January 2021 - vcf-midatlantic

Commodore 1702 door
by svcatitc＠aol.com 20 Apr '23

20 Apr '23

Jeffrey Brace jeffrey at vcfed.org Writes:Wed Sep 2 13:48:24 EDT 2020 Sounds like an Outer Limits episode where the world was taken apart and remade every moment and sometimes they made mistakes which is why when you lose your keys you find time in a place that you already searched. I thought this was a Spielberg "Amazing Stories" episode, obviously not. The episode is: "A Matter of Minutes" is the third segment of the fifteenth episode from the first season (1985–86) of the television series The Twilight Zone. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Matter_of_Minutes I remember that scene where the couple is in the "Void of White Space" and the "Supervisor of the Maintenance of Time" says: (paraphrasing) "Ya know how you go back to look for something you know is supposed to be there multiple times and then it finally is where you thoughtit should be? That's us. We forgot something. We are now working on moving Christmas!" I personally call them the "Minute-Ahead" men and you may hear me at a workshop cursing at them!!!! I DOOO BELIEVE! Bill Inderrieden

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Heathkit H8
by Herb Johnson 05 Feb '21

05 Feb '21

It's good to see H8 activity. I have one but it's sitting quiet these days: https://www.retrotechnology.com/herbs_stuff/h8.html It is also "native" pretty much. I'd not mind a floppy controller upgrade, but not too modern a board. I also have some early SEBHC H8 boards unbuilt, from quite awhile ago. Thanks for the reminder! regards, Herb -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey in the USA http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net preserve, recover, restore 1970's computing email: hjohnson AT retrotechnology DOT com or try later herbjohnson AT comcast DOT net

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Welcome New Member Murat!
by Jeffrey Brace 03 Feb '21

03 Feb '21

Hello Murat! How did you find our list? What are your interests? -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey(a)vcfed.org cell: 732-759-1783

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Museum HP 2117F
by Mike Loewen 29 Jan '21

29 Jan '21

I have a request for someone who will be at the museum, this weekend. Dave Bryan, author of the HP 21MX simulator portion of SimH, needs some data from a working 2117F. I have a list of instructions to enter from the front panel. If anyone can help out, I'd appreciate it. Let me know. Mike Loewen mloewen(a)cpumagic.scol.pa.us Old Technology http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] 10, 000 Hours With Claude Shannon: How A Genius Thinks, Works, and Lives
by Herb Johnson 28 Jan '21

28 Jan '21

The article is OK, to the extent it describes the personality of Claude Shannon, as like some number of technical geniuses. But the article gets tedious about it; it's a love story by a biographer. I hope they didn't mess up the science in the biography. Shannon himself is an important mid-20th century figure in information theory; I know of him from my BSEE studies in the 1970's. I'd say his biography is relevant to vintage computing interests, who wish to be informed about the development of computing technology. Myself, I learn science and tech by reading works by and about people who developed science and technology in the 20th century. So thanks to Christian Liendo for calling out the author of a Shannon biography, so I can look for that book. Regards, Herb Johnson -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey in the USA http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net preserve, recover, restore 1970's computing email: hjohnson AT retrotechnology DOT com or try later herbjohnson AT comcast DOT net

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YouTube Video on M.2 to SATA to IDE
by Alexander Jacocks 28 Jan '21

28 Jan '21

I just posted a new (short!) Video on 2.5” mSATA adapters and IDE machines: https://youtu.be/QVUMNUL4y6I It’s really just an overview of the SSD, and the adapters. I’ll show it in use, soon. - Alex

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anyone id this laptop? 1994-ish
by Bill Degnan 27 Jan '21

27 Jan '21

I was sent an inquiry from a visitor to vintagecomputer.net who wanted to know the make/model of this laptop aa.jpg (284×341) (ibb.co) <https://i.ibb.co/6bdnY7r/aa.jpg> Anyone have a specific clue? I checked AST, Toshiba, Compaq, Gateway and other laptops I have from that era, nothing matches that little keyboard display window. Bill

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WTB: A good soldering iron with adjustable heat
by Jeffrey Brace 27 Jan '21

27 Jan '21

A friend is looking for a good quality soldering iron with adjustable heat. Anyone going to the workshop selling one or know where I can find one? Thanks, Jeff Brace ========================================= Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey(a)vcfed.org cell: 732-759-1783

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Corey's Apple I "restoration" video
by Jack Rubin 26 Jan '21

26 Jan '21

Thanks for putting this together. A less caffeinated version with narration could be the starting point for a truly useful video that analyses problems, discusses materials, techniques, methods, part sources and actually illuminates the restoration process. Jack

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Heathkit H8
by Mike Loewen 25 Jan '21

25 Jan '21

Some weeks ago, I pulled out my Heathkit H19 monitor to connect to my H8, and the H19 promptly blew a fuse (and other nasty things). I finally got the last parts in today to fix it, and the H8 is up and running CP/M 2.2.04 from a Z87 dual-drive unit. http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/Heathkit/H8/H19H8-2L.jpg The H8 only has two boards installed: the H17 hard-sectored floppy controller, and a Z80 board from a recent Norberto Collado design. The Z80 board has 64KB of RAM, two serial ports and a real-time clock. Here's the design: http://koyado.com/Heathkit/H8-Z80-64K-RTC-ORG0-V3.html Norberto also has a new storage controller design, to replace the H37 (soft-sector), H17 (hard-sector) and H67 (hard drive) controllers, plus a USB interface. I have the PCBs, and am waiting for some final testing before ordering parts. Mike Loewen mloewen(a)cpumagic.scol.pa.us Old Technology http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/

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