Re: Harris VOS question
On 02/18/2017 08:15 PM, Fred Cisin wrote: > Does the Harris use a 24 bit word? Yes, it does, which is why I suspected it. But some real-world knowledge would help. --Chuck
DATARAM DR-118 docs?
Hi folks, Looking for documentation on the DATARAM DR-118 16Kx12 core memory for PDP-8/e. I have the documentation on the DR-118A which is for the PDP-8/a. It is probably similar, but would love to find the right version. Anyone have such thing? Thanks Eugene
Re: Harris VOS question
On Sat, 18 Feb 2017, Chuck Guzis wrote: I'm looking at what I suspect is a labeled Harris VOS (Vulcan) tape. Is it the case that the Harris minis are incapable of writing tape records that aren't a multiple of 3 bytes in length? The reason I ask is that the VOL HDR, etc. records all seem to be 81 bytes in length. All other records on the tape are also a multiple of 3 bytes long. Anyone remember anything like this? The Bitsavers documents are of no help as far as I can determine. Does the Harris use a 24 bit word?
Wanted: Amiga 1000 hard drive
Anyone have an Amiga 1000 hard drive that they want to sell?
Harris VOS question
I'm looking at what I suspect is a labeled Harris VOS (Vulcan) tape. Is it the case that the Harris minis are incapable of writing tape records that aren't a multiple of 3 bytes in length? The reason I ask is that the VOL HDR, etc. records all seem to be 81 bytes in length. All other records on the tape are also a multiple of 3 bytes long. Anyone remember anything like this? The Bitsavers documents are of no help as far as I can determine. --Chuck
Re: Reading PALs
On 2/18/2017 7:37 PM, Chuck Guzis wrote: If I'm the person (see my blog on vcfed.org), "reading" isn't exactly the right term. Yes, of course. I meant running through the combinations of the inputs on the PAL and obtaining the outputs for each set of inputs, then attempting to minimize the logic (for combinatorial). REgistered is a more complex kettle of fish. A schematic showing the part application can be a godsend. I am working on creating the schematic now, but it's a tedious process. Jim
Re: Reading PALs
On 02/18/2017 04:22 PM, Jim Brain wrote: > Seems like someone on list was willing and able to read PAL16L8s and > give a try to some PAL16R4s... Is that person still on list and > still interested? If so, please contact me off-list. > > I am trying to restore some C64 carts, and the PAL on my working unit > is protected, so I cannot replicate. If I'm the person (see my blog on vcfed.org), "reading" isn't exactly the right term. For purely combinatorial PALs, the technique is to determine the input and output assignments, then exhaustively run through all the combinations. Take that data and run it through a logic minimizer, such as Logic Friday and then use a bit of wetware to pick out tristate control lines and their corresponding outputs. Not foolproof by any means--and much less so, if the device is registered, but very often successful. A schematic showing the part application can be a godsend. --Chuck
Reading PALs
Seems like someone on list was willing and able to read PAL16L8s and give a try to some PAL16R4s... Is that person still on list and still interested? If so, please contact me off-list. I am trying to restore some C64 carts, and the PAL on my working unit is protected, so I cannot replicate. Jim -- Jim Brain br...@jbrain.com www.jbrain.com
Re: PDP-11/24 CPU later version
> From: Al Kossow > PDF-A Sorry, what's the issue with PDF/A? Since it's supposedly the 'archival' version, that's what I asked for; I wanted to maximize the lifetime of these things. What version of PDF should I be asking for? (I'm not doing the PDF'ing. The person who is is using Acrobat.) > which is the reason it's not on bitsavers Are any other of the things I've scanned that aren't up for the same reason? List here (first two sections): http://ana-3.lcs.mit.edu/~jnc/tech/pdp11/PDP-11_Stuff.html Please let me know, and I'll get them re-PDF'd into an acceptable form. Noel
Re: PDF PDF Which is right and which is ... Was Re: PDP-11/24 CPU later version
On 02/18/2017 11:24 AM, couryho...@aol.com wrote: > > Adobe claims " PDF/A – the ISO standard for long-term archiving" > > -I am confused about all the versions etc.. > -which are good which are bad? > -are there good programs for opening hesitant to open pdf file? > - what is a goodfreeware PDF generator? / modifier? > - are older versions of the reader better than the newer ones? > -my HP scanner software makes PDF files eiher as graphics or as graphics > with OCR > -is my HP scanner making "good" pdf files that can be read into the > future? > > Sorry if I seem confused on this... but I am! When scanning documents and converting to PDF, I've found that ghostscript works fine (under Linux). There's also a separate tiff to pdf converter available as a package. Some people use ImageMagick There are also a number of free online conversion websites; I've used a couple and they seem to be pretty decent. --Chuck
PDF PDF Which is right and which is ... Was Re: PDP-11/24 CPU later version
Adobe claims " PDF/A the ISO standard for long-term archiving" -I am confused about all the versions etc.. -which are good which are bad? -are there good programs for opening hesitant to open pdf file? - what is a goodfreeware PDF generator? / modifier? - are older versions of the reader better than the newer ones? -my HP scanner software makes PDF files eiher as graphics or as graphics with OCR -is my HP scanner making "good" pdf files that can be read into the future? Sorry if I seem confused on this... but I am! thanks for any help Ed# _www.smecc.org_ (http://www.smecc.org) In a message dated 2/18/2017 11:24:14 A.M. US Mountain Standard Time, boba...@sbcglobal.net writes: On 2/18/2017 10:04 AM, Paul Birkel wrote: >> -Original Message- >> From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Al Kossow >> Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2017 12:50 PM >> To: cctalk@classiccmp.org >> Subject: Re: PDP-11/24 CPU later version >> >> PDF-A >> >> which is the reason it's not on bitsavers > Thank you Al. It's not just me then who has heartburn with that format ... > > > > I removed the /A format and put the copy up here: http://dvq.com/docs/EK-11024-TM-003.pdf Bob -- Vintage computers and electronics www.dvq.com www.tekmuseum.com www.decmuseum.org
Re: PDP-11/24 CPU later version
On 2/18/2017 10:29 AM, Paul Birkel wrote: -Original Message- From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Bob Rosenbloom Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2017 1:24 PM To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts Subject: Re: PDP-11/24 CPU later version On 2/18/2017 10:04 AM, Paul Birkel wrote: -Original Message- From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Al Kossow Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2017 12:50 PM To: cctalk@classiccmp.org Subject: Re: PDP-11/24 CPU later version PDF-A which is the reason it's not on bitsavers Thank you Al. It's not just me then who has heartburn with that format .. I removed the /A format and put the copy up here: http://dvq.com/docs/EK-11024-TM-003.pdf Bob - Thanks! What tool did you use to do that? paul Adobe Acrobat 9. Its buried down a few menus, and not obvious. Menus: Advanced then Preflight (at the bottom on mine) then PDF/A compliance then Remove PDF/A information Supposedly easier in Acrobat 10. Bob -- Vintage computers and electronics www.dvq.com www.tekmuseum.com www.decmuseum.org
RE: PDP-11/24 CPU later version
-Original Message- From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Bob Rosenbloom Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2017 1:24 PM To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts Subject: Re: PDP-11/24 CPU later version On 2/18/2017 10:04 AM, Paul Birkel wrote: >> -Original Message- >> From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Al Kossow >> Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2017 12:50 PM >> To: cctalk@classiccmp.org >> Subject: Re: PDP-11/24 CPU later version >> >> PDF-A >> >> which is the reason it's not on bitsavers > Thank you Al. It's not just me then who has heartburn with that format ... > > I removed the /A format and put the copy up here: http://dvq.com/docs/EK-11024-TM-003.pdf Bob - Thanks! What tool did you use to do that? paul
Re: PDP-11/24 CPU later version
On 2/18/2017 10:04 AM, Paul Birkel wrote: -Original Message- From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Al Kossow Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2017 12:50 PM To: cctalk@classiccmp.org Subject: Re: PDP-11/24 CPU later version PDF-A which is the reason it's not on bitsavers Thank you Al. It's not just me then who has heartburn with that format ... I removed the /A format and put the copy up here: http://dvq.com/docs/EK-11024-TM-003.pdf Bob -- Vintage computers and electronics www.dvq.com www.tekmuseum.com www.decmuseum.org
RE: PDP-11/24 CPU later version
>-Original Message- >From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Al Kossow >Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2017 12:50 PM >To: cctalk@classiccmp.org >Subject: Re: PDP-11/24 CPU later version > >PDF-A > >which is the reason it's not on bitsavers Thank you Al. It's not just me then who has heartburn with that format ...
Re: PDP-11/24 CPU later version
PDF-A which is the reason it's not on bitsavers On 2/18/17 9:48 AM, Toby Thain wrote: > On 2017-02-18 12:44 PM, Paul Birkel wrote: >> Thanks for scanning this! No sign that Al has done-his-bit :-<. >> In the meantime is it possible to get an unlocked copy that I can OCR so >> that it's searchable? > > Unlocked?!?!?!?! >
Re: PDP-11/24 CPU later version
On 2017-02-18 12:44 PM, Paul Birkel wrote: Thanks for scanning this! No sign that Al has done-his-bit :-<. In the meantime is it possible to get an unlocked copy that I can OCR so that it's searchable? Unlocked?!?!?!?! Sounds like yet another reason to publish multipage TIFF instead of or in addition to PDF. --Toby Should I infer that you purchased that $399 load of DEC modules? I debated, what with the J11 processor, but no FP-coprocessor and no documentation. -Original Message- From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Noel Chiappa Sent: Tuesday, February 07, 2017 5:42 PM To: cctalk@classiccmp.org Cc: j...@mercury.lcs.mit.edu Subject: PDP-11/24 CPU later version So I was recently provided (thanks!) with a copy of the later rev of the PDP-11/24 Tech Manual (EK-11024-TM-003), which I have had scanned for a while now (waiting for a quite period on the list ;-), and is now available for upload here: http://ana-3.lcs.mit.edu/~jnc/tech/pdp11/EK-11024-TM-003.pdf (Bitsavers et al, please pick this up and distribute.) So it has an Appendix D, which described the -YA later rev of the CPU card (in which a bunch of gates were replaced with a couple of custom gate arrays. Does anyone have one of these? I'd love to get a photo of one, if so. Thanks! Noel
RE: PDP-11/24 CPU later version
Thanks for scanning this! No sign that Al has done-his-bit :-<. In the meantime is it possible to get an unlocked copy that I can OCR so that it's searchable? Should I infer that you purchased that $399 load of DEC modules? I debated, what with the J11 processor, but no FP-coprocessor and no documentation. -Original Message- From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Noel Chiappa Sent: Tuesday, February 07, 2017 5:42 PM To: cctalk@classiccmp.org Cc: j...@mercury.lcs.mit.edu Subject: PDP-11/24 CPU later version So I was recently provided (thanks!) with a copy of the later rev of the PDP-11/24 Tech Manual (EK-11024-TM-003), which I have had scanned for a while now (waiting for a quite period on the list ;-), and is now available for upload here: http://ana-3.lcs.mit.edu/~jnc/tech/pdp11/EK-11024-TM-003.pdf (Bitsavers et al, please pick this up and distribute.) So it has an Appendix D, which described the -YA later rev of the CPU card (in which a bunch of gates were replaced with a couple of custom gate arrays. Does anyone have one of these? I'd love to get a photo of one, if so. Thanks! Noel
Box of old books
Wow from 2013 > I've put together a small box of old TTL books, computer references > of all sorts that I simply do not want anymore. If someone really > wants to collect old databooks instead of me sending this stuff out > to pulp let me know. It would be easiest if someone local to me here > in Ottawa could deal with it. I had a nibble from a local but somehow we never got the move arranged and it has grown to two smallish boxes now. I'll throw in DEC books and maybe a few other goodies. Toronto/Montreal is a possibility too if you can arrange a pickup. Diane -- - d...@freebsd.org d...@db.net http://www.db.net/~db
Re: How I came to vintage computers
Fun read. I'd write my own story but it is much less exiting. Maybe some day you'll tell us about kiel and the PDP-10. /P On Tue, Feb 14, 2017 at 11:28:41PM +0100, Philipp Hachtmann wrote: > Hey folks, > > after my OmniUSB-thread has gone down the teleprinter way... I'll start a > new thread. > > Did you now how I came to vintage computers? How I became some kind of > computer engineer? Probably not. It's so easy. Listen. Long story ahead. > > In 1999 I started to study computer science. Java and algorithms and all > that clean stuff. > One day in autumn 2000 I had that idea: I need a Fernschreiber > (=teleprinter)! I had nothing to do with that stuff. And I did no know how > it worked. I even did not remember having seen one. It was just that word > in my head. > So I bought my first Siemens T100 (still here in the house, two floors > below me). It was a machine with strange connectors which made awful noise > when connected to power. > So I went to the library and found a good book from 1934. That told me how > the teleprinter works. > I then somehow soldered a simple interface to connect that beast to the > parallel (!!!) port of my Linux server (the first hachti.de server was a > mainboard and a harddisk in the corner of my student home where we had > 10mbit LAN acess and fixed IP. I even did a DNS reverse mapping > philipp.vorstrasse.uni-bremen.de for my IP). > At that time all about programming I knew was Turbo Pascal, some Z80 > machine language (not assembly language, I programmed that beast in hex) > and a bit Java. I didn't even know much about Linux. The server back then > had been setup by someone else who was in need of a server. So he used it > as well. > I used the parallel port because I had an idea how to control the pins. I > knew that there was something ugly called serial port but I had not yet > made the connection that this was EXACTLY what I would have needed. > > To program that thing I needed some software. So I went to the bookstore at > noon. Will never forget that. Bought the O'Reilly Linux Kernel drivers book > (the one with the horse) and started to write my first C program ever. It > was a kernel module. The Kernel must have been Linux 2.2. It was > frustrating. But after a decent 30 hour nonstop session and hundreds of > reboots (haha, of my web and mail server which was also running X from time > to time) I really had some bitbang code which made the teleprinter say what > I wanted it to say. > I soon realised that with a multitasking OS like Linux I had the choice of > outputting correct data using busy wait in Kernel or outputting a mess when > the system gets under load. So I learned THAT lesson. > I decided that I needed something else. Because I had heard of other people > working with something called PIC Microcontroller, I bought one and a > programmer. And a breadboard. That evil 16f84 was sitting there on my desk, > naked, and did - nothing. > Getting the PIC up and running was pure horror. The hardest architecture > I've ever mastered. Since then I know: PIC is a load of complete shit! In > the end I failed to create a RS232 (had learned that in the meantime) to > teleprinter converter but had the idea to hook up two teleprinters using > modems. TelexPhone was born. The project (telexphone.net) was eventually > kind of stolen a few years later and continued to something still in > existence called i-telex over internet. That was never what I wanted > because the V21 modems (hard to find!!) are bit transparent. That means > that the teleprinters on both sides of the wire run as synchronous as with > a real wire between them. Very cool. The TelexPhone used a 16f876 with a > approx 2k cooperative multitasking system written entirely in assembly. It > was somehow modular. I managed to hook in modules with private main loop > and init parts by writing an impressive linker script which automated that. > Hey, I was 21 and did all that on my own! Please do NOT laugh! > > In the meantime someone somewhere invented something called eBay. And > because It's always good to have several different devices of the same type > and even better to have several examples of each those different devices, I > had an eBay search for "Lochstreifen" which means punched paper tape. Paper > tape for teleprinter, of course. > > One day I found an offer "Honeywell H316 minicomputer" which sounded > interesting. With paper tape. And no pictures. In Switzerland. A quick > search (probably already google? I used altavista.digital.com before) told > me that this could be an interesting toy. So I bought it for the incredible > amount of SFr 450. > Borrowed a car and went there. What I found was some messy stuff somewhere > on an uninsulated attic in Switzerland. Very dirty. I nearly turned down > the deal because it all looked so crappy. The seller admitted that he had > kept the stuff in that open attic since beginning of the 1980s. > I took it home. Had to drive TWICE from Bremen to
