hybridfree/eevblog-posts huggingface dataset:
Small-C for 6809? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2023, 01:59:21 pm
content: I purchased a CD some time ago that contains the sources of the very first versions of Small-C reviewed by Dr Dobbs Journal.I saw support for machine-layer { 8080, z80, ... }, strangely in a couple of readmes, among the various "todo", 6809 is also mentioned, but... I don't find any source.It was BBS-era, I know, but I wonder: did the 6809 layer machine for Small-C ever exist? If so, does anyone have a copy?

author: 50ShadesOfDirt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2023, 03:18:21 pm
content: Not quite sure what you're asking for ... found references to Small-C (and a 6809 emulator) at:http://www.evenson-consulting.com/swtpc/Downloads.htmSmall-C compiler and source, by Ron Cain is on the page above ... perhaps targeted at Evenson's 6809 emulator?Hope this helps ...

author: guenthert
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2023, 11:15:32 am
content: Uh, not sure about more recent versions, but Small-C for Z80 in the mid-eighties didn't conform to any standard and created (slowly) poor code. There are patched versions of gcc around which support the 6809 -- I'd rather try those (with the caveat, that a register starved 8bitter won't make an ideal target for C), if you don't mind cross-compiling.
Software for Alacron i860 card - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: dorkshoei
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 13, 2023, 05:31:08 pm
content: I have an Alacron FT200 ISA card. The earlier version of this:http://alacron.com/clientuploads/FT-200-PCI.PDFIt came with the manuals but no software. I am wondering if anyone has copies of the software? I looked on bitsavers but didn't see anything related to "alacron".I cannot tell if Alacron are still in business. The website is up, email doesn't bounce. Calls are never answered, they just redirect to VM.Obviously lack of replies could also be because "we're not interested in responding".According to the manual there was DOS, Windows 3.X, Unix SYSV/X86, Solaris 2/X86 and OS2 versions comprising runtime, vectorizing C/Fortran compilers and various software libraries for vector/image processing.

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 15, 2023, 08:41:29 am
content: too rare, if you have the tecnical documentation, you might write a simple driver to- load firmware from the host- run it- communicate to the host via "virtual" channels
Floppy drive head wear - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 09:56:19 pm
content: I'm daydreaming about floppy drives and how the r/w head works.What I'm pondering now is why some drives like the Commodore SFD-1001 who push the limits of disk capacity (1M on a DSDD disk) have trouble in the inner tracks.I'm guessing that because on the inner tracks the flux transitions are packed closer together, if the r/w head gap is somehow the wrong size the waveform gets muddy, due to HF loss.I have yet to find an actual mechanical drawing of a 5.25" drive head. So I'm just guessing that the gap profile is like a tape head, there is a beveling down that widens the gap when the head starts wearing down.Like a open-reel tape deck that loses HF response on the lower tape speeds when the heads wear.Make sense?
manual? Integrated Systems, Inc. pSOSystem, pROBE+ - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2023, 10:43:53 am
content: Code:pSOSystem V2.1.6Copyright (c) 1991 - 1997, Integrated Systems, Inc.Code:pROBE+/MIPS PS V3.1.0pROBE+/MIPS CE V3.1.0pROBE+/MIPS RD V3.1.0pROBE+/MIPS QS V3.1.0pROBE+/MIPS DI V3.1.0pROBE+> helpUnknown CommandpROBE+> heUnknown CommandpROBE+> ?Unknown Commanddoes anyone recognize this stuff and know if there is a manual around?

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2023, 10:55:06 am
content: Code:pROBE+ is now ready to talk to the host debugger over this serial channel...this is *VERY* interesting for me, unfortunately I have no idea about the protocol

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2023, 11:41:38 am
content: "pROBE+ Users Guide (5192-001)"that is *the* manual!probably there was/is a paper copy(if so, a pdf, scanned documentation)

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2023, 01:12:15 pm
content: You have probably found the below via Google already? A detailed product flyer and a manual on what appears to be a later version of the same pSOS+. No idea how much of it applies to the version you have... Maybe it's worth asking Lauterbach, who are selling the current product, whether they can help with documentation of the vintage versions?https://www2.lauterbach.com/doc/rtospsos.pdfhttps://www2.lauterbach.com/pdf/rtos_psos.pdf

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2023, 02:47:14 pm
content: Quote from: ebastler on August 31, 2023, 01:12:15 pmyup, but I haven't found anything really useful yet. Just a very old post on a mailing list, with the name of the manual, and a list of some commands.Lauterbach has the same product name, but looking at their manual it seems totally unrelated to the firmware I have on the board as none of their commands workWorse, I have a full licensed Lauterbach Trace32 at work paired with Windriver software. When I try to interface the target board via the serial line, again none of the queries seem to work, except "ID"So 9600bps-8-n-1 is correct, the ID query works, but that's all that works.In my opinion, if Lauterbach bought pROBE+ from Integrated Systems, Inc., they modified both the debugging protocol and the monitor commands making them not retro-compatible-I will be writing Lauterbach an e-mail in hopes that someone will have time to re-direct my question to some retired engineer who know anything about the old pROBE+ (1991-1997) from Integrated Systems, Inc.
What mystery vintage chip is this? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: 8008
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2023, 10:16:19 am
content: I bought a vintage EPROM UV Eraser. Inside of the device something was forgotten and fell around there, some beauty unknown chip.A short google lens search brought nothing. Both for image and the text printed "ST Microelectronics 901E/FC"Because it was in an EPROM Eraser, it may contain an EPROM area. But it does not look like a common EPROM, because at leat three different sections could beseen through the (dirty looking) glass window.Maybe someone has an idea what this thing could be. I am just curious.Dennis

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2023, 10:44:41 am
content: Any similar searches came up empty, but it might be a microcontroller with integrated EPROM - ST62 and ST63 had various versions with EPROM.You could try to program it, but it might be a somewhat daunting task given it is a very old familyhttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/found-a-nos-stash-of-st62e28-rom-mcus-how-were-they-programmed/

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2023, 10:49:46 am
content: ST7 microcontroller - there was a 42 pin shrink-dip version of this. Usually OTP but I'm sure they did expensive UVEPROM versions for development

author: ArdWar
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2023, 11:17:46 am
content: ST7 huh? I was thinking ST9 MCU with that code

author: 8008
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2023, 03:25:34 pm
content: Thanks to mikeselectricstuff+rsjsouza, this looks really like being from range ST6-7 of controllers.I could not get closer so far by checking images of these chips on Internet, despite there are many of such images.What I did not see anywhere are these 6 white "boxes" on/in the silicon area, whatever that is.I will try to clean that dirty quarz glass window, there is something like transparent glue on it preventing to see more details.Many thanks for your expert view on the images!@mikeselectricstuff: Hi Mike, I am proud that you were anwering my post. Have spent many great hours looking your videos in the last~12 years, unforgotten your work with the large x-ray machine from some airport or the alarm beep when cutting that wire on a pacemaker ... :-)

author: 8008
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2023, 04:45:26 pm
content: I could clean the glass and was able to look at the chip with my microscope. But its magnification is only about 40 or so, I see tiny characters on the die, but cannot read them (there is a "(c) 1992", I can read that, but not more). So I have only a sligthly better image of the die sections.
Soviet Computers!!! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2023, 10:32:37 pm
content: look at the design!!!Amazing!this was/is serious stuff!

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2023, 10:44:44 pm
content: Haha, yes. I know their channel.Pretty badass stuff.
Colecovision - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Wawavoun
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 19, 2023, 06:24:53 pm
content: Hi All !I have found a Colecovision game console (FR model) in very good shape.But there is no power supply and no Subd15 to SCART cable.For the PSU I will use an old PC power supply with -5 V. The problem is the connector on the console side.I found a 3d printer model for the plastic part but what can I use as metallic plugs ? The male parts on the console seems to be brass or copper pins with diameter 2.5 mm.I have try plugs taken on a 5p1/4 floppy drive molex power supply but there are to small...For the video I found two different wirings on the net and I am unsure about what to use.Any help will be appreciated.Regards.Philippe
8-bit DRAM questions - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Richardcavell
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2023, 11:58:11 am
content: Hi. I’m an amateur electronics enthusiast with an interest in retro computing. I found a datasheet for a DRAM chip used in the TRS-80 Color Computer.https://orchidsound.com/mcm4517p12-dram-16-384-bit-16k-x-1-120ns-pdip-16-motorola/1. It uses 14 mW when in standby. What exactly puts the chip in “standby”?2. The chip has “Early write common I/O output capability”. What does this mean?3. It has 64K compatible, 128-cycle 2 ms refresh. What does 64K compatible refer to?4. It has “hidden” refresh. Does this mean that the output on Q remains latched/valid even if you modify the address and assert /RAS to do a refresh?Thanks,Richard

author: srb1954
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2023, 12:59:58 am
content: Quote from: Richardcavell on March 28, 2023, 11:58:11 amWhen a memory cycle is complete and both the RAS and CAS strobes return to their inactive levels.QuoteNot particularly clear from the datasheet but the timing diagrams show that input write data is required, and presumably latched, very early in a memory cycle whereas the read output data only appears late on the memory cycle. This would allow the data input D and data output Q to be commoned and connected to a bidirectional data buffer.QuoteCompatible with later generation 64K (65636x1) DRAMsQuoteCorrect.You need to obtain the full data sheet and look closely at the timing diagrams included. These show the sequence of each type of memory cycle and when data and addresses to the DRAM have to be applied relative to the RAS and CAS strobes.

author: m k
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2023, 10:54:01 am
content: And after that you'll understand why memory controllers became quite respected new product range.

author: srb1954
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2023, 11:24:59 am
content: Especially when you consider how much simpler and easier these older DRAM devices were compared to the extreme complexity of modern DRAM chips.
[WTB] MOTOROLA VME boards: MVME319 and MVME320 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: marcopolo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2023, 12:32:50 pm
content: Hi,I'm looking for 2 VME boards from MOTOROLA:- MVME319- MVME320FDD and HDD controller.MVME3604 available for a swap.Thanks,Marc

author: marcopolo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2023, 09:17:22 am
content: Hi,I found an MVME319.I am still looking for an MVME320.Thanks,Marc

author: Phil_G
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2023, 02:34:34 pm
content: Have you triedhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/RetroComputerMarketplace?

author: marcopolo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2023, 03:40:09 pm
content: No, I don't use social networks.
Looking for 14kb Mark Williams Company XYBASIC - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: CaptDon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2023, 01:09:38 pm
content: Greetings all. My first post in Vintage Computing. I have an 8085 system cloned and similar to an SDK-85 from Intel. I kept the SDK-85 console monitor code which left me about 1kb free for my use in a 2716 eprom. I have a full 64kb of ram available and I arranged a '2kb increment' decoder where I can select up to 16kb of eprom/eeprom at the start of memory. This has allowed me to run Palo Alto Tiny Basic with some monitor routines I've added consuming a total of 2kb at the start of memory. I also have the Tycon Editor Assembler (TEA) from Chris Titus able to run on my system. Many years back There was a complete 'ready to tun' 14kb XYBASIC available from MWC and they even offered to program 7 of your 2716's if you sent your own blank eproms to MWC. The only thing you needed for this ready to tun package was an 8251A USART residing on the correct port address. Can any of you folks here provide me with a 14kb .bin file that I can directly load into a 27C128 eprom and tell me what port address to use for the 8251A? I would really like to see XYBASIC running on this little clone. I have found a host of .tgz files (32 of them?) but I haven't had any luck to piece it all together and get it running. I bought my original SDK-85 from Pioneer Electronics in Philadelphia Pennsylvania and after many additions and self written programs and building a clone I donated the original to York Technical Institute in York Pennsylvania. I had several of there students as interns over the years. Thanks all and best wishes!!

author: granzeier
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2023, 03:10:39 pm
content: The author (Stephen A. Ness) has a web site about this (https://www.nesssoftware.com/home/mwc/XYBASIC.php) where you can download it.Thanks for the info, it looks like an interesting thing.

author: CaptDon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2023, 02:23:33 pm
content: I actually emailed with Steve Ness. Unfortunately he does not have anything that is ready-to-run on an 8080 or 8085 system starting at 0000h. I was hoping someone on this board may have a version running on an SDK-80 or SDK-85 or possibly an Intellec 8/MOD80 that I could re-port for my system. Somewhere there was a version that resided starting at A000h with a jump table at the starting at the 0000h boot / cold start address. It was a commercially released version. I really can't make heads or tails out of the .tgz files on the nesssoftware website. Thanks to anyone who could help me get XYBASIC running on my system. I do have Palo Alto Tiny Basic (fits in a single 2716) running as well as Tycon Editor Assembler (6k fits in a 27C64) running on my system. I have two versions of each, one ported to use the S.I.D. and S.O.D. pins of the 8085A and one ported to use an 8251A USART. I may be able to post the .bin files if anyone is interested.Cheers Mates!!
Now you can play all your childhood C64 games online - 20,000 of them - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: milasoft
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 10, 2023, 09:19:58 am
content: Hi! I'd like to introduce you to CommodoreGames.Net. You can play over 20,000 Commodore 64 games online, and download originals from the archive (for historical purposes).We also have Commodore PET games as well, Commodore news feed, and a banner exchange.Everyone is welcome
Asking if anyone has ED 2.88M floppies? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2023, 10:21:26 pm
content: These are hard to find, anyone have any leads on where to find some? I mean the media, not the drives. Floppyking and eBay don't have any.

author: MK14
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2023, 10:43:16 pm
content: You mean like these, one example provided, there could be more:eBay auction: #155083007097

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2023, 01:24:49 pm
content: Oh, thanks, don't know why these didn't show up in my searching. Oh well. I need to think about that price ...

author: MK14
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2023, 07:03:03 pm
content: Quote from: Alex Eisenhut on April 06, 2023, 01:24:49 pmI think it is some change in policy and stuff at ebay, over the years. So, the search (quite possibly intentionally, unless you pay ebay more money to get your item(s) promoted), doesn't show up. But I'm not an expert on it, so am open to other opinions.I did a search (advanced search) on completed items, there was one main or sole seller of them, in the past. Who, fortunately was still selling them.As regards the price, which I agree is difficult to pallet.If they had been lets say $4.99 each, I bet either a collector would have already snapped them all up, ages ago, or reseller, would have bought up all the stock, to make a profit on them.So, that highish price has kept them, at least available for you.I was always curious about them, but don't remember seeing them for sale, when they were current technology (I'm not sure if they were significantly ever in the UK, maybe they didn't get here). They soon lost relevance in the PC market, when CD's became common place and affordable, with their massively high capacity, compared to floppies, also there were various zip and similar drives/discs, with much higher capacities.

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 08, 2023, 05:13:36 pm
content: I keep forgetting that eBay changed its wild card search method years ago. If I search for 2.88M, 2.88 M, 2.88mb, 2.88MB, 2.88 MB, etc it's all different.I just wanted to see if a CMD FD-4000 2.88M floppy drive for my Commodore collection makes any sense. At the price that drive commands, when one shows up every 4-5 years or so, I should at least be able to use it...
IDE drive to SCSI controller? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2023, 10:13:11 pm
content: I'm a bit slow in understanding thishttps://www.ebay.ca/itm/143335714009Will this allow a PATA/IDE hard drive to masquerade as SCSI device so I can connect it to a SCSI controller?

author: bw2341
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2023, 03:25:02 am
content: From googling "acard AEC-7722" I found the product pages at Amazon and Newegg.From the product description and user reviews, it only works for IDE ATAPI optical drives to SCSI hosts.

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2023, 05:15:20 pm
content: Ah I get it now, the one I'd want is 2.5 laptop drive to SCSI and the price is too stupid even for me. Another useless C64 project goes back in the IKEA shelf.

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2023, 06:09:10 pm
content: SCSI/IDE adapters for harddisks used to be painfully expensive; don't remind me of the one I imported from Japan several years ago... BlueSCSI is a relatively recent, lower cost option. It is open source, so you can start by having your own bare PCBs made, but the website also lists various sellers who offer complete units (and maybe kits?):https://bluescsi.com/Disclaimer: BlueSCSI seems very popular these days and I have read good things about it in vintage computing forums, but I habve not used one myself.

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2023, 07:32:58 pm
content: Well I already have a SCSI controller for Commodore, the Rear Admiral. I just wanted to use another type of HD with it for nostalgia reasons.

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2023, 07:48:01 pm
content: Ah, sorry, I had things mixed up there. The BlueSCSI does not connect SCSI to a physical IDE drive, but to drive images on an SD card only. Is that what the Rear Admiral does as well?

author: BrianHG
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 15, 2023, 07:32:23 am
content: Why not use a SCSI to SD / MMC card controller?2 or 3 exist in use with Amigas. SCSI on one side, your SD card on the other which emulates a normal SCSI hard disc.Google SCSI SD adapter
S/W update for Karen's PIC14 Science of Cambridge MK14 clone - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Phil_G
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2023, 02:06:10 pm
content: The PIC14 seems to be a popular build once again, as genuine SC/MP chips become harder to find. Here's Karens original from 2007 as a reminder:http://techlib.com/area_50/Readers/Karen/micro.htm#PIC14. There are several PCB designs on the net for new builders.As originally published, only manually keyed in programs were kept non-volatile. If you hex-loaded a program, it disappeared with the power off.This simple edit saves manually-keyed and hex-loaded programs with the power off. Its on the "Karen Orton 'PICL' NIBL Computer & PIC14 files"page ofhttp://philg.ukright at the bottom of the page.Also when a new PIC is programmed for the very first time, ie nothing has yet been manually keyed in or hex-loaded, rather than leaving it empty,the non-volatile ram now defaults to the Science of Cambridge Message demo from the MK14 manual.This is overwritten as soon as any new program is keyed in or hexloaded. So you can blow a brand-new pic, plug it in, press the "SC/MP Reset" button, and typeF 2 0andGo, confirming that indeed "as you can see the S of C is a jolly fine buy"CheersPhil
Rockwell R65F11 FORTH - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: woodchips
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2018, 12:52:52 pm
content: Had a surprise today. Ploughing through a pile of aquired 19" racks of bits and pieces and came across some Rockwell R65F11AP chips.New to me, not Rockwell, thought at first it was their answer to the 6809, but turned out to be a 6502 with built in FORTH language.Having read the data sheet nostalgia is certainly back, what a good idea. I find nothing of interest in the modern Raspberry Pie's and similar, doesn't work then add another 50MB memory solution.Had a Jupiter Ace, long ago, never really liked it, the BBC B was so much better. The BASIC, and if you wanted assembler then you could create large assembler programs with a linking assembler, gave the disc drives a work out!

author: backflipper
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2018, 11:17:47 pm
content: NiceI also have a Rockwell Aim65 computer.

author: woodchips
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 30, 2018, 06:39:09 pm
content: From queries, a photo of the board.Called a Quaternary ADC, uses an AD7528, CA3300, HA5195 and TTL.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 30, 2018, 07:12:14 pm
content: Rockwell was a second source for the 6502 soon after MOS Technology launched it. Ah, the good old days, when everyone want a true second source for most of their parts.

author: robots42
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 15, 2020, 02:50:06 am
content: Hi I have four "R1200-14, ROCKWELL 83, 9343 A32940-4, MEXICO". I have been unable to find any reference to them anywhere. They were bought in the mid 90s as R65F12, can anybody confirm that (or not)?

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 15, 2020, 03:31:54 pm
content: Quote from: robots42 on July 15, 2020, 02:50:06 amAt leastthis pagehas the R1200-14 included in a list of Forth benchmark results, so that's promising.

author: NivagSwerdna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 15, 2020, 04:01:05 pm
content: Quote from: woodchips on December 22, 2018, 12:52:52 pmTerrible display; I had a look at it and could never get on with it despite being a FORTH fanboy at the time. Never understood why they sell for silly prices.

author: ElektrischInkorrekt
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 01:11:47 pm
content: Found 10 pieces of the same "R1200-14".I have also trouble to find reference data of this stock.Perhapsthiscould be the right datasheet!?I took over the electronics workshop of my predecessor at a university and am currently digging through many treasures from past decades.It may well be that more special treasures will turn up somewhere, such as the Tectronix 577-D1-177.
The Dawn and Dusk of Sun Microsystems - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: schmitt trigger
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 31, 2022, 10:25:36 pm
content: I love the Asianometry YT channel. It has a number of very interesting videos, all related to different electronic topics.

author: fourtytwo42
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2023, 03:32:01 pm
content: I used to work in a UK subsidiary of Sun, maybe somewhat unfairly we used to refer to the USA management as Seagulls!Fly in, sh*t on you and fly out again
NEC Mobilepro 780 Handheld PDA: any pic of the motherboard? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 28, 2022, 02:20:22 pm
content: I'm looking for some internal photos of the NEC Mobilepro 780 handheld PDA.Does anyone have /or can take a picture of the motherboard?Let me know
Sharp PC-G850V (and PockEmul) ... - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: 50ShadesOfDirt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2022, 03:20:53 pm
content: ... the TRS-80 Model 100 work I'm progressing thru led me to other various "computers" that do basic similarly, and this particular calculator, the PC-G850V (and VS). It not only does basic programming, but assembler and C as well. That's impressive ...Managed to order one off of ebay, as apparently the Japanese market (the only place they were sold?) is clearing them out; not sure what modern variant of calculator is being used for the children over there these days?While sorting out the G850V stuff, I then ran across PockEmul, which, amongst dozens of other calculators (TI, HP, etc.), emulates the G850V to a T! Coming from the smartphone app world, the developer also has a PC/Desktop version, so I can run the G850V and test things. It easily does basic, assembler, and C, thru the calculator emulated interface. Very interesting, and the PockEmul developer is very responsive, and has authored a heck of a program, to emulate so many hard to find calcs and pc-calcs.Like dosbox-x, pockemul is a very handy thing for emulating and resurrecting the old stuff ...

author: 50ShadesOfDirt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 05, 2022, 05:03:49 pm
content: Have to retract my 2nd to last sentence, as the PockEMUL "software subscription" became a huge issue for me. Developer's scheme is:- require users of the desktop version to login to the phone app version every 7 days or so- next time you bring up the desktop version, it knows it is still licensed (even though I paid for a desktop license); without the phone app login, desktop version will go unlicensed.Not a problem for folks who use their phone all the time ... I use mine about one, possibly two times per month, so my desktop version kept going "unlicensed", and developer had to do something at his end to fibx the desktop licensing. l gave up on it ...Luckily, the physical PC-G850V came in, and it is indeed a wonderful little device ... basic, c, and assembly on a calculator, plus all the normal scientific calc stuff ... wow! Still have lots to figure out, and now the desktop PockEMUL version won't be there to assist.PockEMUL is still good on the smartphone, for those who need to check out an old calculator before actually buying a physical one.The software subscription shenanigans reminded me once again of why subscription stuff is just not for me, and possibly bad for everyone. Where do I sign the petition against this new world order in software?
Design of mechanical calculators - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: woodchips
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2022, 04:14:20 pm
content: Just pulled one of my old mechanical calculators from the shelf to get it running, show to those who have never seen or heard one.It is a Marchant Figurematic, only because I bought it many years ago less its covers, so already open to inspection. Needed some work to free it off so the motor shaft would rotate and the contacts open to stop the motor. Then I tried putting power on to see if it would run, no. Showers of sparks from the commutator and small cloud of blue smoke. Did try to sort out why but in the end removed the motor and on dismantling the commutator was black from backed on oil. Will need to get in the lathe to clean it up.But, my question is, after just admiring it whilst drinking a tea, is could you design the calculator using CAD.For example there are many oddly shaped pieces of metal, but they also have odd lumps and bumps that push other pieces of metal. Also many odd pins that similarly push against or prevent movement of other pices of metal. Then there a springs everywhere, seemingly fixed at any convenient point.My question is, does CAD allow you to design a particular piece of metal from a key that also understands that there are lumps and pins etc that are interlocks to stop that key being pressed if some other key or operation is in progress. Do you see what I am trying to explain?The next question is, can you put the contents of the calculator into the CAD program, together with all the interlock and accompanying operations and the CAD package will tell you how the calculator works?The biggest problem with fixing a calculator is to simply know what each piece of metal does, and when it does it. It is virtually impossible to understand the complexity of the calculator.Go and look at johnwolff.id.au and the article about taking a Marchant Figurematic to pieces, stunning.

author: Sherlock Holmes
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2022, 05:05:24 pm
content: Quote from: woodchips on August 18, 2022, 04:14:20 pmI'm sure those who use 3D printers could certainly get into fabricating parts and making something. Did you ever see a Curta? an ingenious cylindrical mechanical calculator, I don't have one, wish I did.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2022, 05:32:46 pm
content: There are some Curtas available on eBay, for roughly $2000 USD.https://www.ebay.com/b/Curta-Calculators/414/bn_55188475Nice-looking machines!
Are 41256 ram chips compatible with 4164s? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: BlueApple
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2022, 01:35:08 pm
content: I've been trying to repair a Tandy CoCo 1 64k. I ended up swapping the ram but I noticed the chips I put in it are 41256s. Is it safe to leave these chips in the board? The only different pin is the 256k has a address pin where the 64k has a NC. I think it should be okay if A8 is grounded but I just wanted to make sure.

author: xmris
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2022, 01:47:36 pm
content: IIRC 4164 vs 41256 have different pinouts , esp the Vcc

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 23, 2022, 01:53:47 pm
content: Should be fine. Certainly no damage will happen.

author: BlueApple
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2022, 01:57:06 pm
content: Quote from: xmris on November 23, 2022, 01:47:36 pmHmm... The datasheet I was looking at had everything in the same place.

author: xmris
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2022, 02:29:06 pm
content: bummer , sorry! you are right I may confused them with other IC (video ram or something,) ok quick search on thecomp.sys.cbm group , revealed this:https://groups.google.com/g/comp.sys.cbm/c/kxvYo45pnWoHTH

author: BlueApple
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2022, 02:38:25 pm
content: Quote from: xmris on November 23, 2022, 02:29:06 pmThanks! It said you should make sure pin 1 is grounded, and it is on the CoCo!
Why would this really large piece of plate glass have a ZX81 image bonded to it? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: peteb2
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2022, 03:21:05 am
content: A dear friend found this at a street market & gifted it to me. Has anyone ever seen such a thing & is it simply a piece of decorative retro geek tech art or an actual tool or something for the infamous Sinclair computer?

author: granzeier
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2022, 10:45:31 am
content: Interesting, I had never seen, nor heard of, anything like this before.I noticed something (in the lower-right corner of the picture) that I noticed on my first ZX-80 back in 1981: the PCB has an option to use either one 2016 2K RAM chip (as shown,) or a pair of 2114 1K x 4 RAM chips. My kit came with the 2114 RAM chips, and unfortunately I did not have a 2016 chip. Thanks for reminding me that my memory was correct.

author: sleemanj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2022, 11:21:02 am
content: https://www.mightyape.co.nz/product/motherboard-chopping-board/22942789

author: peteb2
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2022, 12:38:30 pm
content: Quote from: peteb2 on October 25, 2022, 12:35:52 pm

author: MK14
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2022, 12:41:29 pm
content: Quote from: sleemanj on October 25, 2022, 11:21:02 amSimilarly, for around £9.99 plus postage, around £3.35:https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155157223000

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 25, 2022, 12:55:09 pm
content: Re-creation of this board.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 28, 2022, 06:46:11 am
content: Reminds me of clipboards made of old motherboards and other such PCBs.

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 28, 2022, 05:05:03 pm
content: Quote from: Halcyon on October 28, 2022, 06:46:11 amWow, that would be a terrible clipboard to write on with your pen nib/pencil tip constantly digging through the paper and dropping into the holes.Unless you have a thick pad of paper, and then why do you need a clipboard?

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2022, 07:04:27 pm
content: Yeah?

author: Phil_G
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2022, 12:01:57 pm
content: Last weekend was the Retro Fair at the Centre for Computing History in Cambridge (UK), these cutting boards were on sale in the shop there.I would have loved one but a glass board would last 5 minutes in my house
Mirabilis ICQ Proxy Server - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 28, 2022, 03:28:27 am
content: So, for fun, I decided to try running my own ICQ server (that chat program from the late 1999's/early 2000's). More specifically, ICQ Groupware, which was a version of the original ICQ client that was designed for companies to run on their LAN. From my understanding, there was only ever one version of ICQ Groupware Server released (which is 1.12 Beta). And it works great, even on a "modern" operating system like Windows 7 (with a little tweaking).Last night, I did a test and poked a hole through the firewall to UDP 4000 (which ICQ uses to communicate) and actually managed to communicate back and forth with a friend over the internet, with one caveat; ICQ by default tries to deliver messages peer-to-peer, in that it tries to connect directly to the other user's client through their WAN IP. Obviously, most of us are behind firewalls and private routers, so machines don't have direct connections to the internet via IPv4.Eventually, the message sending times-out and asks whether you want to send it through the server, which of course works. However you can't change this behavior. There is no option in the ICQ Groupware client to "always send messages through the server". I also tried the regular versions of ICQ (98a and 99a/b) which allow you to specify a custom server (aside from default icq.mirabilis.com) but it seems there is a protocol mismatch and it won't register or logon to the Groupware server. Versions of ICQ after 99b don't allow you specify another server.After poking around a bit, there appears to be a vague reference to an ICQ Proxy Server (see screenshot), which links to a URL that is long dead. I spent hours trawling archive.org for the executable but have turned up empty handed. The original URL waswww.mirabilis.com/icqproxy.It's a long shot, but does anyone have a copy of this software, or any other suggestions on how I can get this to work properly over the internet? There is the option of specifying a SOCKS4 or SOCKS5 proxy server in the client, which I haven't messed around with yet. You can also specify a specific range of ports which ICQ will attempt to use, but that would involve opening those ports up on the firewall, which at that point it just starts to get messy and I want to avoid that.
last man standing in the floppy disk business - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2022, 05:13:24 pm
content: https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/we-spoke-with-the-last-person-standing-in-the-floppy-disk-business/?utm_source=pocket-newtabHey I like floppy disks I guess.

author: austfox
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2022, 03:28:10 am
content: That was a great read. I'm glad I kept all my 5.25 and 3.5 inch disks, and stockpiled a number of drives. Surprisingly the 5.25 disks are quite reliable. They are from the late 80's where most on sale at that time in Australia were made locally.The paragraph at the end gave me a laugh:There’s this joke in which a three-year-old little girl comes to her father holding a floppy disk in her hand. She says: “Daddy, Daddy, somebody 3D-printed the save icon.”

author: jh15
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2022, 02:54:13 am
content: I don't see the floppy/icon save relationship.

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2022, 03:20:01 am
content: Quote from: jh15 on October 08, 2022, 02:54:13 am....really?

author: AlfBaz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2022, 03:20:41 am
content: Quote from: jh15 on October 08, 2022, 02:54:13 amBelow is a portion of a screen grab.It's of a thing called a program that run on a thing called a PC which usually has a separate screen and keyboard.These PC's where very prominent in the late 90's early 00's and are still in wide use today

author: Zoli
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2022, 12:19:53 am
content: Quote from: jh15 on October 08, 2022, 02:54:13 amMaybe is time to get a 3.5" floppy in your hands, then compare it to the save icon.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2022, 07:34:19 am
content: this is getting some publicity now because some Japanese bureaucrats chickened out to get a modernization program going in the office huh? interoperability seems to be the flavor of the monthI find it amusing how far some people will go to get rid of a few edge cases so things are more 'sleek' on paper, but then it ends up just as dysfunctional when things break down and do not get repaired etc.I have a feeling if it was really a bottleneck these types of things would be changed quickly, its more like someones perception of the tech is negative, rather then fact.

author: eti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2022, 08:15:36 am
content: It only matters that we older folks know the floppy icon as the "Save" button, because back in our day we knew what we were doing.
Beautiful Chromadisks - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2022, 03:42:23 am
content: Behold!https://www.ebay.ca/itm/325147485522Are they not wonderful? It only recently occurred to my slowing brain to search for this specific brand instead of Chromadisk !
Cromemco Z-2D Computer for free in NSW (AUS) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: austfox
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2022, 06:08:11 am
content: I've never heard of Cromemco, but my searching suggests it is an American made S-100 Z80 system.Not me giving this away, but maybe someone on here needs a restoration project:https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/newcastle/miscellaneous-goods/old-computer-s-free-still-available-/1301661914Pickup is in Newcastle (NSW, Aust).I'd hate to see this go to someone who will scrap it for the metal content!

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2022, 08:46:14 am
content: ISTR playing with one of these at a local computer shop around the time of the early Commodore PETs, must have been around 1979-81, though fairly sure at that time it had 8" floppies.Probably has some value to early computer collectors
Any interest in a CSMP Manual? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2022, 12:07:35 am
content: I am in the process of downsizing and have no use for a CSMP (Continuous System Modeling Program) manual, from Tymshare. This is an early version of CSMP that ran on a time-shared basis on a Burroughs 6400 mainframe.Two questions1. I can scan this to a pdf. I decided I don't care enough to do the work, but will if someone wants it. Does anyone care?2. Anyone want the manual itself? If there are yes answers to question 1 you will have to commit to scanning it or wait until I get around to it.

author: xmris
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2022, 12:16:26 am
content: Please better contact the software curator, Al Kossow, of Bitsavers, aek at bitsavers.org , instead to recycle/throw any documentation away,

author: Phil_G
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2023, 11:13:18 am
content: Aw, I was hoping the title was a typo... always on the lookout for SCMP documentationCheers & Happy New YearPhil
TRS-80 Model 100 - impressive durability ... - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: 50ShadesOfDirt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2022, 03:04:13 pm
content: ... after 40 plus years, it still turns on and runs. I know I used it a bunch in the 80's, so it has survived both the "calendar" test (living in a box for decades, lots of moving abuse), and the "planned obsolescence" test (didn't immediately die after 4 years, or whatever it was back then).Most of my new computers reach various points of failure much more rapidly, and I don't think many of them would turn back on after 40 years, much less 5 years.The NI-CAD battery in it still seems to be taking a charge, and I've found wall-warts to work without feeding a bunch of AA batteries into it. Found another M100 on EBAY listed for parts (wanted a spare of the LCD screen & other components), got it in, and *it still works* ... these things are tanks.Still working with this "laptop" and discovering uses for it, beyond retro "basic" programming.

author: Phil_G
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2022, 10:41:28 pm
content: Me too, mine was bought for me by work 40 years ago, its been a temporary BBS, a comms terminal, a file-transfer device, it helped me pass my morse-code test 25 years ago, and I still use it from time to time. Its the most dependable and resilient tool I've ever owned! I've never changed the backup battery in all that time. The Model 100 was/is an astonishing machine!Here's the Tandy 100 driving my homebrew SC/MP, originally built in 1980:

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2022, 11:08:43 pm
content: Well, build quality was impressive. But it was also due to the technology they had access to at the time. In other words, to make something functional and reasonably reliable, they had to factor in quality a lot more than what we do now. And everything was simpler too.Also, those machines made in series commonly had mask ROM chips which can have a very long life time. Many computers of the 80s still work (power supplies being common culprits). Try that with flash memory, see what they'll contain in 40 years from now with 30 years+ of sitting unpowered...
Those disk drive cardboard transit protectors - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2023, 06:26:50 pm
content: Floppy drives, at least 5.25", almost always came with a disk-shaped piece of cardboard inside the drive, labelled "transit protector".I always thought this makes sense because if you have a double-sided drive with two r/w heads facing each other, the heads can crack like that old toy Clackers if there's a sharp enough shock.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ClackersOK, fine, so why would you need that for a single-sided drive?And why did I never see one for a 3.5" drive? Even though they do exist.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2023, 07:07:33 pm
content: Quote from: Alex Eisenhut on January 06, 2023, 06:26:50 pm3.5 inch drives have to unload the heads when no disk is inserted, so they are protected. 5.25 inch drives relied on a manual release mechanism which could have been left in either position when shipping.

author: xmris
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2023, 07:28:06 pm
content: The only one for 3.5" I ve seen so far was for the Commodore 1581 drive, it was a yellow plastic in the shape of a floppy, not that make any difference, there is no way for the heads of the 3.5" to come in contact like some 5.25"s -main older models like the 1541 from C= again, back in time we used custom "transit cards" or converted 5.25" floppies instead the 'official' ones.

author: helius
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 04:58:34 am
content: You're right that the main reason for the transit protectors is to prevent the two heads in a double-sided drive from slapping against each other. On a single sided drive the head is opposite a fabric or foam pad (which could still damage the head if it is decayed from age and flakes off and sticks to the head). There is a problem with using cardboard on 3.5" drives though: because the drive is designed to "pull down" on the hard plastic microfloppy when it is inserted, a cardboard insert would get stuck and possibly torn. I have seen plastic transit protectors on some 3.5" drives in laptop computers (Toshiba I think), which serve the same purpose, but are compatible with the microfloppy loading arrangement.
Computers of Chernobyl - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: dave_k
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2022, 01:01:32 am
content: Came across this Youtube channel which details the restoration of a Soviet-era i8086 workstation.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 28, 2022, 02:57:44 am
content: Thanks so much for sharing! These are some great videos. Parts 2 and 3 are also linked below. I particularly enjoyed the demonstration of old Soviet software, including the quirky Alpha-DOS.This is also this additional video with some more BIOS and software demonstrations: