11 May
1999
11 May
'99
1:14 p.m.
Upon the date 07:17 PM 5/11/99 +0100, Tony Duell said something like:
It'll do something if the Term board/video board functions :) That's why I
Sure. What I was trying to say is that it doesn't matter what the CPU
board and all its peripherals are doing, if the terminal logic board and
video board are working, there will be something on the screen.
Hence the emoticon :-)...
Thing is, I've dealt with a number of 'professional' archivists who
couldn't/wouldn't find docs for me. Either they'd didn't know if they had
them, or they couldn't easily get to them, or they were too valuable to
look at (which begs the question as to why on earth they need to be kept
if they aren't going to be used as a source of information).
Indeed if they were "professional" then they would be accomodating to get
the so-called "too valuable to look at" docs in a form which could be
looked at by folks like us or other types of researchers.
Somehow we figured that :-)
Generally I buy any (cheap) manual that contains schematics, etc - if I
see such a thing in a charity shop or secondhand bookshop, etc. I also try
to get the service manuals for anything I own or am working on. That may
explain the piles of odd stuff I have...
:-)
Upon the date 07:06 PM 5/10/99 +0100, Tony Duell said something like:
>> First thing is to see if the built-in video terminal works and go from
>> there. There is a simple cable running between the Terminal Logic Board
and
the CPU Board which carries the RS-232 signal for
communication. All my
Yes, but whatever the CPU board decides to send on its end of the cable,
the terminal logic board will still do _something_... If you're worried suggested first seeing if the video section and
Terminal on "Local" works.
No problem. I think I was more commenting on trying to link up another
terminal to the CPU board cable at this early stage. I'd not start making modifications yet. Later on, possibly, but lets check
the obvious first.
> >> like the old house was :( Knowing our resident archivist, Tony Duell, I
> >> bet he will have docs in his collection and could take it from here.
If he
Hey, I'm not an archivist :-). I don't stick manuals on shelves never to
be seen again. My manuals are 'working manuals'. I read them. I use them...
That's exactly my point Tony. Nonetheless, regardless of the label used,
I hope I'm not totally like that. OK, I do lose manuals in the many piles
I have here (which is why it took me a couple of days to find the B020
prints). But if I can find them, I sure as heck will look at them.
I've been in my old house since mid-1979. I found tucked away in the
'museum room' and library some tech manuals I'd not seen for 18 years
(really). They had been shoved into a corner or crevace either because of
house remodelling over the years or just getting too much stuff at one
time. Now that I have a handle on what I own now, and have it segregated
into the new library/museum area in the newly remodelled attic at this
house, I can finally set to getting some sort of organization. With that I
can make a simple catalog of the archive. For example, I have at least 250
to 300 Technical manuals for US Army Signal Corps, Navy or Air Force radio
gear and some early radar -40's to '60's vintage. They are an important
archive to share info with my other military electronics collector
colleagues but I have to hunt, and hunt to see if I even have a particular
manual. An inventory of the TM or T.O. or NAVSHIPS document number is needed.
As to my rather extensive radio, television and test equipment manuals, and
a more limited computer manual collection, the filing system will be
slightly more complicated as there's no standardized numbering system and
nomenclature to file by. It'll just have to be type of gear, manufacturer
and model/part number I suppose.
you're more of a wellspring of technological
documentation -at least
regarding computers- than I've ever experienced.
You've just never asked me about other things... I have all sorts of
schematics and repair info for all sorts of devices. Radio schematics
from before the last war to the last decade :-), for example.
Except for recent radios/TV's/home entertainment stuff, I too have a large
source of schematics. Primarily from the late 60's all the way back to the
early 20's. My archive is primarily North American built gear while I
assume the large majority of yours is UK/European built gear. Same for
computer gear although there seems to have been a lot of NA computer gear
sold in UK/Europe -particularly like DEC, IBM, Commodore, etc.
But yes, I
do seem to have accumulated a rediculous number of obscure
service manuals...
I try to latch onto any technical docs that I can that is related to any
kind of electronic device. I've often been pleasantly surprised when I
[...]
One thing that impressed me was that although the terminal logic board
and CPU board came assembled (even if you got the Heathkit), you still
get schematics and parts lists for them. It sure helps fixing the machine
now....
I guess with Heath because the schematics/parts lists were already at hand
for the kit-versions, the manual writers carried them over to the factory
assembled gear. My Zenith Z19 manual has the same info as the Operator's
Manual for the Heath H19 plus a few extra things like DEC VT52 emulation,
ANSI escape sequences, etc.
I have the
Z-90 hardware manual here. I am not sure what you call it, it
came with the machine, so I guess it's a user manual, but it's got full
schematics, etc and more info than some service manuals that I've seen.
"More info" . . . yes indeed, that's the influence of the good old Heath
Company in writing those manuals :) In my mind, and other Heathkit
I've seen 3 classes of service manuals :
Excellent, like Heathkit, DEC and old HP. Full schematics,
theory-of-operation, maintenance, etc. You can fix the device easily with
one of these manuals, and learn a lot about it.
I always enjoyed that "learn a lot about it" part :) I was the type of
geek who would use them for recreational reading when I wanted to relax or
just before bed.
Useable, like most Philips and Amstrad. Schematics and parts lists, and
nothing else. These contain enough info to repair the machine, but you
have to think rather a lot...
Useless. Board swapper guides with no schematics. May have been OK when
you could get boards to swap, but no help at all now. I have a few which
I've been given, but I rarely use them...
Back in the early 80's I discovered HP had a Service Manual for their 9825.
We had two at my company (both in my collection now :) so I asked the boss
to spring for the $35 (IIRC) cost for one. $35! Hmmm, not bad. Back then
that was a price for a relatively thick manual for other HP gear. Therefore
this one must contain a wealth of info to maintain the 9825s!
Well, when I got it the only schematic was for the power supply board. Two
variants at that. Part numbers for the several other boards and some
troubleshooting info was the only additional info in that somewhat thin
manual. Sheesh. What a let-down . . .
Since then, especially with my 1981 vintage HP250/30 business computer, I
discovered the HP computer division (in Boise, Idaho IIRC) never published
much technical info on their products.
Regards, Chris
-- --
Christian Fandt, Electronic/Electrical Historian
Jamestown, NY USA cfandt(a)netsync.net
Member of Antique Wireless Association
URL: http://www.ggw.org/awa