Re: RS/6000 values

[Cameron Kaiser via cctalk]

>I don't usually see much discussion on old IBM boxes, but I was looking
> for a reasonably-powerful RS/6000 that can run AIX 4.1

If you're not desperate for 3.2.5, you could also consider an Apple Network
Server, which can run their own version of 4.1.4 and 4.1.5. Those pop up now
and then as well.

-- 
 personal: http://www.cameronkaiser.com/ --
  Cameron Kaiser * Floodgap Systems * www.floodgap.com * ckai...@floodgap.com
-- Eggheads unite! You have nothing to lose but your yolks. -- Adlai Stevenson

Re: RS/6000 values

[Zane Healy via cctalk]

They’re a nice box, I had one on my desk at work about 20 years ago.  My guess 
is it’s someone hoping to find some business that *NEEDS* one and is willing to 
pay an insane amount of money.

Zane



> On Nov 4, 2018, at 8:35 PM, Benjamin Huntsman via cctalk 
>  wrote:
> 
> Hi there!
> 
>   I don't usually see much discussion on old IBM boxes, but I was looking for 
> a reasonably-powerful RS/6000 that can run AIX 4.1 and maybe 3.2.5, can 
> accommodate some decent disks, and isn't 200lbs.  The 7012-390 looks perfect, 
> but I found this one on eBay: 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-7012-390-POWER2-512MB-Memory-1GB-SCSI-2-Disk-Drive-CD-Base-Features-RS6000/272362237797?epid=1604049867=item3f6a0def65:g:aJQAAOSwHnFVmutE:rk:1:pf:1
> 
> 
>   Are 7012-390's really worth $3,000?  Anyone out there have one they'd like 
> to unload for less than 3 grand? :P
> 
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> 
> -Ben
> 
> 
> 

RS/6000 values

[Benjamin Huntsman via cctalk]

Hi there!

   I don't usually see much discussion on old IBM boxes, but I was looking for 
a reasonably-powerful RS/6000 that can run AIX 4.1 and maybe 3.2.5, can 
accommodate some decent disks, and isn't 200lbs.  The 7012-390 looks perfect, 
but I found this one on eBay: 
https://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-7012-390-POWER2-512MB-Memory-1GB-SCSI-2-Disk-Drive-CD-Base-Features-RS6000/272362237797?epid=1604049867=item3f6a0def65:g:aJQAAOSwHnFVmutE:rk:1:pf:1


   Are 7012-390's really worth $3,000?  Anyone out there have one they'd like 
to unload for less than 3 grand? :P


Thanks!


-Ben

KC11 with KY-11C vs KA11 with KY11-A Re: A very sad PDP-8/S

[Steve Malikoff via cctalk]

Noel said
> I just had a look at my -11/20 (the two are basically the same machine; the
> /15 was intended for the OEM market, the /20 the end-user), and it has an
> intermediate between this, and the final incandescent bulb form (as on the
> -11/45), where there were bulbs with plastic bases plugged into sockets.
>
> The -11/20 has the same bulbs, but apparently soldered directly into the
> panel; I looked at the prints (it's in the 'KY11-A Programmer's Console'
> stuff - I see Manx says the prints aren't online, I'll have to scan my set),
> and there are bulbs in the parts list, but no sockets.

The 11/15 I have appears to be a KC11 with KY-11C console board. I have the
complete print set for this 11/15, a while ago I was asked for a partial scan of
the KY-11C pages by another 11/15 owner as it differed sufficiently from the
11/20 print set and apparently the scan was just what was needed. I don't know 
if
that person is on cctalk though, if so please pipe up.

Since I have not found this anywhere (please correct me accordingly) I hope to 
get
to scan the 11/15 print set, on my little A4 scanner it's going to take rather a
lot of time.

Steve.

Re: How to work out unknown PSU replacement

[Kyle Owen via cctalk]

On Sun, Nov 4, 2018, 16:56 Mike Stein  wrote:

>
> Neat trick; surprised I'd never heard of it before in my decades of
> trouble-shooting. Then again, at my advanced age and senility I might just
> have forgotten... ;-)
>
> Thanks!
> >
>

Hah! Probably also best to discharge the caps before proceeding; I could
imagine some major damage resulting if voltages were still present! :)

Kyle

>

Re: How to work out unknown PSU replacement

[Mike Stein via cctalk]

- Original Message - 
From: "Kyle Owen via cctalk" 
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" 
Sent: Sunday, November 04, 2018 4:48 PM
Subject: Re: How to work out unknown PSU replacement


On Sun, Nov 4, 2018, 16:23 Mike Stein via cctalk 
wrote:

>
> - Original Message -
> From: "Adrian Graham via cctalk" 
> To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org>
> Sent: Saturday, November 03, 2018 4:59 AM
> Subject: Re: How to work out unknown PSU replacement
> ...
> > Today I’ll break out the ’tin foil covered sponge’ method of tracing any
> other points on the board that I might have missed last night.
> ---
> "Tin foil covered sponge" ???
>
--
> Connect one lead of the multimeter to some pin/net you want to trace. Then,
connect the other lead to a foil-covered sponge (or metallic brush) and
brush it over the PCB backside, stopping when you hear the continuity
alert. Not useful generally for big nets that connect everywhere, and not
very useful for SMT boards; good for through-hole stuff though.

Kyle

Neat trick; surprised I'd never heard of it before in my decades of 
trouble-shooting. Then again, at my advanced age and senility I might just have 
forgotten... ;-)

Thanks!
>

Re: Datasheet for a NEC Chip in DEC Professional 350

[Bill Degnan via cctalk]

There was a NEC CPU upgrade kit, one used to replace the stock CPU, is this
what you're talking about here?  If so, I believe there was a battery that
went with the chip.  If the battery is dead the chip would not work.  Or am
I totally remember this wrong?
b

On Sun, Nov 4, 2018 at 4:36 PM Ed C. via cctalk 
wrote:

> Just had a look to this manual:
>
> http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/pdp11/pro3xx/EK-PC350-TM-001_Professional_300_Series_Technical_Manual_Dec82.pdf
>
> 5.2.3.4 Power-Up Self-Tests, this section mentions the existence of rom
> containing basic power up tests. I assume you are not even getting there
> and your system fails to execute from this rom and report any errors on
> screen?
>
> In such case, A) is your cpu working? B) Is the rom code correct?
>
>
> On Sun, Nov 4, 2018 at 10:11 PM Rob Jarratt 
> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > > -Original Message-
> > > From: Eduardo Cruz [mailto:edcr...@gmail.com]
> > > Sent: 04 November 2018 13:47
> > > To: r...@jarratt.me.uk; Rob Jarratt ;
> > General
> > > Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts 
> > > Cc: Tony Duell 
> > > Subject: Re: Datasheet for a NEC Chip in DEC Professional 350
> > >
> > > A constant pulsing reset is usually a watchdog at play. Hardware
> > watchdogs
> > > are usually implemented in systems to reset everything should the
> system
> > > not meet one specific criteria: eg cpu touch one memory address before
> X
> > > amount of time, or pcb voltage lower than X volts, etc.
> > >
> > > Watchdogs are also usually found as software routines executed by the
> cpu
> > > also looking for specific conditions. These rarely issue a reset
> hardware
> > signal,
> > > just restar the program.
> > >
> >
> > It looks to me like the reset is every 10us. I don't know how long the
> > watchdog is likely to be, the technical manual I have doesn't seem to
> > mention it in the section on the reset logic. I am still trying to find
> the
> > source of the signal that seems to be in the "wrong" state.
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > Rob
> >
> >
>

Re: How to work out unknown PSU replacement

[Kyle Owen via cctalk]

On Sun, Nov 4, 2018, 16:23 Mike Stein via cctalk 
wrote:

>
> - Original Message -
> From: "Adrian Graham via cctalk" 
> To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org>
> Sent: Saturday, November 03, 2018 4:59 AM
> Subject: Re: How to work out unknown PSU replacement
> ...
> > Today I’ll break out the ’tin foil covered sponge’ method of tracing any
> other points on the board that I might have missed last night.
> ---
> "Tin foil covered sponge" ???
>

Connect one lead of the multimeter to some pin/net you want to trace. Then,
connect the other lead to a foil-covered sponge (or metallic brush) and
brush it over the PCB backside, stopping when you hear the continuity
alert. Not useful generally for big nets that connect everywhere, and not
very useful for SMT boards; good for through-hole stuff though.

Kyle

>

RE: Datasheet for a NEC Chip in DEC Professional 350

[Rob Jarratt via cctalk]

> -Original Message-
> From: Eduardo Cruz [mailto:edcr...@gmail.com]
> Sent: 04 November 2018 13:47
> To: r...@jarratt.me.uk; Rob Jarratt ; General
> Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts 
> Cc: Tony Duell 
> Subject: Re: Datasheet for a NEC Chip in DEC Professional 350
> 
> A constant pulsing reset is usually a watchdog at play. Hardware watchdogs
> are usually implemented in systems to reset everything should the system
> not meet one specific criteria: eg cpu touch one memory address before X
> amount of time, or pcb voltage lower than X volts, etc.
> 
> Watchdogs are also usually found as software routines executed by the cpu
> also looking for specific conditions. These rarely issue a reset hardware
signal,
> just restar the program.
> 

It looks to me like the reset is every 10us. I don't know how long the
watchdog is likely to be, the technical manual I have doesn't seem to
mention it in the section on the reset logic. I am still trying to find the
source of the signal that seems to be in the "wrong" state.

Regards

Rob

Re: How to work out unknown PSU replacement

[Mike Stein via cctalk]

- Original Message - 
From: "Adrian Graham via cctalk" 
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" 
Sent: Saturday, November 03, 2018 4:59 AM
Subject: Re: How to work out unknown PSU replacement
...
> Today I’ll break out the ’tin foil covered sponge’ method of tracing any 
> other points on the board that I might have missed last night.
---
"Tin foil covered sponge" ???

Re: ROLM 1601 (RuggedNova) 1970 Brochure

[William Donzelli via cctalk]

> I know there
> is the upcoming Nova event so I thought this would be good timing.

You missed it!

--
Will

Re: A very sad PDP-8/S

[Guy Dunphy via cctalk]

The writeup for this machine is here: 
http://everist.org/NobLog/20181104_PDP-8S.htm

For those who are interested.

Guy

Re: ROLM 1601 (RuggedNova) 1970 Brochure

[Bill Degnan via cctalk]

I may have more 1601 stuff, if I find I will scan and post.  I know there
is the upcoming Nova event so I thought this would be good timing.  I have
a lot of Nova docstoo, but I believe they're already posted on the WWW.
Bill

On Sun, Nov 4, 2018 at 2:28 PM erik--- via cctalk 
wrote:

>
> Hi Bill,
>
> many thanks for the efforts spent on scanning those fantastic
> brochures. I have some of the 1602s and a MSE14, but has any one
> out there seen a 1601 in real life? Was this really sold or was
> it still a paper-machine as it was replaced by the 1602?
>
> Any comment from contemporary witnesses is highly appreciated ;-)
>
>Thanks again to Bill,
>
>   Erik.
>
> e--- Bill Degnan via cctalk  wrote:
> > For those interested in Rolm / Data General Nova Minicomputers I have
> > scanned the hard-to-find Rolm Corp Rugged Nova 1601 brochure from 1970.
> I
> > also scanned what price and module docs I have and uploaded them all
> here:
> >
> > https://www.vintagecomputer.net/ROLM/1601/
> >
> > I don't believe this has been uploaded by anyone yet.
> >
> > Bill
>
>

Re: ROLM 1601 (RuggedNova) 1970 Brochure

[erik--- via cctalk]

Hi Bill,

many thanks for the efforts spent on scanning those fantastic 
brochures. I have some of the 1602s and a MSE14, but has any one
out there seen a 1601 in real life? Was this really sold or was 
it still a paper-machine as it was replaced by the 1602?

Any comment from contemporary witnesses is highly appreciated ;-)

   Thanks again to Bill,

  Erik.

e--- Bill Degnan via cctalk  wrote:
> For those interested in Rolm / Data General Nova Minicomputers I have
> scanned the hard-to-find Rolm Corp Rugged Nova 1601 brochure from 1970.  I
> also scanned what price and module docs I have and uploaded them all here:
> 
> https://www.vintagecomputer.net/ROLM/1601/
> 
> I don't believe this has been uploaded by anyone yet.
> 
> Bill

Re: UNIVAC 422 User Grouop Forming Please drop us a note offlist With SN of your unit and stats of operability and completeness and go withs.

[dwight via cctalk]

I was curious. It would seem that it would be easy enough to make an emulator 
or simulator for but the OCR is really bad.
There may be one out there. It would be a shame if yours was the last one.
Dwight


From: ED SHARPE 
Sent: Sunday, November 4, 2018 9:00 AM
To: dkel...@hotmail.com; cctalk@classiccmp.org
Subject: Re: UNIVAC 422 User Grouop Forming Please drop us a note offlist With 
SN of your unit and stats of operability and completeness and go withs.

there  are   2  manuals  one is the   art   versionthe other one  is a  
programmers  one  but  theocr is   horrible  towards  end.  I  think  there 
  are  one or  2  more things  around  here  too.

There  must  have been  some of  these units that  survived? aside  from ours?


Ed#



In a message dated 11/3/2018 9:17:22 PM US Mountain Standard Time, 
dkel...@hotmail.com writes:

These sound really cool but I suspect the number of people with a Univac 422 
are quite limited. Even those with Univac panel of any kind are quite limited.
I see the web page has a OCR of the text. A photo copy of the manual would be 
great as well.
Dwight


From: cctalk mailto:boun...@classiccmp.org>> on 
behalf of ED SHARPE via cctalk 
mailto:cctalk@classiccmp.org>>
Sent: Saturday, November 3, 2018 2:19 PM
To: cctalk@classiccmp.org; 
cct...@classiccmp.org; 
direc...@smecc.org; 
couryho...@aol.com
Subject: UNIVAC 422 User Grouop Forming Please drop us a note offlist With SN 
of your unit and stats of operability and completeness and go withs.

NOW FORMING - -UNIVAC 422 User Group and  including  The  422 and  the prior 
UNIVAC DIGITAL TRAINER  - (Is there a  code compatibility?)

Please drop us a note off list  With SN of your unit and stats of if able to  
operate and completeness and go withs. Include a  pic  of  you and  your  unit 
if  you   want to appear in 1st  newsletter.


Thanks  Ed Sharpe  Newsletter editor

Re: i860: Re: modern stuff

[Guy Sotomayor Jr via cctalk]

> On Nov 4, 2018, at 9:37 AM, Todd Goodman via cctalk  
> wrote:
> 
> Yes, a company I was working for OEMed what because IBM's X25Net software and 
> it was ported to their RTIC i960 cards from our own homegrown i960 cards.
> 
> The IBM group we worked with was in La Gaude France but we heard the RTIC 
> cards were developed in Boca Raton, FL.
> 

Yes, the RTIC cards were developed in Boca Raton.  I had a number of friends 
that worked in that group over the years.  They were in a building off of the 
main site that was the last to be closed down when IBM decided to close the 
Boca Raton site down.

TTFN - Guy

Modcomp VME bus 68000 computer

[devin davison via cctalk]

Hello, been a while since ive written to the list. I met someone the other
day that used to work for modcomp. He gave me a tour, he still has working
modcomp computers in his home. He was clearing out a bunch of stuff, he
gave me a bunch of terminals and dos era computers. Among the computers is
a modcomp branded motorolla 68k based machine. I can not find any
information on the system. From what i understand, the system was to be
tied in to the modcomp minicomputer bus and used as a modern alternative
for large antiquated disks and tapes. There is a large pair of interface
connectors on the back, never seen anything like them before.

I do not have a modomp computer yet, but this 68k machine looks quite
interesting. It is essentially a vme bus backpane in a desktop computer
case. A hard disk and tape drive are installed. Looks to have floating
point and network card as well. I managed to make the proper serial cable,
and was able to get to a debugger and monitor at power on. I was under the
understanding that this machine could run a port of unix to 68k, called
unix/68. I am uncertain of any details on the machine, i was hoping someone
here could me in the right direction of getting the machine to boot. The
drive still spins up, it may even have an install of unix on it, i might
have to type in some kind of boot parameter or jump to some address from
the monitor to kick off the boot process.

Any advice on how to proceed is appreciated.
Within the following month i am supposed to get  a mountain of modcomp
documentation, ill have to check back here and see if its duplicate or
original information and scan it all. He was also going to give me a copy
of a modcomp emulator he wrote, I have found no such thing elsewhere on
line, so perhaps it would be of use to someone else here too once i get it.

--Devin D.

Re: i860: Re: modern stuff

[Todd Goodman via cctalk]

Yes, a company I was working for OEMed what because IBM's X25Net 
software and it was ported to their RTIC i960 cards from our own 
homegrown i960 cards.


The IBM group we worked with was in La Gaude France but we heard the 
RTIC cards were developed in Boca Raton, FL.


We ran VxWorks on them.

Todd


On 11/4/2018 10:42 AM, Carlos E Murillo-Sanchez via cctalk wrote:

William Donzelli wrote:

So, what is this i960-based card for?

They were the routers. At the core nodes of the network, there would
be a big RS/6000s (very early POWER1 types) that would each do about
4-5 high speed interfaces (FDDI, HSSI, and 10base2). Each interface
was one of these cards, so each of the big RS/6000s would have about
4-5 of these cards.

IBM tried to commercialize the design, but it was doomed - the routing
engines were very fast, but the internet quickly outgrew the
architecture of the engines, and they apparently needed a complete
redesign to compete. IBM did release very few of these RS/6000s to the
public (I think RS/6000-320Hs with a fancy tag - machine type 6767?).
I have only seen one of these routers in the wild, but most of the
real NSFnet ones (I was decommissioning them, one time with a Sawzall
because of some live tangled cables).


Could it be related to what you
say in your post?

https://imgur.com/NIvQPBv

Possibly related, but that card is not one of the NSFnet ones.

--
Will
After searching the web for a while, I finally discovered what this 
is:  the key is that it is a "2-O" mca adapter, and it is a V.35 
communications adapter.  But I also learned that IBM produced a series 
of adapters hosting an i960 consisting of a processor card and a 
daughter card; the daughter card would have the specifics for the kind 
of interface that was implemented (rs232, rs422, X.25, etc).  These 
adapters were called "ARTIC960 coprocessors".  They were first 
produced for microchannel, later for PCI.  You could develop code for 
it in an rs/6000 system, and then load on the adapter and run it:


http://ohlandl.ipv7.net/communications/aa6proggde.pdf

carlos.

Re: UNIVAC 422 User Grouop Forming Please drop us a note offlist With SN of your unit and stats of operability and completeness and go withs.

[ED SHARPE via cctalk]

there  are   2  manuals  one is the   art   version    the other one  is a  
programmers  one  but  the    ocr is   horrible  towards  end.  I  think  there 
  are  one or  2  more things  around  here  too.


There  must  have been  some of  these units that  survived? aside  from ours?
 
 
Ed#
 
 
 
In a message dated 11/3/2018 9:17:22 PM US Mountain Standard Time, 
dkel...@hotmail.com writes:

 
These sound really cool but I suspect the number of people with a Univac 422 
are quite limited. Even those with Univac panel of any kind are quite limited.
I see the web page has a OCR of the text. A photo copy of the manual would be 
great as well.
Dwight
 
From: cctalk  on behalf of ED SHARPE via cctalk 

Sent: Saturday, November 3, 2018 2:19 PM
To:cctalk@classiccmp.org; cct...@classiccmp.org; direc...@smecc.org; 
couryho...@aol.com
Subject: UNIVAC 422 User Grouop Forming Please drop us a note offlist With SN 
of your unit and stats of operability and completeness and go withs. 
NOW FORMING - -UNIVAC 422 User Group and  including  The  422 and  the prior 
UNIVAC DIGITAL TRAINER  - (Is there a  code compatibility?)
  
 Please drop us a note off list  With SN of your unit and stats of if able to  
operate and completeness and go withs. Include a  pic  of  you and  your  unit 
if  you   want to appear in 1st  newsletter.

  
 Thanks  Ed Sharpe  Newsletter editor

Re: A very sad PDP-8/S

[Jon Elson via cctalk]

On 11/03/2018 09:48 PM, Steve Malikoff via cctalk wrote:

Later PDP-8 models used "bi-pin base" bulbs that had a
factory-molded-on base and a pair of sturdy pins.
Sounds very /360-ish :)
Well, sort of the same idea, but not that close.  The 360 
had metal cases with the pins in a plastic rear piece, and a 
loose wired bulb inside, and a plastic front that could be 
colored.


The later PDP bulbs had a bare bulb with a molded plastic 
fitting at the back.  I don't remember whether the bulb had 
the big pins embedded in the glass, or the pins were 
attached to thin wires and then the joint was embedded in 
the plastic.


There were a lot of commercial bi-pin base bulbs made back 
in the 1970's.


Jon

Re: i860: Re: modern stuff

[Carlos E Murillo-Sanchez via cctalk]

William Donzelli wrote:

So, what is this i960-based card for?

They were the routers. At the core nodes of the network, there would
be a big RS/6000s (very early POWER1 types) that would each do about
4-5 high speed interfaces (FDDI, HSSI, and 10base2). Each interface
was one of these cards, so each of the big RS/6000s would have about
4-5 of these cards.

IBM tried to commercialize the design, but it was doomed - the routing
engines were very fast, but the internet quickly outgrew the
architecture of the engines, and they apparently needed a complete
redesign to compete. IBM did release very few of these RS/6000s to the
public (I think RS/6000-320Hs with a fancy tag - machine type 6767?).
I have only seen one of these routers in the wild, but most of the
real NSFnet ones (I was decommissioning them, one time with a Sawzall
because of some live tangled cables).


Could it be related to what you
say in your post?

https://imgur.com/NIvQPBv

Possibly related, but that card is not one of the NSFnet ones.

--
Will
After searching the web for a while, I finally discovered what this is:  
the key is that it is a "2-O" mca adapter, and it is a V.35 
communications adapter.  But I also learned that IBM produced a series 
of adapters hosting an i960 consisting of a processor card and a 
daughter card; the daughter card would have the specifics for the kind 
of interface that was implemented (rs232, rs422, X.25, etc).  These 
adapters were called "ARTIC960 coprocessors".  They were first produced 
for microchannel, later for PCI.  You could develop code for it in an 
rs/6000 system, and then load on the adapter and run it:


http://ohlandl.ipv7.net/communications/aa6proggde.pdf

carlos.

Re: Datasheet for a NEC Chip in DEC Professional 350

[Warner Losh via cctalk]

I know that the Rainbow's AFU watchdog was the bane of my existence back in
the day... It would fire if interrupts were disabled too long.

Warner

On Sun, Nov 4, 2018 at 6:47 AM Eduardo Cruz via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> A constant pulsing reset is usually a watchdog at play. Hardware watchdogs
> are usually implemented in systems to reset everything should the system
> not meet one specific criteria: eg cpu touch one memory address before X
> amount of time, or pcb voltage lower than X volts, etc.
>
> Watchdogs are also usually found as software routines executed by the cpu
> also looking for specific conditions. These rarely issue a reset hardware
> signal, just restar the program.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On 4 Nov 2018, at 14:10, Rob Jarratt via cctalk 
> wrote:
> >
> >
> >> -Original Message-
> >> From: Tony Duell [mailto:ard.p850...@gmail.com]
> >> Sent: 04 November 2018 12:42
> >> To: r...@jarratt.me.uk; Jarratt RMA ;
> General
> >> Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts 
> >> Subject: Re: Datasheet for a NEC Chip in DEC Professional 350
> >>
> >> On Sun, Nov 4, 2018 at 12:37 PM Rob Jarratt via cctalk
> >>  wrote:
> >>>
> >>> I have posted previously about a DEC Pro 350 I am trying to get
> >>> working again. At the moment it seems to be constantly resetting the
> CPU.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> I have traced one possible path for the cause of this back to a NEC
> >>> chip for which I cannot find a datasheet. It is a 40-pin DIP it is
> >>> marked "NEC Japan
> >>> 8239K6 D7201C". All I have been able to find is more modern USB host
> >>> controllers.
> >>
> >> Almost certainly a uPD7201 multi-protocol (asynchronous and synchronous)
> >> serial chip. I have an NEC data book with it in if all else fails but a
> google
> >> search for 'uPD7201 datasheet' (no quotes) found sites with the data
> sheet
> >> to download as a .pdf file.
> >>
> >> Quite why that should reset the machine is beyond me
> >
> > I have been trying to find what is driving this path in the logic and
> this chip was the only one I for which I couldn't identify the pins, but it
> seems that from this datasheet (
> https://datasheet4u.com/datasheet-pdf-file/1098405/NEC/UPD7201/1) they
> are all inputs and not outputs. So I need to look again for an output pin
> that is driving this signal.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Rob
> >
>

Re: Datasheet for a NEC Chip in DEC Professional 350

[Eduardo Cruz via cctalk]

A constant pulsing reset is usually a watchdog at play. Hardware watchdogs are 
usually implemented in systems to reset everything should the system not meet 
one specific criteria: eg cpu touch one memory address before X amount of time, 
or pcb voltage lower than X volts, etc.

Watchdogs are also usually found as software routines executed by the cpu also 
looking for specific conditions. These rarely issue a reset hardware signal, 
just restar the program.

Sent from my iPhone

> On 4 Nov 2018, at 14:10, Rob Jarratt via cctalk  wrote:
> 
> 
>> -Original Message-
>> From: Tony Duell [mailto:ard.p850...@gmail.com]
>> Sent: 04 November 2018 12:42
>> To: r...@jarratt.me.uk; Jarratt RMA ; General
>> Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts 
>> Subject: Re: Datasheet for a NEC Chip in DEC Professional 350
>> 
>> On Sun, Nov 4, 2018 at 12:37 PM Rob Jarratt via cctalk
>>  wrote:
>>> 
>>> I have posted previously about a DEC Pro 350 I am trying to get
>>> working again. At the moment it seems to be constantly resetting the CPU.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I have traced one possible path for the cause of this back to a NEC
>>> chip for which I cannot find a datasheet. It is a 40-pin DIP it is
>>> marked "NEC Japan
>>> 8239K6 D7201C". All I have been able to find is more modern USB host
>>> controllers.
>> 
>> Almost certainly a uPD7201 multi-protocol (asynchronous and synchronous)
>> serial chip. I have an NEC data book with it in if all else fails but a 
>> google
>> search for 'uPD7201 datasheet' (no quotes) found sites with the data sheet
>> to download as a .pdf file.
>> 
>> Quite why that should reset the machine is beyond me
> 
> I have been trying to find what is driving this path in the logic and this 
> chip was the only one I for which I couldn't identify the pins, but it seems 
> that from this datasheet 
> (https://datasheet4u.com/datasheet-pdf-file/1098405/NEC/UPD7201/1) they are 
> all inputs and not outputs. So I need to look again for an output pin that is 
> driving this signal.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Rob 
> 

Re: A very sad PDP-8/S

[Noel Chiappa via cctalk]

> From: Steven Malikoff

>> The bulbs had "flying leads" coming out of the glass, no bases ... The
>> bulbs just hovered over the PCB

> It makes me wonder if the 11/15 is much the same. 

I just had a look at my -11/20 (the two are basically the same machine; the
/15 was intended for the OEM market, the /20 the end-user), and it has an
intermediate between this, and the final incandescent bulb form (as on the
-11/45), where there were bulbs with plastic bases plugged into sockets.

The -11/20 has the same bulbs, but apparently soldered directly into the
panel; I looked at the prints (it's in the 'KY11-A Programmer's Console'
stuff - I see Manx says the prints aren't online, I'll have to scan my set),
and there are bulbs in the parts list, but no sockets.

> From: Ethan Dicks

> I think some later DEC light blockers were MDF or perhaps something a
> bit denser .. Definitely a fibrous wood product.

Per the prints, the later ones were Benelex, an early form of MDF (although
some -11's later used thick sheet aluminium).

Noel

RE: Datasheet for a NEC Chip in DEC Professional 350

[Rob Jarratt via cctalk]

> -Original Message-
> From: Tony Duell [mailto:ard.p850...@gmail.com]
> Sent: 04 November 2018 12:42
> To: r...@jarratt.me.uk; Jarratt RMA ; General
> Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts 
> Subject: Re: Datasheet for a NEC Chip in DEC Professional 350
> 
> On Sun, Nov 4, 2018 at 12:37 PM Rob Jarratt via cctalk
>  wrote:
> >
> > I have posted previously about a DEC Pro 350 I am trying to get
> > working again. At the moment it seems to be constantly resetting the CPU.
> >
> >
> >
> > I have traced one possible path for the cause of this back to a NEC
> > chip for which I cannot find a datasheet. It is a 40-pin DIP it is
> > marked "NEC Japan
> > 8239K6 D7201C". All I have been able to find is more modern USB host
> > controllers.
> 
> Almost certainly a uPD7201 multi-protocol (asynchronous and synchronous)
> serial chip. I have an NEC data book with it in if all else fails but a google
> search for 'uPD7201 datasheet' (no quotes) found sites with the data sheet
> to download as a .pdf file.
> 
> Quite why that should reset the machine is beyond me

I have been trying to find what is driving this path in the logic and this chip 
was the only one I for which I couldn't identify the pins, but it seems that 
from this datasheet 
(https://datasheet4u.com/datasheet-pdf-file/1098405/NEC/UPD7201/1) they are all 
inputs and not outputs. So I need to look again for an output pin that is 
driving this signal.

Thanks

Rob 

Re: Datasheet for a NEC Chip in DEC Professional 350

[Tony Duell via cctalk]

On Sun, Nov 4, 2018 at 12:37 PM Rob Jarratt via cctalk
 wrote:
>
> I have posted previously about a DEC Pro 350 I am trying to get working
> again. At the moment it seems to be constantly resetting the CPU.
>
>
>
> I have traced one possible path for the cause of this back to a NEC chip for
> which I cannot find a datasheet. It is a 40-pin DIP it is marked "NEC Japan
> 8239K6 D7201C". All I have been able to find is more modern USB host
> controllers.

Almost certainly a uPD7201 multi-protocol (asynchronous and synchronous)
serial chip. I have an NEC data book with it in if all else fails but a google
search for 'uPD7201 datasheet' (no quotes) found sites with the data sheet
to download as a .pdf file.

Quite why that should reset the machine is beyond me

-tony

Datasheet for a NEC Chip in DEC Professional 350

[Rob Jarratt via cctalk]

I have posted previously about a DEC Pro 350 I am trying to get working
again. At the moment it seems to be constantly resetting the CPU.

 

I have traced one possible path for the cause of this back to a NEC chip for
which I cannot find a datasheet. It is a 40-pin DIP it is marked "NEC Japan
8239K6 D7201C". All I have been able to find is more modern USB host
controllers.

 

Can anyone tell me what it is? It is marked E32 (on the left about half way
up) in this picture:
https://rjarratt.files.wordpress.com/2018/10/system-board-labelled.jpg

 

Thanks

 

Rob

Re: A very sad PDP-8/S

[Ethan Dicks via cctalk]

On Sun, Nov 4, 2018 at 12:31 AM Guy Dunphy via cctalk
 wrote:
> Incidentally, several people called the material used for the lamps shroud 
> plate 'MDF.'
> It's not, it's that high density cloth+bakelite (or something) material used 
> for electrical switchboard panels. Very tough stuff.

Ah.  From the pictures, it looked like MDF.  I haven't had the plexi
off mine in a long time.  I think some later DEC light blockers were
MDF or perhaps something a bit denser, like but not exactly masonite.
Definitely a fibrous wood product.

-ethan

Re: A very sad PDP-8/S

[Brent Hilpert via cctalk]

On 2018-Nov-03, at 9:27 PM, Guy Dunphy via cctalk wrote:
. . .
> The front panel is in pieces atm. And clean now.
> Incidentally, several people called the material used for the lamps shroud 
> plate 'MDF.'
> It's not, it's that high density cloth+bakelite (or something) material used 
> for electrical switchboard panels. Very tough stuff.

Likely Micarta.

(I don't think MDF existed at the time).