- vcf-midatlantic - lists.vcfed.org

Re: [vcf-midatlantic] TVs installed!
by VAXman＠tmesis.org 24 Oct '16

24 Oct '16

Tony Bogan via vcf-midatlantic writes: > >On Oct 24, 2016, at 3:37 PM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic ><vcf-midatlan= tic(a)lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote: > >>>> Out of curiosity, do the monitors/Tvs hanging have a vga port on >them? >=20 > Yes, but our plan is to use them only for information to >help visitors. > >Understood. Just thought it would be cool to display that info from a >classi= c machine.=20 Thanks, the pictures look good, thanks to you and >Anthony for doing all that= work! Tony= How about displaying some of the binaries from alt.sex.fetish.dec-hardware?

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Ghost in the Machine
by Douglas Crawford 24 Oct '16

24 Oct '16

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Last star fighter graphics production computer picture
by Douglas Crawford 24 Oct '16

24 Oct '16

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Museum report
by Evan Koblentz 24 Oct '16

24 Oct '16

Today's visitors included three that really stood out. A guy my age (40s) with his 10-year-old son; the guy showed his kid who programs in Scratch how we used to do it in BASIC. Next there was a woman who said she's got a pristine //e signed by Woz. Then an older man stopped by who worked as a programmer in the aeospace field and spent an hour asking all about our exhibits.

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Donations requested
by Adam Michlin 23 Oct '16

23 Oct '16

Hi Everyone, As many of you know, I teach Computer Science at Pope John XXII Regional High School in Sparta, NJ. Our program has grown quite a bit in the last few years so we have a new, larger room and, as part of the curriculum, we have a hands on vintage computer exhibit in our classroom (NOT A MUSEUM, Hi Evan!). We have a bit of over balance of Apple products. Part of this is intentional because the students have the option in their third year of taking a Computer Security class where the first quarter is half Apple 6502 Assembly (using Apple IIgs emulators - Merlin 16 - on modern Mac OS X machines - the other half is MIPS assembly). Part of this is due to Apple's historic dominance in schools over the years and schools just about never throwing anything away. Here is a picture of the classroom exhibit: http://ceos.io/retro/lanpanorama.jpg So we're trying to diversify and are hoping people might have equipment they would be interested in donating (tax write off!). Existing computers that need parts: Commodore Amiga 3000 - Needs keyboard, compatible monitor (LCD or CRT... as you can see in the picture we don't worry so much about being authentic) Atari 130XE - Needs an external floppy disk drive (we have the 6502 Assembly cartridge.. but we can't save files without a floppy disk drive) Systems we wish we had: An IBM/clone PC/AT/286.. Essentially something that could run MS-DOS of some sort (3.3 still has a special place in my heart). A 386 capable of running Windows 3.x Just about anything Commodore (we have the Amiga, but would love a 64, for example), or any other 8 bit brands with the exception of Apple (which we wont turn down, but we have a IIe, IIc, IIc+ and IIgs all being actively used - yes, we have a permanent Oregon Trail system (the IIe) and yes the students love it!). A bridge mac system... something running System 7 or 8 with working superdrive, ethernet and a cdrom. Transferring files to our 800KB floppy based Mac IIcx, Mac SE, and Apple IIc+ is next to impossible otherwise. Older UNIX boxes of just about any type (AT&T, Sun, SGI, etc). We also have an optional third year video game programming classes (C#/XNA), so the students have access to a retro video game station for "research": http://ceos.io/retro/lab-vg.jpg I'll list what we have: Nintendo NES (RetroDuo.. the SNES half is useless, though), Sega Genesis (modern throwback), Atari 130XE, Atari 7800 (which covers the 2600), Colecovision (modern throwback). We would certainly love cartridges for any of these system (all but the Colecovision are capable of playing cartridges, throwback or not). We would love a SNES, Gamecube, Nintendo 64, Intellivision, Sega Dreamcast, Sega Master System. If it plays games, we'll take it. :) Oh, and a real old school home pong game would be mind blowing! As we are a non-profit, all donations can be taken as a tax write off, and we try to find a way to have all equipment actively used by students. We can also take a limited amount of equipment needing repair, but do have only limited storage space. Thanks for reading! -Adam

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[OT?] Google Map with Electronic stores
by Dan Roganti 23 Oct '16

23 Oct '16

Don't know if someone had started one already, but I couldn't find one online yet. After reminiscing about electronics stores in the other thread, I collected what was posted on there recently, together with some others that I had already bookmarked, to make a Google Map with Electronic stores in the Mid-Atlantic region from PA to the Mid-Atlantic coast. Had to limit the boundaries, PA is long enough as it is. Any others then it's venturing into the mid-west or southeast. But then New England is represented here since it's local. These are only the retail stores only[eg, walk-in] except for one so far. Because it's a really good supplier of vintage components and that's Unicorn Electronics on my side of PA[online only]. There's probably some online suppliers which have retail storefronts too but I'm not sure. I'm sure there's more out there that we could add to this. If anyone has some more to include, I will gladly add them to the map. This is not a list to judge the quality or extensiveness of their inventory. If they sell parts that's good enough to add to the list. You may notice that I haven't added Radio Shack, even with the dwindling locations and supply, those are pretty obvious to locate. This is setup for public viewing, so more people should be able to find it https://drive.google.com/open?id=1QHBtxc2A8zw9FemLEpYcMIlsvY8&usp=sharing enjoy Dan

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Last star fighter graphics production computer picture
by Ben Greenfield 22 Oct '16

22 Oct '16

Hey All, I stumbled across this image of Shelley Lake using a computer I can’t identify to create the graphics for the movie The Last Star Fighter (1984 all CGI special effects). I thought it was interesting and thought it passed the test for content on this list. Ben About — SHELLEY LAKE <http://shelleylake.com/about/>

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Help @ museum this weekend: TV installation
by VAXman＠tmesis.org 21 Oct '16

21 Oct '16

Brian Schenkenberger via vcf-midatlantic writes: >Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic writes: > >>Can anyone come to the museum this weekend to help me install two TVs? >>Wa= ll installations are cake, but these need to go on the ceiling. We >>have t= he mounting hardware. I need someone who's comfortable climbing >>into the = attic and working up there. Which day this weekend?

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Help @ museum this weekend: TV installation
by VAXman＠tmesis.org 21 Oct '16

21 Oct '16

Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic writes: >>> Why are TVs being mounted on the ceiling??? > >One TV will hang about 10 feet beyond our door, so it can greet visitors >= to the room. Slides, videos, etc. .... the other will hang just past >our = door in the main hallway of the building to tell visitors what's >there in= general. OK. I pictured them being mounted flat against the ceiling from what your message said! :) They'll be mounted handing FROM the ceiling which makes a world of difference for the viewers!

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Help @ museum this weekend: TV installation
by VAXman＠tmesis.org 21 Oct '16

21 Oct '16

Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic writes: >(Make that two volunteers. One to climb in the attic. One to climb the >la= dder to the ceiling beneath. I don't do heights.) Why are TVs being mounted on the ceiling???

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Help @ museum this weekend: TV installation
by VAXman＠tmesis.org 21 Oct '16

21 Oct '16

Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic writes: >Can anyone come to the museum this weekend to help me install two TVs? >Wa= ll installations are cake, but these need to go on the ceiling. We >have t= he mounting hardware. I need someone who's comfortable climbing >into the = attic and working up there. LOL! I did that there in the late '80s! Not installing TVs but ethernet.

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Help @ museum this weekend: TV installation
by Evan Koblentz 21 Oct '16

21 Oct '16

Can anyone come to the museum this weekend to help me install two TVs? Wall installations are cake, but these need to go on the ceiling. We have the mounting hardware. I need someone who's comfortable climbing into the attic and working up there.

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Re: Baynesville Electronics
by SVCatITC＠aol.com 21 Oct '16

21 Oct '16

Hi Mike, Dan, and All Still Reminiscing; Almost forgot about these guys. There right in my virtual back yard and I still order online and wait while still in a pinch for parts, stupid! Not a lot of heavy computer stuff, however, when you troubleshoot to component level on legacy stuff, a resistor is a resistor. Bill Inderrieden http://www.InterstateElectronics.com/product-lines.html Airport Plaza Shopping Center, 1394 State Route 36, Hazlet, NJ 07730, USA Telephone: 732-264-3900 FAX: 732-264-3900 E-mail: _BillIEI(a)comcast.net_ (mailto:BillIEI@comcast.net) Mon., Tues., Thurs. & Friday: 10AM to 9PM Wed. & Sat. : 10:00am - 6:00pm Sunday : CLOSED Original Message Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2016 17:09:19 -0400 (EDT) From: Mike Loewen <mloewen(a)cpumagic.scol.pa.us> To: Bill Inderrieden via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> Subject: Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Baynesville Electronics Message-ID: <alpine.LFD.2.20.1610191701010.58137(a)cpumagic.137clearview.org> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=US-ASCII > Hi All, & specifically: > Mike Loewen, Dan Roganti, Chris Gioconda, Rich Cini and Jonathan; > > I am the newbe in the group and will add my 2 cents concerning > "Old Electro Shops". > >If you get up to Needham MA: > > You-do-it Electronics Center > Exit 19A off Route 128 in Needham, MA > They seem to be doing well. Been there, nice place. > > http://www.youdoitelectronics.com I visited there in 2007 on a trip to Boston. Nice place, and I'm glad to hear it's still there. Mike Loewen mloewen(a)cpumagic.scol.pa.us Old Technology http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Baynesville Electronics
by Evan Koblentz 19 Oct '16

19 Oct '16

>> You-do-it Electronics Center Exit 19A off Route 128 in Needham, MA They seem to be doing well. Been there, nice place. You-do-it was a favorite of mine when I lived in Boston. Here in NJ my favorite is Green Brook Electronics (269 Rt. 22 East, Green Brook). Been trying to convince the owner to take a trip to IA.

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NOW it's official: VCF East XII, March 31-April 2
by Evan Koblentz 19 Oct '16

19 Oct '16

Mark your calendars! VCF East XII, March 31-April 2, at InfoAge. NO MORE TENT .... we have permission to use one of the big rooms inside the H-building section formerly reserved for Hurricane Sandy relief.

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Baynesville Electronics
by Mike Loewen 19 Oct '16

19 Oct '16

> Hi All, & specifically: > Mike Loewen, Dan Roganti, Chris Gioconda, Rich Cini and Jonathan; > > I am the newbe in the group and will add my 2 cents concerning > "Old Electro Shops". > >If you get up to Needham MA: > > You-do-it Electronics Center > Exit 19A off Route 128 in Needham, MA > They seem to be doing well. Been there, nice place. > > http://www.youdoitelectronics.com I visited there in 2007 on a trip to Boston. Nice place, and I'm glad to hear it's still there. Mike Loewen mloewen(a)cpumagic.scol.pa.us Old Technology http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/

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Shirts are here
by Evan Koblentz 19 Oct '16

19 Oct '16

The new polo shirts arrived. Dean picked them up today. He's bringing them to the museum Oct. 29. Best time for most folks to get them will be during Festivus.

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That UNIVAC part from Grabbe -- update!
by Herb Johnson 19 Oct '16

19 Oct '16

This discussion caught my eye and I did some quick Web searching. PX23_1103A_sysMaint_Feb57.pdf at bitsavers.org under "pdf" and "univac" and "1103", has general descriptions of Univac 1103 modules, or in their terminology "unit chassis". There's a single photo of a chassis, which clearly is of the same kind as the module in discussion. I believe it states there are 86 kinds of unit chassis. This manual is dated Feb 1957 from "Remington Rand Univac". The manual PX71871_ERA103vol2sec4.pdf has on page 1 and many other pages, "Remington Rand / Engineering Research Associates Division" Page one adds "(street) St. Paul Minnesota". That confirms the "ERA" identification of the VCFed's module. This manual has text descriptions of various (vacuum tube) circuits, I/O and memory elements. Seems to be a kind of primer on computing and logical elements, and on the 1103's programming and I/O facilities. It's pretty informative as an introduction to 1103 "technology". Other bitsavers 1103 documents from 1953 forward identify "ERA 1103" versus the "Univac Scientific Model 1103A". But - no schematics, no list of unit chassis numbers were immediately evident in my quick look. It may be difficult to find a manual for the specific module held by VCFed. The image in the PDF from Evan is blurry. A better image may show a "unit chassis" part number that can be Google searched to find a document with specific information. This is a hint. Why will a unit-chassis manual be difficult to find? I'm "guessing" that most of the Univac manuals were for use on-site to operate the Univac, or off-site to learn how to program it. The point of modular construction, was to allow on-site persons to run test operations on the computer, to identify down to the "unit chassis" any problems. Then the unit chassis could be pulled, repaired off-site, and/or replaced on site. Military procedures for system repairs may have been different. lose reading of the "sysMaint" manuals may reference that process and would be informative. Herb Johnson -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey USA http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net

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Re: Baynesville Electronics
by SVCatITC＠aol.com 19 Oct '16

19 Oct '16

Hi All, & specifically: Mike Loewen, Dan Roganti, Chris Gioconda, Rich Cini and Jonathan; I am the newbe in the group and will add my 2 cents concerning "Old Electro Shops". If you get up to Needham MA: You-do-it Electronics Center Exit 19A off Route 128 in Needham, MA They seem to be doing well. Been there, nice place. http://www.youdoitelectronics.com Leeds Radio in NY has moved Leeds Radio 175 Walnut Avenue Bronx NY 10454 718 963-1764 _sales(a)leedsradio.com_ (mailto:sales@leedsradio.com) LeedsRadio.com You can also find Leeds on Etsy.com And reminiscing...... Atkinson & Smith in Eatontown, NJ Went there with my dad when they were right on Rt 35. Behind front counter was covered in d'Arsonval panel instruments. They moved off to a side street and then went out of business in the 90's. Some of the civil workers at Ft. Monmouth were hams so they all congregated there after work. You would find me upstairs (all surplus) in the new location every Saturday scrounging through the junky gold! Good Times Bill Inderrieden > Mike Loewen <_mloewen(a)cpumagic.scol.pa.us_ (mailto:mloewen@cpumagic.scol.pa.us) > You folks in the MD area will be disappointed to hear the Baynesville > Electronics is closing its doors: > Dan Roganti <_ragooman(a)gmail.com_ (mailto:ragooman@gmail.com) > > I heard about this too, but I haven't seen this interview. I never got a > chance to visit there, sad it see it go. But it reminds me of several ones > from back home on Long Island. They were also mom 'n pop stores, been > around for decades but they also closed many years ago. One of them was > Edlie's Electronics in Levittown if anyone here recalls the 70s and 80s on > Long Island. But some of them mysteriously survived there such as Leeds > Radio in Brooklyn, since 1923. > But I don't think the DIY'er is fading, maybe new TV repairs have. There > used to be a TV shop in almost every town. The past 10+yrs, basically > since 2000, the makerspace movement has rejuvenated this DIY'er interest. > But just as with Radio Shack not changing/morphing with the times and > crippling their store chains, mostly due to corporate blindness, and > they're only clinging on to their past still. The mom 'n pop stores felt > the biggest brunt if they didn't change as well. > I'm not saying it's easy for the mom 'n pop stores to change with the > times, it's usually their inherent nature to resist change, it creates a > comfort zone. You notice some of them try to split their sales by selling > online. Maybe change their inventory to match the trends, as with > makerspace. And a common task of advertising can become a burden, where to > place Ads has become a circus with this web 2.0+ world. But the "TV repair" > and "NTE parts" might be a diehard practice but it's only a small share of > the market. [the quotes are only to show typical examples] > Changing into a Mail order supplier takes a big change too that demands > effort too. Not a small task for a mom 'n pop store, when trying to > compete[$$] with a decades long market. New places prop up online all the > time and only some survive. I've seen the same issues with the ones back > home and here in Pittsburgh. > Dan > Richard Cini <_rich.cini(a)verizon.net_ (mailto:rich.cini@verizon.net) > > There was a place in New Hyde Park or Lake Success - Electronic City. I remember going there with my > father for tubes and parts that Radio Shack or Lafayette didn't have. > From Eugene > I remember Edlie's very well. I think it was on old country road or Hempstead turnpike > (I was just a kid at the time). And KRP electronics in Freeport which was a great place too. > I think they still exist but have moved. Aah the good old days. Eugene W2HX > From Jonathan > Heard about this from a customer in Cockeysville. My dad's family is from White Marsh, I used to go to > Baynesville Electronics with my grandparents as a treat -- they often had to pick up supplies for the > Kingsville and Baltimore fire departments. Pretty much like a kid in a candy store! > I may stop in on my way back from upstate NY tomorrow. Quite a bit out of the way, but who knows how > long it will take them to get to the point of having enough inventory sold that they close. > For those in upstate NY, I got warning last time I was at Trojan Electronics that it was starting to cost > money to keep the lights on, and the end was probably near. > Thanks, > Jonathan

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] OT: free Cisco managed router/switches
by Kenneth Seefried 19 Oct '16

19 Oct '16

From: Joseph Oprysko <joprysko1(a)gmail.com> > I have a Cisco Meraki MX64, AP18, and MS220-8P for my > home network. The Meraki product line is all cloud based > (which means once the license expires, they become doorstops). Not entirely. The AP18 can be flashed with OpenWRT (https://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/meraki/mr18) at least. I've done similar with my MR12 and it runs fine. The license extension from Meraki is pretty cheap as well. KJ

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That UNIVAC part from Grabbe -- update!
by Evan Koblentz 19 Oct '16

19 Oct '16

Way back when the old MARCH opened its first exhibit at InfoAge (2005), the InfoAge powers that be lent us a collection to curate from an IEEE life fellow named Dimitry Grabbe. Among the collection was a board of tubes which Mr. Grabbe said was a half-adder module from the ENIAC. We soon figured out that Grabbe was wrong. The board says Engineering Research Associates. ERA had no part in ENIAC. Remington Rand bought ERA around the same time as RR also bought Eckert-Mauchly Computer Company. ERA + EMCC jointly became the UNIVAC division of Remington Rand. Thus my working theory has been that the part is from an early-model UNIVAC, although there was a slight chance it was an ENIAC replacement part. ERA was in Minnesota. Their alumni group has been nice to us. Two of their members spoke at VCF East 7.0, they gave us some artifacts (most notably a UNIVAC 1 technical manual), and there are links to us at http://vipclubmn.org/Exhibits.html#Others. Tonight I stumbled onto this link: http://vipclubmn.org/Articles/ERA2unisysWeb.pdf Go to page 4 of the PDF (page 2 of the document) -- look at the picture on the shelves on the right -- it's a plugboard of tubes from a UNIVAC 1103, circa 1955. That is EXACTLY the part we have from Grabbe! They describe it as the "basic logic element". I don't know where Grabbe got "half adder" but, as experienced/smart as he was, I trust the guys who built the computer. It's already in our new display case and soon there will be an accurate sign with it. :) Here's a picture of an 1103 in full glory: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/UNIVAC-1103-BRL61-0905.…

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OT: free Cisco managed router/switches
by Jeffrey Jonas 18 Oct '16

18 Oct '16

FREE TO A GOOD HOME! Must pick up ASAP: from Elizabeth NJ or at Infoage. A friend gave me his Cisco routers for a Cisco Certification lab he made for himself. They are ALL "managed switches" with the serial console port. 8: Cisco 831 (4: 10/100 LAN, 1: 10-base-t LAN, serial console) 2: Cisco 1721 3: Cisco 1750 3: Cisco 1751 with assorted interface cards -- jeff jonas

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FESTIVUS Sleeping arrangements Let me know
by Jeffrey Brace 18 Oct '16

18 Oct '16

InfoAge's Sandy recovery dorm is available to us during Festivus. It is the space on the other side of the building where Festivus is held. It is $25 per night. If you need to stay there overnight, then please *let me know *or signup here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1flOzpjh4Wdd3Gn6B3DqWHpQmxYSQGrtFo20… We need an accurate headcount so that we can tell the management how many are staying. Only bed frame and mattresses are provided. YOU provide mattress cover, blankets, pillows. There is a great shower/bathroom area for your use. -- Jeff Brace - ark72axow(a)gmail.com

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Calendar
by Evan Koblentz 18 Oct '16

18 Oct '16

Jeff B. convinced me to post a chapter event calendar. :) It's at http://vcfed.org/wp/groups/vcf-mid-atlantic/vcf-mid-atlantic-calendar/ ... or just go to vcfed.org, mouse over "Groups", mouse over our chapter, and click the calendar link.

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Looking for a TI Silent 707 1200baud for the VCF Museum
by Herb Johnson 18 Oct '16

18 Oct '16

> I'm donating a spare PiDP-8 to the museum which has a serial interface > that can't go below 1200baud. If we can find one of the smaller TI >Silent terminals that goes that fast, we can hook it up to the PiDP so > that we can have it run hands on demos and visitors can take the result > with them. It would be really cool for people to have a takeaway > from the museum when they visit. Here's my view. What you are asking for, is a small terminal and a small accompanying printer, which can operate at serial 1200 baud. the problem in my view with a TI *thermal* printing terminal, is that thermal paper will fade over time; and it gets used up fairly quickly. Rolls cost a few dollars each, although I see unused rolls at thrift stores. How about, an old serial CRT terminal, connected to a serial printer? Any of the old dot-matrix printers with serial interface would likely work. Some of the CRT terminals are not large. Some of them have an auxiliary serial interface for a printer, for the now-obvious reasons. Often there's a control code to enable or disable the printer port. If there's no printer port on the terminal, doesn't matter. The Rasp Pi - I mean the emulated PDP-8 - will be echoing input and output. Just route the serial out from the "eight" to both the printer and the terminal. Many dot-matrix printers, were of small footprint. They used 9.5 X 11 perforated paper (still available I believe) or friction-feed. And they used inked ribbons - still available and not expensive at all. I'm thinking about some of the Okidata brand printers. the Epsons are a little wider. There's the old Apple Imagewriters. For that matter, there's other printing terminals. Teletype model 43 for instance, very elegant. But if the printer jams or runs out of paper - well, a seperate terminal lets the exhibit continue. "Oh, impact printers are too noisy..." Oh, is the Museum in a hospital zone? Side issues may be, if the "eight" sends more characters that the printer can both buffer and print. For the most part, that won't happen, if so some serial handshaking may be needed, if the Pi supplies it. One virtue of a lower baud rate, is that printers can keep up. Herb Johnson retrotechnology.com -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey USA http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Calendar
by william degnan 18 Oct '16

18 Oct '16

Hidden calendar is less usefull Bill Degnan twitter: billdeg vintagecomputer.net On Oct 17, 2016 11:37 PM, "Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic" < vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote: Jeff B. convinced me to post a chapter event calendar. :) It's at http://vcfed.org/wp/groups/vcf-mid-atlantic/vcf-mid-atlantic-calendar/ ... or just go to vcfed.org, mouse over "Groups", mouse over our chapter, and click the calendar link.

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VCFed BBS finally happening
by Blatboy 17 Oct '16

17 Oct '16

Oh, seeing this news got me excited! I would also like to chime in for a vote to be able to call in externally. That said, I've had limited luck using a modem on the VoIP lines I have in the studio and at home... 2400 baud is ok by me. :) That said, to do it via Telnet would be ok too. Walter On Thursday, October 13, 2016, Joseph Oprysko <joprysko1(a)gmail.com> wrote: Once the exhibit is configured and functioning properly, if there is enough > support and requests for expandion or additional functionality, those will > be addressed at a future time. > Thanks, > Joseph Oprysko http://www.jwalterhawkes.com http://www.blatboy.com like to know where/when I'm playing? Click here <http://www.blatomaster.com/mlist.php> to sign up for my list, and let the babble begin.

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Festivus 2016 Dec. 3 & 4 INFO & signup
by Blatboy 17 Oct '16

17 Oct '16

Greetings. I'm interested in showing up one or both days. But due to various things that I'll spare you the details of, I may need to make a somewhat last minute decision. Is there a "deadline" of sorts? I have so many little projects I'd love to finish up over there around like minded souls... mostly Amiga... if that's not too bleeding edge haha. :) Walter http://www.jwalterhawkes.com http://www.blatboy.com like to know where/when I'm playing? Click here <http://www.blatomaster.com/mlist.php> to sign up for my list, and let the babble begin.

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Festivus 2016 Dec. 3 & 4 INFO & signup sheet
by Jeffrey Brace 16 Oct '16

16 Oct '16

Even though I have posted a few times over the last few months about Festivus, apparently there are people that have missed the posts. So I will post this information to keep everyone informed of this fun event: I have prepared a list for who's going and what they will be bringing. Please put yourself down here or let me know and I will do it for you: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1flOzpjh4Wdd3Gn6B3DqWHpQmxYSQGrtFo20… LOCATION: InfoAge Building 9010A - (2201 Marconi Road, Wall Township, NJ) - It will be the classroom area that we usually have our workshops. TIME: Start about 10 A.M. on Saturday and goes late into the night until everyone sleeps. End about 5 P.M. on Sunday. (Re-starts around 10 A.M. Sunday morning) COST: $10 for all members attending the workshop, which VCF donates to InfoAge as thanks for providing the space for us. EQUIPMENT: VCF will have tables setup for food and games. Ian will be bringing his vintage video games and TVs. Dan Roganti and Jeff Brace will be setting up their Commodore 64 internet game for eight players. We will have a full sized refrigerator to temporarily store stuff. We will be borrowing a grill to cook hambugers and hot dogs outside. DRINKS: Everyone is encouraged to bring their own drinks and enough to share with others. Bring your favorite and put what you are bringing on the list: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1flOzpjh4Wdd3Gn6B3DqWHpQmxYSQGrtFo20… FOOD: This is a pot luck. Bring your own favorite good and put what you are bringing on the list: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1flOzpjh4Wdd3Gn6B3DqWHpQmxYSQGrtFo20… ENTERTAINMENT? It seems that interest has waned for showing movies, so I'm inclined to not bother with showing movies this year. However Ian will bring his Cards Against Humanity and we will be playing that! -- Jeff Brace - ark72axow(a)gmail.com

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Pansonic Senior Partner
by william degnan 16 Oct '16

16 Oct '16

FYI if anyone is interested, came through my site, I do not know person, nor did I speak with or correspond with this person: VintageComputer.net Inquiry Contact Information Name: Mike Vrable DBA/ Email: mikevrable-at-gmail.com Phone: 330 555 5555 ------------------------- Comments: PANASONIC Senior Partner for sale 10/16 email for more discussion VintageComputer.net ---------------------------------------------------------------

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Festivus 2016 Dec. 3 & 4 INFO & signup sheet
by VAXman＠tmesis.org 16 Oct '16

16 Oct '16

Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic writes: >... >Please put yourself down here... How low can we go with self deprecation without exceeding the canons of this list?

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Looking for a TI Silent 707 1200baud for the VCF Museum
by Corey Cohen 15 Oct '16

15 Oct '16

I'm donating a spare PiDP-8 to the museum which has a serial interface that can't go below 1200baud. If we can find one of the smaller TI Silent terminals that goes that fast, we can hook it up to the PiDP so that we can have it run hands on demos and visitors can take the result with them. It would be really cool for people to have a takeaway from the museum when they visit. So if anyone has one of these TI Silent units they can donate to VCF Museum let me know. Thanks, Corey corey cohen uǝɥoɔ ʎǝɹoɔ

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Can Anyone Take IC Die Micrographs?
by Systems Glitch 14 Oct '16

14 Oct '16

I've decapped a house-numbered IC and taken a look with my 40x loupe, it appears to be some sort of memory device, but I don't have enough magnification to see any die text or anything. Can anyone on this list take a micrograph at > 40x for me? I won't need the IC back unless it's convenient to get it to me at the next get-together I'm able to attend or something. Figured I've got a tube of them and it might be nice to know what they are :) They're in side-brazed ceramic carriers, so it was easy to decap with a bastard file. Thanks, Jonathan

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Anyone selling a Burroughs B205 Computer console?
by Christian Liendo 14 Oct '16

14 Oct '16

I am sending this to the group for their amusement. http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/wan/5813819331.html

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Honeywell u-COMP DDP-516 Console
by william degnan 14 Oct '16

14 Oct '16

Sharing this page, getting started working on a Honeywell u-COMP DDP-516 Console. I hope you like the photos. http://www.vintagecomputer.net/browse_thread.cfm?id=655 Bill

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Spot the Commodore 64 on Mr. Robot?
by Jeffrey Brace 14 Oct '16

14 Oct '16

In Season 2 Episode 11 of Mr. Robot there is a Commodore 64 with 1702 monitor, and 1541 disk drive. I thought that this was very cool! Commodore 64's popping up all over TV shows these days! :) -- Jeff Brace - ark72axow(a)gmail.com

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VCFed BBS finally happening
by Evan Koblentz 13 Oct '16

13 Oct '16

Everyone, We've had various talk / starts / stops about an authentic-ish dial-up BBS through the years. Now it is finally coming true. The most recent plan was to use Asterisk, but that is overkill, a lot of maintenance, and would require an expensive telephony card. I asked Joe O. to research something better. He came back with this: http://www.excelltel.com/en/enproductslist.asp?id=612 It's an 8-port analog PBX with a GSM module. We bought it on Amazon for $98.49. Joe will connect this via modem to a PC running MajorBBS (possibly virtualized). We'll connect modems and vintage computers to the analog ports. Visitors and VCF East exhibitors/visitors will be able to dial in at 300-2400bps, hear the handshake, and connect to our BBS just like in the glory days. People can also telnet in directly to the PC thanks to our LTE modem, or they can call in remotely once we buy a GSM SIM card (to be considered after the main system is up and running). The PBX won't arrive until sometime next month because it shipping from China. Joe suggested that someone can draw the standard VCFed logo using ASCII art, and BBS users can watch it fly by a line at a time when they connect. I endorse that idea! Joe will answer any technical questions. Keep in mind we selected this approach because it's affordable, low maintenance, and the simplest way to reach the goal. Some people wanted us to use all period hardware, or modern servers that were WAY more than we needed, or a high-end PBX, etc. .... this one is "just right" for us.

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ansi art
by william degnan 13 Oct '16

13 Oct '16

Branching thread per Dan's comment about ANSI art. I have been messing around with this since I re-watched Jason Scott's BBS documentary this weekend. My goal was to get a RIP reader on my pocket chip handheld linux computer. Two days ago I spent some time in a coffee shop near my home connecting to telnet BBS's that have ANSI art. mewbies is a good starting point. I was having some trouble. What is the best terminal program using Debian Linux to read ANSI art RIP files, something one can call from the command line if possible? b

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Google spies on us! :)
by Evan Koblentz 13 Oct '16

13 Oct '16

I happened to check out the Google Earth view of InfoAge. Look at this screen capture: http://vcfed.org/evan/vcfcars.jpg I see a red Miata, blue pickup, white van... this has to be from VCF East, because it's too many cars to be from a workshop.

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Two munths 'til Festivus
by Jeffrey Jonas 09 Oct '16

09 Oct '16

Jeff Jonas shall attend!

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Museum Report
by Jeffrey Brace 09 Oct '16

09 Oct '16

Slow day at the museum, only two visitors on a rainy day. Interested visitor who wants to return when they have more time. It seems that there is so much to see at all the museums. Good for me, since I was tired from volunteering at Camp Evans Base of Terror last night. I will be at the museum tomorrow as well. -- Jeff Brace - ark72axow(a)gmail.com

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Tw months 'til Festivus
by Evan Koblentz 07 Oct '16

07 Oct '16

Festivus is my favorite event because it's the least work (and Jeff B. does most of it!)

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Good stuff available in northern NJ / southern NY state
by Herb Johnson 07 Oct '16

07 Oct '16

Of the items listed, I'd be interested in a QX-10 and incrementally less in a Kaypro. As there are several of these, asking for one each is modest and plausible. My guess is, there may be a distribution of these at Festivus, which I'll attend barring severe weather; if available sooner I'd pick up sooner. I'd expect to pay some amount some of which would go back to the original owner - that being the apparent terms announced. - Herb -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey USA http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net

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ISO: DECServer 550 Power Cord
by Systems Glitch 06 Oct '16

06 Oct '16

In another case of, "the right way, the wrong way, and the DEC way," it seems there's a special IEC cable used for DECServer 550s. Does anyone have one? It looks like a regular grounded IEC cable, but with a groove cut in the plug, opposite the ground pin. Looks like I could probably make do with a Dremel tool and a standard cable, but I thought I'd check first. Thanks, Jonathan

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] ISO: DECServer 550 Power Cord
by VAXman＠tmesis.org 06 Oct '16

06 Oct '16

Dave Wade via vcf-midatlantic writes: >Its actually standard, the high temperature version of the normal IEC >connector. It is rated to 120 degrees Celsius rather that 70 as the >normal lead.... .. in the UK we call them Kettle Leads as they are >commonly used on kettles... > >https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60320 > >Dave G4UGM Say WHAT!?!?!? And miss an opportunity to malign DEC for its engineering.

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IEC power connector reference
by Dave McGuire 06 Oct '16

06 Oct '16

Since this is an area of perpetual confusion, I dug around a bit and found this very nice chart describing the IEC320 series of power connectors: http://www.stayonline.com/reference-iec320.aspx -Dave -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA

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C64 workhorse survivor
by Douglas Crawford 06 Oct '16

06 Oct '16

http://hothardware.com/news/battered-but-not-beaten-commodore-c64-survives-…

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F/S - STM Baby
by Evan Koblentz 06 Oct '16

06 Oct '16

John Dilks, who started the Atlantic City Personal Computing '76 conference, is selling his STM Systems "Baby!" computer. He said it includes the original briefcase and 9" screen. He sent some links which I posted: http://vcfed.org/evan/baby1.jpg http://vcfed.org/evan/baby2.jpg http://vcfed.org/evan/stmbabyad.jpg John is asking $2,500 and said he will donate 10% to VCFed. I asked him to donate the computer instead :) but he prefers selling it. John's email is oldradio(a)comcast.net. He is not on our list.

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Good stuff available in northern NJ / southern NY state
by Evan Koblentz 05 Oct '16

05 Oct '16

There's a bunch of good stuff available for the taking in northern NJ / southern NY state. It is free to good homes, but the owner would appreciate reasonable cash donations -- please don't take advantage of him. He has Parkinson's disease, so he is definitely NOT shipping anything. The items are in two locations (his home in Hewitt, NJ and an airplane hangar in Montgomery, NY). I don't have a specific breakdown of which items are at which locations. But, he said that the items in the hangar MUST be moved by the end of this month or they'll be thrown away. The full list of items (both locations) he sent me is: - 10 (or more) Kaypros - 6 (or more) Epson QX-10 - 1 or 2 Zorbas - 1 Televideo TS-803 - 1 Philips 2000 - 1 Xerox 820 - Several dot matrix printers. - Several CRT monitors - 1 Apple small monitor (used with an Apple 2 C) - 1 Compaq portable - 1 Commodore 128 - 1 Tandy Color Computer - 1 Toshiba luggable with plasma display. (at home) - 1 external 8" floppy drive - 1 external 5" floppy drive - 1 IBM PC-Junior - 1 DEC Decwriter III - 1 Japanese Word Processor. - Floppy disks, (5 and 8") manuals, etc. (at home) - 1 Diablo printer + some ribbons and wheels. (at home) - 1 CD reader with SCSI interface. - acoustic coupler modem - "Probably more things I don't recall at the moment." He has one other artifact which VCFed has dibs on: an HP-21MX minicomputer located at his home. This is non-negotiable. It's ours. :) Obviously we would be grateful if someone can go retrieve it for us and bring it to the museum. Very important: if you can retrieve it for us, then you MUST let us know ahead of time; don't tell me after the fact. He also has, at home, a new-ish Supermicro pedestal file server: http://www.supermicro.com/products/chassis/pedestal/800/SC850.cfm. We don't need that, but he wants it to go together with the HP, so be warned. :) Contact: Roberto Waltman, 973-853-0042, rgwaltman(a)warwick.net

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Vintage Computer Festival West 2016 Gaming Panel 1080p with perfect audio
by Corey Cohen 05 Oct '16

05 Oct '16

https://youtu.be/bS_qGy3Ei3s <https://youtu.be/bS_qGy3Ei3s> Finally got around to converting this down from 4k 100mbps to 1080p and uploaded it to youtube. Enjoy, Erik Kline did a great job moderating the panel. Cheers, Corey

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