Just a guess
here, this wouldn't happen to be for running a micrographics
machine, would it? A TDC Docuscan?
No. This would be for my vintage computer collection. I have a couple of
Corvus flat-cable drive interfaces for Xerox 820 and recently unearthed
the software as well. Now, if I can get a working 820 my "network of the
past" will gain another dimension.
Never heard of either micrographics or TDC Docuscan. What are they?
Sorry, the Docuscan was a high speed paper scanner based on the Documate
chassis. Terminal Data Corp Documate models 1,2,3 & 4. They used Xerox model
820's, and later used PC's.
They were very large automated (computer controlled) self feeding high speed
microfiche cameras. They were also unique in that they could film in any of
the micrographics formats, including roll films (microfilm).
The cameras were a mechanical work of art, using servomotors to step the film
in an X-Y fashion. punched metal encoder wheels told the camera what format
to lay down on the film.
The model 1 was hand operated. You would place a page in the image station and
press a footswitch to take an image. A computer would keep track of your
work, and title the fiche with a light pipe system of fiber optic strands.
The models 2-4 were automatically fed and computer controlled with vacuum
belt transport mechanisms and page flippers.
The Xerox model 820 was a common computer for their control, later replaced
with PC's.
The company was bought by Banctec in the mid 90's, I don't know the
disposition of the hardware anymore. Many of my customers still used the
820's and saw no reason to "upgrade", other than the looming scarcity of 8in
disks. Most customers would file the floppies with customer information and
needed a steady supply of them.
http://www.pacifichartec.com/documate.htm
http://www.fichenet.com/TDCRepair.htm
