[cctalk] Re: Voyager 1 revived. [was: Z80 vs other microprocessors of the time. ]

When Voyager was out of contact and it was in the press, I was curious if any of the Voyager computer details were public. I have not found much detailed information online. I don't think it is a security concern, who has a big enough antenna. On Tue, Apr 23, 2024 at 4:27 PM Van Snyder via

[cctalk] Voyager spacecraft computer

Voyager 1 is in the news recently because of communications problems and possible solutions. Is there an online source for documentation on the Voyager systems, especially the computers and navigation systems? I have enjoyed reviewing the Apollo systems documentation on the Virtual AGS Home Page

[cctalk] Re: Current Loop Schematics

I built such a thing several years ago. (I would share the schematics, but eschema seems to have changed file formats.) I used a MAX232 for the RS232 side. There are lots of variations on that 5V supply RS232 converter that provide "real" RS232 levels. For the current loop side I referenced DEC

[cctalk] Re: How to reproduce the DEC cabinets' grey colour paint?

My attempt at the colors from several years ago. http://www.chdickman.com/pdp8/DECcolors/ CHM = Color Harmony Manual

Re: PCI floppy controller

On Thu, Apr 21, 2022 at 10:34 PM Chuck Guzis wrote: > On 4/21/22 18:01, Charles Dickman wrote: > > On Thu, Apr 21, 2022 at 8:02 PM Chuck Guzis via cctal > > I was at that point and looking at DP3T switches to have an external > > connection as well. DP3T switches are mess. > > You could also

Re: PCI floppy controller

On Thu, Apr 21, 2022 at 8:30 PM Mike Loewen via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > On Thu, 21 Apr 2022, Charles Dickman via cctalk wrote: > > I am trying to outfit a computer for the long haul that can run a bunch > of > > older software in virtual machines and

Re: PCI floppy controller

On Thu, Apr 21, 2022 at 8:02 PM Chuck Guzis via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > On 4/21/22 16:47, Charles Dickman via cctalk wrote: > > Were there ever any floppy controllers for the (parallel) PCI bus? I > > Googled a bunch and haven't found any. > > ext

PCI floppy controller

Were there ever any floppy controllers for the (parallel) PCI bus? I Googled a bunch and haven't found any. I am trying to outfit a computer for the long haul that can run a bunch of older software in virtual machines and do things like duplicate floppies in different formats. The motherboard I

Re: TRS-80 Question

On Tue, Apr 12, 2022 at 3:46 PM Fred Cisin via cctech wrote: > >> There's a 2K hole in the Model I memory map above the ROM > On Tue, 12 Apr 2022, Yeechang Lee via cctech wrote: > > Is this the hole that causes stock Model I to not run CP/M? > > NO. > The problem with CP/M on TRS80 is that CP/M

Re: DEC RX01 Parts

On Fri, Jan 7, 2022 at 7:41 PM Mike Katz via cctalk wrote: > > I don't know if the circuit boards are compatible with the RX8E > Controller. The Read/Write Control Board is labeled 243A and the Floppy > Disk Control Board is labeled 245A. > What I know about the RX01/RX02 is only from poring

Re: 3phase power for VAXen [was Re: VAX 780 on eBay]

On Tue, Jan 4, 2022 at 5:17 PM Rich Alderson via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > > We did not have a 3phase outlet on the second floor of the building where > the > collection was housed, and there was no room for the first VAX in the small > computer room on the third floor, so Ian and

Re: 3-phase power

On Tue, Jan 4, 2022 at 12:00 PM Adrian Stoness via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > you can use a vfd drives to get 3phase power from single u just gotta size > them bigger then the load u would normally need > > Yes, in principle this is true. In the simplest case, the VFD input is just

SCSI2SD project origination Re: SCSI2SD in a DEC 3000/300 - T-ERR-SCSI A

Where is the original project for SCSI2SD? A quick google and I find a bunch of suppliers, but where is the base project from. -chuck

Re: RQDX3 firmware sources

On Sat, Aug 28, 2021 at 8:01 AM emanuel stiebler via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > On 2021-08-26 20:22, Charles Dickman via cctalk wrote: > > Has anyone tried to compile the sources? succeeded? > > Where did you find the sources? > http://bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/qbus/rqdxx/rqdx3_src.zip

OMNIBUS board handle spacers

I just printed some board handles for a 32k OMNIBUS board (thanks Vince Slyngstad, et al.) I now notice that all the OMNIBUS boards have an extra 0.1in spacer between the board and the handle. UNIBUS and QBus boards and logic flip chips don't have the spacer. Anyone else notice this and

Re: RQDX3 firmware sources

On Thu, Aug 26, 2021 at 10:49 PM Doc Shipley via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > On 8/26/21 19:22, Charles Dickman via cctalk wrote: > > > I'm not even going to try, but I think the actual low-level formatter > code > > is missing. Was curious if anyone else

RQDX3 firmware sources

Has anyone tried to compile the sources? succeeded? I'm not even going to try, but I think the actual low-level formatter code is missing. Was curious if anyone else noticed that too. -chuck

Re: Multiprocessor Qbus PDP-11

On Fri, Aug 20, 2021 at 7:55 AM Paul Koning wrote: > > > > On Aug 19, 2021, at 7:39 PM, Charles Dickman via cctalk < > cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > > > > There are indications in the KDJ11-B processor spec on bitsavers that the > > M8190 could be

Multiprocessor Qbus PDP-11

There are indications in the KDJ11-B processor spec on bitsavers that the M8190 could be used in a multiprocessor configuration. For example, bit 10 of the Maintenance Register (17 777 750) is labeled "Multiprocessor Slave" and indicates that the bus arbitrator is disabled. There is also section

Re: DEC PDP-8/e Omnibus backplane lubrication

On Tue, May 11, 2021 at 1:12 PM Al Kossow via cctalk wrote: > > > I would suggest Caig > > I would suggest researching and understanding what their snake oil does > before > using any Caig product. > > Do not underestimate the lure of a good snake oil. I long for the smell of my ASR33. That

Re: Hard To Believe This Person Is Serious

At least it is a physical item and not a two pixel tiff called "black and white", offered as an NFT for £1M. On Thu, Mar 25, 2021 at 1:45 PM Rob Jarratt via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313467585213 > > > >

OS-9/68k Control Coprocessor module

I came across an Allen-Bradley 1771-DMC4 Control Coprocessor. If you are familiar with AB PLC's, it is a 1771-IO chassis module that could be a "sidecar" for a PLC5 PLC or a standalone module. It runs some version of OS-9/68k on a 68340 processor. It has 4MB static ram and a 10MB ethernet AUI

RALGOL - A PDP8 ALGOL 60

I played around with this algol 60 compiler for the PDP8 and succeeded in getting it to run. I have not found any other notes, so I thought that I would give a leg up to the next one that wants to work on it. -chuck This ALGOL 60 implementation for the PDP8 was written by Roger H.

Re: OT: the end of Dyn DNS

On Thu, Jun 27, 2019 at 1:55 AM Ali via cctalk wrote: > > > Now that Dyn has been absorbed by Oracle I need a new DNS service > > > for my vanity domain. I welcome suggestions for a replacement > > provider. > > What is the exact issue here? As I understand it DynDNS is still being > offered as

OT: the end of Dyn DNS

Now that Dyn has been absorbed by Oracle I need a new DNS service for my vanity domain. I welcome suggestions for a replacement provider. -chuck

OS8 filesystem tools

Besides PUTR are there any tools for reading and writing to pdp8 OS8 device images? Something with source for Linux maybe?

Re: How were 32-bit minis built in the 70s/80?

On Sat, May 11, 2019 at 8:50 PM Steve Malikoff via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > I could be remembering incorrectly but I think the Gould PN6080 mini we > had exclusively for third year > comp sci at Macquarie Uni in the mid/late 80s was 32-bit made up of > AMD2900 family logic (2901

Re: AW: 50Hz Pulley for 8" Floppy Drive Mitshubishi M2894-63B

On Sat, Nov 10, 2018 at 3:27 PM Chuck Guzis via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > One could also take Tony's approach and simply cobble up a > crystal-controlled 60Hz source for the motor. Shouldn't be too > difficult--I suspect that the motor doesn't draw more than about 30W. > If you

Re: PDP-8 signed overflow detection

On Mon, Mar 25, 2019 at 1:26 AM Kyle Owen via cctalk wrote: > > All this to fix a ~45 year old bug in Spacewar! where a ship's velocity > overflows, causing the ship to "bounce" off of nothing. > > I would have figured it was bouncing off a chunk of dark matter. Cool stuff! PDP-8 programming

Re: Matching paint on DEC monitors, cases and cabinets

On Fri, Mar 22, 2019 at 8:26 AM Brian Roth via cctalk wrote: > Has anyone ever found a source for aerosol spray cans that are a close > matchto the colors that DEC used on their cases and such? I remember seeing > touch up colors mentioned in the past. Specifically the ivory/almond > colorof

SCSI2SD: Is it worth a try?

What is the experience with the SCSI2SD with old computers? It looks to be SCSI-1 and SCSI-2 compatible and I see a lot of reports of usage on this list. I am curious about how well it works and which version to get. Versions up to 5 seem to be GPLed and reasonably available. V6 does not seem to

Re: 2.11 BSD on an 11/93 with an CMD SCSI Module

Bill, Here's the patched boot loader that you need. http://www.chdickman.com/pdp11/rauboot.s The rest is an exercise for the student. :-) Its about the journey, not the destination, otherwise we would be somewhere else. I have to say that it took a lot of patience to get 2.11BSD running on my

WTB Allen-Bradley PLC-2/30, etc

I am interested in old programmable controllers. I would like to put together a Allen-Bradley PLC-2/30 controller with at least one 1771 IO Chassis and some IO modules. ebay has some thing for a price, but if anyone has this type of hardware I would be interested.

pdp-11 ethernet boot

The boot ROMs for uPDP-11 contain loaders for XH (ethernet) was there any kind of standard for the server? It tries to load from a MOP DL server and I have modified mopd from NetBSD to respond and load 2.11bsd a.out. So I have a solution, but was curious if there was some DEC standard.

NEC Multisync monitor manual

I am looking for a manual for the original NEC Multisync monitor. Google fails me because of all the follow on monitors had Multisync in the name. -chuck

IBM Model M keyboard for 3192

I got a box of miscellaneous model M keyboards last week. One of them has 122 keys and the connector is the size of a PC/AT type circular DIN connector, but the 5 pins are spread over 240deg instead of the AT's 180deg. The part no. is 1390702 and a little research found it is from an IBM 3192

HP scope mailing list

Is there an HP scope and instrument mailing list? I have an HP 181A storage scope that I would like to get working again. -chuck

Re: PDP-11/84 Qbus slots for memory

On Sun, Jul 22, 2018 at 8:47 AM, Mark Matlock via cctech wrote: >Now my question is, there are 3 Bus slots in the 11/84 above the Unibus > map board, would it be possible > to put a dual width Q22 I/O board in the second memory slot (not the PMI side > of the slot) and have it > able to DMA

Re: how good is the data reliability with CD ROM and DVD RAM?

Below is a sampling of disks recorded between 2001 and 2009. It is likely that the disks of the same type were from the same package because I don't use many disks. They were stored without much care, but in a spaces tolerable to humans for reasonable periods. Imation CD-Rrecorded

CoCo OS/9 was: TRS-80 floppy

So what does it take to get OS/9 running on a Radio Shack Color Computer? I have a Color Computer 2 (? 64k and non-chicklet keyboard) and have always wanted to get it working with a disk OS. What do I need? I see a reproduction floppy disk controller on ebay. I would rather skip that and go

FPGA implementations of DEC processors

There are enough pdp8 fpga that they have started to calll themselves YAPDP8FPGA. So what are the really good FPGA DEC processors? -chuck

Re: PDP8/e programmers consoles

On Tue, Mar 20, 2018 at 11:27 AM, Doug Ingraham via cctalk <cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > On Mon, Mar 19, 2018 at 8:02 PM, Charles Dickman via cctalk < > cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > >> On Fri, Mar 16, 2018 at 9:59 PM, allison via cctalk >> <cctalk@classi

Re: PDP8/e programmers consoles

On Fri, Mar 16, 2018 at 10:31 PM, Kyle Owen via cctalk wrote: > The bulbs are still available on Mouser. I've ordered a bunch for my 8/e > and have been very happy with them. > > http://so-much-stuff.com/pdp8/repair/bulbs.php > I assume you mean the CM7371 not quite but

Re: PDP8/e programmers consoles

On Fri, Mar 16, 2018 at 9:59 PM, allison via cctalk <cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > On 03/16/2018 08:28 PM, Charles Dickman via cctalk wrote: >> So the PDP8/e used the KC8-EA programmers console which has >> incandescent indicator lamps and the PDP8/f used the KC8-FL >>

Re: PDP8/e programmers consoles

On Fri, Mar 16, 2018 at 9:59 PM, allison via cctalk wrote: >> Has anyone ever seen a PDP8/i style console for the PDP8/e? Looking at >> the way the PDP8/e console functions, it should be possible to time >> multiplex all the register to the data bus so they are all visible

Re: DEC bus edge connectors

On Fri, Mar 16, 2018 at 8:59 PM, Noel Chiappa via cctalk wrote: > Have you looked through Douglas Electronics' offerings? They have a lot of > DEC-backplane compatible boards that might be what you want, e.g.: > > http://www.douglas.com/index.php/18-de-77.html > > this

DEC bus edge connectors

Does anyone have DEC bus edge connectors they are willing to sell? I would like to do some OMNIBUS interface prototyping and I need a way to connect to the bus back-plane. In my mis-guided youth I resorted so sawing them off perfectly good boards. I would rather not do that again. If anyone has

PDP8/e programmers consoles

So the PDP8/e used the KC8-EA programmers console which has incandescent indicator lamps and the PDP8/f used the KC8-FL programmers console which has LED indicator lamps. Why? The maintenance manual says that LEDs are more reliable. The operation is as far as I know the same. The LED version

Re: PDP11 I/O page memory map

On Thu, Mar 1, 2018 at 9:04 AM, Paul Koning via cctalk wrote: > That's true when the MMU is disabled; if so it supplies 1 bits for the upper > bits for page 7, > and zeroes for the other pages. But if the MMU is enabled, all mapping goes > through its mapping >

WTB: M8360 Omnibus Data Break Interface

Does anyone have a M8360 they are willing to part with? Let me know offline. -chuck

Re: Vaxstation 4000 m60 and NetBSD

On Sun, Dec 17, 2017 at 7:09 AM, Marco Rauhut via cctalk wrote: > Thanks for your quick answer! > > Hardware support say no support for LCG Graphics :-( > > Marco There are a few people willing to work on graphics for old vaxstations, but there is no documentation. If

PDP8 ALGOL

I have been looking at the available software for the PDP8, particularly languages. I see there was an ALGOL. The source is archived on Bitsavers and dbit. There is some information here: http://www.softwarepreservation.org/projects/ALGOL/algol60impl/ Has anyone played with this before? Is there

Powering Sun 3/60 without a chassis was Re: Sun 3/50 processor board and unknown processor

On Tue, Nov 21, 2017 at 1:51 AM, Mattis Lind wrote: > I think this is a 3/60 processor. Not 3/50. I said 3/50 because that is what the silkscreen says. I found some picture online and the 3/50 was a different layout. It sure looks like a 3/60 Looking at some online

Sun 3/50 processor board and unknown processor

I was given two boards that were "spares for a PDP-11/40." The business that I got my PDP-11/40 from was cleaning out storage and found these two boards and gave them to me. It looks like board 2 is for a Sun 3/50 workstation. Board 1 is some kind of micro-programmed processor based on AM29331

DEC manual typeface

For those interested in all things DEC, I found a typeface that is very close to the typeface used in the old 60's and very early 70's manuals. Google for "Function Pro Book font". The only difference I saw was in the upper case I. Sometimes DEC used an I that had serifs and sometimes they

Re: Strange grounding problem

On Wed, Sep 27, 2017 at 8:23 PM, Adrian Graham via cctalk wrote: > Schematic for the circuits is here - > http://www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk/newbrainPowerupCircuits.png > - top circuit > is PWRUP and the

Re: 40pin Berg connectors, the DEC alphabet, and pin numbering

and of course there's a typo. Is pin A == pin 1 or pin 40 ? On Mon, Sep 18, 2017 at 8:28 PM, Charles Dickman wrote: > Is pin AA == pin 1 or pin 40 ? > > When using modern replacement connectors with keys and marked pin 1, > the translation seems to be pin AA == pin 40. > >

40pin Berg connectors, the DEC alphabet, and pin numbering

Is pin AA == pin 1 or pin 40 ? When using modern replacement connectors with keys and marked pin 1, the translation seems to be pin AA == pin 40. Did DEC have an accepted mapping between the alphabet and numbers? -chuck

Re: RIP Jerry Pournelle - Firsts

On Mon, Sep 11, 2017 at 1:15 PM, Shoppa, Tim via cctalk wrote: > He seems to have been the first to mention ARPANET in a popular hobbyist-type > context like BYTE. (Leading him to get kicked off ARPANET!) Yes I remember reading something like that too. I would like to

QDSS qbus VCB02 8-plane video

I found that I have a board set for a VCB02. My research says it will work in either Q CD or Q Q slots of a qbus backplane. True? I have no cabinet kit. Is it documented anywhere? The closest I could find are some hand written notes in the VCB02_PrelimHwRef.pdf on bitsavers. Chuck

Re: WTB: RX02 Floppy Disks

On Tue, Aug 1, 2017 at 4:53 AM, Ulrich Tagge via cctalk wrote: > I'm interested on RX02 Disks, and would be happy to get some of them, to > create RT11 installation and diagnostic disks. > I know there are RX01/02 emulators available, but I would like to use the > original

Re: Whole IBM System/34 available in unknown condition

On Tue, Jul 25, 2017 at 7:53 PM, Ian S. King via cctalk wrote: > "The scrapper wants $800"? I thought the point of going to scrap was that > the scrapper makes money on the metals, and pays you for that privilege. > Have the tables really turned so dramatically?-- Ian

Re: Hershey Fonts now 50 years old

On Thu, May 11, 2017 at 6:53 AM, Shoppa, Tim via cctalk wrote: > I grew up with X-Y scope displays, their associated electrostatic printers, > and Calcomp pen plotters. To draw letters and symbols on these, we used > Fortran libraries driven by data tables to make

Re: Vaxstation 3100 of odd sort on epay

On Tue, May 2, 2017 at 10:55 PM, Glen Slick via cctalk wrote: > A VT1300 is a VAXstation 3100 M30 KA42-A CPU in a BA42-A box but > without the SCSI interface and internal hard disk shelf mounting > hardware. It might also have different firmware than a standard VS3100 >

Re: Looking for PDP-8 G603 "Memory Selector Matrix" boards (or dec T-2052 transformers)

Do we know who made the transformers originally? I maintain some old industrial hardware designs that used pulse transformers from the mid-60's and I may still have catalogs and/or data sheets. -chuck On Thu, Apr 13, 2017 at 7:01 PM, Pete Lancashire via cctalk wrote: >

Silent 700 thermal paper

How long does it last? I have two Silent 700 terminals that have not been used since the mid-80's and a box of thermal paper. Is the thermal paper any good or should I get some more before I try to play with the terminals. Is paper that wide available new and not NOS? I bought some TTY paper and

C, STL, primitive languages that live on and on ... Re: Does anyone here know Siemens STL?

17 at 1:48 PM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk <cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > On 04/11/2017 07:03 PM, Charles Dickman via cctalk wrote: >> The Balkanized nature of programming is interesting. > You might find more fertile ground plowing the plctalk.net forum when > your questions re

Re: Does anyone here know Siemens STL?

On Tue, Apr 11, 2017 at 10:32 PM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote: > I don't think that you're being quite fair. There are boatloads of > specialized application programming languages--I rarely pay attention to > any of them, figuring that after your first dozen or so, it's

Re: Does anyone here know Siemens STL?

The Balkanized nature of programming is interesting. I make a comment about C and get a flurry of responses, but ask a question about a programming language that is also very common for machine control and get no response at all. Not even a recognition of its existence. Siemens STL ist a

Re: Does anyone here know Siemens STL?

Does anyone here even know what Siemens STL is? On Tue, Apr 11, 2017 at 9:00 PM, Charles Dickman wrote: >

Does anyone here know Siemens STL?

If C is so evil why is it so successful?

Re: DEC PDP-14 Programmable Controller simulator

On Tue, Apr 4, 2017 at 8:35 PM, Paul Koning <paulkon...@comcast.net> wrote: > >> On Apr 4, 2017, at 8:21 PM, Charles Dickman via cctalk >> <cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: >> >> ... >> In the course of research, I saw that there was an option to repl

DEC PDP-14 Programmable Controller simulator

I have written a PDP-14 simulator using the simh framework. Paired with a PDP-8 simulator as a front end it passes all the DEC diagnostics. A pointless effort, perhaps, because there isn't much that can be done with it without connecting it to something to control. In the course of research, I