January 2019 - vcf-midatlantic

SCSI device replacement using Raspberry Pi Zero
by Christopher Gioconda 25 Jan '19

25 Jan '19

Hey everyone, I came across this article about using a Raspberry Pi Zero to replace failing SCSI devices, thought it was an interesting idea: https://www.techrepublic.com/article/using-a-raspberry-pi-zero-scsi-adapter… Chris Gioconda

2 1

White Ceramic 6502 for sale with questions
by Jeff G 25 Jan '19

25 Jan '19

Hi All, I have come to ask for some opinions bout a white 6502 processor that I have acquired. I has a date code 0f 4576 which I believe means the the 45th week of 1976. The problem is that it has 7 broken pins. I have no idea how that happened as this is how it came to me. It looks like it came from an Atari Sprint video game as it had "sprint" written on it in pencil which has been erased. You can still make out a faint outline of the pencil markings if you look closely. I installed it in a machined pin socket to protect the pins so I could attempt to test it with my 6502 tester. I used a CPU tester that a fellow name Molka from Hungary developed as it quickly establishes whether the CPU is dead or alive. Please see here < http://www.cpushack.com/mc680xmcs650x-test-boards-for-sale/> if you want more info. Anyway, by contacting the stubs of the missing pins to the machined pin socket, the device passes the tests so it is a functional unit. So here lies the dilemma, since I want to sell it, do I repair it or sell it as is? I have similar gold IC legs from other bad vintage chips so my repair would consist of leaving the chip in the machined pin socket and tack soldering spare gold legs on the stubs and touching up with gold plating solution if desired. So I guess the question is in preparation for sale, your opinions on whether to repair it or leave it as-is and let the buyer repair it? Here is a link to some pics of the CPU < https://1drv.ms/f/s!AoxC-mzikoIghU-LUkQUKebT0Vdm> BTW, I would like to keep the sale local/face to face as I know these are pretty rare and would hate to lose it in the mail. I am in Northern NJ. So if anyone is interested please let me know as I am accepting offers. I am reluctant to set a price because know how rare the are fully intact but don't know with the broken pins. Regards, Jeff

3 4

Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Happy owner fo a Tandy MC-10
by Neil Cherry 23 Jan '19

23 Jan '19

On 1/19/19 9:06 AM, Duane Craps via vcf-midatlantic wrote: I haven't gotten the MC-10 yet (won the bid last night). Before I start buying parts for it I'll check that it works. I found some documentation on the MC-10. I already have the 68xx asm books. Really need to find that Moto 6808 CoCo board. I think that's what the MC-10 is abased on. 6800 family, binary compatible 6800 - microprocessor 6802 - 128B of RAM, (microprocessor) 6808 - No ROM, No RAM (microprocessor) 6801 - ROM, RAM, IO (microcontroller) 6803 - RAM, IO, No ROM (microcontroller) 6809 - different microprocessor, mnemonic super set (not binary compatible) I haven't checked the circuit but it might be possible to feed it 9v AC as long as you have the correct current rating (I think it's 1.5A). The DC is okay for now as long as you don't need the RS232 and the cassette (ouch). I have found the various French Alice and Alice 90 stuff. Not sure how compatible it is but it's based on the MC-10. I'm sure there is something interesting there. I have a CoCo 1/2/3, a few Grant Searle's FPGA emulation boards, I'll let you know how that goes. I also have my Sardis ST2900 which I should be working on as I know they need a few chips and then documenting how we used to get them from ROM monitor to full OS9. BTW, love the 6809. :-) -- 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

3 4

mYSTERY KEYBOARD
by Neil Cherry 23 Jan '19

23 Jan '19

I have a mystery keyboard from around 1985. I know the following: - Keytronics model unknown - CPU (?) markings 30293-e 20-04592-054 GI 8215 CDA 19-4148-01 REV 1 PCB 01 A65-02395 -201A Images: https://ushomeautomation.com/images/mystery-kb-back.jpg https://ushomeautomation.com/images/mystery-kb-front.jpg What I haven't done so far is to power it up. And I'm not sure if the EPROM is actually original to the keyboard. -- 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

3 4

Re: [vcf-midatlantic] VCF East 2019 keynote suggestions?
by Dave McGuire 22 Jan '19

22 Jan '19

On 1/22/19 3:09 PM, Ben Greenfield via vcf-midatlantic wrote: >> Here's my annual request for suggestions of people who could keynote >> at VCF East. >> >> - The person must have general appeal to our audience. It can't be >> someone who did something very narrow. > > I’m going to throw the name Walt Jung who I have recently stumbled > across and seems quite lucid on the topic of op-amp. I can’t tell if > what he did was narrow (focusing on op-amps) or general op-amps are > fundamental argument. > > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Jung > > I find his writing quite comprehensible. Walt Jung is one of the world's foremost analog EEs. He's amazing and he writes damn good books. I don't see how he'd be relevant to a VCF, though, unless he wanted to give a talk about analog computers...being a known opamp expert, and analog computers consisting primarily of opamps, but still. And he's someone who is typically paid beau-coup bucks to speak at conferences, so.. -Dave -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA

1 0

OT: help the makerspace @ InfoAge
by Evan Koblentz 22 Jan '19

22 Jan '19

From the "Many of you may already know this, but some may not" department: For the past few years there's been a makerspace located at InfoAge. It was called the Institute for Exploratory Research, or "IXR". Adjacent to the IXR's space on the InfoAge campus was the Computer Deconstruction Lab, where people can learn about modern computers. It also has a podcast studio. Neither group was an independent entity, unlike VCF, NJARC, NJHDA, etc. -- IXR and CDL were simply part of InfoAge. Now, with InfoAge's blessing, the two groups are both closing and reforming as an independent entity (just like VCF, etc.) under the CDL name. That is already underway. The new group will be branded as "Computer Deconstruction Lab -- the Jersey Shore Makerspace". CDL needs to raise $1,084 for all the business/non-profit filing fees. So far they raised $710. IXR/CDL separately have been helpful resources to VCF and to InfoAge, so let's return the favor! Perhaps VCF/Mid-Atlantic members can help CDL raise the remaining funds. (Any funds beyond that amount will be used as seed money.) The new group doesn't yet have its own bank account. As I understand it, their treasurer will be Martin Flynn, who of course is a trusted VCF member too. Their other officers will be secretary Neil Cherry (also one of us!); president Dan Jacobs (a good friend to us); and VP Joe Wilkes. I will be one of the board members, but I won't be involved in day-to-day management. VCF keeps me plenty busy. :) Until they get a bank account (and thus a PayPal account), Martin is handling the funds directly. Please contact him at maflynn(a)theflynn.org to inquire about helping them get started. (FYI: they said these donations are NOT tax-deductible, because they're ahead of the status being obtained.) The group's website is www.compdecon.org.

22 54

VCFe 2019 - Atari 40th
by dillera＠gmail.com 20 Jan '19

20 Jan '19

We are also missing that 2019 is the 40th anniversary of the Atari 8bits. - the Atari 400 and 800 were announced 40 years ago on Dec. 14th, 1978 - first presented at the Winter CES in January 1979 as the 400 and 800 - The computers shipped in November 1979 One of the earliest media coverages, at CES: https://archive.org/details/creativecomputing-1979-04/page/n19 <https://archive.org/details/creativecomputing-1979-04/page/n19> I will bring my Atari 10888xel to the show for fun, but I'll be focusing on the Unix exhibition, and I'm sure there are some people working on some great Atari exhibits for the show- I just had seen it mentioned on the list, and we should perhaps note this in promotional materials, or perhaps try to attract some Atari-related guest keynote speaker. -andy footnote: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_8-bit_family

6 13

Museum Report 2019-01-20
by Jeffrey Brace 20 Jan '19

20 Jan '19

Low number of visitors due to the cold, windy weather. I worked on VCF admin stuff during my time there. Tony stopped by and we talked about improvements to the exhibits and making guides for docents. -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President Vintage Computer Federation

2 1

VCF SouthEast speakers?
by Mike Shaw 20 Jan '19

20 Jan '19

Does anyone know if the speakers that are going to VCF East will be at VCF SouthEast also? I can't make it to VCF East so was planning to go to VCF SouthEast in April.

3 6

Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Friday classes @ VCF East
by Evan Koblentz 20 Jan '19

20 Jan '19

Here's what I have in mind for Friday. We can extend the day by one slot (one hour per slot), so there are 18 classes instead of 15. 1. Apple II (Tony) 2. Mac (Tony) 3. Atari 800 4. C-64 5. Amiga 6. IBM PC 7. TI-99/4A (because it never gets any love) 8. TRS-80 9. CoCo 10. S-100 11. Land of CRTs (we all know who!) 12. "So you are curious about big iron" 13. Schleptops! 14. Power supplies 15. Electronics 101 (Fala) 16. Unix networking (Diller) 17. Unix weirdness (Jacocks) 18. Terminals? Keyboards? Disk imaging? Or anything else

3 2