14 Jul
2005
14 Jul
'05
7:34 p.m.
I'd posted here a while ago looking for info on a Tally 420PR tape
punch and have built a driver board to interface it to a PDP-8A.
But there is a problem with consistent punching/feeding (the
result is often a longitudinal tear instead of holes) even with
the pulse widths set to the recommended 4.5 ms +- 0.5 ms, -24
volts, and the feed mechanism intermittently binds up too.
Currently I'm running it with only the sprocket and feed drivers
hooked up, and simulated punch commands from a 555 timer, so the
result should be continuously feeding tape with just sprocket
holes punched in it.
I suspect the problem is that the feed pulse starts immediately on
the falling edge of the punch pulse, so the pin hasn't cleared the
tape as the feed mechanism starts to move. It also tends to stick
in that position with the tape not moving (you can hear the
solenoids buzzing but the feed sprocket is not moving until
tweaked backwards a few degrees by hand). According to the
schematic, the escapement solenoid (which allows the tape to feed
one row per pulse) is supposed to be actuated internally by
contacts on the feed solenoid so there shouldn't be a timing issue
there.
Does anyone have more info on this punch model, or experience with
these asynchronous mechanisms in general? Is there a requirement
for a delay between punching the holes and pulsing the feed
solenoid? How long does it take for the pins to move up or down
after drive is applied/removed?
thanks
Charles
14 Jul
14 Jul
8:43 p.m.
New subject: Rescued: Data General Nova Boards
Hi, I was at my local uni surplus today (UC Santa Barbara) and found, buried
in a bin of random industrial parts from the chem lab, some Data General Nova
boards. Here's what I found, if anyone would like to help me identify them
further:
These boards are 15 x 15 inches:
107-000187-12X Disk Cartridge Controller, DGC Nova
107-000007-02 DGC Nova Extender Board (quantity 2, one with gouged traces)
107-000055-03 DGC D-A Converter Scope Control Card Reader
107-000054-02 DGC General Purpose Interface
107-000151-17-16 DGC Nova Cassette I/O
107-000094-00 DG Nova Compatible Wiring Board (quantity 2)
D-10632-01 Data Channel Linc Tape, CO3000N Option 008
The wiring boards look to be prototyping boards, they are half filled with
soldered sockets and hand-wired components.
These boards are 6.5 x 3.25 inches, and have no obvious plug connectors:
107-000008-01 DGC (no other writing, quantity 2)
These look like prototyping boards also, with rows for sockets and wire wrap
posts on either side. Each has different components wired up.
I don't have any DG stuff, and it's unlikely I'm going to acquire one in the
near future (still working on my Sun 2/120), so eventually these will go to
someone else. I'll be leaving Sunday on a trip until Aug 10th, but I'll try
to take some photos of the boards tomorrow or Saturday (if anyone is
interested in them).
Jeff
15 Jul
15 Jul
1:16 a.m.
New subject: Rescued: Data General Nova Boards
G'day Jeff -
Our our expanding Data General museum has been promised a Nova 2 system that
is currently in Mexico which
has a COI Linctape system. The computer was working until several years ago
in a production control facility, and the
D-10632 board might be just the thing to help us restore this promised COI
unit.
Bruce
bkr at WildHareComputers.com
...preserving the Data General legacy: www.NovasAreForever.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Davis" <jdaviscl2 at soupwizard.com>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2005 9:43 PM
Subject: Rescued: Data General Nova Boards
Hi, I was at my local uni surplus today (UC Santa
Barbara) and found,
buried
in a bin of random industrial parts from the chem lab,
some Data General
Nova
boards. Here's what I found, if anyone would like
to help me identify
them
further:
These boards are 15 x 15 inches:
107-000187-12X Disk Cartridge Controller, DGC Nova
107-000007-02 DGC Nova Extender Board (quantity 2, one with gouged
traces)
107-000055-03 DGC D-A Converter Scope Control Card
Reader
107-000054-02 DGC General Purpose Interface
107-000151-17-16 DGC Nova Cassette I/O
107-000094-00 DG Nova Compatible Wiring Board (quantity 2)
D-10632-01 Data Channel Linc Tape, CO3000N Option 008
The wiring boards look to be prototyping boards, they are half filled with
soldered sockets and hand-wired components.
These boards are 6.5 x 3.25 inches, and have no obvious plug connectors:
107-000008-01 DGC (no other writing, quantity 2)
These look like prototyping boards also, with rows for sockets and wire
wrap
posts on either side. Each has different components
wired up.
I don't have any DG stuff, and it's unlikely I'm going to acquire one in
the
near future (still working on my Sun 2/120), so
eventually these will go
to
someone else. I'll be leaving Sunday on a trip
until Aug 10th, but I'll
try
to take some photos of the boards tomorrow or Saturday
(if anyone is
interested in them).
Jeff
7:27 p.m.
New subject: Rescued: Data General Nova Boards
Bruce wrote...
Our our expanding Data General museum has been
promised a Nova 2 system
that
is currently in Mexico which
has a COI Linctape system. The computer was working until several years
ago
in a production control facility, and the
D-10632 board might be just the thing to help us restore this promised COI
unit.
You got the whole system with linctape drive and the controller is missing?
*GRIN* I'm just kidding around. Like I said, I doubt seriously I'd ever put
my linctape on the DG.
Now, what I'd really like to find is a paper tape reader, 8" floppy drive,
or ET-style dasher terminal. THOSE would really help complete my DG setup :)
Jay
2:17 p.m.
New subject: Rescued: Data General Nova Boards
For what it's worth, I would be interested in at least the 107-000187-12X
Disk Cartridge Controller.
I have been trying to get a Nova 3 & 6045 Disk system together for years so
the Disk controller would be a great start.
,George Wiegand
ICS at Core.com
These boards are 15 x 15 inches:
107-000187-12X Disk Cartridge Controller, DGC Nova
107-000007-02 DGC Nova Extender Board (quantity 2, one with gouged
traces)
107-000055-03 DGC D-A Converter Scope Control Card
Reader
107-000054-02 DGC General Purpose Interface
107-000151-17-16 DGC Nova Cassette I/O
107-000094-00 DG Nova Compatible Wiring Board (quantity 2)
D-10632-01 Data Channel Linc Tape, CO3000N Option 008
The wiring boards look to be prototyping boards, they are half filled with
soldered sockets and hand-wired components.
These boards are 6.5 x 3.25 inches, and have no obvious plug connectors:
107-000008-01 DGC (no other writing, quantity 2)
These look like prototyping boards also, with rows for sockets and wire
wrap
posts on either side. Each has different components
wired up.
I don't have any DG stuff, and it's unlikely I'm going to acquire one in
the
near future (still working on my Sun 2/120), so
eventually these will go
to
someone else. I'll be leaving Sunday on a trip
until Aug 10th, but I'll
try
to take some photos of the boards tomorrow or Saturday
(if anyone is
interested in them).
Jeff
_____________________________________________________
This message scanned for viruses by CoreComm
3:59 p.m.
New subject: Rescued: Data General Nova Boards
Jeff, I guess you did not see any Novas or big blue model 6045 hard Drives?
,George
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Davis" <jdaviscl2 at soupwizard.com>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2005 11:43 PM
Subject: Rescued: Data General Nova Boards
Hi, I was at my local uni surplus today (UC Santa
Barbara) and found,
buried
in a bin of random industrial parts from the chem lab,
some Data General
Nova
boards. Here's what I found, if anyone would like
to help me identify
them
further:
These boards are 15 x 15 inches:
107-000187-12X Disk Cartridge Controller, DGC Nova
107-000007-02 DGC Nova Extender Board (quantity 2, one with gouged
traces)
107-000055-03 DGC D-A Converter Scope Control Card
Reader
107-000054-02 DGC General Purpose Interface
107-000151-17-16 DGC Nova Cassette I/O
107-000094-00 DG Nova Compatible Wiring Board (quantity 2)
D-10632-01 Data Channel Linc Tape, CO3000N Option 008
The wiring boards look to be prototyping boards, they are half filled with
soldered sockets and hand-wired components.
These boards are 6.5 x 3.25 inches, and have no obvious plug connectors:
107-000008-01 DGC (no other writing, quantity 2)
These look like prototyping boards also, with rows for sockets and wire
wrap
posts on either side. Each has different components
wired up.
I don't have any DG stuff, and it's unlikely I'm going to acquire one in
the
near future (still working on my Sun 2/120), so
eventually these will go
to
someone else. I'll be leaving Sunday on a trip
until Aug 10th, but I'll
try
to take some photos of the boards tomorrow or Saturday
(if anyone is
interested in them).
Jeff
_____________________________________________________
This message scanned for viruses by CoreComm
7:19 p.m.
New subject: Rescued: Data General Nova Boards
Jeff wrote....
107-000187-12X Disk Cartridge Controller, DGC Nova
107-000007-02 DGC Nova Extender Board (quantity 2, one with gouged
traces)
107-000055-03 DGC D-A Converter Scope Control Card Reader
107-000054-02 DGC General Purpose Interface
107-000151-17-16 DGC Nova Cassette I/O
107-000094-00 DG Nova Compatible Wiring Board (quantity 2)
D-10632-01 Data Channel Linc Tape, CO3000N Option 008
107-000008-01 DGC (no other writing, quantity 2)
I'd be interested in all of these except for the D-A converter and the
CO3000N. I have no intent to ever put the linctape on the DG, I have plenty
of 1/2 mag tape drives for them already. If someone needs the above boards
to get a system up, by all means give them precendence. I'm just looking for
spares.
Jay West
18 Jul
18 Jul
2:03 p.m.
New subject: Rescued: Data General Nova Boards
Ok, I received a few interested responses, so I set the boards aside somewhere
safe until I get back from my trip. Will figure out who gets what in 3 weeks
or so.
And, to answer a common question, there were no other DG parts or chassis
there. I'll have a friend who frequents the surplus store ask around and see
if he can find out if there still is a DG on campus. I suspect these were
either spares or pulled from the DG when it was scrapped some time ago, and
they were found when cleaning out a storage room (based on the types of stuff
I found in the same bin the boards came from).
If I'm wrong, maybe we'll get lucky and the chassis or drives will show up in
this week's surplus drop-off (and that my friend will spot it).
Jeff
Hi, I was at my local uni surplus today (UC Santa
Barbara) and found, buried
in a bin of random industrial parts from the chem lab, some Data General Nova
boards. Here's what I found, if anyone would like to help me identify them
further:
These boards are 15 x 15 inches:
107-000187-12X Disk Cartridge Controller, DGC Nova
107-000007-02 DGC Nova Extender Board (quantity 2, one with gouged traces)
107-000055-03 DGC D-A Converter Scope Control Card Reader
107-000054-02 DGC General Purpose Interface
107-000151-17-16 DGC Nova Cassette I/O
107-000094-00 DG Nova Compatible Wiring Board (quantity 2)
D-10632-01 Data Channel Linc Tape, CO3000N Option 008
The wiring boards look to be prototyping boards, they are half filled with
soldered sockets and hand-wired components.
These boards are 6.5 x 3.25 inches, and have no obvious plug connectors:
107-000008-01 DGC (no other writing, quantity 2)
These look like prototyping boards also, with rows for sockets and wire wrap
posts on either side. Each has different components wired up.
I don't have any DG stuff, and it's unlikely I'm going to acquire one in the
near future (still working on my Sun 2/120), so eventually these will go to
someone else. I'll be leaving Sunday on a trip until Aug 10th, but I'll try
to take some photos of the boards tomorrow or Saturday (if anyone is
interested in them).
Jeff
27 Aug
27 Aug
1:51 p.m.
New subject: Rescued: Data General Nova Boards
Hi Jeff,
Just wondering what happened to the DG boards.
Thanks,
,George Wiegand
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Davis" <jdaviscl2 at soupwizard.com>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Monday, July 18, 2005 5:03 PM
Subject: Re: Rescued: Data General Nova Boards
Ok, I received a few interested responses, so I set
the boards aside
somewhere
safe until I get back from my trip. Will figure out
who gets what in 3
weeks
or so.
And, to answer a common question, there were no other DG parts or chassis
there. I'll have a friend who frequents the surplus store ask around and
see
if he can find out if there still is a DG on campus.
I suspect these were
either spares or pulled from the DG when it was scrapped some time ago,
and
they were found when cleaning out a storage room
(based on the types of
stuff
I found in the same bin the boards came from).
If I'm wrong, maybe we'll get lucky and the chassis or drives will show up
in
this week's surplus drop-off (and that my friend
will spot it).
Jeff
> Hi, I was at my local uni surplus today (UC Santa Barbara) and found,
buried
> in a bin of random industrial parts from the chem
lab, some Data General
Nova
> boards. Here's what I found, if anyone would
like to help me identify
them
> further:
>
> These boards are 15 x 15 inches:
>
> 107-000187-12X Disk Cartridge Controller, DGC Nova
> 107-000007-02 DGC Nova Extender Board (quantity 2, one with gouged
traces)
> 107-000055-03 DGC D-A Converter Scope Control
Card Reader
> 107-000054-02 DGC General Purpose Interface
> 107-000151-17-16 DGC Nova Cassette I/O
> 107-000094-00 DG Nova Compatible Wiring Board (quantity 2)
> D-10632-01 Data Channel Linc Tape, CO3000N Option 008
>
> The wiring boards look to be prototyping boards, they are half filled
with
> soldered sockets and hand-wired components.
>
> These boards are 6.5 x 3.25 inches, and have no obvious plug connectors:
>
> 107-000008-01 DGC (no other writing, quantity 2)
> These look like prototyping boards also, with rows for sockets and wire
wrap
> posts on either side. Each has different
components wired up.
>
> I don't have any DG stuff, and it's unlikely I'm going to acquire one in
the
> near future (still working on my Sun 2/120), so
eventually these will go
to
> someone else. I'll be leaving Sunday on a
trip until Aug 10th, but I'll
try
to take some
photos of the boards tomorrow or Saturday (if anyone is
interested in them).
Jeff
_____________________________________________________
This message scanned for viruses by CoreComm
6:56 p.m.
New subject: Rescued: Data General Nova Boards
All of you that emailed a while back about the DG Nova boards, don't worry, I
still have them. I got back last week from a long trip and haven't had time
to do anything with them. It'll probably be another couple of weeks before I
get to them, when I do I'll go back thru my email and see who wanted what and
figure that out.
Jeff
On Sat, August 27, 2005 1:51 pm, George Wiegand wrote:
...
Hi Jeff,
Just wondering what happened to the DG boards.
Thanks,
,George Wiegand
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Davis" <jdaviscl2 at soupwizard.com>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Monday, July 18, 2005 5:03 PM
Subject: Re: Rescued: Data General Nova Boards
...
>
> These boards are 15 x 15 inches:
>
> 107-000187-12X Disk Cartridge Controller, DGC Nova
> 107-000007-02 DGC Nova Extender Board (quantity 2, one with gouged
traces)
> 107-000055-03 DGC D-A Converter Scope
Control Card Reader
> 107-000054-02 DGC General Purpose Interface
> 107-000151-17-16 DGC Nova Cassette I/O
> 107-000094-00 DG Nova Compatible Wiring Board (quantity 2)
> D-10632-01 Data Channel Linc Tape, CO3000N Option 008
>
> The wiring boards look to be prototyping boards, they are half filled
with
> soldered sockets and hand-wired components.
>
> These boards are 6.5 x 3.25 inches, and have no obvious plug connectors:
>
> 107-000008-01 DGC (no other writing, quantity 2)
> These look like prototyping boards also, with rows for sockets and wire
wrap
> > posts on either side. Each has different components wired up.
> > 
23 Nov
23 Nov
8:37 a.m.
New subject: Rescued: Data General Nova Boards
Hi Jeff,
Did you ever send those DG boards to anyone?
If you did, could you give me their email address or name so that I can add
them to my DG reference list in case I need to contact them in the future?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Davis" <jdaviscl2 at soupwizard.com>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Monday, July 18, 2005 4:03 PM
Subject: Re: Rescued: Data General Nova Boards
Ok, I received a few interested responses, so I set
the boards aside
somewhere
safe until I get back from my trip. Will figure out
who gets what in 3
weeks
or so.
And, to answer a common question, there were no other DG parts or chassis
there. I'll have a friend who frequents the surplus store ask around and
see
if he can find out if there still is a DG on campus.
I suspect these were
either spares or pulled from the DG when it was scrapped some time ago,
and
they were found when cleaning out a storage room
(based on the types of
stuff
I found in the same bin the boards came from).
If I'm wrong, maybe we'll get lucky and the chassis or drives will show up
in
this week's surplus drop-off (and that my friend
will spot it).
Jeff
> Hi, I was at my local uni surplus today (UC Santa Barbara) and found,
buried
> in a bin of random industrial parts from the chem
lab, some Data General
Nova
> boards. Here's what I found, if anyone would
like to help me identify
them
> further:
>
> These boards are 15 x 15 inches:
>
> 107-000187-12X Disk Cartridge Controller, DGC Nova
> 107-000007-02 DGC Nova Extender Board (quantity 2, one with gouged
traces)
> 107-000055-03 DGC D-A Converter Scope Control
Card Reader
> 107-000054-02 DGC General Purpose Interface
> 107-000151-17-16 DGC Nova Cassette I/O
> 107-000094-00 DG Nova Compatible Wiring Board (quantity 2)
> D-10632-01 Data Channel Linc Tape, CO3000N Option 008
>
> The wiring boards look to be prototyping boards, they are half filled
with
> soldered sockets and hand-wired components.
>
> These boards are 6.5 x 3.25 inches, and have no obvious plug connectors:
>
> 107-000008-01 DGC (no other writing, quantity 2)
> These look like prototyping boards also, with rows for sockets and wire
wrap
> posts on either side. Each has different
components wired up.
>
> I don't have any DG stuff, and it's unlikely I'm going to acquire one in
the
> near future (still working on my Sun 2/120), so
eventually these will go
to
> someone else. I'll be leaving Sunday on a
trip until Aug 10th, but I'll
try
to take some
photos of the boards tomorrow or Saturday (if anyone is
interested in them).
Jeff
_____________________________________________________
This message scanned for viruses by CoreComm
2:13 p.m.
New subject: Rescued: Data General Nova Boards
All the DG Nova people (I left my list at home):
Yep, I still have them, they're in a box in the corner of my room (buried
behind other stuff), each wrapped in antistatic bags. Work and other projects
have prevented me from getting to them, but I have a 4 day holiday weekend
that I'm spending organizing my pile of computer parts into keep, sell, and
give away piles. With any luck, I'll get to Nova boards sometime over the
weekend. At the very least, I need to email the lucky recipients and
reconfirm what people need.
Jeff
On Wed, November 23, 2005 8:37 am, George Wiegand wrote:
Hi Jeff,
Did you ever send those DG boards to anyone?
If you did, could you give me their email address or name so that I can add
them to my DG reference list in case I need to contact them in the future?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Davis" <jdaviscl2 at soupwizard.com>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Monday, July 18, 2005 4:03 PM
Subject: Re: Rescued: Data General Nova Boards
Ok, I received a few interested responses, so I
set the boards aside
somewhere
safe until I get back from my trip. Will figure
out who gets what in 3
weeks
or so.
And, to answer a common question, there were no other DG parts or chassis
there. I'll have a friend who frequents the surplus store ask around and
see
if he can find out if there still is a DG on
campus. I suspect these were
either spares or pulled from the DG when it was scrapped some time ago,
and
they were found when cleaning out a storage room
(based on the types of
stuff
I found in the same bin the boards came from).
If I'm wrong, maybe we'll get lucky and the chassis or drives will show up
in
this week's surplus drop-off (and that my
friend will spot it).
Jeff
> Hi, I was at my local uni surplus today (UC Santa Barbara) and found,
buried
> in a bin of random industrial parts from the
chem lab, some Data General
Nova
> boards. Here's what I found, if anyone
would like to help me identify
them
> further:
>
> These boards are 15 x 15 inches:
>
> 107-000187-12X Disk Cartridge Controller, DGC Nova
> 107-000007-02 DGC Nova Extender Board (quantity 2, one with gouged
traces)
> 107-000055-03 DGC D-A Converter Scope
Control Card Reader
> 107-000054-02 DGC General Purpose Interface
> 107-000151-17-16 DGC Nova Cassette I/O
> 107-000094-00 DG Nova Compatible Wiring Board (quantity 2)
> D-10632-01 Data Channel Linc Tape, CO3000N Option 008
>
> The wiring boards look to be prototyping boards, they are half filled
with
> soldered sockets and hand-wired components.
>
> These boards are 6.5 x 3.25 inches, and have no obvious plug connectors:
>
> 107-000008-01 DGC (no other writing, quantity 2)
> These look like prototyping boards also, with rows for sockets and wire
wrap
> posts on either side. Each has different
components wired up.
>
> I don't have any DG stuff, and it's unlikely I'm going to acquire one in
the
> near future (still working on my Sun 2/120),
so eventually these will go
to
> someone else. I'll be leaving Sunday on
a trip until Aug 10th, but I'll
try
to take
some photos of the boards tomorrow or Saturday (if anyone is
interested in them).
Jeff
_____________________________________________________
This message scanned for viruses by CoreComm
15 Jul
15 Jul
4:50 p.m.
I'd posted here a while ago looking for info on a Tally 420PR tape
punch and have built a driver board to interface it to a PDP-8A.
But there is a problem with consistent punching/feeding (the
result is often a longitudinal tear instead of holes) even with
the pulse widths set to the recommended 4.5 ms +- 0.5 ms, -24
volts, and the feed mechanism intermittently binds up too.
Currently I'm running it with only the sprocket and feed drivers
hooked up, and simulated punch commands from a 555 timer, so the
result should be continuously feeding tape with just sprocket
holes punched in it.
From what I remember of this unit, the feed and punch
solenoids engage
clutches which then cause the apporpiate bits to move. If those
clutches
are held in engagement, the punch pins move up and down repeatedly, it's
not like a Facit 4070 where the solenoid moves the pin, and where the pin
would stay through the tape if the solenoid was kept engaged.
I think, therefore, that your problem must be mechanical. If the spocket
punch clutch engages late, the pin will be out of sync with the tape
motion. Maybe something is mechanically sticking. In any case I think you
need to strip things down, clean out the old lubricant, and check for this.
I suspect the problem is that the feed pulse starts immediately on
the falling edge of the punch pulse, so the pin hasn't cleared the
Why should it do this? Aren't you driving the 2 solenoids together at the
moment?
Is it possible that the back-emf spike from one of the solenoids is
causting thigs to mis-trigger? If so, you need to eliminate it. An
antiparallel diode on each solenoid will slow things down too much. Mybe
the old trick of diodes and a zener to clamp the pulse to a more
reasonable level would work (it's used in most tape punches).
tape as the feed mechanism starts to move. It also
tends to stick
in that position with the tape not moving (you can hear the
solenoids buzzing but the feed sprocket is not moving until
tweaked backwards a few degrees by hand). According to the
This certainly sounds like a sticking clutch.
schematic, the escapement solenoid (which allows the
tape to feed
one row per pulse) is supposed to be actuated internally by
contacts on the feed solenoid so there shouldn't be a timing issue
there.
Does anyone have more info on this punch model, or experience with
these asynchronous mechanisms in general? Is there a requirement
for a delay between punching the holes and pulsing the feed
solenoid? How long does it take for the pins to move up or down
From what I remmeber of the manual, you energise all
solenoids (punch and
feed) together. No delay.
-tony
6731
days inactive
6862
days old
12 comments
7 participants
participants (7)
-
ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk -
bkr＠WildHareComputers.com -
charlesmorris＠direcway.com -
ics65＠sbcglobal.net -
ICS＠Core.com -
jdaviscl2＠soupwizard.com -
jwest＠classiccmp.org