Re: Free punched card deck machine, suitable to make reader and punch

[Curious Marc via cctech]

Carl how big and heavy is it? I thought it was way bigger. I might take it. 
Someone will have to help load/unload in the car due to my injured back...
Marc

> On Jul 4, 2021, at 10:29 AM, Carl Claunch via cctech  
> wrote:
> 
> I bought this years ago for a planned project to create a card reader and
> card punch for a mainframe replica, using this machine that was designed to
> reproduce decks of punched cards. It is very heavy and sturdy.
> 
> It has two input hoppers and two stackers, one for the source cards and one
> for the punched copies. The punched head is cooled by ammonia gas,
> indicating that it was designed to operate at a healthy rate of cards per
> minute if it needed that kind of cooling. A keypunch, by comparison can
> punch cards at about 20 cpm with no need for cooling, so I estimate this
> could run at hundreds of CPM.
> 
> This is ideal for a hobbyist would would convert it so that it reads cards
> into some kind of mini, mainframe or other computer device, with the other
> side able to punch contents from the same computer onto blank cards. This
> works with the standard IBM '5081' style 80 column punched cards.
> 
> I am moving in 12 days and would need to send this to the scrap yard if
> someone isn't interested. I can hold it here until July 12th or 13th
> latest. You will need to bring help to move it as it weighs a few hundred
> pounds.
> 
> Pictures at -
> https://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/sys/d/los-altos-free-punched-card-reader-punch/7346150919.html

Re: 920M - an European contemprary of the Apollo Guidance Computer

[Curious Marc via cctech]

Quite impressive indeed! I did not know of these machines.
Marc

> On May 3, 2021, at 12:02 PM, Adrian Stoness via cctech 
>  wrote:
> 
> ooo thanks for sharing
> 
>> On Mon, May 3, 2021 at 1:50 PM Dr. Erik Baigar via cctech <
>> cctech@classiccmp.org> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> Some additional remarks: The 920M is par of the 900 Series from
>> Elliott (later Elliott Automation, GEC Marconi Avionics, BAe Systems)
>> 
>> ...maybe interesting to note, that apart from the 18bit 920M and
>> related machines, there is a series of 12 bit ones which have a
>> simmilar (but not identical) instruction set.
>> 
>> ...even one member of the family had 13 bits.
>> 
>> ...these machines where used in applications, where accuracy was
>>less important (autothrottle compputers, air data systems) and
>>size/weight/power consumption was paramount.
>> 
>> 
>> Sorry, by accident the footer from my work email was with the
>> first posting - all the project is entirely hobby work and not
>> related to the business I am working for...
>> 
>> That is my private signature ;-)
>>> 
>>>   ''~``
>>>  ( o o )
>>> +.oooO--(_)--Oooo.--+
>>> | Dr. Erik Baigar Inertial Navigation & |
>>> | e...@baigar.de   .oooO  Vintage Computer  |
>>> | www.baigar.de(   )   Oooo.  Hobbyist  |
>>> +---\ ((   )+
>>> \_)) /
>>>   (_/
>>> 
>>> 
>> 
>> 

Re: Looking for video (or photos) depicting how to remove ASR 33 printer from keyboard

[Curious Marc via cctech]

Bill,

Misprinted characters could also come from a shoe not set properly on a rail, 
or the print head needing oiling. I had both problems on mine. I think it’s 
this video here https://youtu.be/x_Di7KpHubc . You need to remove the carriage, 
which can be done without removing the printer.

Also the H piece is a pain in the arse. Note that there is a direction to it, 
it’s not symmetric. Pay attention of which direction the long side is when you 
remove it, and make sure to put it back the same way. 

Also one of the side plates in between which the H is held has a spring, the 
other does not. To get it out (and back in), you want to push the H and 
compress that spring, using a long screwdriver in the slot of the H made just 
for that. Should be easy enough.

Putting it back is the tough part. I eventually was able to do it in seconds 
using a long pair of forceps to hold the H in the correct position, and the 
aforementioned long screwdriver to do the pushing. With screwdriver alone it’s 
possible but very frustrating and takes many trials.

Marc

> On Apr 13, 2021, at 4:41 AM, Bill Degnan via cctech  
> wrote:
> 
> On Tue, Apr 13, 2021, 2:19 AM steven--- via cctech 
> wrote:
> 
>> Bill said
>>> I am looking for a video or photos that show how one removes the printer
>>> from the keyboard safely on an ASR 33.  I need to get to the underside of
>>> the printer levers so I can re-align them.  I am getting incorrect
>>> characters when I type over half of the keys.  I can see that a few
>> levers
>>> are out of whack or not seated correctly but I believe to get to them
>>> properly I need to put the printer on its side or under a lift to get to
>>> the underside.  I am nervous about detaching the "H" shaped gizmo that
>>> connects the keyboard to the printer.
>> 
>> This video, Part 2 of a series by Jerry Walker seems to cover removing the
>> keyboard
>> from the printer pretty thoroughly, including how to take out the H piece:
>>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6VoPIp_wd4
>> 
>> Also I think Marc's videos cover it too.
>> 
>> Steve.
>> 
> 
> Thanks.  I watched Marc's videos to understand how to fix after removing
> the keyboard.
> 
> Part 2 of Jerry Walker's set does have useful info.  Thanks for saving me
> some reasearch time.
> 
> Bill
> 
>> 

Re: Hp 21mx loader rom set

[Curious Marc via cctech]

Thanks a lot. Anyone wants me to dump the DS/1000 rev 1826 ROMs or are these 
already available?

What’s the CBL ROM? The one that’s on the cable interface card?

Marc

 

From: cctech  on behalf of 
"cctech@classiccmp.org" 
Reply-To: "J. Bryan" , "cctech@classiccmp.org" 

Date: Monday, June 29, 2020 at 2:19 PM
To: "cctech@classiccmp.org" 
Subject: Re: Hp 21mx loader rom set

 

On Sunday, June 28, 2020 at 22:20, CuriousMarc via cctech wrote:

 

I also have a 91740-80033/34/35 set which I don't know what it is. Does

anyone know? 

 

Those are DS/1000 revision 1826.

 

Page 3-130 of the HP "Communicator/1000 for Software Update 6.0" 

(5951-6201, December 1992) has a full list of the DS/1000 ROMs and 

revisions, as follows:

 

  91740-80001/02/03/16 -- Rev. 1740

  91740-80018/19/20/17 -- Rev. 1813

  91740-80033/34/35/48 -- Rev. 1826

  91740-80049/50/51/48 -- Rev. 1913

  91740-80064/65/66/48 -- Rev. 2003 (bad ROMs; withdrawn)

  91740-80067/68/69/48 -- Rev. 2003 (good ROMs)

  91740-80070/71/72/48 -- Rev. 2540 (adds 7974 loader; no DS change)

 

(The first three ROMs in each entry are the microcode ROMS; the fourth is 

the CBL ROM.)

 

Pages 3-104 through 3-136 of that document give the firmware revisions of 

all of the HP products then in support.

 

 

Anyhow, looking at the ROMs and dates, I suspect these are E/F

microcode only and would not work on the 21MX. 

 

All of the above are E/F-Series only.

 

  -- Dave

 

 

Re: Wanted, Papertape Reader for Archiving Tapes

[Curious Marc via cctech]

Thanks!
Marc

> On May 2, 2020, at 4:49 AM, David Collins via cctech  
> wrote:
> 
> I've pulled together details of the controller used with an HP2748 paper 
> tape reader to dump a bunch of tapes from the HP Computer Museum's collection 
> with the help of J. David Bryan.
> 
> The details are at this link..
> 
> https://drive.google.com/open?id=1KaJkVgYzPusJN9tLf4IaSIa104fvLhUs
> 
> The unit and Arduino code are both pretty rough and ready and I'm sure can be 
> improved - but they served their purpose!
> 
> Hope it is of use to others...  
> 
> Now to get those new tape files published...
> 
> David Collins
> www.hpmuseum.net
> 
> 
> -Original Message-
> From: David Collins  
> Sent: Wednesday, 29 April 2020 7:34 AM
> To: J. David Bryan ; General Discussion: On-Topic Posts 
> 
> Subject: Re: Wanted, Papertape Reader for Archiving Tapes
> 
> Further to Dave’s post below, I’m happy to share the Arduino code and 
> schematic if anyone has a suitable reader and wants to try it. It was indeed 
> designed to interface to the HP2748 but is pretty simple and could be adapted 
> to any similar reader. 
> 
> David Collins
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
>>> On 29 Apr 2020, at 6:33 am, J. David Bryan via cctech 
>>>  wrote:
>>> 
>>> On Tuesday, April 28, 2020 at 17:56, Tony Duell via cctech wrote:
>>> 
>>> The HP2748 is a common-ish example of this type of un[i]t. 
>> 
>> David Collins of the HP Computer Museum and I just recently completed 
>> reading some 200+ paper tapes from the museum collection.  He used a 
>> 2748 coupled with a custom Arduino-based interface to produce 
>> plain-text files containing an octal representation of the tape bytes.  
>> We passed these through a small program to convert them to binary 
>> files and a second program to verify checksums of those tapes 
>> containing relocatable or absolute binary object data.  The resulting 
>> files can be used as is with the HP 2100 SIMH simulator or could be 
>> punched back into physical paper tapes if desired.
>> 
>> -- Dave
>> 
> 

Re: Working Ardent Titan on Youtube

[Curious Marc via cctech]

Fantastic video and work! The immense boards and 3D molecular software are very 
impressive!
Marc

> On Nov 25, 2018, at 6:42 AM, Camiel Vanderhoeven via cctech 
>  wrote:
> 
> Now that my mousepad problem has been solved, and I have a fully working 
> Ardent Titan with some interesting software on it – the bundled version of 
> MATLAB, and BIOGRAF, a molecular modeling application – I decided to make a 
> short video about this system in which I show the hardware and demonstrate 
> some of the software: https://youtu.be/tMSnnt3iFz0
> 
> 
> 
> For those who haven’t heard of the system; the 1987 Ardent Titan (later 
> renamed the Stardent 1500) was the first system that combined vector 
> processors (as in a Cray-like architecture) and a graphics engine on the same 
> backplane, and was the highest-performing graphics supercomputer for a short 
> while. In the end, however, a longer than planned time to market and a forced 
> merger with Stellar Computer caused the premature demise of the company.
> 
> 
> 
> Cleve Moler, the inventor of MATLAB, worked at Ardent for three years, which 
> is one of the reasons the Titan was the only computer ever to come with 
> MATLAB as part of its bundled software. As I found out later – after creating 
> this video – the version of MATLAB on the Titan was unique, because it 
> included a “render” command, which would plot a 3D surface using the Doré 
> graphics library. On other platforms, MATLAB could only render mesh plots. It 
> wasn’t until 1992 that the mainstream version of MATLAB gained 3D surface 
> rendering.
> 
> 
> 
> Cleve wrote a number of articles on his blog about the Titan, one of which 
> (https://blogs.mathworks.com/cleve/2013/12/09/the-ardent-titan-part-2/) 
> describes how the Titan was used to create a video of a vibrating L-shaped 
> membrane. With a little help from Cleve, I’m trying to recreate this video. A 
> first effort – which isn’t quite right yet – can be seen here: 
> https://youtu.be/-XeabDqRAG8
> 
> 
> 
> I hope some of you enjoy these!
> 
> 
> 
> Camiel
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 

Re: A weird and ancient IBM offline memory device

[Curious Marc via cctech]

The Noodle Snatcher! We have one of these in the CHM collection. 

Marc

 

From: cctech  on behalf of 
"cctech@classiccmp.org" 
Reply-To: Peter Van Peborgh , "cctech@classiccmp.org" 

Date: Tuesday, November 20, 2018 at 2:14 PM
To: "cctech@classiccmp.org" 
Subject: A weird and ancient IBM offline memory device

 

Vintage geeks,

 

Third attempt - hope springs eternal!

 

Do any of you know where I could get hold of IBM 2321 "Data Cell" media?

1960s-1970s.

 

See:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_2321_Data_Cell

 

If you do, I would like to get hold of one.

 

Many thanks,

 

Peter 

 

PS Apologies if I am boring you.

 

|| |  |   || |  |   ||

Peter Van Peborgh

62 St Mary's Rise

Writhlington  Radstock

Somerset BA3 3PD

UK

01761 439 234

|| |  |   || |  |   ||

 

 

 

Re: Removing PVA from a CRT

[Curious Marc via cctech]

I like this idea, thanks for sharing. I might do the same for my HP 264x 
screens.

Marc

 

From: cctech  on behalf of 
"cctech@classiccmp.org" 
Reply-To: Michael Thompson , 
"cctech@classiccmp.org" 
Date: Tuesday, November 20, 2018 at 5:59 PM
To: "cctech@classiccmp.org" 
Subject: Re: Removing PVA from a CRT

 

When we fixed the VR14 at the RICM, we were concerned about the safety

aspects of removing the PVA and just using double-sided tape to hold the

outer glass in place. We bought a thin sheet of Lexan at Home Depot, put

the outer glass on a cookie sheet with the outside surface down, put the

sheet of Lexan on top, and put it in an oven. When the temperature hit 420F

(if I remember correctly) the Lexan softened and conformed to the inside of

the glass. We trimmed the Lexan to size, reassembled the Lexan and glass to

the front of the CRT, and glued the steel mounting band in place. It looks

great, and is probably a lot safer than just leaving the PVA out.

 

-- 

Michael Thompson

 

Re: Convex C220 lives

[Curious Marc via cctech]

Awesome work! Congratulations!
Marc

On Sep 11, 2017, at 8:47 AM, Camiel Vanderhoeven via cctech 
 wrote:

For a change, rather than a request for help, here¹s a success story: I
managed to bring a Convex C220 (dual vector CPU mini supercomputer from
1988) back to life. Both CPUs are working, but I¹m running with a single
CPU because of the power it draws with two CPUs. Next challenges: the
Convex C1, and quad vector processor C240 (not before I¹ve upgraded the
power feed).

Running ConvexOS 11.5.1, it has FORTRAN 7.0.1 installed; I ran a little
benchmark, and with a single CPU the system clocks in at 49.1 MFLOPS on a
big multiply-add loop (advertised peak performance was 50 MFLOPS per CPU).

Getting the system to the state where it is now was quite a journey
(though nowhere near as bad as it might have been). If you¹re interested
in the details, I have a (somewhat long) report of my work on my website;
if you go to http://www.vaxbarn.com/index.php/other-bits/603-convex-c220,
there are some links at the bottom that have much more details, as well as
photos of the system and the boards.

Now I¹m looking for some FORTRAN code that would typically have run on
this kind of computer so I can show people what this kind of system was
used for.

Camiel

Re: Convex documentation online (C220 arrived)

[Curious Marc via cctech]

Wow, that's mighty impressive. I knew about your FPGA 360/65 project but had 
never seen your website before. I must visit next time I'm close to the 
Netherlands!
Marc

On Jul 29, 2017, at 11:17 PM, Camiel Vanderhoeven via cctech 
 wrote:

My Convex C220 arrived about a week ago, so I now have a C1, C1 XL, and a
C220. A C240 will follow in a few weeks. Along with the C220 came some
installation tapes, and a large volume of documentation (some 300
documents). As long as I don¹t receive any objections to the being online
from HP (current owner of Convex), I¹ve put most of the loose-leaf hardware
documentation online at
http://www.vaxbarn.com/index.php/2-uncategorised/609-convex-documentation.
This includes the theory of operation manual, which gives a nice description
of how the big vector processor works.

For those interesting in pictures of the machine and the boards installed,
http://www.vaxbarn.com/index.php/41-acquisitions/608-arrival-of-the-c220

Kind regards,

Camiel Vanderhoeven

Re: Flex Disc options for the HP 9825

[Curious Marc]

Same here, count me in for extra PCBs.

Marc

 

From: cctech  on behalf of Craig Ruff 

Reply-To: "cctech@classiccmp.org" 
Date: Saturday, December 10, 2016 at 10:24 AM
To: "cctech@classiccmp.org" 
Subject: Re: Flex Disc options for the HP 9825

 

Excellent news!  I eagerly look forward to this so I can get my 9825T talking 
to my 9895A!  If you spin a PC board, I will be willing to purchase one or two 
if you end up with extras or are willing to coordinate an order.

Re: Looking for HP98034 / HP9895 ROM images

[Curious Marc]

If you have not gotten the HP 98034 ROM image yet, I can try to dump mine when 
I'm back from travel next week. I suspect you want the "revised" version, which 
is the interface that works with the HP 9895. I have both versions.
Craig, I'd be interested in your 9895 ROM dump and reverse engineering info too.
Marc

> On Oct 18, 2016, at 1:14 PM, Craig Ruff  wrote:
> 
> 
>> On Oct 18, 2016, at 11:00 AM, cctech-requ...@classiccmp.org wrote:
>> 
>> does anyone of you happen to have the images of the firmware ROM of
>> HP98034 module and/or of the HP9895 disk drive, please?
> 
> I’ve sent F.Ulivi the contents of the single ROM version from my 9895A, along 
> with some preliminary reverse engineering work on the contents that I’ve done 
> in conjunction with Eric Smith.

Re: Flex Disc options for the HP 9825

[Curious Marc]

Would you pictures of it and where it sits in the machine by any chance?
Marc

Sent from my iPad

> On Aug 14, 2016, at 10:22 AM, Rik Bos  wrote:
> 
> Paul,
> 
> It is a small extra pcb( with hp logo). Both my machines are build in 
> Germany, which is logic because I’m living in the Netherlands and aquired 
> both in Europe.
> So it could be a local modification made by the Boeblingen factory or even HP 
> Netherlands.
> I’m happy with it
> 
> -Rik
> 
> Van: Paul Berger

Re: Facit 4070 to PC interface

[Curious Marc]

I have one of these Facit too waiting to be restored. I'd be interested in your 
program.
Marc

Sent from my iPad

> On May 5, 2016, at 7:40 PM, Tom Watson  wrote:
> 
> Request for information about a Facit 4070.
> 
> 
> Yes, it can be hooked up to a parallel port interface.  It takes a single 
> 74LS00 chip to generate the proper signals, and the ACK signals.  I did it in 
> a simple jumper wire block (it has a male and female connector along with a 
> jumper field.
> 
> At the moment I have lost my documentation, but I have a working unit ready 
> to be dissected to produce the proper diagram (it may take a while).  I have 
> connected it to a "real" and a USB parallel port and used direct writes to 
> the parallel port device under Linux with no modification.
> 
> 
> Also if you are interested, I have a program that sends out block letters to 
> be punched on the tape (along with leader).  The letters are 5x7 and the 8th 
> is the descender for lower case letters.
> 
> The various docs for the 4070 are on Bitsavers, and you want to be sure that 
> the "option" board just has jumpers on it (as it comes from the factory).

Re: Original HP 2116A is running again!

[Curious Marc]

Just in time for her 50th birthday in November: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kko526UpHsM=youtu.be

www.hpmuseum.net

Awesome! Your museum site is such an incredible resource when it comes to 
restoring HP equipment! I hope I can pay you a visit the next time I am in 
Melbourne (that where you are, right?). BTW we have a 2116 (I’m not sure if 
it’s an A, I’ll check) on display at the CHM. Would be nice to bring it back to 
life too...
Marc

Re: Retrocomputing on StackExchange...

[Curious Marc]

Fantastic idea. I don't know how if it would work with our small community, but 
when it comes to contemporary programming, it works wonders. There is most 
always someone that has a solution for the most arcane language syntax or 
compiler bug out there. I'll be joining.
Marc


> On Jan 15, 2016, at 5:50 AM, geneb  wrote:
> 
> http://area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/94441/retro-computing
> 
> I think this is actually a pretty good idea and StackExchange is a great 
> platform.
> 
> As of right now it needs 11 more people following it (and more questions).
> 
> tnx.
> 
> g.
> 
> 
> -- 
> Proud owner of F-15C 80-0007
> http://www.f15sim.com - The only one of its kind.
> http://www.diy-cockpits.org/coll - Go Collimated or Go Home.
> Some people collect things for a hobby.  Geeks collect hobbies.
> 
> ScarletDME - The red hot Data Management Environment
> A Multi-Value database for the masses, not the classes.
> http://scarlet.deltasoft.com - Get it _today_!