On 2015-Jun-26, at 4:11 AM, Santo Nucifora wrote: > On Wed, Jun 24, 2015 at 7:59 PM, Santo Nucifora <[email protected]> > wrote: >> >> I recently acquired a Persci 2142 dual disk drive with two S-100 >> controller cards. The 2142 is a Persci slim-line case that fits the >> internal Persci 299 drives but also included were to Persci S-100 cards. >> The only thing that makes sense is that one or both of these are the Persci >> 1170 controller card (set) but I have not been able to find a picture of >> such a card anywhere. There is an 1170 card picture at the Computer >> History Museum but it suspiciously looks like a Vector S-100 prototype >> board with components on it (and not the right amount compare to my >> cards). That page is here: >> http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102712583 >> >> I have pictures in my latest post of the front and back of both cards >> along with the Persci 299 drive mechanism and the complete 2142 unit. If >> anyone knows what a Persci 1170 controller looks like, I'd love to know if >> that's what I have. Is it both cards? I am assuming so because there's a >> marketing brochure out there with a description of the 1170 controller and >> the Z80 CPU, as described, is on the second card (not the main card) as is >> the memory. >> >> Pictures of what I have are here: >> http://vintagecomputer.ca/persci-drive-is-a-299-what-are-the-controller-boards/ >> >> I can try to read the EPROMS on the second board (they are B2716s) but the >> first board has a 2708 and I've nothing that will read it. Maybe that will >> give a clue? I would assume that's where Persci DOS is? >> >> I will be taking the 299 drive mechanism apart and refurbishing this drive >> as I did the Persci 270 in my Processor Technology Helios II (big thanks to >> Martin Eberhard for his awesome guide and his help!). Hopefully it's close >> enough to the 299 that the guide will still be useful. I have yet to check >> if the glass gauge is intact in this drive or all of this will be for >> nothing. I'll do that when I take it apart. Should be a fun project.
> Last night I was able to read the EPROMs on the second of the two Persci > cards and embedded in the code was the string "ERSCI 1170 V F.2-5". I'm > strongly suspecting it's proof that both cards make up a PerSci 1170 > controller :) I have the four 2716 EPROMS dumped in the files area of my > site at http://vintagecomputer.ca/files-area/ . If someone would like to > disassemble them, I'd love to find out more. If there is a tool I can use, > please let me know. I was not able to read the 2708 on the first card at > this point. > > If anyone has any information on the Persci 1170 controller, I'd love to > know if any additional software is required to run it or if I can jump to a > specific address to run it. I do NOT have any disks for this. > > It appears to be an uncommon drive so any information at all would be much > appreciated. Not a lot of help, but there's a brochure for the 1070 and 1170 controllers here: http://maben.homeip.net/static/S100/persci/brochure/Persci%201070%201170%20Controllers.pdf The one picture in the brochure looks like it is of the 1070 though, so no pic of the 1170; it also doesn't mention it being a double-board set. (A 2708 could be read with a 2716 reader with an adapter to reroute a couple of pins, and additional -5/+12 power supplies.)
