Re: IMSAI SIO2 cable part number

[ED SHARPE via cctech]

probably others  out  there   that  can use  some of these cables  too... sad  
but  true  I  wish  I had   bought up all the loose IMSAI  parts  Micro-age 
redistribution  had  way back  then in  the  early 1980s    they had  parts  
and pieces  of leftovers and  half disassembled  IMSAI atuff stuff their techs  
screwed up! Ed#  In a message dated 4/18/2022 10:45:44 PM US Mountain Standard 
Time, cctech@classiccmp.org writes: 
Bill, Let me know right quick if you'll be at VCF East and I'll make you a 
pair, I have both kinds of IDC ends. I'm heading out first thing tomorrow 
morning though as I have work in the northeast before VCF East. Thanks,Jonathan 
   --- Original Message ---On Monday, April 18th, 2022 at 15:03, Bill 
Degnan via cctech  wrote:  >>> Hi all...> What is the 
cable partnumber for the IMSAI SIO2? I need to order a> set of cables. I 
thought in all of my boxes and boxes of cables I> might have one...but nope.>> 
Here is a picture:>> https://deramp.com/downloads/mfe_archive/010-S100 
Computers and Boards/00-Imsai/10-Imsai S100 Boards/Imsai SIO-2 dual serial 
IO/SIO with cables.JPG>> Thanks in advance.>> BIll

Re: HP Journal back issues

[ED SHARPE via cctech]

Thanks!   

The radio site aside  from  using low bit rate scan also I think compresses the 
pdf files.
Ed#
On Wednesday, February 3, 2021 J. David Bryan via cctech  wrote:
On Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at 9:25, ED SHARPE via cctech wrote:

> Indeed this site is great for reference but alas are too lo-res for good
> museum display images.

They appear to be scanned at 150 dpi.

The ones here are scanned at 300 dpi:

  http://hparchive.com/hp_journals


                                      -- Dave

Re: Looking for Cobalt Qube cases

[ED SHARPE via cctech]

fantastic!!   let  me know...  yea  they  are  classy   looking! Ed! In a 
message dated 6/11/2020 10:25:06 PM US Mountain Standard Time, 
cctech@classiccmp.org writes: 
Hey Ed,

On 2020-05-27 21:03, ED SHARPE via cctech wrote:
> what are you dong with the cases?
> since  we  are keeping  a  cube  as  a  display  might  like   sow 
> extra  guts   for  backupEd#    SMECC
> In a message dated 5/27/2020 12:45:48 PM US Mountain Standard Time,
> cct...@classiccmp.org writes:
> 
> Hello,
> I'm looking for Cobalt Qube cases, preferably in North America.
> I would prefer non working Qubes as I don't want to deprive anyone of
> working ones. Doesn't matter whether it's a 1, 2 or 3. I'm looking to
> repurpose the cases.
> Thanks!

I only need 2 or 3 cases. I'm building a couple of Raspberry Pi clusters 
and I want beautiful enclosures for them :) If I find some with working 
guts, I'll let you know. 

RE: intellec MDS80 on eBay

[ED SHARPE via cctech]

I assume this are not the standard Intel floppy drives?    
On Sunday, May 31, 2020 Jan-Benedict Glaw via cctech  wrote:
Hi!

I just wanted to drop an email that there's a MDS 80 on eBay:

    https://www.ebay.de/itm/333612000595

(Please note: The seller, Michael, is a friend of mine, and a former
coworker.)

Thanks,
  Jan-Benedict

-- 

RE: intellec MDS80 on eBay

[ED SHARPE via cctech]

Still looking for the matching  paper tape reader and punch.  For one of 
these...Ed#
On Sunday, May 31, 2020 Jan-Benedict Glaw via cctech  wrote:
Hi!

I just wanted to drop an email that there's a MDS 80 on eBay:

    https://www.ebay.de/itm/333612000595

(Please note: The seller, Michael, is a friend of mine, and a former
coworker.)

Thanks,
  Jan-Benedict

-- 

Re: Looking for Cobalt Qube cases

[ED SHARPE via cctech]

what are you dong with the cases?
since  we  are keeping  a  cube  as  a  display  might  like   sow  extra  guts 
  for  backupEd#    SMECC
In a message dated 5/27/2020 12:45:48 PM US Mountain Standard Time, 
cct...@classiccmp.org writes:

Hello,
I'm looking for Cobalt Qube cases, preferably in North America.
I would prefer non working Qubes as I don't want to deprive anyone of working 
ones. Doesn't matter whether it's a 1, 2 or 3. I'm looking to repurpose the 
cases.
Thanks!

Re: Help installing HP 2000 contributed library in simh

[ED SHARPE via cctech]

you  said - "You can enter just the account names"

OK  that is the  way  I  remember  it!
In a message dated 4/6/2020 11:39:21 AM US Mountain Standard Time, 
cctech@classiccmp.org writes:

On Monday, April 6, 2020 at 9:20, ED SHARPE via cctech wrote:

> For  some  reason I  do not  remember having to enter each and every 
> file  name  to load  it  in to a real 2000f   but  then again it  has 
> been 40 years!

You can enter just the account names, which will restore all of the dumped
files for those accounts.  2000 Access lets you enter ALL to restore all
accounts from the tape, but I don't think that 2000F has that option.

                                      -- Dave

Re: Help installing HP 2000 contributed library in simh

[ED SHARPE via cctech]

For  some  reason I  do not  remember having to enter each and every  file  
name  to load  it  in to a real 2000f   but  then again it  has  been 40 years! 
 Ed#
In a message dated 4/6/2020 2:12:42 AM US Mountain Standard Time, 
cct...@classiccmp.org writes:

On Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 21:54, David Williams via cctech wrote:

> I've been able set up Simh with 2000F TSB and everything is working
> fine. Using the latest release I can find out there, HP2100 release
> 29. Now I'd like to be able to install some of the Contributed
> Software Library but despite reading the various TSB manuals and Simh
> doc, I've been unable to actually get anything loaded.

My acquaintance with the HP Time-Shared BASICs is only passing, and you 
didn't mention where you picked up the CSL image, but the ones at Bitsavers 
appear to be selective dumps of various accounts.  For those, you'd want to 
do a selective load of the desired files from the tape image.

If you're using the 2000F kit from the trailing-edge site, you can use the 
"tsb-man" startup file to begin a manual system startup.  You'd answer the 
startup questions as follows:

  CONFIGURATION OPTIONS? YES
  NUMBER OF PORTS? 
  LOAD OR DUMP COMMANDS? LOAD
  ENTER NAME LIST, ONE PER LINE; TERMINATE WITH 'END'

At this point, mount the CSL tape on the tape drive and then enter the 
account and file names of the files you wish to restore.  When you enter 
the END command, the system will load the named accounts or files from the 
tape.

The process is described on pages 4-19 through 4-22 in the "HP 20854A 
Timeshared BASIC/2000, Level F System Operator's Manual" (HP part number 
02000-90074, Nov-1974) that is available from Bitsavers.

One caveat: I don't know, but I suspect that the selective dump tapes are 
version-specific, i.e., one for 2000 Access won't work on 2000F.  I don't 
know with which systems the Bitsavers tapes are compatible.


> Thanks in advance.

You're welcome.

Feel free to contact me directly I can clarify anything.

                                      -- Dave

Re: Question about Apple ///

[ED SHARPE via cctech]

Bad video memory?

Our  Lisa  does  that  too...
I  just  leave it  shit  off (grin!)
Ed#In a message dated 7/5/2019 2:28:31 PM US Mountain Standard Time, 
cctech@classiccmp.org writes:
Adam Thornton wrote on Fri, 5 Jul 2019 11:38:56 -0700
> I have an Apple /// that I've had for many years; it's never worked.
> 
> When you power it up, you get a checkerboard screen, where half the squares
> are solid white, and the other half have a little mosaic pattern in them.
> 
> Looks like this:
> https://share.icloud.com/photos/0NHNkEG9ssPsi65ojivBteKaQ
> 
> Does this failure mode ring any bells?  Obviously the video signal is being
> generated well enough to sync a composite output.  Any idea whether I
> should start by replacing the CPU or the ROMs?

You have 40 by 24 very crisp characters there, so I would guess
everything about the video is ok. DRAMs are supposed to have random data
in them when power is first applied but that is not normally the case.
Instead half of the bits tend to always come up as 0 and the other half
as 1. These are normally in alternating rows inside the DRAM (all 1s in
one row and all 0s in the next row) which often leads to a checkerboard
pattern when used as a frame buffer. Normally the various DRAMs in a
byte don't have the exact same pattern so you might get different colors
or characters than 00h and FFh.

This indicates that the processor never wrote anything to the
framebuffer, so a bad CPU or ROM is likely though other chips could also
cause the software to not execute properly. Given the Apple /// design
it is very likely that all the clocks are good.

Another defect that leads to a similar visual effect is if the character
ROM is bad, but then you tend to have a uniform screen and not the
checkerboard.

The Apple /// is infamous for having chips work their way out of their
sockets due to heat, so you might start off checking for that.

-- Jecel

Re: OT Parts houses & scrappers

[ED SHARPE via cctech]

Glad  to  Hear  Jay -  I guess the  timeshare systems  were about the only  
thing  I  ever  saw  those board  sets in.

ok~To  refile my  slightly  prior   message under   perhaps a better  title

I have  one  foot in each HP community   The  real production one and the  
Collection of  vintage HP Gear  one.

I have had no complaints about  Jesse    from the   people  the  do data 
processing  with HP machines and have always  found him to be  friendly and 
timely in responses.
This  goes  for  Cindy  as  well.
Be  nice  to our  dealer  friends  they  can  help you. Maybe  not  today  but  
 you  will need  assistance some day and it is good to have them there.
well darn it... be  nice to everyone. eh?
Ed Sharpe archivist  for SMECCIn a message dated 1/25/2019 10:36:09 AM US 
Mountain Standard Time, cctech@classiccmp.org writes:
Kudos to Jesse for working with me offlist, I feel I've gotten a good deal. I 
appreciate the offers to help purchase, very much, but I got this taken care of 
directly with Jesse and I'm happy.
We have to understand, as others pointed out, that if no one speaks up for 
stuff at a price that can keep the parts houses in business then the parts 
won't be around. By the same token, the parts houses have to know we can't pay 
typical full price that corporations/military can. We must be willing to pay 
something above scrap value, of course.
I ask folks to keep an open mind and give Jesse a fair shake moving forward.
Best,
J

Re: Jesse and the ebay mess

[ED SHARPE via cctech]

I have  one  foot in each HP community   The  real production one and the  
Collection of  vintage HP Gear  one.

I have had no complaints about  Jesse    from the   People  the  do data 
processing  with HP machines and have always  found him to be  friendly and 
timely in responses.
This  goes  for  Cindy  as  well.

Be  nice  to our  dealer  friends  they  can  help you. Maybe  not  today  but  
 you  will need  assistance some day and it is good to have them there.
well darn it... be  nice to everyone. eh?
Ed Sharpe archivist  for SMECC

In a message dated 1/25/2019 10:18:12 AM US Mountain Standard Time, 
cctech@classiccmp.org writes:

Re: Core memory emulator using non volatile ram.

[ED SHARPE via cctech]

I put  focal in it...I leave  focal in it...  then I turn on the power  it 
talks focal to  a tty!


( for  grains  want   copy  of  focal  11  for the 11/20  too...)
 
But  definitely  want to  see focal on a  little omnibus 8! Just like that 
famous night in 1979..
Life  is  good    Ed#
 
In a message dated 12/16/2018 8:08:01 PM US Mountain Standard Time, 
cctech@classiccmp.org writes:

 
What programs or operating sytems require non volatile core?

Did DEC have any BOOTSTRAP programs in prom for the 8?
A small prom and regular slow mos memory may be the solution.
Ben.

Re: Core memory emulator using non volatile ram.

[ED SHARPE via cctech]

Anyone building  8 omnibus  batter  backed up core  replacement  currently  
that  is  available off the  shelf reasonably for   8 m,e and  f? (( Smaller  
size  board  than the   8a   would accept   for memory as I  remember..))


 
Have  a 8 m or  f  in my  den on a  shelf...   as  as I  best  remember  it  20 
 years ago  had  4 k or   flaky  core in it.  might  be  fun  to play  with. 
 
Alas  there  might  me other things  wrong on other boards  by now  too
 
Ed#
 
 
 
In a message dated 12/16/2018 6:44:55 AM US Mountain Standard Time, 
cct...@classiccmp.org writes:

 
On 12/15/2018 01:01 PM, Guy Sotomayor Jr via cctech wrote:

> FRAM or MRAM. I make extensive use of them in my projects.
>
> Everspin has a few (all SMT and 3.3v). As I recall they run ~$20/ea for 4Mb 
> (512K x 8 or 256K x 16).
>
> TTFN - Guy
>
>> On Dec 15, 2018, at 1:22 AM, Rod G8DGR via cctalk  
>> wrote:
>>
>> I have an idea to produce an MM-8 clone using RAM that acts like core when 
>> turned off.
>> Can anybody suggest a chip that will do this?
>>
>> Rod Smallwood
>>
>>
My call on this is that cmos static ram 4Bit wide does the job well I
have 32K of it in my PDP-8 to
get past possible failure of hard to find and get core.  A Panasonic
BR-1 lithium cell has enough
capacity at the measured drain for about 6-7 years and the Dallas power
management chip
makes it a non hack.  Flash, EEprom and Magnetic FRAM and MRAM) types
have many unacceptable
properties for a random access read write memory.  It makes no
difference to the PDP8(ILEFMA)
that read is not destructive as it will write back as needed anyway.

There is a design on the 'net for using CMOS ram in a straight forward
buildable array for Omnibus
with battery back up that is fine.  Don;t get wraped around the axle
about RMW as any sufficiently
fast ram can do that without wearout.  And compared to core it doesn't
take much speed.

EEprom and Flash work fine for read mostly disks or disk simulators.

Allison

Re: Sudden death of the HP 239X terminals by whiskering

[Ed Sharpe via cctech]

Probably best  to  do this  clean up on the chassis  before applying power to 
prevent  whiskers  from  conducting to   easy to destroy components?
 
thanks  for the heads up...
 
ed#
www.smecc.org 
 
In a message dated 6/6/2018 3:41:29 AM US Mountain Standard Time, 
cctech@classiccmp.org writes:

 


Inspecting a newly acquired HP 2392A I found out the chassis was prone to
whiskering all over the chassis.

Whiskers are small metal hairs growing from pure metal (zinc or tin) and can
when they connect to a power line create a shortage and electric arc
damaging the electronics.

Made some pictures and placed them in:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hp-fix/41897770664/in/dateposted-public/



It's best to remove them by using scotch brite or fine sanding paper, after
that paint or coat the chassis with a clear paint or other nonconducting
paint.

More info about whiskering can be found at:

https://nepp.nasa.gov/whisker/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whisker_%28metallurgy%29





-Rik

Re: I ran across this strange modernistic? Data General ...odd?

[Ed Sharpe via cctech]

OK if you hear of any monitors or keyboards,please let us knowl!

Sent from AOL Mobile Mail

On Wednesday, May 23, 2018 Michael Thompson via cctech  
wrote:
It could be the Intel 8086 version. I need to look at the serial/model number 
tags.

Sent from my iPhone

> 

On May 23, 2018, at 1:46 AM, Lars Brinkhoff  wrote:
> 
> Michael Thompson wrote:
>> I put a picture of the one at RICM here:
>> http://www.ricomputermuseum.org/Home/equipment/data-general-desktop-generation/DG_Desktop_Generation.jpg
>> 
>> Going from left to right: QIC tape drive, dual floppies, disk drive,
>> card expansion, CPU, and power supply. We have the monitor, keyboard,
>> and printer for it too.
> 
> This is with a microEclipse CPU, right?
> 
> I'm surprised the Nova/Eclipse architecture doesn't get more love.
> It seems quite pleasant.