3 Jan
2017
3 Jan
'17
5:04 p.m.
I am looking for schematics or any documentation for the LA180
interface for the PDP8/e. A scan would be great. I want to see if I
can use it to interface to a Centronics interface printer.
-chuck
3 Jan
3 Jan
7:55 p.m.
On Tue, Jan 3, 2017 at 8:04 PM, Charles Dickman <chd at chdickman.com> wrote:
I am looking for schematics or any documentation for
the LA180
interface for the PDP8/e. A scan would be great. I want to see if I
can use it to interface to a Centronics interface printer.
I don't have the schematics (I do have an LC8-P somewhere), but I
remember back in the day, people wanted to go the other way - feed a
PC printer w/Centronics interface from a DEC interface.
There some discussion of this here...
http://www.verycomputer.com/7_6d5ee14552657121_1.htm
I don't know if Berg pin S on the LC8-P is a mode select like it is on
an LP11/LPV11 (perhaps the LC8-P doesn't switch modes), but it
shouldn't be hard to trace that out. The data and handshake lines
should be at the same positions or the LC8-P wouldn't be able drive an
LA-180.
-ethan
4 Jan
4 Jan
4:08 a.m.
On Tue, 3 Jan 2017, Ethan Dicks wrote:
On Tue, Jan 3, 2017 at 8:04 PM, Charles Dickman
<chd at chdickman.com> wrote:
It's not the other way, it's the same way ;-) (attatching a Centronics/PC
printer to a DEC interface)
Christian
I am looking for schematics or any documentation
for the LA180
interface for the PDP8/e. A scan would be great. I want to see if I
can use it to interface to a Centronics interface printer.
I don't have the schematics (I do have an LC8-P somewhere), but I
remember back in the day, people wanted to go the other way - feed a
PC printer w/Centronics interface from a DEC interface.
7:07 a.m.
On Wed, Jan 4, 2017 at 7:08 AM, Christian Corti
<cc at informatik.uni-stuttgart.de> wrote:
On Tue, 3 Jan 2017, Ethan Dicks wrote:
Ah, yes... I was thinking about a Usenet article from long ago
describing the other way.
Enjoy!
-ethan
On Tue, Jan 3, 2017 at 8:04 PM, Charles Dickman <chd at chdickman.com> wrote:
It's not the other way, it's the same way ;-) (attatching a Centronics/PC
printer to a DEC interface) I want to see if I can use it to interface to a
Centronics interface printer.
... but I remember back in the day, people wanted to go the other way - feed a
PC printer w/Centronics interface from a DEC interface.
12:39 p.m.
On Wed, Jan 4, 2017 at 7:08 AM, Christian Corti
<cc at informatik.uni-stuttgart.de> wrote:
On Tue, 3 Jan 2017, Ethan Dicks wrote:
Yes, I want to connected an OKIDATA Microline82A to the PDP8/e.
Looking at the LA180 manual's description of the LC8-P interface, it
is pretty close to Centronics. I expect it is more than just a cable,
though, because there is also an OMNIBUS Centronics printer interface
board (LS8-E). That schematic is on bitsavers.
I also have an LE8-E (M841), but that only provides 7 data bits to the printer.
-chuck
On Tue, Jan 3, 2017 at 8:04 PM, Charles Dickman <chd at chdickman.com> wrote:
It's not the other way, it's the same way ;-) (attatching a Centronics/PC
printer to a DEC interface)
I am looking for schematics or any documentation for the LA180
interface for the PDP8/e. A scan would be great. I want to see if I
can use it to interface to a Centronics interface printer.
I don't have the schematics (I do have an LC8-P somewhere), but I
remember back in the day, people wanted to go the other way - feed a
PC printer w/Centronics interface from a DEC interface. 
5 Jan
5 Jan
7:15 a.m.
Is this the printset you are looking for?
https://imgur.com/a/4uDS4
https://imgur.com/a/mDvhD
Sorry for top-posting. I hope the links are ok. Posting from the phone...
onsdag 4 januari 2017 skrev Charles Dickman <chd at chdickman.com>:
On Wed, Jan 4, 2017 at 7:08 AM, Christian Corti
<cc at informatik.uni-stuttgart.de <javascript:;>> wrote:
It's not the other way, it's the same way ;-) (attatching a Centronics/PC
printer to a DEC interface)
Yes, I want to connected an OKIDATA Microline82A to the PDP8/e.
Looking at the LA180 manual's description of the LC8-P interface, it
is pretty close to Centronics. I expect it is more than just a cable,
though, because there is also an OMNIBUS Centronics printer interface
board (LS8-E). That schematic is on bitsavers.
I also have an LE8-E (M841), but that only provides 7 data bits to the
printer.
-chuck
On Tue, 3 Jan 2017, Ethan Dicks wrote:
>
> On Tue, Jan 3, 2017 at 8:04 PM, Charles Dickman <chd at chdickman.com
<javascript:;>> wrote:
I am looking for schematics or any documentation for the LA180
interface for the PDP8/e. A scan would be great. I want to see if I
can use it to interface to a Centronics interface printer.
I don't have the schematics (I do have an LC8-P somewhere), but I
remember back in the day, people wanted to go the other way - feed a
PC printer w/Centronics interface from a DEC interface.
10:03 a.m.
On Thu, Jan 5, 2017 at 10:15 AM, Mattis Lind <mattislind at gmail.com> wrote:
Is this the printset you are looking for?
https://imgur.com/a/4uDS4
https://imgur.com/a/mDvhD
Sorry for top-posting. I hope the links are ok. Posting from the phone...
Yes! That looks like it.
Thanks,
-chuck
10:37 a.m.
On Thu, Jan 5, 2017 at 1:03 PM, Charles Dickman <chd at chdickman.com> wrote:
On Thu, Jan 5, 2017 at 10:15 AM, Mattis Lind
<mattislind at gmail.com> wrote:
> Is this the printset you are looking for?
>
> https://imgur.com/a/4uDS4
Ah... MP-00075... I didn't see it on Bitsavers and Manx says "No
copies are known to be online"
http://manx-docs.org/details.php/1,6163
Nice.
Yes! That looks like it.
Looks like it's 7 bits (D5-D11 -> P01-P07).
-ethan
10:47 a.m.
On Thu, Jan 5, 2017 at 1:37 PM, Ethan Dicks <ethan.dicks at gmail.com> wrote:
On Thu, Jan 5, 2017 at 1:03 PM, Charles Dickman
<chd at chdickman.com> wrote:
> On Thu, Jan 5, 2017 at 10:15 AM, Mattis Lind <mattislind at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Is this the printset you are looking for?
>>
>> https://imgur.com/a/4uDS4
Looks like it's 7 bits (D5-D11 -> P01-P07).
I noticed that when looking at the board last night. The OS/8 printer
handlers mask to 7 bits also. But its ASCII right, so that all you
should ever need.
-chuck
1:38 p.m.
2017-01-05 19:37 GMT+01:00 Ethan Dicks <ethan.dicks at gmail.com>:
On Thu, Jan 5, 2017 at 1:03 PM, Charles Dickman
<chd at chdickman.com> wrote:
OK. I'll bring it home and will scan it sometime next week.
/Mattis
On Thu, Jan 5, 2017 at 10:15 AM, Mattis Lind
<mattislind at gmail.com>
wrote:
> Is this the printset you are looking for?
>
> https://imgur.com/a/4uDS4
Ah... MP-00075... I didn't see it on Bitsavers and Manx says "No
copies are known to be online"
http://manx-docs.org/details.php/1,6163
Nice.
Yes! That looks like it.
Looks like it's 7 bits (D5-D11 -> P01-P07).
-ethan
10:02 a.m.
Dave I have one if you want to borrow mine for comparison purposes
Bill Degnan
twitter: billdeg
vintagecomputer.net
On Jan 19, 2017 12:28 PM, "David Gesswein" <djg at pdp8online.com> wrote:
On Thu, Jan 05, 2017 at 10:38:41PM +0100, Mattis Lind
wrote:
OK. I'll bring it home and will scan it sometime next week.
/Mattis
Did you get time to scan it yet?
10:07 a.m.
torsdag 19 januari 2017 skrev David Gesswein <djg at pdp8online.com>:
On Thu, Jan 05, 2017 at 10:38:41PM +0100, Mattis Lind
wrote:
Sorry. Not yet. Too much at work. I make a try tomorrow. I don't have an
A3 scanner home so I need to handle it at work.
/Mattis
OK. I'll bring it home and will scan it sometime next week.
/Mattis
Did you get time to scan it yet?
10:12 a.m.
On Thu, Jan 19, 2017 at 12:27 PM, David Gesswein <djg at pdp8online.com> wrote:
On Thu, Jan 05, 2017 at 10:38:41PM +0100, Mattis Lind
wrote:
With the single page that Mattis did provide, I was able to connect a
Centronics interface printer to the M8365. I added the interconnect
cable wiring to my web pages (which are currently down). I expected to
need some glue logic between the two, but this board has a STB L
signal that is a fixed length pulse. The printer ACK L connects to
DEMAND to set the printer flag. The printer flag doesn't get set
before the first character, but the handler assumes the flag is set on
entry. It strobes the character and then waits for the flag to get set
by ACK L, so it just works.
Chuck
OK. I'll bring it home and will scan it sometime next week.
/Mattis
Did you get time to scan it yet? 
10:18 a.m.
Speaking of the LA-180 has anyone noticed the note in the PDP8A manual:
"The General-Purpose Parallel I/O on the D etch revision
of the M8316 module can be used as an interface for the
LA 180. Data to the LA I80 must be supplied in com-
plemented form. The IOTs are different from the LA8
interface designed for the LA 180. A BC80-A cable, avail-
able from DIGITAL, must be used to connect the General-
Purpose Parallel I/O to the LA 180.
Does OS8 know how to handle this way of interfacing a printer?
Marc
On Thu, Jan 19, 2017 at 9:27 AM, David Gesswein <djg at pdp8online.com> wrote:
On Thu, Jan 05, 2017 at 10:38:41PM +0100, Mattis Lind
wrote:
OK. I'll bring it home and will scan it sometime next week.
/Mattis
Did you get time to scan it yet?
3:55 p.m.
On Thu, Jan 19, 2017 at 1:18 PM, Marc Howard <cramcram at gmail.com> wrote:
Speaking of the LA-180 has anyone noticed the note in
the PDP8A manual:
"The General-Purpose Parallel I/O on the D etch revision
of the M8316 module can be used as an interface for the
LA 180. Data to the LA I80 must be supplied in com-
plemented form. The IOTs are different from the LA8
interface designed for the LA 180. A BC80-A cable, avail-
able from DIGITAL, must be used to connect the General-
Purpose Parallel I/O to the LA 180.
Does OS8 know how to handle this way of interfacing a printer?
LPSV.PA has a compile time switch for LA180 and it includes a
complement before and after the character is written to the printer
buffer. I believe that some versions of SET have the capability of
modifying LPSV.BN to work with the LA180 at runtime. It is also
possible to use SET to modify the instructions directly.
Interestingly, the LPSV handler only contains two printer IOTs: one to
write the character and one to check the printer flag.
-chuck
20 Jan
20 Jan
5 a.m.
2017-01-19 18:27 GMT+01:00 David Gesswein <djg at pdp8online.com>:
On Thu, Jan 05, 2017 at 10:38:41PM +0100, Mattis Lind
wrote:
Finally I managed to scan it correctly.
It is the MP00075 which does not seem to be online.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-rp4vyPPYu1VjF1ZXJpSVBTZ1JBelFYMjRDR2VtY…
OK. I'll bring it home and will scan it sometime next week.
/Mattis
Did you get time to scan it yet?
6:33 a.m.
2017-01-20 14:00 GMT+01:00 Mattis Lind <mattislind at gmail.com>:
2017-01-19 18:27 GMT+01:00 David Gesswein <djg at pdp8online.com>:
So I also scanned another document which I didn't find online, the LC8-L
parallell control for LA30-P,
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-rp4vyPPYu1dXNsUUl3Rmc0ZjRkdXc1ZllDdzlRX…
BTW. If someone wants a real LA180 to connect with their PDP-8/e I have two
in decent shape. Big and bulky, yes. Difficult and expensive to ship, yes.
But it is a Decprinter I ! Trade for something interesting...
/Mattis
On Thu, Jan 05, 2017 at 10:38:41PM +0100, Mattis
Lind wrote:
Finally I managed to scan it correctly.
It is the MP00075 which does not seem to be online.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-rp4vyPPYu1VjF1ZXJpSVBTZ1JBelFY
MjRDR2VtYVRfSWw0
OK. I'll bring it home and will scan it sometime next week.
/Mattis
Did you get time to scan it yet?
29 Jan
29 Jan
4:42 p.m.
New subject: ODEC/ Data 100/ LC8-P (M8365) PDP8 printer interface schematics
On Fri, Jan 20, 2017 at 02:00:55PM +0100, Mattis Lind wrote:
Finally I managed to scan it correctly.
It is the MP00075 which does not seem to be online.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-rp4vyPPYu1VjF1ZXJpSVBTZ1JBelFYMjRDR2VtY…
Thanks. Now have my ODEC/Data 100 model 1422 chain printer working with my 8/E.
Anybody heard of that company or familiar with the printer? It seems to have
changed name from ODEC to Data 100 at time time. Was located in Warwick
Rhode Island.
Earlier model but similar http://www.dvq.com/ads/acm/odec_acm_72.pdf
Based on the little information found online it looks like this wasn't the most
popular printer.
I have the manual for it but my printer is 1975 and the manual is 1978 and
possibly for model 1423. A number of boards don't match what I have in my
printer. Anybody have earlier or 1422 manual?
8:27 p.m.
New subject: ODEC/ Data 100/ LC8-P (M8365) PDP8 printer interface schematics
On 01/29/2017 06:42 PM, David Gesswein wrote:
On Fri, Jan 20, 2017 at 02:00:55PM +0100, Mattis Lind
wrote:
I think we had an Odec chain printer that another group gave
us to use on our VAX. I hacked it up to shut off the chain
motor when it wasn't printing, and then restart it when
print data came in. It had a HORRIBLE habit of running the
ribbon off the track and crumpling the edges. It had some
bars with 45 degree angles that folded the ribbon over to
make a 90 degree change in direction to the reels. When the
ribbon was just a little used, it lost some stiffness and
started folding and rolling over the edges. Then the chain
would grab it and make a mess. Otherwise, it was a REALLY
nice printer.
Jon
Finally I managed to scan it correctly.
It is the MP00075 which does not seem to be online.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-rp4vyPPYu1VjF1ZXJpSVBTZ1JBelFYMjRDR2VtY…
Thanks. Now have my ODEC/Data 100 model 1422 chain printer working with my 8/E.
Anybody heard of that company or familiar with the printer? It seems to have
changed name from ODEC to Data 100 at time time. Was located in Warwick
Rhode Island.
Earlier model but similar http://www.dvq.com/ads/acm/odec_acm_72.pdf
30 Jan
30 Jan
7:28 a.m.
New subject: ODEC/ Data 100/ LC8-P (M8365) PDP8 printer interface schematics
On 01/29/2017 10:27 PM, Jon Elson wrote:
I think we had an Odec chain printer that
another group
gave us to use on our VAX. I hacked it up to shut off the
chain motor when it wasn't printing, and then restart it
when print data came in. It had a HORRIBLE habit of
running the ribbon off the track and crumpling the edges.
It had some bars with 45 degree angles that folded the
ribbon over to make a 90 degree change in direction to the
reels. When the ribbon was just a little used, it lost
some stiffness and started folding and rolling over the
edges. Then the chain would grab it and make a mess.
Otherwise, it was a REALLY nice printer.
Yes, I looked up a picture online, and I am pretty sure the
thing we had was indeed an Odec like in the brochure. If it
hadn't been for that horrible ribbon mechanism, it would
have been a REALLY good printer. You can just barely make
out the ribbon path in the picture with the gate folded open.
Jon
31 Jan
31 Jan
4:45 a.m.
New subject: ODEC/ Data 100/ LC8-P (M8365) PDP8 printer interface schematics
On Sun, Jan 29, 2017 at 10:27:49PM -0600, Jon Elson wrote:
I think
we had an Odec chain printer that another group gave us to
use on our VAX. I hacked it up to shut off the chain motor when it
wasn't printing, and then restart it when print data came in.
Mine has a switch to select that and control codes to turn it off and on.
It
had a HORRIBLE habit of running the ribbon off the track and
crumpling the edges. It had some bars with 45 degree angles that
folded the ribbon over to make a 90 degree change in direction to
the reels. When the ribbon was just a little used, it lost some
stiffness and started folding and rolling over the edges. Then the
chain would grab it and make a mess. Otherwise, it was a REALLY
nice printer.
Mine has the same path. The manual has a procedure for adjusting the guides
for ribbon foldover problems. It came with multistrike film ribbons so
hopefully they won't be a pain. Looks like they used 35mm film reels for
the ribbon. Were you using normal inked cloth? Good to know its a nice
printer otherwise. Pretty slow for a chain printer, only 125 LPM. Haven't
figured out if its a real difference or board jumpers between it and the
1423 200 LPM.
9:14 a.m.
New subject: ODEC/ Data 100/ LC8-P (M8365) PDP8 printer interface schematics
On 01/31/2017 06:45 AM, David Gesswein wrote:
Mine
has the same path. The manual has a procedure for adjusting the guides
for ribbon foldover problems. It came with multistrike film ribbons so
hopefully they won't be a pain. Looks like they used 35mm film reels for
the ribbon. Were you using normal inked cloth? Yes, inked cloth ribbons. They were
cheap, but ran properly
for a short time before they started skewing. You could
either replace the ribbon after 1/10th of the print life was
exhausted or keep fiddling with the tracking to try to get
to 50% usage.
At home I had a HUGE Honeywell 300 LPM drum printer with a
weird character set and a totally nonstandard interface.
it also used a folded ribbon scheme, with 2" wide ribbons.
That one NEVER had ribbon tracking issues, you could run the
ribbon until you could see through it, and it still tracked
fine. I never knew WHY the tracking on the Odec was so
finicky. Possibly just we were using crummy ribbons that
were not made with the right cloth. I don't think we ever
bought ribbons for it, the people who gave it to us gave us
a box of new ribbons.
On Sun, Jan 29, 2017 at 10:27:49PM -0600, Jon Elson
wrote:
I
seem to remember it turned out VERY easy to do this. I'm
guessing my unit had control codes, but we didn't want to
hack the VAX software, so I rigged a one-shot to do it instead.
I think we had an Odec chain printer that another
group gave us to
use on our VAX. I hacked it up to shut off the chain motor when it
wasn't printing, and then restart it when print data came in.
Mine has a switch to select that and control codes to turn it off and on. Good to know its a nice
printer otherwise. Pretty slow for a chain printer, only 125 LPM. Haven't
figured out if its a real difference or board jumpers between it and the
1423 200 LPM.
OK, ours was also slow, but it had lower and upper case. I
suspect a different chain with upper case only would print
twice as fast.
Jon
3 Jan
3 Jan
8:54 p.m.
If you can't find them, I'll look Sunday. I'll be out of town for a few
days.
Paul
On Tue, Jan 3, 2017 at 7:04 PM, Charles Dickman <chd at chdickman.com> wrote:
I am looking for schematics or any documentation for
the LA180
interface for the PDP8/e. A scan would be great. I want to see if I
can use it to interface to a Centronics interface printer.
-chuck
2665
days inactive
2692
days old
24 comments
9 participants
participants (9)
-
billdegnan＠gmail.com -
cc＠informatik.uni-stuttgart.de -
chd＠chdickman.com -
cramcram＠gmail.com -
djg＠pdp8online.com -
elson＠pico-systems.com -
ethan.dicks＠gmail.com -
mattislind＠gmail.com -
useddec＠gmail.com