24 Jan
2005
24 Jan
'05
2:05 a.m.
Hi Folks,
Well, today's auction haul includes:
A Dec MV 3800 w/qbus scsi card (he-he)
An Alpha 1000
And!!
A functioning Tektronix 4051 Graphics system w/Data Communication Interface.
(circa 1976)
it also came with the RS232 Printer interface
and the following documentation:
4051 Graphic Systems Operation Manual
Plot 50 Introduction to Programming in Basic
4051 Graphic System Reference
Reference Guide to 4051 Basic
4050 Series Basic Reference Guide
amd 4051 Option 10 RS232 Printer Interface guide
More information on this system can be found here:
http://www.atariarchives.org/bcc2/showpage.php?page=282
What is really wierd is that I wrote some programs in Basic for this machine
in 1977 using some of the built-in vector graphics routines, when I worked at
the Defense Mapping Agency, now called the National GeoSpatial Intelligence
Agency. I still have the tape cartridge (200K !!) when I loaded the tape...
presto... instant retro memories. I even wrote some notes to myself!! ( Note
to Homeland Security and to anyone else reading this email..It was NOT
classified!!)
Cheers
Tom
--
---
Please do not read this sig. If you have read this far, please unread back to
the beginning.
25 Jan
25 Jan
5:54 p.m.
On Mon, 24 Jan 2005, Tom Ponsford wrote:
A functioning Tektronix 4051 Graphics system w/Data
Communication Interface.
(circa 1976)
What a coincidence (re: me referring to it earlier today).
it also came with the RS232 Printer interface
and the following documentation:
4051 Graphic Systems Operation Manual
Plot 50 Introduction to Programming in Basic
4051 Graphic System Reference
Reference Guide to 4051 Basic
4050 Series Basic Reference Guide
amd 4051 Option 10 RS232 Printer Interface guide
Very nice!
What is really wierd is that I wrote some programs in
Basic for this machine
in 1977 using some of the built-in vector graphics routines, when I worked at
the Defense Mapping Agency, now called the National GeoSpatial Intelligence
Agency. I still have the tape cartridge (200K !!) when I loaded the tape...
presto... instant retro memories. I even wrote some notes to myself!! ( Note
to Homeland Security and to anyone else reading this email..It was NOT
classified!!)
If you're wanting/needing a "Plot 50" tape I have an extra. Let me know
(private reply, please).
--
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
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26 Jan
26 Jan
12:22 p.m.
On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 06:05:19 -0700, Tom Ponsford <tponsford(a)theriver.com> wrote:
Hi Folks,
Well, today's auction haul includes:
A Dec MV 3800 w/qbus scsi card (he-he)
Sweet!
And!!
A functioning Tektronix 4051 Graphics system w/Data Communication Interface.
(circa 1976)
Isn't that the system they did the vector graphics for "Battlestar
Galactica" on? (special effects/combat tactical screens, mostly)
-ethan
25 Jan
25 Jan
3:54 a.m.
Yes, that's the one. The system uses Storage Tube technolgy which allow the
system to use vector graphics in overlays up build up a pretty complex drawing
on 32K of memory. The storage tube retains the image with virtually no refresh
and allows a succession of plots to be "overlayed" to build up an image, This
was pretty advanced stuff in 1976.
This unit I got yesterday even has a rs232 interface that allow to be used as
a terminal and has the extra full complement of 32K of mem.
I spent last nite playing with it and improving a digital mapping and plotting
program I wrote on it about 28 years ago...
Cheers
Tom
Ethan Dicks wrote:
On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 06:05:19 -0700, Tom Ponsford
<tponsford(a)theriver.com> wrote:
--
---
Please do not read this sig. If you have read this far, please unread back to
the beginning.
Hi Folks,
Well, today's auction haul includes:
A Dec MV 3800 w/qbus scsi card (he-he)
Sweet!
And!!
A functioning Tektronix 4051 Graphics system w/Data Communication Interface.
(circa 1976)
Isn't that the system they did the vector graphics for "Battlestar
Galactica" on? (special effects/combat tactical screens, mostly)
-ethan
26 Jan
26 Jan
3:51 p.m.
VERY NICE! I used to have one of these but gave it to Mike Haas. I had
ALL of the ROMs and ALL the manuals for it including a lot of prototype
ROMs and their documentation. Bug Mike to get the stuff scanned and posted
somewhere.
Joe
At 06:05 AM 1/24/05 -0700, Tom wrote:
Hi Folks,
Well, today's auction haul includes:
A functioning Tektronix 4051 Graphics system w/Data Communication Interface.
(circa 1976)
it also came with the RS232 Printer interface
and the following documentation:
4051 Graphic Systems Operation Manual
Plot 50 Introduction to Programming in Basic
4051 Graphic System Reference
Reference Guide to 4051 Basic
4050 Series Basic Reference Guide
amd 4051 Option 10 RS232 Printer Interface guide
More information on this system can be found here:
http://www.atariarchives.org/bcc2/showpage.php?page=282
What is really wierd is that I wrote some programs in Basic for this machine
in 1977 using some of the built-in vector graphics routines, when I worked
at
the Defense Mapping Agency, now called the National
GeoSpatial Intelligence
Agency. I still have the tape cartridge (200K !!) when I loaded the tape...
presto... instant retro memories. I even wrote some notes to myself!! ( Note
to Homeland Security and to anyone else reading this email..It was NOT
classified!!)
Cheers
Tom
--
---
Please do not read this sig. If you have read this far, please unread back
to
the beginning.
27 Jan
27 Jan
2:07 a.m.
From: Joe R. <rigdonj(a)cfl.rr.com>
VERY NICE! I used to have one of these but gave
it to Mike Haas. I
had
ALL of the ROMs and ALL the manuals for it including a
lot of prototype
ROMs and their documentation. Bug Mike to get the stuff scanned and posted
somewhere.
Hell yeah. The '4051 archeleogoy dig' That was Gary Spense's (hope I got
his name right (looking for notes...)) personal machine. He worked for TEK
then and designed many interfaces for his 4051 though I'm not sure how many
made it into production. In addition to the Rom Expander, few 4907 drives,
and front-panel System Fixture, he made many interfaces (many prototypes,
some not) for prom programming, video digitizing, GPIB, serial, parallel,
rompack, IC analysis, etc... Plus lotsa roms and docs and prepreliminary
rough drafts and annotations of documents and spare parts.
- Mike
7151
days inactive
7154
days old
5 comments
5 participants
participants (5)
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dogas＠bellsouth.net -
ethan.dicks＠gmail.com -
rigdonj＠cfl.rr.com -
tponsford＠theriver.com -
vcf＠siconic.com