Re: Rich Alderson on-list?

[Richard Cini via cctalk]

Good idea, Zane, thanks. I sometimes forget about the alt.sys groups.


http://cini.classiccmp.org/
Long Island S100 User’s Group

Get Outlook for iOS


From: cctalk  on behalf of Zane Healy via cctalk 

Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2021 9:22:18 PM
To: Richard Cini ; General Discussion: On-Topic and 
Off-Topic Posts 
Subject: Re: Rich Alderson on-list?

On Jul 29, 2021, at 7:55 AM, Richard Cini via cctalk  
wrote:
>
> Is RichA still on-list? If so, could you drop me a note off-list. Thanks!

I knew I’d seen him posting somewhere recently, but couldn’t figure out where 
this morning.  I just happened to notice a recent USENET post of his on 
comp.os.vms.  Though alt.sys.pdp10 might be a better group to try and reach him 
on.

Zane

Re: Rich Alderson on-list?

[Zane Healy via cctalk]

On Jul 29, 2021, at 7:55 AM, Richard Cini via cctalk  
wrote:
> 
> Is RichA still on-list? If so, could you drop me a note off-list. Thanks!

I knew I’d seen him posting somewhere recently, but couldn’t figure out where 
this morning.  I just happened to notice a recent USENET post of his on 
comp.os.vms.  Though alt.sys.pdp10 might be a better group to try and reach him 
on.

Zane

Re: VCF - west!

[Warner Losh via cctalk]

On Thu, Jul 29, 2021, 4:16 PM Fred Cisin via cctalk 
wrote:

> On Thu, 29 Jul 2021, Mark Huffstutter wrote:
> > It sure is, Fred! I bought My tickets, and now it looks likely I won't
> be able to attend
> > It's coming right up.
> > https://vcfed.org/wp/festivals/vintage-computer-festival-west/
>
> GREAT!
>
> That says:
> Saturday, August 7 (2021) 10:00 - 6:00
> Sunday, August 8  9:00 - 5:00
>

Sadly, that's the one weekend all summer and fall that I can't get away...
:(

Warner

>

RE: VCF - west!

[Fred Cisin via cctalk]

On Thu, 29 Jul 2021, Mark Huffstutter wrote:

It sure is, Fred! I bought My tickets, and now it looks likely I won't be able 
to attend
It's coming right up.
https://vcfed.org/wp/festivals/vintage-computer-festival-west/


GREAT!

That says:
Saturday, August 7 (2021) 10:00 - 6:00
Sunday, August 8  9:00 - 5:00

RE: VCF - west?

[Mark Huffstutter via cctalk]

It sure is, Fred! I bought My tickets, and now it looks likely I won't be able 
to attend
It's coming right up.

https://vcfed.org/wp/festivals/vintage-computer-festival-west/

Mark

-Original Message-
From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Fred Cisin via 
cctalk
Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2021 2:55 PM
To: cctalk@classiccmp.org
Subject: VCF - west?

I heard a rumor that VCF is going to happen again!

But, I have seen NO MENTION of that on this mailing list.

Is it happening?

Will everybody be there?


It is now relatively short notice, and between that, not having a station 
wagon or van, and health issues, I won't be able to pack up and bring a 
suitable mass of stuff to peddle on consignment.

--
Grumpy Ol' Fred ci...@xenosoft.com

VCF - west?

[Fred Cisin via cctalk]

I heard a rumor that VCF is going to happen again!

But, I have seen NO MENTION of that on this mailing list.

Is it happening?

Will everybody be there?


It is now relatively short notice, and between that, not having a station 
wagon or van, and health issues, I won't be able to pack up and bring a 
suitable mass of stuff to peddle on consignment.


--
Grumpy Ol' Fred ci...@xenosoft.com

RE: IBM PC diagnostics disks

[Mark Huffstutter via cctalk]

Yes, I sadly, learned that important lesson years ago, after finding My
"Original" Original PC DOS diskette set pretty much destroyed, left in
The folders in storage for too long.

-Original Message-
From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Al Kossow via 
cctalk
Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2021 10:15 AM
To: cctalk@classiccmp.org
Subject: Re: IBM PC diagnostics disks

On 7/29/21 10:08 AM, Mark Huffstutter via cctalk wrote:
> Hi Richard,
> I could use them if they are still available, I have the 
> very nice binder manual for them, minus the disks!
> 

Don't store diskettes in vinyl sleeves.
The plasticiser leaches out of the vinyl onto the surface of the diskettes.

Re: Reading MT/ST Tapes

[Chuck Guzis via cctalk]

A link I forgot to include that gives a flavor of how the tapes are used:

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED112083.pdf

Curious thing is that was no take-up reel on the MT/ST; the 100 feet of
tape simply was ejected loose and later rewound back into the cartridge.


--Chuck

Re: IBM PC diagnostics disks

[Al Kossow via cctalk]

On 7/29/21 10:08 AM, Mark Huffstutter via cctalk wrote:

Hi Richard,
I could use them if they are still available, I have the 
very nice binder manual for them, minus the disks!



Don't store diskettes in vinyl sleeves.
The plasticiser leaches out of the vinyl onto the surface of the diskettes.

Re: IBM PC diagnostics disks

[Mark Huffstutter via cctalk]

Hi Richard,
   I could use them if they are still available, I have the 
very nice binder manual for them, minus the disks!

Thank You,
Mark


From: cctalk  on behalf of Richard Milward via 
cctalk 
Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2021 9:45 AM
To: Classic Computer 
Subject: IBM PC diagnostics disks

I have these 5-1/4" diagnostics disks but no need for them. If you're
interested, I'll send them to you for the cost of the postage from
Durham, NC.

* Diagnostics for IBM Personal Computer AT, ver. 2.03 copyright 1981, 1986
maroon disk label, p/n 6183111

* Advanced Diagnostics, ver. 2.20, copyright 1981, 1986
dark blue label, p/n 6139804

They are in excellent physical condition. Sorry, I don't have the manuals.
(I used to work for a ComputerLand store in '81-'82 and probably
acquired them there.)

They might be available for download somewhere, but these are the
physical, displayable versions.

**Richard

IBM PC diagnostics disks

[Richard Milward via cctalk]

I have these 5-1/4" diagnostics disks but no need for them. If you're 
interested, I'll send them to you for the cost of the postage from 
Durham, NC.


* Diagnostics for IBM Personal Computer AT, ver. 2.03 copyright 1981, 1986
maroon disk label, p/n 6183111

* Advanced Diagnostics, ver. 2.20, copyright 1981, 1986
dark blue label, p/n 6139804

They are in excellent physical condition. Sorry, I don't have the manuals.
(I used to work for a ComputerLand store in '81-'82 and probably 
acquired them there.)


They might be available for download somewhere, but these are the 
physical, displayable versions.


**Richard

Re: Reading MT/ST Tapes

[Chuck Guzis via cctalk]

Here's the MT/ST typewriter setup

https://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a00d8341c464853ef01901bc4e1f6970b-500wi

Here's a brochure for the S/360 reader:

http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/IBM-ProdAnn/2495-5.pdf

Here's a training guide for the MT/ST:

https://ia800805.us.archive.org/26/items/IBM-MTSC-TrainingGuide/IBM%20Magnetic%20Tape%20Selectric%20Composer%20training%20guide.pdf

FWIW
Chuck

Rich Alderson on-list?

[Richard Cini via cctalk]

Is RichA still on-list? If so, could you drop me a note off-list. Thanks!

 

 

Rich

 

--

Rich Cini

http://cini.classiccmp.org

http://altair32.classiccmp.org

 

Re: Reading MT/ST Tapes

[Al Kossow via cctalk]

On 7/29/21 7:21 AM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote:


The hard part is going to find one of the reader units.



Digi-Data made them
https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102662523

Sadly, whoever cataloged this had no idea it was for IBM MT/ST tapes
so there is no mention of MT/ST in the catalog record so I had to
search every physical object record I donated to find it.

Re: Reading MT/ST Tapes

[Chuck Guzis via cctalk]

On 7/29/21 1:58 AM, Dave Wade G4UGM via cctalk wrote:

> Its only recorded at around 25BPI so I don't thing it would be too hard to 
> decode.
> Given its a character at a time, I suspect some iron filings or similar would 
> reveal the codes and track spacing and with a bit of luck you could find a 
> head that would read the data...
> I am sure we used to have some when we had real tapes.

The second inquiry for me in about 30 years.

I've occasionally seen the tape units come up for auction, but not in
the last 10 years or so.   There was even a version to interface to a
S/360 channel.

There is documentation on the stuff running around; it may have been
from the old golfballtypewritershop yahoo group.  Someone from the
https://groups.io/g/TYPEWRITERS may have a lead on a unit or at least
memories of it.

The hard part is going to find one of the reader units.

--Chuck

Re: Reading MT/ST Tapes

[Paul Koning via cctalk]

One of those magnetic fluid tape checking devices would show the bits very 
easily at that density (or even a lot higher).  

It seems to me this sort of thing should be no problem at all for the various 
general purpose tape reading machines that have been built, especially the ones 
with MR heads.  So long as the reader has heads that land reasonably well on 
the recorded tracks, the rest is just software.

Part of the software work would be reverse engineering the recording format -- 
NRZ or NRZI or whatever, bit layout and character set encoding, file encoding.  
The encoding of formatting control information will probably be guesswork, but 
recovering most of the plain text should be doable.

paul

> On Jul 29, 2021, at 4:58 AM, Dave Wade G4UGM via cctalk 
>  wrote:
> 
> Cory,
> 
> Its only recorded at around 25BPI so I don't thing it would be too hard to 
> decode.
> Given its a character at a time, I suspect some iron filings or similar would 
> reveal the codes and track spacing and with a bit of luck you could find a 
> head that would read the data...
> I am sure we used to have some when we had real tapes.
> 
> Dave
> 
> 
>> -Original Message-
>> From: cctalk  On Behalf Of Cory
>> Heisterkamp via cctalk
>> Sent: 29 July 2021 00:37
>> To: General Discussion: On-Topic Posts 
>> Subject: Reading MT/ST Tapes
>> 
>> This is a bit of a long shot, but is anyone aware of a successful method to 
>> read
>> IBM Selectric MT/ST tapes? A museum in Australia has a box of them and are
>> interested in the contents.
>> 
>> I'm fairly involved in the global Selectric community and while 1 or 2 
>> MT/ST’s
>> exist, they’re non-functional. I know IBM offered a 2495 Tape Reader for the
>> IBM 360, which could be a starting point with modification, but I suspect
>> those are even scarcer than the MT/ST itself.
>> 
>> Even the encoding format appears to be a bit of a secret. Recording is
>> character-by-character, tape spacing controlled by sprocket holes along one
>> edge.
>> 
>> https://obsoletemedia.org/ibm-mtst/ > mtst/?fbclid=IwAR28c5ej69AlF0os1PcykpHCh0Q_yz5BXbnUSi9UID-
>> 4pY6GU3wLxZXFhDI>
>> 
>> Thanks- Cory
> 

Replicating IBM SLT/MST card interconnect

[Tom Stepleton via cctalk]

Hi cctalk,

I'm looking to replicate the 24-contact connector system that IBM used on
SLT and MST cards for many years. Has anyone done this before?

The best photos of this connector that I can find online are on this page:
http://techandtrouble.blogspot.com/2014/04/happy-50th-system360-pt5-anatomy-of-slt.html
I haven't searched Bitsavers documentation extensively for IBM
specifications, but I've seen some details around page 54 of this document:
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/logic/SY22-2798-2_LogicBlocks_AutomatedLogicDiagrams_SLT,SLD,ASLT,MST_TO_Oct71.pdf

I'm interested in reproducing both polarities of this connector: plug and
socket. Also, even though the most familiar use of this connector is for
board-to-board interconnect, I'm most interested in wire-to-board
interconnect. IBM used this method for DC power connectors in its  5100,
5110, and 5120 computers. Here are images of this specific connector:
http://stepleton.com/connector/
taken as still images from a YouTube video on the IBM 5120 by Jerry Walker (
https://www.youtube.com/c/JerryWalker-JMPrecision/videos).

I've designed and built a device that monitors DC power supply voltages for
overvoltage and undervoltage excursions and cuts off all power rails if any
voltage goes out of spec. I hope to use it to protect my own IBM 5100 from
major power supply faults like the one CuriousMarc encountered with his
9825T:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-eN93L6yX8

In order to put my device between my 5100's power supply and the logic card
backplane, I need to recreate a plug and a socket so that I can fashion a
cable that goes out to my device. If anyone has created dependable modern
versions of these connectors, would you mind sharing any pointers?

Thanks for any help,
--Tom

RE: Reading MT/ST Tapes

[Dave Wade G4UGM via cctalk]

Cory,

Its only recorded at around 25BPI so I don't thing it would be too hard to 
decode.
Given its a character at a time, I suspect some iron filings or similar would 
reveal the codes and track spacing and with a bit of luck you could find a head 
that would read the data...
I am sure we used to have some when we had real tapes.

Dave


> -Original Message-
> From: cctalk  On Behalf Of Cory
> Heisterkamp via cctalk
> Sent: 29 July 2021 00:37
> To: General Discussion: On-Topic Posts 
> Subject: Reading MT/ST Tapes
> 
> This is a bit of a long shot, but is anyone aware of a successful method to 
> read
> IBM Selectric MT/ST tapes? A museum in Australia has a box of them and are
> interested in the contents.
> 
> I'm fairly involved in the global Selectric community and while 1 or 2 MT/ST’s
> exist, they’re non-functional. I know IBM offered a 2495 Tape Reader for the
> IBM 360, which could be a starting point with modification, but I suspect
> those are even scarcer than the MT/ST itself.
> 
> Even the encoding format appears to be a bit of a secret. Recording is
> character-by-character, tape spacing controlled by sprocket holes along one
> edge.
> 
> https://obsoletemedia.org/ibm-mtst/  mtst/?fbclid=IwAR28c5ej69AlF0os1PcykpHCh0Q_yz5BXbnUSi9UID-
> 4pY6GU3wLxZXFhDI>
> 
> Thanks- Cory