On 03/09/11 03:10, Al Kossow wrote: The current batch of hard disc adapters are prototypes (built on Veroboard...!). I'm planning to spend this afternoon bringing the schematic into EAGLE and drawing up a PCB design. All being well I should be able to make a couple of those using my home PCB fab line. (I can't do PTH, but single-sided no-solder-mask is a snap!) -- Phil. classiccmp at philpem.me.uk http://www.philpem.me.uk/

On Mon, 2011-09-05 at 20:30 -0400, Steven Hirsch wrote: A little: * The API (libdiscferret) is basically complete; the Trivial API needs finalising and implementing, but that's about it. * Magpie (the disc reading tool) is usable to the point of being able to create disc images. There are still a few features on the to-do list, but it's stable. * Merlin is getting a rewrite -- the plotting library I was using produced some truly ugly graphs. I've spent the past few weeks writing my own... Also on the to-do list: * Image file converter -- convert to/from STREAM, CWTOOL and DiscFerret DFI image formats * Bulk-erase (anyone remember COPYIIPC?) * Disc write support (the hardware and microcode are done, just need to write the software) Thanks, -- Phil. classiccmp at philpem.me.uk http://www.philpem.me.uk/

This is something I miss :(

On Tue, 2011-09-06 at 08:16 -0700, Chuck Guzis wrote: Guess why this is WAY down on the "to do" list... :) I'd rather like to get my hands on a degausser but it seems the audiophools have pushed the prices up to silly levels around here... and I don't have a suitable transformer to chop up to make one. There are a couple of cheap permanent magnet degaussers around, though I was under the impression these actually *magnetise* the media, or the opposite of what a "proper" degausser does... -- Phil. classiccmp at philpem.me.uk http://www.philpem.me.uk/

On 9/6/2011 4:50 PM, Chuck Guzis wrote: I'll take them off your hands ... So now we know the real reason why you want to find data on old drives ... Ben.

On 7 Sep 2011 at 19:04, Tony Duell wrote: Microwave ovens are junked very frequently here and some have fabulously large transformers in them (both high voltage and filament, as well as some for the control circuitry. With a power screwdriver, you usually can reduce a microwave oven to sheet metal and electronics in minutes. Many older laser printers and copiers have hefty transformers as well. One instance I'm aware of was a big Panasonic laser printer that used a large 220V power transformer to supply the various electronics. It was, in turn fed by a 120V-to-220V step-up transformer, equally large. Strange, but useful. Many old laser printers are full of ZIP memory, interesting CPUs (68xxx, NS32016, PPC). Definitely worth looking into--generally you can tell by the weight of the unit what sort of power supply it uses. --Chuck

I asusme you meain 'in series with the primary'. Yes, you can, assuming you cna stil lget filament lamps [1]. You want a fair-sized currnt thuugh, and because you only use the degauser for short periods, it doesn't amtter if the coil would overheat if left on continuously (most small commercial degausers of the type solde for bulk-eraisng home audio and video tapes suffer from this too). I think th average domestic lamp bulb will nto pass enough currnt. [1] As you probably know, ever more types are being banned. It's things like this, and the RoHS and WEEE directives that have caused me to claim to be 'magenta' which is, of course, anti-green :-) -tony

On 7 Sep 2011 at 21:22, Tony Duell wrote: After a time, it simply becomes uneconomical to operate one, compared to a modern laser printer. Take, for example, the Panasonic KX- P4451, fairly representative of these old beasts. Circa 1990, uses a massive print engine that was also shared with their plain-paper faxes and compiers. 13 PPM, Appletalk interface as well as the usual serial and parallel. Nice printer, but the separate toner, OPC drum, developer and ozone filter units will set you back a lot now per copy- -assuming you can find a functioning OPC unit (they do have a shelf life). Why bother when you can buy a Brother desktop laser that costs almost nothing to refill, runs just as fast and even has ethernet connectivity? And printers appear to have very little collector value, judging from the units I can't even give away. For big jobs, I like my Xerox Docuprint.; can duplex-print 11x17" paper, can be operated remotely and even accepts a hard disk for job spooling. Since an extra kit came with it, I'll probably be using it 10 years from now. If anyone wants a perfectly operable Panasonic KX-P4455 (postscript) printer, they're welcome to it for shipping (it's heavy, so shipping will cost a small fortune). --Chuck

Tony, I have a pair of HP Laserjet printers. A 4 Plus (EX+ engine) and a brand new 1102W, USB, Wireless et al. My HP4+ is a workhorse. Some 500.000 pages and 10 years after, it is STILL going strong - gasp - WITHOUT NEED OF A N Y MAINTENANCE. When I got it with some 130000 pages printed, I disassembled everything and truly remanufactured the printer. This is my "xod?" (a thing you like too much, like your girlfriend or mother, but an object). BUT I just got this 1102, and it works like a charm. I already disassembled one, and there aren't much parts to break. Although it is almost everything plastic, I **truly believe** this printer will outlast the HP4 with lots of advantages. Time will see. When something fails sunday afternoon, I just fix it, whatever it is. Or take the file into a pendrive and print it on the local copy shop. Some people sees it as a reason :oP

On 8 Sep 2011 at 21:03, Tony Duell wrote: Space is money. And lots of unused bulky stuff makes me uneasy. I keep thinking about the scenario of me dropping dead tomorrow (a friend who's quite a bit younger than I did just that over last weekend) leaving my widow to dispose of this stuff. I know her-- she'll pay someone to pull up two big trucks. One will be hauling a big dumpster; the other will haul a trailer heading for the local electronics recycler. I just can't do that to her, sorry. Someone wants this stuff, they can come and get it or have it shipped. Otherwise, I'll salvage the interesting bits and dispose of the rest. What, you've found a 1403? I'm not convinced of that--it's only 300 DPI, and requires special (expensive) supplies and is incredibly messy to refill (the toner is loose in a bottle and is dumped into a compartment when refilling. Gloves are included--and required). Better than the old wet-process printers, but not something I care to fool with. --Chuck

On 9 Sep 2011 at 18:43, Tony Duell wrote: Try to follow my reasoning here. 1. The printer's old; it's not unique nor does it do the job better than anything else I've got. 2. Having it sit in a corner of the shop means that it'll gather dust and take up space that might be better applied to something really useful. 3. I'm aware of my own mortality. Gambling that some day, someone would want it is a very long shot. I've had (IMOHO) more historically-important printers (e.g. Diablo daisy wheels) that have taken me years to give away for the price of shipping. And even then, given the amount of time put into packaging and hauling the thing around, it's a net loss. 4. Since nobody's willing to take it (and I've offered it in FreeCycle and Craigslist), it's probably worth more as parts. There's a lot of ZIP DRAM in there that just might interest an Amigaphile, a CPU, EPROMs galore, various nice mechanical parts, motors, transformers, etc. Taking it down to the local federally- subsidized recycling center would guarantee that it would be judged to be only worth its scrap metals value, so by tearing it to pieces, I'm actually putting it to a higher use. Sitting in a corner collecting dust isn't useful. 5. There are other things that I would like to have, that have some sentimental attachment to me. I'd love a Durango Poppy II, as I was part of the development team, for example. I still have engineering documents and disks that work with it. 6. I suppose that to someone who collects old clothes, throwing out old underwear is a sacrilege. But I don't and old underwear is just that. BHU for it is rags for paper production. I don't begrudge the scrappers one bit, as long as they practice their art in an environmentally responsible way. Some actually make some money by scavenging parts before turning the rest over to the refinery. For example, what's an old kitchen cooker worth? Not much at the local landfill or scrapyard, but scrounge the clock and a few other bits, you could actually make some money from it. I wish the scavenge and salvage approach extended to more of our lives. Poor dead uncle Jasper's body should be scavenged for parts that can do others some good. As uncle Jasper's nephew, his corpse may have sentimental value, but there's no reason to waste it by burying it or burning it. Better his bits and pieces should go to a better use. Give his eyes and organs to those who could benefit; boil his bones to make toothbrush handles; use the rest as fertilizer or food for wildlife. --Chuck

On 9/6/11 10:31 AM, Fred Cisin wrote: How would you define the size and format of the sector being written?

On Tue, 6 Sep 2011, jim s wrote: For hard drives, probaby. For looking at alien FLOPPIES, I don't want ABSTRACTION past cylinder, head, and sector! I wouldn't know. IDE is based on ST506/412, with its INT13h access. But, whatever works for you! -- Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin at xenosoft.com

On 9/6/11 2:06 PM, Fred Cisin wrote: This reminded me to ask, did anyone write a DOS driver that could interpret floppy disk images on a DOS device?