is the
same console tape version as my unreadable real tapes, and newer than the other
downloaded image that I'm presently trying to use, so it would be nice to be
able to get it into a format that I can use directly.
Thanks in advance for any clues!
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http
cool!
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
On Jun 5, 2015, at 14:31 , Simon Claessen sim...@dds.nl wrote:
link: https://hack42.nl/wiki/Bestand:Omnibus_legenda.pdf
Nice work!
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
I think I'd enjoy having an 029 if the right one appeared at the right cost and
location. But I think I could get by with an 026 for $9! :)
I have zero experience with keypunch machines and zero practical use for one...
but I think it would be fun anyway.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
On Jun 8, 2015, at 07:05, Mike Ross tmfdm...@gmail.com wrote:
On Mon, Jun 8, 2015 at 7:05 AM, Mark J. Blair n...@nf6x.net wrote:
I finally got the excellent AK6DN tu58em emulator working as my VAX-11/730's
console drive, as discussed on VCF.
Could you throw me a link to that please? I
daydreaming about how to build a tape drive interface
controller, and I wonder whether it might need to potentially stream an entire
tape in one go vs. being able to safely assume some maximal block size.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
promising. It would probably be easy to slice into neat
strips with one of those circular-blad paper cutters from the local office
supply store.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
high, I have a friend in Santa Paula who might be
able to help picking up something from them in Ventura and stashing it until
next time we find ourselves in the same place.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
making something like that myself, but I have so many such
ideas that I am happy to let other folks make some of them for me. :)
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
Oh, and furthermore, I'm much more comfortable in a UNIX environment than
anything PC/DOS/Windows. Linux is fine, but I would expect pain getting drivers
for some random Pertec card. So, PC platforms that might accept a Pertec card
aren't my preferred environment.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n
On Jun 9, 2015, at 22:20 , Chuck Guzis ccl...@sydex.com wrote:
On 06/09/2015 09:57 PM, Mark J. Blair wrote:
Please forgive my ignorance, but which variety are the Wright Line
seals? I think I've encountered three styles of magtape widgets: The
common white plastic with a black buckle
,
that memory has snuck away in the night.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
hoping to find a TZ30 drive.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
it. I still have a lot of
learning curve to climb, but I'm excited to have made more progress.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
!
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
items like these, the bidding results will depend on
whether there are two potential buyers close enough to pick up the item. End
result might be no bids, one minimum bid, or a thousand+ bucks, depending.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
the Raspberry Pi, Arduino, etc. might get a lot more
interesting if they can affect the real world. See if a servo motor adds some
appeal.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
of throwing that idea out there, but having lived through the great
RAM famine the thought of a spare RAM chip seemed kind of silly. Incidentally,
the RAMs are all soldered on my Camintonn boards.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
Oh, I want the whole computer, not just the CPU chip.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
On Jun 10, 2015, at 08:46, Al Kossow a...@bitsavers.org wrote:
On 6/10/15 8:15 AM, Mark J. Blair wrote:
And that is precisely why I'm thinking of an ad-hoc interface rather than
just plugging a SCSI drive into a UNIX box.
It also has the advantage that you can return the CRC/checksum
Update: TZ30 located and ordered.
And now I'm thinking that I ought to build a custom Pertec interface (as is
being discussed in another thread) that's particularly suited for archival
work, though I might still be interested in a SCSI magtape drive or SCSI/Pertec
adapter anyway.
--
Mark J
that paper tape, used outdoors on a rainy day, is likely to be more
reliable than a real TU58 tape. :)
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
pictures!
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
every combination of baud, word length, parity, etc.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
will visit me in prison.
Sounds to me like you are more of a victim than a perpetrator here. Isn't there
some OSHA regulation against USB A to A cables? :)
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
reliably and will be easy to
implement. I'm just curious about the philosophical implications of my silly
cartridge emulator idea.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
and acquiring someone else's collection! :-)
Suggestions for the source of such a good diversified 'starter kit'
welcome...
How about this:
http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_84961_-1
Very nice! I might just order one of those.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
If you can find one, I'll be happy to help out with tape images and so forth
for your bringup!
On Jun 15, 2015, at 08:32, emanuel stiebler e...@e-bbes.com wrote:
As usual, a long shot, but anybody in the list
like to get rid of one? Preferably Colorado ;-)
to have
space behind the racks to get rear access without rolling them.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
sort of repeater exists that uses a thin, round cable for an
application where it's desirable to be able to move the expansion around
easily. And also where it's cheap and easy to replace the cable after rolling a
rack cabinet over it one time too many! :)
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http
means that a
custom 4-gap head would need to be made with gaps matching the two read/write
and two erase gaps (and a concave surface, too, rather than recycling some
audio tape head with suitable geometry to line up with just the read/write gaps.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http
or both (i.e. positive pressure on both results in the tape
floating
Uh... The TU80/TU81 do not have vacuum columns...
Or rotating capstans...
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
correctly.
Oh yeah, the metal vs. plastic base cartridges were also mentioned in this
thread. I've only encountered the metal ones so far. Based on the manual
pictures, I think the plastic ones use a shorter belt with a simpler path.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
the
paper with horizontal raised lines on it, and a single vertical striker in the
printhead that strikes at the moment when the platen and striker intersect at
the desired X/Y location of the dot to be printed? I've considered buying one
just to hear what it sounds like.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n
semiconductor components, the
thought of bringing up a suitable semiconductor fab to build those components
would be economically unrealistic.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
through them later to see if anything
interesting is in there.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
Thanks! I will try that out.
On Jun 13, 2015, at 18:01, Glen Slick glen.sl...@gmail.com wrote:
On Sat, Jun 13, 2015 at 5:45 PM, Mark J. Blair n...@nf6x.net wrote:
Thanks, I will read that. But how do I enter the reply command when the
BACKUP program is hogging the console? Is there a VMS
you can do the following
^Y
$spawn
$
$reply/enable=all
initialize additional tapes as needed (prior tape should have rewound…)
mount tape
$reply/to=MESSAGEID
$exit
$continue
Jerry Weiss WB9MRI
j...@ieee.org
On Jun 13, 2015, at 8:04 PM, Mark J. Blair n
! :)
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
I have one of his regular floppy disk emulators. I haven't actually used it
yet, but it is put together very nicely. When I get around to trying out the
Atari 8 bit world for the first time, I guess I will need an SIO2SD. I gather
that those are must-haves, much like the CFFA3000 is for the
I don't remember exactly what I have, but the binders that came with my system
might include an R80 manual (to be scanned, of course!).
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
and started.
I bet that's how I used to run backups as a student computer operator in the
late 1980s. But I probably had no understanding of the DCL script I presumably
ran.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
. There
may not be enough clearance in the tray for that.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
a Microsoft Serial BallPoint and a 4800 baud NMEA
stream.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
are they located? I'm known for my poor self-control when it comes to
acquiring vintage computer gear, but shipping one of those heavy beasts to
southern California might be more than I'd like to spend. :/
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
On Jun 17, 2015, at 19:48, Chris Osborn fozzt...@fozztexx.com wrote:
On Jun 17, 2015, at 7:43 PM, Mark J. Blair n...@nf6x.net wrote:
Are the readers in question these ones in Canada?
When you drive up there to get them, you can stop by my house on your way
home and drop one off. I’m
, I may yet
adopt one of them. I was born just late enough to miss using punched cards, so
I think that experiencing them would be fun since I've never learned otherwise
by needing to use them in anger.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
On Jun 12, 2015, at 08:48, Richard Loken richar...@admin.athabascau.ca
wrote:
On Thu, 11 Jun 2015, Mark J. Blair wrote:
Eventually, I'd like to run an older version of VMS than 7.3 on it.
Preferably, something contemporary to when the 11/730 was still sold, or
Gday Mark, it has been
-workstation.
Now running the license pak script again, and the output looks a lot more
promising.
Forward progress continues!
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
simple to implement, and
I still use them for debug ports even on vastly complex FPGA-based stuff. I
don't see async serial dying off any time soon.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
don't have a single 2N3904 in my
junk box, because I don't think I've had to replace one in the last 30 years,
just based on the kinds of things I've been working on. So it's not my go-to
part. Now, 10k resistors and 0.1uF ceramic caps... those things I use a lot. :)
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n
whenever I need to open one or the other.
Ok, that's enough enthusiastic agreement for now. Off to the other thread for
some more enthusiastic disagreement! :)
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
how to use
those! within a handful of milliseconds!
(Take deep, cleansing breaths, Mark.)
Ok, I feel better now. :)
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
, HP spectrum analyzer or HP synthesized signal generator (the latter
two of which are slaved to my GPS-disciplined frequency standard), but those
are the tools I have on hand, so those are the tools that I use.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
that I have a computer with a Pertec interface running, buying/building a
Pertec adapter for my Mac or Sun doesn't seem so important. Assuming I can
bring up networking on the VAX that is, and that I can figure out how to do
block-level stuff under VMS.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http
didn't even need to pre-initialize
the tapes. I'll probably look into doing things the more traditional batch way
once I have multiple terminals and/or networking set up, but for now it's a
single-user/single-terminal system.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
is better since it is AFAIK based on mostly standard off
the shelf chips.
Mostly, if I'm not mistaken (I haven't gotten too deeply involved with the PCBs
yet). There are a number of PROMs.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
I hope that you and your wife are doing better now!
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
for
maintenance tasks to help bring up old machines that no longer live in an
ecosystem of similar machines.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
, including the one in my machine, but none of them have
the remote diagnostic option.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
;-)
Well, maybe I'd educate them that Underwood and Remington Rand didn't just make
typewriters before they got that pendulum rod in very far. ;)
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
. about $1 for an
ATtiny, but these days, folks under the age of 40 are a lot more likely to have
an ATtiny (or more likely, an ATmega on an Arduino board) sitting on their
desktop.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
sense to me, particularly if you will not be constrained by the
original rack configuration like I am. The 730 has limited UNIBUS slots anyway,
so might as well use an expansion rack for anything you might change frequently.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
not sure if I got the top panel but if I did it is no longer on the
rack...
If you do have it, I wonder if it would be hard to add hinges for easy access
to a top expansion chassis?
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
...
Modern software running on a 730... I don't know if I'll live long enough to
wait for it to launch! :)
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
is PIKE. Sure glad my iPhone boots more quietly.
VMS use not authorized on this node. I sure hope it won't enforce that before I
can try a backup!
Finally! A login prompt! And no clue about the passwords. Uh, how can I shut
this beast down without a valid login? !?
Great. :)
--
Mark J. Blair
the middle is filled with gates or not.
I don't think that the hangups of a very few people justify ignoring the
economics of semiconductor manufacturing.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
, SD cards seem to be cheap enough to be nearly disposable nowadays.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
junkbox, and I regularly order electronic components both
professionally and for my hobby... and I still don't have a lot of TTL parts on
hand.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
, and a
couple of round-jacketed 40-conductor cables probably aren't any more flexible
than the Pertec tape drive cables I already have snaking about between the
racks.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
to do that has presented my next learning
opportunity:
How do I respond to tape mount requests on the same console where I'm running
BACKUP? When I get the request asking whether to create a new tape volume, it
doesn't seem to respond to terminal input.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
on just fine together in other threads at the same time, so I
don't think the fangs are being exposed. :)
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
... figuring
that out is the fun part for me.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
hitting the reset button
until the colors weren't swapped.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
of.
Hmm, I should be able to try it out with a Commodore 1080 monitor.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
. Most of the functionality appears to be in a single QFP,
probably with a central ground/heat slug based on the vias on the bottom side
of the board. The top of the chip appears to have been sanded to remove the
markings.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
On May 23, 2015, at 10:28, Steven Hirsch snhir...@gmail.com wrote:
On Sat, 23 May 2015, Chris Osborn wrote:
On May 23, 2015, at 8:24 AM, Mark J. Blair n...@nf6x.net wrote:
In the middle will be some FPGA to perform any necessary magic. I've been
looking at a prohibitively expensive
good project deserves a good project name. I'm tentatively calling
this one Crazy Cat Lady. It has a nice ring to it.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
it was something like Rayon.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
/NF6X/YostTester/blob/master/YostTester.pdf
The red/green LED pairs show whether each line is high, low or open. Resistor
values may vary depending on the LEDs that you choose.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
asymmetrical when driving things other than TTL inputs, such as the LEDs in
question here.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
routine. There were lots of
noclick utilities that patched the code to seek in one direction rather than
back and forth, so that the clicking would stop once the heads reached the
track 0 sensor.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
is to VCC.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
times before I noticed it.
I also lusted after an 11/780 as my first VAX, but compromised on a much
smaller and slower, but much more practical 11/730 system when one happened to
turn up.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
I still think I would enjoy acquiring an 11/780 series machine someday, when my
wallet recharges and I've had time to excavate enough room out in my barn. But
for now, I'm pretty stoked just to have my little 11/730.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
and be patient, and good hunting to you!
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
by some kid just absentmindedly poking
the dollar bill in the hole, then losing his grip.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
made up all sorts
of theories about how some kid lost his or her dollar bill in that monitor!
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
in layman's terms.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
a lot of hours
swapping 0201 and 0402 inductors and caps with a pair of Metcal irons and a
microscope while tuning up GPS receiver front ends in my day job.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
and stuffed into a metal tube secured to the radio chassis.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
, a tubular key copying machine, a box of
blanks, and a metal stamp set). But I closed my eBay account, so I guess I'll
just need to pass on that extra $4000 of income. :D
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
plastic shell cracks from old age,
moisture gets in, and then the caps break down under power. I replace these
with poly film safety-rated caps with suitable ratings, since the poly film
shouldn't absorb significant moisture even if the housing seal fails.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http
important. Modern film caps may have a stripe on one
end, but it doesn't appear to reliably indicate which lead goes to the outer
foil.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net
http://www.nf6x.net/
design for interface controllers. I don't think I have any old databooks any
more. Glad to hear that they're being preserved.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X <n...@nf6x.net>
http://www.nf6x.net/
ot; as I found the unit, so I rotated it to the "ON"
position. If there's a spindle lock, it wasn't obvious enough for me to notice
it.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X <n...@nf6x.net>
http://www.nf6x.net/
housings to cover DLV11 cables
plus the common varieties of jumpers I often need to cobble together. I can
share part numbers if anybody would like me to.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X <n...@nf6x.net>
http://www.nf6x.net/
doesn't mind.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X <n...@nf6x.net>
http://www.nf6x.net/
while you're in the area. I might have to be in the office in Irvine,
but there's a good chance that I'll be available this week.
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X <n...@nf6x.net>
http://www.nf6x.net/
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