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Fall 2012 Workshop

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 1
Doug and Ian working on a Zenith Z-19 terminal
Another successful workshop, this time at my house in Landenberg, PA. Systems tackled at this event include a Burroughs TD 833 6800 processor based terminal, MARCH's Commodore PET 2001-8, two more PETs, two MITS Altairs (8800 and 8800a), a Hazeltine 1510, TRS 80 Model 1, Zenith Z-19, Northstar Horizon, Cybernetic Mathiputer, and an ASR 33 Teletype.
After jumpering a Processor Technologies 3P+S for 110 baud 20mA current loop, Jon toggled up a test program and with great anticipation sent a "D" character to the Teletype.
More photos">... [ read more ]

Cromemco System Three

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 16
Updated: [ Notes PerSci and Other Drives ] 10/23/2012
Today I picked up a donation consisting of a Cromemco System Three Model with dual 8" drives (PerSci) CS3 S/N: 31856. The condition is excellent. There are few scratches, color nice, etc. The system came with the Cromemco desk (same desk as seen in the brochure), the computer fits in the desk. Hazletine 1510 - The display. Appears to work, display is in great shape. Keyboard good, a tiny bit of screen burn, but strong display tube, no mold. s/n: 213442-001 model: 4DTD155255 Texas Instruments Omni 800 / 810 RO Terminal Very Good Cond. part number 0994293-0002 s/n 04711 42035 parallel Fortran IV and a CDOS boot disk, data disks. 8". I was told $15000 was spent on this system in 1979. The owner was moving out of his estate, a good 20+ acres at least on the top of a hill. A pretty expensive personal computer! NOTE: The three pieces of hardware were cabled together">... [ read more ]

SAGE, UNIVAC Modules and Analog

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 1
Pictured is an exhibit containing plug-in modules from the mainframe era of computing, plus a module from the Donner 3500, manuals, and a Digi-Comp 1. Click image for larger view
To the left is a plug-in module from the SAGE radar processing unit called AN/FST-2 (1955). The SAGE was a huge mainframe and there would have been hundreds of these modules in a single AN/FST-2. The AN/FST-2 had approximately 7100 vacuum tubes in three bays of racks, powered by two 400 cycle motor generator sets. The system would process the raw radar data, antenna position inform">... [ read more ]

Hot Rodding Your Commodore 64 / C-128

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 2
Updated: [ iUEC Drive Browser Utility ] 01/12/2013
Picked up one of these uIEC units, with a custom case, at the Vintage Computer Festival MidWest. Jim Brain invented the uIEC. It's an SD card reader that works on any Commodore system that can attach to a 1541 drive, plus it includes JiffyDOS. With JiffyDOS and the uIEC, you achieve the luxury of subdirectories and fast access to thousands of programs. Amazing.
BUY THE uIEC: http://store.go4r...ducts/uIEC_SD.html I am amazed at the modern after-market C64 hardware products that keep Commodore systems connected to today's hardware. My "every day" JiffyDOS C-128 System. I recently replaced the keyboard, that's why it looks a tad darker than the rest of the system. Since this picture was taken I fixed the red LED.">... [ read more ]

Intel MDS 720 Dual 8 inch disk drive

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 2
Updated: [ Shugart 800 Jumpers Intel MDS 720 ] 09/30/2012
Intel MDS 720 Dual 8 inch disk drive 1979
The Intel-branded model MDS 720 dual 8 inch disk drive enclosure. Click image for larger view.
The "before" image before restoration starts. These are very rare, I could not find any info about this drive on the web, but it looks to have Shugart 800's in it. We'll see... pics">... [ read more ]

Epson Geneva PX-8

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 3
Updated: [ Epson PF-10 Disk Drive ] 09/24/2012
The Epson Geneva PX-8 was an early LCD laptop from Epson. It ran CP/M and used a Z-80 processor. The standard storage was a mini cassette, but an external 3.5" disk drive was available. I have done some preliminary testing of this system, the LCD is a little weak. Fortunately I have a replacement display. I have the complete documentation and extra parts as well as the complete system. In addition to the PX-8 system I have a CX-80 Acoustic Coupler modem, a PF-10 external 3.5" disk drive, and Dbase II, The "Travelers Pack", and the Epson Software Libarary software. UPDATE: Looking for the utility disk that came with the PF-10 disk drive.">... [ read more ]

Vintage Computer Festival MW 2012

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 1
Exhibitors setting up their booths in the ECCC room
Nick brought his restored PDP 8 front panel-driven 6800 processor S-100 computer. We look forward to more developments with this system. Click image for larger view. (More photos link below.)
The whole C-64 scene is vibrant and connected to today's computing. Here is a C-64C with a Commodore Flyer Internet Modem + Disk Drive Emulator Click image for larger view.
[ read more ]

Digital VT 102 Terminals

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 5
Updated: [ Repairing dead vt102 ] 09/19/2012
Digital VT 102
Digital VT-102 Terminal
Picked up 4 of these, I will make one working unit, sell/donate the rest. More Pics">... [ read more ]

A Sick IBM 5170 AT

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 3
Updated: [ IBM AT 5170 update ] 08/26/2012
The IBM AT Model 5170 front-left
Display when the system was working perfectly, all software running normally.
I removed the battery. Now the system does not recognize the hard drive, and the display mode is in 40-columns. Unlike the IBM PC/XT, the system configuration is stored in memory ROM requiring battery power.
The IMI 5012H is I am told a clone of the Shugart ST-512, which is a type 1 drive.
I verified that the jumpers on the motherboard were OK. I was not able to find the manual for the IMI 5012H. NEXT: Run the AT diagnostics, guess/assume that the drive type is "1", and see what happens. If it's not a type">... [ read more ]

CorData Technologies, Inc. Cordata PPC

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 3
Updated: [ Next steps ] 08/26/2012
Here's a rare one...The 1985 CorData Technologies, Inc. cordata PPC computer. The logo on the machine looks similar to the Corona Data Systems' logo, but there's no reference to this model within the Corona catalog. Corona is kind of close to Cordata...Maybe they changed their name late in the game? Pics">... [ read more ]

Cybernetic Systems Inc. Mathiputer

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 2
Updated: [ Mathiputer Diagnostics ] 08/26/2012
The 1975 Cybernetic Systems, Inc Mathiputer. Click image for larger view.
This device is intended to instruct children on basic math skills. Not functional, needs to be cleaned and tested. more to come.">... [ read more ]

TRS 80 Model 4P Repair

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 1
This is a program I use to test RAM on a TRS 80 Model 4 / 4P. It will id whether you have 64K or 128K and run through a test pattern on the screen to test video RAM as well. I forget the company who made it. Note the "128K" in the upper right corner.
I learned something while repairing a customer's two TRS 80 Model 4P computers. If you have 128K installed and the system does not boot (gives you CRC error during POST of the OS disk), try removing the back 64K RAM (remember to move the jumper back to 64K mode) before you assume it's the disk drive. There have been times when I thought the CRC error was always due to disk drive not being able to load the OS, when it was actually the RAM in error. It's a lot easier to find and replace a bad RAM chip, even if you have to do it one at">... [ read more ]

MITS Altair 8800 Power Supply

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 1
Pictured is a MITS accessory box. No I do not have original MITS power supplies for sale or otherwise.
ALTAIR 8800 original power supply specifications (at the end): (From Dan Roganti [CORRECTED]) T1 transformer Output = 8VAC, 8A This is used to power the TTL logic on the cards in the backplane(+5V). It was very underpowered when many of the slots were populated with cards. T2 transformer (dual output) : This is just a strange part just so they can have a separate 8VAC power supply. This is a "nice-to-have" part but it's entirely unnecessary. Because the Front Panel can't operate without power on the CPU and the CPU can't operate without power on the Front Panel. They just had some unwarrant">... [ read more ]

Hewlett Packard 9835B

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 2
Updated: [ Testing the HP 9835B ] 08/03/2012
HP Hewlett Packard 9835B
The Hewlett Packard 9835B computer. Click image for larger view.
Untested. More to come. pics ">... [ read more ]

Hope 9 - July 13-15 2012

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 2
Updated: [ History of Portable Hacks Talk at HOPE 9 ] 08/01/2012
Mimeo Apple 1
The MidAtlantic Retro Computing Hobbyists exhibited single board computers and trainers at the 2012 HOPE 9 convention in NYC July 13-15. Among the systems exhibited was this replica Apple 1 computer. Click image for larger view.
HOPE 9 Mid Atlantic Retro Computing Hobbyists Exhibit
Here's Jeff telling tales of computing days past to an interested booth visitor. Jeff helped man the exhibit booth for 12 hours at a time, the club owes a lot to him for sharing his knowledge and his dedication to the club. Click image for larger view.
... [ read more ]
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