WTB: HP64000 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Frio
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2020, 06:55:14 am
content: Hello everyone,I am looking for a HP64000 in decent state.Either the original HP64000A or the newer HP64110A systems would do, as long as they are not destroyed...Any help sourcing one (other than the ones on eBay) is very appreciated!Cheers,Frio

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2020, 08:19:13 pm
content: Wow, that's an oldie! What are you planning on doing with those? I scrapped 7 of these about 20 years ago. I hated to do it but couldn't find any reason to keep them around any longer. I saved the manuals, SW and some of the special bits but the owner of the place where I stored them died and new owner locked everyone out and then dumped everything so I doubt that I have anything left of those systems.

author: Frio
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2020, 10:06:23 pm
content: Yeah, that is indeed a piece of vintage hardwareI would like to experiment with the environment and mostly the assemblers.My curiosity is to investigate the system's support for the 6502, which is not on par with several other micros in the HP64000.HP didn't have a ICE for the 6502, nor C and Pascal compilers...

author: AnOldEE
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 31, 2023, 02:53:31 am
content: Hello,I know your posting is more than 3 years old.Just in case you're still looking for an HP64000, ...I have a complete HP64000 available, for FREE !It includes:HP-64000 terminal, qty. 1HP-7912 disk drive, qty. 2an HP tape backup drivemultiple HP tapesthe (Intel) 186 (maybe ??) in-circuit emulator (large pod)And, some other stuff.The HP-64000 terminal, disk drives, and tape backup unit all work.(Though it has been a few months since I last turned it on.)All of it is available to anyone for FREE.I am located near Annapolis, Maryland, USAIf you're within a "reasonable" distance, I will even consider delivering it.I could also help set it up and even give a short demo.I can provide pictures on request.I can also get more detailed information about each unit - when I get back to my office.Manuals for this system are available on-line from an HP museum located in Australia - last time I checked.I would love to find a home for this system before I have to sell it off as scrap metal.Let me know. I'll try to check this forum when I can to see if there are any responses.Mike.

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 01, 2024, 07:23:22 am
content: I have one too that is in storage (Sydney, Australia). I haven't started it up in more than 10 years, probably close to 20 years (I've had it since 2002).I have 2 x HP 64000 terminals and a HP 7911P disk/tape unit. Plus several file boxes of documentation and cables. The 7911P is 85kg alone.My notes list pods for: 8051, 8085, 8086, Z80, TMS 32010One day I expect that I will have some free time and pull it out again, but if there is someone in Australia really keen on having one then feel free to contact me.

author: Pointyhead
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 22, 2024, 06:32:17 pm
content: 7912, eh? That *is* classic.Sometimes I wish I had kept at least one of my 7925s operational. I had all I needed to keep them running even if I shot a bullet through a running drive. When I figured out they accounted for 25% of my electric bill I decommissioned them and got a 5" SCSI drive. Now all I have is the disk pack. Looking back, it would have been fun to decommission one with a bullet. I've never owned a gun however and this was long before Youtube (or even the Internet:-))

author: tonykara
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2024, 08:29:30 pm
content: Did the OP ever reply to any of you with these systems??

author: Pointyhead
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 25, 2024, 03:28:18 am
content: Not that I've seen. Frio also posted the same request on forum.vcfed.org. I asked him there if he had been able to acquire one. He replied (about a week ago) that he had not.This topic is of interest to me because I used to work in the HP emulator/analyzer R&D lab developing the 64000. My first project was designing the 6809 emulator. I'm an incurable dumpster diver and accumulated a lot of HP gear during my 41 years there. Now that I'm retired I have more time to play with my toys. I can't "bequeath" any of it (much less sell it) for ethical reasons that should be obvious unless I get current management approval. But I've helped a few folks repair their own gear.The retro crowd seems to be rediscovering the joys of real-time non-intrusive debugging tools like the 64000. Back then there was no other option since JTAG debugging (which we actually pushed Motorola to create) didn't exist. Even now, some of the stuff we did would be beyond state-of-the-art for any JTAG based debug environment.I've even been thinking about doing a real-time 6502 in-circuit emulator for the 64000.

author: AnOldEE
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2024, 03:06:53 pm
content: I posted my offer for the 'free' system on 31 Dec 2023 (above).In March 2024 I donated the entire system to the "System Source Computer Museum" in Hunt Valley, MD.https://museum.syssrc.com/Regards, Mike.

author: Frio
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 30, 2024, 05:47:30 am
content: Oh for God’s sake! I never received any notifications from this forum and after months/years of not seeing any replies, I stopped looking here, just my luck! 🤬🤬

author: Frio
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 30, 2024, 05:55:24 am
content: Any chance the museum may lend it/sell it to me? Even with a promise to return it when I am done with it…?

author: Pointyhead
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 30, 2024, 08:46:26 pm
content: "In March 2024 I donated the entire system to the "System Source Computer Museum" in Hunt Valley, MD."I checked out their site. Thanks for the pointer. I've been to the one in Silicon Valley and heard the Boston Computing Museum, but didn't realize they were popping up all over. That's nice to see.Getting (kinda) back on-topic, Since I retired a few years ago I started to become aware of all the interest in "Retro Computing". With todays faster processors it's not so essential to do things in a real-time, DUT transparent manner. But in its day, and for those slower processors, the 64000 did stuff that would still be considered state-of-the art in many ways. IfIwere trying to unbrick something using one of those CPUs, or something close to it, like the 6502, probably the first thing I'd do is dig through my archives and power up a 64000 ICE. E.g, the S-100 system I built way back when. I still have most of it, including my much-loved JADE DD smart floppy controller, which was at least as fast as the main Z80 CPU.

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 30, 2024, 09:25:27 pm
content: There's some old hardware. I posted how we used these back in the early to late 80s.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/microcontrollers/self-programming-the-mc68701-and-the-mc68701u4-(motorola)/msg2418330/#msg2418330We had an HP printer attached to the GPIB network that had a rotating print head that was the width of the paper. When you sent a form feed, the paper would stand on end! It was very fast for the day.