"Computer Hobbyist" + Homebrew computers - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

5 Jun 1998

Thanks for the information.
At 08:39 AM 6/5/98 -0400, Allison wrote:

...
 If you want to run the software of the era using more
modem parts would 
not prohibit tht but could be easier to work with.  For example one 62256
32kx8 ram replaces 256 2102s!  I assure you after wirewrapping and 
debugging 4k of 2102(32 of them plus TTL) the x8 parts suddenly look a 
lot better.
 Yes, I still have some 1101A rams and wiring them would be even 4X worse! By
the way, they have "ETC 4" stamped on them. I have seen this on other IC's.
Does anyone know what it means?

...
 I'd suggest finding one of the non first line
machines or nearly so like
an IMSAI, Northstar, Compupro, CAlifornia Computers, SWTP, or other 
machine that were still from the 70s.
 Have been looking for over a year in thrift shops, etc. The only thing I've
seen was a Kaypro or Osborne, when I went back to examine it, it was gone.

...
 I'm not trying to kill homebrew but having done
it...well I have no 
problem with building a mark 8 useing an 8008 and some modern rams
as it not an antique and it would save days of work.

You could also build with z80 (circa 1976) it is still used and common, 
it runs virtually tons of software and there are PC emulators for it as 
well.
 Yes, a z80 is pretty easy to use. I built a small unit about 1991 with a 6116
ram and a monitor in a 2716 with a 8255 as I/O as a piece of test gear. It
has been handy to test LCD displays, ram chips, etc. I was going to use a
Mac to Sunol card which had a z80, 2764, 6264, and 74LS244 type ic's as I/O,
as well as RS422, but tracing the circuit to find the I/O addresses took too
long.

...
 dddameron(a)earthlink.net...

If you hadn't posted to the list I would not have seen this as earthlink
is in my killfile due to excessive porn spam.  IF anyone needs to email
me they will ahve to use another ISP.
 Earthlink is my first ISP, is it widely known for this? Are others
much better? All the spam
I've seen in newsgroups doesn't seem to be earthlink,
but most doesn't have a "from" address anyway. The
email spam is annoying, haven't noticed any particular
place where it comes from.
-Dave