In message "CLASSICCMP digest 375", John Rollins <rexstout(a)uswest.net>
writes:
>Third card is another one from Intel, labeled "iSBC 576", with another
>8086, two connectors on the top, and an SBC576 daughtercard.
I checked my Intel "OEM Boards and Systems Handbook (1988)" but cannot
identify this card, although the book lists many other Multibus boards.
Intel sold their Multibus interests to Radisys some time back; they're
on the web and maybe they can help. Both National Semiconductor and
NEC made Multibus board clones, often with similar part numbers, so you
might get lucky finding info if you're persistent.
>Fourth card is a PROSE 2000, with a 26-pin edge connector and another
>connector, and a bunch of EPROMs marked "Speech Plus (c)1983", and yet
>another 8086 chip. Looks like the company name is Speech Plus Inc. I guess
>this is a speech synth.
Strange coincidence! I recently rescued one of these from a scrapyard
(it was literally waiting to be ground up into metallic dust). Yes, it's
a text-to-speech board, but I haven't had any success finding
application data. The company that made it, Telesensory Systems, does
still exist and I did call them looking for information. They were
cordial, but could not help because the board was just too ancient for
their support staff to have any useful knowledge about it. Too bad; I
thought it might be welcomed by one of my local charities. I don't have
Telesensory's phone number here but try a web search. If you can't find
them let me know and I'll see if I can retrieve the number. Please keep
me in mind if you do manage to track down some information on it.
--
Arlen Michaels
Nortel
Ottawa, Canada (613) 763-2568 amichael(a)nortel.ca
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Hotze [mailto:photze@batelco.com.bh]
> Sent: Tuesday, April 07, 1998 12:42 PM
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
> Subject: Re: FW: Y2K
>
>
> It very well might be running today. Not doing the hardlabor
> tasks that it was origiohnally made for, but possibly as someone's
hobby.
> Anyway, five years, and accelarating is a odd estimate. PC's nearly 3
or
> 4 years old are used day to day, as primary computer systems. The
> origionally cost around $2,000, and now can be effectively replaced
for around
> $500-$800, yet they haven't. Sure, high end servers are still being
produced, and in some institutions (even if I can't name any) are
updated monthly or so with their server technology.
Being from the Big Iron era (Univac 1100s and CDC 6000s), I can assure
you no one ever believed any of those machines would last for 30 years.
We knew the "fourth generation" computers based on large scale
integration were coming, although what was expected was the bit slice
type logic, not integrated microprocessors. No one ever questioned
using 2 digit dates, because the programs weren't going to be used for
30 years. After all, how many 30 year old computers were still running
in 1975? Back then a "legacy" program was supporting Autocoder from the
60s. Ten years was ancient and obsolete.
Even in the 80's I saw very few software applications that switched to 4
digit dates. Our company converted to all 4 digit year dates in 1987,
primarily because we were revising our major packages, plus we wanted to
be compatible with some applications we OEMed along with our own
software. Even in 87 I didn't think our programs would still be in use
in 2000, but suprise, they will be. Was it brilliant foresight we
converted way back then? Not really, more like plain dumb luck. But
disk and memory were getting much cheaper by then, we could afford to
use the extra space. When we only had 5MB drives and 16KB partitions
the savings on 2 digit dates was significant, but once we had 100MB+
drives and virtual memory that was no longer an issue.
Jack Peacock
OK.. so, I admit, I wasn't even around then. I've never seen big iron in my
life, and as far as I know, the school's still running on the Compaq PPro
200 that we got a while back. But here's my .02 on what would think in that
same posisiton:
>I know I was asking some of my friends what was going to happen as far
>back as in the late 60' and early 70s when as high schools and college
>students we were asking what happens if this machine should still be
>running in the year 2000? Some of us considered that unlikely as the
>pace for new machines at the time suggested it's life was maybe five
>years and that pace was accelerating.
It very well might be running today. Not doing the hardlabor tasks that it
was origiohnally made for, but possibly as someone's hobby. Anyway, five
years, and accelarating is a odd estimate. PC's nearly 3 or 4 years old are
used day to day, as primary computer systems. The origionally cost around
$2,000, and now can be effectively replaced for around $500-$800, yet they
haven't. Sure, high end servers are still being produced, and in some
institutions (even if I can't name any) are updated monthly or so with their
server technology.
What worries me is that around 2025, a system should last as long as you
want it, as the speeds will probably be at the speed of light across the
board, so there's no wait state. It's as fast as the software that you
choose for it. The systems won't become obsolete. I personally belive that
it's then that the speed of light will be broken, but I can't prove that,
other than the belief that we will continue to grow and outcome obsticles.
What then?
Just my opinion,
Tim D. Hotze
Well, I finally got around to looking at the terminal PC that came with
the Cadnetix workstation. Turns out it's a pretty kick-ass Sperry 286
PC/IT, with some nifty stuff. A Genoa 4850 video card, which my info says
can display 800x600, an SIIG FK3459 I/O board, a Rybs Electronics HicardAT
memory board, a WDC 1002-WAH HD controller and 20meg HD, and a net card to
boot. It also has 1 meg on the board and the math coprocessor installed as
well.
The little bit I could find on the video card claims that it uses a
multisync monitor. It has the two rca jacks and a db-9; how do I wire an
adapter for db-9 to hd-15?
Thanks,
Aaron
BTW, I also got a couple hundred 5 1/4 floppies with it, including 2
complete sets of SCO OpenWindows 1.0.0.y; anyone want one?
Hello. Ive recntly gotten a NEC PC Engine system, about 6"x6"x1" in size.
It has a port that's around the size of a PS/2 port, but with different
connections. The system uses a cool-looking card system, labeled as HuCARD,
and I've got two games, PAC-LAND and a game that's entirely in Japanese
labeled as THEthen lots in Japanese, I'll try to scan it in later, in a
monocrome format.
On the bottom, it says NEC PCEngine
Japanese, then at the far right, it says PI-TG001 , then one line down, more
Japanese writing, then at the far right, 4W writen. Then, another line
down, it has Japanese, then at the far right, (PAD-105,PAD-106)
Then there's an entire line of Japanese writing, then another line down, the
words MADE IN JAPAN. Below that, in another indent, is the number that was
pin-printed as 8Z14066H .
At the right of the system, there's a port labeled ANT SWITCH, which I'm
guessing I connect to a TV monitor. There's no port for sound. On the same
location on the left, there's a thing labeled AC ADAPTER, which I don't
currently have. Can I use a Nintendo adapter for this? A Sega?
Any information would be appriciated. BTW, the controller seems to be a
slightly-stylaziied version of an origional NES controller, with buttons
labeled II and I, in the place of A and B, a select and Run button (Run in
the place of Start) and a standard digital-arrow pad, as found on most
gaming systems.
Thanks,
Tim D. Hotze
This stuff is apparently going to get hauled away by the Garbage
Gorillas on Wednesday of this week, so move quick and reply directly to
the sender (john(a)egh.com, or call at (781-861-0670) if you want the
stuff...
-=-=- <snip> -=-=-
From: jasantos(a)ultranet.com (John A Santos)
Newsgroups: alt.sys.pdp11
Subject: Free Unibus hardware (act fast...)
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 06:14:36 -0400
Organization: UltraNet Communications, Inc. http://www.ultranet.com/
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My company is cleaning the basement, and there is a large collection
of PDP-11 (mostly, some useful on VAXes) stuff that is going to be
carted away on Wednesday (4/8) by the junk man.
If anyone near Lexington Mass wants to grab any of it (or if you are
willing to pay shipping, for the smaller items), please email me
or call me at work. Unfortunately I just found out about it today,
and it is going tomorrow, so there isn't much time to rescue this
stuff from oblivion.
Items include:
Unibus backplanes (4 & 9 slot, a couple of each)
4 or 5 Unibus cables, varying lengths (at least one is brand new.)
Lots of Unibus jumpers (M920 and some of the long ones (M9200?))
Thousands (well, dozens) of Grant jumpers (G727?)
2 DELUA's + cab kits
2 UDA-50's + cab kits (I think one has one bad board, the other works)
1 DH11 (and maybe some spare parts)
4 DZ11's (with CAB kits)
2 KMD11's (X.25 interface with a KMC11B and a line and modem board)
1 or two DV11's (synch multiplexor)
1 TMB-11 (TU10/TE10 controller)
1 RH11 (Unibus to massbus interface, has a stuck bit)
1 LP11 interface
several DL11 boards, various vintages
2 Able (?) boards that each emulate 4 DL11's.
2 BA11 10 1/2 inch expansion boxes, one in pieces.
2 TE16 and one TE10 9-track tape drives, mostly disassembled
2 TM03 (maybe one is a TM02) Massbus tape formatters.
Lots of H945? power regulators (I think they take 18V AC and output
either +-5V DC or +-15V DC, depending on model) Anyway, these are
the boxes about 4x6x8 inches that sit inside BA11's and PDP 11/40-
vintage CPU cabs.
There are also some print sets and manuals for some of this stuff.
There might be a few Massbus cables, too.
There might also be an old PDP-11/40 CPU board set.
If you want any of this stuff, either email me (at work is better; I'll
see it sooner) john(a)egh.com, or call me (781-861-0670).
I can't guarantee that any particular items on this list won't be grabbed
back by the powers that be, or that any particular item works, but hey!
Many of the bits were working when last used, in October.
This list is all from memory, so I could be wrong about quantities.
It is mostly sitting in a big pile waiting for the trash-man, who rumor
has will be coming on Wednesday, so this is both your first and last
chance.
If you want some particular item, but can't arrange shipping or to drop
by, let me know and if it isn't too big, I can probably rescue it and
save it for you.
John Santos
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Bruce Lane, SysOp,
The Dragon's Cave BBS (Fido 1:343/272)
kyrrin {at} j<p>s 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!..."
Ha! Got my first "official" rescue coming up on the 18th. One of the local
colleges (by 'local' I mean Washington state) is disposing of their old
PDP-11/44 and all its peripherals.
Here's the bad news. I don't have the space or the hauling capability to
save the entire system. I'm taking the Fujitsu 'Eagle' they've got, its
Unibus controller (an Emulex SC31 I'm told) plus some RSTS distribution
tapes and a tape drive and -possibly- a rack.
Last call: Is there anyone else in or near WA who would like to help save
the rest of the system? If not, most of it will end up with the scrappers.
Please get in touch with me directly as I will need to get my contact's OK
(he's just expecting me at the moment).
Thanks!
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Bruce Lane, Sysop, The Dragon's Cave BBS (Fidonet 1:343/272)
(Hamateur: WD6EOS) (E-mail: kyrrin(a)jps.net)
"Our science can only describe an object, event, or living thing in our own
human terms. It cannot, in any way, define any of them..."
Hello all...
A couple of weeks ago, I put out an e-mail to the List that mentioned that
a friend had given a DEC PDP-11/70 (or so he thought) to me that had been
'hardened' by Schlumberger for use in the oil patch. The machine supposedly
works and weighs close to 200 lbs. The oldest board claims, I think, to
have been built in late 1978.
I know practically nothing about the PDP series and so don't have the
foggiest as to what I really have.
Finally, over the weekend, I was able to open the box (1/4" armored steel
ugly thing) and take a look at the boards -- there are a total of ten as
follows: (Keep in mind that I don't know what typical DEC parts numbers
look like -- I think that a lot of the numbers that I wrote down are
actually production lots etc):
(1): Obviously a CPU board -- AH13Z-06. Also claims DEC P/N 1216988. Has a
15MHz crystal and is 15.5x8" in size. It has edge connectors (as do all of
the boards).
(2): 'Bootstrap Terminator' - DEC-81. 5013263C-P2. 8x5".
(3): 'Flip Chip" 5008691 PCC-1Vo. 2.5x2". This is some sort of jumper board.
(4): 4MB(?) DRAM. DEC P/N 1216988 (notice that this is the same p/n as the
CPU board -- that is, I suppose?, the system part number), A88D30824
RA1-RA3: RM8-3.3Kx3 (probably a component label for a resistor pack but not
sure); C:TD104/5DX92 AH12Z-12. 15.5x8".
(5-9): H-236341 EXT BRD 10.5x8". These appear to be extendor boards that
bring +15VDC and a few timing signals out to the edge of the cage -- why
there are five, I cannot imagine...
(10): "FLIP CHIP". FEB 78 SCO/R1L OPTION M7856 H236602 -01048. 10.5x8"
This appears(?) to be possibly an I/O controller board of some sort...
Does anyone have any idea of what these things came out of?
They are free to a good home -- preferably someone that can actually use
them and put them back to work (can you imagine how boring it would be to
madly process seismographic data for 20-years -- I bet they would like to
try something different for a change) (postage + packing costs).
Regards
Jack Harper (Friend to all things Symbolics)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Jack Harper Bank Systems 2000, Inc.
303-277-1892 Golden, Colorado USA
"21st Century Financial Applications"
Optical Cards for Bank, EBT, and Medical Applications
Visit our Web Page: http://www.bs2000.com/talos (Last Update: 970902)
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Go to:
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=10391784
to get in on the bidding for a 128k TRS-80 Model 4 computer.
CORD
--
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Saw a post on Usenet answering someone's request for info on a Toshiba
T3100 with the comment that the user manuals are all online. Went to
<http://www.toshiba.com/>, did a search on "t3200 manual" and sure
enough, found this page:
http://www.csd.toshiba.com/tais/csd/support/files/manuals.htm
which has manuals for their laptops going bat to the T1000LE. I'll be
busy downloading tonight...
--------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/
