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A New S-100 PIC-RTC Board

by monahan_z
Total messages in this thread: 1
For people interested in building/repairing S-100 systems Andrew at N8VEM and I at 100Computers.com have just completed the construction and testing of an S-100 bus New Interrupt Controller and Real Time Clock Board. If you would like to read about this board please look here:- http://s100com...IC%20Board.htm There is a growing list of people getting interested in these S-100 systems. We get these bare boards produced in batches (typically $20-40, depending on demand). So if you would like to try this board you need to contact Andrew or I ASAP. It may be some time until the next batch. ">... [ read more ]

Vector Graphic ZCB

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 3
Updated: [ ZCB replacement ] 07/10/2010
The Vector Graphic ZCB is a S-100 single board computer. Not working at the moment. Here is an outline of the work done. 1. Set up a Northstar Horizon with standard cards, working drive, working CP/M disk, verified boot works, etc. 2. replaced N* CPU card with the VG ZCB. It actually worked once, but only once. The ZCB is supposed to send a dot prompt to the terminal. When one enters B, it looks for the northstar drive controller, and boots the disk. 3. set up a breakout box to the RS232, learned that the system was not sending a detectable CTS or DSR. These are the signals sent by the N1489 driver chip. The voltage is 10V, should be 12V. 4. There are two 1K ohm resistors in R22, R23 that are only measured to be .9K, so something is reducing the resistance. When I pulled these two, they returned to 1K, so the resistors themselves are OK. 5. Replaced the 148">... [ read more ]

Compaq DeskPro 386 25

by Krensmeyer
Total messages in this thread: 2
Updated: [ Compaq Deskpro 386/25 Video Card ] 07/10/2010
[thread moved] I am not a collector; but I am trying to preserve the one I own. It was my first real computer. I'm looking for someone who has a spare videocard for this machine or knows where I can find one... Thanks. Kirk">... [ read more ]

Time to replace motherboard batteries

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 2
Updated: [ Baking Soda and water for battery damage ] 11/29/2008

click image for larger version

Post from vintage-computer.com/ "...Anyone have experience cleaning up battery leakage, or should I just trash any system with battery problems? I dread the task of opening everything up that *could* have leaked, but I guess I have to do this asap. I have put aside a lot of 85-95 computers when I get them, they're not really in my area of interest, but at the same time I want to preserve them. I have 15 or so 386-486 systems, probably have 20+ bare motherboards from the e386-486 era, Amiga stuff, etc. All of this I have more or less ignored as "not vintage" - Maybe this is a mistake - whatever you call computers built before the WWW age and after 1985. Would a basic solution (vs. acidic) and a needle pick do the trick? I hav">... [ read more ]

DSD 880 Control Panel

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 4
Updated: [ U of Delaware VAX Photos ] 01/12/2013
Pictured is a control panel for a DSD 880 which is (?) a plug-compatible RX02/RL02 emulator for PDP8/PDP11 minicomputers. I think that the associated PDP 11 also ran a "FuzzBall" router controller designed by Professor Dave Mills of the University of Delaware. The Fuzzball was the router selected for use in launching the National Science Foundation Network (NSFNET) in 1985, the direct ancestor to the commercial Internet (WWW). Click on image for larger views.
In the early 1980's MILNET was spun-off of ARPANET. Soon afterwords the National Science Foundation launched the NSFNET service on the now non-classified ARPANET system, in 1984-85. NSFNET used the ARPANET TCP/IP standard. NSFNET went commercial in the ea">... [ read more ]

Sinclair Executive Calculator

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 1
The Sinclair Executive was the first pocket calculator produced in the UK. Click on image for larger view.
">... [ read more ]

IBM PC AT (ARC X86) need dump

by vlad
Total messages in this thread: 2
Updated: [ Try any 286 BIOS ] 06/18/2010
Hello, i have the American Research 80286 mainboard and whant bring it to live. The mobo has come to me without BIOS, N82S147 and 16L8A PALs Have anybody the dump of this chips. I think that schematic of this mobo is much close to IBM reference (exept controllers is from UMC), so the dumps from IBM can work to...">... [ read more ]

'nother Northstar Horizon

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 1
Rich Cini gave me a non-functional Northstar Horizon at the CP/M workshop the other month. I have finally gotten around the Horizon that I was given a few months ago. This was a system with the Vector Graphics cards. I removed the Vector Graphics cards and replaced with stock Horizon cards. Works fine, no issues. Pictures Each year I hope to be able to do a demo of a Northstar Horizon in computer history class, this year I have a better chance at at least one of these working when the day comes. I have had issues in the past. My question - The front face plate of my first Horizon reads Northstar* This new one reads North Star * Computers HORIZON The answer: The plate that reads "NorthStar" came first. ... [ read more ]

IBM PC Parts Trade List / Inventory

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 1
Update date is thread date.
IBM-branded Tandon 100 2A drives
To follow is a partial inventory of IBM PC parts and peripherals on hand, and these are the kinds of things I am willing to trade or possibly sell. If you do not see what you're looking for here, please contact me QTY/MANUF/DESCR/MODEL PART NUM 4/IBM/1983 Fixed Disk Floppy Diskette"/61-031099-00 MV-X6D 2/IBM/6188162 XM/FLOPPY DISK CONTROLLER 1/DAK/COMPONENT VIDEO CARD/VG-100 REV 01 1988 1/IBM/BLACK & WHITE/PARALLEL/1501483 XM 1/IBM/BLACK & WHITE/PARALLEL/1501985 1/IBM/EGA VID CARD/6280539 XM/WITH EXPANSION DAUGHTER CARDS 1/TAGOSHI/MONO DISP PARALLEL/ 1/IBM/EXTENDER/1501416-6319935 3/AST/SIX PACK PLUS 1/EVEREX/HD CONTROLLER/EV 392 1/PLUS HARD CARD 20 WITH MANUAL AND INSTALL DISK (UNTESTED/NOT WORKING) ">... [ read more ]

Product Docs Inventory Update

by billdeg
Total messages in this thread: 4
Updated: [ manuals wanted ] 06/06/2010
Here is a list of product docs I have on hand, for future reference. This is not a complete list. These docs can be found on the bottom shelf in the middle of the row of the product docs and software book shelves.
  • Shugart SA800/801 Diskette Storage Drive Maintenance Manual
  • Shugart SA460/410 Minifloppy maintenance manual (missing cover)
  • Shugart SA410/460 96 TPI Single/Double-sided Minifloppy Diskette Storage Drives Service Manual
  • Shugart SA1000 Fixed Disk Drive OEM Manual
  • Tandon Product Specifications Mini Double Sided Recording Flexible Disk Drive Model TM100-4 96 TPI DSR
  • Tandon TM50-1, TM50-2 Flexible Disk Drives Product Specification and User's Manual
  • MPI Flexible Disk Drive 91/92 Product Manual
  • WD1002S-WX2A / WD1002A-WX1 Winchester Disk Controller OEM Manual (June 1987)
  • Quantum ProDrive ELS 42/85/127/170S Product Manual 1992
  • Adap">... [ read more ]
  • Altair 680

    by JonnyPlate
    Total messages in this thread: 8
    Updated: [ toggle switches ] 06/04/2010
    I recently came across an Altair 680 at a garage sale. I picked it up for 4 dollars. I'm curious if there is a way if I can determine if it is original or not? or if it is a 680B ? ">... [ read more ]

    S-100 Serial cards

    by ragooman
    Total messages in this thread: 1
    I updated several things on my webpage and added this one link below to help sort out the S-100 serial cards. There's a couple of links I still have to add to this which I should get to soon. I also notated on there about the diff modes the SSM IO4 can emulate. http://www.vin...ecomputer.net/ragooman/">... [ read more ]

    IBM PS/2 Model 8530

    by billdeg
    Total messages in this thread: 1
    1987 IBM PS/2 Model 8530. This was an 80C86 computer with IBM PS/2 Microchannel technology. These systems were very popular for home use. Click Image for additional photos.
    ">... [ read more ]

    IBM Eduquest Forty

    by billdeg
    Total messages in this thread: 1
    1993 IBM Eduquest Forty was a later PS/2 system made to run special Eduquest software on the Windows 3.1 OS. These systems were primarily marketed to K-12 schools for use by students. The display was large - 1,024 x 768 - making this a pretty hefty all-in-one system. The Eduquest computers were actually re-branded model PS/2 systems and I assume could share parts for repairs. Click Image for additional photos.
    ">... [ read more ]

    Macintosh Computer Photos

    by billdeg
    Total messages in this thread: 1
    1987 Macintosh II. This was the first of a new line of Macintosh computers, and this was the first Mac to not have a built-in display. As you can see from the photo, the new Mac design was similar to the IBM AT and Amiga computers. Click Image for additional photos.
    1989 Macintosh SE FDHD. FDHD indicated that this SE has 1.4MB disk drives. The original all-in-one Mac design was still popular in the late 80's. Click Image for additional photos.
    198">... [ read more ]
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