;-). Although it might be slow, there's > nothign to stop you talkign to an SD card by bit-banging the signals on > the I/O pins of any microcotroller, computer, or whatever. > So I see no reason why you won't be able to read/write SD cards in 10 > years time. My analogy is that Compact Flash are like U--matic videotapes and that SD is like VHS tapes. SD gets most of the consumer uses, but the consumer product lifespan is very short. The CF applications today are mostly industrial uses with lifespans measured in a decade or more. That's why my gut feeling is to favor CF for long legs. Tim.

14 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

PCMCIA by any other name

by jonas＠otter.se

On Sat, 21 Apr 2012 16:31:50 -0700 (PDT), Fred Cisin <cisin at xenosoft.com> wrote: > One of my colleagues was "caught" soldering a repair in a college computer > lab (that was closed at the time)! That was one of four offenses for > which they tried to fire him. The others included telling an "instructor" > that he was NOT available to come help her and to learn how to do her own > "reset" when the computer was "locked", refusing to change the grade > to passing for a student whose program crashed instead of a clean exit to > the OS, and removing discarded computers from the dumpster. > > While he was banned from campus, they removed and destroyed everything in > his office, which included a SOL, some Northstars, 6? bookcases of PC > Tech Journal, Dr Dobbs, IBM Technical References for all models, etc. > (Yes, he DID have the 8514 and EGA trch refs) > His office was densely packed, with mostly classic microcomputers. I thought the Nazis had been defeated 67 years ago? Did they just escape to your college? Or are your administrators ex-Stasi people? That is just plain evil and vindictive. They should be taken out and shot in front of all the students. /Jonas

14 years, 2 months

5
5
0 0

[REWARD] Request for documentation - update

by PETER＠beyondthepale.ie

> >> I've got a SCSI scanner plugged in to a MicroVAX 4000. Using the open source >> "sane" portable scanning package, suitably tweaked for VMS, I can scan quite > >That 'suitably tweaked for VMS' worries me a little. I am not a >programmer, I am not sure I could do things like that. > I'm not a programmer either but I never let that stop me. I added about 270 lines to sanei_scsi.c (including blank lines, (few) comments, debugging, error checking and assorted fluff) to implement a VMS version of the routine sanei_scsi_cmd2(), some of which I copied from the existing routine and to add routines vms_open_device() and vms_close_device(). The added code doesn't do anything more complicated than call system routines such as sys$assign(), sys$qiow() and sys$dassgn() and was practically lifted from "Generic SCSI Class Driver Programming Example" in the VMS I/O Users Reference Manual: Part I. I also added another 76 lines to do a quick hack translate of calls to syslog() into calls to sys$sndopr() as VMS doesn't have syslog(). Finally, I created a suitable config.h containing mainly #defines and gruesome hacks. The rest pretty much compiled as-is. (I didn't compile all of sane - just the bits I needed to for my scanner). It won't win any awards, but it seems to work. Besides, you don't have to do it - I've already done it! (If you want software for a PERQ, maybe someone else can help) > >In any case there are really only 2 clases of VAXen I would want to try >running. One is the 11/780 and its brothers (11/782, 11/785), the other >is the 11/730 (and I guess 11/725). The former is too large for me to >accomodate at the moment, so it would have to be the latter. And I >suspect Unibus SCSI cards are not easy to find anyway... > You could always build one :-) > >In any case, thos diesn;t get round the problem (for me) of fidnign a >scanner I could repair. > I think we've addressed all the other difficulties. We can't be expected to cover everything :-) Regards, Peter Coghlan.

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another one bites the dust...

by aliensrcooluk＠yahoo.co.uk

--- On Thursday, April 19, 2012 8:46 PM, Tony Duell <ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk> wrote: > > > > I assume that NICAM stereo > sound is also dead ;-(. Pity, I > enjoyed > building and aligning the Maplin > decoder kit many years ago. i haven't heard the phrase NICAM stereo since the 90's. It's all Dolby Surround sound now - though i personally don't care for it. Regards, Andrew B aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk

14 years, 2 months

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help requested: ISA to PCMCIA slots

by jeffj＠panix.com

Dear cctech folks; I have 2: ISA card controllers for PCMCIA cards that I want to get running again. I need the software & just the essentials of the manual (switch & jumper settings). 1) DATABOOK ThinCard DRIVE model TMD-100-03 rev C 2) 16 bit ISA card: MMCD-D2 Rev 2.0 ?? 1994 SCM Microsystem GMBH Photos are here: http://ferretronix.com/march/thincard/ thanks in advance Jeff Jonas jeffj at panix.com

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[REWARD] Request for documentation - update

by cctech＠beyondthepale.ie

> >> >In any case there are really only 2 clases of VAXen I would want to try >> >running. One is the 11/780 and its brothers (11/782, 11/785), the other >> >is the 11/730 (and I guess 11/725). The former is too large for me to >> >accomodate at the moment, so it would have to be the latter. And I >> >suspect Unibus SCSI cards are not easy to find anyway... >> > >> >> You could always build one :-) > >Err, yes.... Building a n 11/780 wouldn't solve the space problem (it >would be about the same size). I guess I could try to re-implelent the >11/730 with statci RAM i nthe control store, but it's not somehting I >have time for at the momnent. > I was suggesting that you might build a Unibus SCSI card if it proved too difficult or expensive to get one by other means. Regards, Peter Coghlan.

14 years, 2 months

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one good ripoff deserves another / Iomega Zip's

by tshoppa＠wmata.com

Wow, what a funny subject line to ask for help with a generation leap in storage. !!! I did use Zip's in the 90's as an interchange medium and they weren't the worst thing in the world for that... but at most they had to hold their data for a week or two in the shipping lanes and that's not asking much. > Funny, > as the OP I asked for the ZIP drive spec in order to be able to use them as a replacement for the old, slow & unreliable 10 MB cartridge drive for my ETH Lilith. > Those zips are, despite their faults, the closests thing to it, still available in plentiful supply. CF cards just doesn't seem right. Most reliable 10MB removable drive ever was the RL02. But generation wise that's probably a step backwards in time not forward. CDC made a number of SMD-descended mini-cartridge drives with capacities in that range but they all sucked rocks. Jumping forward a couple generations in the mid-90's there were very good MO drives. The 5.25" drives (650 MB/1.3GB/2.6GB were industry standard sizes and some bigger as well too) were most often seen with SCSI interfaces and in fact Sony still makes and sells new media because there are several niche markets that rely on this format for interchange and archiving. 3.25" MO drives (128 MB but most often 230 MB) existed as well, with either SCSI and ATA interfaces, but these were never as reliable as their bigger brother (still several orders of magnitude more reliable than ZIPs). If this were the 90's I'd have no problem recommending 5.25" MO as an update. But this isn't the 90's anymore. Today in 2012? I have a hard time seeing how to use anything except CF as an interface standard that will exist going ahead for at least a decade maybe two in wide usage. The other format to choose is a USB keychain drive. If like me you think the CF format is just too physically tiny, epoxy a CF device to an old Lilith D120 style cart and have it slide into a reader that you've milled into the original D120 or D140 slot :-) Tim.

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cctalk Digest, Vol 104, Issue 53

by elson＠pico-systems.com

From: allison <ajp166 at verizon.net> To: General Discussion: On-Topic Posts Only <cctech at classiccmp.org> Subject: Re: VAX on Reddit Message-ID: <4F933A05.3030205 at verizon.net> Content-Type: text/plain; CHARSET=US-ASCII; format=flowed On 04/21/2012 08:59 AM, Liam Proven wrote: > > Shocking headline: "23 year old computer still in daily use at a > > silver mine. MicroVAX 3100 running openVMS on 12mb memory." > > A number of years ago I went out to a plastic molding company to look at a Microvax installation that had been hit by lightning and advise how to rewire the place to avoid similar damage in the future. They took me into their compute room and I was stunned at the contraption they had running there. I stood there gasping and asking "What the HECK is THAT?" Turns out they had this thing that was an off-brand clone of an IBM 1800 running all their presses. I gathered it was a TTL re-implementation of the 1800, but a very old machine at least. (The microvax ran their accounting system.) Jon Jon

14 years, 2 months

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Obsolete Computers in 1983

by david＠classiccomputing.com

On Apr 21, 2012, at 10:09 PM, cctalk-request at classiccmp.org wrote: > This 1983 InfoWorld has a few articles about Obsolete Computers. It covers > the Altair and other S-100 machines. There is a story about someone making > an upgrade ROM board for the Processor Technology SOL-20. The Computer > Museum was still in Boston. It asks "Will today's Lisas and Radio Shack > Model 100s be as priceless to the computer industry as are the Crown Jewels > are to England?" > > InfoWorld June 6, 1983. Pages 27 - 37 > > http://books.google.com/books?id=zy8EAAAAMBAJ Very cool, and an interesting article, especially from a 1983 perspective. Did you notice also that the article was co-written by John C. Dvorak? Best, David Greelish, Computer Historian President, Atlanta Historical Computing Society - Author, "The Complete Historically Brewed" - "Classic Computing Show" podcast - "Stan Veit's History of the Personal Computer" audiobook podcast - "Retro Computing Roundtable" podcast - "Not Another Apple Podcast" ClassicComputing.com | atlhcs.org

14 years, 2 months

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The sweet smell of old computers

by jws＠jwsss.com

I just had a multics front panel come in from Nick Allen, and have to say there is something that makes the house smell nice from the old equipment. Sort of like Cosmoline, only not old machinery or guns. Jim

14 years, 2 months

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Obsolete Computers in 1983

by swtpc6800＠comcast.net

This 1983 InfoWorld has a few articles about Obsolete Computers. It covers the Altair and other S-100 machines. There is a story about someone making an upgrade ROM board for the Processor Technology SOL-20. The Computer Museum was still in Boston. It asks "Will today's Lisas and Radio Shack Model 100s be as priceless to the computer industry as are the Crown Jewels are to England?" InfoWorld June 6, 1983. Pages 27 - 37 http://books.google.com/books?id=zy8EAAAAMBAJ <http://books.google.com/books?id=zy8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA27> &pg=PA27 Michael Holley

14 years, 2 months

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Equivalent of an A55 Transistor

by robert.jarratt＠ntlworld.com

I need to replace a transistor in my H7140 PSU for my PDP11/24. The transistor is marked GPSA55J3 and the printset identifies it as "XA 55 PNP 500MW SI 60 50 P", it is in a TO-92 package. I have tried to find specs for an A55 and can only find partial matches, so I am not sure what today's equivalent would be. Can anyone help me work out what the equivalent today would be? Thanks Rob

14 years, 2 months

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Arduino vs 555 reliability

by tshoppa＠wmata.com

> There is no Application jou can just build out of a 555 Actually I recall a 70's hobbyist homebrew optical paper tape reader (in BYTE?) where the Schmitt Trigger for each photodiode was nothing but a 555, NOT BEING USED AS A TIMER, just as a Schmitt Trigger. Unlike using real "schmitt trigger" parts the 555 had a built in resistor network that set trip points to 1/3 and 2/3 Vcc with no external parts. I was really thrown for a loop when I saw the schematic. Nine 555's, no R's or C's. I was sure it was a typo or an April Fool's joke, but no, it was for real. Similarly folks cleverly use PIC's (not sure Arduino can do the same but probably) choosing Schmitt trigger inputs and/or internal pull-ups. I'm sure someone could make a 1/3 and 2/3 Schmitt trigger using PIC's and some clever cross-wiring of analog and digital ports. Tim.

14 years, 2 months

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NOVA 1200 on ebay Germany

by lehmann＠ans-netz.de

Hi, maybe someone from europe has interes in this and is willing to drive to Frankfurt to collect it. A fairly complete lokking NOVA1200 system. http://www.ebay.de/itm/160781530347 He wrote, that on request he is also able to provide another NOVA 1200 processor and two additional disk drives series 30. I wonder where the price will go... Greetings.

14 years, 2 months

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$10 dollar Macs

by slandon110＠gmail.com

I know most of you dont believe that I have anything, But the truth is I do, I work in ewaste and im trying to move the excess apple stuff so I can make more room for the incoming apple II stuff. $10 dollar LC 575 machines, Some 550s, 1 or 2 580s and a 520- These are Local Pickup in Person 8 G3 All in one Macs- AKA Molar Macs $20 dollars each- These are Local Pickup in Person Performa/Power Mac 5400/5500s $25 each.. All have AV System with still boxed TV Tuner and remote- Local Pickup in person- too heavy and too akward to ship Apple //e's $20 dollars each Monitor //s $20 dollars each Apple IIGS Monitors $25 each 80mb 50 pin SCSI Drives $15 each shipped Apple Extended Keyboard IIs $15 each For those of you who dont believe me, heres some pics to prove it http://www.flickr.com/photos/67970316 at N08/sets/72157629866466539/ All for pickup near flint michigan.

14 years, 2 months

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Arduino, was: Re: OT: uP solutions

by joachim.thiemann＠gmail.com

I find the dislike of the Arduino by some people in this forum a bit silly, yet funny in a history-repeating way. The Arduino, in my opinion, occupies roughly the same space that the Vic-20 (or ZX-81) did back in its day. It's a great intro to the field. Sure, the cool kids are building their own computers using S-100 cards, the rich kids are buying far more capable Apples and Tandys; the pros use minis. And while most Vic-20 users never get beyond playing copied versions of Lunar Lander, some of them get sufficiently interested to go on to better things and delve deeper, hitting the limitations and working around them. Remember - neither the VIC-20 or ZX-81 came with any info on how to program them in anything other than the (very limited) BASIC. More importantly, the Arduino disrupted the microcontroller dev board market in such a way that to get any mindshare these days you need to have a sub-$100 board to get hobbyists interested, AND have a (reasonable, and open or at least free) click-and-compile IDE with it. Joe. PS. I apologize for mixing technologies of different time frames in the example above. That whole period was a bit of a blur to me. Pedants, be pedantic, please :-) -- Joachim Thiemann :: http://jthiem.bitbucket.org

14 years, 2 months

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Iomega ZIP programming manual ?

by alhartman＠yahoo.com

Try contacting Steve Gibson (http://www.grc.com/intro.htm). He wrote some Zip/Jazz drive diagnostic software that addressed the "click of death" problem. Maybe he can help you? Al

14 years, 2 months

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[REWARD] Request for documentation - update

by cctech＠beyondthepale.ie

> >I haev no moral objections to SCSI at all (it's fully docuemtned, it's >not over-complicated, there are standard ICs to talk to it, or you cna do >it all in simple logic chips, etc). The problem is that very few of my >machines have SCSI interfaces. > >Also, for a machien to be useful with a scanner, I would have thought it >should have a high resolution graphics display. Of the machines I use, >the PERQ probabl;y has the heighest pixel count (1280*1024),. but that;'s >only 1 bit per pixel. The I2S units have a better colour resolution, but >only 512*512 pixels. They conenct to a PDP11 (or will do when I get round >to restorign them). > >Of course the problem is that there are not likely to be any drivers for >a scanner on any of these machines. I realsie the scanenr commands are >documented (at least for some scanners), but writign the drivers is not >something I want to undertake.... > I've got a SCSI scanner plugged in to a MicroVAX 4000. Using the open source "sane" portable scanning package, suitably tweaked for VMS, I can scan quite happily. It's not fast - I've never gotten around to looking into speeding it up. My MV4000 doesn't happen to have graphics capability but the TIFF files >from the scanner can be displayed using a clustered VAXstation 3100 which does have graphics or displayed on a remote X-Windows server or transferred to another machine for viewing. Regards, Peter Coghlan.

14 years, 2 months

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S: Schematics from the PSU TSZ07(Cipher M995S)

by holm＠freibergnet.de

Hi guys, Yesterday eavening I've checked my new TSZ07 9 Track Tape on my VS4000/90 the first time, it worked flawlessly. Later I've switched it of with the power button on the fron paneel. This morning the Drived stinked. A smell like an burned transformer. I've pulled the powerchord and leaved to go to work. Now I have dismounted the PSU and looked inside: Shit! There are 2 board in there, the one with the big Heatsink in the middle has on one edge an uncooled TO220 Transistor (or something looking like one) and a wirewound resistor near by. The entire area around them is burned black. Noch chance to read Parts values or so. The PCB is bad also, burned to carbon. Interestingly this PSU (and the entire Drive) is still working... no fuse blown or something. :-| Guys I need urgently an schematic of that PSU to replace this part of the PCB. It isn't the first time that I'm repairing switchmode PSUs even w/o any schematic, but this one really looks bad. The drive is a TSZ07 DEC Drive, I think it is the same as the Cipher M995S, or the otherway around it is a relabeled cipher drive. Regards, Holm -- Technik Service u. Handel Tiffe, www.tsht.de, Holm Tiffe, Freiberger Stra?e 42, 09600 Obersch?na, USt-Id: DE253710583 www.tsht.de, info at tsht.de, Fax +49 3731 74200, Mobil: 0172 8790 741

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