January 2016 - vcf-midatlantic

Snow and January 23/24 workshop
by Jeffrey Brace 18 Jan '16

18 Jan '16

Currently the 5 day forecast for this area says 1-3 inches of snow for Friday night for the InfoAge area. Not a lot and plenty of time for salting/cleaning of major highways. When we get within 48 hours, that is when we get the most accurate forecast. Anyway, I will be keeping a close watch at the weather and be making a decision by Friday morning as to whether or not to postpone the start of the workshop.

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Friday classes @ VCF East
by Evan Koblentz 18 Jan '16

18 Jan '16

Very few people responded to last week's call for subjects/teachers, so we're taking a straightforward path instead of creative new things. Most classes will be two hours. Some may be double sessions; TBD. We don't yet know if there will be three or four classrooms available. Hoping to find out soon. There will be morning and afternoon sessions, meaning 12 or 16 classes. Tentative topic list follows. These are all tech repair classes, not historical lectures. 1. Apple 1 + Replicas 2. Apple II 3. Apple Classic Mac 4. ASR-33 Teletype 5. Commodore PET 6. Commodore 64 7. DEC PDP-11 8. IBM PC 5150 9. MITS Altair 8800 10. Radio Shack TRS-80 11. Cassette Tape - Willegal 12. PCB Design for Vintage Computing - Willegal If we have a fourth room available: 13. Power Supplies 14. CRT 15. Paper Tape (should immediately follow Teleype on the schedule) 16. Disk Imaging + Drives Topics can change based on who's available to teach, demand for other subjects/systems, etc.; meanwhile I'll contact several list members individually to get the necessary teachers (or feel free to volunteer). Some subjects are repeats from past years.

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OT: Dell Dimension XPS 466V
by william degnan 18 Jan '16

18 Jan '16

Working on a Dell 486 computer. I need a RTClock battery, but otherwise it's running quite nicely Windows for Workgroups 3.11 http://vintagecomputer.net/browse_thread.cfm?id=626 -- @ BillDeg: Web: <a href="http://www.vintagecomputer.net/">vintagecomputer.net</a> Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/billdeg">@billdeg</a> Youtube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/billdeg">@billdeg</a> <a href="http://www.vintagecomputer.net/readme.cfm">Unauthorized Bio</a>

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Infoage outside ramp doors
by Herb Johnson 17 Jan '16

17 Jan '16

>> Why not fix the doors, so they can be opened from >> the outside without prop-ing them? > I assumed the ramp doors are being propped due to laziness, >, not because they can't be opened from outside. > I'll have to check that....Either way we can't change InfoAge > things without permission. We don't even know if they are broken. > There is nothing wrong with propping open a door while actually > moving stuff through it. What prompted my message is we often > see doors LEFT propped open when people are taking their > leisurely time moving stuff or just forgotten about. OK, this conversation is taking a sour turn. I don't like descriptions like "lazy" or "leisurely" about the difficult efforts to move stuff in, out and around InfoAge. I've moved stuff there myself, it's not easy - others have moved much MUCH harder stuff. I think there's a confusion, between two sorts of access. One is, moving stuff in and out, and propping doors wide open to do so. Certainly, for fire-code and energy reasons, they should not be left that way. This seems to be what Evan has in mind. But the other, is propping doors open for (re)entrance, enough to keep them from jamming closed, or from locking from outside. For example - during the Festivus, I recall the outside doors to the grill, HAD to be kept from closing with a "prop". Otherwise, I could not get back in! Did they lock, jam or both? Sorry, I wasn't paying close attention and don't remember now. And I already mentioned the iMac "prop" in common use for years at InfoAge. So my point was/is - if the doors can't be opened from the outside, that might explain why they are left "wide open". It's not merely about convenience or interpreted as "laziness". It's about getting back in. I agree with Evan, this is not only a VCFed issue, InfoAge is responsible for maintenance of doors. Maybe VCFed can contribute to the InfoAge repair with Evan's attention and funds. Dollars spent on the doors, might save InfoAge heating costs which Evan pointed out were "huge". As for "out of VCF's scope": I dunno, we use the doors, right? VCFed properties (and mine as an exhibitor) are under InfoAge locks and keys, right? And Evan brought it up, before our next event. And April's VCF-East is coming up too, even more movement then. The problem seems to be, then, some combination of InfoAge door maintenance and repair; and some rules-of-access for moving items in and out of InfoAge. A block of wood on a chain, as a handy prop, may immediately solve the "wide open" problem. It won't fix a broken door, but it may help some people change their behavior, while the door is under improvement. I'm sure the VCFed people who have moved items, can describe their experiences upon request. And the doors, they either work or they don't, and can be examined by Evan and staff. I think further discussion should be private, as Evan works the issues, and as he's has now put the word out about a now-specific behavior. A discussion about a specific person's behavior, or their complaints about doors, should be private. And it's an InfoAge maintenance issue (which impacts VCFed). I have nothing further to add, in any event. Herb Johnson -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey USA http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net

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FS: Solid State Music VB1B S100 Video Interface Tested/Working
by Systems Glitch 17 Jan '16

17 Jan '16

Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/272108256416 This one came in a project Altair, I've already got one and don't need a second. Fully tested in my IMSAI 8080 with an Apple Monitor II composite monochrome monitor. Works with the IMSAI front panel, too! Very low serial number -- B66. There might be a custom character generator ROM in this one, it doesn't have the standard Motorola part number. Could be a house number for all I know. It does generate ASCII properly, as shown. Includes a pigtail for the composite video connector. Thanks, Jonathan

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CF, SD, or other modern media replacements used for vintage systems
by Joseph Oprysko 17 Jan '16

17 Jan '16

For my VCF East display this year I'm planning on presenting various modern media replacements used on vintage systems, I have access to a couple different methods for various systems, but would like to hear what you have and use, and for what systems. I'd like to have a variety of different types shown, so it doesn't look like I'm favoring one specific type (otherwise I would just have the ones for the Mac/Apple II systems) and a multicart for a video game system (Sega Genesis) I know on eBay I saw a device for the Commodore called the SDrive 1564. I'd like to have a variety of the different floppy drive "replacements" that people have come up with and marketed to be able to show people ease of use with traditional hardware, speed, compatibility, etc. If anyone has any such devices that I would be able to borrow for the festival, it would be greatly appreciated. Message me privately if you do, as it would likely lead to off topic conversations. Thank you, Joseph Oprysko -- Normal Person: Hey, it seems that you know a lot. Geek: To be honest, it's due to all the surfing I do. Normal Person: So you go surfing? Normal Person: But I don't think that has anything to do with knowing a lot... Geek: I think that's wrong on a fundamental level. Normal Person: Huh? Huh? What?

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Infoage outside ramp doors
by Herb Johnson 17 Jan '16

17 Jan '16

> Guys, please be conscientious about closing BOTH sets of the outside > ramp doors while at the workshop next weekend. .... > Whatever happens, DO NOT prop open the doors (unless you want > InfoAge to send you the heating bill) ... thanks in advance. In my years of visiting InfoAge, "props" on doors seems to be the method of choice. It was mentioned recently, that an old bubble iMac has been used for years to prop open a door. (InfoAge is a large site with many connected buildings.) A simple response. Why not fix the doors, so they can be opened from the outside without prop-ing them? Either better locks, or fix the jamming, or better "props" which still seal the door, or add a doorbell to fetch help. And post a sign inside the doors to enforce your rule. Such rules are reasonable - fire code for instance - but it's also reasonable to accommodate your guests. If this is a serious enough issue to post a public request about it; it was worth my attention to respond thoughtfully, to suggest the problem be solved. Herb Johnson -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey USA http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net

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Canon T1i
by Joseph Oprysko 17 Jan '16

17 Jan '16

Does anyone here know how to do camera repair? I have a Canon T1i, I need the SD module replaced, too many tiny parts and small screws for my shaky hands. LOL Plus I just don't have the skillset to do it. -- Normal Person: Hey, it seems that you know a lot. Geek: To be honest, it's due to all the surfing I do. Normal Person: So you go surfing? Normal Person: But I don't think that has anything to do with knowing a lot... Geek: I think that's wrong on a fundamental level. Normal Person: Huh? Huh? What?

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Fundraiser accomplished :)
by Evan Koblentz 16 Jan '16

16 Jan '16

And just like that, the final $20 arrived. Thank you to everyone who contributed and who helped by sharing our announcement on social media. Corey C. will send formal thank-you notices. The IRS requires us to send acknowledges for all gifts of $75 and up; we'll try to send them for all gifts of any amount. The new display furniture is going to be very nice. Basically we're using wire shelving, as in the warehouse, but in a whole other design not intended by the manufacturers. Kind of how you'd get Legos as a kid, ignore the instructions, and build whatever you want. :) We ordered some individual components in order to make one demo unit. I will share a picture when the demo unit is built. Then we'll place the big order and have a build-a-thon in the new museum space.

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Heating @ workshop next weekend
by Evan Koblentz 15 Jan '16

15 Jan '16

Guys, please be conscientious about closing BOTH sets of the outside ramp doors while at the workshop next weekend. We all have a bad habit of leaving one/both sets of those doors ajar, which is a bad idea in winter. Please close the doors even if you're just going to your car and back. Whatever happens, DO NOT prop open the doors (unless you want InfoAge to send you the heating bill) ... thanks in advance.

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