Re: BBS software for the PDP 11

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

> BSD 2.11 should run fine on a 34 or 23

You need split I for 2.11BSD, that rules out the 11/23 and IIRC the 11/34 as 
well. I want to say 2.9BSD will run though.

Thanks,
Jonathan

Re: Need help reproducing a PCB

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

Mile High Test/Gardien Services in Colorado will scan boards for you and give 
you ready-to-go Gerbers. It cost around $250 to have an OSI sized 2-layer board 
scanned (8x10 inches).

Thanks,
Jonathan

On Tue, 9 May 2017 22:46:08 -0500
Jim Brain via cctalk  wrote:

> I am trying to reproduce a PCB design, and I have removed all the ICs, 
> scanned the boards, and am trying to draw it up in EAGLE.  But, it would 
> much easier if I could import the actual PCB as a bitmap under my PCB 
> layout, to ensure I have have everything in the right place.
> 
> Sadly, my graphics manipulation skills are suboptimal, and I am 
> wondering if there is anyone on the list that could take my scans and 
> convert them into 2 color bitmaps of the correct size such that I could 
> import.  When I tried to convert, the difference between light green and 
> dark green essentially removed most of the traces.
> 
> Jim
> 
> 
> -- 
> Jim Brain
> br...@jbrain.com
> www.jbrain.com
> 

FS: HP 98630A Breadboard Interface Protoboard for HP 9000 Series 300/200

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/272663229522

Looks NOS, definitely never had anything soldered in the prototype area. 

Thanks,
Jonathan

ISO: Solid State Music IO-8 S-100 Serial Board Manual

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

Just purchased a Solid State Music IO-8, apparently the manual is not available 
online, and isn't listed in Herb's documentation collection. Anyone have it? 
Looks like it's eight Intel 8251A serial ports. 

Thanks,
Jonathan

Re: Ohio Scientific Universal RAM Board GW-OSI-RAM1

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

> Is the IM6100/6120 still easy to find?  I'dve thought that the supply
> was exhausted by now.

One of my *US* parts supplier apparently has qty 500 in stock for the IM6100s! 
With the failure rate I've been seeing, figure at least 350 of them are viable, 
maybe more. I've also had a bunch come out of the woodwork from other hobbyists 
with this project.

> Octal for me is quite familiar for 12 bits;  I can't recall ever seeing
> a 12-bit word that didn't use it.  On the other hand, 16 bits is a
> natural for hex--and only gets confusing when it's in octal.

I want to say the only 12-bit work I've done has always been octal (PDP-8), but 
8- and 16-bit has been a mix. I can switch between them, but it's kinda like 
using vim and $graphical_work_editor -- you use vim on a weekend long hack 
session and you keep hitting `ESC:wq` in $graphical_work_editor!

Thanks,
Jonathan

Ohio Scientific Universal RAM Board GW-OSI-RAM1

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

Finished building a prototype mezzanine board and testing with the IM6100 
(PDP-8 on a chip) in the 560Z board today. Full writeup:

http://www.glitchwrks.com/2017/05/03/gw-osi-ram1-universal-ram

There are a couple of tweaks required, but I should be doing a first production 
run of boards before long. This board is:

* 128 KW, 12-bits
* Optional memory management/bank switching
* No hard-to-find/expensive ICs (8T26, et c.)
* All through hole
* Includes lamp register mezzanine header
* Largeish prototype area

The lamp register is on a mezzanine for a few reasons. First off, octal vs. hex 
grouping! It really throws me off to try and interpret one on the other. 
Second, it allows remote mounting on a ribbon cable, i.e. board can be mounted 
to a front panel. Third, I'll likely design a 7-segment version.

Thanks,
Jonathan

Re: Vaxstation 3100 of odd sort on epay

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

I keep meaning to stop by the guy's shop in MD and check out some of his DEC 
stuff. From what I can tell, this isn't TEMPEST shielding, but RF shielding for 
e.g. lab situations that require a low RF noise floor. It's probably 
effectively the same as TEMPEST in practice, but seems to lack the gov't 
certification.

Thanks,
Jonathan

On Tue, 2 May 2017 17:21:28 -0700
jim stephens via cctalk  wrote:

> 
> This might be a tempest or shielded vaxstation?  Anyone speculate or 
> know for sure.
> 
> The vendor may have these mixed in as equivalent to their other 
> vaxstations.  If you search for "DEC vax VS42A-BN"
> you end up back at the vendors listing for the ones with plastic 
> covers.  I didn't turn up any info yet, not hoping to.
> but the thing has what appears to be optical, and a huge connector which 
> may be shielded SCSI on the back.
> 
> I can't tell from the front, but there may be a hatch to allow it to be 
> opened and a floppy inserted, not sure from
> the photos.
> 
> VINTAGE-RARE-DEC-DIGITAL-VAXSTATION-3100-PF-VS42A-AA-RF-VS42A-BN-COMPUTER-SYSTEM/
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/370930391341
> 
> Kind of an interesting device.
> 
> I looped back into the vendors listings to this auction for the plastic 
> topped version, by the way
> 
> VINTAGE-DEC-DIGITAL-VT1300-VAXSTATION-VS42A-BB-COMPUTER-SYSTEM-VT-1300-TERMINAL/
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/370912245260
> 
> It is badged VT-1300 so may not be a vaxstation.  And the other box may 
> be one of the VT-1300's
> that is tempest or shielded.
> 
> thanks
> Jim

Re: Attaching DEC Handles, the Right Way

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

> The CP-2 line seems to have the right dimensions for DEC FLIP CHIP
> modules (2.43" wide, ~2" rivet hole spacing) and they have them in
> natural nylon, which might be dyable, white, and black.
> 
> They are stocked by Digikey and Mouser for under $1 each.

Good stuff! Now I know what to use when my stock of scavenged Thermalloy 
handles runs out!

Thanks,
Jonathan

Re: Attaching DEC Handles, the Right Way

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

> It's one of these:
> http://www.grommetmachinery.com/stimpson-479-machine.html

Glad to hear it was saved from the scrap heap! A very cool machine, reminds me 
of the manual punch we had to go along with our trip punch at a previous job.

> Stu Phillips, a friend of ours did the insertion of metal metal Southco 
> extractor handles on our boards for the Microdata 1600. 

> That business came from him owning an injection molding machine and 
> someone asking him to make the handles.

The blue handles on the MDB Unibus prototyping boards I've got are Stu Phillips 
handles. They are indeed riveted on, but I don't know if MDB did their own 
riveting. With the amount of DEC-compatible stuff they made, it wouldn't 
surprise me.

Thanks,
Jonathan

Attaching DEC Handles, the Right Way

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

I'm sure most of you DEC hackers have replaced a broken DEC handle or put 
handles on a protoboard, and did what I've done in the past: use 4-40 screws 
and nuts, or pop rivets. Well, I finally came across the right tool for the 
job, an Indestro tubular rivet set! I cut the head off of a rivet on an old 
Sundstrand CNC control board that was getting scrapped anyway and discovered 
they're 1/8" hollow brass rivets, but that a M3 x 5mm is close enough. You can 
buy the M3 rivets online for cheap, I paid $6 USD for 200 rivets, shipped. 
Here's the writeup:

http://www.glitchwrks.com/2017/04/25/installing-dec-handles

Thanks,
Jonathan

Re: PDP-8/a cleaning

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

> I'd just vacuum the card slots and wiring side with a shop 
> vac with a crevice tool.  I really would not get it wet.  If 
> you do this, vacuum all the water off and then dry in an 
> oven at 100F or so for a day.  You can clean the card edge 
> fingers with an alcohol-soaked paper towel.

Yeah, if you can avoid washing it, so much the better. Don't be too afraid of 
getting it wet, though -- I've washed many Unibus and QBus backplanes. I use 
dish soap and hot tap water. I used to dry them in the kitchen oven, but now 
I've got a hot air drying rack, which I believe was originally sold for drying 
litho plates. If you have to use the oven, leave the door ajar and set it at 
the lowest setting.

Thanks,
Jonathan

Re: WTB: BYT-8 Computer/Chassis

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

> Whats the big deal with that?  Its no more significant than a Compupro 
> chassis or a Integrand box in the S100 realm.

I just like the size and configuration. I've been looking for one for a while, 
it seems they were sort of common at one point. They were whitelabeled by Bell 
& Howell (educational system) and Olson. I had a "cheap attack" a few years ago 
on one with the full front panel and have been looking for one for a decent 
price since then.

I have a similarly sized TEI chassis, but it uses a Constant Voltage 
Transformer in the power supply, and it's *very* loud. Louder than my 
CompuPro's CVT. I suspect it has a loose lamination or something.

> If thats rare then the BYT-8 boards must be worth  a bundle.

The BYT-8 MPU board is pretty common, I don't know if it was sold as a separate 
product or what. I've had three, plus two bare, unassembled boards. The 1/2K 
RAM board seems to be rare (I know of one in a Bell & Howell system).

Thanks,
Jonathan

WTB: BYT-8 Computer/Chassis

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

All,

I'm on the virge of making a deal with vintagecomputermuseum on eBay over his 
BYT-8 he's had up for years. It's still overpriced but I can probably sell the 
boards out of it and make it a reasonable purchase. I already have a board set 
so really I just need the empty chassis.

Before I commit to buy from him (gag!) does anyone have a BYT-8 they want to 
sell me? The turnkey or full front panel versions are both acceptable. It can 
be totally empty, or if you want to sell the cards with it I can pay 
accordingly.

Thanks,
Jonathan

Re: DEC wall plates, cables

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

> Certainly looks like MMJ to me.  that was what I searched for as well.

If they're MMJ, I'd be interested in wall plates. I've got a few systems that 
use it, plus I recently picked up a DECHub 90, including two terminal server 
modules, which of course use MMJ.

Thanks,
Jonathan

Re: PSU protection with resettable polyfuse

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

> Any downsides to resettable polyfuses?

If you hit them hard enough, they'll sometimes permanently open, which is 
desirable anyway but does require rework. I don't remember how they stack up 
speed-wise, I'm sure it's in the datasheets.

Thanks,
Jonathan

Re: QIX game on PDP-11

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

> Likely a J11 power Q or Unibus CPU of late vintage.

Looks similar to a Mentec KDJ11-B workalike, I don't remember their 
designation. Onboard RAM and DLV11-J from what I remember...

Thanks,
Jonathan

Re: Floating point routines for the 6809

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

> Then it's a regional thing.

"Scrounge up," or to "scrounge around," is certainly commonly used to mean, 
"find something in a pile of mess" in the southeastern US. Mostly equivalent to 
"scare up."

Thanks,
Jonathan

Re: PDP-11/20 in Iowa (x3)

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

> I don't know of MOS memory appearing in 11/20s as built by DEC, but there's 
> no reason against it.  It's just Unibus memory.  It wouldn't have to be 4k 
> either; if you had a 32kW memory card that should work just fine.

Indeed, Unibus is Unibus, except when it's MUD :)

Thanks,
Jonathan

Re: Optical Mouse Pads

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

Bill,

I'd be interested in one compatible with Sun 5 mice -- right now I use a 
printed paper mousepad when I get out my Sun boxen. If no one else is 
interested, I'd like one or two of them, and if they're otherwise going in the 
trash, I know a few people I could give them to.

Does $5 each + shipping sound fair? I have no idea what they're worth, I 
haven't ever really sought them out.

Thanks,
Jonathan

On Tue, 14 Mar 2017 17:09:06 +
Bill Gunshannon via cctalk  wrote:

> 
> I am continuing the clean out of my vast collection of things I no longer 
> have a
> need for. (Yes, everything you see me offer here was at one time used by me
> in real life!)
> 
> I have three different model Optical Mouse Pads.
> 
> NDE400306-003F
> NCW 402105-003
> NDD 402105-003A
> 
> Over time I have had optical mice from Sun3's, Sun4's, SGI's and even the
> old VisiOn mouse.  I don't believe any of these to be from the Sun3 as it used
> bigger squares than these.  Might not be any interest as it probably costs 
> more
> to mail them (at least one at a time) than they are worth (unless someone 
> needs
> one badly to complete a classic system!)
> 
> So, anybody interested?  What would you offer? (Expect about $7.00 for a 
> Priority
> Mail Envelope which can hold more than one at a time.)
> 
> bill

Re: Aquired PDP 11/23

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

> Are dectape II tapes expensive?

TU58? They're hard to come by, but the good news is you can *emulate* them with 
a PC and a serial port (or USB adapter). That's how I run XXDP on most of my 
systems, and pretty much all of the systems I check out for people. You've got 
a DLV11-J in there so you've already got SLU0 in place (or can strap it up for 
it). AK6DN has a bunch of useful TU58 images premade, with listings of what 
XXDP utilities are on them.

It's also possible to boot other OSes on TU58, like RT-11. There's even a 
patched RT-11 driver to fudge the capacity on TU58s so you can use the 
emulator(s) to store a much larger volume of data. Helps to set SLU0 for a 
higher speed than 9600 if you plan on doing that :)

Thanks,
Jonathan

Info Needed: DATARAM DR-111 PDP-11 Unibus 16KW Core Memory

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

Looking for any information and/or documentation on DATARAM DR-111 (assembly 
61101) 16Kx16 core memory boards for the Unibus. I've got four in unknown 
condition, one with a clearly destroyed 8T37.

I have a large format scanner with ADF and can digitize print sets if necessary.

Thanks,
Jonathan

Re: IBM S/32, PDP-11/60+RL01, PDP-11/34, East Lansing MI

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

> Ditto for one of the people here who said they'd sent the person an email

Whoops, ended up in the spam folder! No, I haven't heard back either. I sent a 
follow-up and CCed the second address in his email. Provided my office phone 
number, no reply or calls.

Thanks,
Jonathan

Re: IBM S/32, PDP-11/60+RL01, PDP-11/34, East Lansing MI

[Systems Glitch via cctalk]

> > I'm on the other side of the country or I'd be all over this. Someone
> > please rescue this equipment. The thought of it going to the scrappers is,
> > well, brutal. Aren't PDP-11/60s kind of a rare beast?
> >
> > - Earl
> >
> 
> yes, yes they are.  ug.

I've contacted Greg, haven't heard back yet. I've got the means to pick them 
up. I'd probably be selling some of the hardware to recoup my travel costs, 
this list will be the first to hear about it if it works out.

Thanks,
Jonathan