Odd VT100 question - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

27 Sep 2001

Paul Williams wrote:
...
  "Zane H. Healy" wrote:

 OK, I'm thinking of doing a wierd mod on a VT100, just how much room
 is inside one of them?  I need room for a 7 1/2" x 9" x 2 1/2" board
 (the 2 1/2" is thanks to the heatsink and RAM), and would also like
 to be able to fit in a smallish 250W PS (3 1/2" x 5 1/2" x 6"), and
 a 3 1/2" HD.  
 I've put two photos of a topless VT100 in http://vt100.net/zane/ which
 might give you some idea of the shape of space available. 
Thanks, between them and the description you've given I've got a lot better
idea.

...
  On the left hand side of the photos you see the card
cage. The space
 there is 10.5"H x 10.5"D x 3.25"W (but only 2" unobstructed to the
 back). You might be able to make that 2.25"W to the back with a bit of
 persuasion. 
This isn't a huge problem as the 2.5" dimension I give is for the heatsink
and fan on the motherboard.  It looks like I should be able to fit the
motherboard in this cavity, I rather thought I could since a VT103 used this
to squeeze in a PDP-11.

...
  The PSU occupies the space at the back of the
terminal, but only extends
 halfway forward, so there is space underneath the flare of the tube of
 10"W x 4.75"H x 5"D. Of course you'd not want to disrupt the picture.
 (Memo to self: must sort out vertical linearity on mine!)

 At the back right hand side (again, as you look at the picture),
 underneath the high tension wire to the tube, there is a space 4"W x
 3.5"H x 5"D. 
Sounds like I need to either find a smaller PowerSupply, or else I'm going
to have to have it external to the system (which I don't want).  

Unfortunatly I seem to have run across another stumbling block besides the
size of the powersupply.  It seems that the system is pretty much rock solid
if it has the keyboard, mouse, AND CD-ROM plugged in, however if I unplug
either the CD-ROM or the USB Keyboard and Mouse the system will lock up
after it's been up for between half an hour and two hours.  I've been unable
to find any logs or reason for it locking up.  I'm using SUSE Linux 7.2
Professional for this setup.

In any case, hopefully I'll be able to dig one of my VT100's out of storage
on Saturday.

			Zane