Subject: Re: HP 5036A microprocessor lab

From: Mark <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat Apr 26 12:41:36 2003

Hi,

On 21 April 2003 Stuart Johnson wrote:
>Yes, I managed to get a manual, by watching auctions on eBay. In fact, I
>bought another HP 5036A plus manual and let the seller keep the hardware to
>save shipping costs from England to the US. The manual is softcover and
>would not be easy to copy without cutting the spine off, which would ruin
>its value.

Coincidentally enough, I bought a copy of the 5036A service manual (HP part
no. 05036-90001) a few weeks ago. Is that very different from the user
manual? It says the microfiche part no. is 05036-90002. Maybe it's still
available on microfiche from HP? Okay, that's doubtful...

Along with that was a book titled "SC-MPUTER (2)" from Elektor publishers
dated 1980. Has anyone come across an SC-MPUTER? It may only have been sold
in kit form.

Regards,
-- Mark

---

From: "Stuart Johnson" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat Apr 26 13:10:01 2003

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:38 PM
Subject: Re: HP 5036A microprocessor lab

> On 21 April 2003 Stuart Johnson wrote:
<SNIP>
> dated 1980. Has anyone come across an SC-MPUTER? It may only have been
sold

Mark,

Yes, the service manual is different from the book "Practical
Microprocessors". Practical Microprocessors is a 450+ page book that
thoroughly explains the HP 5036A and has many lab experiments for the user
or student to perform. It also contains the assembly language listings of
the ROM on the 5036A and schematics.

I have a xerographic copy of the "Service Manual" and there IS some overlap
between it and "Practical Microprocessors", but the Service Manual is not
directed towards teaching microprocessor theory and usage. The copy of
"Practical Microprocessors" that I have is soft bound and could not easily
be copied without having the binding cut off, ruining the book.

I would rate the book "Practical Microprocessors" together with an HP 5036A
as a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10. I also have the Heath ET-3400A, an ETA-3400
(memory & I/O) expansion, and the Heath manuals. I would rate that as
perhaps a 6 or 7 on the same scale.

By the way, where DID you find a the Service Manual? Would they perhaps have
another?

Stuart Johnson

---

From: [email-masked] (Tony Duell)
Date: Sat Apr 26 13:59:00 2003

> dated 1980. Has anyone come across an SC-MPUTER? It may only have been sold

I doubt it even existed as an official kit. Elektor is a European 
electronics magazine (Dutch, originally, I think). The SC-MPUTER would be 
a project from that publication. Often large projects like the computers 
(and there were many over the years) would have the articles reprinted in 
book form.

Elektor never sold kits. They did sell etched PCBs and programed EPROMs 
(etc). You had to get the rest of the components yourself. Maybe some 
component shops would have made up kits, though.

-tony

---

From: Joe <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun Apr 27 10:17:00 2003

At 06:38 PM 4/26/03 +0000, you wrote:
>manual?

    Yes VERY different.

    Joe

 It says the microfiche part no. is 05036-90002. Maybe it's still

---

From: Joe <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun Apr 27 10:20:05 2003

I've kept quite for a while about the 5036s since I didn't want to be repeatedly pestered for copies of docs and other items but since there seems to be some real interest in the 5036s I'm going to reply just this once. 

   I used to do a lot of work with the 5036s and I owned about 8 of them at one time. (FWIW Mike H. ended up with most of them and he's been selling them on E-bay). I think I still have loose leaf copies of ALL of the 5036 manuals, including the SM, Practical Microprocessors and User's (Owner's?) manual. I'll *loan* them anyone that is willing to scan them and post them on a website somewhere. I also still have a copy of the webpage that I used to have for the 5036. I intended to post it and a lot of other HP related web pages on Jay's wesite but I ran into too many problems with his site (it wouldn't work with any of the FTP programs that I had, the directories couldn't be found, the passwords didn't work, etc) so none of them ever got posted.

>perhaps a 6 or 7 on the same scale.

    I used to rate the Heathkit trainers at 8 or 9 on a scale of ten but after using the HP 5036 I wouldn't rate the HK higher than about a 4!  The HP beats it hands down in every area. It's better built, it's better laid out, it's easier to expand, the docs are MUCH better, the training course is also much better and includes many areas that HK never talked about and finally it has a real service manual.

   Tip: the push button locks that hold the 5036 circuit board in place are frequently broken. I found that a lot of the PS-2s use similar locks. They can be removed from junk PS-2s and used to fix the 5036. If you have problems figuring out how to R&R the locks let me know and I'll explain how to in detail.

    Joe

---

From: "Jay West" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun Apr 27 11:11:01 2003

Joe wrote:
>I intended to post it and a lot of other HP related web pages on Jay's
wesite but I ran into too many problems with his site (it wouldn't work with
any of the FTP programs that I had, the directories couldn't be found, the
passwords didn't work, etc) so none of them ever got posted.

Huh? I'd like more info on this Joe.

1) Our servers never have supported FTP, and never did. You have to use sFTP
instead. There are plenty of shareware programs that do sFTP just fine. We
have about 23 webservers, all are identical. Most of those webservers host
around 100-175 business sites, and we haven't had any problems with sFTP,
nor complaints from customers. We don't allow FTP, and require sFTP, for
security reasons. If our customers are transmitting their passwords in
cleartext (FTP), then their account can be used to gain access to the
systems.

2) Directories couldn't be found and passwords didn't work? Hummm

Please drop me a line and give me the particulars, and we'll get to the
bottom of it I can assure you! Hosting sites isn't just something I do for a
hobby - It's my profession. If there is something that you can't get
working, please let me know.

Jay West

---

From: "Mike" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun Apr 27 11:15:02 2003

From: Joe <[email-masked]>
>
>    I used to do a lot of work with the 5036s and I owned about 8 of them
at one time. (FWIW Mike H. ended up with most of them and he's been selling
them on E-bay).

Tried selling them on ebay that is...  I reserved it at $90 and it didn't
reach there twice.  I paid a high price for my first 5036a in my early day
on ebay but that was because I had found 'Practical Microprocessors' a few
years earlier and grew tired of opening suitcases at fleas & thrifts.  Then
I bought 5 more of the trainers later on ebay.    I think I first traded two
to Joe for a DEC WT/78, then another two trainers for a PDP 11/05.  Then
when Joe was throwing stuff out, I got a few of the trainers back too.  ;)
So you should still have some hiding around Joe.

I think I still have loose leaf copies of ALL of the 5036 manuals, including
the SM, Practical Microprocessors and User's (Owner's?) manual. I'll *loan*
them anyone that is willing to scan them and post them on a website
somewhere. I also still have a copy of the webpage that I used to have for
the 5036. I intended to post it and a lot of other HP related web pages on
Jay's wesite but I ran into too many problems with his site (it wouldn't
work with any of the FTP programs that I had, the directories couldn't be
found, the passwords didn't work, etc) so none of them ever got posted.

> >(memory & I/O) expansion,

sheesh!  There's a breadboard there for god's sake...

>> and the Heath manuals. I would rate that as

No way.  "Individual Learning Program in Microprocessors" is everybit as
good as PM.  PM concentrates more on troubleshooting and Heath presents more
on interfacing...

>     I used to rate the Heathkit trainers at 8 or 9 on a scale of ten but
after using the HP 5036 I wouldn't rate the HK higher than about a 4!  The
HP beats it hands down in every area. It's better built, it's better laid
out, it's easier to expand, the docs are MUCH better, the training course is
also much better and includes many areas that HK never talked about and
finally it has a real service manual.
>
>    Tip: the push button locks that hold the 5036 circuit board in place
are frequently broken. I found that a lot of the PS-2s use similar locks.
They can be removed from junk PS-2s and used to fix the 5036. If you have
problems figuring out how to R&R the locks let me know and I'll explain how
to in detail.

---

From: Joe <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun Apr 27 11:55:00 2003

>So you should still have some hiding around Joe.

   I do have a couple left but I'm not parting with them :-) That's why I decided to put in a plug for your auctions.  You're right, they're worth a lot more than $90! I sold a couple on E-bay for ~$130 and if you're selling the ones that you got from me they've all been cleaned, tested and repaired including replacing the missing power cords with original HP cords, replacing all the missing straps so that they'll stand up like an A-frame, replaced the broken snap fasteners, etc. And they included all the manuals (or at least NEW copies of them).

>sheesh!  There's a breadboard there for god's sake...

   Yeap, and it's a lot easier to work with and more reliable than the cheap sockets and jumper wires that HK uses. If I want to use the HK style breadboard, I can jumpered from a plug over to a full size breadboard.

>good as PM.  PM concentrates more on troubleshooting and Heath presents more

   sheesh, Every other microprocessor book that I pick up has interfacing information.  The PM includes stuff like how to use Logic Analyzers, logic probes, logic pulsers, current tracers, signature analyis that's seldom covered elsewhere. I guess which one is best depends on wheather you want to design computers or fix them!

    Joe

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From: steven <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun Apr 27 18:52:00 2003

Hi Gents,

After all this talk of HP-5036A microprocessor labs, I
thought this is a good time to speak up.

I have an HP-5036a, in the suitcase of course, with
the two manuals - 
"5036A Microprocessor Lab Service Manual" (~100
pages?)
and
"Practical Microprocessors (~450 pages)"
both in very good condition.

The suitcase has some scuffs, but the HP is in
excellent like-new condition.

http://68.109.73.245:8000/test/hp-5036a-1.jpg

I don't want to sell it, but I'd gladly trade it for:

MOS KIM-1
Exidy Sorcerer
Sinclair ZX-80
PET 2001 w/chicklets
Dynalogic Hyperion

Steve.
The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo.
http://search.yahoo.com

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From: Joe <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun Apr 27 21:16:00 2003

Steven,

   I have a Hyperion that is looking for a home but I don't really need another 5036. Do you have any other trading stuff? Where are you located? I'm in Florida.

    Joe