11 Feb
2003
11 Feb
'03
2:38 a.m.
"Andrew Strouse" <kittstr(a)access-4-free.com> wrote:
Hi, I seem to remember reading in popular electronics,
about software that
would let you use a vcr to backup your computer. I think it was about 10
years ago. Does anyone remember or know anything about this. My searches on
google have turned up nothing. Thanks for any help you can provide!
Andrew Strouse
There was also a hardware/software solution for the Amiga platform, found on Aminet in the
disk/bakup dir, VBackup016.lha.
"Some days ago I got a message from the german distributor of the
"VideoBackupSystem" (Performance Peripherals Europe). They told me, that they
think, VBackup looks so similar to the VBS (especialy due to the usage of the same
hardware) that VBackup is a violation of the VBS copyright."
I may have the older file that has the schematics & software still archived
somewhere.
--
Bob Mason
2x Amiga 500's, GVP A530 (40mhz 68030/68882, 8meg Fast, SCSI), 1.3/3.1, 2meg Chip,
full ECS chipset, EZ135, 1084S, big harddrives, 2.2xCD
Gateway Performance 500 Piece 'o Crap, 'ME, 128meg, 20Gig & 40Gig, flatbed.
Heathkit H-89A, 64K RAM, hard and soft-sectored floppies, SigmaSoft and Systems 256K RAM
Drive/Print Spooler/Graphics board HDOS 2 & CP/M 2.2.03/2.2.04
12 Feb
12 Feb
3:14 p.m.
New subject: Kaypro II
Hi all,
Just thought I'd recount some experiences with a Kaypro II and associated
manuals, kindly given to me by a friend.
First, a couple of requests.
- Does anyone have any keyboard parts for Kaypro II keyboards, or a complete
spare keyboard? I'm not sure if the keyboard actually works, but its obvious
faults are that it's missing the 3 key, and the keyswitch for that key is
damaged. Also, the 4-pin cable connector on the keyboard is broken, though
it will still take the plug. This is a common 4-pin telecom-type socket as
found on a lot of telephones. The keyboard was made by Maxi-Switch Co, model
Maxikey, keyboard number 2160150, PC board number 630184.
- Does anyone know if it's possible to write Kaypro disks with a PC and 5
1/4 inch drive? If not - any hints on where to dig up software?
Now, on to my, um, interesting experience with this machine. The friend who
gave me the machine told me that it had been running fairly recently (within
the last couple of years, anyway), so I figured chances are it'd start up
OK. On disassembling it, I found it absolutely spotless inside, so I put it
back together and ran it up. Everything went superbly for about fifteen
seconds; long enough for me to get my fingers off the power switch around
the back. But just then, there was an ominous hissing sound, followed by one
of the loudest BANGs I've heard from a piece of electronic equipment. Since
I was completely unprepared for it, it took me a couple of seconds to get my
hand around the back again and turn the thing off. Most interesting was
during those two seconds after the explosion, the machine continued running
fine, not so much as a waver on the monitor. Pulling it apart again, guess
what - dead capacitor. But, not one of the electrolytics that you'd expect,
it was the AC filter capacitor that had spread itself all over the inside of
the case. Having seen that, and performed a quick tidy-up, I verified that
the machine still ran fine. Now I just need some software for it, to find
out whether the whole thing is in working order!
Mike.
13 Feb
13 Feb
7:19 a.m.
New subject: Kaypro II
On Thu, 13 Feb 2003, Mike van Bokhoven wrote:
Hi all,
Just thought I'd recount some experiences with a Kaypro II and associated
manuals, kindly given to me by a friend.
First, a couple of requests.
- Does anyone have any keyboard parts for Kaypro II keyboards, or a complete
spare keyboard? I'm not sure if the keyboard actually works, but its obvious
faults are that it's missing the 3 key, and the keyswitch for that key is
damaged. Also, the 4-pin cable connector on the keyboard is broken, though
it will still take the plug. This is a common 4-pin telecom-type socket as
found on a lot of telephones. The keyboard was made by Maxi-Switch Co, model
Maxikey, keyboard number 2160150, PC board number 630184.
I can provide either spare parts or a complete keyboard for your
Kaypro II. Contact me off list with your desires and we can work
out something for you. "Complete" does not include the sheet
metal housing, however.
- Does anyone know if it's possible to write
Kaypro disks with a PC and 5
1/4 inch drive? If not - any hints on where to dig up software?
Yes, I do it regularly. The 5.25" drive should be a 360k unit
though. You will need software such as 22Disk, UniForm, or others
as elsewhere discribed in order to format/read/write material to
the disks on the PC.
Now, on to my, um, interesting experience with this
machine. The friend who
gave me the machine told me that it had been running fairly recently (within
the last couple of years, anyway), so I figured chances are it'd start up
OK. On disassembling it, I found it absolutely spotless inside, so I put it
back together and ran it up. Everything went superbly for about fifteen
seconds; long enough for me to get my fingers off the power switch around
the back. But just then, there was an ominous hissing sound, followed by one
of the loudest BANGs I've heard from a piece of electronic equipment. Since
I was completely unprepared for it, it took me a couple of seconds to get my
hand around the back again and turn the thing off. Most interesting was
during those two seconds after the explosion, the machine continued running
fine, not so much as a waver on the monitor. Pulling it apart again, guess
what - dead capacitor. But, not one of the electrolytics that you'd expect,
it was the AC filter capacitor that had spread itself all over the inside of
the case. Having seen that, and performed a quick tidy-up, I verified that
the machine still ran fine. Now I just need some software for it, to find
out whether the whole thing is in working order!
If it still displays the initial powerup message on the screen,
there is every chance that it is. Next time you have the cover
off - perhaps to replace the capacitor - look for a couple of
EPROMs that carry part numbers on paper labels. The numbers are
of the form 81-xxx and the one of interest should be one of
81-149/232/292. That determines the revision of CP/M-2.2 that
your machine requires.
Also, if you remove the power supply to replace the capacitor,
take the time to resolder all of the pins on the header along the
right hand edge of the card. These are known to develop cracks in
the solder joint and cause some mischief when they do.
- don
Mike.
7984
days inactive
7986
days old
2 comments
3 participants
participants (3)
-
donm＠cts.com -
knightstalkerbob＠netscape.net -
mike＠ambientdesign.com