[cctalk] Re: TI 960

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Mon, 4 Sep 2023 18:03:26 -0400
Bill Gunshannon via cctalk  wrote:

> On 9/4/2023 4:23 PM, James B DiGriz via cctalk wrote:
> > I can see some similarity of the 900 series CRU I/O to the Inmos
> > Transputer serial links, but I've never heard of them referred to as
> > Transputers. The 960 was called a "bit pusher", though.
> >  
> Looked similar to me, too.  I was just curious if an interest in
> Transputers
> 
> had sprung up.  Maybe 20 years ago I had boxes of them and even the
> 
> ones that went into Sun-3's.  I couldn't even give them away. Don't
> remember
> 
> what happened to them at this point.  Might have thrown them in with
> stuff
> 
> I gave to a couple of fledgling museums.
> 
> 
> bill
> 
> 

Oh, I've always been interested in them, just that opportunity and
means never converged when I wasn't distracted by other things, and then
they became yesterday's news and hard to find. If yours turn up, I'm
sure I wouldn't be the only one who'd want some, either. 

Sorry for top-posting and not trimming, earlier. Kinda out of the
mailing list habit. 

jbdigriz.

[cctalk] Re: TI 960

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

I can see some similarity of the 900 series CRU I/O to the Inmos
Transputer serial links, but I've never heard of them referred to as
Transputers. The 960 was called a "bit pusher", though. 

jbdigriz


On Mon, 4 Sep 2023 16:01:10 -0400
Bill Gunshannon via cctalk  wrote:

> On 9/4/2023 11:27 AM, James B DiGriz via cctalk wrote:
> > I'm interested, the ATS-960 automated test system in particular. I
> > think that's what was with the Applicon I mentioned.
> >
> > jbdigriz
> >
> > On Mon, 4 Sep 2023 14:22:53 +0200 (CEST)
> > Christian Corti via cctalk  wrote:
> >  
> >> I won't give up my hopes, but it seems that this system is
> >> practically extinct and that noone is really interested in it,
> >> although it was the start for the later 980/990 and 9900 series.  
> 
> 
> Weren't the TI 900 series the things called Transputers?
> 
> 
> bill
> 
> 

[cctalk] Re: TI 960

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

I'm interested, the ATS-960 automated test system in particular. I
think that's what was with the Applicon I mentioned. 

jbdigriz

On Mon, 4 Sep 2023 14:22:53 +0200 (CEST)
Christian Corti via cctalk  wrote:

> I won't give up my hopes, but it seems that this system is
> practically extinct and that noone is really interested in it,
> although it was the start for the later 980/990 and 9900 series.
> 
> Christian
> 

[cctalk] Re: TI 960

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Sat, 26 Aug 2023 14:27:05 +0200 (CEST)
Christian Corti via cctalk  wrote:

> I guess not many have survived but I want to ask if someone/some
> place has software (papertapes, ...) for the Texas Instruments 960
> minicomputers. We have a 960B but at the moment, it is pretty much
> useless. I could toggle in a small program, but would appreciate
> something like FORTRAN or an assembler.
> 
> Christian
> 

Whoever got that Applicon out of Indiana on Ebay a couple of years ago
might have the paper tapes with 960B software that were with it. There
were 2 960Bsin that lot; I'm thinking they were the CAM to the Applicon
CAD. They had DS44 (Diablo 44) drives with them as well. No idea
whether they were in working condition, but that whole lot was in a
mess, and no idea what software might have been on them. Never did find
out who got that whole lot. Hopefully it wasn't all scrapped. 

Trying to ascertain whether there is any software in the TI archive at
SMU. Someone who's been there twice doesn't think so, but I've asked
him to keep an eye out when he goes again soon. 

jbdigriz

[cctalk] Re: Store with "vintage" computers and parts

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Thu, 9 Feb 2023 11:09:58 -0500 (EST)
Ethan O'Toole via cctalk  wrote:

> > The address is very suspicious, as it does not seem like a very good
> > website name, and ends in .shop, which valid shops in our hobby
> > rarely if ever use.  
> 
> Problem is all the .com addresses are squatted on now, so people are 
> slowly starting to move to alternative things.
> 
>   - Ethan
> 
> 
> 

In this case, "bryanipad.com" appears to be available. 

[cctalk] Re: Store with "vintage" computers and parts

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Thu, 9 Feb 2023 08:31:35 -0600
Eric Moore via cctalk  wrote:

> 
> The address is very suspicious, as it does not seem like a very good
> website name, and ends in .shop, which valid shops in our hobby
> rarely if ever use.
> 

Yeah, "bryanipad.shop" is definitely...strange.

Only registrant info in the GMO whois: California, US. Which may or may
not be accurate. Server is behind Cloudflare, because of course. 

The content seems odd as well. Like whatever human or bot is not
just scraping auction listings, but maybe mailing lists, discords, or
fora, as well, to guage interest. It feels somehow...targeted, and
topical to very recent discussions of extremely obscure gear.  

Yeah, beware. 

Re: Looking for Silent 700 Model 765 lower board

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Sat, 7 May 2022 19:05:49 -0700
Cameron Kaiser via cctalk  wrote:

> These things must be cursed by G-d. I've landed three. Two had bad
> lower boards (the ones with the bubble memory and the main 9980 MCU)
> already. The third had a bad print mechanism. I replaced the printer
> mechanism, but the printhead on that was bad, so I powered it down
> and replaced the print head. I power it back up and its lower board
> suddenly stops responding too. Then, shortly after that, the upper
> board! (What is that circular metal can bolted down with wires
> exiting near the power switch? It squeals like a stuck pig.)

According to the manual on bitsavers, it's a power supply transformer.
http://bitsavers.org/pdf/ti/terminal, page 6-57, pdf page 197, item
234. Relevant board diagrams starting at 6-38. Power supply description
and diagrams beginning on 4-29 (pdf p. 107). Interesting that there are
ps sections on both the upper and lower boards, which may be consistent
with your symptoms.   

> 
> I have plenty of bubble memory boards from these damn units, but what
> I need is a working lower board itself. Unless someone is experienced
> with board level repair and knows the typical faults on these.
> 

Never had one to work on, so I can't help you with typical faults, but
I'd start by looking at the supplies, in particular the caps and diodes
on the lower board. Section 4.7.1 seems potentially relevant.  Good luck
with it, though. Be nice if you get all 3 working.

jbdigriz

Re: What happened to control-data.info and controlfreaks.org?

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Thu, 18 Nov 2021 07:23:40 -0600
Daniel Seagraves via cctalk  wrote:

> > On Nov 18, 2021, at 12:53 AM, Jim Carpenter via cctalk
> >  wrote:
> > 
> > Is anybody able to access these sites? I just get redirected to
> > Google.
> > 
> > Jim  
> 
> Quite simply, Tom got mad, took his ball, and went home. It is my
> understanding that everything has been deleted and won’t be restored.
> 
> 

Maybe. I'm thinking it's possible he's acting on advice of legal
counsel, and the sites will be restored at some point. We'll see. 

Thanks, Tom, for DtCyber, GPL'ing it,  and for making the sites
available as long as you did. 

jbdigriz

Re: TI-99/4a Monitor power cord

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Sat, 6 Nov 2021 13:54:57 -0500
David Williams via cctalk  wrote:



> 
> Yeah I figured cleaning of one sort or another would only delay the 
> inevitable. I can open it up and look at the cord attachment but
> thought I'd see if anyone knew or had anything showing it before I
> went to that trouble. My other thought was I have various cable wrap
> that I could encase it in as a quick easy way to deal with it.

Never had one of these to take apart and don't see a service manual
right off, but I'm assuming you have the 10" PHA4100 model, so the
connection will likely be whatever Matsushita/Panasonic used in TV's
that era. There was a 13" model PHA4000 that is a modified Zenith TV,
but those were pretty uncommon, only sold with the /4 (not 4A) until TI
got FCC approval for their RF modulator, which allowed most of us to
use a standard TV. The 4100 has a cleaner picture, though. 

jbdigriz


 

Re: Overclocked TI Silent 703 at 1200 bauds?

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Mon, 1 Nov 2021 01:05:45 -0700
Curious Marc via cctalk  wrote:

> Yes, I have ruined a few printouts using the isopropanol method ;-) .
> On that subject, can anyone recommend a source for the thermal paper
> used in the Silent? Marc
> 

I found this link:

https://www.adorablesupply.com/items/marine~navtex-recording-rolls/texas-instrument-thermal-printer-rolls-fax-ti-sln700-1-copy-1-detail.htm

Old school TI vendors and repair services like
https://www.omnidatasys.net/ or https://www.fastprinters.com/ might be
able to refer you to a supplier if they don't still have the paper. 

If you measure the guide pins or the inner ID if you have a roll, if
it's 1/2 inch, fax printer or Brother PocketJet rolls might work in a
pinch. 


TI part numbers for the 100' roll is 0972603-0001, non-perforated,
0999415-0001 perforated. 

Re: Overclocked TI Silent 703 at 1200 bauds?

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Fri, 29 Oct 2021 23:36:27 -0700
"CuriousMarc"  wrote:

> It may very well have the double head. It's not dropping any
> characters at 1200. I am surprised. That's 4x the expected speed!
> Here is another sighting of a Silent 703 working at 1200 bauds:
> https://ronsapartment.blogspot.com/2018/06/altair-duino-and-ti-silent-700.ht
> ml
> Says the author in the comments: "My Silent 700 came with a manual.
> So I went by that. I was pleasantly surprised that my Silent 700 had
> the "high speed
> option"."
> So there was a high-speed option for the Silent 703 apparently?
> M
>

Looks like it. I haven't found anything yet on the 703 high-speed
version, but it's probably similar to the 707/1200 version. The one
shown here has a copyright date of 1986, so getting late in the game
there.  That is PN 2545996-0001 and also has an external serial port
not found on earlier 707s, I think. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/retrobattlestations/comments/p4atq2/ti_silent_7001200bps_gonna_clean_it_up/

I will try to ask somebody who worked at the Temple plant about it,
though. 

Re: Overclocked TI Silent 703 at 1200 bauds?

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Fri, 29 Oct 2021 20:35:50 -0700
CuriousMarc via cctalk  wrote:

> I recently acquired a TI Silent 703 on ePay and just fired up. It
> worked right away. But I expected it to work at 300 bauds as
> advertised, and to my surprise, it clocked at a the head turning
> speed of 1200 bauds! Did they hot-rod it later in its product life?
> It says MODEL 703 at the back, part no. 2310503-0010. I did not open
> it up yet.  Is this a hardware mod? Is there an internal switch that
> can toggle it between 300 and 1200? 
> 
> Marc
> 

I'm drawing a blank on that PN. I'm scanning in the 1985 TI Express
Catalog right now and it only lists the 2310503-0001. I think there is
an int'l version -0003.  Even if the serial port would work at 1200,
though, the printhead only does 45 cps. Pic of a supposed -0010 on
Worthpoint, but I don't subscribe for details or confirmation.
However, it would have to have something like the 2 char thermal
printhead in the 780 series to print without buffering at 1200 baud, I
would think. Dig some more in daylight. 

jbdigriz

Re: CDC drive needs a home! (FTGH!)

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Thu, 19 Aug 2021 06:23:45 -0700 (PDT)
geneb via cctalk  wrote:

> I have a CDC 9427H drive ( https://i.imgur.com/Wn87MRb.jpg ) that is 
> absolutely desparate for a new home.  It's quite likely over 80lbs,
> so shipping would be problematic.  I'm in Graham, WA.
> 
> It's free, it's lonely, and it's desparate for your gentle touch.
> Please won't you think of the disk drives?
> 
> g.
> 
> 

I'm interested. The TI 990 DS10 drive is a re-badged 9427H as far as I
can tell, and I have the controller for that, and half a dozen
of the cartridges, so I can definitely use it. My guess is shipping
would be prohibitive for me, but I'll look into it. 

Re: ISO Laserjet I/II/III firmware

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Thu, 12 Aug 2021 13:10:43 -0400
Ethan Dicks via cctalk  wrote:

> On Thu, Aug 12, 2021 at 10:48 AM Al Kossow via cctalk
>  wrote:
> > I suspect interest in emulating them will die out once they get
> > past the 68000 models.  
> 
> I may still have a II, and I definitely still have at least one
> (functional) III and a 4Si
> 
> I still use my 4M/L all the time - Postscript + LocalTalk + IEEE1284.
> It's a great little printer.
> 
> -ethan
> 

I don't keep it powered up 24/7, even though it has a powersave mode,
but I do use this 4MV fairly regularly. It's needing a minor overhaul
again after 12 or so years since the last one, but it's probably the
most reliable printer I have. +postscript +11x17, +PC, etc. 

Re: ISO Laserjet I/II/III firmware

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Thu, 12 Aug 2021 07:44:27 -0700
Al Kossow via cctalk  wrote:

> On 8/12/21 7:25 AM, John Foust via cctalk wrote:
> > One step behind
> > the wrecking ball or the recycling dumpster as the case may be.  
> 
> Yup. I started saving Laserwriter bits when their was originally
> some interest in emulation a few years ago.
> 
> HP used Canon formatters on the LW and LWII, then did their own on
> the LW III with more and more HP ASICs on them. They are all 68000
> based. Looks like they switched to i960s or 29000's up through the VI.
> 
 
Yeah, the 4MV uses an i960. FWIW wrt to the earlier models, The
Printer Works based in Hayward CA sold HP printer parts, including
I/II/III items,  and had a nice online catalog with lots of diagrams,
photos, etc.  Last visible in Stockton ca. 2018. Waybacking
printerworks.com can be useful:

https://web.archive.org/web/20041114025534/http://www.printerworks.com/Catalogs/BX-Catalog/931BX_C3143-67901CloseUp.html

Looks like they may be defunct now, but maybe carrying on under another
name/new management? Or if not, someone else, hopefully, may have bought
the inventory. Still a number of places selling parts for these,
anyway. 

Re: ISO Laserjet I/II/III firmware

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Wed, 11 Aug 2021 22:57:16 -0700
Al Kossow via cctalk  wrote:

> There has been some work going on emulating early Laserwriters in
> MAME and I was wondering if anyone still has boards or firmware dumps
> from Laserjets.
> 
> It seems most have been scrapped.
> 
> "nobody collects printers"
> 

I recently pulled out a LaserJet IIIp while cleaning up to make space
for a bench to work on things like dumping roms, which I'm already
behind on. Is there 4MV interest as well, btw? I have one of those
also. 

Re: Early '80s Motorola Semiconductor Reference - anyone?

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

Not directly useful for part number interchange, but schematic and
mechanicals for the 3T series switching regulators here:
http://www.rknorman.co.uk/Boschert%20PSU%20Circuit%20diagram.pdf

On Sun, 8 Aug 2021 04:26:30 -0700
Al Kossow via cctalk  wrote:

> On 8/7/21 9:48 PM, r.stricklin via cctalk wrote:
> 
> > Annoying, but I still appreciate the tip. I think I can get where I
> > need to go with the assorted Boschert manuals on Bitsavers, if I
> > put the effort into tracing mine out. 
> 
> Tony forwarded me some schematics which i've added to
> http://bitsavers.org/pdf/boschert
> 
> the OL400 from the PERQ was a nice find since their 1980's higher
> wattage supplies are very hard to find information on
> 

Re: TI 960

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Mon, 22 Feb 2021 08:31:55 -0800
Al Kossow via cctalk  wrote:

> On 2/22/21 12:29 AM, Christian Corti via cctalk wrote:
> > On Sun, 21 Feb 2021, Al Kossow wrote:  
> >> Not very often you see paper tape software for them  
> > 
> > Unfortunately I haven't found *any* software for the 960, yet.
> > 
> > Christian  
> 
> I sent him an offer for just the paper tapes.
> I doubt he'll reply.
> 
> 

Please let us know the outcome. If he goes for it, it will greatly
increase the odds that *cough* anyone else will make an offer on the
rest of it. Especially if he'll throw in the Silent 700 and its stand,
and the input card that looks like it belongs with the 960s. I wonder if
it may be asking too much to include the 11/34 as well. Certainly clear
him some space, though. More room for more liquid merch, I'd think. 

Re: TI 960

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Sun, 21 Feb 2021 16:00:36 -0800
Al Kossow via cctalk  wrote:

> On 2/21/21 3:59 PM, Al Kossow via cctalk wrote:
> > I'm assuming these are 960s
> > Not very often you see paper tape software for them
> > Price is absurd for the mixed bag that is there
> > 
> > https://www.ebay.com/itm/Texas-Instruments-Mainframe-Computers-With-Parts-and-Other-Computers/20328577123
> >  
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Texas-Instruments-Mainframe-Computers-With-Parts-and-Other-Computers/203285771237
> 

Definitely Two 960A's with programmer panels, systems disassembled, no
telling how much missing. I see what looks like CRU bus proto boards
amidst either spares or the contents of 960 chassis. I do see at
least 1 drive of some kind. The racks are nice. Also see DEC, Arete, and
AT gear in there as well, among other things, some unremarkable, like
Dell P4 mobos. 

This is the seller that wants a grand for the 733 ASR, right? For its
"Apple 1" keyboard? Maybe they want $7K here because of the
3b1's keyboard. 

You'd really have to go see the stuff to get a better idea of what the
seller has and what shape it's in, to make some kind of reasonable
offer. Hopefully somebody local could do that, if the seller is
agreeable. 

Thanks,
jbdigriz 

Re: Compuserve

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Tue, 12 Jan 2021 10:44:45 -0600
John Foust via cctalk  wrote:

> At 09:56 AM 1/12/2021, James B DiGriz via cctalk wrote:
> >I'm kicking myself right now because I had forgotten that archive.org
> >hosts a web interface to an (incomplete) archive of the Compuserve
> >web forums. I think this is based on the archiveteam emergency
> >scrape of 2017.  
> 
> Do you have a link to it?

https://web.archive.org/web/sitemap/forums.compuserve.com

> 
> > Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. There is also a 64GB tranche of
> >raw SC-40 and SCSI FE disk images on IA.   
> 
> Disk images of what, from where?  CompuServe?

Yes, Compuserve. 34GB, though, not 64. My bad.

https://archive.org/details/2015-05-compuserve-raw-disks

An attempt by Christian Mund to use SIMH to boot and inspect these
disks is described here:

https://medium.com/@mpnet/trying-to-make-sense-of-compuserve-server-hard-disk-images-posted-on-archive-org-b1c62ce6012b

jbdigriz



jbdigriz

Re: Compuserve

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Tue, 12 Jan 2021 00:25:30 -0600
Jason T via cctalk  wrote:

> On Sun, Jan 10, 2021 at 6:46 PM John Foust via cctalk
>  wrote
> >
> >  From '85 until '94 or so, I saved my transcripts from visiting
> > CompuServe, PeopleLink, Delphi, Genie, BIX, the Well, etc.
> >  
> 
> This is an incredible archive on its own.  Are you willing to share
> the source files?  I'd enjoy just wandering through the raw data.
> It's probably been over 30 years since I've even seen the CIS forum
> message format (not counting a few moments ago, of course.)
> 
> -j
> 

I agree with John that some curation will be in order here before
making stuff public accessible. And he's right that building the
database would be the first order of business. Reasonably
straightforward to bolt different interfaces to that. 

I'm kicking myself right now because I had forgotten that archive.org
hosts a web interface to an (incomplete) archive of the Compuserve web
forums. I think this is based on the archiveteam emergency scrape of
2017. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. There is also a 64GB tranche of
raw SC-40 and SCSI FE disk images on IA. And like I said there
are bits and pieces here and there. Some of the CIS TI file libraries
are on whtech, for instance. 

Something people could easily add to would be great. 

jbdigriz

ISO Technico info, pics, doc scans, etc.

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

Models SS-16, TEC-9900-SS, TR-9000-SS aka Technico/Rosse TR-9000-SS
"Super Star", or any other. 

I think a couple of list members have indicated here or elsewhere in
the past that they had SS-16's at least. 

Thanks for any help,
jbdigriz

Re: Compuserve

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Sun, 10 Jan 2021 17:12:04 -0700
Grant Taylor via cctalk  wrote:

> On 1/10/21 3:03 PM, James B DiGriz via cctalk wrote:
> > Fidonet echos.  
> 
> I have a copy of a friend's BBS from back in the early 2000's.
> 
> I'm sure that there is a way to extract messages from the echos.
> 
> It's Synchronet if anyone wants to direct me how to extract things.
> 
> 
> 
Synchronet is still very much "a thing". I'm not familiar with the
message base format it uses, and a lot will depend on the version you
have, but there should be utilities available for exporting
messages directly from a mounted disk image, or at least a running
instance. Should something be available  on the Synchronet website or
Vertrauen BBS. There is a support echo still on Fidonet, too, iirc. 

Worst case you can read messages to a capture log, or export .QWK to an
offline reader with any version since the early '90s. 

Re: Compuserve

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Sun, 10 Jan 2021 13:57:17 -0600
Jason T via cctalk  wrote:

> On Sun, Jan 10, 2021, 05:41 Tomas By via cctalk
>  wrote:
> 
> > Hi all,
> >
> > Does anybody know if the old Compuserve discussion forums are
> > available anywhere now?
> >
> > I'm specifically interested in the ones about HP Palmtops and
> > cc:Mail. 
> 
> As far as I know, nothing was saved. It was a massive loss for early
> online history.
> 
> >  
> 

Ditto for Delphi, The Source, etc. And Fidonet echos. Some of us tried
to collect and preserve the Delphi TI Forum about 20 years ago when it
was known to still exist on tapes, but nothing ever came of it that I'm
aware of.  

There will have been pieces saved here and there, but mostly on floppies or old,
failing hard disks or rotting tapes not stored safely, so if anyone
wants to archive them, they need to do it ASAP.  

Re: Care and feeding of some Lisp machines (TI Explorer and Xerox Star)

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

> From the CI403/CI404 manual
> (http://bitsavers.org/pdf/ti/990/datacomm/2263897_9701B_CI403_Nov83.pdf):
> 

You can try
http://bitsavers.org/pdf/ti/990/datacomm/2263897-9701B_CI403_Nov83.pdf,
too. It may work a little better. 

jbdigriz

Re: Care and feeding of some Lisp machines (TI Explorer and Xerox Star)

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Mon, 14 Sep 2020 15:35:50 +0200
Michael Engel via cctalk  wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> for a planned exhibition, I am thinking of restoring two of the
> machines to working state again that are in storage here for decades:
> 
> - A TI Explorer ("Sperry" labeled)
> and
> - A Xerox Star (no idea if ours actually ran Interlisp or one of the 
> other OSes for the Star/Dandelion)

Awesome. I hope there will be online coverage of the exhibition. 



> Some things I could not find so far are the mouse and the console
> cable for the Explorer. It seems that the mouse is related to
> MouseSystems optical mice used on older Sun/SGI systems (but the
> interface might be different?). The fiber optics cable for the
> display (TI part number 2233200 according to the field service
> manual) might be another problem 
> - if you know any details about this, I would be very interested...
> 

This is the same part # listed for the 990, and I would think, lacking
documentation on them, the BS600 and BS800 machines, if using
the CI404 comm board. I don't know how common those were. My college
only started using them after a lightning strike took out some machines
through one or more serial links, iirc. But that may broaden your search. 

From the CI403/CI404 manual
(http://bitsavers.org/pdf/ti/990/datacomm/2263897_9701B_CI403_Nov83.pdf):

2233200-0001Standard duplex fiber-optic cable, 15m

2233201-0002Fiber-optic extension cable, 60m
2233201-0003Fiber-optic extension cable, 150m
2233201-0004Fiber-optic extension cable, 300m

2233210-0001Converter module kit, includes: Converter,
Power Module, and Power Cord.

The extension cables include a connector for connectin 2 cables. 

I may have some more information on the mouse and maybe some cable specs
soon. Talking to some people who likely know. 

jbdigriz

Re: HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist license program is closing

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Thu, 12 Mar 2020 01:30:46 +0100
Tomasz Rola via cctalk  wrote:
 
> In a future, all corpos will belong to AIs. And I guess AIs will be
> interested in discovering more about their, hum, ancestry. And they
> will be able to track down all remaining shoe boxen with punch cards,
> and use hobbyists for mutual fun.
> 
> So all that is required is to convince current management that those
> old tapes and plans and manuals have great value, which then can be
> mined with some "deep CEO", once it inevitably comes. They should
> believe it.
> 

Ha, ha, only serious? Sometimes you have to wonder, though, if either
men or machines will care at that point.

jbdigriz
---
 
It takes a mind, always a mind, to abstract meaning from each step through 
which the machine is directed by its specific man-built mechanism.

Stanley L Jaki

"Brain, Mind, and Computers"
https://www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/1972/JASA3-72Jaki.html

Re: HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist license program is closing

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Wed, 11 Mar 2020 20:06:04 -0400
Bill Gunshannon via cctalk  wrote:

> On 3/11/20 6:26 PM, Katherine Barto wrote:
> > 
> >   
> >> On Mar 11, 2020, at 3:18 PM, Bill Gunshannon via cctalk 
> >> mailto:cctalk@classiccmp.org>> wrote:
> >>
> >> On 3/11/20 3:59 PM, James B DiGriz via cctalk wrote:  
> >>> On Wed, 11 Mar 2020 08:08:43 -0700
> >>> Al Kossow via cctalk  >>> <mailto:cctalk@classiccmp.org>> wrote:  
> >>>>
> >>>> Release of Classic HP3000 died for the same reason from the same
> >>>> company.
> >>>>  
> >>> After HP bought TI's DSG lines, TI SysV was eventually turned
> >>> over to a 3rd party, who has so far been unresponsive to my
> >>> inquiries about possible hobbyist licensing, either binary or
> >>> source. Evidently S1500's may still in use somewhere, unless I'm
> >>> just the wrong person asking, or the maintainer simply no longer
> >>> has the time, having moved on to newer platforms. In which case,
> >>> why not a FOSS release? I understand it's his baby, but still...
> >>> Oh, well, I guess there's always the Linux port I was working on
> >>> off and on. Hate to have to reinvent the DNIO stuff when I don't
> >>> even have the binaries, but there you go.  
> >>
> >> I assume SysV means Unix SysV.  Unless there has been a change
> >> I have not heard about nothing newer than V7 has been released
> >> for use by the holders of the Unix IP.  I have a copy of that
> >> somewhere.
> >>
> >> bill
> >>
> >>  
> > 
> > Unix newer than V7 is available at https://www.tuhs.org
> > 
> > Including System III, 32V, and BSD ports up to and including 4.4  
> 
> The last time I wanted access to anything newer than V7 I had
> to provide a copy of an original AT Unix license.  I haven't
> looked lately.
> 
> bill
> 
> 

Something like that may be a factor in the S1500. I have a running
system, but not with the full kit. No dev tools, no sources, no DNIO,
(for interfacing with DX10 and DNOS filesystems on 990s.), no TCP/IP,
and a few other things. 

 At one point the maintainer was offering source and binary
licenses, though for rather princely sums, as far as a hobbyist would
be concerned. I no longer see them on their website, but presumably
they're still available. If, however, they can be *sold* without
constraints from the current Unix owner, I would hope they could just as
well be opened up, and I would hope a similar argument could apply to
the OpenVMS situation. 

jbdigriz

Re: HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist license program is closing

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Wed, 11 Mar 2020 18:18:14 -0400
Bill Gunshannon via cctalk  wrote:

(Regarding TI SysV)
  
> 
> I assume SysV means Unix SysV.  Unless there has been a change
> I have not heard about nothing newer than V7 has been released
> for use by the holders of the Unix IP.  I have a copy of that
> somewhere.
> 
> bill
> 

Already have V7. Thanks, though. 

TI's SysV was a licensed port of AT SysV, running on the TI S1500
Nubus machines. AKA HP 9000/1500. I have an S1505, one 68030 CPU.
SysV Rev 3.3, IIRC, but I haven't fired it up in a long time. That will
be remedied shortly. Previous TI Business Systems after the 990s,
BS300,600,&800 machines ran Xenix, IIRC, on Intel processors.
Very little on the web about them.  But I'm looking. 

No, Mac Nubus cards won't even fit on the S1500s. Opinions differ as to
who broke the standard :-) Then there's the matter of drivers. 

jbdigriz

Re: HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist license program is closing

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Wed, 11 Mar 2020 13:52:21 -0700
Al Kossow via cctalk  wrote:

> On 3/11/20 12:59 PM, James B DiGriz wrote:
> > In which case, why not a FOSS release?  
> 
> Bob Supnik got Unisys to release the sources to BTOS while he was
> VP of engineering, but we've never been able to find a copy of them.
> 
> They outsourced support to India, and all traces to what happened to
> the software have vanished.
> 
> 

HCL, maybe? They come immediately to mind as having the
necessary clearances that many BTOS installations would have required. 
Or would they have been too late in the game? I'm not clear on the time
frame of the outsourcing. Just a guess, anyway. 

Of course, the code might have ended up elsewhere, too, given those
types of installations. Not the only Unisys mysteries I've ever
encountered :-)

jbdigriz

Re: HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist license program is closing

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Wed, 11 Mar 2020 08:08:43 -0700
Al Kossow via cctalk  wrote:

> 
> Release of Classic HP3000 died for the same reason from the same
> company.
> 

After HP bought TI's DSG lines, TI SysV was eventually turned over to a
3rd party, who has so far been unresponsive to my
inquiries about possible hobbyist licensing, either binary or source.
Evidently S1500's may still in use somewhere, unless I'm just the wrong
person asking, or the maintainer simply no longer has the time, having
moved on to newer platforms. In which case, why not a FOSS release? I
understand it's his baby, but still...

Oh, well, I guess there's always the Linux port I was working on off and
on. Hate to have to reinvent the DNIO stuff when I don't even have the
binaries, but there you go. 

jbdigriz

Re: ISO earl TI DSP kits

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Sat, 7 Mar 2020 14:38:39 -0500
David Gesswein via cctech  wrote:


> 
> I found around 70 disks for the TMS320C30 and TMS340x0. I can read
> these Let me know your current desires for archiving such as IMD or
> files, text label info or disk pictures etc.  Do you want the TMS340
> graphics processor disk images also?
> 

I can't speak for Al, but I vote yes. I have a TMS340 project or two
on the back burner.

I'll be posting the BBS320 archive and some more stuff for Al in about
2 hrs at the present bandwidth-limited rate of upload to my ftp server 

Somewhere I have a few of the documentation CD's which I think a few
have some code on them, but those are more 2nd Gen and later, as I
recall. I'll see if I can find them, though. 

jbdigriz

Re: ISO earl TI DSP kits

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

I'm glad you've scanned those docs in, because I lost my hardcopies of
TI docs some years ago. Don't ask. 

I don't have any of the EVM's or SDK's, and I'm on the lookout for the
9995-based 32010 evaluation board, but I do have have an XDS emulator
for the 32010. Non-functioning, but it is interesting in having a 9996
host CPU I'm wanting to delve into for which I can't find a datasheet. 

jbdigriz 



On Fri, 6 Mar 2020 11:53:27 -0800
Al Kossow via cctalk  wrote:

> CHM doesn't seem to have much early DSP stuff in the collection
> Does anyone have any of the TMS32010/20/30 or C1x/2x/3x hw/sw kicking
> around?
> 
> Other than the docs I've scanned there doesn't seem to be much on the
> web either.
> 

Re: Looking for TI 990/12 hardware reference manual ????

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Wed, 2 May 2018 18:56:42 + (UTC)
Jerry Wright via cctalk  wrote:

> I have a later TI 990/12 system with a dead power supply. Looking
> drawings or schematics andI believe there in the hardware reference
> manual.  The one manual on bitsavers  under 990/10shows a older type
> of power supply.  Mine is basically  all on 1 board.  The chassis is
> a 990 A13 
> 
> Thanks, Jerry
> 

I went over to my storage today, and thought I'd found the box it was
in since it had another 990 manual on top, but it turns out it was
otherwise a box of TI-99 stuff. ROM, GROM, DSR sources, product
manuals, specifications, etc. Interesting but not what you're looking
for. I'll take another crack at it later today if I get this guy's
overheating van fixed before dark.

later,
jbdigriz

Re: Looking for TI 990/12 hardware reference manual ????

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Wed, 2 May 2018 18:56:42 + (UTC)
Jerry Wright via cctalk  wrote:

> I have a later TI 990/12 system with a dead power supply. Looking
> drawings or schematics andI believe there in the hardware reference
> manual.  The one manual on bitsavers  under 990/10shows a older type
> of power supply.  Mine is basically  all on 1 board.  The chassis is
> a 990 A13 
> 
> Thanks, Jerry
> 

I have a 990 hardware manual here that I haven't scanned in yet. It's
in storage right now, I don't have a scanner set up at the moment, and
I can't remember off-hand whether it has /12 schematics, but it's
monstrous and has lots of schematic foldouts. I'll see if I can find it
this weekend and let you know about the latter. I would think, though,
that the PSU is covered. The A13 chassis was used in other 990's. I
have a /10 setup in one. Been decades since it was powered up, though. 

later,
jbdigriz 

Re: Spectre & Meltdown

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Fri, 5 Jan 2018 11:18:53 -0800
Rick Bensene via cctalk  wrote:

 Of course, update your OS as soon as updates are available,
> as patches (which will likely slow your system down) are forthcoming
> from Microsoft and various Linux trees. 
> 

You want to test those updates before you apply them to remote
production VM's. The latest CentOS 6.9 kernel update
(2.6.32-696.18.7.el6 64-bit, which addresses meltdown) is broken on at
least some Xen PV platforms and fails to boot. See
https://bugs.centos.org/view.php?id=14336. You can't even get into grub
from a remote console to select a working kernel. Well, you could set
"default x", in /etc/grub.conf, where x = working kernel, before you
update. Hindsight being 20/20.

jbdigriz

Re: HEXTIr - TI HexBus SD Drive

[James B DiGriz via cctalk]

On Sun, 29 Oct 2017 12:14:41 -0500
Jim Brain via cctalk  wrote:

> In case anyone has a fondness for niche tech...
> 
> At VCF-SE this year, the TI folks had a great exhibit, and perusing
> it I saw an unfamiliar machine, the TI CC-40 (Compact Computer-40).
> While I was investigating, the exhibitor (MillipedeMan aka Mark),
> told me the machines were frustrating to use, as TI only supported
> one communications method on the unit, a proprietary protocol called
> HexBus, and produced very low quantities of very few peripherals that
> work on the bus. Most frustratingly, they never producing a mass
> storage device in any appreciable quantity, and there was no other
> way to save programs written on the unit.
> 
> Mark did note there was an eBay seller liquidating units, so I bought
> a 2 unit combo from eBay before I left the show.
> 
> Sadly, Summer happened, but I was finally able to get to the unit,
> and started working on an SD-based mass storage device for the unit.
> It was an interesting journey to learn a new protocol.
> 
> The (development in progress) result is HEX-TI-r, the HexBus SD drive:
> 
> GitHub source code is here: https://github.com/go4retro/HEXTIr
> 
> Video of unit operating: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LX5ahVCRdvM
> 
> I don't have a project page up yet, but will work on that.
> 
> Jim
> 

Nice work, Jim. Thanks for the effort you've put into this.

jbdigriz

Re: Some scrapper in NC has an old machine Labled TRIAD he is scrapping

[James B DiGriz]

On Sat, 19 Nov 2016 21:12:17 -0800
Josh Dersch  wrote:

> Looks like a rebadged Interdata 7/32 (or similar) to me.  Someone
> should try to rescue that; they're very rare...
> 
> 
> - Josh
> 
> 
> On 11/19/16 8:35 PM, TeoZ wrote:
> > http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/general-electronics-recycling/30872-old-computer-peripherals-main-frame-etc-should-i.html
> >
> >
> >
> > ---
> > This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
> > https://www.avast.com/antivirus
> >  
> 

Sure looks like an 7/32 or 8/32 front panel. 

I am a few hundred from Florence. Too much for me to take on right now,
but I do have a 10x10 available to me reasonable, that I was planning
to get anyway. I'm willing to pick up, or assist, and store temporarily
if anyone wants to rescue this system. 

jbdigriz

Re: Some scrapper in NC has an old machine Labled TRIAD he is scrapping

[James B DiGriz]

On Sat, 19 Nov 2016 21:12:17 -0800
Josh Dersch  wrote:

> Looks like a rebadged Interdata 7/32 (or similar) to me.  Someone
> should try to rescue that; they're very rare...
> 
> 
> - Josh
> 
> 
> On 11/19/16 8:35 PM, TeoZ wrote:
> > http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/general-electronics-recycling/30872-old-computer-peripherals-main-frame-etc-should-i.html
> >
> >
> >
> > ---
> > This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
> > https://www.avast.com/antivirus
> >  
> 

Triad was an auto parts vertical market system vendor back in the
'80s (maybe earlier, not sure). 

I looked at one of these systems back in the mid-80s with a Triad rep
and the owners of a auto parts warehouse/jobber chain I worked for, who
were considering purchasing one. I was told the hardware was based on
TI 990 gear. At least that one, anyway. I wasn't able to inspect the
boards, however. The terminals are an interesting design, for sure,
but I dunno if they're TI. 

The boss eventually went with a Xenix system (Altos 3086) running
another vendor's software package. The Triad certainly was an
interesting beast, though.  

The system I saw was in Beaufort, SC. The scrapper's is in Florence.
It's conceivable they are one and the same. Jobber had a store in
Florence, IIRC.

jbdigriz

Re: Altos system mislisted on Epay

[James B DiGriz]

On Sun, 16 Oct 2016 20:45:35 -0700
Steven M Jones  wrote:

> IIRC the auction copy indicated something had been done to the PSU as
> well. There was a close-up of some wires soldered to some spade lugs,
> but I don't recall seeing a good photo of the PSU itself.

IIRC, mine had a big, heavy transformer for the linear power supply.
The pictures showing the innards seem to be gone now, but that
would be low-hanging fruit. Fe, Cu, Al. 

I hope the seller merely received the unit in this condition, and
didn't gut it themselves. C'est la guerre, though, in either case.   

jbdigriz

Re: Altos system mislisted on Epay

[James B DiGriz]

On Mon, 17 Oct 2016 01:38:55 +
william degnan  wrote:

> On Sun, Oct 16, 2016 at 10:38 PM, Glen Slick 
> wrote:
> 
> > On Oct 16, 2016 3:19 PM, "jim stephens"  wrote:  
> > >
> > >
> > > 48 min to go at 315 PDT
> > >
> > > Bit thing not in listing is an SA-1004 disk.  And I'm suspicious
> > > it is an  
> > 8086, but who knows.  Certainly has many serials on the back.  
> > >
> > >  
> > Moore-Business-Systems-Altos-ASC-8000-10A-Zilog-Z80-CP-M-
> > Multi-user-Computer  
> > >
> > > http://www.ebay.com/itm/311713600878  
> >
> > I had one of those that I gave to Josh. It was mostly working at
> > the time. It was Z80 based.
> >
> > Has the one in the listing here had the hard drive platter brutally
> > removed? Didn't take a close look at all of the photos to be sure.
> >  
> 
> I think this is one page from the manual related to the 8500 board
> vintagecomputer.net/altos/8000
> 

My ACS8000-10 was a Z80 system with MP/M installed. Working condition,
but lost along with an ADDS Regent 25 terminal, a DS50 disk, the left
hand door to a DS990 rack, and other items, to the higher imperatives of
crackheads needing scrap to peddle, some time back. 

Moral of the story is along the lines of "the squeaky wheel gets the
grease", or maybe "money talks but bs walks", when it comes to secure
storage or shop facilities, but then patronage always comes at a price,
too. C'est la guerre, er, vie. 

Sorry to wax philosophical. 

jbdigriz

Re: Lunar Module Code Walk Through

[James B DiGriz]

On Tue, 5 Jul 2016 15:28:02 +0100
"Dave Wade"  wrote:

> I guess this is on-topic.
>  
> http://hackaday.com/2016/07/05/don-eyles-walks-us-through-the-lunar-module-s
> ource-code/


More Apollo source code now on GitHub:


https://developers.slashdot.org/story/16/07/10/162241/assembly-code-that-took-america-to-the-moon-now-published-on-github?utm_source=feedburner_medium=feed_campaign=Feed%3A+Slashdot%2Fslashdot+%28Slashdot%29
 

Re: Pictures from the GA warehouse, take 2...

[James B DiGriz]

Todd, what model are the HP terminals in IMG_4967 and 4968? They look
like maybe 700/60s. Also the TI terminal in 4969 and 4970. TI 928? 

I might be able to take a pallet load or two if the price is right.

jbdigriz




On Sat, 25 Jun 2016 17:32:53 -0400
Todd Killingsworth  wrote:

> Ok gang - here's the 100+ pics from the warehouse:
> 
> https://www.flickr.com/gp/16985@N04/b76872
>