Re: interfacing DSI NC 2400 tape reader/punch

[Eric Moore via cctalk]

http://bitsavers.org/pdf/dsi/

You can find the manual there. Check the dip switches in the punch for the
RS232 settings. You can also see the self test instructions.

You may need a null modem cable.

https://gitlab.com/NF6X_Retrocomputing/papertape

Here is a set of python scripts for reading/writing to your punch written
by NF6X.

https://youtu.be/hGr0F9a7x1A

Here is a video I made last week about my new punch and reader :). I really
wanted a DSI NC2400 but was not able to find an affordable one, nice find!

Do you have any paper tape to use with it? The punch may want oiled paper
tape.

-Eric



On Wed, Jul 15, 2020, 21:38 Bill Degnan via cctalk 
wrote:

> Is there a trick to archiving tapes to PC using Teraterm from a DSI NC 2400
> reader/punch?  Or is there a best software for this?  From the terminal I
> can ctrl+Q to cause the reader to initiate a read of a test tape but I
> can't capture the output of the tape through the modem port of the reader
> into the serial port of my PC.  I tried various things with settings.
>
> I was told it uses hardware flow control.  The reader is set correctly as
> far as I can tell.  I am using 2400/8/n/1 but I have tried other settings.
> I get no response from the terminal inbound at all.  I am using a USB to
> serial interface that I know works with an RS232 modem, but it may not work
> with the reader.  If so, I'd like to know if anyone has a
> similar experience.
>
> It may not be straight forward and I have to make a custom cable.  I will
> keep at it, report if I find the answers.
>
> Bill
>

interfacing DSI NC 2400 tape reader/punch

[Bill Degnan via cctalk]

Is there a trick to archiving tapes to PC using Teraterm from a DSI NC 2400
reader/punch?  Or is there a best software for this?  From the terminal I
can ctrl+Q to cause the reader to initiate a read of a test tape but I
can't capture the output of the tape through the modem port of the reader
into the serial port of my PC.  I tried various things with settings.

I was told it uses hardware flow control.  The reader is set correctly as
far as I can tell.  I am using 2400/8/n/1 but I have tried other settings.
I get no response from the terminal inbound at all.  I am using a USB to
serial interface that I know works with an RS232 modem, but it may not work
with the reader.  If so, I'd like to know if anyone has a
similar experience.

It may not be straight forward and I have to make a custom cable.  I will
keep at it, report if I find the answers.

Bill

100p Cables

[Grumpyx via cctalk]

I ran across some 50 POS 100 C/L card edge ribbon cables 9.5' in length,
AMP 1-583717-9 connectors on each end. It's 2 x 50 pin cables between the
connectors.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rjGLewB3J4fDJc5cTRgDwInAVjWz2dxx?usp=sharing

Any good uses for such a cable? Anyone in need of some?

Re: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)

[Zane Healy via cctalk]

Here is a good description of what I’m after.
https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/176614/seeking-a-game-like-hunt-the-wumpus-but-with-graphics-rpg-elements-and-a-balro

Obviously I’m not the only one looking.

Zane




> On Jul 15, 2020, at 4:16 PM, dwight via cctalk  wrote:
> 
> Oops forgot Mike's page:
> https://deramp.com/downloads/polymorphic/poly-88/software/Tape%20Images/BASIC/
> Dwight
> 
> 
> From: dwight 
> Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2020 4:14 PM
> To: dwight ; General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic 
> Posts 
> Subject: Re: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)
> 
> On Mikes page is a cassette copy of "hunt the Wumpus". It is in basic and is 
> cassette data. One can easily strip the cassette headers out but the BASIC 
> commands are encoded in the special characters. One could, without too much 
> difficulty figure what most of the BASIC commands were and strip them out. It 
> I have time, I could get my Poly88 up and running to create a listing in 
> plain BASIC. The graphical part would still need some translation to what 
> ever machine one wanted to target it to.
> Still, looking at the text/encoded characters, in a file viewer like Xtree, 
> one could figure out the BASIC commands. It is easier than working out an 
> encrypted message with fore knowledge of BASIC.
> Dwight
> 
> 
> From: cctalk  on behalf of dwight via cctalk 
> 
> Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2020 4:00 PM
> To: Zane Healy ; General Discussion: On-Topic and 
> Off-Topic Posts 
> Subject: Re: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)
> 
> Yes, it was a graphical game.
> It was a search game as I recall and the Wumpus was also on the move.
> The Poly88 used a memory mapped graphics. Other machines like the Atari 
> 400/800 could, with minor modifications, run such a program. The Poly88 used 
> a course graphics. Each character location could have a 3 high by 2 wide 
> black/white block patterns ( let me see, that would be 128 different 
> graphical patterns,  as I recall ).
> Dwight
> 
> From: Zane Healy 
> Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2020 12:54 PM
> To: dwight ; General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic 
> Posts 
> Subject: Re: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)
> 
> On Jul 15, 2020, at 11:23 AM, dwight via cctalk 
> mailto:cctalk@classiccmp.org>> wrote:
> 
> I ran "Hunt the Wumpus" on my Poly88. I don't recall if it was part of their 
> games collection or I typed it in form some book.
> Dwight
> 
> The “Hunt the Wumpus” I’m thinking of is actually graphical.
> 
> Zane
> 
> 

Re: Gotek Floppy Drive Emulators in general and as RX50/RX33 replacements

[Bob Smith via cctalk]

THanks all of you! I did not see any individual messages, just this
whole string at once.
I picked up the OLED hack bits, and will install thena and then go
with FlashFloppy firmware, and the utilities I have found
I have a virtual PC (98, XP, 7) and one windows 8 machine i picked up
used specifically for SBC6120, DMII and PDP11/Pro fun.
I have dug into the Floppy flash data and it looks like that is
exactly what I need. Also dug out my Mittsumi and tring to find my
stashed TEAC FD55 device.
I still have 3 RX50 drives around, maybe a couple more, just gonna
take some time and play with all this aiming at DECMate II as first
try.
I will keep you posted,
THanks again for all the comments!!  Appreciate the experience
comments on the Gotek and that means I have a chance to get this to
work with RX50!
bob

On Wed, Jul 15, 2020 at 5:56 PM Chuck Guzis via cctalk
 wrote:
>
> On 7/15/20 2:30 PM, Dave Wade via cctalk wrote:
> > I have several and I have used them on several machines, so IBM 3174 screen 
> > controller, IBM Pentium Server and Atari ST but not DEC, with the 
> > FlashFloppy software mentioned elsewhere.
> > I programmed the Gotek on a Windows machine but there are instructions for 
> > Linux.
> > It appears it supports RX50 but as I said I haven't tried it.
> > It doesn't matter which version (720 or 1.44) once programmed with Flash 
> > Floppy it can be either drive.
>
> RX50 and RX33 support is claimed:
>
> https://github.com/keirf/FlashFloppy/commits?author=keirf=2018-06-01T00:00:00Z=2018-06-25T00:00:00Z
>
>
> --Chuck
>
>

Re: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)

[dwight via cctalk]

Oops forgot Mike's page:
https://deramp.com/downloads/polymorphic/poly-88/software/Tape%20Images/BASIC/
Dwight


From: dwight 
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2020 4:14 PM
To: dwight ; General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic 
Posts 
Subject: Re: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)

On Mikes page is a cassette copy of "hunt the Wumpus". It is in basic and is 
cassette data. One can easily strip the cassette headers out but the BASIC 
commands are encoded in the special characters. One could, without too much 
difficulty figure what most of the BASIC commands were and strip them out. It I 
have time, I could get my Poly88 up and running to create a listing in plain 
BASIC. The graphical part would still need some translation to what ever 
machine one wanted to target it to.
Still, looking at the text/encoded characters, in a file viewer like Xtree, one 
could figure out the BASIC commands. It is easier than working out an encrypted 
message with fore knowledge of BASIC.
Dwight


From: cctalk  on behalf of dwight via cctalk 

Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2020 4:00 PM
To: Zane Healy ; General Discussion: On-Topic and 
Off-Topic Posts 
Subject: Re: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)

Yes, it was a graphical game.
 It was a search game as I recall and the Wumpus was also on the move.
 The Poly88 used a memory mapped graphics. Other machines like the Atari 
400/800 could, with minor modifications, run such a program. The Poly88 used a 
course graphics. Each character location could have a 3 high by 2 wide 
black/white block patterns ( let me see, that would be 128 different graphical 
patterns,  as I recall ).
Dwight

From: Zane Healy 
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2020 12:54 PM
To: dwight ; General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic 
Posts 
Subject: Re: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)

On Jul 15, 2020, at 11:23 AM, dwight via cctalk 
mailto:cctalk@classiccmp.org>> wrote:

I ran "Hunt the Wumpus" on my Poly88. I don't recall if it was part of their 
games collection or I typed it in form some book.
Dwight

The “Hunt the Wumpus” I’m thinking of is actually graphical.

Zane

Re: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)

[dwight via cctalk]

On Mikes page is a cassette copy of "hunt the Wumpus". It is in basic and is 
cassette data. One can easily strip the cassette headers out but the BASIC 
commands are encoded in the special characters. One could, without too much 
difficulty figure what most of the BASIC commands were and strip them out. It I 
have time, I could get my Poly88 up and running to create a listing in plain 
BASIC. The graphical part would still need some translation to what ever 
machine one wanted to target it to.
Still, looking at the text/encoded characters, in a file viewer like Xtree, one 
could figure out the BASIC commands. It is easier than working out an encrypted 
message with fore knowledge of BASIC.
Dwight


From: cctalk  on behalf of dwight via cctalk 

Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2020 4:00 PM
To: Zane Healy ; General Discussion: On-Topic and 
Off-Topic Posts 
Subject: Re: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)

Yes, it was a graphical game.
 It was a search game as I recall and the Wumpus was also on the move.
 The Poly88 used a memory mapped graphics. Other machines like the Atari 
400/800 could, with minor modifications, run such a program. The Poly88 used a 
course graphics. Each character location could have a 3 high by 2 wide 
black/white block patterns ( let me see, that would be 128 different graphical 
patterns,  as I recall ).
Dwight

From: Zane Healy 
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2020 12:54 PM
To: dwight ; General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic 
Posts 
Subject: Re: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)

On Jul 15, 2020, at 11:23 AM, dwight via cctalk 
mailto:cctalk@classiccmp.org>> wrote:

I ran "Hunt the Wumpus" on my Poly88. I don't recall if it was part of their 
games collection or I typed it in form some book.
Dwight

The “Hunt the Wumpus” I’m thinking of is actually graphical.

Zane

Re: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)

[dwight via cctalk]

Yes, it was a graphical game.
 It was a search game as I recall and the Wumpus was also on the move.
 The Poly88 used a memory mapped graphics. Other machines like the Atari 
400/800 could, with minor modifications, run such a program. The Poly88 used a 
course graphics. Each character location could have a 3 high by 2 wide 
black/white block patterns ( let me see, that would be 128 different graphical 
patterns,  as I recall ).
Dwight

From: Zane Healy 
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2020 12:54 PM
To: dwight ; General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic 
Posts 
Subject: Re: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)

On Jul 15, 2020, at 11:23 AM, dwight via cctalk 
mailto:cctalk@classiccmp.org>> wrote:

I ran "Hunt the Wumpus" on my Poly88. I don't recall if it was part of their 
games collection or I typed it in form some book.
Dwight

The “Hunt the Wumpus” I’m thinking of is actually graphical.

Zane

Re: Gotek Floppy Drive Emulators in general and as RX50/RX33 replacements

[Chuck Guzis via cctalk]

On 7/15/20 2:30 PM, Dave Wade via cctalk wrote:
> I have several and I have used them on several machines, so IBM 3174 screen 
> controller, IBM Pentium Server and Atari ST but not DEC, with the FlashFloppy 
> software mentioned elsewhere.
> I programmed the Gotek on a Windows machine but there are instructions for 
> Linux.
> It appears it supports RX50 but as I said I haven't tried it.
> It doesn't matter which version (720 or 1.44) once programmed with Flash 
> Floppy it can be either drive.

RX50 and RX33 support is claimed:

https://github.com/keirf/FlashFloppy/commits?author=keirf=2018-06-01T00:00:00Z=2018-06-25T00:00:00Z


--Chuck

RE: Gotek Floppy Drive Emulators in general and as RX50/RX33 replacements

[Dave Wade via cctalk]

I have several and I have used them on several machines, so IBM 3174 screen 
controller, IBM Pentium Server and Atari ST but not DEC, with the FlashFloppy 
software mentioned elsewhere.
I programmed the Gotek on a Windows machine but there are instructions for 
Linux.
It appears it supports RX50 but as I said I haven't tried it.
It doesn't matter which version (720 or 1.44) once programmed with Flash Floppy 
it can be either drive.

Dave

> -Original Message-
> From: cctalk  On Behalf Of Derek Newland
> via cctalk
> Sent: 15 July 2020 19:44
> To: Bob Smith ; General Discussion: On-Topic and
> Off-Topic Posts 
> Subject: Re: Gotek Floppy Drive Emulators in general and as RX50/RX33
> replacements
> 
> I was hoping to see some discussion about the Gotek. I too have one, but
> have not used it yet (mainly due to lack of a Windows machine), and am
> curious about the firmware and software requirements.
> 
> On Sun, Jul 12, 2020 at 1:55 PM Bob Smith via cctalk 
> wrote:
> 
> > Two questions,
> > 1. If anyone is using these devices, which firmware/software do you
> > use in the device and why did you choose it?
> >
> > 2/ Is anyone specifically using one as a replacement or adjunct or and
> > RX50 et al on a Pro, pdp11, uVax, DecMate, or Pro box, and same
> > question set as 1?
> >
> > Yes,  i picked up one, and looking at the capabilities, documentation
> > first, and considering reflashing the beast to give more control of
> > formats.
> >
> > TIA
> > bob smith
> >
> 
> 
> --
> *Derek Newland* | (828) 234-4731 | derek.newl...@gmail.com

Microfiche reader spotted in Longmont, CO thrift store

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

If anyone along the northern Colorado Front Range is in need of a microfiche 
reader, it was reported to me that a Micro Design model 4010 is sitting in the 
Longmont Community Thrift store. My source didn't notice a price. The condition 
is unknown, but it appears to be reasonably intact, and a cell phone picture 
from the front is available if you send me a message.

RE: Compaq Smart Array 3200 Controller as a SCSI Controller

[Ali via cctalk]

> There is no good use case for them in 2020, which is why they're all
> suddenly
> quite cheap. 

Peter,

Why do you say that? Not disagreeing per se but just wondering the reasoning
behind it. 

-Ali

Re: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)

[Zane Healy via cctalk]

On Jul 15, 2020, at 11:23 AM, dwight via cctalk  wrote:
> 
> I ran "Hunt the Wumpus" on my Poly88. I don't recall if it was part of their 
> games collection or I typed it in form some book.
> Dwight

The “Hunt the Wumpus” I’m thinking of is actually graphical.

Zane

Re: Gotek Floppy Drive Emulators in general and as RX50/RX33 replacements

[Zane Healy via cctalk]

> On Jul 15, 2020, at 12:31 PM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk  
> wrote:
> 
> For what it's worth, take a look at the FlashFloppy firmware for the Gotek:
> 
> https://github.com/keirf/FlashFloppy
> 
> Open-source and handles a lot of different formats.  Doubtless the RX50,
> if not one of them already, could be easily made so.
> 
> I've installed it on a couple of Goteks and it seems to work okay--do
> consider replacing the 7-segment LED display with a cheap OLED--more
> information is displayed.

I have two of them, but haven’t considered using them on a DEC system.  Then 
again, I’ve barely ever used a floppy on my DEC hardware, and then it was 20+ 
years ago.

My target is my Amiga 600 and Amiga 1200.  I have an old one I picked up at the 
Portland Retro Gaming Expo five or so years ago, and a new one that I got from 
AmigaKit recently.  The AmigaKit one is nice, as I had it upgraded with the 
OLED and dial.  They’re very nice.  I really like being able to use a USB 
stick, rather than a floppy.

The next computer I’d like to see about converting to flash will probably be an 
Apple ][e.  My C-64 has used SD cards for year.

Zane

Re: Gotek Floppy Drive Emulators in general and as RX50/RX33 replacements

[Chuck Guzis via cctalk]

For what it's worth, take a look at the FlashFloppy firmware for the Gotek:

https://github.com/keirf/FlashFloppy

Open-source and handles a lot of different formats.  Doubtless the RX50,
if not one of them already, could be easily made so.

I've installed it on a couple of Goteks and it seems to work okay--do
consider replacing the 7-segment LED display with a cheap OLED--more
information is displayed.

--Chuck

Re: Gotek Floppy Drive Emulators in general and as RX50/RX33 replacements

[Grant Taylor via cctalk]

On 7/15/20 12:43 PM, Derek Newland via cctalk wrote:
I was hoping to see some discussion about the Gotek. I too have one, 
but have not used it yet (mainly due to lack of a Windows machine), 
and am curious about the firmware and software requirements.


I've got a GoTek 1.44 MB.  I've not done much with it.

I remember that loading images onto the flash drive was annoying without 
the software.  Obviously you can change to the disk image number and 
copy the contents to it from the host.  But purportedly there is 
software that will work with the flash drive directly under Windows and 
Linux.  (I've not used it.)


I've also read that the GoTek treats the flash drive as a big block of 
storage that is simply divided up such that each disk image number is at 
a different address range of the device.


I have read that there is a 3rd party firmware that will allow the GoTek 
to read and write files off of a normal file system on the flash drive. 
I've not yet experimented with this.


My understanding are based on a brief foray into the GoTek when I got it 
a few years ago.  I could easily have been wrong at the time and / or 
mis-remembering now.




--
Grant. . . .
unix || die

Re: Gotek Floppy Drive Emulators in general and as RX50/RX33 replacements

[Derek Newland via cctalk]

I was hoping to see some discussion about the Gotek. I too have one, but
have not used it yet (mainly due to lack of a Windows machine), and am
curious about the firmware and software requirements.

On Sun, Jul 12, 2020 at 1:55 PM Bob Smith via cctalk 
wrote:

> Two questions,
> 1. If anyone is using these devices, which firmware/software do you
> use in the device and why did you choose it?
>
> 2/ Is anyone specifically using one as a replacement or adjunct or and
> RX50 et al on a Pro, pdp11, uVax, DecMate, or Pro box, and same
> question set as 1?
>
> Yes,  i picked up one, and looking at the capabilities, documentation
> first, and considering reflashing the beast to give more control of
> formats.
>
> TIA
> bob smith
>


-- 
*Derek Newland* | (828) 234-4731 | derek.newl...@gmail.com

Re: Compaq Smart Array 3200 Controller as a SCSI Controller

[Grant Taylor via cctalk]

On 7/15/20 2:16 AM, Peter Corlett via cctalk wrote:

...I'm in the market for a plain SAS HBA for use with ZFS.


Check and see if you can flash the Initiator Target (IT) firmware onto 
the RAID card such that it's no longer an Integrated RAID (IR) device. 
Thus giving you the HBA mode that you want.


I've done this on a few RAID chip sets built into Supermicro 
motherboards and been quite happily running ZFS on them.  }:-)




--
Grant. . . .
unix || die

Re: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)

[dwight via cctalk]

I ran "Hunt the Wumpus" on my Poly88. I don't recall if it was part of their 
games collection or I typed it in form some book.
Dwight


From: cctalk  on behalf of Henk Gooijen via 
cctalk 
Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2020 11:26 PM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts 
Subject: RE: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)

Yes, that’s the one I have!
The thinner one (with colored pages?), I have never seen.

It describes procedures in a sort of FORTRAN style, at a “high level”.
It means you have to implement everything yourself 
Do not think you’re almost done, it is just a start.
Think of the following modules:

  *   Navigation officer
  *   Tactical officer
  *   - etc
  *   the Brig
  *   sensors (and the data)
  *   “universe intelligence”
  *   enemy ships
  *   etc.



Van: Richard Cini via cctalk
Verzonden: woensdag 15 juli 2020 04:15
Aan: Jason Howe; General Discussion: On-Topic and 
Off-Topic Posts
Onderwerp: Re: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)

This?


The complete Star Ship: A simulation project (DP series in games ; no. 1) 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/091839810X/ref=cm_sw_r_oth_api_i_mzMdFbMVV3YHH

I actually have this book somewhere. I also remember a thinner one with a 
highly-colored cover.

Get Outlook for iOS

From: cctalk  on behalf of Jason Howe via cctalk 

Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2020 10:04:51 PM
To: cctalk@classiccmp.org 
Subject: Re: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)

Agreed, this sounds like a ton of fun to implement.

--Jason

On 7/14/20 6:45 PM, Zane Healy via cctalk wrote:
> I’d love details on this!  This sounds vaguely like a game I played on a 
> Harris Minicomputer in the late 80’s.
>
> Zane
>
>
>
>> On Jul 14, 2020, at 12:03 PM, Henk Gooijen  wrote:
>>
>>
>> If I am not mistaken, I have a book called Star Trek and it is from 
>> Dilithium Press!
>> Memory is a bit vague, but it must be on one of my shelves.
>> The book describes in “FORTRAN style” the procedures for an NCC1701 
>> simulator 
>> But if you dig deeper, there is * a lot * to do yourself.
>> Anyway, this book was my inspiration to build a StarShip simulator back in 
>> the (19)80-ties.
>>
>> Henk
>>
>> Van: Zane Healy via cctalk 
>> Verzonden: dinsdag 14 juli 2020 15:53
>> Aan: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts 
>> 
>> Onderwerp: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)
>>
>> Out of curiosity, does anyone know anything about this publisher?  They 
>> apparently existed in the late 70’s and early 80’s.  They were apparently 
>> located in Beaverton, Oregon in the same business park, on Nimbus, where 
>> Norvac Electronics was.  They obviously published some very strange computer 
>> books, including what looks to be a teen romance.  I find myself with an 
>> embarrassingly nice little collection of the books, that my Dad apparently 
>> had.  Considering I think he touched a computer twice in his life, they’re 
>> something of a mystery.
>>
>> Best title, “Nailing Jelly to a Tree”, which is apparently a book on 
>> Software.
>>
>> The publisher sounds vaguely familiar, and I think I might have one or two 
>> other books from them in my collection.
>>
>> Zane
>>
>

Re: CDC CYBER 170 Consoles

[Tom Hunter via cctalk]

Thanks for the link to the Philco Read system. The manual lists interesting
details like the inductivity of the deflection coils and the respective
currents through them.

Tom Hunter

On Wed, Jul 15, 2020 at 9:24 PM Toby Thain via cctalk 
wrote:

> On 2020-07-15 9:18 a.m., Toby Thain via cctalk wrote:
> > On 2020-07-15 1:51 a.m., Tom Hunter via cctalk wrote:
> >> I have been working on CDC CYBER 170 mainframes between 1977 and 1988.
> ...
> >>
> >> For many years I have been trying to find one of these vector drawn
> CC545
> >> consoles to use with my emulator but I haven't been able to find one.
> >> Recently I decided to build a clone of it myself. Bitsavers has a
> hardware
> >> manual with schematics:
> >>
> >>
> >>
> http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/cdc/cyber/cyber_170/62952600L_CYBER_170_Display_Station_CC545-CDEF_Hardware_Reference_26Mar1979.pdf
> >>
> >> The CC545 console achieved unusually fast deflection with an
> >> electromagnetically deflected CRT. I am trying to understand the tricks
> >> they used to get these high speeds. Part of the magic is a dual-yoke
> which
> >> provided gross positioning within 2 microseconds to anywhere on the
> screen
> >
> > Philco READ system (and probably others) did this as well.
> >
> >
> http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/philco/displays/READ_Theory_And_Operation_Feb65.pdf
> >
>
> Philco was also involved in the design of Carnegie's "Visual Display
> System Suitable for Time Shared Use", described by J. Quatse.
>
> It also had a fast vector generator described in that book.
>
> --Toby
>
> > --Toby
> >
> >
> >> using the first yoke (this is VERY fast) and then painted the character
> >> using a second yoke around that base position with 0.1 microsecond per
> >> stroke (this is VERY fast too). The two yokes work in an additive
> manner.
> >> ...
> >> Tom Hunter
> >>
> >
>
>

Re: cray unicos cds sold on ebay in 2016

[JP Hindin via cctalk]

On Sat, 11 Jul 2020, Grant Taylor via cctalk wrote:


On 7/11/20 6:14 AM, Plamen Mihaylov via cctalk wrote:

Any clue who won this auction?


No.

But I bet there are some people that would be interested in it.

jpkiwigeek on YouTube comes to mind.  Now that I think about him, I've not 
seen any new videos in a while.  I hope that he's okay.


Not dead, just ridiculously busy with all sorts of other stuff :/

I did not win this auction, although I do have a couple variants of 
UNICOS, I don't have them local at present. If anyone seriously cares they 
can message me off-list and I'll go figure out what's there.


I appreciate you thinking of me though :)

Take care all;

 - JP

Re: CDC CYBER 170 Consoles

[Toby Thain via cctalk]

On 2020-07-15 9:18 a.m., Toby Thain via cctalk wrote:
> On 2020-07-15 1:51 a.m., Tom Hunter via cctalk wrote:
>> I have been working on CDC CYBER 170 mainframes between 1977 and 1988. ...
>>
>> For many years I have been trying to find one of these vector drawn CC545
>> consoles to use with my emulator but I haven't been able to find one.
>> Recently I decided to build a clone of it myself. Bitsavers has a hardware
>> manual with schematics:
>>
>>
>> http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/cdc/cyber/cyber_170/62952600L_CYBER_170_Display_Station_CC545-CDEF_Hardware_Reference_26Mar1979.pdf
>>
>> The CC545 console achieved unusually fast deflection with an
>> electromagnetically deflected CRT. I am trying to understand the tricks
>> they used to get these high speeds. Part of the magic is a dual-yoke which
>> provided gross positioning within 2 microseconds to anywhere on the screen
> 
> Philco READ system (and probably others) did this as well.
> 
> http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/philco/displays/READ_Theory_And_Operation_Feb65.pdf
> 

Philco was also involved in the design of Carnegie's "Visual Display
System Suitable for Time Shared Use", described by J. Quatse.

It also had a fast vector generator described in that book.

--Toby

> --Toby
> 
> 
>> using the first yoke (this is VERY fast) and then painted the character
>> using a second yoke around that base position with 0.1 microsecond per
>> stroke (this is VERY fast too). The two yokes work in an additive manner.
>> ...
>> Tom Hunter
>>
> 

Re: CDC CYBER 170 Consoles

[Toby Thain via cctalk]

On 2020-07-15 1:51 a.m., Tom Hunter via cctalk wrote:
> I have been working on CDC CYBER 170 mainframes between 1977 and 1988. ...
> 
> For many years I have been trying to find one of these vector drawn CC545
> consoles to use with my emulator but I haven't been able to find one.
> Recently I decided to build a clone of it myself. Bitsavers has a hardware
> manual with schematics:
> 
> 
> http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/cdc/cyber/cyber_170/62952600L_CYBER_170_Display_Station_CC545-CDEF_Hardware_Reference_26Mar1979.pdf
> 
> The CC545 console achieved unusually fast deflection with an
> electromagnetically deflected CRT. I am trying to understand the tricks
> they used to get these high speeds. Part of the magic is a dual-yoke which
> provided gross positioning within 2 microseconds to anywhere on the screen

Philco READ system (and probably others) did this as well.

http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/philco/displays/READ_Theory_And_Operation_Feb65.pdf

--Toby


> using the first yoke (this is VERY fast) and then painted the character
> using a second yoke around that base position with 0.1 microsecond per
> stroke (this is VERY fast too). The two yokes work in an additive manner.
> ...
> Tom Hunter
> 

Re: Compaq Smart Array 3200 Controller as a SCSI Controller

[Peter Corlett via cctalk]

On Tue, Jul 14, 2020 at 10:47:11AM -0700, Ali via cctalk wrote:
[...]
> Is there any reason a Smart Array controller can't be used as a simple SCSI
> controller? I.E. No array, just using it to drive a tape library? TIA!

In general, hardware RAID controllers cannot be used as ordinary controllers.
There is no good use case for them in 2020, which is why they're all suddenly
quite cheap. Much cheaper in fact than non-RAID controllers, IME, which irks me
as I'm in the market for a plain SAS HBA for use with ZFS.

RE: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)

[Henk Gooijen via cctalk]

Yes, that’s the one I have!
The thinner one (with colored pages?), I have never seen.

It describes procedures in a sort of FORTRAN style, at a “high level”.
It means you have to implement everything yourself 
Do not think you’re almost done, it is just a start.
Think of the following modules:

  *   Navigation officer
  *   Tactical officer
  *   - etc
  *   the Brig
  *   sensors (and the data)
  *   “universe intelligence”
  *   enemy ships
  *   etc.



Van: Richard Cini via cctalk
Verzonden: woensdag 15 juli 2020 04:15
Aan: Jason Howe; General Discussion: On-Topic and 
Off-Topic Posts
Onderwerp: Re: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)

This?


The complete Star Ship: A simulation project (DP series in games ; no. 1) 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/091839810X/ref=cm_sw_r_oth_api_i_mzMdFbMVV3YHH

I actually have this book somewhere. I also remember a thinner one with a 
highly-colored cover.

Get Outlook for iOS

From: cctalk  on behalf of Jason Howe via cctalk 

Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2020 10:04:51 PM
To: cctalk@classiccmp.org 
Subject: Re: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)

Agreed, this sounds like a ton of fun to implement.

--Jason

On 7/14/20 6:45 PM, Zane Healy via cctalk wrote:
> I’d love details on this!  This sounds vaguely like a game I played on a 
> Harris Minicomputer in the late 80’s.
>
> Zane
>
>
>
>> On Jul 14, 2020, at 12:03 PM, Henk Gooijen  wrote:
>>
>>
>> If I am not mistaken, I have a book called Star Trek and it is from 
>> Dilithium Press!
>> Memory is a bit vague, but it must be on one of my shelves.
>> The book describes in “FORTRAN style” the procedures for an NCC1701 
>> simulator 
>> But if you dig deeper, there is * a lot * to do yourself.
>> Anyway, this book was my inspiration to build a StarShip simulator back in 
>> the (19)80-ties.
>>
>> Henk
>>
>> Van: Zane Healy via cctalk 
>> Verzonden: dinsdag 14 juli 2020 15:53
>> Aan: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts 
>> 
>> Onderwerp: Dilithium Press (Computer Books)
>>
>> Out of curiosity, does anyone know anything about this publisher?  They 
>> apparently existed in the late 70’s and early 80’s.  They were apparently 
>> located in Beaverton, Oregon in the same business park, on Nimbus, where 
>> Norvac Electronics was.  They obviously published some very strange computer 
>> books, including what looks to be a teen romance.  I find myself with an 
>> embarrassingly nice little collection of the books, that my Dad apparently 
>> had.  Considering I think he touched a computer twice in his life, they’re 
>> something of a mystery.
>>
>> Best title, “Nailing Jelly to a Tree”, which is apparently a book on 
>> Software.
>>
>> The publisher sounds vaguely familiar, and I think I might have one or two 
>> other books from them in my collection.
>>
>> Zane
>>
>