12 Jan
2017
12 Jan
'17
7:12 p.m.
On 01/12/2017 08:55 PM, Jon Elson wrote:
Well, in 1986, I paid something like $6700 for a
KA630-AA (UVax-II CPU
board).
I got an Andromeda disk controller (MFM hard disk + floppy) and ran
pirated VMS off a 40 MB drive. Slowly upgraded it all to a VaxStation
II, then VaxStation II GPX (color graphics), added a bunch of tape
drives.
I kept it running until 2007, when the hard drive croaked. By that
time I had a cast-off SCSI 4 GB drive.
Jon
;)
MITS Altair December 1974, $1183. Less than two years later NS* Horizon
chassis as I already had disk and controller
and CPU as piecemeal upgrades to the Altair. Last was the AmproLB+
purchased new. I retain all of them and the
NS* and AmproLB+ are still used.
Since then I've acquired many machines but none cost more than local travel.
The most expensive single CPU chip was the CD1802 for my ELF. Spent 35$
at Schewber for 2 CPU, and
2 1852. Most expensive disk would be the Teltek S100 controller for
ST506 (controller in NS* disk still good)
that was 800$ in 1980.
Most expensive terminal was the ASR33 followed by H19, I gave the ASR-33
to the RCM still have the H19.
Other odd hardware I still have and bought new SWPC CT1024 kit
terminal, with LK01 keyboard.
Processor Tech VDM-1 in a Netronics Explorer 85 (still running).
Most expensive software MITS 8K BASIC on cassette due to bugs and
general uselessness, still have it.
It was also costly in terms of time to get it to load on the nth try.
Best software was Lifeboat CP/M-1.4
for NS* followed by CP/M-V2.2 (my bios) and Vedit. The most unusual and
best learning tool was UCSD
Pascal for NS*. The cheapest and really useful was JRT Pascal.
Longest lived in use other hardware is printers, My LA100 (new in the
mid 80s), HP 4L Laser, still running
from new, and Epson LQ570 dot matrix as they all talk
to systems that
are NOT x86 PCs (Robin aka
VT180 is a PC).
Other odd stuff is Digital Research Display manager for CP/M 80 (GSX).
DEC Grey (VMS-v5) and
Orange (RT11-v5) walls. Pathworks for VAX and PC. Also both Bytes with
the FLOPPY ROM and the later
PAPER BYTES. Imagewise screen capture with camera.
Oddest hacked up junk... LP25 DAFU hacked up to make it a stand alone
controller (microcoded pre bit slice).
That would lead to hacking a RX01 control board (one of the two in RX01
the other was the drive electronics
position drive, read analog, and head drive) hacked as a FM (Single
density) 8" controller, very odd instruction
set. It was never used for a DEC system and was interfaced to a Z80 as
two disk drives.
For plain rare, DEC Gigolo board for Qbus (PDP11 or VAX) it was a multi
channel sound card. Not all that
many made and none sold. It was for trade shows and all.
Allison