December 2016 - vcf-midatlantic

mitsubishi MF501 floppy drive
by Herb Johnson 30 Dec '16

30 Dec '16

http://www.retrotechnology.com/herbs_stuff/mit_mf501a.jpg I'm looking for parts for this Mitsubishi MF501A 5.25" floppy drive. Details: Look at the lever, which you rotate down to "lock" after inserting a diskette. The lower right of the photo, shows the lever, attached to a metal rod, which has three black plastic cams. I need that rod, with cams intact. If you insert a diskette and rotate the lever down, and the head's don't "stay" down and the lever flips "up" - that's broken and I don't want it. Contact me privately if you have one of these. If you are going to the VCF Jan workshop maybe we can trade it there. Herb -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey USA http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net

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6502 assembly hack @ next workshop
by Evan Koblentz 30 Dec '16

30 Dec '16

I've been spending a lot of time lately on learning more LOGO programming for the Lego/Apple II kit. It does some very cool things, but we need it to do something new. Read on... Lego made a box that communicates between the computer and their motors, sensors, and lights. The box has eight ports. Ports 0-5 are for anything. Ports 6-7 are reserved for sensors. You can talk to any port, but oddly you can only listen to ports 6-7. There is no way to tell LOGO, "What is the status of port 3?" All you can do for ports 0-7 is switch them on/off and adjust the voltage (SETPOWER command from 1 to 7 for full power). Dean has been very helpful when I have programming questions. We tried working around the limitation by making a variable, setting it to 0 or 1, and then checking the variable instead of the port when necessary. But it doesn't work (for various reasons; no need to explain them here.) I had an idea. Why can't we hack Lego's version of LOGO to add this command? Dean said it possible. Disassemble the code, identify where the ports are turned on/off, etc. .... the existing command to read ports 6-7 is LISTENTO (and also a short version LTO) so I propose a new command LISTENPORT or the short version LTP). I will bring the setup to the January workshop and Dean (and Drew) are going to work on it. Anyone who digs Apple 6502 assembly is welcome to help.

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Semi-OT: Need help with adding NE2000 patch to DOSBox SVN
by Joseph Oprysko 30 Dec '16

30 Dec '16

I'm attempting to build a version of DOSBox with NE2000 emulation support. I'm trying to build it on the Raspberry Pi 3. I'm able to successfully compile the current SVN of vanilla DOSBox on my Pi. But I don't know how to add the patch in. There are several releases out there for Windows, but always have other additional patches/features which are not needed for my project. And I'm not able to get them to build on my Pi. This is for the BBS project I'm working on. If someone could assist, I would greatly appreciate the help. Thanks, Joe -- 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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Oscilloscope for sale
by William Dudley 30 Dec '16

30 Dec '16

I have a pristine looking RCA model 825 Oscilloscope for sale. I have seen it also associated with Heathkit, so it may have been some kind of joint marketing thing; RCA service tech training and build your own service scope in a package. I haven't fired it up, but I would at a minimum bring it up on a Variac to try to re-form the electrolytics before applying full power. I might also suggest performing a visual inspection of parts inside to see if there are any resistors that look failed or near failure. This belongs to the widow of a friend of a friend. It's not worth much (< $50 ?) but she would like some money out of it. If there's any interest I can bring it to the January workshop (I think). The scope and I are in Jackson, NJ. I'm not particularly interested in shipping it, though I could be convinced. Bill Dudley This email is free of malware because I run Linux.

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SCELBI Oscilloscope reproduction working
by Mike Willegal 30 Dec '16

30 Dec '16

I finally have completed testing the hardware for the SCELBI oscilloscope boards and have reproduction PCBs available for sale. SCELBI produced 16 different PCBs during the short time that they were selling computer hardware and I have finally finished producing working reproductions of all of them. Note that there are NO operating original SCELBI oscilloscope interfaces known to exist. In fact, the only original oscilloscope interface that I'm aware of, is in storage at the CHM. Original software drivers can't be found and I'm working on creating new drivers using the fragmentary information that is currently available. Check out my blog for more information. Mike's Hobby Blog <http://www.willegal.net/blog/> regards, Mike Willegal

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Hiya January Workshop, Watcha workin on ? And overnight stay?
by Jeffrey Brace 29 Dec '16

29 Dec '16

I created a signup list, so add your name there if you haven't. And add what you are working on. Also put on the signup if you are staying overnight and need the $25 a night dorms in 9010-D. -- Jeff Brace - ark72axow(a)gmail.com

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List is searchable now
by Evan Koblentz 29 Dec '16

29 Dec '16

The search feature at https://lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org/pipermail/vcf-midatlantic/ wasn't working. List company fixed it.

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OT: InfoAge satellite dish crew needs cabling help
by Evan Koblentz 29 Dec '16

29 Dec '16

On Saturday, January 21st, 2016, our own Martin F. will be doing some network cabling and related work on the TIROS satellite dish starting around 10am. He could use helpers. This is open to all, but contact Martin first (off-list please) so he knows who to expect. He's at maflynn(a)theflynn.org.

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Museum wireless doorbell thingamajig
by Jeffrey Jonas 29 Dec '16

29 Dec '16

In this day of IoT, this could be a FUN project Martin Flynn offered > Waveware SPS-5 transmitter with 4 pagers. That should be perfect! Pagers are retro. 4 of them mean some will always be charged and ready. But the master station needs serial input from something. Let's see - a pushbutton to the Raspberry Pi running the overhead video display, which ought to have motion and distance sensors to react to folks automatically. The "call button" could respond with a video - the cavalry is coming! Or one of a random assortment of science fiction talking computers such as the talking head from The Starlost or Red Dwarf. - the big red button on the Cray - setting the PiDP-8 console switches all "on" - the Apple ][ serial port card. Evans' Lego robot could entertain them while waiting. For movie trivia, have it say "My name is Rags! Woof woof woof" :-) -- jeffj

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January workshop ...
by Neil Cherry 29 Dec '16

29 Dec '16

Yes, I'm really looking forward toward January's workshop. I'm going to be working on the Atari 600xl's video and seeing if it's running. I have the Atari 800xl's Sam Compufacts pdf and I'll be working from that. I'll be bringing my scope in hopes of resurrecting the little beast. Do we have any folks that are good with analog? I'm sure I'll have questions. I have internet notes on how to improve the video so I intend to work on fixing and upgrading the 600xl's video so I can use it with the Commodore 1802 or the Composite to VGA converter I have. Can anyone think of anything else I'll need to bring? -- Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry(a)linuxha.com http://www.linuxha.com/ Main site http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog Author of: Linux Smart Homes For Dummies

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