Latest Projects:
CBM B Series Demo Video |
TRS 80 Model II - restoration projectby billdeg Total messages in this thread: 8 Updated: [ TRS 80 Model II Update ] 08/07/2013 I had not used my model II for three years, and with this thread in mind I set up the old beast for a routine test. I try not to let any working system go too long before I re-run for a few hours to refresh the electronics. Anyway...I must have waited too long, she does not boot any more. The system powers up,but will not attempt to read the disk drive and there's nothing sent to the CRT. So far I have done little other than open the system and quickly inspect it. The CRT tube fires up (strong glow), so I assume that the issue lies with one of the four system cards (there is no motherboard). I have not done any further testing. If I have an update I'll post it.">... [ read more ] |
MARCH Workshop Photos Summer 2013by billdeg Total messages in this thread: 1  Photos of the Mark 8 Minicomputer card edges. Click for larger view
Mark 8 testing video:
http://www.youtu...h?v=yv3ZmvKFGLI
 Ohio Scientific Challenger II set up. Click for larger view
This was another fun event. Not so much a workshop as a working get-together event. Evan brought a truckload of vintage computers and items for sale, which kept us distracted for three or four hours inspecting and buying items whose proceeds went to the widow of the original collector. Included for sale was two or so dozen">... [ read more ]
|
Texas Instruments 99/4a with PHP1200by billdeg Total messages in this thread: 1  The Texas Instruments TI 99/4a computer. This system is attached to a Magnavox Professional display.
 A nicely provisioned TI 99/4a with Peripheral Expansion System (model PHP 1200). The PHP1200 could accept a number controller cards including a disk controller, RAM, serial and parallel ports, etc. The system pictured above is configured with three drives, serial card for modem communications, and an extra 32K RAM. An insulated cable connects the back of the PHP1200 to a side cart part connector. Click image for larger view.
... [ read more ]
|
PDP 8 Focalby billdeg Total messages in this thread: 2 Updated: [ Focal Lunar Lander ] 07/15/2013 Digital Equipment Corporation came up with FOCAL to help teach programming. It's different than BASIC and the structure of the coding is different. Below is a dump of a PDP 8 session I ran to illustrate some code examples in FOCAL. The commands are in bold, to differentiate from the screen output. The program samples do not all work correctly. It will now be easier to edit and diagnose using a modern PC. ----------------------- FIELD SERVICE PDP-8 DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM . . . VERSION 8.03 OS/8 V3D DECX8 REV. D RESTART ADDRESS =07600 TYPE |
TRS 80 Model 4 Engineering Sampleby billdeg Total messages in this thread: 3 Updated: [ Tandy 3 chassis ] 07/12/2013  TRS 80 Model 4 "engineering sample" submitted for FCC approval. Unit contains a number of non-standard components and a non-standard keyboard.
I was lucky enough to be given the an engineering sample TRS 80 Model 4 submitted for FCC approval. The engineer was Roy Soltoff. Roy also gave me a lot of notes, and the blue prints. There is no s/n. See pics
http://www.vintage....net/tandy/trs80_4_FCC/">... [ read more ]
|
Nintendo Family Computerby billdeg Total messages in this thread: 1  The Nintendo Family Computer "FamiCom" console game system.
This thread will be updated soon.
Photos">... [ read more ]
|
MP-S Connector for SWTPc 6800by billdeg Total messages in this thread: 1  Close up view of the correct wiring for an SWTPc MP-S serial card set for RS232 communications. Click image for larger view.
Note Molex pins 2 and 3 are jumpered together, and so are pins 7 and 10. The bottom of pin 4 has been snipped off to ensure correct insertion into the MP-S card. Wiring for pins 1,5,6 is mapped below. Note also the colors of the wires.
 Closeup of the wires coming from the MP-S connector to an RS232 jack. Click image for larger view.
MP-S Pin RS232 Pin
1 ........ 7
2 ........ -
3">... [ read more ]
|
SWTPc MP-09 6809 Processor Cardby billdeg Total messages in this thread: 1  SWTPc MP-09 processor card upgrade for the 6800 computer. Click for larger view
Recently I put an extra SWTPc 6800 with MP-09 processor card, MP-S serial card, and Smoke Signal Broadcasting M-16-X 16K RAM card on Ebay.
Assuming the system sells, at least I will have the photos of this system. I learned a lot of about the differences between the 6800 and 6809, and the modifications necessary to the MP-B motherboard, etc. RAM cards from a 6800 usually need to be altered to work in an 6809-upgraded system. The Smoke Signal Broadcasting card appears to be at least partially compatible with no modifications, as compared to the older MP RAM from the original SWTPc 6800.">... [ read more ]
|
Apple IIe Platinumby billdeg Total messages in this thread: 2 Updated: [ Apple IIe A2S2128 ] 06/19/2013  In 1987 the Apple IIe was revised. This system works but has some broken keys on the numeric keypad.
This particular unit contains an Echo IIb sound card and external speaker with volume control.
More Pics">... [ read more ]
|
Collectible Micro Sleepers List Updatedby billdeg Total messages in this thread: 4 Updated: [ Collectible Micro Sleepers List Updated ] 06/07/2013 In response to the article published in PC World titled "The Most Collectible PCs of All Time" http://www.pcworl...oppcs/article.html I don't disagree with the list, but yawn...another rehash of the "standard" stuff we have all been hearing about for the past 5 years. It's because of these articles, at least in part, that they're so popular for collectors. A cycle of re-inforcement. Being a kind of anti-establishment fellow, here is my personal Top 10 or so list of sleepers - classic computers that are less well-known but very rare and collectible. Would I rather have an Apple I or a Kenbak? ..yah, but I'd like some of the below just as much...and they're much cheaper! 1. Micro Altair (later called Poly-88), by PolyMorphic Systems MITS forced Polymorphic to change the name of their computer to Poly 88 2. BYT-8 (or -5), by Byte C">... [ read more ] |
TSC BASIC for SWTPc 6800by billdeg Total messages in this thread: 2 Updated: [ Load TSC BASIC on SWTPc 6800 from Laptop ] 06/04/2013 It took more than three hours entering in almost 4Kb worth of 2-digit HEX instructions into my teletype, and a good 20 minutes or so to punch a tape, but I was successfully able to save TSC BASIC on my SWPTc 6800 to papertape. And the freakin thing actually worked the first time. The documentation for TSC BASIC told me how to modify the program for my system, etc. Saving me a lot of debugging time. There is a write up about TSC BASIC in the January 1978 Kilobaud (comparing 4 6800 CPU BASICs), and fortunately I found a copy of the papertape program here: http://www.swtpc....c/TSC_MicroBasic.htm I downloaded the papertape program as a text file and then parsed the data in MS Excel. This way I could separate the data from the checksum at the end of each line of papertape, and to see the address value. There is a point when entering in t">... [ read more ] |
Handic CBM BX700 Cartridge Softwareby billdeg Total messages in this thread: 2 Updated: [ Comment from former Handic Employee ] 06/01/2013  In 1983 the Sweedish company Handic produced software for the CBM BX700 called Calc Result (spreadsheet) and Word Result (word processor). There were also versions of this software made for the C64 model.
Now that I have successfully installed and tested the 8088 co-processor, I thought that I would next try the Handic software supposedly made for the BX700. The "X" indicating the presence of an 8088 co-processor. This is probably a rare software because there were few BX700's sold in Europe, and the software would have seen limited sales as well.
I was able to run both the Calc Result and Word Result software cart/disk programs. I am not sure if the 8088 was required, I only tested on a system with the add-on board installed.
pictures">... [ read more ]
|
1955 GENIAC Computerby billdeg Total messages in this thread: 1  circa. 1955 GENIAC computer kit with accessories. Note that this box contains nearly two kits (two boards, two sets of discs, etc). Click for larger view.
 Back cover of Geniacs booklet. Click for larger view.
 Note how program discs had different spacings. Click for larger view.
More photos and PDFs
NEXT: As">... [ read more ]
|
Drive Alignment C128D Internal 1571by billdeg Total messages in this thread: 1  I picked up a C128D with a non-functioning internal 1571 disk drive. Using a copy of 1541/1571 Drive Alignment loaded from an external 1571 drive (logical drive 9), I was able to guess my way through the process, given the directions do not cover the internal 1571 of the C-128D. You can read more how-to from the manual, the closest example is the "newer" external 1571 described on page 7.
Note the 4 screws at 12 o'clock in the photo above. The two that are closer together are the stepper motor adjustment screws and they control how far back the stepper motor goes. I made minute adjustments until the program passed the Bump test with an "excel">... [ read more ]
|
|
OLDER POSTS (15 threads per page):
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
22 |
23 |
24 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
29 |
30 |
31 |
32 |
33 |
34 |
35 |
36 |
37 |
38 |
39 |
40 |
41 |
42 |
43 |
44 |
45 |
46 |
47 |
48 |
49 |
50 |
51 |
52 |
53 |
54 |
55 |
|
Resources:
Popular Topics and FAQs
Past Issues:
Toshiba T1100Plus bootscrn
This image was selected at random from the archive. Click image for more photos and files from this set.
Total messages in this thread: 1