Re: Hams and old computer stuff (Re: old DEC stuff)
On Thu, May 31, 2018 at 9:13 AM, Jon Tabor via cctalk wrote: > On Thu, May 31, 2018 at 12:06:03AM +, W2HX via cctalk wrote: > > Dang! I was in Dayton/Xenia also this year and never knew that is where > Mitch is located! I have spoken to him on the phone. Very nice guy and very > willing to work with hobbyists. Next year I will make a point of meeting > him in person and picking up some goodies > > > > 73 Eugene W2HX > > > > A bit unrelated, and I'm fairly new to this list, but interesting to see > so many ham radio operators pop up. I suspect the > same tinkering desire we get from ham radio is what draws us to old > computers. > > I was at Hamvention this year too, though I didn't see as many old computer items as I did last year! Last year I saw some NeXT machines, an amazing Lisa, and a few other treasures. This year I saw a Kaypro II and a couple Sinclairs, though I didn't buy any of them. -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Nekochan has been shut down :(
On Thu, May 24, 2018 at 3:37 PM, Mazzini Alessandro via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > I didn't see it being mentioned here on cctalk :( > There is a new site up at http://irix.cc that's hoping to fill the void. Hopefully it takes off! -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
FS: PDP-11/23 + RL02
I haven't gotten this all together yet, but thought I'd let people here know first that I have a PDP-11/23 for sale! I'm just trying to clean things out, and have decided to focus my collection a bit. I need to go down and inventory everything, but I have a PDP-11/23 with 64KW of memory (not sure on what boards I have to give it that yet). The machine itself works, thanks to some help from people on this list. I have not gotten around to getting the RL02 working, though I have the interface and what I believe is the proper cabling. It's a pretty clean drive, and does power on just fine. I boot the 11 via a TU-58 emulator, so other than the RL02 I don't have any physical drives or tapes. Not sure on the price yet, but thought I'd see if anyone is interested. Ideally this would be for pickup in Des Moines, Iowa. Thanks! -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: R: Sparc Laptops
I'd be interested as well if any are left. I sold a Sparcbook a while back that was missing the hard drive caddy. I just couldn't find a caddy and had a random buyer that wanted it for a museum. It did have it netbooting though, and they are fun machines! On Wed, May 9, 2018 at 8:15 AM, Bill Gunshannon via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > If they were cheap enough I would take a couple, too. Haven't > > used a Sparc in quite some time but always liked the architecture. > > > bill > > > > On 05/08/2018 04:52 PM, Mazzini Alessandro via cctalk wrote: > > Uh this is going to turn interesting... you mean it would be possible to > get > > one very, very cheap ? > > > -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: SGI stuff in the UK
On Thu, May 3, 2018 at 1:51 PM, Electronics Plus via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > http://www.sgidepot.co.uk/sgidepot/kybdsmice.html > > Hopefully this one is legit? Not affiliated with seller, etc. > Ian is very much legit! If you need SGI stuff, he's an expert. -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Polymorphic 8813 Bezel
While cleaning just now I found one of the metal and black plastic side bezels for an 8813. If anyone needs one, let me know and I can send it to you! -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: OT: the death of shortwave / Re: Hallicrafters S-85
On Mon, Oct 16, 2017 at 1:24 PM, Ian S. King via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > > Does anyone on this thread know if there are any regularly scheduled > traffic nets? > I don't do much with HF nets, traffic or otherwise, but I would be interested in participating in an informal classic computing net if we could get one going! I'm mostly active on 20M and 40M. -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: More videos of VCF's Univac
On Tue, Oct 10, 2017 at 1:16 PM, Evan Koblentz via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > I texted our project leader. He replied: "The short answer is I don't > know. The copy I got is from one of the sailors on a destroyer with the > equipment. Most programs written for the 1219 used an assembler called TRIM > or Ultra. Remember that there is only 32K of memory in the machine." > They're not currently using these machines, are they? I did a little digging and I found mentions of that machine running the "RIM-24 Tartar" missile system, which is still in use, but maybe the computer has been replaced by now! -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Does anyone need any before I list them on eBay?
Hi Paul, I'd be interested in the M7504 if it's still available! On Tue, Oct 10, 2017 at 10:32 PM, Paul Anderson via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > I'm still trying to sell some extra Q-bus boards before I list them on > ebay, and I would rather they found a happy home here. > > Shipping is a flat $10 within the US for as many as you want. Please ask > for overseas shipping. If you need any others, or have a "wishlist" please > contact me off list. > > Thanks, Paul > > M3106 DZQ11 $40 > M3107 DHQ1140 > M8043 DLV11-J 60 > M8186 11/23 CPU 60 > M8189 11/23+ CPU 60 > > M7504 DEQNA $30 > > M7546 TK50 25 > > M7559 TQK7030 > > M7940 DLV1125 > > M7944 MSV11-B 20 > > M7946 RXV11 > > M7954 IBV11 > > M8021 MRV11 > > M8027 LPV1140 > > M8044 MSV11-DD 25 > > > and S-box boards: > > > M3108-PA DSV11-SA100 > > M3118-YA CXA16-M 100 > > M3127-PA DESQA-SA 80 > > M3134-PA CXM0480 > > M5974-SA KZQSA 100 > > M7504-PA DEQNA-SA 80 > > M7516-PA DELQA-SA 80 > > M7554-PB KDJ11-SD 150 > > M7740-PA KLESI-SA 125 > > M8020-PA DPV11-SA 75 > > M8086-YA LPV11-SA85 > > M9504-PA expansion card50 > > M9505-PA expansion card50 > > On Tue, Sep 12, 2017 at 2:02 AM, Paul Anderson <used...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > I'm still trying to sell some extra Q-bus boards before I list them on > > ebay, and I would rather they found a happy home here. > > > > Shipping is a flat $10 within the US for as many as you want. Please ask > > for overseas shipping. If you need any others, or have a "wishlist" > please > > contact me off list. > > > > Thanks, Paul > > > > M3106 DZQ11 $40 > > M3107 DHQ1140 > > M8043 DLV11-J 60 > > M8186 11/23 CPU 60 > > M8189 11/23+ CPU 60 > > > -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: OT: the death of shortwave / Re: Hallicrafters S-85
On Sun, Oct 8, 2017 at 10:20 AM, Al Kossow via cctalk <cctalk@classiccmp.org > wrote: > > There is a huge base of HF work being done along with real-time mapping > of HF and Tropo propagation, along with all the software defined radio > work. > > I'm a ham and pretty much only do HF, though I have been playing with a new network of DMR (digital, internet linked) repeaters covering the state. I missed out on a nice Hallicrafters receiver at a hamfest last weekend... Walked way to look it up, and it was gone when I came back! There was a VT220 there too, but no keyboard and the seller didn't know anything. It looked rough, so I passed. I did buy some floppy disks however! Hamfests do occasionally have vintage computing stuff, which is part of why I go to most of the local ones. -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: On Topic?: Hamvention
On Tue, May 16, 2017 at 6:14 PM, Jim Brain via cctalk <cctalk@classiccmp.org > wrote: > Is anyone going to Hamvention this weekend? > I'll be there, for the first time! I don't know what to expect with the flea market, but am hoping there may be some computing things available. I've found a few treasures at other hamfests in the past. -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: PDP-11/20 in Iowa (x3)
I'm only a half hour from Boone. But, I can barely keep my 11/23 running, so I don't think I would be a good owner for these. I offered to help the poster if they want, as I don't want to see these scrapped either. On Mon, Mar 27, 2017 at 1:05 AM, Paul Birkel via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > http://www.vcfed.org/forum/showthread.php?56897-Came- > across-three-PDP-11-20- > units-today > > > > Need some lovin'. Not near enough to here . > > > > - > > -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Univac I memory tank
On Tue, Mar 14, 2017 at 4:41 PM, Noel Chiappa via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > I think it belongs in a museum, actually. Provided they can make it work, > of > course! :-) I wonder how many working delay line main memories are left in > the world? > If that's from a Univac I, I'd love to see it in a museum as well! According to Wikipedia there were only 18 Univac I installations, so this is a pretty rare piece. -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Sparcbook 3TX Hard Drive?
Hi Jerry, thanks for the info. I do have a some SCSI2SD adapters, though I would still have the problem with the weird internal connector and lack of a drive caddy to hold anything. I mean, I can't use a Sparcbook at the coffee shop with an external drive... That would be embarrassing! On Mon, Feb 27, 2017 at 8:10 PM, Jerry Kemp <ot...@oryx.us> wrote: > Hello Ben, > > Sorry I can not assist you directly. > > I believe that many people in your situation, and similar, are > successfully using the SCSI2SD adapter > > <http://www.codesrc.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=SCSI2SD> > > Hope that there is something here that helps. > > Jerry > > > > > On 02/27/17 07:41 PM, Ben Sinclair wrote: > >> This is probably a long shot, but does anyone have a Sparcbook 3TX hard >> drive? I know they're difficult to find. >> >> I have a 3TX in great condition, but no drive. >> >> (hopefully this isn't a repost, I tried this when the list was having >> issues and don't think it went through) >> >> -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Sparcbook 3TX Hard Drive?
This is probably a long shot, but does anyone have a Sparcbook 3TX hard drive? I know they're difficult to find. I have a 3TX in great condition, but no drive. (hopefully this isn't a repost, I tried this when the list was having issues and don't think it went through) -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: What's the rarest or most unusual computer-related item do you own?
Here's another little item that I have, though I'm not sure if it's rare. I can't figure out what it actually came from, but it's a UNIVAC branded drawer pull (I believe). I imagine it came from something like a console desk, though I've scoured photos of various UNIVACs and haven't seen anything exactly like it. It makes a nice little desk ornament at least! Here's a photo: http://bensinclair.com/system/images/images/000/000/031/original/IMG_6810.jpg Also in that photo is a NeXT and an SMS card from an IBM 1130! On Thu, Jan 12, 2017 at 9:22 AM, Paul Koning <paulkon...@comcast.net> wrote: > > > On Jan 11, 2017, at 9:30 PM, william degnan <billdeg...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > > > On Jan 11, 2017 9:00 PM, "Paul Koning" <paulkon...@comcast.net> wrote: > >> ... > >> Mine is: a working PLATO terminal -- orange plasma panel -- skillfully > > restored to full operating condition by Aaron Woolfson. It's connected > to > > a PLATO system I brought back to life, runnning on an emulated CDC 6000 > > series machine (DtCyber emulator by Tom Hunter). > >> > >>paul > >> > >> > > > > This In would like to see! > > The Living Computer Museum in Seattle has several, both the microprocessor > based "PLATO V" terminal I have, and the original straight logic "PLATO IV" > terminals built by Magnavox. All working. I've seen them logged on at the > Cyber1.org PLATO system (that's the one I mentioned). > > paul > > -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: What's the rarest or most unusual computer-related item do you own?
On Tue, Jan 10, 2017 at 4:09 PM, Andy Cloud <r3tro...@gmail.com> wrote: > I thought this would be an interesting question to ask around - What's the > rarest or most unusual computer-related item do you own? > My rarest item is probably an IBM System/360 nameplate, the type that was attached on top of a console. It hangs above the window in my office and is one of my favorite items. This isn't too rare, but I also really a Woz signed Apple I schematic that I have framed on the wall. -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: IBM Server 7587
Thanks! Mine just arrived a few moments ago. It powers up just fine, and appears to be a pretty standard PC with a Phoenix BIOS. It doesn't have a hard drive installed, but I'm planning to use an IDE to CF board. It's somewhat loud, so I might see about replacing the fans. I can't imagine this gets very hot, but we'll see. On Mon, Dec 12, 2016 at 1:20 PM, Gregory Beat <w...@icloud.com> wrote: > Here is the ZIP File for the IBM 7587 documentation. > http://ohlandl.ipv7.net/758x/IBM_SBC_Systems.html > > Various IBM files > http://ohlandl.ipv7.net/ > > g. beat > chicago > > Sent from iPad Air > > > On Dec 12, 2016, at 1:08 PM, Gregory Beat <w...@icloud.com> wrote: > > > > This is the IBM Datasheet for the 586VE single board computer, used in > model 7588. > > Very likely same Single Board, in that Industrial Chassis. > > http://ohlandl.ipv7.net/758x/586VE_SBC_Information.pdf > > > > Sent from iPad Air > > > >> On Dec 12, 2016, at 1:04 PM, Gregory Beat <w...@icloud.com> wrote: > >> > >> IBM has had a number of "industrial computer" models. > >> > >> The IBM Server 7587 is a hardware platform designed for reliable 24 > hour operation. It was often used in mid-1990s computer telephony > interfaces (Pentium socket 7, up to 233 MHz). > >> Responding to the customer's need for a powerful, reliable ISA bus > computer that is easy to panel/wall mount and easy to service, IBM > developed the IBM 7587. > >> > >> It is a 5 slot ISA/PCI passive backplane, PICMG compliant computer > powered by an IBM Single Board Computer. The 7587 has a large filtered > cooling fan that keeps the internal components well under their operating > limits, even in hot environments. With its shock mounted hard disk drive > and adapter hold down bracket, the system can withstand the shock and > vibration found in many harsh work environments. > >> > >> Programming interfaces are supported for watchdog timer and thermal > monitoring functions on the SBC. The system can operate without disk, > display or keyboard. It is quick to service, with all internal components > easily accessible after removing the top cover. > >> > >> Sent from iPad Air > >> > >> > >> Sent from iPad Air > -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Photos from the NWA Auction
I posted a link to it on a cockpit builder forum I visit. I don't do that any more, otherwise I might have a 747 cockpit in my garage right now! The prices were so low (at least when I checked), that I hoped someone would grab them and build a nice sim. On Tue, Oct 18, 2016 at 6:47 PM, <et...@757.org> wrote: > Wonder if anyone got the actual simulators/cockpits? Fun toys but >> won't fit in your average basement... >> > > There were bids on them, hopefully they go to home flight simulator nerds > that will entertain us with videos on youtube of them running inside their > houses! > > > > > -- > Ethan O'Toole > > -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Photos from the NWA Auction
Great photos! I'm curious as to how long ago this equipment was in operation. The photos here and on the auction site almost looked like someone just got up and walked away, at least from the desks and office supplies, etc. that I saw. On Mon, Oct 17, 2016 at 7:07 PM, Cory Heisterkamp <coryheisterk...@gmail.com > wrote: > For those curious about the equipment that sold last week, I put together > an album from my brief stop on Saturday. Let me know if you have trouble > viewing it. > https://goo.gl/photos/yb83SJSj67gS96n39 > > On closer inspection it appears the documentation for that GP-4, as well > as some of the other computers, sold to different parties (the value being > in the shelving and cabinets). > > I'm still losing sleep over that GP-4. From all appearances it was a > turn-key setup (in theory). Unfortunately, the auction site immediately > removes closed lots from their webpage so no idea what it sold for, or if > it went to a scrapper. I suspect it was billed as 'cabinets of aviation > equipment'. Being 3 hours away I can't exactly run over there and pin a > note on it. > > Some further digging on the net revealed a photo in the Motorola Annual > Report 1965 featuring the machine touting Moto's new ECL logic. Apparently > it was designed for aviation simulation but included facilities for being a > general purpose machine. -C -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: NWA auctions
I just now realized that these auctions are out of a Delta Airlines facility! Plus they are in MN, so within range of myself. On Thu, Oct 13, 2016 at 7:32 AM, Ben Sinclair <b...@bensinclair.com> wrote: > Check out this video of a flight simulator running on some PDP-11s: > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-DpcvY4aBk > > Those rack mounted zip drives look like the same devices in the "Decpack > avionics cabinet" auction. > > They're calling them "avionics," so I wonder if these are from a flight > simulator? > > On Wed, Oct 12, 2016 at 11:13 PM, Al Kossow <a...@bitsavers.org> wrote: > >> https://grafeauction.proxibid.com/asp/catalog.asp?aid=117590=288#288 >> >> someone needs to grab those 11/45's! >> >> > > > -- > Ben Sinclair > b...@bensinclair.com > -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: NWA auctions
Check out this video of a flight simulator running on some PDP-11s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-DpcvY4aBk Those rack mounted zip drives look like the same devices in the "Decpack avionics cabinet" auction. They're calling them "avionics," so I wonder if these are from a flight simulator? On Wed, Oct 12, 2016 at 11:13 PM, Al Kossow <a...@bitsavers.org> wrote: > https://grafeauction.proxibid.com/asp/catalog.asp?aid=117590=288#288 > > someone needs to grab those 11/45's! > > -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: ACARD ARS-2000SUP versus SCSI2SD - round 1
On Fri, Jun 24, 2016 at 8:52 PM, Swift Griggs <swiftgri...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Once I'm done I'll hook both of these up to a FreeBSD box, dd off full > backups, then start over again and try with ZFS under FreeBSD via a PCI > SCSI controller. Then again under IRIX if I still have the energy. > I'd love to see results under IRIX, as I was thinking of trying one or both of those myself! Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: old friend is slimming down the warehouse
On Fri, Jun 24, 2016 at 9:39 AM, Todd Killingsworth < killingsworth.t...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Terminals from IBM Mainframes and midrange, pallets of DEC terminals, HP > terminals (or monitor/keyboard combos for HP PA-RISC machines??). Also > oddballs like AT, Qume, Texas Instruments, WISE, etc. > That still sounds great! I'd also love a DEC terminal of some kind... I got rid of a VT-100 years ago and regret it. Some of the AT machines were interesting too! -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: old friend is slimming down the warehouse
> On Jun 22, 2016, at 07:23, Todd Killingsworth < killingsworth.t...@gmail.com> wrote: > I'm set up to go onsite this afternoon, and I've got new SD cards and two I assume Todd is lost in the warehouse, or just kept all of the new-in-box Lisp machines, SGIs, and System 360s for himself! -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Other then being original is there any reason to get a RX02 ?
On Thu, Jun 23, 2016 at 12:17 PM, Pete Lancashire <p...@petelancashire.com> wrote: > Someday I want to have a PDP11 even if it is a QBUS version > > I can get a clean RX02 for about $150. When my life involved PDP11's > starting with 34A and ending with 44's I never used one. > If you don't need it, I could certainly use a clean RX02 for $150! :) -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Apple & SGI keyboards (Re: NEC ProSpeed 386)
I believe the Apple Extended Keyboard II was the last Apple keyboard with mechanical switches. I know that it's a desired keyboard even today! Out of the all of the keyboards I use regularly, I think my granite SGI is my favorite. On my main work Mac, I was using a Das Keyboard until a few days ago. I just had trouble going from the Das Keyboard back to the integrated Macbook Pro keyboard. I sometimes work from home with the Macbook in clamshell mode, and sometimes at a co-working space with just the Macbook. So, I switched back to their tiny wireless keyboard, though I wish they had a full size wireless keyboard. I'm also in a constant battle between a great keyboard and a clean desk with no wires. A nice project might be building an internal, battery powered bluetooth adapter into an Apple Extended II. On Tue, May 31, 2016 at 5:16 PM, Swift Griggs <swiftgri...@gmail.com> wrote: > On Tue, 31 May 2016, Liam Proven wrote: > > On 31 May 2016 at 19:15, Chris Hanson <cmhan...@eschatologist.net> > wrote: > > > On my desk at work, I have a 5K iMac hooked up to the same Apple > Extended Keyboard II that I've been using since 1990. :) > > Excellent! :-) > > I'm not a huge Apple zealot to the point of wearing black turtlenecks > every day, but I gotta hand it to them, they have been a big innovator > with keyboard design. They (almost?) always design their own keyboards. > They have had big fat key'd ones and tiny thin aluminum designs, ones with > huge borders and ones with nearly zero borders, but they've always tried > to put a little bit of pinache therein. Successful or not, I respect them > a lot for trying, and several of their designs are very nice. I've never > known them to create "clackety" keyboards with mechanical switches, but > then again there are only two groups who care: gamers and curmudgeons > (*grin*). > > I made my choice to be an "IT guy" a long time ago, I might as well do it > in style and comfort with the most beautiful gear I can get. Thus, the IT > gear I'm least afraid to drop money on is my keyboard and monitor. Okay > cash on keyboards in my case is a vulgar embarrassment (let's just not > talk about that *ugh*), but monitors I only buy once every few years (if > that much). When I do buy one, I choose *very* carefully. > > That was the one thing that never really shone in the SGI world, despite > some cool fru-fru in other places. I have a granite slab keyboard and an > SGI USB keyboard. Neither is anything special (and the USB one has DOMES > *gasp*... the horror). However, SGI did have the "dials and buttons" and > "Spaceball" interfaces. So what they lose in style points for lack of cool > keyboard designs I have to re-award for their other cool input devices. > > -Swift > > -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: classics I threw away or sold ... foolishly
On Wed, May 18, 2016 at 4:11 PM, Swift Griggs <swiftgri...@gmail.com> wrote: > On Wed, 18 May 2016, Ben Sinclair wrote: > > 5. Next slab... But I just got another! > > Hehe, right on. Are you going to run NeXTStep or something else on it? Did > you get a color framebuffer by chance? > It's a mono turbo, so no color! I'm not that into NeXT hardware right now. I'm mainly interested in SGI and PDP-11 stuff at the moment. If I ever saw a bargain cube, I'd grab it though. I do actually have a Voyager running NeXT! I plan to install something else on it though, since I have a real NeXT machine now. That's a fun machine. I have a SCSI2SD adapter that I want to try in it, which would make it free of moving parts. I don't believe it has a fan at all. I did just sell a Macintosh Portable, so hopefully that doesn't end up on my regret list someday. I'm not too interested in old Macs, though I do have a 128k. -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: smalltalk and lisp (was: strangest systems I've sent email from)
On Thu, Apr 28, 2016 at 10:21 AM, Swift Griggs <swiftgri...@gmail.com> wrote: > > It's had at least a mediocre run. I mean, they used it for NeXTStep apps > too. It's been around for quite a while with a pretty solid core of > adherents. A C++ god that I used to work with called it "C++ without the > suck". I don't particularly think C++ sucks, though (or I guess I got used > to it). I never could read Obj-C, due to lack of practice in the lang, and > too much at-colon-dash-at going on. However, again it was probably just > lack of familiarity, on paper at least, it has some nice features. > I do a lot of iOS development and it took me years to get used to, or at least feel comfortable with, Objective-C. At first I hated how verbose it and Apple's SDKs felt, but appreciate a lot of that now. I'm doing some embedded C++ work right now too, and often wish I could use Objective-C there. I haven't done any C++ in years though, and have found C++11 added some nice things. I'll try whatever is new and fun though, and I've been enjoying Swift (the language!) quite a bit. Apple is pushing it pretty hard, so I'll probably use it for my next big iOS project. -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Tadpole Sparcbook Hard Drive
I have nothing unfortunately! It's that caddy and cable that's the hard part. On Sat, Apr 23, 2016 at 9:28 PM, Ian Finder <ian.fin...@gmail.com> wrote: > What's your scenario? Do you have the caddy and cable? If so, a SCSI2SD is > a good bet. > > Sent from Outlook for iPhone<https://aka.ms/wp8k5y> > > > From: cctalk <cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org> on behalf of Ben Sinclair < > b...@bensinclair.com> > Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2016 6:16:10 PM > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts > Subject: Tadpole Sparcbook Hard Drive > > This is a long shot, but does anyone have a Tadpole Sparcbook 3TX hard > drive? > > Their existence may be just a myth. > > -- > Ben Sinclair > b...@bensinclair.com > -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Tadpole Sparcbook Hard Drive
This is a long shot, but does anyone have a Tadpole Sparcbook 3TX hard drive? Their existence may be just a myth. -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: MiST - Amiga ST FPGA + intro
On Thu, Mar 31, 2016 at 11:01 AM, Swift Griggs <swiftgri...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Cool. From that era I'd guess you mean the Challenge S which was an Indy > without a framebuffer. There were Challenge series machines to match most > of the architectures before the O2. They were usually stripped down server > versions of whatever workstation was current. I still have a Challenge S > with a 200Mhz R4600 in it (fastest R4k). I use it as a web server. You can > also use the 180Mhz R5k in that guy. I love watching people try to hack it. > They get very confused (and doubtless quite frustrated). I want to say it was a Challenge L, but could be misremembering. It was big, not the S! -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: MiST - Amiga ST FPGA + intro
I'm an SGI guy too! In college I worked as a sysadmin for a lab running a Challenge, and Indigo and Indy desktops. I have a nice O2 with a 1600SW, and just got an Octane that seems to have a bad graphics board. In the past I had an Indy and an Indigo with ELAN graphics. I'd love to have a Tezro, or even a Fuel, but they're hard to come by! On Thu, Mar 31, 2016 at 9:41 AM, devin davison <lyokob...@gmail.com> wrote: > Cool to see another SGI guy around here. Welcome to the list. > Im scheduled to pick up a couple of Tezro's next month along with some > related hardware and software. ill post back with some pictures to show > what I pick up. > > On Wed, Mar 30, 2016 at 12:18 PM, Swift Griggs <swiftgri...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > > > > http://lotharek.pl/product.php?pid=96 > > > > I recently picked up one of these devices. I'll apologize in advance if > > you folks have already had a discussion about the MiST. Basically, it's > an > > FPGA that's capable of emulation (for lack of a better term) of many > > platforms on a hardware level. I only got mine about two weeks ago, and > I'm > > still sifting through a ton of material and focused mainly on the Amiga > and > > ST platforms (stuff I played with as a pre-teen and teen). I have to say, > > so far it's pretty awesome. > > > > The coolest feature in my opinion is the standard joystick ports on the > > side that "just work" with all the emulation targets. I always favored > > using Sega Genesis controllers in those (rather than the rinky-dink > little > > "red joystick" of the time). They work oh-so-great with this rig. > > > > The only issue is finding a monitor that doesn't have a fit over 15Khz > > refresh rates. I use an NEC MultiSync with sync-on-green and all that fun > > stuff. I'm still busy getting AROS running on "my Amiga" (which is > > represented by an SD card with my ROM image from my A3000 and a metric > > crapton of floppy images). > > > > You basically hit a keystroke or joystick combo and you can swap > floppies, > > reboot, etc.. If you are into any of these, I can recommend the MiST: > > > > * ST/STE (also on SCART 15KHz) > > * Amiga 500/600/1200 ( AGA CORE BETA core) > > * C64 (partially - still developed) > > * Atari 8bit ( 96%) > > * Collecovision > > * ZX81 > > * Atari 2600 > > * ZX Spectrum with AY, aslo with DIVMMC and ESXDOS > > * SEGA GENESIS > > * Apple II(x) > > * MSX > > * AMSTRAD CPC (BETA) > > * A few others, you'll want to check. > > > > > >BTW, I'm new to the list (1st post). So, I'll introduce myself. I'm > > just another IT worker with a background in Unix systems. I'm 41 and I > > started with HP-UX 10.x (high school) and branched out to every kind of > > Unix box I could get my hands on (Yes. I'm one of those Unix zealots, but > > that might be too gentle a description). I spent the 90's with SGIs > (which > > I still collect, I have an O2+, two Indys, and a bruzin' Tezro fully > built > > out). I spent the early 2k's coding for supper as a "security engineer" > > (read: writing exploits which I don't much care for now) and some stints > as > > a Tru64 admin. On the in between gigs and contracts I've touched just > about > > everything (and in the last 10 years a lot of new Unix hardware). I've > > professionally admin'd or coded for IRIX, Solaris, Linux, Tru64 (OSF/1 or > > Digital Unix for some), FreeBSD, HP-UX, UNICOS, and AIX. As a hobbyist, > > I've also tinkered greatly with NetBSD (maybe my favorite), OpenBSD, and > > Minix. Then of course there is the spacey or rare stuff I've put hands > on. > > I'm talking about things like UnixWare, Xenix, SCO, SunOS, BSDi, DG/UX, > > NeXTStep/OpenStep, A/UX, and even non-Unix stuff like Sprite, L4, QNX, > > HURD, BeOS, Haiku, AROS, Genode, and others. I code fairly well in C, > shell > > script, and TCL. I code not-as-well in AREXX, Python, Ruby, PHP, Lua, > and a > > few other scripting languages. I'm pleased to be on this list, and to > make > > your myriad acquaintances. > > > > -Swift > > > > PS: My spell checker needs and ex-lax after going insane over this email > > full of Unix variants and ancient platforms. > > > -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Anyone want some Polymorphic 88 manuals and disks?
I'm actually not sure how they are sectored, but I assume my Poly 8813 had whatever controller most other Polys had. I'm not looking for anything, I just wanted them to go to a good home! On Tue, Mar 22, 2016 at 11:33 AM, dwight <dkel...@hotmail.com> wrote: > Hi Ben > I have the manual but would be interested in the disk. > Do you know if they are hard or soft sectored? > I suspect they are hard sectored as that was the most common. > There soft sectored was not industry standard and took a special > controller to read. > What are you looking for? > Dwight > > > > From: cctalk <cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org> on behalf of Ben Sinclair < > b...@bensinclair.com> > Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2016 8:38 AM > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts > Subject: Anyone want some Polymorphic 88 manuals and disks? > > I had a Poly 8813, and just found that I still have the System 88 User's > Manual, including the Macro 88 manual, schematics, and 16K RAM > manual/schematics. > > I also have some disks that came with the system, though their status is > unknown. I believe many of them were just blank, but there is some system > software and a general ledger program disk. > > Anyone want these? The manuals seem to be readily available online already. > > -- > Ben Sinclair > b...@bensinclair.com > -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Anyone want some Polymorphic 88 manuals and disks?
I had a Poly 8813, and just found that I still have the System 88 User's Manual, including the Macro 88 manual, schematics, and 16K RAM manual/schematics. I also have some disks that came with the system, though their status is unknown. I believe many of them were just blank, but there is some system software and a general ledger program disk. Anyone want these? The manuals seem to be readily available online already. -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
PDP-11/23 Troubles Again
In the previous episode, I was trying to get my M8013 and M8014 RL02 controller pair to pass the diskless controller test, and discovered it had some sort of stuck bit. Repairing that seemed a little out of my scope, so I recently found an M8061, and I tried to give it another go today. However, my system has decided to be flakey again after not running for a couple months. I removed the '13 and '14 and started up the memory and CPU diagnostics just to make sure I was in a good starting position. The memory passes just fine, but the JKDBD0 test no longer starts, and turns off the run light. Previously that was because of bad memory, (and it doesn't run at all with too little memory), but using two tested good M8044's got everything working. I reseated everything, and am running with the M8186, two M8044s, M8043, and the M8012, which was my previous good configuration. The power test points on the M8012 are good. I only have two (good, at least before) M8044s for memory, so I don't have anything handy to swap in. I think this particular machine just hates me, but assuming it doesn't, does anyone have other suggestions? Thanks! -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: For you SGI fans...
Amazing, thank you! I just finished putting together my dream system from 1997 or so, an O2 with a 1600SW. I'm running the latest IRIX on there, but have been looking of the development overlays. On Tue, Jan 12, 2016 at 2:10 PM, geneb <ge...@deltasoft.com> wrote: > > > https://archive.org/details/cdromsoftware?=-publicdate[]=SGI > > 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_! -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Interest level for new PDP-11 indicator panels
I'm interested in the blinkenlitz! Of course, I'm interested in the controller even without that too! On Wed, Dec 16, 2015 at 10:43 AM, Noel Chiappa <j...@mercury.lcs.mit.edu> wrote: > > I'm trying to get a sense of how much demand there would be for the > > indicator panel option (for parts ordering; I have a chance to buy some > > discontinued stuff, and I want to know how much to stock up on). If you > > would be interested in one or more indicator panels, could you let me > > know? (Please don't reply to the list, just to me personally.) > > I should have mentioned that we'll likely do a UNIBUS version of the card > (ENABLE+, and it should be easy to guess why that name :-) as soon as we're > done with the QBUS one; the same indicator panels would be supported by both > (so they count to the parts pool). > > So if you have a UNIBUS machine, and would be interested in adding an ENABLE+ > _with indicator panels_, I would be interested to hear about those too. > Thanks! > > Noel -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Maximizing value selling a working 11/34
I'm also interested if you have any information about what the system was doing Noel! Was it in use until just recently? It's always fun to hear about older systems that are still being used for production work. On Tue, Dec 8, 2015 at 8:09 AM, Noel Chiappa <j...@mercury.lcs.mit.edu> wrote: > So I know someone who has a working 11/34 (4 RLO2's and the 11/34 in an H960, > running RSTS/E) they want to sell, and they want to know how to maximize the > value - i.e. whether to sell it as a complete working system, or to part it > out - and if the latter, how to break it up? > > (No discussion about the morality of parting it out, please; this is owned by > a business, and they need the money to pay people's salaries.) > > So which direction would get the most money? My sense is that parting it to > the maximal degree possible (e.g. sell each drive separately, sell the memory > separately from the CPU, sell the feet separately from the H960, etc) is > the way to get the most money, but I'm interested to hear what others think. > > Thanks for any insights! > > Noel -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Gov. & the machine(s) we love
I can't answer that question directly... The new Steve Jobs movie, while a good, entertaining Sorkin film, is great, but by not a history of personal computing or even Apple. If you haven't read Hackers by Steven Levy, I'd recommend that as a fun starting point! On Fri, Oct 30, 2015 at 12:40 PM, Murray McCullough <c.murray.mccullo...@gmail.com> wrote: > What is the role played by the U.S. gov. in helping to create the > microcomputer? What money & expertise did it provide? “Steve Jobs the > Movie” doesn’t mention this nor have books written about him and > microcomputers in general mentioned this. Not even mine! Do the > computers we love owe more to gov. than we care to admit? Granted I'm > a Cdn. and 'we' here up north view it somewhat differently than > Americans... > > Happy computing. > > Murray :) -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Trying to get my RLV11 working
Moving the boards after before the DLV-11 was an attempt to see if Noel's idea around the DLV-11 not passing the grant might have been an issue, so not completely random! However, I've been guilty of plenty of random testing before! I unfortunately don't have an extender card... I just searched eBay for a few things, but didn't see any. Do they have a part number or some other description that I might look for? On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 5:37 PM, Johnny Billquist <b...@update.uu.se> wrote: > Even better. Sorry for writing responses without checking what else is in my > inbox. I've caught up now, though. > > And you definitely look like you got a stuck bit in there. > All of the errors show expected and received data, and in all cases bit 13 > is on while it shouldn't be. > > Could be a bad bus driver, a bad connection, or something more funny. But > start with the obvious ones. Do you have any extender cards so that you can > access the card with the power on, and measure signals. Checking the source > of bit 13 on output and trace if the signal is always on somewhere would be > a good exercise. > > Do someone remember if there are some register in the RLV11 that can be > written and read back getting the same data out again? That could also be > interested to test things with... > > Johnny > > > On 2015-10-28 21:58, Ben Sinclair wrote: >> >> Thanks John, I think the insanity is my own! After changing those >> switches I accidentally put the M8014 above the M8013. I've swapped >> them and now get slightly different results: >> >> One note, it now takes a while for it to start printing anything, >> which I think might mean it's running some of the first test >> successfully before getting to these. Earlier runs would start >> printing errors immediately. >> >> >> CVRLA DVC FTL ERR 00037 ON UNIT 00 TST 032 SUB 000 PC: 023576 >> RLMP: CRC OF DA+3 ERROR (SERIAL DATA PATH) >> CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 >> BEFORE COMMAND: CS: 112200 BA: 003762 DA: 12 MP: 17 >> TIME OF ERROR: CS: 000200 BA: 005760 DA: 155560 MP: 175554 171554 >> EXP'D: 145554 REC'D: 175554 >> >> CVRLA DVC FTL ERR 00038 ON UNIT 00 TST 032 SUB 000 PC: 023634 >> RLMP: CRC OF CRC OF DA+4 ERROR (SERIAL DATA PATH) >> CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 >> BEFORE COMMAND: CS: 112200 BA: 003762 DA: 12 MP: 17 >> TIME OF ERROR: CS: 000200 BA: 005760 DA: 155560 MP: 175554 171554 >> EXP'D: 151554 REC'D: 171554 >> >> CVRLA DVC FTL ERR 00039 ON UNIT 00 TST 032 SUB 000 PC: 023730 >> MAINT. FILL/EMPTY FIFO DMA DATA TRANSFER COMPARE ERROR >> CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 >> BEFORE COMMAND: CS: 112200 BA: 003762 DA: 12 MP: 17 >> TIME OF ERROR: CS: 000200 BA: 005760 DA: 155560 MP: 175554 171554 >> BA: 005760 DA: 155560 ADDR: 004762 EXP'D: 15 REC'D 17 >> BA: 005760 DA: 155560 ADDR: 004764 EXP'D: 15 REC'D 17 >> BA: 005760 DA: 155560 ADDR: 004766 EXP'D: 15 REC'D 17 >> >> On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 3:46 PM, John Wilson <wil...@dbit.com> wrote: >>> >>> On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 03:40:46PM -0500, Ben Sinclair wrote: >>>> >>>> Well I just figured out something important...The switch numbers on my >>>> board backwards! I was going over the docs again, and noticed that MSB >>>> and LSB in their board diagram were on the wrong sides, compared to >>>> the switch numbers referenced on the next page. I'm not sure if that's >>>> just the way it is, or maybe someone replaced my switches at some >>>> point. After changing my switches I can now read 774400, which gives >>>> me 144201. >>>> >>>> The VRLAC0 diagnostic now goes further, but it thinks something is >>>> wrong. Now of course I have no idea what it thinks is wrong here! >>> >>> >>> Bit 11 of the CSR seems to be stuck on. That's the "bad CRC" (or write >>> check error) bit ... definitely shouldn't be on after a bus init. >>> Maybe look at some other registers to see if that bit's on everywhere >>> (possibly bad bus xcvr if so), otherwise some other insanity? >>> >>> John Wilson >>> D Bit >> >> >> >> > > > -- > Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus > || on a psychedelic trip > email: b...@softjar.se || Reading murder books > pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Trying to get my RLV11 working
Assuming I eventually get the controller working, I started looking at my cabling and I don't think I have what I need to hook up the drive. A while back I was talking to someone else who suggested using a ribbon cable from the controller to directly inside the drive. That technically will fit if I remove the ribbon inside the drive that goes to the external connectors, but then I won't have a terminator installed. I do have a terminator though! I think what I really need, since I don't have a cab kit or anything, is a bc80m, which I believe is a ribbon with a ground lug on the controller side, and whatever type of connector the drive uses on the other end. Is that correct? Not that I can even find a cable like that anywhere currently... On Thu, Oct 29, 2015 at 8:39 AM, Ben Sinclair <b...@bensinclair.com> wrote: > Moving the boards after before the DLV-11 was an attempt to see if > Noel's idea around the DLV-11 not passing the grant might have been an > issue, so not completely random! However, I've been guilty of plenty > of random testing before! > > I unfortunately don't have an extender card... I just searched eBay > for a few things, but didn't see any. Do they have a part number or > some other description that I might look for? > > On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 5:37 PM, Johnny Billquist <b...@update.uu.se> wrote: >> Even better. Sorry for writing responses without checking what else is in my >> inbox. I've caught up now, though. >> >> And you definitely look like you got a stuck bit in there. >> All of the errors show expected and received data, and in all cases bit 13 >> is on while it shouldn't be. >> >> Could be a bad bus driver, a bad connection, or something more funny. But >> start with the obvious ones. Do you have any extender cards so that you can >> access the card with the power on, and measure signals. Checking the source >> of bit 13 on output and trace if the signal is always on somewhere would be >> a good exercise. >> >> Do someone remember if there are some register in the RLV11 that can be >> written and read back getting the same data out again? That could also be >> interested to test things with... >> >> Johnny >> >> >> On 2015-10-28 21:58, Ben Sinclair wrote: >>> >>> Thanks John, I think the insanity is my own! After changing those >>> switches I accidentally put the M8014 above the M8013. I've swapped >>> them and now get slightly different results: >>> >>> One note, it now takes a while for it to start printing anything, >>> which I think might mean it's running some of the first test >>> successfully before getting to these. Earlier runs would start >>> printing errors immediately. >>> >>> >>> CVRLA DVC FTL ERR 00037 ON UNIT 00 TST 032 SUB 000 PC: 023576 >>> RLMP: CRC OF DA+3 ERROR (SERIAL DATA PATH) >>> CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 >>> BEFORE COMMAND: CS: 112200 BA: 003762 DA: 12 MP: 17 >>> TIME OF ERROR: CS: 000200 BA: 005760 DA: 155560 MP: 175554 171554 >>> EXP'D: 145554 REC'D: 175554 >>> >>> CVRLA DVC FTL ERR 00038 ON UNIT 00 TST 032 SUB 000 PC: 023634 >>> RLMP: CRC OF CRC OF DA+4 ERROR (SERIAL DATA PATH) >>> CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 >>> BEFORE COMMAND: CS: 112200 BA: 003762 DA: 12 MP: 17 >>> TIME OF ERROR: CS: 000200 BA: 005760 DA: 155560 MP: 175554 171554 >>> EXP'D: 151554 REC'D: 171554 >>> >>> CVRLA DVC FTL ERR 00039 ON UNIT 00 TST 032 SUB 000 PC: 023730 >>> MAINT. FILL/EMPTY FIFO DMA DATA TRANSFER COMPARE ERROR >>> CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 >>> BEFORE COMMAND: CS: 112200 BA: 003762 DA: 12 MP: 17 >>> TIME OF ERROR: CS: 000200 BA: 005760 DA: 155560 MP: 175554 171554 >>> BA: 005760 DA: 155560 ADDR: 004762 EXP'D: 15 REC'D 17 >>> BA: 005760 DA: 155560 ADDR: 004764 EXP'D: 15 REC'D 17 >>> BA: 005760 DA: 155560 ADDR: 004766 EXP'D: 15 REC'D 17 >>> >>> On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 3:46 PM, John Wilson <wil...@dbit.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 03:40:46PM -0500, Ben Sinclair wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Well I just figured out something important...The switch numbers on my >>>>> board backwards! I was going over the docs again, and noticed that MSB >>>>> and LSB in their board diagram were on the wrong sides, compared to >>>>> the switch numbers referenced on the next page. I'm not sure if that's >>>>> just the way it is, or maybe someone replaced my switches at some >>>>> point. After changing my switches
Re: Trying to get my RLV11 working
I only have one RL02, so I think that cable should work. I ordered it anyway! I'll keep an eye out for other controllers, but I think I will order an extender and attempt to debug the one I have. On Thu, Oct 29, 2015 at 12:17 PM, Ethan Dicks <ethan.di...@gmail.com> wrote: > On Thu, Oct 29, 2015 at 12:52 PM, Ben Sinclair <b...@bensinclair.com> wrote: >> Thanks! I did find someone who has the bc80m cable available, which I >> believe is a ribbon type of connector with a ground strap on one end, >> then a round cable to the berg connector for the back of the RL02. I >> think it's the cable pictured here: >> http://www.cosam.org/computers/dec/pdp11-23/20080403.html > > Yes. That's a BC80M, but it's not a ribbon cable on the controller > end, it's the splayed end of the round cable (12 pair + 1, IIRC) with > crimped gold pins and a 44 position Berg connector. You can use those > if you don't have a cab kit (which is really just a bracket for the > rack, a 40-pin ribbon cable, and one of those odd ZIF connectors like > on the back of the drive to transition from flat cable to round cable) > but then you'll need a drive-to-drive RL cable. > >> The RLV11 and RLV12 seem hard to find, at least on eBay > > It's been a long time since these were easy to find. > > -ethan -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Trying to get my RLV11 working
Thanks! I did find someone who has the bc80m cable available, which I believe is a ribbon type of connector with a ground strap on one end, then a round cable to the berg connector for the back of the RL02. I think it's the cable pictured here: http://www.cosam.org/computers/dec/pdp11-23/20080403.html Does that sound right? The RLV11 and RLV12 seem hard to find, at least on eBay, so fixing this one might be the way to go! Of course, I'll snag an extra if I see one for a decent price. Feel free to move to Iowa and help me with my PDP, Noel! On Thu, Oct 29, 2015 at 11:38 AM, Noel Chiappa <j...@mercury.lcs.mit.edu> wrote: > > From: Ben Sinclair > > > A while back I was talking to someone else who suggested using a ribbon > > cable from the controller to directly inside the drive. > > I've heard that suggestion too... > > > That technically will fit if I remove the ribbon inside the drive that > > goes to the external connectors, but then I won't have a terminator > > installed. I do have a terminator though! > > The cable from the CPU would have to have two connectors on the RL02 end; > one would plug into the drive's logic board, and the other to the outbound > connector, where you can plug in the terminator. > > AFAIK that cable is purely a bus (i.e. no radial per-drive wires), so you > should just be able to run it to the second connector, no issue. However, > I'm too lazy to check to make sure that's absolutely 100% accurate. :-) > > > I think what I really need, since I don't have a cab kit or anything, > > is a bc80m, which I believe is a ribbon with a ground lug on the > > controller side, and whatever type of connector the drive uses on the > > other end. > > I think you mean a Berg connector which will plug directly into the RLV11, > not "ground lug", right? Yes, if you don't have a cab kit, that's the cable > you need. It's not a ribbon cable, but a round cable (the connectors the > drives use only come in regular cable form, not ribbon cable - AFAIK). > > > Not that I can even find a cable like that anywhere currently... > > RLOx cables of _any_ kind are very hard to find. There are discussions under > way about making new ones; there is a supply (used) of the wierd-ass > connector that plugs into the back of the drive which could be used. > > > > I unfortunately don't have an extender card... > > Others have pointed you at Douglas; here's the page for all their > extender cards: > > > http://www.douglas.com/index.php/off-the-shelf-solutions/bread-boards-by-function/board-extender.html > > which includes a hex, but those aren't any use (that I can think of) to > people with QBUS machines. > > (Useful things to have it you're trying to maintain a vintage PDP-11; one is, > perforce, forced to become one's own Field Circus person - unless you're lucky > and happen to live close to a PDP-11 hardware expert who's willing to come > salve one's machine.) > > > > From: Johnny Billquist > > > Well, not important. We're now beyond that point. The boards are > > working well enough that we can address them... > > Well, but he might still have a problem on them. Although fixing such would > be a challenge... > > Noel -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Trying to get my RLV11 working
No magic smoke so far! I think you had written something a while back that would test that interrupt. Was that correct, or is there another diagnostic I can use to test that? The 17440 wasn't a typo, it's just my misunderstanding of how the addressing works. I'll read the actual location later today and see what I find! On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 11:43 AM, Noel Chiappa <j...@mercury.lcs.mit.edu> wrote: > > From: Ben Sinclair > > > According to the Microcomputer Interfaces Handbook, my H9273 backplane > > should be all ABCD. > > Yup, that was one of the first things I checked - whilst realizing that if > it wasn't, it was too late... :-) > > > Am I correct in that I shouldn't have any problem using the RLV11 in > > that backplane? > > Not that I am aware of. > > Noel -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Trying to get my RLV11 working
Hi Jerome, thanks for the info! According to the Microcomputer Interfaces Handbook, my H9273 backplane should be all ABCD. Am I correct in that I shouldn't have any problem using the RLV11 in that backplane? On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 11:29 AM, Jerome H. Fine <jhfined...@compsys.to> wrote: >>Noel Chiappa wrote: > >> > From: Ben Sinclair >> >>> I'm trying to get my RLV11 working >> >> Oh, I was going to mention this about the RLV11 - it's a Q18 device. So it >> _probably_ won't work in a system with more than 256KB of memory (which >> you >> don't, at this point, have, though). It would all depend on the OS, >> whether >> it understood that it couldn't DMA to anywhere above 256KB. (The >> controller >> should work OK in a Q22 system - it just won't drive the high address >> lines, >> so they will go to 0 - but it just won't be able to DMA to high memory.) >> > The rest of Noel's reply agrees with my information, so > I will not comment. > > However, just to place another option on the table, here > is that option which I observed around 20 years ago. > > I was looking at some PDP-11 hardware in a BA23 box > and I noticed it had an RLV11 in slots 2 and 3. For those > of you who don't know the details, the first 3 slots are > ABCD and the other 5 slots are ABAB. Of course, all > of the slots in a BA23 box are Q22. > > The key point is that an RLV11 MUST be placed into > a pair of ABCD slots, probably adjacent. Since the > CPU board in this example was in slot 1 in the BA23 > box, there were only 2 ABCD slots available in any > case. NOTE that placing an RLV11 in two ABAB > slots will probably ALWAYS result in a release of the > magic smoke which activates all computer boards (at > least it did when I performed the experiment). > > One key point to understand is that although the RLV11 > can't perform DMA to memory above 256 KB, that > does not mean that the system can't have more than > 256 KB of physical memory. > > If there is anything that I have omitted by way of a > full explanation, please ask. > > Jerome Fine -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Trying to get my RLV11 working
I just tried to read 774400 from ODT, and it just gives the question mark. So, I don't think it's seeing it at all right now! I'll try moving it next. On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 11:46 AM, Ben Sinclair <b...@bensinclair.com> wrote: > No magic smoke so far! > > I think you had written something a while back that would test that > interrupt. Was that correct, or is there another diagnostic I can use > to test that? > > The 17440 wasn't a typo, it's just my misunderstanding of how the > addressing works. I'll read the actual location later today and see > what I find! > > On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 11:43 AM, Noel Chiappa <j...@mercury.lcs.mit.edu> > wrote: >> > From: Ben Sinclair >> >> > According to the Microcomputer Interfaces Handbook, my H9273 backplane >> > should be all ABCD. >> >> Yup, that was one of the first things I checked - whilst realizing that if >> it wasn't, it was too late... :-) >> >> > Am I correct in that I shouldn't have any problem using the RLV11 in >> > that backplane? >> >> Not that I am aware of. >> >> Noel > > > > -- > Ben Sinclair > b...@bensinclair.com -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Trying to get my RLV11 working
For 18 bit addresses, I assume I would look at 74400 instead? I get 17 there. I did just try moving the RLV11 boards below everything else (except the BDV11), with the same results as before. On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 12:29 PM, Johnny Billquist <b...@update.uu.se> wrote: > On 2015-10-28 18:25, Ben Sinclair wrote: >> >> I just tried to read 774400 from ODT, and it just gives the question >> mark. So, I don't think it's seeing it at all right now! I'll try >> moving it next. > > > I wonder if it really uses 18 bit addresses in the console. > > Johnny > > >> >> On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 11:46 AM, Ben Sinclair <b...@bensinclair.com> >> wrote: >>> >>> No magic smoke so far! >>> >>> I think you had written something a while back that would test that >>> interrupt. Was that correct, or is there another diagnostic I can use >>> to test that? >>> >>> The 17440 wasn't a typo, it's just my misunderstanding of how the >>> addressing works. I'll read the actual location later today and see >>> what I find! >>> >>> On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 11:43 AM, Noel Chiappa <j...@mercury.lcs.mit.edu> >>> wrote: >>>> >>>> > From: Ben Sinclair >>>> >>>> > According to the Microcomputer Interfaces Handbook, my H9273 >>>> backplane >>>> > should be all ABCD. >>>> >>>> Yup, that was one of the first things I checked - whilst realizing that >>>> if >>>> it wasn't, it was too late... :-) >>>> >>>> > Am I correct in that I shouldn't have any problem using the RLV11 >>>> in >>>> > that backplane? >>>> >>>> Not that I am aware of. >>>> >>>> Noel >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Ben Sinclair >>> b...@bensinclair.com >> >> >> >> > > > -- > Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus > || on a psychedelic trip > email: b...@softjar.se || Reading murder books > pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Trying to get my RLV11 working
Okay, I think I need to be looking at 774400, which doesn't return anything. Also, the PDP11GUI has a handy RL11 dialog to show all of the registers, which I think shows the same thing... It's not there! I've double checked my switch settings, and tested the switches themselves for continuity just to make sure they weren't bad (which has happened to me before). Beyond something physically wrong with the boards, is there anything else I might check? On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 2:35 PM, Ben Sinclair <b...@bensinclair.com> wrote: > For 18 bit addresses, I assume I would look at 74400 instead? I get > 17 there. > > I did just try moving the RLV11 boards below everything else (except > the BDV11), with the same results as before. > > On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 12:29 PM, Johnny Billquist <b...@update.uu.se> wrote: >> On 2015-10-28 18:25, Ben Sinclair wrote: >>> >>> I just tried to read 774400 from ODT, and it just gives the question >>> mark. So, I don't think it's seeing it at all right now! I'll try >>> moving it next. >> >> >> I wonder if it really uses 18 bit addresses in the console. >> >> Johnny >> >> >>> >>> On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 11:46 AM, Ben Sinclair <b...@bensinclair.com> >>> wrote: >>>> >>>> No magic smoke so far! >>>> >>>> I think you had written something a while back that would test that >>>> interrupt. Was that correct, or is there another diagnostic I can use >>>> to test that? >>>> >>>> The 17440 wasn't a typo, it's just my misunderstanding of how the >>>> addressing works. I'll read the actual location later today and see >>>> what I find! >>>> >>>> On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 11:43 AM, Noel Chiappa <j...@mercury.lcs.mit.edu> >>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> > From: Ben Sinclair >>>>> >>>>> > According to the Microcomputer Interfaces Handbook, my H9273 >>>>> backplane >>>>> > should be all ABCD. >>>>> >>>>> Yup, that was one of the first things I checked - whilst realizing that >>>>> if >>>>> it wasn't, it was too late... :-) >>>>> >>>>> > Am I correct in that I shouldn't have any problem using the RLV11 >>>>> in >>>>> > that backplane? >>>>> >>>>> Not that I am aware of. >>>>> >>>>> Noel >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Ben Sinclair >>>> b...@bensinclair.com >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> -- >> Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus >> || on a psychedelic trip >> email: b...@softjar.se || Reading murder books >> pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol > > > > -- > Ben Sinclair > b...@bensinclair.com -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Trying to get my RLV11 working
Well I just figured out something important...The switch numbers on my board backwards! I was going over the docs again, and noticed that MSB and LSB in their board diagram were on the wrong sides, compared to the switch numbers referenced on the next page. I'm not sure if that's just the way it is, or maybe someone replaced my switches at some point. After changing my switches I can now read 774400, which gives me 144201. The VRLAC0 diagnostic now goes further, but it thinks something is wrong. Now of course I have no idea what it thinks is wrong here! DR>START CHANGE HW (L) ? Y # UNITS (D) ? 1 UNIT 0 11/23 PROCESSOR (L) Y ? BUS ADDRESS (O) 174400 ? VECTOR (O) 160 ? 330 DRIVE (O) 0 ? BR LEVEL (O) 5 ? CHANGE SW (L) ? Y DROP ON ERROR LIMIT (L) N ? AUTOSIZE (L) N ? CVRLA DVC FTL ERR 00113 ON UNIT 00 TST 009 SUB 000 PC: 020052 BUS RESET DID NOT CLEAR RLCS CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 EXP'D: 140200 REC'D: 144200 CVRLA DVC FTL ERR 4 ON UNIT 00 TST 012 SUB 000 PC: 020264 RLCS READ/WRITE ERROR (BIT 0 DON'T CARE) CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 EXP'D: 140200 REC'D: 144200 CVRLA DVC FTL ERR 7 ON UNIT 00 TST 015 SUB 000 PC: 020600 BIT SET INSTRUCTION ON RLCS YIELDED WRONG RESULT CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 EXP'D: 140200 REC'D: 144200 CVRLA DVC FTL ERR 8 ON UNIT 00 TST 016 SUB 000 PC: 020724 BIT CLEAR INSTRUCTION ON RLCS YIELDED WRONG RESULT CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 EXP'D: 141776 REC'D: 145776 ... And many more! On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 3:06 PM, Ben Sinclair <b...@bensinclair.com> wrote: > Okay, I think I need to be looking at 774400, which doesn't return > anything. Also, the PDP11GUI has a handy RL11 dialog to show all of > the registers, which I think shows the same thing... It's not there! > > I've double checked my switch settings, and tested the switches > themselves for continuity just to make sure they weren't bad (which > has happened to me before). Beyond something physically wrong with the > boards, is there anything else I might check? > > On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 2:35 PM, Ben Sinclair <b...@bensinclair.com> wrote: >> For 18 bit addresses, I assume I would look at 74400 instead? I get >> 17 there. >> >> I did just try moving the RLV11 boards below everything else (except >> the BDV11), with the same results as before. >> >> On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 12:29 PM, Johnny Billquist <b...@update.uu.se> wrote: >>> On 2015-10-28 18:25, Ben Sinclair wrote: >>>> >>>> I just tried to read 774400 from ODT, and it just gives the question >>>> mark. So, I don't think it's seeing it at all right now! I'll try >>>> moving it next. >>> >>> >>> I wonder if it really uses 18 bit addresses in the console. >>> >>> Johnny >>> >>> >>>> >>>> On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 11:46 AM, Ben Sinclair <b...@bensinclair.com> >>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> No magic smoke so far! >>>>> >>>>> I think you had written something a while back that would test that >>>>> interrupt. Was that correct, or is there another diagnostic I can use >>>>> to test that? >>>>> >>>>> The 17440 wasn't a typo, it's just my misunderstanding of how the >>>>> addressing works. I'll read the actual location later today and see >>>>> what I find! >>>>> >>>>> On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 11:43 AM, Noel Chiappa <j...@mercury.lcs.mit.edu> >>>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> > From: Ben Sinclair >>>>>> >>>>>> > According to the Microcomputer Interfaces Handbook, my H9273 >>>>>> backplane >>>>>> > should be all ABCD. >>>>>> >>>>>> Yup, that was one of the first things I checked - whilst realizing that >>>>>> if >>>>>> it wasn't, it was too late... :-) >>>>>> >>>>>> > Am I correct in that I shouldn't have any problem using the RLV11 >>>>>> in >>>>>> > that backplane? >>>>>> >>>>>> Not that I am aware of. >>>>>> >>>>>> Noel >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> Ben Sinclair >>>>> b...@bensinclair.com >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus >>> || on a psychedelic trip >>> email: b...@softjar.se || Reading murder books >>> pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol >> >> >> >> -- >> Ben Sinclair >> b...@bensinclair.com > > > > -- > Ben Sinclair > b...@bensinclair.com -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Trying to get my RLV11 working
Thanks John, I think the insanity is my own! After changing those switches I accidentally put the M8014 above the M8013. I've swapped them and now get slightly different results: One note, it now takes a while for it to start printing anything, which I think might mean it's running some of the first test successfully before getting to these. Earlier runs would start printing errors immediately. CVRLA DVC FTL ERR 00037 ON UNIT 00 TST 032 SUB 000 PC: 023576 RLMP: CRC OF DA+3 ERROR (SERIAL DATA PATH) CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 BEFORE COMMAND: CS: 112200 BA: 003762 DA: 12 MP: 17 TIME OF ERROR: CS: 000200 BA: 005760 DA: 155560 MP: 175554 171554 EXP'D: 145554 REC'D: 175554 CVRLA DVC FTL ERR 00038 ON UNIT 00 TST 032 SUB 000 PC: 023634 RLMP: CRC OF CRC OF DA+4 ERROR (SERIAL DATA PATH) CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 BEFORE COMMAND: CS: 112200 BA: 003762 DA: 12 MP: 17 TIME OF ERROR: CS: 000200 BA: 005760 DA: 155560 MP: 175554 171554 EXP'D: 151554 REC'D: 171554 CVRLA DVC FTL ERR 00039 ON UNIT 00 TST 032 SUB 000 PC: 023730 MAINT. FILL/EMPTY FIFO DMA DATA TRANSFER COMPARE ERROR CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 BEFORE COMMAND: CS: 112200 BA: 003762 DA: 12 MP: 17 TIME OF ERROR: CS: 000200 BA: 005760 DA: 155560 MP: 175554 171554 BA: 005760 DA: 155560 ADDR: 004762 EXP'D: 15 REC'D 17 BA: 005760 DA: 155560 ADDR: 004764 EXP'D: 15 REC'D 17 BA: 005760 DA: 155560 ADDR: 004766 EXP'D: 15 REC'D 17 On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 3:46 PM, John Wilson <wil...@dbit.com> wrote: > On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 03:40:46PM -0500, Ben Sinclair wrote: >>Well I just figured out something important...The switch numbers on my >>board backwards! I was going over the docs again, and noticed that MSB >>and LSB in their board diagram were on the wrong sides, compared to >>the switch numbers referenced on the next page. I'm not sure if that's >>just the way it is, or maybe someone replaced my switches at some >>point. After changing my switches I can now read 774400, which gives >>me 144201. >> >>The VRLAC0 diagnostic now goes further, but it thinks something is >>wrong. Now of course I have no idea what it thinks is wrong here! > > Bit 11 of the CSR seems to be stuck on. That's the "bad CRC" (or write > check error) bit ... definitely shouldn't be on after a bus init. > Maybe look at some other registers to see if that bit's on everywhere > (possibly bad bus xcvr if so), otherwise some other insanity? > > John Wilson > D Bit -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Trying to get my RLV11 working
I'm trying to get my RLV11 working to eventually run my RL02, and am having some trouble. I have a PDP-11/23 in an H9273 backplane. I just got it working reliably without the RLV11 boards installed, so now I'm giving them a try again. Here's my configuration: Down the left side: M8186, M8044, M8044, M8043, M8013, M8014, and M8012 (the BDV11) on the bottom. I don't have the drive connected and am just trying to run the VRLAC0 controller test, which I believe should work without any drives connected. The switches on M8014 are configured to the defaults, according to: http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/dec/qbus/EK-RLV11-TD-001_RLV11_Controller_Technical_Description_Manual_Mar78.pdf That would be a vector address of 330 and a base address of 174400. Unfortunately, VRLAC0 doesn't look like it can see anything, but I'm not sure I'm reading its output correctly. What follows is the VRLAC0 output. I also looked at 17440 myself and get 005737, though I'm not sure what it should be. This is new territory for me, so any help would be welcome. Thanks! .R VRLAC0 VRLAC0.BIN DRSSM-G2 CVRLA-C-0 CVRLAC RLV11 RL01 DSKLESS DIAGNOSTIC UNIT IS RLV11 RSTRT ADR 145702 DR>START CHANGE HW (L) ? Y # UNITS (D) ? 1 UNIT 0 11/23 PROCESSOR (L) Y ? BUS ADDRESS (O) 174400 ? VECTOR (O) 160 ? 330 DRIVE (O) 0 ? BR LEVEL (O) 5 ? CHANGE SW (L) ? Y DROP ON ERROR LIMIT (L) N ? AUTOSIZE (L) N ? CVRLA SYS FTL ERR 0 ON UNIT 00 TST 001 SUB 000 PC: 017066 CAN NOT ADDRESS RLCS CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 CVRLA SYS FTL ERR 1 ON UNIT 00 TST 002 SUB 000 PC: 017164 CAN NOT ADDRESS RLBA CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 CVRLA SYS FTL ERR 2 ON UNIT 00 TST 003 SUB 000 PC: 017262 CAN NOT ADDRESS RLDA CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 CVRLA SYS FTL ERR 3 ON UNIT 00 TST 004 SUB 000 PC: 017360 CAN NOT ADDRESS RLMP CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 CVRLA SYS FTL ERR 00100 ON UNIT 00 TST 005 SUB 000 PC: 017454 CAN NOT ADDRESS RLCS CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 CVRLA SYS FTL ERR 00101 ON UNIT 00 TST 006 SUB 000 PC: 017550 CAN NOT ADDRESS RLBA CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 CVRLA SYS FTL ERR 00102 ON UNIT 00 TST 007 SUB 000 PC: 017644 CAN NOT ADDRESS RLDA CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 CVRLA SYS FTL ERR 00103 ON UNIT 00 TST 008 SUB 000 PC: 017740 CAN NOT ADDRESS RLMP CONTROLLER: 174400 DRIVE: 0 ILL INTER 004 PC 017770 PS 000341 ILL INTER 004 PC 014460 PS 05 DR> -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Looking for RX01/02 rack slides
I actually need some slides for my RL02... Are these the same type? I have no rack/slide hardware for it at all, and just have it mounted on a homemade sliding shelf for now. I'd love to have it mounted properly! On Tue, Oct 6, 2015 at 12:00 PM, Al Kossow <a...@bitsavers.org> wrote: > On 10/6/15 9:31 AM, Jay Jaeger wrote: >> >> Those look like the normal narrow slides DEC typically used > > > DEC used Chassis-Trak slides, still made by General Devices, and are not > difficult to find. > > http://www.ebay.com/itm/221719800397 > > > -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Trivia Question: Pixar Image Computer
Are any Pixar Image Computers in the hands of collectors? I would love to have one of those, even if it didn't do anything! On Mon, Oct 5, 2015 at 8:28 AM, Toby Thain <t...@telegraphics.com.au> wrote: > Hi, > > This recent Quora answer contained a little gap - the name of the person who > designed the original logo on the case. > > Quick Googling didn't help. Anyone have the trivia answer? > > http://qr.ae/RP2GQy > > Any other PIC/Pixar/Renderman anecdotes welcome. Sounds like a pretty fancy > bit of hardware for the time. > > --Toby -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: IBM 1620
The CHM has a bit of information, and links to three other 1620's that they know about: http://www.computerhistory.org/projects/ibm_1620/ibm1620/ From what I've been reading, there may be only one operational 1620 right now, but the CHM is also trying to restore one. On Thu, Aug 27, 2015 at 2:07 PM, Dave G4UGM dave.g4...@gmail.com wrote: -Original Message- From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of william degnan Sent: 27 August 2015 20:00 To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts cctalk@classiccmp.org Subject: Re: IBM 1620 How many exist on Earth at this point? Three or four perhaps? Rare and Valuable perhaps On Thu, Aug 27, 2015 at 1:56 PM, ben bfranc...@jetnet.ab.ca wrote: On 8/27/2015 2:46 AM, Kevin Tikker wrote: Looking for an IBM 1620 to purchase. Any leads greatly appreciate. Kevin Tikker Sent from my iPhone Sending from a Telephone, would have worked when they were shiny and new. Good luck Digging for one. -- Bill vintagecomputer.net -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Cheap board guy
Wow, he's found some great stuff! He also has that same floppy drive tower that I posted about a while back. His even has the wood top! On Fri, Aug 21, 2015 at 2:13 AM, jim s jwsm...@jwsss.com wrote: I have the following from the gold scrapper guy so far... Great tip. Wonder if anyone else partook of the tipoff. Thanks Jim http://jimsoldtoys.blogspot.com/2015/08/dec-boards-kdj11-2-kdf11-and-motorola.html -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: MAINDEX-11 CZKMA Diagnostic?
Thanks everyone! It's running right now, and seems to be passing, however the parity error LED on the board is lit. The docs mentioned that ZKMA's messages (plus the source) would lead me to a potential bad module, but it doesn't seem to be failing. VMJAB0 doesn't run at all on my system. It turns off the run light as soon as it starts.That's why I was wanting to try the diagnostic mentioned in the MSV-11 manual. On Wed, Aug 19, 2015 at 7:25 AM, Johnny Billquist b...@update.uu.se wrote: On 2015-08-19 04:36, Ben Sinclair wrote: I'm again trying to debug my PDP-11/23, and I believe I'm having trouble with my M8067-LB/MSV-11 memory. According to the manual, there is a diagnostic program called CZKMA (for my 18-bit system), but I can't seem to find it. I have all of the xxdp images from AK6DN, but this one doesn't appear to be on any of those. Some searching shows references to it and even a (poorly) scanned source listing, but does anyone know if I can get it on a TU58 image or another format? Others have already given pointers and help. I thought I should point out that when a diagnostic is called CZKMA, the actual filename in XXDP will not have the leading 'C', and in addition it will have two characters appended, which gives a version. So, the normal way to refer to the diagnostic CZKMA as a file in XXDP would be ZKMA?? Johnny -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: RLV11 Debugging
Well, I tried a few things, including reading the CSR, which doesn't appear to be what I expect. I ended up removing the RLV11 and making sure my system was still passing the other tests, and I've found that I can no longer run JKDBD0 to test the CPU, which was working before. It never prints any of its starting messages, and the run light turns off. So I'm apparently back to just trying to get the basic system running. I have no idea why this system is so flaky. One day it works great, the next it doesn't. Maybe it's just cursed! On Mon, Aug 17, 2015 at 4:43 PM, Ben Sinclair bens...@gmail.com wrote: Now that I (hopefully) have my PDP 11/23 running (it passes CPU and memory tests, anyway), I've been messing with my RLV11 so I can use my RL02. For a first step, I'm trying to run the VRLBC0 diskless diagnostic to check the controller. I checked that the address and vector switches are set to the defaults according to he manual, and also verified them with a multimeter. The manual says the default vector address is 330, though the diagnostics default to 160. I tried it both ways with the same result, though I should be on 330. I'm not actually sure what BR LEVEL refers to, so I left that at the default. This is a PDP 11/23 with an H-9273 backplane. I have the M8186, M8067, M8043, then the two RLV11 boards, M8013 and M8014, then an M8012. Here's a sample run. It appears to start, but never does anything else. If I give it a bad address it does complain, so I think I have the switches correct. Does anyone know what I might try next? Thanks! .R VRLBC0 VRLBC0.BIC DRSSM-G2 CVRLB-C-0 RLV12 DISKLESS UNIT IS RLV12, RLV11, OR RL11 RSTRT ADR 145702 DRSTART CHANGE HW (L) ? Y # UNITS (D) ? 1 UNIT 0 RLV12 (L) Y ? N RLV11 (L) Y ? Y CSR ADDRESS (O) 174400 ? VECTOR (O) 160 ? 330 BR LEVEL(O) 4 ? CHANGE SW (L) ? Y ERROR LIMIT FOR AUTO-DROP (D) 0 ? ALL REMAINING QUERIES ARE FOR OPTIONAL (MANUFACTURING) G5388 TEST-LOOP-MODULE SET-UP. USE ^Z TO BYPASS. G5388 TLM INSTALLED (L) N ? N MMU AVAILABLE MEMORY SIZE 124 KW 18 BIT ADDRESSING -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
DEC RX02-PA?
I found this on eBay, and I'm not sure what it is: http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-DIGITAL-RX02-COMPUTER-SYSTEM-2-FLOPPY-DRIVES-UNTESTED-T27-/181827282211?hash=item2a55c02523 I haven't seen RX-02s in a case like this before, and some Googling doesn't seem to reveal much of anything. Does anyone know what this is exactly? Thanks! -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: DEC RX02-PA?
If it was a salvageable set of RX02s, it would have been nice to have! Too bad he pulled the listing. On Sun, Aug 9, 2015 at 5:06 PM, Pete Turnbull p...@dunnington.plus.com wrote: On 09/08/2015 18:14, Sean Caron wrote: DEC did sell a version of the BA23 that was intended to be used just as an expansion peripherals cabinet. You shouldn't have any problems putting HH devices in BA23 bays (so long as you have the appropriate interfaces to drive them) but you may need i.e. 3.5 to 5.25 bracket to attach to the BA23 sleds, and you'll have (cosmetic) blank space on top after putting a HH device in a FH bay. I imagine you'd have to make a special bracket to mount a TZ30/RX33 over-under in one of the 5.25 bays in the BA23 but it could certainly be done ... No such factory configuration exists AFAIK If a TZ30 has the same mounting holes as a 5.25 disk drive, it's doable. There's an official DEC mounting kit to mount 2 x RX33 where you'd normally find an RX50 in a BA23/BA123. It's basically two side plates, to hold the upper and lower drives together. -- Pete Pete Turnbull -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Re: Unusual stuff inside computers
This one isn't so pleasant... I worked at CompUSA fixing computers in the 90's, and one time an employee brought in his personal machine for repair. Fortunately I wasn't the one that opened it up, as when the tech popped the case, cockroaches scurried everywhere! The machine was beyond hope with the amount of insect debris inside. I believe we had an exterminator out the next day! On Mon, Aug 3, 2015 at 5:17 PM, Adrian Stoness tdk.kni...@gmail.com wrote: When I was a toddler apparently I used to stuff penny's inside the floppy drives of my dads rainbow 100 the drives survived this I slot and are still I. Working order as far as I know since last time I saw that beast On Sunday, August 2, 2015, Tom Moss tomjm...@googlemail.com wrote: I once found a whole box worth of crayola crayons in a 1541 disk drive. What amazes me is how nothing was blocked and they hadn't melted. On 2 August 2015 at 05:53, Mark J. Blair n...@nf6x.net javascript:; wrote: By the way: I still keep the dollar with the computer. Just in case it's a critical component, you know. :) -- Mark J. Blair, NF6X n...@nf6x.net javascript:; http://www.nf6x.net/ -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
Minuteman II Launch Control Computer
I recently visited the Minuteman II launch control facility in South Dakota, and was curious about the computers used there. Here's a photo of the rack, with the Boeing part numbers visible: http://i.imgur.com/KTaW3Il.jpg Some Googling of those numbers didn't really reveal much. People love to talk about the guidance computer in the missile itself, but I can't find much about what they used when turning the keys. I like the little placard on the computer about encrypted data in memory. The whole place is worth a visit if you're out that way. Does anyone have more information on these? Thanks! -- Ben Sinclair b...@bensinclair.com
