August 2020 - vcf-midatlantic

CRX2020 - Commodore Retro eXPO this weekend
by Andrew Diller 24 Aug '20

24 Aug '20

I'm posting this because it looks interesting, I'm not involved with it (it's this weekend): ------------------- https://www.crxevent.com/news.htm August 28-30, 2020 - HOSTED VIRTUALLY Due to world events we have opted to make this a FREE event, hosted virtually. -----------------------

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Atari XE game system (David K)
by David K 24 Aug '20

24 Aug '20

For what it is worth here is what I heard from someone off-list: "The OS ROM chip is notorious for going bad in the XEGS. Star Raiders has a flag that bypasses a lot of the OS startup routines and jumps right to the game code, so it is more likely to "try" to work on a failing system. The OS ROM can be directly replaced with an appropriately programmed 27256 type EPROM, but your existing one is most probably soldered directly to the motherboard so will take some effort and care to cleanly desolder it, replace with a socket and EPROM."

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PC Jr In Original Box (not working)
by Alexander Jacocks 24 Aug '20

24 Aug '20

All, There’s a PC Jr in its original boxes, near me: https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/sys/d/damascus-pcjr-computer/718288… If anyone is interested, let me know, and I’d be happy to pick it up for you, if you work out a deal with the seller. The price is “best offer.” Thanks! - Alex

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] The good old days of user groups.
by Bill Degnan 23 Aug '20

23 Aug '20

Kennett Classic has an article on the Wilmington, DE PC user group archive https://www.kennettclassic.com/wilmington-de-pc-professional-users-group-pc… and an exhibit about the user groups of the Sinclair TS1000 https://www.kennettclassic.com/the-special-interest-group-sig/ VCFed is not a user group in the traditional sense like these, but with the Internet, forums and such, a user group 2.0 Bill On Sun, Aug 23, 2020, 8:01 PM madodel via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > Sadly she doesn't mention today's groups like VCF. I will send Esther an > email about you guys keeping the torch burning. > > > > https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2020/08/the-golden-age-of-co… > > > The Golden Age of computer user groups > > > Long before subreddits, computer enthusiasts used to get > together—in-person! > > ESTHER SCHINDLER-8/19/2020, 7:45 AM > >

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The good old days of user groups.
by madodel 23 Aug '20

23 Aug '20

Sadly she doesn't mention today's groups like VCF. I will send Esther an email about you guys keeping the torch burning. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2020/08/the-golden-age-of-co… The Golden Age of computer user groups Long before subreddits, computer enthusiasts used to get together—in-person! ESTHER SCHINDLER-8/19/2020, 7:45 AM

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FTGH: AT&T M14K cables
by Mike Loewen 23 Aug '20

23 Aug '20

I believe this might be a V.35 cable for a DSU: http://q7.neurotica.com/0822201707_HDR.jpg http://q7.neurotica.com/0822202116_HDR.jpg http://q7.neurotica.com/0822202115_HDR.jpg I have two of them. Just pay for the postage. Mike Loewen mloewen(a)cpumagic.scol.pa.us Old Technology http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/

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Museum Report: 22 August 2020
by svcatitc＠aol.com 23 Aug '20

23 Aug '20

Dylan and I opened up around 12:50p Dylan got the space powered up while I checked us in at the "Hotel". Slow day. We only had 1 couple with a relative(?) who was one of the RTM docents, escorting them around campus. I took them up Big Iron Row, and allowed Dylan to take them through 8 Bit / DIY Row. Other Chores: I made the IBM PS2 auto-load Windows 3.11 via the AUTOEXEC.BAT file edit. Dylan made a Smiley face in Paint, so I configured it to load automatically in the STARTUP group. I also added a technical drawing from my archives that was done in Windows Paint some years back. It illustrates what can be done using Paint with some patience and time. The drawing can be found from the PAINT minimized icon on the desktop and use FILE & OPEN. We closed up around 5:15p Bill Inderrieden

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BBS software for a demo
by Richard Cini 22 Aug '20

22 Aug '20

All — I have a side project for the Z80 Membership Card project (I know Josh is involved but not sure if others on the list are) to get it connected to a dial-up BBS. Right now, I’m just trying to get the BBS setup for the testing. The BBS computer is a modern-ish PC running XP with a Digi Classicport 8x PCI card. I have two Hayes 144 modems and a Hayes 300 connected to an 8x4 analog telephone switch. Until I get it working, I’m just using another PC with HyperTerm connected to a modem to dial through the switch, or Telnet, to the BBS. Right now, I have SynchroNET, LoraBBS and Mystic installed and sort-of running. SynchroNET is supposed to work with POTS modems but it doesn’t seem to work out of the box. There’s an add-on program called “sexpots” that’s basically a COM-to-Telnet converter. Still don’t have that fully working – modem connects but no access to the BBS. Using Telnet, I can access the BBS using the fixed IP from any machine (so the server is running and the firewall is set properly), even on the BBS itself. Unfortunately, I can’t access it locally using either the loopback address or “localhost”. I checked the hosts file and the localhost mapping is set “127.0.0.1 localhost” and NOT commented out (which seems to be the default for Windows). LoraBBS and Mystic work but in only single-node; not sure how to get multi-node working. Lora works well on the client side but for whatever reason won’t accept “G” for goodbye even though the menu says it. So, if someone has experience with setting up a POTS-based BBS on modern hardware and can give me a push in the right direction, I’d appreciate it. I feel I’m pretty close at this point but I’m obviously missing something small. Thanks! Rich -- Rich Cini http://www.classiccmp.org/cini http://www.classiccmp.org/altair32

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Sale or trade: Esprit III terminal (no keyboard)
by Mike Loewen 21 Aug '20

21 Aug '20

For sale or trade: Hazeltine Esprit III terminal (no keyboard). Good working condition, emulates a Televideo TVI-950 at speeds up to 19.2K. Pickup in State College, PA. Looks just like this one: http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/Terminals/EspritIII.html Make an offer, greenbacks or trades. Mike Loewen mloewen(a)cpumagic.scol.pa.us Old Technology http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Missing Extech Multimeter (orange and green) at Workshop
by Alexander Jacocks 21 Aug '20

21 Aug '20

Bill, Thanks so much for checking! I found the multimeter late last night. I put it in the center console of my car, for some unknown reason. Sorry for my stupidity! - Alex On Fri, Aug 21, 2020 at 12:26 Bill Inderrieden via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > Alex and All; > > After I closed up shop on Wed's docent chores, I went looking in 9032a and > found nothing. > > I was the one who did the last look-a-round before locked up the building > on Sun after the workshop concluded. > > > > I also went through CDL, just as Martin suggested. CDL owns a lot of the > same model multimeter, however they were all tagged as IXR on the back. > > > > Nothing out on the benches either. > > > > I will ask on Saturday when I am in as to whether there is a "Lost & > Found". When I am in on the 26th, I'll ask the radio boys if they saw > anything, and also keep looking. > > > > Bill Inderrieden > > > > > >

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