Subject: RE: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto

From: "Adrian Vickers" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed Mar 12 04:12:00 2003

On 10 March at 10:10am, Witchy wrote:

[Dialling]
> I've been told they do tone dialling too, based on the unsupported DIP
> switches in the telephony module. Haven't tried it though; 
> all of my OPDs
> are downstairs in boxes.

The DIP switches aren't unsupported, they're actually documented...

[Voice answering]
> I'm sure it can respond to different numbers with different 
> messages though,

Not different numbers, Caller ID simply didn't exist (probably anywhere
in the world) in 1986. I think (not tried this) that it can respond with
a different message on each line, and it can change messages depending
on the time of day - but not day of week...

> also it *can* say good morning, as well as things like 'I'm 

It definitely can't say "good morning", as "good" isn't in the
vocabulary :)

> away getting
> head with my secretary on holiday' :) There was a competition 

Hehe - I must try that. 

> on radio not
> so long back (Chris Moyles or Scrawn&Lard on Radio1 IIRC) where people
> actually recorded their OPDs saying rude things, so I just 
> *had* to have a
> go myself....hehe.....

Erm, "not so long ago"? Sort of like 1987, maybe?

[Testing the telephony module]
> Be easier if I tested it up here first. Just got to dig out 
> the low-res
> monitor from its hiding place....the hi-res one is too high up and
> underneath too much other stuff for me to easily get!

Humph. I just knew I wasn't going to get a free module that easily ;)

What's this about a hi-res monitor? I assume you mean a larger one than
the 9" B&W which seems to be the norm for these machines? Is it colour?

I'd like to get a pin-out of the monitor/power connector - I'm not sure
if it's in any of the manuals I've got.

> I don't recall either of mine being any slower than the QL, though
it's a
> few months since I last played with one. I just wish I had some
> documentation for 'em.

I can scan mine in if you like. I don't believe I'm doing anything on
Sunday yet...

---

From: John Honniball <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed Mar 12 18:28:00 2003

> The DIP switches aren't unsupported, they're actually documented...

Could somebody post the documentation for those DIP-switches, please?
Only I'd quite like to try the OPD out again someday.

--
John Honniball
[email-masked]

---

From: "Witchy" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu Mar 13 14:47:06 2003

Ade, can you CC me in on replies to this? Ta :)

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]]On
> Behalf Of Adrian Vickers
> Sent: 12 March 2003 10:14
> To: [email-masked]
> Subject: RE: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto
>

That's where I'm falling down - I haven't got any documentation!

> on the time of day - but not day of week...

See my follow-up on the technical breakdown on the answering gubbins :)

> It definitely can't say "good morning", as "good" isn't in the

*now* you've made me want to get a machine out just to check, but I'm sure
it is....a task for tomorrow.....

> Erm, "not so long ago"? Sort of like 1987, maybe?

Nope, last year. At least two of the contestants did their entries on real
OPDs.....

> the 9" B&W which seems to be the norm for these machines? Is it colour?

There was 2 (if not 3) monitor choices - hi-res colour Microvitec as used on
the OPD, low-res colour and mono 9" as used on the Tonto. The low-res colour
I've not seen examples of, but I've got the other 2.

> if it's in any of the manuals I've got.

Not sure I can help there.

> I can scan mine in if you like. I don't believe I'm doing anything on

If you can do that there's some beerz in it for you :)

cheers

--
adrian/witchy
www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk - the online computer museum
www.snakebiteandblack.co.uk - monthly gothic shenanigans