22 Nov
2015
22 Nov
'15
9:46 a.m.
On 2015-11-22 9:20 AM, Mike Ross wrote:
I have an I/O Selectric device which is badged as, and
was originally, an
IBM 2970 Reservation Terminal.
For better or worse, it was one of those bought up in the late 1970s by a
company called 'Western I/O", based out of Scottsdale Arizona. They
converted them for home use. One version used a Motorola 6800 to make a
nifty-sounding terminal with selectable baud rates etc. I appear to have
the 'other' version; a cheap and nasty printer-only conversion with some
form of parallel port.
Anybody else got one? Docs about them? Parts? Schematics? I'd like to get
hold of one of the 'proper' terminal conversion versions... Must be some
squirreled away in garages!
Alternatively, any doc on the original 2970? There's an incredible dearth
of information about what we're once very common devices...
Did you get the
whole machine typewriter and control unit or just the
typewriter? If you got the control unit the manuals may be inside. The
typewriter part of it is just a modified office selectric with solenoids
to do the selection and operate the functions and then a whole bunch of
open strap contacts for feedback and also to sense what is typed on the
keyboard. One of the first problems you may encounter is the motor belt
is likely rotten and would be a challenge to change if you have never
been inside a selectric, especially with all the extra stuff hung off it
on an I/O. The reservation terminals I worked on nearly 40 years ago
where connected to a telegraph line. 75 baud with about a 150V DC
swing. Pictures?
Paul.