RE: 3420 tape drive

[Rich Alderson via cctalk]

From: Pmungai Njau via cctalk
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2018 6:06 AM

> Am looking for the above tape to read and covert some old tapes from
> ebcidic to ASCII format. How can I get the tapes in Kenya.

Hi, Paul,

You do not need an IBM tape drive to convert from EBCDIC to ASCII; all
tape drives are agnostic about the meanings of the 8-bit data frames on
the media.  Data conversion is a function of the operating system or
utility used to read/write the data.

Your best option is to read the tapes as raw 8-bit bytes with any working
9-track tape drive into a data file and then do the data conversion using
a tool such as (GNU) dd.

Rich


Rich Alderson
Vintage Computing Sr. Systems Engineer
Living Computers: Museum + Labs
2245 1st Avenue S
Seattle, WA 98134

mailto:ri...@livingcomputers.org

http://www.LivingComputers.org/

Re: Microvax II 'primer'?

[Douglas Taylor via cctalk]

I can't believe you 'just carry it into the house' all by yourself, 
unless you are professional athlete.
I also have a MicroVax II in the BA123 world box and it has wheels for a 
reason!  The damn thing weighs 130 lbs!

I took it to the VCF East last year, never do that again.  Too heavy.

When I got mine, it had only 3MB of memory and I found that I couldn't 
install VMS 5.5-2 or 7.3 with that amount of memory.  I put in an 8 MB 
board and 11 MB total was fine.


You should make your own cable to connect the console to a PC or 
terminal.  Its that odd.  I found the PC connection to be helpful 
because you can log what you are doing.


Yes, remove the NiCad battery.

The box I got had 3 RD53 disks in it and none worked.  I am using a 
Viking SCSI controller and a SCSI2SD drive to boot the system.
I left the RX50 drives in and reconfigured the RQDX2 to address them.  
They come in handy for getting the VMS hobbyist licenses in.

The TK50 never worked.

I put a DELQA in for networking, never tried a DEQNA.

I consider it an important machine in computing history.  It allowed 
scientific researchers, like myself, to get off of remote mainframes 
that billed at fantastic rates and compute in a more relaxed environment.

BTW there is one in the Air & Space Museum in Washington DC.

On 1/21/2018 2:25 PM, Jules Richardson via cctech wrote:


So, I picked up (and I did just carry it into the house, and now I 
hurt) a Microvax II from another list member yesterday. Cosmetically 
it's a disaster (BA123 has a cracked top panel, broken wheels, missing 
front door, missing right-rear panel) but internally it appears to be 
complete; board wise we have:


  M7606 - CPU
  M7608 - 4MB ram
  M9047 - grant continuity
  M7504 - DEQNA ethernet
  M3104 - DHV11 8-port serial
  M7555 - RQDX3 disk controller
  M7546 - TX50 controller

... it's got a TK50 and hard drive (no idea of capacity).

Operational status is a complete unknown, and I have absolutely zero 
knowledge about these systems - so my question at this stage is what 
background reading I need to be doing in terms of pre-powerup* checks, 
actually hooking a console, if there's a suggested minimal config I 
can use to diag the CPU, and then (assuming it gets to that point) how 
to actually use the thing (I'm assuming it was running VMS rather than 
Ultrix, but I don't know for sure). I'm wondering there aren't any 
handy tutorials out there, alongside whatever DEC docs are recommended.


* e.g. for most machines I'd be thinking in terms of pulling all 
boards/drives, hooking up a dummy load to whatever PSU rails required 
it, and then at least running the PSU up in isolation first, but I 
don't know to what extent this machine requires some logic in place 
for the PSU to even run.


cheers

Jules

Re: MY COMPUTER LIKES ME when i speak in BASIC.

[Eric Smith via cctalk]

My computer likes me when I speak MACRO-10.
:-)

On Jan 17, 2018 7:28 AM, "Mattis Lind via cctalk" 
wrote:

> I scanned a nice little booklet I found in my fathers stuff.
>
> "MY COMPUTER LIKES ME when i speak in BASIC" by Bob Albrecht.
>
> http://www.datormuseum.se/documentation-software/my-computer-likes
>
> If someone feel like they can straighten it up, please do! I didn't feel
> like ripping it apart to have it scanned so it was troublesome to scan it
> perfectly in my page scanner.
>

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[jim stephens via cctalk]

On 1/22/2018 7:07 PM, Al Kossow via cctalk wrote:


On 1/22/18 5:24 PM, jim stephens via cctalk wrote:

Worth noting my 3/260 has a monochrome graphics port

x/2x0 CPUs produce 1600 x 1280, ECL 200 MHz dot clock video.

CRTs for them are pretty much impossible to find.

I have the originals, hopefully they can be made to work.

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[Al Kossow via cctalk]

On 1/22/18 5:24 PM, jim stephens via cctalk wrote:
> 

> Worth noting my 3/260 has a monochrome graphics port

x/2x0 CPUs produce 1600 x 1280, ECL 200 MHz dot clock video.

CRTs for them are pretty much impossible to find.

RE: CX laser printers (Was: Sun3 valuations?

[Fred Cisin via cctalk]

BTW, for yellowed plastic, Printerworks suggests
Sherman Williams poly-urethane paint, color S63EXH4300


On Mon, 22 Jan 2018, Ali via cctalk wrote:

Fred is this the off white color of HP printers?


At least close.
It's what Printerworks says that they use to repaint the Fedex purple 
printers back to look like the other CX based printers.   Check the 
details in the link on their site about how they convert the Fedex ones.

http://www.printerworks.com/Catalogs/CX-Catalog/CX-Fed-Ex.html
I assume that their goal is not necessarily to make them pass as HP, but 
to be close enough to look OK.

RE: CX laser printers (Was: Sun3 valuations?

[Ali via cctalk]

> BTW, for yellowed plastic, Printerworks suggests
> Sherman Williams poly-urethane paint, color S63EXH4300


Fred is this the off white color of HP printers?

-Ali

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[Pete Lancashire via cctalk]

Value . If it was in/near where I live a 3/50 with a good display would be
 oh $100. Finding a monochrome jug would be the biggest issue.

-pete

On Mon, Jan 22, 2018 at 5:24 PM, jim stephens via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

>
>
> On 1/22/2018 3:32 PM, Grant Taylor via cctalk wrote:
>
>> On 01/22/2018 04:06 PM, Noel Chiappa via cctalk wrote:
>>
>>> So did we ever get an answer to the original question (the value of a
>>> Sun3)? All I saw was 'you'd have to pay to recycle them'.
>>>
>>
>> I've not seen an answer to that question.  I have seen multiple people
>> raise their virtual hand in interest.  But no discussions of $ other than
>> disposal fees.
>>
> I did mention mine came free.  I also did sell my systems in the late 80s
> for some amount.  I think the answer will be relative to who is collecting
> them and their budget.  At least on this list that didn't seem to be many..
>
> As I said I'd be glad to help you make yours have value if you want my
> system, or the tapes.
>
> Al said he was open to offers for his system, which, by the way sounds
> like the 4/xxx system I had. A historical note on my system, might have
> been true of Al's depending on history too, Hamilton pre merger had a group
> which bought some of these systems, which were in my case in a 6' cabinet
> similar to the Dec H960 in size, and used them as systems for doing pal and
> other utility work.
>
> At out local Hamilton office in Orange County, where mine came from, they
> would let people come in and get accounts and use them for whatever they
> needed, usually by convincing the two local guys that you had something
> that would result in Hamilton selling some product.
>
> As to value, I'd say with the tape, my system should be worth a couple
> hundred.  No disks, but should have SCSI controller.  The tapes being the
> thing adding value.  That is with it in the state of a project machine.
> Add in the monitors and have it restored, I'd say 1000 to 1500 would be a
> reasonable asking price.
>
> Worth noting my 3/260 has a monochrome graphics port, so one would have a
> very large and power hungry Sunos 3 or Sunos 4 graphics station.  I think I
> have the Hitachi monitors that went with the system.
>
> Thanks
> Jim
>
>

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[jim stephens via cctalk]

On 1/22/2018 3:32 PM, Grant Taylor via cctalk wrote:

On 01/22/2018 04:06 PM, Noel Chiappa via cctalk wrote:
So did we ever get an answer to the original question (the value of a 
Sun3)? All I saw was 'you'd have to pay to recycle them'.


I've not seen an answer to that question.  I have seen multiple people 
raise their virtual hand in interest.  But no discussions of $ other 
than disposal fees. 
I did mention mine came free.  I also did sell my systems in the late 
80s for some amount.  I think the answer will be relative to who is 
collecting them and their budget.  At least on this list that didn't 
seem to be many..


As I said I'd be glad to help you make yours have value if you want my 
system, or the tapes.


Al said he was open to offers for his system, which, by the way sounds 
like the 4/xxx system I had. A historical note on my system, might have 
been true of Al's depending on history too, Hamilton pre merger had a 
group which bought some of these systems, which were in my case in a 6' 
cabinet similar to the Dec H960 in size, and used them as systems for 
doing pal and other utility work.


At out local Hamilton office in Orange County, where mine came from, 
they would let people come in and get accounts and use them for whatever 
they needed, usually by convincing the two local guys that you had 
something that would result in Hamilton selling some product.


As to value, I'd say with the tape, my system should be worth a couple 
hundred.  No disks, but should have SCSI controller.  The tapes being 
the thing adding value.  That is with it in the state of a project 
machine.  Add in the monitors and have it restored, I'd say 1000 to 1500 
would be a reasonable asking price.


Worth noting my 3/260 has a monochrome graphics port, so one would have 
a very large and power hungry Sunos 3 or Sunos 4 graphics station.  I 
think I have the Hitachi monitors that went with the system.


Thanks
Jim

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[Guy Sotomayor Jr via cctalk]

> On Jan 22, 2018, at 5:03 PM, Noel Chiappa via cctalk  
> wrote:
> 
> 
>> From: Guy Sotomayor Jr
> 
>> The XGP printed on roll paper. It was a laser type process
> 
> Plain paper? Well, my memory of it being thermal paper could easily be wrong;
> it's been a _long_ time, and I didn't use it much.
> 

It’s been longer for me!  ;-)

But I *did* use it *a lot* when I was there.

Missed using it until one of my co-workers at IBM started “playing” with an IBM 
4250
electro-erosion printer (I believe it was 600dpi H and 600dpi V).  It used 
aluminized
mylar (rolls again) — hence the electro erosion.  He wrote a bunch of SW for it 
and
ran it off of his PC-AT (at the time) and could produce “camera ready” results. 
 You
could also do limited print runs (100-500 copies) directly from resultant 
mylar.  Very
cool device…not really fast though.

TTFN - Guy

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[Noel Chiappa via cctalk]

> I just found a piece, I'll put up a photo.

Here ya go:

  http://gunkies.org/wiki/File:3MegEthernetCable.jpg
  http://gunkies.org/wiki/File:10MegEthernetCable.jpg

I should have put a ruler in, for scale. The 3M is about 2/3 of the thickness
of the 10M. The center conductor is about 2mm - pretty heavy!


> From: Guy Sotomayor Jr

> The XGP printed on roll paper. It was a laser type process

Plain paper? Well, my memory of it being thermal paper could easily be wrong;
it's been a _long_ time, and I didn't use it much.

 Noel

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[Guy Sotomayor Jr via cctalk]

> On Jan 22, 2018, at 4:08 PM, Noel Chiappa via cctalk  
> wrote:
> 
>> From: Grant Taylor
> 
>> What makes the copies of papers printed on them special?
> 
> Well, the Dover was the first device (that I know of) that could print _very_
> high-quality graphical/multi-font output, and on ordinary paper. It was also
> pretty darned fast - a couple of seconds per sheet, IIRC. The whole package
> just blew us all away (I was a MIT when we got ours).
> 
> There was a prior device (from quite a few years before) called a 'Xerox
> Graphics Printer', but i) IIRC it printed on thermal paper (think
> poor-quality thermal fax paper); ii) the resolution was nothing like as high
> as that of the Dover (which was, IIRC, in the 100's of DPIs - which it needed
> to produce the very-high quality printout with type-faces), and iii) it was
> quite slow.

The XGP printed on roll paper.  It was a laser type process and used a modified
Xerox copy engine.  It had a cutter to cut the roll paper to size (computer 
controlled
natch).  The cutter caused *no* end of troubles.

AFAIR it wasn’t particularly slow given the output quality.  Ours at CMU was
driven by an 11/45.  All of the CMU docs produced by the CS department were
printed by the XGP (and typeset by Scribe).  I still have various docs 
(including
my copy of the Hydra Songbook) and they look quite good.

TTFN - Guy

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[Noel Chiappa via cctalk]

> From: Grant Taylor

> What makes the copies of papers printed on them special?

Well, the Dover was the first device (that I know of) that could print _very_
high-quality graphical/multi-font output, and on ordinary paper. It was also
pretty darned fast - a couple of seconds per sheet, IIRC. The whole package
just blew us all away (I was a MIT when we got ours).

There was a prior device (from quite a few years before) called a 'Xerox
Graphics Printer', but i) IIRC it printed on thermal paper (think
poor-quality thermal fax paper); ii) the resolution was nothing like as high
as that of the Dover (which was, IIRC, in the 100's of DPIs - which it needed
to produce the very-high quality printout with type-faces), and iii) it was
quite slow.

What they did with the Dover was take a high-end Xerox copier (one of the
things the size of a couple of desks),and rip out the optical front end
(which copied an image of the page being copied, onto the drum), and replaced
it with a scanning laser that was fed an amplitude-controlling bit-stream
from an interface card in the Alto.


>> That's the 'original' Ethernet; PARC did the 3Mbit one first, and the
>> 10 Mbit one came along quite a few years later.

> I assume this has something to do with the Digital / Intel / Xerox as
> in the DIX connector.

Right, a couple of years later Xerox, DEC and Intel did a consortium to make
Ethernet widely available, and produced the 10Mbit version. Technically, it
was little different from the 3MBit version. The low-level packet format was
different (because of the higher speed, and larger maximum size), and the
addresses used the later PARC thinking (UID's for interfaces), but those were
not major changes.

>> I'm trying to remember what kind of cable it used

> That sounds like typical Radio Grade cable.

Yeah, I just found a piece, I'll put up a photo.

> I'm not quite sure what you mean by "solid like CATV".

The CATV that used a heavy foil ground layer.


> That sounds like a description of what I've heard called a "Vampire
> Tap". My understanding is that's the poor way to connect to (what is
> effectively) the Ethernet bus.

Vampire taps worked fine on 3MB Ethernet. As the speeds went up, less so.


> I suspect that Wikipedia's article on 10Base5 has some decent pictures:

Nothing of the 3MB, and it doesn't show how the clamp-on connector and
vampire worked.

Noel

Re: CX laser printers (Was: Sun3 valuations?

[Toby Thain via cctalk]

On 2018-01-22 6:06 PM, Steven M Jones via cctalk wrote:
> On 01/22/2018 11:14, Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote:
>>
>> For a brief while, the LaserWriter was the fastest, most powerful
>> computer in Apple's limeup.  If you are crazy enough, You can
>> communicate directly with it and program in Postscript (similar to Forth)
> 
> Heck, it was faster than the Macs, PCs, and the VAX-11/750 we had! At
> least for one storage-free job at a time.
> 
> A few of my fellow students (hello D Fischer) who fiddled with
> Postscript would download jobs to compute and print fractals that would
> run overnight on the printer... and much of the following day, in some
> cases.

Assuming you didn't fill the heap. Garbage collection wasn't implemented
during a job. :)


--T

> 
> --S.
> 
> 

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[Al Kossow via cctalk]

On 1/22/18 3:06 PM, Noel Chiappa via cctalk wrote:

> I'm trying to remember what kind of cable it used; IIRC it was black coax,
> with a woven shield (i.e. not solid like CATV), not quite as large in
> diameter as the yellow 10Mbit stuff. To connect up to it, one clamped on a
> connector thingy, which had a threaded hole in it over the cable; one then
> screwed in a cylindrical cutter which made a hole through the shield, and one
> then screwed in a transceiver (which was a box about 2"x2"x4", IIRC).
> Hopefully someone has a picture somewhere?

It's 75 ohm cable TV impedence (RG11?)

I use RG-59 and BNCs for my Alto networks at CHM.
You can pull the stingers off of the silver transceiver boxes easily and 
replace it with a
BNC female socket.

I've got a chunk of the orange plenum stuff with the vampire taps and 
terminators in storage.

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[Grant Taylor via cctalk]

On 01/22/2018 04:06 PM, Noel Chiappa via cctalk wrote:
So did we ever get an answer to the original question (the value of a 
Sun3)? All I saw was 'you'd have to pay to recycle them'.


I've not seen an answer to that question.  I have seen multiple people 
raise their virtual hand in interest.  But no discussions of $ other 
than disposal fees.


Sorry, I don't understand the question. (I assume you're not simply asking 
'what made the Dover and Altos special'.) Which context?


What makes the copies of papers printed on them special?  Was there 
something about the quality?  Or is it simply that the documents were 
printed via machines that were intriguing unto themselves.


(As in 'what's the connection between the Sun3 query, and Dovers and 
Altos'? If so, I think it was just thread drift via the laser printers.)


ACK

That's the 'original' Ethernet; PARC did the 3Mbit one first, and the 
10 Mbit one came along quite a few years later.


I assume this has something to do with the Digital / Intel / Xerox as in 
the DIX connector.


I'm trying to remember what kind of cable it used; IIRC it was black coax, 
with a woven shield (i.e. not solid like CATV), not quite as large in 
diameter as the yellow 10Mbit stuff.


That sounds like typical Radio Grade cable.  I just have no idea which 
RG it was.  I'm not quite sure what you mean by "solid like CATV".  Much 
of the coax that I've seen used for cable TV is RG-59, or RG-6.  Both of 
which ideally have a woven braid w/ 80% or greater coverage.  I have 
seen some that is effectively foil wrapped around the inner dielectric 
insulator.  I like to see solid dielectric insulators, but I have 
suffered through some that were a helical coil around a center conductor 
that may or may not have some sort of thin coating.


I have long found Radio Grade cable to be confusing (as in I've not 
figured out any pattern) as well as some of the executions to be 
extremely bad.  Usually, but not always, the more expensive it is 
(within reason) the better quality it is.  Save for the stuff that 
artificially jumps the price to catch people that shop solely based on 
price = quality.


To connect up to it, one clamped on a connector thingy, which had a 
threaded hole in it over the cable; one then screwed in a cylindrical 
cutter which made a hole through the shield, and one then screwed in a 
transceiver (which was a box about 2"x2"x4", IIRC).


That sounds like a description of what I've heard called a "Vampire 
Tap".  -  My understanding is that's the poor way to connect to (what is 
effectively) the Ethernet bus.


I've been told that it's more proper to take an outage, cut the cable, 
terminate the ends properly, and connect both ends to a new AUI (DIX?) 
breakout box.



Hopefully someone has a picture somewhere?


I suspect that Wikipedia's article on 10Base5 has some decent pictures:

Link - 10Base5
 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10BASE5

Google's image search for thicknet has a number of things too.

I never have managed to get my hands on any Thicknet 10Base5 but I'd 
like to get just enough to connect two machines.




--
Grant. . . .
unix || die

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[Noel Chiappa via cctalk]

So did we ever get an answer to the original question (the value of
a Sun3)? All I saw was 'you'd have to pay to recycle them'.


> From: Grant Taylor

>> Before that, if you were lucky enough to be at Stanford, MIT, or CMU,
>> you could use the Dover and Altos that were part of Xerox's University
>> Grant Program.

> What made the Dover and Altos special in this context?

Sorry, I don't understand the question. (I assume you're not simply asking
'what made the Dover and Altos special'.) Which context? (As in 'what's the
connection between the Sun3 query, and Dovers and Altos'? If so, I think it
was just thread drift via the laser printers.)

> This is the 2nd time I've heard about 3 Mbps Ethernet. 

That's the 'original' Ethernet; PARC did the 3Mbit one first, and the 10 Mbit
one came along quite a few years later.

I'm trying to remember what kind of cable it used; IIRC it was black coax,
with a woven shield (i.e. not solid like CATV), not quite as large in
diameter as the yellow 10Mbit stuff. To connect up to it, one clamped on a
connector thingy, which had a threaded hole in it over the cable; one then
screwed in a cylindrical cutter which made a hole through the shield, and one
then screwed in a transceiver (which was a box about 2"x2"x4", IIRC).
Hopefully someone has a picture somewhere?

Noel

Re: CX laser printers (Was: Sun3 valuations?

[Steven M Jones via cctalk]

On 01/22/2018 11:14, Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote:


For a brief while, the LaserWriter was the fastest, most powerful 
computer in Apple's limeup.  If you are crazy enough, You can 
communicate directly with it and program in Postscript (similar to Forth)


Heck, it was faster than the Macs, PCs, and the VAX-11/750 we had! At 
least for one storage-free job at a time.


A few of my fellow students (hello D Fischer) who fiddled with 
Postscript would download jobs to compute and print fractals that would 
run overnight on the printer... and much of the following day, in some 
cases.


--S.

Re: Help identifying IC

[Josh Dersch via cctalk]

Thanks, all!  I'll start digging into clock ICs and see if anything looks
like it matches what's in there.

- Josh


On Sat, Jan 20, 2018 at 11:03 PM, Ethan Dicks  wrote:

> On Sat, Jan 20, 2018 at 9:06 PM, Josh Dersch via cctalk
>  wrote:
> > Hi all --
> >
> > I picked up this little toy at VCF West last summer:
> >
> > https://1drv.ms/i/s!Aqb36sqnCIfMouYd0HV0ZThE3FnE_Q
>
> Cute!
>
> > As far as I can tell, it's supposed to be a clock
>
> Sure looks like one.
>
> > Can't find anything about this item at all.  At the moment I'm curious
> what
> > the 28-pin IC at the top is
>
> There are a number of 28-pin clock ICs from the era...
>
> MK50250
>   http://www.waynekirkwood.com/images/pdf/MK50250_Clock.pdf
>
> MM5313 / MM5315
>   http://www.sphere.bc.ca/test/nixies/mm5309-5311-5312-5313-5314-5315.pdf
>
> I'm sure there are more.
>
> -ethan
>

Re: MY COMPUTER LIKES ME when i speak in BASIC.

[Fred Cisin via cctalk]

"MY COMPUTER LIKES ME when I speak in BASIC"

Don't anthropomorphize computers.
They hate it when you do that.


Yes, you might anger them, and then they turn on you (or at least turn
surly and uncooperative):
https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1331069276l/1304684.jpg


No one else is bothered by the fact that the ST:TNG character Data HATES 
the fact that he HAS NO EMOTIONS?

Re: MY COMPUTER LIKES ME when i speak in BASIC.

[Jason T via cctalk]

On Sun, Jan 21, 2018 at 5:47 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk
 wrote:
> "MY COMPUTER LIKES ME when I speak in BASIC"
>
> Don't anthropomorphize computers.
> They hate it when you do that.

Yes, you might anger them, and then they turn on you (or at least turn
surly and uncooperative):

https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1331069276l/1304684.jpg

Re: question on hp9000/310

[Cameron Kaiser via cctalk]

> The 310 has no space for an internal disk unit. It is possible to 
> install HP-UX but it might depend on the amount of memory in the 
> system. There is diskette images for a version of HP-UX that runs on a 
> 310 at hpmuseum.net, http://hpmuseum.net/displayitem.php?sw=581 If you 
> need more memory I have a few 128K and 1MB cards as well as one 4MB card 
> that are extras. I also have a 332 system board that was designed as 
> an upgrade to the 310. It replaces the 310 system board and has a 16MHz 
> 68030 processor , 2MB of memory expandable to 8MB and a 68882 math 
> coprocessor.

My 9000/350 runs HP/UX happily, but it has an external HP 6000 670H hard
disk. The damn thing is a tank. Kicking it is more likely to damage your
foot.

-- 
 personal: http://www.cameronkaiser.com/ --
  Cameron Kaiser * Floodgap Systems * www.floodgap.com * ckai...@floodgap.com
-- Focus is all about saying no. -- early Apple employee --

Re: Microvax II 'primer'?

[allison via cctalk]

On 1/22/18 8:43 AM, Jules Richardson via cctalk wrote:

On 01/21/2018 04:04 PM, Rob Jarratt wrote:

You might find that the filter capacitor goes up in smoke soon after you
connect the PSU to the mains, even without powering it on.


Yes, Adrian Graham mentioned that (via FB), too. I seem to have 
extremely good luck with the RF filter caps, unlike other people, but 
I'm always prepared for the cloud of smoke :-)


I have several BA23 boxes both PDP11 and MicroVAX and never had this 
problem.

I may be a Eu (230V ac) issue.


Otherwise it is certainly wise to check the PSU visually for any 
obviously

failed electrolytics. If  you have one of the DEC load boards you could
connect the PSU to that as a dummy load. I don't think there is much 
in the

way of dependency on the CPU to run the PSU.


At this stage I've got no idea if it's a SMPSU or a linear (I've not 
popped the panel off)... I suppose if it's linear then it perhaps 
doesn't even need a load to do its thing. If it's a switcher then I 
expect it'll at least need something on +5V, and maybe +12V too 
(unless it has built-in load resistors to keep the regulation happy, 
as designs occasionally do).


Its a SMPS.  It must be loaded to work right and there are no loading 
resistors.


FYI there ca be an ISSUE with the SMPS to backplane cable.  The correct 
part has equal
length wires.  The earlier version of the cable had unequal length wires 
and tended to

overheat some of the pins and fail.  Be aware.


I see on the output rating label that it lists connection points for 
different outputs, so maybe I just need to slap a couple of suitable 
resistors onto the +5V and +12V outputs so that they draw an amp or 
so, and see how it goes.



Once you have the machine up and running...


Lets not get ahead of ourselves ;-)


I am not sure if 4MB is enough to do that though.


For MicroVMS its adequate but minimal.  Typical systems had 8 or 12MB 
though 16mb was possible.
For VMS 5 the DEQNA is fine if working, also you need 8mb to run well.  
With 12mb or more and a large disk (min RD54) VMS 6 or later is possible 
with DELQA (required after VMS5.4).


It will also run NetBSD (Myneed 8MB) and also Ultrix.

For disks

RD53 is 31mb (maybe adequate for MicroVMS), RD53 is about 70MB, RD54 is 
153mb.
The RD 54 is the biggest drive for the RQDX disk controller.  IF a CMD 
scsi controller
is in there then RZ scsi drives can be used and small started at about 
300mb and up.


Hmm, one of the things that I'm clueless about right now is how the 
bus evolved over the years - I've still got a pile of Q-bus boards 
which I saved from a recycler last year, and I know there's a 4MB 
board (made by Clearpoint, if I remember right) among them. But if 
that's designed for earlier PDP hardware then it's possibly no use 
whatsoever in a Vax world...


The correct board for MicroVAXII cpu has the over the top connector that 
lines up with the cpu

and needs a IDC 50 pin connector for CPU and each board, max of 3.

DO get the MicroVAX tech and user manual off bitsavers.  It will help 
greatly.   FYI many PDP11
board can be used to the limit of the backplane space the exception is 
memory as it must

be MicrovaxII  PMI (private memory bus interface).

FYI there are three possible cpus.  MicroVAX-I not much use as it very 
limited, MicroVAXII KA630
was the stock cpu and the later KA650 coule be installed.  All three use 
memory unique to that

CPU.

Also learn the backplane as it has unique slots for CPU and memory and 
shuffling cards can

cause problems.

The panel on the back cover carries the console connector and the TOY 
(time of year) battery

backup (NICd) that do fail and leak.  Replace.

Also the default NI interface is AUI so an AUI too Either coax or Cat 3 
or 5 wire is needed.


Like I said get the book its a very interesting machine and if the disk 
has a valid and boot able

OS there is a specific procedure for lost system password.

Allison

Re: question on hp9000/310

[Paul Berger via cctalk]

Eugene,

The 310 has no space for an internal disk unit.  It is possible to 
install HP-UX but it might depend on the amount of memory in the 
system.  There is diskette images for a version of HP-UX that runs on a 
310 at hpmuseum.net, http://hpmuseum.net/display_item.php?sw=581 If you 
need more memory I have a few 128K and 1MB cards as well as one 4MB card 
that are extras.    I also have a 332 system board that was designed as 
an upgrade to the 310.  It replaces the 310 system board and has a 16MHz 
68030 processor , 2MB of memory expandable to 8MB and a 68882 math 
coprocessor.


Paul.


On 2018-01-22 2:47 PM, W2HX via cctalk wrote:

Hello friends,

I am totally ignorant about hp9000 machines. I am considering acquiring this 
machine for fun and learning about the 9000. It has a 9153A and 9134D with 
other accessories. The system currently boots up to BASIC 4.0

I have read that this machine can also support HP/UX. Can anyone advise if 
HP/UX can be installed on such a machine? Perhaps using internal drive for 
HP/UX and the external hard drive to boot to BASIC? Both hard drives have BASIC 
4.0 installed.

What would be involved to install HP/UX?
Thanks very much
Eugene

Re: ISO 9816 small keyboard

[Paul Berger via cctalk]

Al,

I have one of the small keyboards, I would trade it for a Nimitz.

Paul.

On 2018-01-22 3:12 PM, Al Kossow via cctalk wrote:

I acquired a copy of CP/M-68K and am trying to pull together the
parts for a 9816 to run it. I have Nimitz keyboards, but would like
to find its little brother that matches the size of the 9816

ISO: TIPL757A transistor or equivalent

[Josh Dersch via cctalk]

Hi all --

I'm in the middle of repairing a console for a Symbolics 3640.  This uses
the earlier Phillips-based monitor and it employs a TIPL757A transistor in
the deflection circuit.  The one in mine is toast and I haven't been able
to find a suitable replacement.

The datasheet (or at least a page of it) is here:
http://pdf1.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-pdf/view/108034/TI/TIPL757.html

The base current rating seems to be important in this application; I tried
replacing it with a BUX48 (which meets the other specs but only has a 4A
continuous base current rating) and it blew in a few minutes.  I haven't
found a source of 757As, and I haven't found another TO-3 transistor that
matches its specifications.

If anyone's sitting on a pile of these, knows a good source for them, or
knows of a transistor to substitute, please let me know.

Thanks!
Josh

CX laser printers (Was: Sun3 valuations?

[Fred Cisin via cctalk]

On Mon, 22 Jan 2018, Pete Lancashire via cctalk wrote:

Imagen .. yes. The printer we had was a Cannon engine, the same one HP
used. All our work was for 8-1/2"x11" and its 300DPI
was good enough for our use.
LBP8 ?


The Canon CX mechanism was used by many companies.
Some, such as Apple Laserwriter (Postscript) and HP Laserjet (PCL) used an 
added controller in the case.
For a brief while, the LaserWriter was the fastest, most powerful computer 
in Apple's limeup.  If you are crazy enough, You can communicate directly 
with it and program in Postscript (similar to Forth)


Others, such as Cordata/"Corona Data Systems" (software refuses to run on 
286 and above), Jetscript, J-laser, Eiconscript (Laserjet and Postscript 
emulation), Imagen?, ...
used a brain-dead engine, with controller in the host and connected with a 
DC-37.

http://www.printerworks.com/Catalogs/CX-Catalog/CX-VDO.html

The Printerworks CX (and for some others, their SX) catalog, if you can 
find a dead-tree copy, is an essential reference.

http://www.printerworks.com/Catalogs/CX-Catalog/CX-AssblyContents.html

Printerworks claims that their improved drum and improved toner solves the
inadequate black-fill problem that caused many to switch to SX based 
printers.



If you run into a PURPLE CX printer, that's the Fedex "Zap Mail", which is 
modified for 415spi, instead of 300

http://www.printerworks.com/Catalogs/CX-Catalog/CX-Fed-Ex.html

BTW, for yellowed plastic, Printerworks suggests
Sherman Williams poly-urethane paint, color S63EXH4300


--
Grumpy Ol' Fred ci...@xenosoft.com

ISO 9816 small keyboard

[Al Kossow via cctalk]

I acquired a copy of CP/M-68K and am trying to pull together the
parts for a 9816 to run it. I have Nimitz keyboards, but would like
to find its little brother that matches the size of the 9816

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[Al Kossow via cctalk]

On 1/22/18 11:01 AM, Toby Thain via cctalk wrote:

> I still own an original Canon engine Apple Laserwriter or two.

CX engine printers (Laserjet, Laserwriter) are still out there printing.

The liquid toner beasts are the ones that have probably gone extinct

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[Toby Thain via cctalk]

On 2018-01-22 1:24 PM, Al Kossow via cctalk wrote:
> 
> 
> On 1/22/18 10:08 AM, Pete Lancashire wrote:
> 
>> BTW I had at home a LBP1 ? that came from the R Labs. Quite the beast it 
>> used a toner that was suspended in a liquid.
> 
> Not that anyone seems to collect printers, but the LBP1 and the Canon engine 
> were some of the
> first 'inexpensive mass-produced' laser printers.
> 
> I don't know of any that still survive.

I still own an original Canon engine Apple Laserwriter or two. (Or at
worst, LW Plus.. don't remember exactly).

--Toby


> 
> Before that, if you were lucky enough to be at Stanford, MIT, or CMU, you 
> could use the Dover
> and Altos that were part of Xerox's University Grant Program. ...
> 
> 

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[Grant Taylor via cctalk]

On 01/22/2018 11:24 AM, Al Kossow via cctalk wrote:
Before that, if you were lucky enough to be at Stanford, MIT, or CMU, 
you could use the Dover and Altos that were part of Xerox's University 
Grant Program. Copies of well-known papers from the early 80s are very 
distinctive because they were printed on them.


What made the Dover and Altos special in this context?

Eventually, the Dover was networked to other computers. Stanford had a 
rather big 3mbit research Ethernet made with SUN board gateways.


Intriguing.  This is the 2nd time I've heard about 3 Mbps Ethernet.  The 
first was in the series of videos that Curious Mark has shared on 
YouTube about the restoration of multiple Altos.


Not that any of this has much to do with Sun-3, other that it was possible 
to plug a SUN 3mbit ethernet board into one with a Multibus adapter. I 
had packets coming out of a Sun-3 a VERY long time ago and still have 
a bunch of the 3mbit Multibus boards.


I wonder if Curious Mark and co would be interested in possibly 
acquiring one of the 3 Mbps boards.  (Of course that would necessitate a 
Sun to put it in.)  -  I think they hacked something together, so the 
need may not be that great.




--
Grant. . . .
unix || die

question on hp9000/310

[W2HX via cctalk]

Hello friends,

I am totally ignorant about hp9000 machines. I am considering acquiring this 
machine for fun and learning about the 9000. It has a 9153A and 9134D with 
other accessories. The system currently boots up to BASIC 4.0

I have read that this machine can also support HP/UX. Can anyone advise if 
HP/UX can be installed on such a machine? Perhaps using internal drive for 
HP/UX and the external hard drive to boot to BASIC? Both hard drives have BASIC 
4.0 installed.

What would be involved to install HP/UX?
Thanks very much
Eugene

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[Al Kossow via cctalk]

On 1/22/18 10:08 AM, Pete Lancashire wrote:

> BTW I had at home a LBP1 ? that came from the R Labs. Quite the beast it 
> used a toner that was suspended in a liquid.

Not that anyone seems to collect printers, but the LBP1 and the Canon engine 
were some of the
first 'inexpensive mass-produced' laser printers.

I don't know of any that still survive.

Before that, if you were lucky enough to be at Stanford, MIT, or CMU, you could 
use the Dover
and Altos that were part of Xerox's University Grant Program. Copies of 
well-known papers from the early
80s are very distinctive because they were printed on them.

Eventually, the Dover was networked to other computers. Stanford had a rather 
big 3mbit research Ethernet
made with SUN board gateways.

Not that any of this has much to do with Sun-3, other that it was possible to 
plug a SUN 3mbit ethernet
board into one with a Multibus adapter. I had packets coming out of a Sun-3 a 
VERY long time ago and
still have a bunch of the 3mbit Multibus boards.

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[Pete Lancashire via cctalk]

Imagen .. yes. The printer we had was a Cannon engine, the same one HP
used. All our work was for 8-1/2"x11" and its 300DPI
was good enough for our use.

LBP8 ?

BTW I had at home a LBP1 ? that came from the R Labs. Quite the beast it
used a toner that was suspended in a liquid.
Can one say VENTILATION required :-) I had it in the garage.

-pete



On Mon, Jan 22, 2018 at 10:00 AM, Al Kossow via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

>
>
> On 1/22/18 9:57 AM, Brent Hilpert via cctalk wrote:
>
> > Wasn't the internal controller the early Sun processor board (basically
> a 68000 single-board computer that preceded or was used in the Sun 1), or
> am I conflating things? (We had a Sun 1 quite early as well).
> >
>
> Imagen founded by people from Stanford. The original printer used a
> Stanford SUN board.
> Note, SUN (Stanford University Network) and not "Sun"
>
>
>
>

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[Al Kossow via cctalk]

On 1/22/18 9:57 AM, Brent Hilpert via cctalk wrote:

> Wasn't the internal controller the early Sun processor board (basically a 
> 68000 single-board computer that preceded or was used in the Sun 1), or am I 
> conflating things? (We had a Sun 1 quite early as well).
> 

Imagen founded by people from Stanford. The original printer used a Stanford 
SUN board.
Note, SUN (Stanford University Network) and not "Sun"

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[Brent Hilpert via cctalk]

On 2018-Jan-22, at 1:24 AM, Pete Lancashire via cctalk wrote:
> My interest would be from having the first Sun systems in the Portland
> Oregon area. It consisted of a 3/260 w a Fujitsu Eagle, and a 90 ips 9
> track that I cant remember the make.
> Tied to it where 3 3/50s. Initially diskless then I added a 40 MB drive to
> each of them.
> 
> Networked into the companies network, tapped into on of the yellow coaxes
> up in the ceiling.
> 
> I all was for running Interleaf. Oh yea printing was via a Imagin (sp?)
> print engine.

The early 'compact' laser printer ca. 1984 (table-top sized as opposed to the 
20sqft of floor space of the 1st gen of laser printers)?
My recollection is it was "Imagen".
I took it as incorporating "image", and "generate" or "engine" (my perception).

We had one in the CS department. Nice for the time, but required regular 
cleaning/maintenance, dept. tech guy would roll his eyes - " . . again?"

Wasn't the internal controller the early Sun processor board (basically a 68000 
single-board computer that preceded or was used in the Sun 1), or am I 
conflating things? (We had a Sun 1 quite early as well).

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[Brent Hilpert via cctalk]

On 2018-Jan-22, at 1:24 AM, Pete Lancashire via cctalk wrote:
> My interest would be from having the first Sun systems in the Portland
> Oregon area. It consisted of a 3/260 w a Fujitsu Eagle, and a 90 ips 9
> track that I cant remember the make.
> Tied to it where 3 3/50s. Initially diskless then I added a 40 MB drive to
> each of them.
> 
> Networked into the companies network, tapped into on of the yellow coaxes
> up in the ceiling.
> 
> I all was for running Interleaf. Oh yea printing was via a Imagin (sp?)
> print engine.

The early 'compact' laser printer ca. 1984 (table-top sized as opposed to the 
20sqft of floor space of the 1st gen of laser printers)?
My recollection is it was "Imagen".
I took it as incorporating "image", and "generate" or "engine" (my perception).

We had one in the CS department. Nice for the time, but required regular 
cleaning/maintenance, dept. tech guy would roll his eyes - " . . again?"

Wasn't the internal controller the early Sun processor board (basically a 68000 
single-board computer that preceded or was used in the Sun 1), or am I 
conflating things? (We had a Sun 1 quite early as well).

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[Al Kossow via cctalk]

On 1/21/18 8:53 PM, Kevin Bowling via cctalk wrote:
> Several people asked my location.. Phoenix, AZ.  Freighting stuff is
> neither hard nor expensive if it comes to that but I'm just trying to
> gauge value at the moment.
> 

I have a 3/x80 full server rack with 1/2 tape, no disks, and dozens of 9u 
boards from
3/160 up through 4/3x0 I'd like to sell in Fremont, CA if someone wants to make 
a reasonable
offer and can pick them up from there.

Re: Apollo Software

[Al Kossow via cctalk]

sure thing.
we got boxed of tapes and about 100 esdi disks from the support development 
cluster I haven't
had time to do anything with

also, i have lots of the last couple of revs of manuals up on bitsavers and 
there is a functional
Apollo emulator running in MAME



On 1/21/18 7:16 PM, Jay Jaeger via cctalk wrote:
> I wasn't aware of that.  I have a ton of Apollo QIC images.  Shall I put
> them up on my Google Drive for you to grab?
> 
> On 1/21/2018 1:50 PM, Al Kossow via cctalk wrote:
>> CHM has an agreement with HP to host Apollo and 68K HP 9000 software legally.
>>
>>
>> On 1/21/18 11:42 AM, David Collins via cctalk wrote:
>>> The HP Computer Museum would be happy to host copies of any Apollo software 
>>> if it can be imaged..
>>
>>

Re: Microvax II 'primer'?

[Jon Elson via cctalk]

On 01/22/2018 07:43 AM, Jules Richardson via cctalk wrote:

On 01/21/2018 04:04 PM, Rob Jarratt wrote:
You might find that the filter capacitor goes up in smoke 
soon after you

connect the PSU to the mains, even without powering it on.


Yes, Adrian Graham mentioned that (via FB), too. I seem to 
have extremely good luck with the RF filter caps, unlike 
other people, but I'm always prepared for the cloud of 
smoke :-)


Otherwise it is certainly wise to check the PSU visually 
for any obviously
failed electrolytics. If  you have one of the DEC load 
boards you could
connect the PSU to that as a dummy load. I don't think 
there is much in the

way of dependency on the CPU to run the PSU.


At this stage I've got no idea if it's a SMPSU or a linear 
(I've not popped the panel off)... I suppose if it's 
linear then it perhaps doesn't even need a load to do its 
thing. If it's a switcher then I expect it'll at least 
need something on +5V, and maybe +12V too (unless it has 
built-in load resistors to keep the regulation happy, as 
designs occasionally do).


All VAX and uVAX main power supplies are switching types.  
If you see an electrolytic cap in there with a 200+ V 
rating, that's a certain giveaway of a switching supply.


Jon

Re: Apollo Software

[Noel Chiappa via cctalk]

> From: Paul Koning

> I[t] just dawned on me that the subject is Apollo the company bought by
> HP, not Apollo the spacecraft. Oh well...

Actually, that stuff has all been saved, and run under simulators; there's
a very comprehensive site here:

  http://www.ibiblio.org/apollo/index.html

which will keep anyone entertained for hours.

(I have this bit set that at one point there was a 'project history' page,
but I don't see it, looking quickly now.)

Noel

3420 tape drive

[Pmungai Njau via cctalk]

Hey.
Am looking for the above tape to read and covert some old tapes from
ebcidic to ASCII format. How can I get the tapes in Kenya.

Regards

Paul Njau

What's this machine?

[Anders Nelson via cctalk]

Bouncing from the vintage microcontrollers Facebook page:

https://m.facebook.com/groups/1233645553343772?view=permalink=1867447333296921

Can anyone help identify this machine?:

https://twitter.com/StarringTheComp/status/955244079163564032

=]

--
Anders Nelson

+1 (517) 775-6129

www.erogear.com

Re: Google, Wikipedia directly on ASCII terminal?

[Anders Nelson via cctalk]

Martin's question is not nonsensical, and I imagine he understands the
applicable networking concepts.

His goal is to replicate the original dialup user experience and add a
useful modern component - it's hard to justify keeping large machinery
around if it's only there to look at. By adding the Google part, even if
text-only, he can bring a bit of modern use to ancient but nostalgic
hardware.

=]

--
Anders Nelson

+1 (517) 775-6129

www.erogear.com

On Mon, Jan 22, 2018 at 3:17 AM, Liam Proven via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> On 16 January 2018 at 09:19, Martin Meiner via cctech
>  wrote:
> >
> > It has always been my aim to be able toconnect a modem or an acoustic
> coupler directly to one of my ASCII terminals,dial a number and be
> connected…with Google!
> >
> > Something like Google-interface but convertedto match ASCII terminals
> (only text, very simple graphics).
>
> Your question is nonsensical. An internet connection is an Internet
> connection. What you run over it is up to you.
>
> Whereas I doubt a '70s mini will have a text-mode browser such as
> Lynx, Links or W3M, many will have TCP/IP. Just telnet to a Linux box
> and run one of those, or something akin.
>
> From your question, I suspect you don't understand how TCP/IP and the
> WWW work. You need to learn that first before you can do this. It's
> not very hard or super-complex.
>
> --
> Liam Proven • Profile: https://about.me/liamproven
> Email: lpro...@cix.co.uk • Google Mail/Hangouts/Plus: lpro...@gmail.com
> Twitter/Facebook/Flickr: lproven • Skype/LinkedIn: liamproven
> UK: +44 7939-087884 • ČR (+ WhatsApp/Telegram/Signal): +420 702 829 053
>

Re: Microvax II 'primer'?

[Adrian Graham via cctalk]

>At this stage I've got no idea if it's a SMPSU or a linear (I've not
popped the panel off)... I suppose if it's linear then it perhaps doesn't
even need a load to do its thing. If it's a switcher then I expect it'll at
least need something on +5V, and maybe +12V too (unless it has built-in
load resistors to keep the regulation happy, as designs occasionally do).

It's actually 3 separate boards and 2 identical discrete PSUs for +12 and
+5 in a massive metal box, the thing is a beast and fits along the whole
side of the machine behind the Q22 backplane.

Cheers

A

On 22 January 2018 at 13:43, Jules Richardson via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> On 01/21/2018 04:04 PM, Rob Jarratt wrote:
>
>> You might find that the filter capacitor goes up in smoke soon after you
>> connect the PSU to the mains, even without powering it on.
>>
>
> Yes, Adrian Graham mentioned that (via FB), too. I seem to have extremely
> good luck with the RF filter caps, unlike other people, but I'm always
> prepared for the cloud of smoke :-)
>
> Otherwise it is certainly wise to check the PSU visually for any obviously
>> failed electrolytics. If  you have one of the DEC load boards you could
>> connect the PSU to that as a dummy load. I don't think there is much in
>> the
>> way of dependency on the CPU to run the PSU.
>>
>
> At this stage I've got no idea if it's a SMPSU or a linear (I've not
> popped the panel off)... I suppose if it's linear then it perhaps doesn't
> even need a load to do its thing. If it's a switcher then I expect it'll at
> least need something on +5V, and maybe +12V too (unless it has built-in
> load resistors to keep the regulation happy, as designs occasionally do).
>
> I see on the output rating label that it lists connection points for
> different outputs, so maybe I just need to slap a couple of suitable
> resistors onto the +5V and +12V outputs so that they draw an amp or so, and
> see how it goes.
>
> Once you have the machine up and running...
>>
>
> Lets not get ahead of ourselves ;-)
>
> I am not sure if 4MB is enough to do that though.
>>
>
> Hmm, one of the things that I'm clueless about right now is how the bus
> evolved over the years - I've still got a pile of Q-bus boards which I
> saved from a recycler last year, and I know there's a 4MB board (made by
> Clearpoint, if I remember right) among them. But if that's designed for
> earlier PDP hardware then it's possibly no use whatsoever in a Vax world...
>
> cheers
>
> Jules
>
>


-- 
adrian/witchy
Owner of Binary Dinosaurs, the UK's biggest home computer collection?
www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk

Re: Microvax II 'primer'?

[Jules Richardson via cctalk]

On 01/21/2018 04:04 PM, Rob Jarratt wrote:

You might find that the filter capacitor goes up in smoke soon after you
connect the PSU to the mains, even without powering it on.


Yes, Adrian Graham mentioned that (via FB), too. I seem to have extremely 
good luck with the RF filter caps, unlike other people, but I'm always 
prepared for the cloud of smoke :-)



Otherwise it is certainly wise to check the PSU visually for any obviously
failed electrolytics. If  you have one of the DEC load boards you could
connect the PSU to that as a dummy load. I don't think there is much in the
way of dependency on the CPU to run the PSU.


At this stage I've got no idea if it's a SMPSU or a linear (I've not popped 
the panel off)... I suppose if it's linear then it perhaps doesn't even 
need a load to do its thing. If it's a switcher then I expect it'll at 
least need something on +5V, and maybe +12V too (unless it has built-in 
load resistors to keep the regulation happy, as designs occasionally do).


I see on the output rating label that it lists connection points for 
different outputs, so maybe I just need to slap a couple of suitable 
resistors onto the +5V and +12V outputs so that they draw an amp or so, and 
see how it goes.



Once you have the machine up and running...


Lets not get ahead of ourselves ;-)


I am not sure if 4MB is enough to do that though.


Hmm, one of the things that I'm clueless about right now is how the bus 
evolved over the years - I've still got a pile of Q-bus boards which I 
saved from a recycler last year, and I know there's a 4MB board (made by 
Clearpoint, if I remember right) among them. But if that's designed for 
earlier PDP hardware then it's possibly no use whatsoever in a Vax world...


cheers

Jules

Re: Sun3 valuations?

[Pete Lancashire via cctalk]

My interest would be from having the first Sun systems in the Portland
Oregon area. It consisted of a 3/260 w a Fujitsu Eagle, and a 90 ips 9
track that I cant remember the make.
Tied to it where 3 3/50s. Initially diskless then I added a 40 MB drive to
each of them.

Networked into the companies network, tapped into on of the yellow coaxes
up in the ceiling.

I all was for running Interleaf. Oh yea printing was via a Imagin (sp?)
print engine.

Purpose was composing and printing component specifications at Tektronix

-pete



On Sun, Jan 21, 2018 at 11:37 PM, emanuel stiebler via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> On 2018-01-21 23:47, Kevin Bowling via cctalk wrote:
> > I have some sun3/vme systems
> >
> > Several 3/60
> > 3/260
> > sparcstation 4/370
> > SMD disk array for 3/260
> >
> > The 3/260 and 4/370 have some oddball boards for data (cosys) and
> > video acquisition (Aviv).
> >
> > I also have some spare sparcstation 10s and 20s.
> >
> > I haven't seen sun3 stuff for sale much.  Does anyone know approximate
> > valuations for tested systems?
>
> Hello Kevin,
> I would be interested in all the 68000 based systems. If you like to get
> rid of them, I would give them a good home.
>
> All the best,
> emanuel
> (colorado, usa)
>
>

Re: Google, Wikipedia directly on ASCII terminal?

[Liam Proven via cctalk]

On 16 January 2018 at 09:19, Martin Meiner via cctech
 wrote:
>
> It has always been my aim to be able toconnect a modem or an acoustic coupler 
> directly to one of my ASCII terminals,dial a number and be connected…with 
> Google!
>
> Something like Google-interface but convertedto match ASCII terminals (only 
> text, very simple graphics).

Your question is nonsensical. An internet connection is an Internet
connection. What you run over it is up to you.

Whereas I doubt a '70s mini will have a text-mode browser such as
Lynx, Links or W3M, many will have TCP/IP. Just telnet to a Linux box
and run one of those, or something akin.

>From your question, I suspect you don't understand how TCP/IP and the
WWW work. You need to learn that first before you can do this. It's
not very hard or super-complex.

-- 
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Re: GT-40 etc.

[Ethan Dicks via cctalk]

On Sun, Jan 21, 2018 at 1:04 PM, Paul Koning  wrote:
>> On Jan 20, 2018, at 11:06 PM, Ethan Dicks via cctalk  
>> wrote:
>>
>> On Sat, Jan 20, 2018 at 8:32 PM, Paul Anderson  wrote:
>>> I think just the VR12, VR14, and the VR17.
>>
>> OK.  I've never had any of those.  I'm more wondering what modern
>> tubes might work.
>
> Remember that the GT40 is a vector drawing display, not a raster scan.  So 
> you need a tube and associated deflection machinery that can handle high 
> frequency X and Y deflection waveforms accurately.

Yes.  I do recall.  I presently have no vector displays, not even an
oscilloscope with X-Y inputs (I have used them in the past but I don't
own any of my own).

As Tom Uban mentioned elsewhere in the this thread, an Atari vector
display could work - like the one in Lunar Lander/Asteroids (but as Al
Kossow mentioned, the DEC displays were long-persistence green, not
white).  I don't own any Atari vector games either, but I do have a
buddy in town with a Lunar Lander that I've had my eye on for quite
some time (as it common with the breed, it also has blown deflector
amps, but he has some spares that need to be swapped in - the game
plays fine on an oscilloscope).

So... for the future, it seems more likely to me that I'd encounter an
Atari display than a DEC display but I'm happy to jump on whatever
floats by first.

Thanks for all the input.

-ethan