7 Jun
2001
7 Jun
'01
5:32 p.m.
Well, I guess it's time to let the cat out of the bag with this
one...
I've been planning a very nice equipment rescue in Seattle for some
time now, but as circumstances are, I will not be able to afford the
trip. I'd rather not see anything scrapped, so I am hoping someone
on the list will be able to pick up where I'm leaving off.
What we have is a *bunch* of OEM and third-party PDP-11 equipment.
Here's an overview. There are two types of systems: old and new.
Both were made by ATEX using a combination of DEC and custom
hardware.
The old systems consisted of, originally, PDP-11/34s and 04s.
These were upgraded later on by replacing the CPU cards with with a
single card with a J11 processor and a SIMM on board. The old
systems are in black 6ft racks which have a blue ATEX legend at the
top instead of the traditional DEC legend. Each rack contains one
PDP-11/34 or /04 box up top and an additional backplane down below
with gobs of custom ATEX cards.
Each of the new systems looks a bit like two PDP-11/44s in a white
4ft cabinet, but as I understand it, they use the same boards as the
updated old systems.
The systems are "networked" using some special hardware that
connects all of the Unibuses. They share a system of disks and a
tape drive. Some of the systems have a built-in small SCSI drive
and JAZ drive; these particular machines may not be available at the
moment.
Here's an inventory.
Old systems (13 total):
9 currently in operation, 5 available next month
4 out of operation, 2 available now
They're going to keep 4 of these for another year.
New systems (8 total):
4 currently in operation, 4 available next month (?)
4 out of operation, 4 available now
Approximately 20 hard drive systems. These were some sort of CDC
8" drive, but were converted to 300MB-1GB SCSI drives. The cases
were reused.
At least one Kennedy 9100 tape drive.
Boxes of old boards and spare boards.
As you might have guessed, they are still in the process of
decommisioning the systems. As far as I can tell, each cabinet is
being removed from the computer room as it decommisioned and
prepared for shipping. The prepped cabinets are brought to a
warehouse where they await pickup.
The owners want $100 for the entire lot.
If you are interested in rescuing this lot, please reply to me.
The owners wish not to be barraged with e-mail, so I will manage
the selection and briefing of the new picker-upper. I have a
contact in Seattle that went to the location, took pictures, and
wrote most of what you just read. I can send those pictures to
anyone who's interested.
From what I can see, the equipment looks to be in
pristine
condition, having been well cared for in their computer room. I
hope that it makes a nice find for someone.
--
Jeffrey S. Sharp
jss(a)ou.edu
8 Jun
8 Jun
6:19 p.m.
"Jeffrey S. Sharp" wrote:
And I hope that the lucky guy who takes this huge load will
cosider swinging by your house and leave one for you!
regards
-Gunther
From what I can
see, the equipment looks to be in pristine
condition, having been well cared for in
their computer room. I
hope that it makes a nice find for someone. 
10 Jun
10 Jun
5:20 a.m.
"Jeffrey S. Sharp" wrote:
Well, I guess it's time to let the cat out of the bag with this
one...
I've been planning a very nice equipment rescue in Seattle for some
time now, but as circumstances are, I will not be able to afford the
trip. I'd rather not see anything scrapped, so I am hoping someone
on the list will be able to pick up where I'm leaving off.
What we have is a *bunch* of OEM and third-party PDP-11 equipment.
Here's an overview. There are two types of systems: old and new.
Both were made by ATEX using a combination of DEC and custom
hardware.
The old systems consisted of, originally, PDP-11/34s and 04s.
These were upgraded later on by replacing the CPU cards with with a
single card with a J11 processor and a SIMM on board. The old
systems are in black 6ft racks which have a blue ATEX legend at the
top instead of the traditional DEC legend. Each rack contains one
PDP-11/34 or /04 box up top and an additional backplane down below
with gobs of custom ATEX cards.
Not long ago I ran into some of these ATEX systems when the Orlando
paper replaced their prepress systems. The ATEX systems they had were
updated, but had some parts that dated to 1972. The systems used DEC
MicroPDP-11 processors, but were nearly all custom beyond that. I had a
chance to talk to one of the administrators that had worked on the
systems. The systems are arranged in a kind of parallel processing
scheme where two of the CPU's dispatch work to all the others via a
custom network between CPU's. The OS was entirely custom written by
ATEX. There were custom built terminals for the users, and tons of
serial interfaces on the ATEX racks. Although the racks looked like
late PDP or VAXish cabinets and the CPU front panel looked much like an
11/84, any other resemblance to real DEC PDP-11's stopped there. When
they were trying to get rid of them, I passed the information along to
others that are looking for PDP-11's and/or parts. The consensus was
that these system were too custom to be of use where real PDP-11's are
concerned. They would only be of real use to someone who had an ATEX
system. I think the systems were sold to someone who wanted the racks.
I never did hear what finally happened.
If the older systems used actual DEC TTL based PDP-11 processors, they
may be more interesting to PDP-11 enthusiasts than the later ATEX
systems.
As I understand it, there were hundreds of sites around the world using
these systems. Some still remain in use in North America and are now
supported by ATS:
http://www.atsusa.com/ats_pressroom.htm#Atex Support
--
Doug Carman
pdp11(a)bellsouth.net
8:29 a.m.
Doug Carman wrote:
Not long ago I ran into some of these ATEX systems when the Orlando
paper replaced their prepress systems. The ATEX systems they had were
updated, but had some parts that dated to 1972. The systems used DEC
MicroPDP-11 processors, but were nearly all custom beyond that. I had a
True 100%! I've got a friend that some months ago decomissioned all
the ATEX systems that were used to create one of the major Italian
newspapers. I had a close look but there was almost nothing that
resembled real DEC PDPs so I didn't pick up anything.
e.
========================================================================
Enrico Badella email: enrico.badella(a)softstar.it
Soft*Star srl eb(a)vax.cnuce.cnr.it
InterNetworking Specialists tel: +39-011-746092
Via Camburzano 9 fax: +39-011-746487
10143 Torino, Italy
Wanted, for hobbyist use, any type of PDP and microVAX hardware,software,
manuals,schematics,etc. and DEC-10 docs or manuals
==========================================================================
4:47 p.m.
Quoting Doug Carman <pdp11(a)bellsouth.net>et>:
Not long ago I ran into some of these ATEX systems
when the
Orlando paper replaced their prepress systems. ... Although the
racks looked like late PDP or VAXish cabinets and the CPU front
panel looked much like an 11/84, any other resemblance to real DEC
PDP-11's stopped there.
Well, to me, these are still good machines to rescue. Even if you
throw away the custom Atex cards, they are machines that still act
like PDP-11s. Maybe those upgrade CPU cards would be useful to
someone. Add in the rack cabinets and Kennedy 9100 and it seems
worth the $100 to me.
The systems are arranged in a kind of parallel
processing scheme
where two of the CPU's dispatch work to all the others via a
custom network between CPU's.
That appears to be the same kind of setup they have.
So far, there have only been a few people wanting a CPU card or two.
No one has come out wanting to take the whole load like the owners
want. Maybe I have overestimated their desirability.
--
Jeffrey S. Sharp
jss(a)ou.edu
5:31 p.m.
They are on the wrong side of the country as are all computers, it
seems.
I live in Michigan, and all computers I see on EBay, or hear about in
ClassicCMP are in Florida, California, or Pennsylvania. Sometimes
another states in the East.
So far the only exception has been my PDP11 in a BA23 chassis. It was
in Indiana, about an hours drive from work.
Oh well, I have plenty here already that needs to be tended too.
Chad Fernandez
Michigan, USA
"Jeffrey S. Sharp" wrote:
Quoting Doug Carman <pdp11(a)bellsouth.net>et>:
Not long ago I ran into some of these ATEX
systems when the
Orlando paper replaced their prepress systems. ... Although the
racks looked like late PDP or VAXish cabinets and the CPU front
panel looked much like an 11/84, any other resemblance to real DEC
PDP-11's stopped there.
Well, to me, these are still good machines to rescue. Even if you
throw away the custom Atex cards, they are machines that still act
like PDP-11s. Maybe those upgrade CPU cards would be useful to
someone. Add in the rack cabinets and Kennedy 9100 and it seems
worth the $100 to me.
The systems are arranged in a kind of parallel
processing scheme
where two of the CPU's dispatch work to all the others via a
custom network between CPU's.
That appears to be the same kind of setup they have.
So far, there have only been a few people wanting a CPU card or two.
No one has come out wanting to take the whole load like the owners
want. Maybe I have overestimated their desirability.
--
Jeffrey S. Sharp
jss(a)ou.edu
8:01 p.m.
Quoting Chad Fernandez <fernande(a)internet1.net>et>:
They are on the wrong side of the country as are all
computers,
it seems.
I *know*! I mean, c'mon, Oklahoma's supposed to be technologically
behind; you'd think there would be a whole load of PDP-11s being
decommisioned daily. But no...
--
Jeffrey S. Sharp
jss(a)ou.edu
9:28 p.m.
I think they are still decommissioning rocks here.
Chad Fernandez
Michigan, USA
"Jeffrey S. Sharp" wrote:
Quoting Chad Fernandez <fernande(a)internet1.net>et>:
They are on the wrong side of the country as are
all computers,
it seems.
I *know*! I mean, c'mon, Oklahoma's supposed to be technologically
behind; you'd think there would be a whole load of PDP-11s being
decommisioned daily. But no...
--
Jeffrey S. Sharp
jss(a)ou.edu 
11 Jun
11 Jun
3:24 p.m.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chad Fernandez" <fernande(a)internet1.net>
To: <classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2001 2:28 AM
Subject: Re: Huge PDP-11 rescue opportunity
"Jeffrey S. Sharp" wrote:
>
> Quoting Chad Fernandez <fernande(a)internet1.net>et>:
> > They are on the wrong side of the country as are all
computers,
> > it seems.
>
> I *know*! I mean, c'mon, Oklahoma's supposed to be
technologically
> behind; you'd think there would be a whole
load of
PDP-11s being
> decommisioned daily. But no...
I've just been given a PDP -11 that's been sitting in a
basement for the last ten years and they want it out. He's
not sure which model it is but the documentation is there
and so is a dec writer. He says that there are 2 racks
about the size of a refrigerator.
Any one in the Ottawa area with a truck to help move it? I
can offer an AS400 in exchange.
7:42 p.m.
I wrote:
Oklahoma's supposed to be technologically behind; you'd think
there would be a whole load of PDP-11s being decommisioned daily.
But no...
Mike Kenzie wrote:
I've just been given a PDP-11 ... Any one in the Ottawa area with
a truck to help move it?
What's up with this? If I wasn't agnostic, I would think there was
some evil deity having some fun at my expense...
Glad to see that *you've* been lucky in your local search. :-)
--
Jeffrey S. Sharp
jss(a)ou.edu
8443
days inactive
8447
days old
10 comments
6 participants
participants (6)
-
enrico.badella＠softstar.it -
fernande＠internet1.net -
gunther＠aurora.regenstrief.org -
jss＠ou.edu -
KenzieM＠sympatico.ca -
pdp11＠bellsouth.net