Wanted, Papertape Reader for Archiving Tapes

[Bill Degnan]

On Wed, Apr 29, 2020, 12:22 AM steven--- via cctech <cctech at classiccmp.org>
wrote:

> Bill said
> > Hi - COVID project.... I have been attempting to read some old Honeywell
> > DDP-516 papertapes using the OP-80A or Teletype reader but it's
> inefficient
> > and I don't want to damage the tapes.  Does anyone have a reliable
> > papertape reader for sale, or recommend one currently out there on Ebay,
>
>
> I have an EECO MT-82 (manual on bitsavers), and it's ok but pulls the tape
> through in short
> sharp bursts rather than a continuous smooth action, even on the lowest
> baud rate.
> I have the serial version, there is a separate I/O board for serial and
> parallel. For
> some reason the right-hand spindle always runs, perhaps the driver
> transistor logic has some
> problem. I don't use the spindles anyway as I have no reels (I am
> designing 3D printed ones)
> but the spindle speed is way too fast for old tapes anyway, I think.
>
>
> With the OP-80A you could try rigging up a small motor to pull the tapes
> through at slow
> speed, say a LEGO Technic M size motor driving LEGO tires through a simple
> gearbox. And build
> up some sort of tape guide from LEGO as well.
>
> Steve
>

Thanks.  I have been playing with it today.  When I read tapes using a 486
pc DOS 6.22, Dunfield's ptr program...I see the light blink as I carefully
pull a test tape through the OP-80A but when I read the output in a hex
editor all I see are C4 or 04 or whatever.  No data.  Trying variations.

I may switch to sol80 tomorrow or even an altair with PIO, but then I run
into issues capturing the data.

Bill

>