2 Jul
1997
2 Jul
'97
7:35 a.m.
At 02:21 PM 7/2/97 +0000, you wrote:
Sam Ismail wrote:
I was just given a Sony SMC-70 last weekend by a friend of my son's that is
moving. The machine has 3.5" single-sided floppy disks, both black & white
and RGB video outputs, an RS-232 interface, parallel interface, and a DB-25
connector labeled "external drives". It also has a "supercharger" unit
with
it that contains an 8086 processor. This "brick" plugs into the back of the
SMC-70 using a centronics-type 50 pin cable. According ot the
documentation, when this "supercharger" is plugged in, the Z-80 processor
in the main unit handles all of the I/O functions and the 8086 becomes the
default CPU. The system uses either CP/M (in Z-80 mode) or CM/M-86 (in 8086
mode). I have manuals and documentation for the machine, the Sony
applications, and the CP/M and CP/M-86 operating systems, but the original
system and applications diskettes were not passed along to the person I got
the machine from by its original owner. Anybody have any idea where I could
get at least the OS for this thing? It looks like a neat little machine.
Kenneth L. Marshall
Research Engineer, Optical Materials
Laboratory for Laser Energetics
University of Rochester
250 East River Road
Rochester, NY 14623
Phone:(716)-275-8247
Fax: (716)-275-5960
I mentioned previously a discussion I had over dinner of some classic
systems. One of the systems mentioned was a Sony CP/M machine from the
very early 80s. Anyone know anything about this system?
Well...from my Sony book they list in 1982 a "new desktop microcomputer
system, "SCM-70" and its peripherals for video as well as business
applications".
Could this be it?
enrico
================================================================
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tel/fax +(0)1273 701650 (24 hours) or 0850 104725 mobile
website <http://www.ndirect.co.uk/~e.tedeschi>
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2 Jul
2 Jul
8:06 a.m.
On Wed, 2 Jul 1997, Ken Marshall wrote:
I was just given a Sony SMC-70 last weekend by a
friend of my son's that is
moving. The machine has 3.5" single-sided floppy disks, both black & white
and RGB video outputs, an RS-232 interface, parallel interface, and a DB-25
connector labeled "external drives". It also has a "supercharger"
unit
I have an SMC-70 as well; unfortunately, I have neither an OS nor the
floppy drives for mine. The few pieces of information that I have found
about this machine are that it was (supposedly) the first mass-produced
computer to use 3.5 inch floppy disks and that it was used as a part of a
video editing controller that Sony produced in the early '80s. The
floppy disk claim does make some sense, since the 3.5 inch format was
developed by Sony.
A few more interesting things about this machine:
- The power supply is located in the rear portion of the case, which is
mounted on tracks and movable. Moving the power supply away from the main
portion of the case reveals a ribbon cable with several 50-pin socket
connectors. This ribbon cable terminates at the 50-pin Centronics
connector on the back of the unit. Does anyone have a description of this
bus? I'm assuming that there were options available that fit into this
area and extend the length of the unit, somewhat like the options that can
be connected to the IBM PC Convertible.
- There is a switch on the side of the unit that selects the startup
device, which can be either ROM or disk. I'm assuming that the boot ROM
was an optional product. In any case, mine doesn't have a boot ROM.
Does anyone know if the SMC-70 floppy drives are the same as (or
compatible with) any of the other drives that are made by Sony, such as
the 400k SSDD drives used in the Macintosh 128k/512k?
If anyone is interested, I can snap a few pictures of the SMC-70 tonight,
put them on the Web, and post the URL.
--
Scott Ware s-ware(a)nwu.edu
3:53 p.m.
On Wed, 2 Jul 1997, Ken Marshall wrote:
I was just given a Sony SMC-70 last weekend by a
friend of my son's that is
moving. The machine has 3.5" single-sided floppy disks, both black & white
and RGB video outputs, an RS-232 interface, parallel interface, and a DB-25
connector labeled "external drives". It also has a "supercharger"
unit with
Interesting. I have an external 5.25" floppy with a DB-25 connector and
its own power supply brick. I found the DB25 connector odd, mostly since
I've never seen an external 5.25" drive except for Apple ][s, and this
one was obviously not for Apple ][s since the later model Apple drives
used a DB15. I wonder if this is compatible with it? Or just a generic
external PC-compat drive.
Sam
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Computer Historian, Programmer, Musician, Philosopher, Athlete, Writer, Jackass
4:35 p.m.
On Wed, 2 Jul 1997, Sam Ismail wrote:
Interesting. I have an external 5.25" floppy
with a DB-25 connector and
its own power supply brick. I found the DB25 connector odd, mostly since
I've never seen an external 5.25" drive except for Apple ][s, and this
one was obviously not for Apple ][s since the later model Apple drives
used a DB15. I wonder if this is compatible with it? Or just a generic
external PC-compat drive.
IBM's own external drives used a DB37 connector. If it belongs to a PC,
I'm guessing it is for use with one specific vendor's machine.
It is -possible- that it could belong to an Amiga. AFAIR, the Amiga's
external floppy port is DB25 (mine's not in front of me at the moment),
but the A1010 external 3.5" floppy I have gets power from the computer.
I don't count myself an expert on external floppy drives, though.
ok
-r
6 Jul
6 Jul
1:28 p.m.
New subject: Floppy connectors (was: Re: Sony CP/M machine?)
On Wed, 2 Jul 1997, Ray Stricklin wrote:
On Wed, 2 Jul 1997, Sam Ismail wrote:
I've got an external 5.25" drive for a "Laser Concept 286/16 Laptop"
that
uses a DB25. (I have the drive, and the manual for the computer, but not
the computer.)
This drive gets power from the computer.
Interesting. I have an external 5.25"
floppy with a DB-25 connector and
its own power supply brick. I found the DB25 connector odd, mostly since
I've never seen an external 5.25" drive except for Apple ][s, and this
one was obviously not for Apple ][s since the later model Apple drives
used a DB15. I wonder if this is compatible with it? Or just a generic
external PC-compat drive.
IBM's own external drives used a DB37 connector. If it belongs to a PC,
I'm guessing it is for use with one specific vendor's machine. It is -possible- that it could belong to an Amiga.
AFAIR, the Amiga's
external floppy port is DB25 (mine's not in front of me at the moment),
but the A1010 external 3.5" floppy I have gets power from the computer.
The Amiga floppy port is DB23, not DB25.
I don't count myself an expert on external floppy
drives, though.
ok
-r
Doug Spence
ds_spenc(a)alcor.concordia.ca
2 Jul
2 Jul
5:30 p.m.
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6:58 p.m.
At 06:30 PM 7/2/97 -0800, you wrote:
The Apple 'Duo-Disk' units used the 'D' connector...
-jim
---
jimw(a)agora.rdrop.com
The Computer Garage - http://www.rdrop.com/~jimw
Computer Garage Fax - (503) 646-0174
Interesting.
I have an external 5.25" floppy with a DB-25 connector and
its own power supply brick. I found the DB25 connector odd, mostly since
I've never seen an external 5.25" drive except for Apple ][s, and this
one was obviously not for Apple ][s since the later model Apple drives
used a DB15. I wonder if this is compatible with it? Or just a generic
external PC-compat drive.
I thought the later Apple ][ external drives used a 19-pin D.
8:04 p.m.
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9:13 p.m.
On Wed, 2 Jul 1997, Jim Willing wrote:
And the Unidisk (basically a 'single' duo-disk) and the later but
functionally and physically the same Apple 5.25 Drives. The old Disk ][s
used the 14 (or whatever!) conductor ribbon cable.
Sam
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Computer Historian, Programmer, Musician, Philosopher, Athlete, Writer, Jackass
I thought the
later Apple ][ external drives used a 19-pin D.
The Apple 'Duo-Disk' units used the 'D' connector...
9 p.m.
On Wed, 2 Jul 1997, Tim Shoppa wrote:
You're most likely right. I never memorized that triviata.
Interesting.
I have an external 5.25" floppy with a DB-25 connector and
its own power supply brick. I found the DB25 connector odd, mostly since
I've never seen an external 5.25" drive except for Apple ][s, and this
one was obviously not for Apple ][s since the later model Apple drives
used a DB15. I wonder if this is compatible with it? Or just a generic
external PC-compat drive.
I thought the later Apple ][ external drives used a 19-pin D. External PC-compatible drives tend to have 37-pin D
connectors.
Hmmm...this drive is manufactured by California Access. Model CA
360-T. Serial number 360 T-000286.
Sam
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Computer Historian, Programmer, Musician, Philosopher, Athlete, Writer, Jackass
9857
days inactive
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9 comments
7 participants
participants (7)
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dastar＠crl.com -
ds_spenc＠alcor.concordia.ca -
jimw＠agora.rdrop.com -
kjaeros＠u.washington.edu -
kmar＠lle.rochester.edu -
s-ware＠nwu.edu -
shoppa＠alph02.triumf.ca