Cleaning out a desk drawer

[Chuck Guzis via cctalk]

I've got some old evaluation/development kits available for adoption.
None is really anciet, but all offered as a unit to a good home.

1 Rabbit 2000 devkit with CD-ROM, wall wart and serial dongle
2 Digilent UNO Pic32 dev board
1 TI ez430-F2013 (MSP430) devkit (just small USB gizmo) with CD

None has been used much--purchased mostly to see what was out there 15
or so years ago...

Anyone want this stuff?  You can have it for shipping, otherwise it
joins the big eCycle pile.

--Chuck

Re: Picked up beige Mac G3

[Pete Lancashire via cctalk]

Check the date code on the 'new' battery, there are quite a few sellers
that will sell you a battery 10 years old. Fry's is a perfect example.

-pete

On Mon, Dec 11, 2017 at 5:04 PM, devin davison via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> Battery does not appear to ahve leaked but is planned to be replaced.
> I was unaware of having to press a key to boot to cd. Ill give it a
> go.
> Thanks for the quick response.
>
> --Devin
>
> On Mon, Dec 11, 2017 at 6:54 PM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk
>  wrote:
> > On 12/11/2017 03:35 PM, Adrian Graham via cctalk wrote:
> >
> >
> >> Going from memory you need to press ‘C’ to boot from CD and you might
> also need to replace the PRAM battery.
> >>
> >
> > I'll second the bit about the PRAM battery.   I've got one of these
> > beige G3 boxes and can affirm that a failing PRAM battery can create all
> > sorts of strange havoc, including not powering on at all.
> >
> > Note that said battery is 3.6V, so a CR2032 won't do it.
> >
> > --Chuck
>
>

Re: Revive 11/34

[Mattis Lind via cctalk]

There has been plenty of good suggestions already.

If I were you I would:

1. Check voltages from the PSU as mentioned previously.
2. Check AC LO / DC LO signals as Bill mentioned.
3. Strip out every card on the bus except of the terminator boards and the
M7859 programmers console.
4. Put the console in maintenance mode and check that the BUS itself is OK.
(http://retrocmp.com/tools/pdp-1134-programmers-console)
5. Add more cards, like serial board M7856 or whatever and then use the
programmers console to probe it.
6. Add memory and check a few locations from the programmers console.
7. Add the CPU and check that you can read the PSW register at 76  and
the internal registers starting at 00.

Since the programmers console has its own 8008 on board it is a quite
powerful tool to diagnose the Unibus and the peripherals even without the
CPU is present or running.

But note that the M7859 might fail. One of my M7859 had failed and it took
a while to repair. OC drivers, flip flops and registers was bad. Here is my
story :
http://www.datormuseum.se/computers/digital-equipment-corporation/pdp-11-04---s-n-ag03092

Re: Looking for AMP / TE coaxial connectors - Memorex 651 drive

[jim stephens via cctalk]

Isn't Element 14 the UK version of Newark?

On 12/11/2017 6:28 PM, Jon Elson via cctalk wrote:


It is a AMP 202515-1 housing.
I buy some M-style connector housings from Newark in the US, and they 
sell them in single quantity.
I think Newark has EU branches as well.  This housing is a smaller 
version from the same series.


Jon 

Re: DR-DOS

[Tomasz Rola via cctalk]

On Mon, Dec 11, 2017 at 11:12:02PM +0100, Liam Proven via cctalk wrote:
> Latest updates...
> 
> I've taken the downloads for Enhanced DR-DOS 7.01-6 and 7.01-7,
> trimmed the boot disk image to work with Virtualbox, added the actual
> files to make the boot images bootable, and also added in the other
> updated commands -- SYS.COM, XCOPY, TASKMGR, SHARE, and their README
> files etc.
> 
> I've re-zipped them and put them on Dropbox.

Cool. I hope I will have some time in not very distant future to try
it and see what it is like. Alas, it can happen in January, perhaps...

-- 
Regards,
Tomasz Rola

--
** A C programmer asked whether computer had Buddha's nature.  **
** As the answer, master did "rm -rif" on the programmer's home**
** directory. And then the C programmer became enlightened...  **
** **
** Tomasz Rola  mailto:tomasz_r...@bigfoot.com **

Re: Looking for AMP / TE coaxial connectors - Memorex 651 drive

[Jon Elson via cctalk]

On 12/11/2017 02:45 PM, Mattis Lind via cctalk wrote:

Hello!

I am about to start with the project to archive disks from the Incoterm
system.

This system makes use of the Memorex 651 drive which is somewhat odd. It
has 64 tracks,is hard sectored with 32 sectors and spins at 375 rpm.

But I do have the drive which hopefully still is working. However the
interface connector is nothing like I seen on a floppy drive before.

https://i.imgur.com/TklddLP.jpg


It is a AMP 202515-1 housing.
I buy some M-style connector housings from Newark in the US, 
and they sell them in single quantity.
I think Newark has EU branches as well.  This housing is a 
smaller version from the same series.


Jon

TI 99/4a It Lives! but extended basic? acts bizzare...Help?

[Ed via cctalk]

TI 99/4a It  Lives! but extended basic?  acts   bizarre...
 
Great  got the  video cable 5 bucks   from the  UK  - -SOLVED!
 
Works  and fires up with out the extended basic  plugged in
but when I pluged it in and  selected the option  for  extended basic at 
book up just hangs  no
prompt on screen  etc.
 
I have the  screed  that TI had that was more of an  industrial  display 
rather than the  
screen that was converted TV that may have been earlier.. Heavy little  
monitor!   
It has a  strong mesh looking internal mask on the screen   compared to 
modern   color CRTS/
 
We also have  a  Epson looking  printer  with TI logo  to pair up
 
The  goal of  course is to  set  up as a display  at  SMECC Museum  with  
some of the other micros 
where it  can be demo'ed  I have the speech  module   too but have no idea  
what to do with that.
 
 Have a disc with cable but need  some  sort of an expansion  to plug it 
in. 
 
The adventure  continues... as  always   drop any  ideas  hits  etc  to 
us///
Learning as  we  go As I never used or  sold any of these  when in the biz 
back then!
 
Ed Sharpe Archivist  for SMECC  _www.smecc.org_ (http://www.smecc.org) 

Re: Picked up beige Mac G3

[devin davison via cctalk]

Battery does not appear to ahve leaked but is planned to be replaced.
I was unaware of having to press a key to boot to cd. Ill give it a
go.
Thanks for the quick response.

--Devin

On Mon, Dec 11, 2017 at 6:54 PM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk
 wrote:
> On 12/11/2017 03:35 PM, Adrian Graham via cctalk wrote:
>
>
>> Going from memory you need to press ‘C’ to boot from CD and you might also 
>> need to replace the PRAM battery.
>>
>
> I'll second the bit about the PRAM battery.   I've got one of these
> beige G3 boxes and can affirm that a failing PRAM battery can create all
> sorts of strange havoc, including not powering on at all.
>
> Note that said battery is 3.6V, so a CR2032 won't do it.
>
> --Chuck

Re: Picked up beige Mac G3

[Chuck Guzis via cctalk]

On 12/11/2017 03:35 PM, Adrian Graham via cctalk wrote:


> Going from memory you need to press ‘C’ to boot from CD and you might also 
> need to replace the PRAM battery.
> 

I'll second the bit about the PRAM battery.   I've got one of these
beige G3 boxes and can affirm that a failing PRAM battery can create all
sorts of strange havoc, including not powering on at all.

Note that said battery is 3.6V, so a CR2032 won't do it.

--Chuck

Re: Picked up beige Mac G3

[Adrian Graham via cctalk]

> On 11 Dec 2017, at 23:18, devin davison via cctalk  
> wrote:
> 
> Someone just dropped off a mac g3 at the scrapyard I work at and I picked it 
> up.
> It has a failing hard drive. Replaced the drive, downloaded and burned
> a disk with mac os 8 on it, but it refuses to boot to it. How do I go
> about installing the software on this machine?
> 
> Not sure if this is the place to ask, but figured it would be worth a
> shot. Thanks.

Hi Devin,

Going from memory you need to press ‘C’ to boot from CD and you might also need 
to replace the PRAM battery.

Cheers

—
Adrian/Witchy
Binary Dinosaurs - Celebrating Computing History from 1972 onwards
binarydinosaurs.co.uk
facebook.com/binarydinosaurs

Picked up beige Mac G3

[devin davison via cctalk]

Someone just dropped off a mac g3 at the scrapyard I work at and I picked it up.
It has a failing hard drive. Replaced the drive, downloaded and burned
a disk with mac os 8 on it, but it refuses to boot to it. How do I go
about installing the software on this machine?

Not sure if this is the place to ask, but figured it would be worth a
shot. Thanks.

Re: Looking for AMP / TE coaxial connectors - Memorex 651 drive

[Maciej W. Rozycki via cctalk]

On Mon, 11 Dec 2017, Mattis Lind via cctalk wrote:

> It is a AMP 202515-1 housing. The mating 202516-1 which I need is still in
> production and available for purchase from Mouser. The small coaxial
> connectors on the other hand has a minimum order of 1000 units and costs 10
> euros each...
> 
> https://www.mouser.se/ProductDetail/TE-Connectivity/201146-2/?qs=DuOyNqEZh0%252bSNT4sy6om8Q==
> 
> Does anyone know of a source selling something like three coaxial
> connectors like this at decent price?

 A quick Internet search returns this link:



and they both claim to have this part in stock and sell it in arbitrary 
quantities, although they do not seem to do retail sales.  You might try 
contacting them regardless outlining what your problem is and they might 
be willing to help.

 NB I have nothing to do with them; it's just a generic attempt to help.

  Maciej

Canon BN22 Laptop manual, anyone?

[Adrian Graham via cctalk]

Hi folks,

I’ve been contacted by someone looking for the user guide for this particular 
beast, an early 90s mono laptop with built-in printer. The usual searches turn 
up nothing other than pictures and she says she’s found a PDF but in German.

Any clues?

—
Adrian/Witchy
Binary Dinosaurs - Celebrating Computing History from 1972 onwards

Re: DR-DOS

[Liam Proven via cctalk]

Latest updates...

I've taken the downloads for Enhanced DR-DOS 7.01-6 and 7.01-7,
trimmed the boot disk image to work with Virtualbox, added the actual
files to make the boot images bootable, and also added in the other
updated commands -- SYS.COM, XCOPY, TASKMGR, SHARE, and their README
files etc.

I've re-zipped them and put them on Dropbox.

Here are the links:

7.01-6:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fr8ugx1r7yjczu5/dr70106b.zip?dl=0

7.01-7:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tu998h4a7tufpf3/dr70107b.zip?dl=0

and the previous one, as before...

7.01-8 WIP:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cz8nrdv7h4sgr6o/drdep7018.zip?dl=0

By all means please mirror these elsewhere.

To use them, the easiest way is to get a copy of DR-DOS 7.01, e.g.

http://www.bttr-software.de/freesoft/os.htm

https://winworldpc.com/product/dr-dos/7x

Install in a VM.

Reboot.

Boot from my boot disk image, SYS the hard disk, and copy the other
files into C:\DOS or whatever you called it.

I will follow with complete VM images in time, but I'm back at work
after 7 weeks off sick, and I'm just too tired at the moment.

-- 
Liam Proven • Profile: https://about.me/liamproven
Email: lpro...@cix.co.uk • Google Mail/Talk/Plus: lpro...@gmail.com
Twitter/Facebook/Flickr: lproven • Skype/LinkedIn/AIM/Yahoo: liamproven
UK: +44 7939-087884 • ČR/WhatsApp/Telegram/Signal: +420 702 829 053

Re: Looking for AMP / TE coaxial connectors - Memorex 651 drive

[Steve Malikoff via cctalk]

Mattis said
> Hello!
>
> I am about to start with the project to archive disks from the Incoterm
> system.
>
> This system makes use of the Memorex 651 drive which is somewhat odd. It
> has 64 tracks,is hard sectored with 32 sectors and spins at 375 rpm.
>
> But I do have the drive which hopefully still is working. However the
> interface connector is nothing like I seen on a floppy drive before.
>
> https://i.imgur.com/TklddLP.jpg
>
>
> It is a AMP 202515-1 housing. The mating 202516-1 which I need is still in
> production and available for purchase from Mouser. The small coaxial
> connectors on the other hand has a minimum order of 1000 units and costs 10
> euros each...
>
> https://www.mouser.se/ProductDetail/TE-Connectivity/201146-2/?qs=DuOyNqEZh0%252bSNT4sy6om8Q==
>
> Does anyone know of a source selling something like three coaxial
> connectors like this at decent price?
>
> Or maybe a suggestion for another connector that could be modified into fit
> somehow? Potentially using glue to fixate it.
>
> Of course the last resort is to just solder some wires directly onto the
> drive PCB, but if there is a nice solution I try that first.
>

That connector looks a bit similar to the Winchester MRACs apart from the 
addition of some
larger holes and pins for the coax connectors. Your second link didn't work for 
me but
looking at the first pic, perhaps you could bodge something up out of a piece 
of K brass
rod and tubing, with some tubing spacer from a suitable dia body eg. a 
ballpoint pen.

For the connector body, it could be 3d printed, or make a paper rubbing and 
drill a block
of plastic, or simply fix the makeshift pins in then cut spacing strips of 
plastic to slip
through the rows and then bind and cover with epoxy.

I made a quick stopgap power connector for testing an Amiga 500 by soldering 
the leads
of a discarded rack server power supply to 5 small nails, worked just fine.

Steve.

Re: Looking for AMP / TE coaxial connectors - Memorex 651 drive

[Chuck Guzis via cctalk]

On 12/11/2017 12:45 PM, Mattis Lind via cctalk wrote:

> Or maybe a suggestion for another connector that could be modified into fit
> somehow? Potentially using glue to fixate it.

I wonder if you could re-work the drive to use a standard 13W3 connector?

--Chuck

Looking for AMP / TE coaxial connectors - Memorex 651 drive

[Mattis Lind via cctalk]

Hello!

I am about to start with the project to archive disks from the Incoterm
system.

This system makes use of the Memorex 651 drive which is somewhat odd. It
has 64 tracks,is hard sectored with 32 sectors and spins at 375 rpm.

But I do have the drive which hopefully still is working. However the
interface connector is nothing like I seen on a floppy drive before.

https://i.imgur.com/TklddLP.jpg


It is a AMP 202515-1 housing. The mating 202516-1 which I need is still in
production and available for purchase from Mouser. The small coaxial
connectors on the other hand has a minimum order of 1000 units and costs 10
euros each...

https://www.mouser.se/ProductDetail/TE-Connectivity/201146-2/?qs=DuOyNqEZh0%252bSNT4sy6om8Q==

Does anyone know of a source selling something like three coaxial
connectors like this at decent price?

Or maybe a suggestion for another connector that could be modified into fit
somehow? Potentially using glue to fixate it.

Of course the last resort is to just solder some wires directly onto the
drive PCB, but if there is a nice solution I try that first.

Re: Dec-10 Day announcement from Living Computers: Museum + Labs

[Eric Smith via cctalk]

On Sun, Dec 10, 2017 at 4:19 PM, Noel Chiappa via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> Oh, one detail I didn't look at: what's the physical interface this uses?
> Hopefully three of the Berg/DuPont connectors (i.e. what's on the RHxx
> boards, with flat cables going to the adapter to the standard MASSBUS
> connector, a device rejoicing in the name 'Receptacle Housing Assembly');
> the
> original MASSBUS cables (along with the 'Receptacle Housing Assembly' are
> now
> rare as hen's teeth). And there's also the MASSBUS termination...
>

It uses three 40-pin dual-row headers, so you can cable it to a real
Massbus connector (RHA), or you might be able to cable it directly to the
Berg headers of a DEC Massbus adapter.

Re: Dec-10 Day announcement from Living Computers: Museum + Labs

[Pontus Pihlgren via cctalk]

On Mon, Dec 11, 2017 at 08:59:46AM -0500, Paul Koning wrote:
> > 
> > I am and possibly the Update computer club and some of it's members. 
> > However, I have very little experience with making hardware. How would 
> > we aproach this?
> 
> There are plenty of companies in the "prototype production" business; they 
> will make either blank printed circuit boards, or assembled boards, in small 
> quantities.  For our purposes a group build probably counts as "small 
> quantity".  One I can think of (and have used for blank PCBs) is PCB Pool.
> 
> Depending on the parts involved and the skill level of the consumers, it may 
> be reasonable to get blank boards and a parts bag and have the user assemble 
> it -- or it may be better to let professionals do the assembly.
> 

I'm quite confident with a soldering iron when it comes to through hole 
components. I haven't looked at the BOM for this project yet but I guess 
there are surface mount components.

Perhaps an opportunity to learn.

/P 

RE: Revive 11/34

[william degnan via cctalk]

> >>
> >> Any suggestions as to what to try first?  I may have the bus grant in
backwards.  I have other boards I can try.
> >>

For an 11/34A can one test for DC LO / AC LO?  If so and you don't get the
correct reading that's a show stopper right there.  Remove all but the
essential cards, terminate the UNIBUS to the shortest poss. size and least
RAM.  I no longer have an 11/34A but there are a lot of similarities to the
11/40.  Many cards interchangable.

Bill

Re: Revive 11/34

[william degnan via cctalk]

Ray Fantini knows the 11/34 very well
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU8DOKVxDJ8

He helped me with UNIBUS diagnosis.
I am sure you have seen this:
http://bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/pdp11/1134/

I would definitely start with the power supply and work my way through the
voltage regulators, etc.  If you already did this, I apologize for missing
that you mentioned.

BIll

On Mon, Dec 11, 2017 at 8:15 AM, william degnan 
wrote:

>
> > >>
> > >> Any suggestions as to what to try first?  I may have the bus grant in
> backwards.  I have other boards I can try.
> > >>
>
> For an 11/34A can one test for DC LO / AC LO?  If so and you don't get the
> correct reading that's a show stopper right there.  Remove all but the
> essential cards, terminate the UNIBUS to the shortest poss. size and least
> RAM.  I no longer have an 11/34A but there are a lot of similarities to the
> 11/40.  Many cards interchangable.
>
> Bill
>

Re: LA30 restore complete

[Tapley, Mark via cctalk]

On Dec 11, 2017, at 2:03 AM, Paul Anderson via cctalk  
wrote:

> Very nice!  The LA30 and ADVENT both bring back memories...
> 
> On Sat, Dec 9, 2017 at 8:58 PM, Fritz Mueller via cctalk <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
> 
>> Got the last replacement components I needed for my LA30 restore today,
>> and finished it up!  Here's a short video of the LA30 connected as console
>> to my restored PDP-11/45:
>> 
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMIL2bvUYIs

Beautiful! Thank you for the video and congratulations on the restoration! I 
never got to use the console on the University PDP, we didn’t want to waste 
paper and we had electronic terminals by then - 2 disagreeable generics and a 
*gorgeous* Tektronix 4025 (sic?) as well as the hi-res Tek 4010. 

Semi-related, I have about a 4 cm. stack of fan-folded faded green bar in my 
office that I won’t use. Free for shipping from Texas, area code 78254.

- Mark

Re: Dec-10 Day announcement from Living Computers: Museum + Labs

[Paul Koning via cctalk]

> On Dec 11, 2017, at 4:45 AM, Pontus Pihlgren via cctalk 
>  wrote:
> 
> On Sun, Dec 10, 2017 at 06:19:10PM -0500, Noel Chiappa via cctalk wrote:
>>> From: Ethan Dicks
>> 
>>> I look forward to taking a stab at this.
>> 
>> I suspect there are a number of people who'd be interested in MASSBUS storage
>> devices (e.g. me - suddenly all those RH11's I've got are no longer boat-
>> anchors :-). We should try and organize an group build, to share the load.
>> Anyone else interested?
>> 
> 
> I am and possibly the Update computer club and some of it's members. 
> However, I have very little experience with making hardware. How would 
> we aproach this?

There are plenty of companies in the "prototype production" business; they will 
make either blank printed circuit boards, or assembled boards, in small 
quantities.  For our purposes a group build probably counts as "small 
quantity".  One I can think of (and have used for blank PCBs) is PCB Pool.

Depending on the parts involved and the skill level of the consumers, it may be 
reasonable to get blank boards and a parts bag and have the user assemble it -- 
or it may be better to let professionals do the assembly.

paul

Re: Dec-10 Day announcement from Living Computers: Museum + Labs

[Pontus Pihlgren via cctalk]

On Sun, Dec 10, 2017 at 06:19:10PM -0500, Noel Chiappa via cctalk wrote:
> > From: Ethan Dicks
> 
> > I look forward to taking a stab at this.
> 
> I suspect there are a number of people who'd be interested in MASSBUS storage
> devices (e.g. me - suddenly all those RH11's I've got are no longer boat-
> anchors :-). We should try and organize an group build, to share the load.
> Anyone else interested?
> 

I am and possibly the Update computer club and some of it's members. 
However, I have very little experience with making hardware. How would 
we aproach this?


(This is very good news, the chance of getting my 2020 running by year 
2020 is now a lot bigger. Also, as I've stated elsewhere, thank you to 
LCM and everyone involved!)

Regards,
Pontus.

Re: LA30 restore complete

[Paul Anderson via cctalk]

Very nice!  The LA30 and ADVENT both bring back memories...

On Sat, Dec 9, 2017 at 8:58 PM, Fritz Mueller via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> Got the last replacement components I needed for my LA30 restore today,
> and finished it up!  Here's a short video of the LA30 connected as console
> to my restored PDP-11/45:
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMIL2bvUYIs
>
>
>