Subject: Re: cctech digest, Vol 1 #412 - 57 msgs

From: "FUBARinSFO" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue Mar 11 21:40:34 2003

All --

    Apple ][ gear picked up today -- Eric Smith was first to call.  Thanks
to all for asking.

    -- Roy Zider

----- Original Message -----
From: <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2003 10:00 AM
Subject: cctech digest, Vol 1 #412 - 57 msgs

Send cctech mailing list submissions to
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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of cctech digest..."

Today's Topics:

   1. Re: New To List and PDP8 Question (Bill Kotaska)
   2. Apple ][ gear for pickup (FUBARinSFO)
   3. Re: Apple ][ gear for pickup (Lawrence LeMay)
   4. Re: Collecting silicon wafers (James Rice)
   5. Re: Collecting silicon wafers (Steven N. Hirsch)
   6. RE: New bounties ($$$) ([email-masked])
   7. Re: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto (John Honniball)
   8. HP41 problem.. (Jos Dreesen / Marian Capel)
   9. Re: PDP-11/34 Progress Report (Tony Duell)
  10. Free Scanning Electron Microscope (Jonathan Engdahl)
  11. Info on Dataspeed's products (Gary P. Apte)
  12. PDP-11/34 Progress Report (Jeffrey Sharp)
  13. Re: Free Scanning Electron Microscope (Ethan Dicks)
  14. vs3100m38 single user boot???. (Fred deBros)
  15. Re: Locating older systems & parts... (was: RE: making disk
       images) (Robert F. Schaefer)
  16. RE: Free DEC MINC-11 in NW England - rescued! (Witchy)
  17. Using a PS/2 Mouse on the GRiD 1755 Keyboard Port (Burke, Richard P.)
  18. Re: HP41 problem.. (Tony Duell)
  19. Free DecServer 200 & 300's for local pickup in NH or Cambridge,
       MA (Michael)
  20. Re: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto (stu)
  21. Project Parts? (Mail List)
  22. Tandy 1000 EX; Commodore 64 + 1541? floppy (Robert Krten)
  23. Re: Free Computers in St. Louis: PCjr, Apple IIGS and more (Stuart
Johnson)
  24. Re: New To List and PDP8 Question (Stuart Johnson)
  25. IDing IBM Floppy Drive Parts (Richard A. Cini)
  26. Re: IDing IBM Floppy Drive Parts (Don Maslin)
  27. Re: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto (Vintage Computer Festival)
  28. Re: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto (John Honniball)
  29. Re: Free DecServer 200 & 300's for local pickup in NH or
       Cambridge,  MA (Ethan Dicks)
  30. Re: Free DecServer 200 & 300's for local pickup in NH or
       Cambridge, MA (Fred N. van Kempen)
  31. Re: Collecting silicon wafers (Steve Jones)
  32. Re: Collecting silicon wafers (Philip Pemberton)
  33. Re: Collecting silicon wafers (ben franchuk)
  34. Re: Collecting silicon wafers (Philip Pemberton)
  35. Re: Collecting silicon wafers (steven)
  36. Re: Collecting silicon wafers (Philip Pemberton)
  37. Re: Collecting silicon wafers (Zane H. Healy)
  38. Re: Collecting silicon wafers (Roger Merchberger)
  39. RE: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto (Adrian Vickers)
  40. Re: Collecting silicon wafers (John Allain)
  41. Re: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto (Adrian Vickers)
  42. Re: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto (Adrian Vickers)
  43. Re: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto (Adrian Vickers)
  44. Re: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto (Adrian Vickers)
  45. Re: Free DecServer 200 & 300's for local pickup in NH or
       Cambridge, MA (Megan)
  46. Re: HP 2100A hardware reference docs? (Al Kossow)
  47. Re: PDP-11/34 Progress Report (Jeffrey Sharp)
  48. DECserver 200 hack... (Robert F. Schaefer)
  49. Re: Collecting silicon wafers (Frank McConnell)
  50. Re: Collecting silicon wafers (Brian Chase)
  51. Re: Collecting silicon wafers (Keys)
  52. Re: HP 2100A hardware reference docs? (Glen S)

--__--__--

Message: 1
From: "Bill Kotaska" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: New To List and PDP8 Question
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 12:05:59 -0600
Reply-To: [email-masked]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Lawrence LeMay" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Saturday, March 08, 2003 6:49 PM
Subject: Re: New To List and PDP8 Question

>
> I usually just buy the core stacks from DEC resellers. You pay a bit
> more, but you generally get something that has been cared for and
> works.
>
The resellers I have contacted have no more of these.
>
> Are you saying you have a case/power supply and omnibus? Or are you
> trying to cobble something together without case/ps?
>
Cobble together is a very good way to describe what I am trying to do. I
wish I had a case/power supply but don't and can't believe what systems are
fetching on eBay. I guess I just have a burning desire to see one actually
work (I love blinkenlights!)

> One of the main problems I had with my first 8/E, was that most of the
front
> panel bulbs were burned out. Probably because once a few burn out, the
voltage
> rises on the others causing them to burn out faster.
>
My panel has bulbs and I plan to gently apply the supply to these for the
first time until I see what it takes to turn them on.

Bill

--__--__--

Message: 2
From: "FUBARinSFO" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Cc: "Norm Aleks" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Apple ][ gear for pickup
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 10:28:45 -0800
Reply-To: [email-masked]

Hi folks:

    I've got to move out of my storage space in Oakland, CA this month.
I've
been saving my Apple ][ gear and software for years.  I'd like to find a
home
for it -- it's like a train set with all the accessories.  This is killing
me
already just posting this message.

    If you have an interest, please let me know ASAP.  E-mail or call me at
415-956-2413.

    -- Roy Zider

Short list of major items:

Apple ][ (original) with ROM upgrade to ][+
Videx keyboard enhancements (with function key strip)
Reset switch (as I recall), other unidentified case switch
External case fan
Language card (bumping memory from 48KB to 64KB)
Microsoft SoftCard (CP/M card)
AppliCard (CP/M card)

Custom hard carrying case for system unit, drives.
Two floppy drives
SuperSerial card
Axlon Ramdisk 320KB (solid state disk drive)
Davong 10MB external hard drive (nice breadbox enclosure)
Sweet-P plotter (serial interface)
Thermal printer (maybe), paper.

Boxes of software (Apple and CP/M) incl WordStar
Apple ][ Technical Reference Manuals
Apple ][ manuals (may have some water damage)

--__--__--

Message: 3
Subject: Re: Apple ][ gear for pickup
To: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 12:38:32 -0600 (CST)
From: Lawrence LeMay <[email-masked]>
Reply-To: [email-masked]

Yes, i'm looking for an original apple ][, if you're willing to ship it.

Just let me know.

-Lawrence LeMay
 [email-masked]
 University of Minnesota

> Hi folks:
>
>     I've got to move out of my storage space in Oakland, CA this month.
I've
> been saving my Apple ][ gear and software for years.  I'd like to find a
home
> for it -- it's like a train set with all the accessories.  This is killing
me
> already just posting this message.
>
>     If you have an interest, please let me know ASAP.  E-mail or call me
at
> 415-956-2413.
>
>     -- Roy Zider
>
> Short list of major items:
>
> Apple ][ (original) with ROM upgrade to ][+
> Videx keyboard enhancements (with function key strip)
> Reset switch (as I recall), other unidentified case switch
> External case fan
> Language card (bumping memory from 48KB to 64KB)
> Microsoft SoftCard (CP/M card)
> AppliCard (CP/M card)
>
> Custom hard carrying case for system unit, drives.
> Two floppy drives
> SuperSerial card
> Axlon Ramdisk 320KB (solid state disk drive)
> Davong 10MB external hard drive (nice breadbox enclosure)
> Sweet-P plotter (serial interface)
> Thermal printer (maybe), paper.
>
> Boxes of software (Apple and CP/M) incl WordStar
> Apple ][ Technical Reference Manuals
> Apple ][ manuals (may have some water damage)

--__--__--

Message: 4
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 16:43:11 -0600
From: James Rice <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: Collecting silicon wafers
Reply-To: [email-masked]

steven wrote:

>It's true, fab-rich places in Arizona, California,
>Oregon, and Texas are using wafers as wall
>decorations!
>
>At least I am...
>
>
>
Me too.  There's a ton of them floating around from the old Mostek fab
and TI.

James

--
http://webpages.charter.net/jrice54/classiccomp2.html

--__--__--

Message: 5
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 18:33:10 -0500 (EST)
From: "Steven N. Hirsch" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: Collecting silicon wafers
Reply-To: [email-masked]

On Sun, 9 Mar 2003, James Rice wrote:

> steven wrote:
>
> >It's true, fab-rich places in Arizona, California,
> >Oregon, and Texas are using wafers as wall
> >decorations!
> >
> >
> Me too.  There's a ton of them floating around from the old Mostek fab
> and TI.

In real life, I work for a company which fabs semiconductors.  Removing
wafers, even defective ones, from the premises without authorization is
a swift and sure way to end ones career.

Steve

--__--__--

Message: 6
Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 03:55:38 -0500 (EST)
From: [email-masked]
To: Doc Shipley <[email-masked]>
Cc: [email-masked]
Subject: RE: New bounties ($$$)
Reply-To: [email-masked]

On Fri, 7 Mar 2003, Doc Shipley wrote:

> > Interlnk.exe
> > and
> > Intersvr.exe
> >
> > I don't remember exactly how to do it.
> >
> > One of the two programs goes into the config.sys of
> > it's computer, and the other is run from a DOS prompt.
>
>   Yup.  Intersrv (sp?) runs from config.sys.
>   It's not too difficult, but I highly recommend a parallel link if both
> computers have bidirectional ports.  It's a ton faster.

I'm pretty sure it's INTERLNK that runs in CONFIG.SYS and INTERSVR runs on
command-line.

Peace...  Sridhar

--__--__--

Message: 7
Date: Sat, 08 Mar 2003 10:51:06 +0000
From: John Honniball <[email-masked]>
Organization: Stoke Gifford Computer Museum
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto
Reply-To: [email-masked]

Witchy wrote:
>>Does anyone have a spare (working) UK-spec telephony module for
>>the ICL OPD
>>and/or Merlin Tonto that they're willing to part with?

I have one, but not a spare!  :-(

It's in an ICL One Per Desk, and of course is capable of pulse-dialling
only.  Have you considered repairing the one you've got?

> I've got a spare but I don't think it's very well if you consider the
state
> of the motherboard:
>
> http://www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk/DSCF2592.JPG

Has someone tried to desolder the chips?  The damage looks like it's
consistently opposite the pin 1 end of all the DIL parts.  I'm sure
we could work out what's missing if you want to attempt replacements.

--
John Honniball
[email-masked]

--__--__--

Message: 8
From: Jos Dreesen / Marian Capel <[email-masked]>
Organization: None
To: [email-masked]
Subject: HP41 problem..
Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2003 12:20:56 +0100
Reply-To: [email-masked]

My (unexpanded) HP41c developed a strange problem...
It still knows how to do the maths, but any value stored inside a register
gets lost : i.e. 1234 STO 12, RCL 12 yields 0.000....

Any pointers ( also pointers to a more suitable group ? )

Jos Dreesen

--__--__--

Message: 9
From: [email-masked] (Tony Duell)
Subject: Re: PDP-11/34 Progress Report
To: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 19:00:01 +0000 (GMT)
Reply-To: [email-masked]

> Learned: If you plug in a G727A bus grant card backwards, the processor
will
> not halt. :-)

Mainly because the grant chain is then open, so the M9302 terminator
asserts SACK. This means that the 11/34 can't be halted from the panel
(it gets tied up trying to remove the grant that's causing the SACK...)

>
> To do: My only existing cable that plugs into a DL11-W is for 20mA current
> loop. I have a current loop VT52 that I haven't yet tested. I'll see if I
> can do that tomorrow. After all, it would be nice to know if the register
> printout is actually occurring.

Almost all DL11-Ws have the RS232 driver/receiver chips on them, and if
you've got one of the few that haven't. it's not hard to add them (1488
and 1489 IIRC).

It's also not hard to make up the RS232 cable. I've done it many times.
Let me know if you want to do this and need pinouts, etc.

I don't know what test gear you have, but if you have a logic probe, then
you could monitor the TX output of the UART (I assume you have the
printset). It should blip low (actually a fairly complex pulse train if
you have a logic analyser) when it's doing the register printout. That
would at least tell you if the unit was working at all.

-tony

--__--__--

Message: 10
From: "Jonathan Engdahl" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Subject: Free Scanning Electron Microscope
Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 21:43:57 -0500
Organization: Rockwell Automation
Reply-To: [email-masked]

Free scanning electron microscope to whoever wants to come haul it away. It
was left by the previous occupant of my lab, and it's blocking the hallway.
I want it out of there.

There are four main pieces, plus some parts and manuals in boxes. I don't
know anything about this, but I will describe it's appearance:

- microscope unit
  - desk high box with precision stainless steel tower, shoulder high
  - ISI Robinson detector mounted on side
  - Perkin Elmer gizmo mounted up high
  - other probes and sample holders sticking out at odd angles
  - very rocket science
  - no other name plates visible without moving a lot of stuff
- viewing station and analog controls console
  - name plate: ISI WB-6
  - built-in CRT
  - lots of knobs and buttons
  - very mission control
- Tracor Northern computer
  - floor standing console a little larger than an ASR-33
  - two 5" floppies
  - card cage inside
  - Intel 8080 microprocessor
  - keyboard
  - no hard drive, don't think it ever had one
  - separate RGB CRT
- a 2' box with lots of wires and tubes coming out of it (vacuum pump?)
- a 3~4 gallon tank that looks like it bolts on the side of the tower
- a small rack with instrumentation modules in it

The date plate on the back of the viewing console says 1985. It was used by
our semiconductor quality control department to look at the insides of
integrated circuits. Rumor has it that there is a vacuum leak in this
somewhere, it probably needs a new gasket. It is already uninstalled and
ready to roll away.

I found a web page with a picture of a similar unit. Our machine has an very
similar viewing console, but we have more stuff mounted on the microscope
itself.
http://www.optics.arizona.edu/Milster/Labdescriptions/Misc.htm

***NOTE***

This thing has a radiation sign on it (X-rays). Transportation and use is
regulated by the Ohio Dept. of Health, Division of Radiology. I understand
you need to get a permit to move, own, or operate it. If you are really
interested in this, you need to know how to get the required permits.

If you are interested I can take some pictures and send them.

--
Jonathan Engdahl                    Rockwell Automation
Principal Research Engineer         1 Allen-Bradley Drive
Advanced Technology                 Mayfield Heights, OH 44124
http://users.safeaccess.com/engdahl [email-masked]

--__--__--

Message: 11
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 00:19:32 -0800
From: "Gary P. Apte" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Info on Dataspeed's products
Reply-To: [email-masked]

Happened to find this thread while searching for old colleagues; thought
I would send you some info.

I worked as an R&D Engineer at Dataspeed from during 1983-85, and was
the principal developer of the Modio software.  I left when Lotus
purchased Dataspeed, and sadly, my stock options became worthless.

With regards to the thread (included below), we were using the sideband
on the PBS FM stations.  At the time I left, we were airing stock,
commodities, and futures data during "market hours", and sports during
off-hours.  The service was by subscription, and there was a hash
algorithm which used the unit's serial number and the subscriber account
number to generate the flags which activated various services.  If
memory serves, the flags were "splattered" across the memory map, e.g.
bits in different locations together formed the service byte for a
service.

Lost contact with the other engineers and staff.  One engineer is
installing Internet in churches in Korea; one of the co-founders owned a
sports bar in Pacifica, CA.  But all this is old info.

I still do have a framed Quotrek on my office wall !

Pass on this info as you deem fit.
Gary Apte

It's my understanding (infamously unreliable) that Lotus Signal was
descended from DataSpeed's Modio which was descended from DataSpeed's
Quotrek which dates back as far as 1981.  - Jim

Jim Keohane, Multi-Platforms, Inc.

   "It's not whether you win or lose. It's whether you win!"
----- Original Message -----
From: "Marvin Johnston" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Thursday, January 30, 2003 01:35
Subject: Re: Lotus Signal Receiver, was Re: QUOTE or TICKER

> I would be really curious to know how this thing works (or worked if
the
> service is no longer available.) The disks I have are for the PC or AT

> and are on 5 1/4" floppies (probably 360K). I'll copy them onto a 3
1/2"
> disk and bring it with me at the end of the month. If you have a power

> supply with yours, what is the polarity (if not AC) and voltage?
>
> Has anyone on the list actually used one of these things?
>
> Mike Ford wrote:
> >
> > At 05:31 PM 1/29/03 -0800, Marvin Johnston wrote:
> > >Mike, I have what I *think* is the same thing, and it is copyright
1986;
> > >he was looking for pre 1984 or so. If you need copies of the
software,
> > >*assuming* the software I have is good, it won't be a problem. I
can
> > >bring it to TRW late this month.
> > >
> > >Anyone know what frequency this works on, and if the supporting
> > >transmitter is still on the air? It indicated this was a
subscription
> > >service, and I would be most interested to know how they enforced
that.
> > >
> > >Mike Ford wrote:
> > > >
> > > > At 11:46 PM 1/21/03 -0500, Jim Keohane wrote:
> > > > >    Looking for handheld quote device, ticker display or any
peripheral
> > > > > for IBM PC, Apple ][, etc. to pick up ticker broadcast via FM
Broadcast
> > > > > or geosynchronous satellite broadcast. Does not necessarilly
have
to be
> > > > > functioning. User manual would be great.
> > > >
> > > > I have a Lotus box, but no software or paperwork.
> > > >
> > > > Lotus FM Receiver
> >
> > Mine has three ports on the back, antenna via coax F connector,
serial
DB25
> > thing, and BNC (data out, could ethernet maybe?).
> >
> > What platform do you have software for, and sure. ;) That will give
me a
> > good excuse to get my bones out to TRW.
> >
> > I think this type of device used sidebands of commercial broadcast
> > frequencies, but I haven't looked inside, or hooked up an antenna to
see
> > what happens.
> >
> > No real guess on the pay/data controls, could be software, could be
serial
> > number related activation key broadcast in middle of data etc.

--__--__--

Message: 12
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 04:55:46 -0600
From: Jeffrey Sharp <[email-masked]>
To: ClassicCmp Lists <[email-masked]>
Subject: PDP-11/34 Progress Report
Reply-To: [email-masked]

I've made some progress with my PDP-11/34. Since last week's PSU
corn-fusion, I pulled all the cards, air-dusted them, air-dusted and
inspected the backplanes, took an inventory of jumper and DIP switch
settings, put a minimal CPU+mem+console card set in, connected the
backplanes to the PSU, and turned on the machine. It was a little more
complicated than that, but I've got what seems to be a working 11/34 in my
living room.

Learned: As I had mentioned previously, my M9312 had a strange start address
dialed into its DIP switches by one of the previous owners. That has to be a
mistake. When the machine boots, it immediately halts. If I manually start
the processor at the correct address for the console emulator, I get a
steady run light. I do not have a console terminal attached yet.

Learned: A previous owner had a rocker-style DIP switch block on the console
DL11-W set backwards (i.e. one's complement of the correct setting). The
DL11-W was being configured with the wrong interrupt vector.

Learned: If you plug in a G727A bus grant card backwards, the processor will
not halt. :-)

To do: My only existing cable that plugs into a DL11-W is for 20mA current
loop. I have a current loop VT52 that I haven't yet tested. I'll see if I
can do that tomorrow. After all, it would be nice to know if the register
printout is actually occurring.

It's so late it's early; therefore, I should go to bed. Tomorrow I'll run
some test programs!

--
Jeffrey Sharp

--__--__--

Message: 13
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 09:17:29 -0800 (PST)
From: Ethan Dicks <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Free Scanning Electron Microscope
To: [email-masked]
Reply-To: [email-masked]

--- Jonathan Engdahl <[email-masked]> wrote:
> Free scanning electron microscope to whoever will come haul it away.

I'm interested.  Do you have any hints on how to start the permit process?

Thanks,

-ethan

--__--__--

Message: 14
From: "Fred deBros" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Subject: vs3100m38 single user boot???.
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 22:34:07 -0500
Reply-To: [email-masked]

Can I boot Netbsd1.5 or 4.3bsd  into single user from the vs3100 bios?
Whats the cmd? Boot dka100/1
Or set boot dka100 and then b/1?

Why?

I need to crack the root password of course.

fred

--__--__--

Message: 15
From: "Robert F. Schaefer" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Locating older systems & parts... (was: RE: making disk
  images)
Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 07:33:15 -0500
Reply-To: [email-masked]

----- Original Message -----
From: "chris" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Friday, March 07, 2003 10:55 PM
Subject: Re: Locating older systems & parts... (was: RE: making disk images)

> >Except the dumpster is private property.  Theft pure and simple, in the
eyes
> >of the law.
>
> I'm not a lawyer, but this might be a regional opinion. I know the cops
> around here at least don't consider it private property unless A: the
> owner of the land chooses to press charges, or B: the property is some
> how restricted access or not normally public access.

Cops have a lot of leeway in what they enforce, for good or for bad
(sometimes common sense _does_ prevail!), but ISTR the owner always has the
option of pressing charges.  The cops might not care if they drove past and
saw you, probably wouldn't as it's a frequent passtime of many, but if the
owners called 'em...

>
> So for example, the dumpster I raided the other day, it was in the
> parking lot of a publically accessable and open building (a gym, a
> realtor, and a weight clinic), so the police wouldn't consider that
> private property unless the owner of the land (unlikely to be any of the
> tenants) choose to press tresspassing charges.

I'd say `wouldn't feel the need ot enforce the law' as opposed to `wouldn't
consider that private property'.  If you're drunk and making a mess,
tresspassing would probably come up even if nobody on site complained.

>
> But, the dumpster behind the local good will, probably WOULD be
> considered that by the police, because it is in the back parking lot of
> the building (which is not open for customer parking, its only available
> to the public when they are dropping things off), AND, the entire lot is
> chained off when the store is closed.

Definintly have to be an in-and-out job here!

>
>
> And of course curbside garbage is always open season around here. The
> only time the cops hassle you on that is if you make a mess. But good
> garbage pickers always make sure they clean up after themselves.

Yah.  I live close to OSU campus, in the fall when the kids move out, the
pickings are *fabulous*.  Peaseas, small electronics, clothes, leather
coats, RK05s (honest, a pair of 'em!), all kinds of good stuff.  We take
everything that isn't broken, ripped or damaged, and whatever we don't end
up wanting goes to goodwill.

> -chris

Bob

--__--__--

Message: 16
From: "Witchy" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>, <[email-masked]>
Subject: RE: Free DEC MINC-11 in NW England - rescued!
Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 15:41:36 -0000
Reply-To: [email-masked]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]]On
> Behalf Of Tony Duell
> Sent: 07 March 2003 22:53
> To: [email-masked]
> Subject: Re: Free DEC MINC-11 in NW England - rescued!
>
> As you've probably discovered by now, the top connectors on the MINC
> modules are for user I/O. The DAC outputs (and other I/O lines) are
> there, for example. So presumably this was a connector for the user's
> experiment.

Oh aye, definitely. It just would've been nice to know what it was plugged
into in the first place, but there's no point asking the bloke I got it from
'cos he just received it from a friend and stuck it in his workshop where it
sat ever since.

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

--__--__--

Message: 17
Date: Sat, 08 Mar 2003 10:28:18 -0800
From: "Burke, Richard P." <[email-masked]>
Organization: RPB Information Services
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Using a PS/2 Mouse on the GRiD 1755 Keyboard Port
Reply-To: [email-masked]

Greetings everyone,

Does anybody know how to use a PS/2 mouse on the keyboard port of a GRiD
1755/486 SLC Laptop?  The manual says that the port will not support a
PS/2 mouse, but I figure someone has developed a driver by now.  Any
clues?  Thanks.

Richard P. Burke
Portland OR

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Message: 18
From: [email-masked] (Tony Duell)
Subject: Re: HP41 problem..
To: [email-masked]
Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 23:40:49 +0000 (GMT)
Reply-To: [email-masked]

> Jos,
>
>
>     You have a bad Data Storage IC. Depending on which version board
> is in your 41 it may have from 1 to 4 DS ICs but they are custom built

Didn't some HP41s haev 5 RAM (Data Storage) ICs? Each one 16 registers
long (one for the 'status registers', 4 for the 64 user registers?

> ICs made by HP specificly for the HP 41 so you'll never find one. Time

A trick that works when you have a CV with one of the 'extra' DS chips
failed (that's to say one of chips that hold registers after the first
64), is to crack open a single memory module (which are really common!),
then extract the 'PCB' and wire it inside the 41, in place of the bad IC.
Solder the B3 and B4 lines to put it at the right address. Yes, it's a
kludge, but it works. And alas it's not applicable in this case.

> to find another 41 for parts. There are plenty of htem out there that
> have broken displays, bad power supply ICs and/or corroded battery
> terminals.

Perhaps I've been lucky, but I don't think I've ever seen a bad PSU chip
in a 41. Bad CPUs I've had, though.

Damaged battery contacts can be kludged over with a bit of care, so
that's not a reason to regard a 41 as a 'parts' machine...

-tony

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Message: 19
Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 13:35:03 -0500
To: [email-masked]
From: Michael <[email-masked]>
Subject: Free DecServer 200 & 300's for local pickup in NH or Cambridge,
  MA
Reply-To: [email-masked]

Howdy all,

I have 4 DecServer 200/MC and 28 (yes twenty-eight) DecServer 300 to give
to anyone who is willing to pick them up in the upper valley region
(Plainfield, NH to be exact, close to Darthmouth U/Hanover, NH) *OR*
close to Harvard Square in Cambridge, MA.

The units are in Plainfield right now.. I'll be in Cambridge from
March 19th through around the 26th.

I'm not willing to ship these to due to the quantity involved.

Hope someone can give the DecServers a home..

-- Michael
[email-masked]

--__--__--

Message: 20
From: "stu" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto
Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 18:47:08 -0000
Reply-To: [email-masked]

Hi all,
I have an OPD, believed working, without monitor, and has a variety of pods
and the phone handset. All good condition and even manuals :)
Free to OPD fanatic, prefer collect. (uk NW)
Stu

----- Original Message -----
From: "Witchy" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>; <[email-masked]>
Sent: Friday, March 07, 2003 10:43 PM
Subject: RE: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto

> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]]On
> > Behalf Of Adrian Vickers
> > Sent: 07 March 2003 15:17
> > To: [email-masked]
> > Subject: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto
> >
> > Does anyone have a spare (working) UK-spec telephony module for
> > the ICL OPD
> > and/or Merlin Tonto that they're willing to part with?
>
> I've got a spare but I don't think it's very well if you consider the
state
> of the motherboard:
>
> http://www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk/DSCF2592.JPG
>
> The telephony module has a bit of masking tape on it containing the words
> 'faulty' so I guess that gives the game away somewhat :)
>
> > Willing to pay postage from wherever, and maybe 75p & a packet of rolos
> > (aka comp.sys.sinclair standard purchase price) as well.
>
> Hasn't it been upped to 85p and a packet of rolos to take inflation into
> account? (inflated rolos? Mmm :)
>
> --
> adrian/witchy
> www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk - the online computer museum
> www.snakebiteandblack.co.uk - monthly gothic shenanigans

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Message: 21
Date: Sat, 08 Mar 2003 17:26:10 -0500
To: [email-masked]
From: Mail List <[email-masked]>
Subject: Project Parts?
Reply-To: [email-masked]

Anyone recognize the bus type these go to?  Might be good project parts?

5 Mupac Breadboard Prototype Cards NEW VME ??

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3403917114&category=36327

They're definitely not like any VME I've ever seen.

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Message: 22
Subject: Tandy 1000 EX; Commodore 64 + 1541? floppy
To: [email-masked]
Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 17:58:24 -0500 (EST)
From: "Robert Krten" <[email-masked]>
Reply-To: [email-masked]

Saw these at the local junkyard; any interest?

Tandy 1000 EX
Commodore 64 with 1541(?) 5.25" floppy drive

Condition unknown.

If there's anyone who's interested, please let me know and I'll be
happy to pick them up for you.  Let me know what your maximum price
is (there was no price marked). + S/H (VISA/MC through my consulting
company just to keep things simple).

Cheers,
-RK

--
Looking for Digital Equipment Corp. PDP-1 through PDP-15 minicomputers!
Robert Krten, PARSE Software Devices +1 613 599 8316.
Realtime Systems Architecture, Consulting and Training at www.parse.com

--__--__--

Message: 23
From: "Stuart Johnson" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Free Computers in St. Louis: PCjr, Apple IIGS and more
Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 19:23:56 -0600
Reply-To: [email-masked]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Kotaska" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Saturday, March 08, 2003 4:25 PM
Subject: Re: Free Computers in St. Louis: PCjr, Apple IIGS and more

> I live nearby and may be interested in some of these free goodies if they
are
> still around. I just joined the group so can you contact me? Thanks.
> Bill
>   Subject: Free Computers in St. Louis: PCjr, Apple IIGS and more
>
<SNIP>
> you are able to stop by and feel like geeking out I have 300ish computers
in
> the basement including an Atari 1400XL with 1090XL box, Altair 8800, IMSAI
> 8080, PET 2001 and others that you might like to check out.
>
> Nick

That is too bad about the shipping; I understand totally as I am disabled
and shipping something is a major pain unless I want to pay extra to have it
picked up. For that matter, boxing something up or unpacking stuff isn't a
lot of fun for me with my bad back, etc. Like my mom told me, I should never
have ridden that motorcycle in traffic!

I really would like to have a fully working Apple II /GS system. I've been
thinking about building a 65816 SBC and the Apple would make a nice
development environment for it as well as being a classic computer. If
someone has one to get rid of or sell reasonably, feel free to let me know
off-list.

Stuart Johnson

--__--__--

Message: 24
From: "Stuart Johnson" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: New To List and PDP8 Question
Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 19:30:18 -0600
Reply-To: [email-masked]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Kotaska" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Saturday, March 08, 2003 5:42 PM
Subject: New To List and PDP8 Question

> Hello,
> I am new to this group but have been reading the posts occasionally before
> finally joining. The site comes up alot when searching for info on old
> machines. I am interested in any type of old computer especially the
single
<SNIP>
>Anyone seen this before?
> Thanks all,
> Bill

Bill,

Welcome to the list. I looked at you site and your 4004/4040 project and it
is very nice! Your web site is well organized and easy to navigate. One of
these days I'm going to document some of my toys and build a site to display
them. At least, I keep telling myself that :-)

Stuart Johnson

--__--__--

Message: 25
Date: Sat, 08 Mar 2003 21:54:58 -0500
From: "Richard A. Cini" <[email-masked]>
Subject: IDing IBM Floppy Drive Parts
To: "CCTech (E-mail)" <[email-masked]>
Reply-To: [email-masked]

Hello, all:

I got a couple of IBM-labeled Tandon drives and a MPI/Control Data drive.
The Tandon drive is a standard TM100-2A and the CD drive has the following
ID#s -- Part 77711801, IBM Part# 1502060.

I'm trying to recycle these in my N* (double density setup). The jumper
area is unlabeled on these drives, as is the terminator spot. On the Tandon
drive, I found a TRW IC near the floppy connector...it has a designation
"516-3-151G"...this seems to be the terminator.

Can anyone confirm the placement of the terminator and the jumper block
pinout for both drives? Any help appreciated.

Rich Cini
Collector of classic computers
Build Master for the Altair32 Emulation Project
Web site: http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/
/************************************************************/

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Message: 26
Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 22:57:51 -0800 (PST)
From: Don Maslin <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: IDing IBM Floppy Drive Parts
Reply-To: [email-masked]

On Sat, 8 Mar 2003, Richard A. Cini wrote:

> Hello, all:
>
> I got a couple of IBM-labeled Tandon drives and a MPI/Control Data drive.
> The Tandon drive is a standard TM100-2A and the CD drive has the following
> ID#s -- Part 77711801, IBM Part# 1502060.
>
> I'm trying to recycle these in my N* (double density setup). The jumper
> area is unlabeled on these drives, as is the terminator spot. On the
Tandon
> drive, I found a TRW IC near the floppy connector...it has a designation
> "516-3-151G"...this seems to be the terminator.
>
> Can anyone confirm the placement of the terminator and the jumper block
> pinout for both drives? Any help appreciated.

Rich, the terminator sounds right.  One that I have differs only
in a -1- vice your -3-.  It is in position 2F nearest to the card
edge connector.  The programmable shunt in position 1E is as
follows:
1   O HS NOT USED   O   16
2   O DS0     O 15
3   O DS1     O 14
4   O DS2     O   13
5   O DS3     O   12
6   O MX     O   11
7   O   SPARE     O   10
8   O HM NOT USED   O    9

- don

> Rich Cini
> Collector of classic computers
> Build Master for the Altair32 Emulation Project
> Web site: http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/
> /************************************************************/

--__--__--

Message: 27
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 06:18:38 -0800 (PST)
From: Vintage Computer Festival <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto
Reply-To: [email-masked]

On Sun, 9 Mar 2003, Dave Brown wrote:

> Maybe-maybe not. That 'UK spec' bit is what I'm curious about. Do you know
> what details will be different in other versions (but this would only be
an
> EPROM change wouldn't it?) --as in that for use in NZ?
> I have a number of these things -both complete and working, as well as
> partly ratted for spares (including some telephony modules)- they were
> called 'computerphones' down here. About the only useful function they had
> was the phone directory/dialler which was a winner.  They were just a year
> or so too late to ever really catch on in the face of competition from
Macs
> and pcs for any serious desktop computer functionality.

Are these actual computers or just dumb terminals with a telephone
built-in?

I have a Northern Telecom unit like this.  It's a smaller terminal with a
phone handset and keypad on the base.  A keyboard tray pulls out of the
bottom of the base.

--

Sellam Ismail                                        Vintage Computer
Festival
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
International Man of Intrigue and Danger
http://www.vintage.org

 * Old computing resources for business and academia at www.VintageTech.com
*

--__--__--

Message: 28
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 15:02:47 +0000
From: John Honniball <[email-masked]>
Organization: Stoke Gifford Computer Museum
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto
Reply-To: [email-masked]

Vintage Computer Festival wrote:
> Are these actual computers or just dumb terminals with a telephone
> built-in?

They're real 68008 computers, based on the Sinclair QL design.  The
power supply (in the screen) is always on, at least in part, and the
computer can be set up to auto-answer.  The application software in
ROM is all communication-centred, with things like dialling
directories and (I think) a terminal emulator.

Due to UK telecom regulations at the time of release, it wasn't
able to act as a telephone answering machine, though.  That was
a function that only British Telecom were allowed to provide.

--
John Honniball
[email-masked]

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Message: 29
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 09:21:02 -0800 (PST)
From: Ethan Dicks <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Free DecServer 200 & 300's for local pickup in NH or
  Cambridge,  MA
To: [email-masked]
Reply-To: [email-masked]

--- Michael <[email-masked]> wrote:
> Howdy all,
>
> I have 4 DecServer 200/MC and 28 (yes twenty-eight) DecServer 300 to give
> to anyone who is willing to pick them up in the upper valley region
> (Plainfield, NH to be exact, close to Darthmouth U/Hanover, NH) *OR*
> close to Harvard Square in Cambridge, MA.

Being in Ohio, pickup is not an option, but if any list members who
_do_ show up to collect them in person are willing to ship Ohio, please
write me off-list and let's make arrangements.

I would be interested in one or two 300s, depending on shipping cost
to 43017.

Thanks,

-ethan

--__--__--

Message: 30
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 18:28:17 +0100 (CET)
From: "Fred N. van Kempen" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: Free DecServer 200 & 300's for local pickup in NH or
  Cambridge, MA
Reply-To: [email-masked]

On Sun, 9 Mar 2003, Ethan Dicks wrote:

> Being in Ohio, pickup is not an option, but if any list members who
> _do_ show up to collect them in person are willing to ship Ohio, please
> write me off-list and let's make arrangements.
Ethen (and everyone else who is interested),

I am securing the beasties, with the help from Megan, as she's
near there and can pick em up.  From her's, I was planning on
shipping some of it to Europe (where I am right now) and store
the rest in my office in Calif.  If anyone wants some of this,
lemme know off-list.

--f

--__--__--

Message: 31
From: "Steve Jones" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: Collecting silicon wafers
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 12:38:18 -0500
Reply-To: [email-masked]

Dave Wilson writes:
.
> My interest is in collecting whole, undiced silicon wafers. These
> are much more accessible for research and the interest does not
> conflict with those of other people.

I think they're interesting, and have considered picking some up
when I've seen them. Of course I've only seen them on eBay, and
living near Boston I guess my only local source might conceivably
be the DEC fab out in (I think) Hudson that got sold to Intel when
Palmer gutted the company. Oops, didn't mean to start that thread
again! ;^)

> Are there other interested people out there? If this site is not
> the best for this sort of discussion can you recommend a better
> one?

I haven't run across anyone systematically collecting wafers. The
main question I'd have is, where's the supply? If there's not a
large supply of available wafers, how many collectors can there be?

Having opened my mouth and said that, someone will probably tell
me that fab-rich places in Arizona, California, Oregon, and Texas
are using them as wall decorations or something...

--__--__--

Message: 32
From: "Philip Pemberton" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Collecting silicon wafers
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 18:23:55 -0000
Reply-To: [email-masked]

Steve Jones wrote:
> Having opened my mouth and said that, someone will probably tell
> me that fab-rich places in Arizona, California, Oregon, and Texas
> are using them as wall decorations or something...
The ultimate trophy: Design an IC, make it work on first silicon. Take one
of the first wafers and get it sealed or laminated (or whatever). Frame it
on the wall, with a metal plate underneath: "This die contains [n]
[suchandsuch] devices. The original production run worked flawlessly on
first silicon. Design team: [whoever]".
My sole aim in life is to take part in the design of a microprocessor, have
it run on first silicon and have an entire silicon wafer full of the chips
on the wall at home :-)
If only VLSI design was as easy as designing a computer :-)

Later.
--
Phil.
[email-masked]
http://www.philpem.dsl.pipex.com/

--__--__--

Message: 33
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 11:35:23 -0700
From: ben franchuk <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: Collecting silicon wafers
Reply-To: [email-masked]

Philip Pemberton wrote:

> The ultimate trophy: Design an IC, make it work on first silicon. Take one
> of the first wafers and get it sealed or laminated (or whatever). Frame it
> on the wall, with a metal plate underneath: "This die contains [n]
> [suchandsuch] devices. The original production run worked flawlessly on
> first silicon. Design team: [whoever]".
> My sole aim in life is to take part in the design of a microprocessor,
have
> it run on first silicon and have an entire silicon wafer full of the chips
> on the wall at home :-)
> If only VLSI design was as easy as designing a computer :-)

Well TTL is easy to design with. Feel free to take any of my TTL
designs (when finished) and cast it into silicon. Note once I get
my TTL computer design debuged and built ( the slow and $$$ parts )
I would like to do a VLSI design just to see how good or bad
the design is compared to other real chips.
Ben.

--__--__--

Message: 34
From: "Philip Pemberton" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Collecting silicon wafers
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 19:00:17 -0000
Reply-To: [email-masked]

ben franchuk wrote:
> Well TTL is easy to design with. Feel free to take any of my TTL
> designs (when finished) and cast it into silicon. Note once I get
> my TTL computer design debuged and built ( the slow and $$$ parts )
> I would like to do a VLSI design just to see how good or bad
> the design is compared to other real chips.
If I had a few Xilinx CPLDs (the ones that can be programmed over a Jtag
link) and a programming cable I would. Anyone got some spare XC9500 series
devices? PIC16F628 MCUs are fun to play with, but designing my own CPU from
scratch sounds like even more fun :-)

Later.
--
Phil.
[email-masked]
http://www.philpem.dsl.pipex.com/

--__--__--

Message: 35
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 12:44:03 -0800 (PST)
From: steven <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Collecting silicon wafers
To: [email-masked]
Reply-To: [email-masked]

It's true, fab-rich places in Arizona, California,
Oregon, and Texas are using wafers as wall
decorations!

At least I am...

--__--__--

Message: 36
From: "Philip Pemberton" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Collecting silicon wafers
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 21:49:09 -0000
Reply-To: [email-masked]

steven wrote:
> It's true, fab-rich places in Arizona, California,
> Oregon, and Texas are using wafers as wall
> decorations!
Hmm... I must remember to try and find a silicon wafer on Ebay... Shame
there never seem to be any on Ebay UK...
Let's see... If I put the wafer under a microscope and get some photos, I
should be able to ID the chip. Then put it in a picture frame complete with
label... Hmm...
I'd love to track down one of the East German wafers that were mentioned on
The Silicon Zoo (www.micro.magnet.fsu.edu/creatures) - they had some that
they extracted a picture of a fox from. With a decent scope and a
half-decent digicam (either my Oly or one of the Sony Mavica cameras I have
access to) I should be able to get some pretty decent pictures. Picture
this - a wafer with all the silicon "doodles" or "creatures" printed off
underneath, complete with a "This die contains..." label... Hmm...

Later.
--
Phil.
[email-masked]
http://www.philpem.dsl.pipex.com/

--__--__--

Message: 37
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 14:59:32 -0800
From: "Zane H. Healy" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: Collecting silicon wafers
Reply-To: [email-masked]

> Having opened my mouth and said that, someone will probably tell
> me that fab-rich places in Arizona, California, Oregon, and Texas
> are using them as wall decorations or something...

I think the only wafer's I've seen out in the wild are some wafers
from Tektronix.  Back in the 70's when I was in school someone from
Tektronix visited us, and everyone got a wafer in a little plastic
wafer holder.  I know I've still got mine, I'm just not sure where
it's at, it's all of about 2 1/2".

Zane

--__--__--

Message: 38
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 19:33:01 -0500
To: [email-masked]
From: Roger Merchberger <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Collecting silicon wafers
Reply-To: [email-masked]

At 18:33 03/09/2003 -0500, Steven N. Hirsch wrote:
>On Sun, 9 Mar 2003, James Rice wrote:
>
> > steven wrote:
> >
> > >It's true, fab-rich places in Arizona, California,
> > >Oregon, and Texas are using wafers as wall
> > >decorations!
> > >
> > >
> > Me too.  There's a ton of them floating around from the old Mostek fab
> > and TI.
>
>In real life, I work for a company which fabs semiconductors.  Removing
>wafers, even defective ones, from the premises without authorization is
>a swift and sure way to end ones career.

On a slightly different take... How would one get permission to remove a
few defective wafers solely for the sake of collectibility? Not many fabs
up here in northern Michigan -- on the Canadian border... ;-)

Is ePay my only hope of acquiring one???

Laterz,
Roger "Merch" Merchberger

--__--__--

Message: 39
Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2003 00:41:24 +0000
To: [email-masked]
From: Adrian Vickers <[email-masked]>
Subject: RE: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto
Reply-To: [email-masked]

At 22:43 07/03/2003, you wrote:

> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]]On
> > Behalf Of Adrian Vickers
> > Sent: 07 March 2003 15:17
> > To: [email-masked]
> > Subject: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto
> >
> > Does anyone have a spare (working) UK-spec telephony module for
> > the ICL OPD
> > and/or Merlin Tonto that they're willing to part with?
>
>I've got a spare but I don't think it's very well if you consider the state
>of the motherboard:
>
>http://www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk/DSCF2592.JPG

Ouch: Was someone trying out a fancy new laser cutting tool, perchance?

>The telephony module has a bit of masking tape on it containing the words
>'faulty' so I guess that gives the game away somewhat :)

Hmmm, quite...

Having said that, maybe the telephony is OK, but the main beastie is shot.
I'd be quite happy to test the telephony module in my (otherwise fine)
OPD...

> > Willing to pay postage from wherever, and maybe 75p & a packet of rolos
> > (aka comp.sys.sinclair standard purchase price) as well.
>
>Hasn't it been upped to 85p and a packet of rolos to take inflation into
>account? (inflated rolos? Mmm :)

Not according to pictures of their last meet in London, but maybe no-one
told them yet :)

--
Cheers, Ade.
Be where it's at, B-Racing!
http://b-racing.com

--__--__--

Message: 40
From: "John Allain" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Collecting silicon wafers
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 19:49:53 -0500
Reply-To: [email-masked]

>> It's true, fab-rich places in Arizona, California,
>> Oregon, and Texas...

Silicon Valley is the obvious choice for an outlet of these.
Anyone who is a regular customer of "The Foothill" should
speak up on list.  I patronized them, a long time back, for
just over two years... got some wafers, and, some large
chunks of the raw Silicon ingots too.
MIT flea will have wafers too, but at about 1/3 the frequency.

John A.

--__--__--

Message: 41
Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2003 00:43:43 +0000
To: [email-masked]
From: Adrian Vickers <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto
Reply-To: [email-masked]

At 10:51 08/03/2003, you wrote:

>Witchy wrote:
>>>Does anyone have a spare (working) UK-spec telephony module for
>>>the ICL OPD
>>>and/or Merlin Tonto that they're willing to part with?
>
>I have one, but not a spare!  :-(
>
>It's in an ICL One Per Desk, and of course is capable of pulse-dialling
>only.  Have you considered repairing the one you've got?

Possibly, but I've absolutely no idea where to start...

I'm guessing that the fault is somewhere in the telephone side, as the
computer side works just fine. Also, it's capable of taking incoming calls
(shame CLID didn't exist when the OPD was around), and if something else
dials, it can latch into outgoing calls without any problems.

IIRC, the pulse dial side dies at the same time as the tone dial.

--
Cheers, Ade.
Be where it's at, B-Racing!
http://b-racing.com

--__--__--

Message: 42
Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2003 00:49:31 +0000
To: [email-masked]
From: Adrian Vickers <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto
Reply-To: [email-masked]

At 09:27 09/03/2003, Dave Brown wrote:

>Maybe-maybe not. That 'UK spec' bit is what I'm curious about. Do you know
>what details will be different in other versions (but this would only be an
>EPROM change wouldn't it?) --as in that for use in NZ?

I'm not really sure. It's entirely possible that there's very little to no
difference between the modules, but the UK versions would have had to pass
the extraordinarily strict BABT approval process - which was very
expensive, and essential if you wanted your kit to be "BABT approved" and
therefore legal to use on the UK 'phone system. Also, there was some fairly
hefty licencing restrictions, e.g. in the front of the OPD manual it states
the functions it's been licenced for.

>I have a number of these things -both complete and working, as well as
>partly ratted for spares (including some telephony modules)- they were
>called 'computerphones' down here.

I'd be willing to try an NZ module, if it's got standard BT-like connector
jacks on the back of it (same type as used by Sinclair on the QL - did he
get a job-lot of sockets to go with the OPD plugs, I wonder?). I know
bugger all about the NZ 'phone system, but as my NZ cousin is currently
over here, I'll ask him tomorrow.

>  About the only useful function they had
>was the phone directory/dialler which was a winner.

Definitely; the 3-alphanumeric "short code" is also a staggeringly useful
thing. In fact, I've decided to use the OPD as my main telephone, if I can
get a reliable telephony module for it.

>  They were just a year
>or so too late to ever really catch on in the face of competition from Macs
>and pcs for any serious desktop computer functionality.

Much like the QL, really. Also, one shouldn't underestimate the marketing
clout IBM had when their early PC's were coming out; really, did anyone
stand a chance against them?

--
Cheers, Ade.
Be where it's at, B-Racing!
http://b-racing.com

--__--__--

Message: 43
Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2003 00:54:56 +0000
To: [email-masked]
From: Adrian Vickers <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto
Reply-To: [email-masked]

At 14:18 09/03/2003, you wrote:

>On Sun, 9 Mar 2003, Dave Brown wrote:
>
> > Maybe-maybe not. That 'UK spec' bit is what I'm curious about. Do you
know
> > what details will be different in other versions (but this would only be
an
> > EPROM change wouldn't it?) --as in that for use in NZ?
> > I have a number of these things -both complete and working, as well as
> > partly ratted for spares (including some telephony modules)- they were
> > called 'computerphones' down here. About the only useful function they
had
> > was the phone directory/dialler which was a winner.  They were just a
year
> > or so too late to ever really catch on in the face of competition from
Macs
> > and pcs for any serious desktop computer functionality.
>
>Are these actual computers or just dumb terminals with a telephone
>built-in?

Your question is already answered, but what the heck...

The ICL OPD (One-Per-Desk) and Merlin Tonto (identical machines internally)
were a derivative of the Sinclair QL, featuring the addition of a telephone
handset, better keyboard, slightly improved microdrives (sufficiently
improved that they are, apparently, incompatible with QL mdvs; something
I've not checked yet), and a much bigger ROM. That ROM contains a telephone
directory, and a few other utilities to boot. Add-on ROMs included
messaging (I'm unsure as to what that is yet, although mine has it), Psion
Xchange (Quill word processor, Easel graphics - well, graphs, Archive
database and Abacus spreadsheet). Xchange also featured on the CST Thor[1],
and was also ported to the PC, IIRC. The QL suffered along with the
original separate packages until its demise.

My OPD also has a 3rd-party addon disk interface (which plugs into the ROM
pack), which is rather nifty, and a lot more reliable (and faster) than
microdrives. The machine itself, however, is quite painfully slow. I'm not
entirely sure what they did to it to make it that slow; the QL seems to
trot along much more quickly. Maybe ICL just didn't write decent software...

[1] BTW, does anyone have a CST Thor (especially if you're willing to part
with it). Any make/model considered, working or not. I'll even pay cash[2]
for it. I'd /love/ to get my hands on one!

[2] What's more, I'll even pay more than 75p[3] & a packet of Rolos!

[3] or 85p, counting inflation.

--
Cheers, Ade.
Be where it's at, B-Racing!
http://b-racing.com

--__--__--

Message: 44
Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2003 00:58:51 +0000
To: [email-masked]
From: Adrian Vickers <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: ICL OPD/Merlin Tonto
Reply-To: [email-masked]

At 15:02 09/03/2003, John Honniball wrote:

The application software in
>ROM is all communication-centred, with things like dialling
>directories and (I think) a terminal emulator.

Yep, a loadable telephone directory (so you could have different ones on
different MDVs), two terminal types (a Prestel & "glass teletype") which
would operate over the built-in modem - capable of a whopping 1200bps or
600bps half-duplex, and 300bps full duplex; also capable of a 75bps "back
channel" at 1200/600 speeds.

>Due to UK telecom regulations at the time of release, it wasn't
>able to act as a telephone answering machine, though.  That was
>a function that only British Telecom were allowed to provide.

It does have a really nasty voice synthesizer built into it, though, so it
will take a call unattended, and play the pre-recorded messages. It lacks
the ability to say things like "Good morning" though... I think it's also
limited to a single auto-answer setting, which can be set to automatically
come on between certain times, and (possibly) overridden. I've yet to
experiment with that side of it.

--
Cheers, Ade.
Be where it's at, B-Racing!
http://b-racing.com

--__--__--

Message: 45
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 20:33:31 -0500 (EST)
From: Megan <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: Free DecServer 200 & 300's for local pickup in NH or
  Cambridge, MA
Reply-To: [email-masked]

Fred wrote:

>>On Sun, 9 Mar 2003, Ethan Dicks wrote:
>
>> Being in Ohio, pickup is not an option, but if any list members who
>> _do_ show up to collect them in person are willing to ship Ohio, please
>> write me off-list and let's make arrangements.
>Ethen (and everyone else who is interested),

>I am securing the beasties, with the help from Megan, as she's
>near there and can pick em up.  From her's, I was planning on
>shipping some of it to Europe (where I am right now) and store
>the rest in my office in Calif.  If anyone wants some of this,
>lemme know off-list.

Fred - I've asked him about 2 of the 200/MCs and 6 of the 300s.
I have yet to hear back from him.  Although I'm close to
cambridge, I didn't know how many you wanted me to try for.  I'm
not sure my car or storage place (or my partner) is prepared
to handle a great deal of them.

I'll do what I can...

Megan

--__--__--

Message: 46
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 18:19:53 -0800
From: Al Kossow <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: HP 2100A hardware reference docs?
Reply-To: [email-masked]

> I looked around at http://www.spies.com/~aek/pdf/hp/ and found most of the
> hardware docs I would want for my 2113E and 2117F, but didn't really see
any
> hardware reference docs for a 2100A CPU.

The maint manuals are up now under hp/21xx

--__--__--

Message: 47
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 22:56:03 -0600
From: Jeffrey Sharp <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: PDP-11/34 Progress Report
Reply-To: [email-masked]

On Sunday, March 9, 2003, Tony Duell wrote:
>> To do: My only existing cable that plugs into a DL11-W is for 20mA
>> current loop. I have a current loop VT52 that I haven't yet tested. I'll
>> see if I can do that tomorrow. After all, it would be nice to know if the
>> register printout is actually occurring.
>
> It's also not hard to make up the RS232 cable. I've done it many times.
> Let me know if you want to do this and need pinouts, etc.

Yes, very easy. But I do have a lonely current loop VT52 that (if it works)
desparately wants *something* to send it some bits and bytes to display. How
can I turn down a request like that? :-)

Maybe I'll build a RS-232 cable for the short term so I can test the machine
with a known good console terminal.

> I don't know what test gear you have

Sadly, all I have is one digital multimeter. It's an eBay cheapo special --
not the bottom of the barrel, but darn close to it. Oh, I also have a
Heathkit digital IC tester model IT-7400 that I swiped from a professor's
trash pile back in my college days (i.e. 4 months ago). It works.

I want to get an oscilloscope soon. I've got other things I need to spend my
salary on at the moment, but that might not be too much of a hindrance. My
current plan is to put a relatively large portion of my collection (which
isn't that large) up for trade and hope for a suitable scope in return. Or
maybe I'll sell some of it on eBay and use those proceeds to buy a scope on
eBay. About the best thing I have is a MINC-11 (when it rains it pours,
eh?), but there are also various PDP-11 parts, two HP-85s, a couple of
TRS-80s (M3 and M4), some IBM 5150 PCs, an AT&T 3B2/EXP, a bunch of Sun3s,
and some other stuff I can't remember. Sometime soon I'll make a more
detailed inventory, take pictures, and formally announce it. I figure all of
that stuff combined should (at least) net me one good scope or logic
analyzer.

--
Jeffrey Sharp

--__--__--

Message: 48
From: "Robert F. Schaefer" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Subject: DECserver 200 hack...
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 21:45:03 -0500
Reply-To: [email-masked]

Found this a few minutes ago.  Kinda neat...

 http://www.vaxman.de/projects/midi/midi200.html

Bob

--__--__--

Message: 49
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: Collecting silicon wafers
From: Frank McConnell <[email-masked]>
Date: 09 Mar 2003 19:17:58 -0800
Reply-To: [email-masked]

"John Allain" <[email-masked]> wrote:
> Silicon Valley is the obvious choice for an outlet of these.
> Anyone who is a regular customer of "The Foothill" should
> speak up on list.  I patronized them, a long time back, for
> just over two years... got some wafers, and, some large
> chunks of the raw Silicon ingots too.

Yes, I saw some wafers there yesterday.  Y'all should have spoken
up sooner and I might have tried to pick some up for you.

Seriously, educate me/us.  What's interesting, what would need to be
done to care for it through shipping, and what's it worth to you (and
I appreciate that the answer to this may not be financial in nature,
and it need not be so on my side either!)?

More seriously, inexpensive items (say US$1 and under) that don't
require a lot of effort on my part can pass easily from my hands to
someone else's, and I'm happy to help, especially if it'll help get an
interesting story out there to for other folks to enjoy and learn
from.  As the cost in money, time, and effort goes up, either my
interest wanes or I start wanting some return.

-Frank McConnell

--__--__--

Message: 50
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 20:01:08 -0800 (PDT)
From: Brian Chase <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: Collecting silicon wafers
Reply-To: [email-masked]

On Sun, 9 Mar 2003, Steve Jones wrote:
> Dave Wilson writes:

> > My interest is in collecting whole, undiced silicon wafers. These
> > are much more accessible for research and the interest does not
> > conflict with those of other people.
>
> [...]
>
> I haven't run across anyone systematically collecting wafers. The
> main question I'd have is, where's the supply? If there's not a
> large supply of available wafers, how many collectors can there be?
>
> Having opened my mouth and said that, someone will probably tell
> me that fab-rich places in Arizona, California, Oregon, and Texas
> are using them as wall decorations or something...

The San Jose Tech Museum's gift shop has them for sale at prices that
won't break you too badly.  IIRC, it was somewhere in the $10-$30 range,
depending on their sizes.  It looks like they're available for sale
online: <http://store.thetech.org/slicofsilval.html>

Of course, you can't get to pick and choose them like you would if you
were actually there.  When I last visited, they had a variety of wafers
available.

-brian.

--__--__--

Message: 51
From: "Keys" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Collecting silicon wafers
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 22:26:23 -0600
Reply-To: [email-masked]

Keep checking eBay for them as I picked up several there for good prices.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian Chase" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2003 10:01 PM
Subject: Re: Collecting silicon wafers

> On Sun, 9 Mar 2003, Steve Jones wrote:
> > Dave Wilson writes:
>
> > > My interest is in collecting whole, undiced silicon wafers. These
> > > are much more accessible for research and the interest does not
> > > conflict with those of other people.
> >
> > [...]
> >
> > I haven't run across anyone systematically collecting wafers. The
> > main question I'd have is, where's the supply? If there's not a
> > large supply of available wafers, how many collectors can there be?
> >
> > Having opened my mouth and said that, someone will probably tell
> > me that fab-rich places in Arizona, California, Oregon, and Texas
> > are using them as wall decorations or something...
>
> The San Jose Tech Museum's gift shop has them for sale at prices that
> won't break you too badly.  IIRC, it was somewhere in the $10-$30 range,
> depending on their sizes.  It looks like they're available for sale
> online: <http://store.thetech.org/slicofsilval.html>
>
> Of course, you can't get to pick and choose them like you would if you
> were actually there.  When I last visited, they had a variety of wafers
> available.
>
> -brian.

--__--__--

Message: 52
From: "Glen S" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: HP 2100A hardware reference docs?
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 21:22:18 -0800
Reply-To: [email-masked]

Cool.  Thanks a lot.  I just downloaded these and that should be a big help
in checking out the 2100A and hopefully getting it running.

> > I looked around at http://www.spies.com/~aek/pdf/hp/ and found most of
>the
> > hardware docs I would want for my 2113E and 2117F, but didn't really see
>any
> > hardware reference docs for a 2100A CPU.
>
>The maint manuals are up now under hp/21xx

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