6 Dec
1999
6 Dec
'99
11 a.m.
--- Eric Smith <eric(a)brouhaha.com> wrote:
> I recently got my hands on a classic DEC LA-180
RO...
I didn't know the LA180 ever came with a keyboard. My knowledge of the LA180
is that it was badged "DECprinter I" and came with a 40-pin parallel interface.
You need a KL8-E or the like, not an LC8-E. The LC8-E
is a parallel
interface, and the LA180 is a serial device.
I have the OMNIBUS card for the LA180; I'd check the handle number, but I'm
not where it is. It is most assuredly a parallel device. Perhaps you are
thinking of the LA120? It was badged "DECwriter III". It _was_ serial, with
a four-digit LED display by the keyboard for set-up and status info.
I got my first LA180 because Newman Computer Exchange sent me a ticket for
free shipping on my next order. I figured that an LA180 was the heaviest
thing I would ever want from them. The printer came in handy a couple of
years later when I was doing PDP-11 contract work in my basement - PDP-11/23,
RLV11, LPV11 and a bunch of my old PDP-8 peripherals. Made my living for
nearly two years off that stuff. Out-of-pocket expense in 1988: $300 for
the PDP-11 (salvage from my day job), $100 for the RLV11 (used from a
reseller).
Very cost effective to me.
-ethan
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1:15 p.m.
--- Eric Smith <eric(a)brouhaha.com> wrote:
I didn't think it did. There was -- I think an LS-180 or LS120 or 180 which
was kind of a serial LA180.
Kind of like the LA36 with the accelerator option some third parties
used to keep the machine in high speed catchup mode.
Bill
---
bpechter@shell.monmouth.com|pechter@pechter.dyndns.org
Three things never anger: First, the one who runs your DEC,
The one who does Field Service and the one who signs your check.
> I recently got my hands on a classic DEC
LA-180 RO...
I didn't know the LA180 ever came with a keyboard. My knowledge of the LA180
is that it was badged "DECprinter I" and came with a 40-pin parallel interface.
2:54 p.m.
Bill writes about the LA180 and related models:
I didn't think it did. There was -- I think an
LS-180 or LS120 or 180 which
was kind of a serial LA180.
Kind of like the LA36 with the accelerator option some third parties
used to keep the machine in high speed catchup mode.
The LA30 is the original DECwriter, and was available with serial or
parallel interfaces. I don't think there was a printer-only version.
The LA36 is the basic DECwriter II. Serial interface only, with
keyboard. The LA35 is the printer-only version. The LA37 is an LA36
with APL character support. Serial speed is selectable between 110,
150, and 300 bps, for 10, 15, and 30 cps. The print mechanism has a
faster "catchup" mode; I think it operates at 120 cps. This is used to
print the characters that were buffered while doing a lengthy operation
like a carriage return, line feed, tab, etc. Without a third-party
modification, there's no way to get sustained throughput greater than 30
cps. However, the LA36 mechanism is not designed for 120 cps sustained
operation, and is more prone to break down when used that way at a heavy
duty cycle.
The LA120 is the DECwriter III. Serial interface only, with keyboard.
Supports speeds up to 120 cps. I'm not sure how different the mechanism
is from the LA36, but it is designed for 120 cps duty.
The LA180 is a printer-only machine. AFAIK, the mechanism is the same
as the LA120. I've only seen serial-interface models, but apparently
based on the earlier comments in this thread, there was a parallel-interface
variant as well.
8990
days inactive
8990
days old
3 comments
3 participants
participants (3)
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eric＠brouhaha.com -
ethan_dicks＠yahoo.com -
pechter＠pechter.dyndns.org