On Tue, Apr 28, 2020 at 5:01 PM Bill Degnan via cctech <cctech at classiccmp.org> wrote: All the paper tape readers I've seen simply give you the raw 8 bit bytes (hole = 1, no hole = 0) off the tape. It's up to you to turn that into whatever sort of file you want. There are 3 main types of paper tape reader : Mechanical. Like the one in the Teletype Model 33 ASR. The tape is fed by a sprocket wheel and the holes are sensed by pins that come up through the tape (called 'Peckers' in the manuals for Creed teleprinters...). These readers are slow and hard on the tape. The only time I'd use one would be to demonstrate how they work and why I don't normally use them Sprocket fed optical. The tape is moved by a sprocket working on the feed holes, but the data holes are sensed by a light source and an array of optical sensors. Much kinder to the tape (in general if the tape jams the sprocket holes get ripped but they can be repaired, the data holes are undamaged) and faster. Often the feed holes are also sensed optically to provide the timing reference. Speeds between 30cps and 120 cps are typical. Capstan fed optical. By far the kindest to the tapes. The tape is fed by a (smooth) capstan and pinch roller. The holes are sensed by a light source and array of optical sensors, including the feed holes which provide the timing reference. The HP2748 is a common-ish example of this type of unt. I personally like (and use) the UK-built Trend readers (HSR500, a bidirectional 500cps unit and UDR700, a unidirectional machine that runs at 700cps). The nice part of the Trend design is that they have 2 sensors on the feed track 2.5 characters apart. The data strobe occurs when the one in line with the data hole sensors is brighter (by a certain amount) than the other one. A weighted mean of the values from those 2 sensors gives the threshold for the data hole sensors. The result is that they will read just about anything. I am pretty sure the manual for the HP2748 is on the Australian HP museum site. I offered the manuals for the Trend units a couple of years back but nobody was interested then, they are too large for me to send now (only when lockdown is lifted and the local library reopens). I doubt you'll find a Trend reader (actually I don't think there was a 60Hz mains version of the UDR700 although there seems to have been one for the HSR500) but the HP2748 might turn up if you're lucky. -tony

Bill, I have one of the models (not sure which one would have to climb around in the warehouse of these http://www.baudot.net/teletype/M43.htm From memory, it looks like the M3450. Welcome to borrow it! But it could also be one of the others on this page Bob -----Original Message----- From: cctech <cctech-bounces at classiccmp.org> On Behalf Of Bill Degnan via cctech Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2020 12:01 PM To: cctech <cctech at classiccmp.org> Subject: [EXTERNAL] Wanted, Papertape Reader for Archiving Tapes Hi - COVID project.... I have been attempting to read some old Honeywell DDP-516 papertapes using the OP-80A or Teletype reader but it's inefficient and I don't want to damage the tapes. Does anyone have a reliable papertape reader for sale, or recommend one currently out there on Ebay, for the purpose of archiving papertapes of any kind safely and reliably. I have a reasonable budget. I have a lot of tapes that need to be archived, so I'd want one that I can interface with to capture into TAP files or what I would call a raw dump listing of the data in 8-bit Hex. MITS, SWTPc, Z80 stuf, PDP 8, PDP 11, Honeywell, etc. End goal is to load tapes into simH, PDPGUI, Altair/S-100, textfiles to display tapes. I want to be able to view the tape as it would be in Intel or Motorola format, etc. What does everyone else do? For example: S1131C102C20DEBD19217E167DBD185FD6259626A3 S1131C209B27C900D70297037E167DBD1999DE282C S1131C30DF2C9C022742D6029603902DD22C2A1C1C S1131C40D62C962DBD015ADF2CD6029603BD015A1F S1131C509C2C2724A600BD02270820F4D602960354 S1131C60BD015ADF2ED62C962DBD015A9C2E270875 S1131C70A600BD02270820F47E167DDEDBDF027E8F S1071C80167D0000C9 S9030000FC Thanks for any advice. Bill

Bill said I have an EECO MT-82 (manual on bitsavers), and it's ok but pulls the tape through in short sharp bursts rather than a continuous smooth action, even on the lowest baud rate. I have the serial version, there is a separate I/O board for serial and parallel. For some reason the right-hand spindle always runs, perhaps the driver transistor logic has some problem. I don't use the spindles anyway as I have no reels (I am designing 3D printed ones) but the spindle speed is way too fast for old tapes anyway, I think. With the OP-80A you could try rigging up a small motor to pull the tapes through at slow speed, say a LEGO Technic M size motor driving LEGO tires through a simple gearbox. And build up some sort of tape guide from LEGO as well. Steve.