RE: Magnetic media FTGH!
> -Original Message- > From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Mouse > Sent: 27 November 2016 00:25 > To: cctalk@classiccmp.org > Subject: Re: Magnetic media FTGH! > > >> Back in October, I wrote that I had two boxes of magnetic media that > >> were not worth - to me - the space they were taking up. > > >> This drew a note from one Rob Jarratt, [...] > > > That was me replying. I have the drives to read TK50 (a hazardous and > > unreliable process these days), not sure about the others. The > > trouble is I am in the UK, I know you are reluctant to ship, and *I* > > am reluctant to pay a lot for shipping across the pond. > > Yes, that was what I thought the major barrier to just dropping them on you > was Any idea of weight and dimensions? Thanks Rob
RE: Magnetic media FTGH!
> -Original Message- > From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Mouse > Sent: 27 November 2016 00:25 > To: cctalk@classiccmp.org > Subject: Re: Magnetic media FTGH! > > >> Back in October, I wrote that I had two boxes of magnetic media that > >> were not worth - to me - the space they were taking up. > > >> This drew a note from one Rob Jarratt, [...] > > > That was me replying. I have the drives to read TK50 (a hazardous and > > unreliable process these days), not sure about the others. The > > trouble is I am in the UK, I know you are reluctant to ship, and *I* > > am reluctant to pay a lot for shipping across the pond. > > Yes, that was what I thought the major barrier to just dropping them on you > was. > > > However, if you don't get any takers, can we discuss the option of > > sending them to me? > > Sure. I'll send you mail offlist; this is somewhat in the nature of a heads-up, > so if you don't get the offlist mail you'll know something's wrong. > I got the offlist email and have sent a reply. Let's see whether you get it or not. Regards Rob
Re: Other SMS300/8X300/8X305 uses?
On 11/26/2016 08:39 PM, Eric Smith wrote: > Now that I have an 8X300 (etc.) disassembler, which I've used to > disassemble the Western Digital WD1000 and WD1001 firmware, and the > Zendex ZX-203 firmware, I've become curious as to what other products > used the SMS300/8X300/8X305. Does anyone know of any? My Durango 900 series machine uses one for the hard disk controller on what is about the size of an S100 card, but a little smaller. It fits in the expansion area just in back of the floppy drives and drives an ST506-interface drive. The previous model used a Shugart SA4000 external hard drive and a card with an Intel 8291 and 8292 to implement a GPIB link. The controller itself is full of TTL and matches the footprint of the SA4000. Microsystems Consultant in Sunnyvale designed it. There was a floppy controller in the Signetics Bipolar 8X300 line. It's in the Signetics Bipolar Microcomputer databook. --Chuck
Re: Other SMS300/8X300/8X305 uses?
On Sun, Nov 27, 2016 at 4:39 AM, Eric Smith wrote: > Now that I have an 8X300 (etc.) disassembler, which I've used to > disassemble the Western Digital WD1000 and WD1001 firmware, and the Zendex > ZX-203 firmware, I've become curious as to what other products used the > SMS300/8X300/8X305. Does anyone know of any? > It will take me some time to check, but I seem to remember an ISA card, not a disk controller, with one on. Possibly a 3720-type interface (I think there was a single BNC socket on the bracket, and it's not ethernet). There's an 8X300 on the hard disk controller (Philips X1215 drive) for the Philips P854 computer. But I suspect that is too obscure even for this list. -tony
Re: Other SMS300/8X300/8X305 uses?
On Sat, Nov 26, 2016 at 8:39 PM, Eric Smith wrote: > Now that I have an 8X300 (etc.) disassembler, which I've used to > disassemble the Western Digital WD1000 and WD1001 firmware, and the Zendex > ZX-203 firmware, I've become curious as to what other products used the > SMS300/8X300/8X305. Does anyone know of any? > The Andromeda WDC11 MFM floppy/hard disk controller uses an 8X305. It emulates an RX02, and an RK05 or RL01/RL02 or RP02. I have one. I'm not sure which flavor it is. I've never gotten around to trying to use it.
Other SMS300/8X300/8X305 uses?
Now that I have an 8X300 (etc.) disassembler, which I've used to disassemble the Western Digital WD1000 and WD1001 firmware, and the Zendex ZX-203 firmware, I've become curious as to what other products used the SMS300/8X300/8X305. Does anyone know of any? In the early to mid-1980s, the 8X300 was a good choice for hard disk controllers, because all instructions took 250ns, and a single instruction could read an I/O port or RAM location, shift and mask, and write another I/O port or RAM location. At the time, no MOS microprocessor was even close to that.
Re: Macintosh Portable
Chris, "Not really proprietary, it was before tiny portable SCSI drives were really standardized, and Apple published everything so third parties could create compatible hardware." I wasn't aware that Apple had published the specs for that connector, so you're correct that it's not proprietary in the strongest sense of the term (trade secret). It would have been more correct to say it was an implementation unique to Apple, and to the Mac Portable specifically - or at least so far as I've ever known. Do you know of any other product that used the odd 34-pin SCSI data & power connector? Or of any 3rd party drives ever made to replace the stock Conner? I'm not aware that either case is true.. On Sat, Nov 26, 2016 at 2:57 PM, Chris Hanson wrote: > On Nov 26, 2016, at 1:52 AM, drlegendre . wrote: > > > > You're correct about the drive connector, it's one of those maddening > > proprietary things that Apple was and still is prone to doing. If I > recall, > > the drive itself uses the standard SCSI interface, but the stock drive > has > > a permanently attached cable with its own pinout. And I think the drive > > cable carries both data and power. > > Not really proprietary, it was before tiny portable SCSI drives were > really standardized, and Apple published everything so third parties could > create compatible hardware. > > It’s just a 34-pin connector carrying both SCSI signal and power. Details > are on page 5-31 (Chapter 5: Hardware) of the Macintosh Portable Developer > Note, Table 5-6: SCSI Internal Connector Pinout. It should be simple to > make an adapter for a SCSI2SD or equivalent. > > -- Chris > >
Re: Magnetic media FTGH!
>> Back in October, I wrote that I had two boxes of magnetic media that >> were not worth - to me - the space they were taking up. >> This drew a note from one Rob Jarratt, [...] > That was me replying. I have the drives to read TK50 (a hazardous and > unreliable process these days), not sure about the others. The > trouble is I am in the UK, I know you are reluctant to ship, and *I* > am reluctant to pay a lot for shipping across the pond. Yes, that was what I thought the major barrier to just dropping them on you was. > However, if you don't get any takers, can we discuss the option of > sending them to me? Sure. I'll send you mail offlist; this is somewhat in the nature of a heads-up, so if you don't get the offlist mail you'll know something's wrong. /~\ The ASCII Mouse \ / Ribbon Campaign X Against HTMLmo...@rodents-montreal.org / \ Email! 7D C8 61 52 5D E7 2D 39 4E F1 31 3E E8 B3 27 4B
Re: A good shipping service for large computers?
On 11/26/2016 8:05 AM, Noel Chiappa wrote: No; it just sailed right through. The fact that it was Canada->US probably helped. The US Customs can be jerks. But Made in USA on the unit trumped the BS for me twice. It wasn't obvious in both cases, but once I showed it on the device the foolishness stopped. I think our Canadian friends had much more trouble even post NAFTA than I had. The old used items I buy have all been clearly US origin or manufacture and they do sail thru. thanks Jim
Re: Macintosh Portable
On Nov 26, 2016, at 1:52 AM, drlegendre . wrote: > > You're correct about the drive connector, it's one of those maddening > proprietary things that Apple was and still is prone to doing. If I recall, > the drive itself uses the standard SCSI interface, but the stock drive has > a permanently attached cable with its own pinout. And I think the drive > cable carries both data and power. Not really proprietary, it was before tiny portable SCSI drives were really standardized, and Apple published everything so third parties could create compatible hardware. It’s just a 34-pin connector carrying both SCSI signal and power. Details are on page 5-31 (Chapter 5: Hardware) of the Macintosh Portable Developer Note, Table 5-6: SCSI Internal Connector Pinout. It should be simple to make an adapter for a SCSI2SD or equivalent. -- Chris
Re: DEC M9312 Configs for a 11/40
> > > 2) Yes or no - Should W8 be in for am 11 40/25/10/05 or is the /40 > special? > > > TYPO - I mean "11 40/35/10/05" or is the /40 special? b
DEC M9312 Configs for a 11/40
Hi all...I am hoping there is someone here who has an 11/40 or 11/35 and a M9312 ROM terminator card. I'd like to know how you have yours jumpered. I took photos of the jumpers installed in my M9312: http://www.vintagecomputer.net/digital/PDP11-40/M9312/ Here is the page from the manual that describes jumpers per UNIBUS system type: http://www.vintagecomputer.net/digital/PDP11-40/M9312/M9312_Jumper-configurations.JPG 1) Yes or no - Did I correctly identify the location of W8? 2) Yes or no - Should W8 be in for am 11 40/25/10/05 or is the /40 special? Here is the issuewhen I jumper W8 the CPU can do very little and I cannot activate the CONSOLE ROM. I put in posts into what I believe is W8 so I can switch back and forth without having to re-solder. With W8 out the system works better, and I can at least get to the CONSOLE prompt. Looking for opinions as to whether my card is correctly configured. I am trying to determine why I can't bootstrap and run a TU58 nor RL11, yet I can load and run BASIC just fine. I think I may have a UNIBUS problem OR a CPU card problem, but I can't load XXDP either to determine for sure. There are more problems, I can't bootstrap the RL11 nor TU58 manually either, I am working through everything CPU and UNIBUS too. Is there a complete XXDP tape that I can download from PDPGUI? I found TU58 image but I can't get the TU58em emulator to work yet. If I could just figure out why I can load BASIC and not RL02 RT11 I'd make my day. Thanks Bill
RE: Magnetic media FTGH!
> -Original Message- > From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Mouse > Sent: 26 November 2016 17:28 > To: cctalk@classiccmp.org > Subject: Re: Magnetic media FTGH! > > Back in October, I wrote that I had two boxes of magnetic media that were > not worth - to me - the space they were taking up. > > This drew a note from one Rob Jarratt, saying > > > I think the Ultrix and FORTRAN tapes have got to be worth saving > > whatever happens, and possibly the MicroVMS ones too, [...]. [...] > > please don't get rid of those particular media without giving someone > > the opportunity to image them. > > I haven't heard from anyone, and I can't really hang onto these indefinitely in > the hope that a nebulous "someone" will show up to image them. As I wrote > in October, I didn't have a system that could image any of them, and that > hasn't changed since then. > > I know there are at least a few of us in/near Ottawa; if any of them read this > and are willing to help out, possibly by imaging the tapes, possibly by just > taking over keeping them, possibly something else, I'd love to hear about it. I > too think it would be good to preserve the data...BUT not to the extent of > overriding my need to pare back the space my *ahem* "collection" is > occupying. I think the end of the year is about as long as I can wait without > hearing anything. > > Given email's unreliability these days, I'd also like to leave more than just > email as a way of getting hold of me. +1-613-482-0910 should either reach > me or take a message. > That was me replying. I have the drives to read TK50 (a hazardous and unreliable process these days), not sure about the others. The trouble is I am in the UK, I know you are reluctant to ship, and *I* am reluctant to pay a lot for shipping across the pond. However, if you don't get any takers, can we discuss the option of sending them to me? Regards Rob
Re: A good shipping service for large computers?
* Noel Chiappa [161126 11:05]: > > From: Todd Goodman > > > Did you have any issues with customs bringing in the racked equipment > > from Toronto? > > No; it just sailed right through. The fact that it was Canada->US probably > helped. Well, I've had problems with US Customs coming back into the US from Canada as well (not to mention from the US into Canada but that wasn't about computer equipment.) > > IIRC PakMail in Toronto picked a customs broker - or maybe we were talking > about doing that, and he decided we needn't bother? I forget now. That's good to know! > > > > Both times the carrier knew it was unpalleted computer equipment and > > did a good job using blankets and strapping them into the trucks. > > ... > > The other carrier did a great job .. They mostly ship antiques and > > pianos and other items that can be fragile and not palleted > > ... > > Both were very competitively priced in my experience. > > Sounds like these were both so-called 'white glove' shippers, who do things > like furniture, etc. Yes indeed. > > Those are also an option, but in my experience, somewhat more expensive: when > I was shipping a pair of -11/84's from California to Virginia, the shipping > cost just about doubled when I had to switch from freight to 'white glove' for > them. Hence my advice to palletize stuff, and send it freight (at least for > cross-continent, where the difference really adds up). These were on uShip where the carriers bid on your shipment so the prices were really very reasonable compared to even regular LTL shipping. Todd > > Noel
Re: Magnetic media FTGH!
Back in October, I wrote that I had two boxes of magnetic media that were not worth - to me - the space they were taking up. This drew a note from one Rob Jarratt, saying > I think the Ultrix and FORTRAN tapes have got to be worth saving > whatever happens, and possibly the MicroVMS ones too, [...]. [...] > please don't get rid of those particular media without giving someone > the opportunity to image them. I haven't heard from anyone, and I can't really hang onto these indefinitely in the hope that a nebulous "someone" will show up to image them. As I wrote in October, I didn't have a system that could image any of them, and that hasn't changed since then. I know there are at least a few of us in/near Ottawa; if any of them read this and are willing to help out, possibly by imaging the tapes, possibly by just taking over keeping them, possibly something else, I'd love to hear about it. I too think it would be good to preserve the data...BUT not to the extent of overriding my need to pare back the space my *ahem* "collection" is occupying. I think the end of the year is about as long as I can wait without hearing anything. Given email's unreliability these days, I'd also like to leave more than just email as a way of getting hold of me. +1-613-482-0910 should either reach me or take a message. /~\ The ASCII Mouse \ / Ribbon Campaign X Against HTMLmo...@rodents-montreal.org / \ Email! 7D C8 61 52 5D E7 2D 39 4E F1 31 3E E8 B3 27 4B
Re: A good shipping service for large computers?
> From: Todd Goodman > Did you have any issues with customs bringing in the racked equipment > from Toronto? No; it just sailed right through. The fact that it was Canada->US probably helped. IIRC PakMail in Toronto picked a customs broker - or maybe we were talking about doing that, and he decided we needn't bother? I forget now. > Both times the carrier knew it was unpalleted computer equipment and > did a good job using blankets and strapping them into the trucks. > ... > The other carrier did a great job .. They mostly ship antiques and > pianos and other items that can be fragile and not palleted > ... > Both were very competitively priced in my experience. Sounds like these were both so-called 'white glove' shippers, who do things like furniture, etc. Those are also an option, but in my experience, somewhat more expensive: when I was shipping a pair of -11/84's from California to Virginia, the shipping cost just about doubled when I had to switch from freight to 'white glove' for them. Hence my advice to palletize stuff, and send it freight (at least for cross-continent, where the difference really adds up). Noel
Re: A good shipping service for large computers?
* Noel Chiappa [161125 18:49]: [..SNIP..] > I have had good luck with PakMail (http://www.pakmail.com/); I've had them > ship a couple of 6' racks (one from Arizona, one from Toronto), and been very > happy with the results. [..SNIP..] Hi Noel, Did you have any issues with customs bringing in the racked equipment from Toronto? I've had so much trouble in the past that I've had to use a customs broker (this was a container from England.) They wanted prices and state of origin for all the pieces and pulled everything out of the container for inspection twice (which I paid for including transport to and from the inspection station of course.) For the OP, I've had good success shipping racks and an a keypunch with integrated table, both unpalleted, via uShip. The key to use them is specify everything in great detail (covered, unpalleted, etc) up front. Both times the carrier knew it was unpalleted computer equipment and did a good job using blankets and strapping them into the trucks. I did have help preparing the racks (getting cables all inside the racks and shrink wrapping them to keep things from sliding out, thanks Steve!) The other carrier did a great job picking up the keypunch (the seller was very happy with them) and delivering. They mostly ship antiques and pianos and other items that can be fragile and not palleted and so were a good choice for shipping vintage computer equipment.) Both were very competitively priced in my experience. Thanks, Todd
Re: A good shipping service for large computers?
Congratulations! Where does one find _three_ Crimsons these days? I would consider going there myself to pack them,, Crimsons are somewhate fragile. Not extremely so, like some SGI machines, but there are some places you shouldn't lift. Perhaps you could find an SGI collector in california to help you in exchange for one of them. Check out nekochan. /P On Fri, Nov 25, 2016 at 02:59:15PM -0500, devin davison wrote: > I have purchased 3 large SGi crimson computers and need them shipped from > california to florida. I am uncertain of a good service to use for the > task, i need the machines to be packaged up / put on a pallet at the pickup > location, the owner is unable to do so. Usualy I would use YRC freight, > however they do not offer the service to package the machines on site. > > Hopefully someone here can make a suggestion. Ive never dealt with shipping > something this large before. I did have a Microvax 3800 shipped with YRC > freight, however that was purchased through a business and was packaged > before shipping. The crimsons will be a bit larger. > > I have the machines paid for, but figuring out the shipping has had me a > bit stumped for the past few days. > > --Devin
Re: Macintosh Portable
Chris, I remembered seeing this post from a couple of years ago when I was looking at a Mac Portable. I ended up not buying it so I can't speak for whether this will work, but it might point in the right direction. See especially the links around the 4th post in the thread as it shows a 34 pin converter method. Regards, Brian. On Sat, Nov 26, 2016 at 5:16 AM, Alexandre Souza < alexandre.tabaj...@gmail.com> wrote: > Chris, is it a 40 pin cable? > > Enviado do meu Tele-Movel > > Em 26/11/2016 04:26, "Chris Pye" escreveu: > > > Does anyone know off hand what polarity that Mac Portable requires? I > know > > that the original was 7.5V @ 1.5A, but not sure of the polarity. > > > > I did have have a PB100 power supply that I used with mine, but > > (unfortunately) no longer have it. > > > > Also (if it still works) what is the easiest way to image the old Conner > > SCSI drive? It doesn’t appear to have a standard connector. > > > > I have googled this, but didn’t come up with anything useful. > > > > > > Thanks, > > Chris... > > > > > > > > >
Re: Macintosh Portable
Chris, is it a 40 pin cable? Enviado do meu Tele-Movel Em 26/11/2016 04:26, "Chris Pye" escreveu: > Does anyone know off hand what polarity that Mac Portable requires? I know > that the original was 7.5V @ 1.5A, but not sure of the polarity. > > I did have have a PB100 power supply that I used with mine, but > (unfortunately) no longer have it. > > Also (if it still works) what is the easiest way to image the old Conner > SCSI drive? It doesn’t appear to have a standard connector. > > I have googled this, but didn’t come up with anything useful. > > > Thanks, > Chris... > > > >
Re: Macintosh Portable
I can't answer your question about PSU polarity, but I do have some experience with the Mac Portable hard drive. I had to 'make' a replacement drive for one, almost 20 years ago now.. so forgive me if there are errors in this! You're correct about the drive connector, it's one of those maddening proprietary things that Apple was and still is prone to doing. If I recall, the drive itself uses the standard SCSI interface, but the stock drive has a permanently attached cable with its own pinout. And I think the drive cable carries both data and power. If you can find the +correct+ 20 or 40MB (?) Conner hard disk, you can make a cable that allows you to use one as a replacement for the stock drive, which is very prone to failure. Apparently, the stock drive is a low-power version of the otherwise identical Conner drives available at that time. The stock drive has a red label, and if I recall, the similar but not-low-power drive has a green label. So the common green-label drive works fine, but it will consume more battery than the special low-power version. Point is, if it still exists, find the web page that shows how to make & wire the adapter cable - and that should give you enough info to create a data & power cable that will allow you to read the stock disk. There was also some talk, at the time, that it was possible to transfer the complete circuit board, with cable, to one of the green label drives.. and have it work. Of course, this would only work if the drive had a physical failure, rather than a failure with the board electronics. In my case, I had to wire up a special cable.. it took a couple hrs, but worked fine. On Sat, Nov 26, 2016 at 12:26 AM, Chris Pye wrote: > Does anyone know off hand what polarity that Mac Portable requires? I know > that the original was 7.5V @ 1.5A, but not sure of the polarity. > > I did have have a PB100 power supply that I used with mine, but > (unfortunately) no longer have it. > > Also (if it still works) what is the easiest way to image the old Conner > SCSI drive? It doesn’t appear to have a standard connector. > > I have googled this, but didn’t come up with anything useful. > > > Thanks, > Chris... > > > >
Re: A good shipping service for large computers?
we liked our winstar that was on a taurus wagon chassis I was told... wish we still had it hauled a lot of stuff in it! currently have a subaru forester...unfortunately is is not as much volume as the winstar with the seats out! I hear the outback has a longer cargo area.Ed# In a message dated 11/25/2016 8:57:21 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time, el...@pico-systems.com writes: On 11/25/2016 05:49 PM, Noel Chiappa wrote: > I have discovered that a Ford Taurus wagon nicely holds an H960 6'x19" rack > (I joked that the car must have been designed by someone who collects old > gear :-), so I have been able to pick up a shipment consisting of _two_ > H960's this way: one inside, and one on the roof rack. With only one person, > one has to remove the heavy units first, and put them in the car separately, > but it can be done. > No, it was designed by a guy whose wife plays harp in the symphony. My cousin does that, and the Taurus from years ago was the only station wagon that would fit it. The others came up short by just one inch! Jon