December 2024 - vcf-midatlantic

Re: [vcf-midatlantic] PDP-8/L restoration
by Ethan Dicks 28 Dec '24

28 Dec '24

On Thu, Dec 26, 2024 at 9:03 PM Mike Rieker via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > If anyone is interested Seriously interested! I have been trying to add mass storage to my PDP-8/L since I got it in High School in the early 80s! There were only a few options then and I never encountered any for sale at a price I could approach. > I finished a Zynq thing that plugs into the back > of my PDP-8/L to provide disk, tape, tty functionality. The thing > actually boots and runs OS/8! Outstanding! That's been my goal all along - boot OS/8 on an -8/L. > Anyway I made an Hackaday page > https://hackaday.io/project/202048-pdp-8x2fl-enhancements Nice photos. Would love to see more detail. > About all I had to do to get the PDP running was replace a few (half dozen > or so) 7400 series chips, some corroded diodes on the core stack and a > power resistor. Hasn't missed a beat since. Sure. In my years of maintaining gear from that era, I find a lot of dead 7474 and 7440 and some dead 7420 make up 90% of the bad ICs. Every once in a while, a diode. > I don't know if any of you have interest in this sort of thing. I don't > have a PDP-8/I but it might not be too difficult to adapt it to one of > those or other PDP-8s and maybe 11s. I think most PDP-8/i are negibus, and the -8/i itself is expecting to implement memory expansion to 8K internally (including using an M702 "memory detector" card in a particular slot). I have a 4K -8/i that I tried to upgrade to 8K when i was still learning (and lacking in the PDF scans we have now) that I was unsuccessful with due to my lack of deep understanding of how all the parts work (G020 -> G021 was one I totally missed as a teenager). It might be easier on an -8/i to remove the original memory parts and just use the Zynq board for all 32K (or do what was somewhat common back then, 8K with DEC parts and "external 24K" which _was_ done with non-DEC expansion boxes). I would definitely love to learn how to get one or two of these. Not as interested in the frontpanel emulators. I can see how they are handy but I'd prefer the original look. Thanks for sharing! -ethan

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] PDP-8/L restoration
by wmrieker＠nii.net 28 Dec '24

28 Dec '24

> Hi Mike, > > You wrote below: "I don't know if any of you have interest in this sort > of thing." > > Wow ... Are you kidding!!Â :-) > > I'm sure I speak for at least a few others on this list who love to hack > (in the old, more correct usage of the term) hardware and/or software in > order to non-maliciously learn stuff, restore something important, > and/or at least bring something back to life. Reverse Engineering and > creation of solutions at its best and most fun :-) > > I retired back in March (finally, at age 70) from the major USA-based > independent diesel engine maker and plan to work thru a bunch of DEC > PDP-11 gear, my DG Nova 1200, IBM 9370 w/9375-60 Processor, several > ASR-33 TTYs, plus a flock of other radio & TV restoration and ham radio > projects which have been in 'idle storage' for 10-to-50 years. This > email subject matter will definitely apply -depending, of course, upon > how my wife and I stretch our SS checks, a modest pension and random > restoration and consulting work. > > I need to catch-up on what that 'Zyng thing' is you mention and other > recent hardware/software items like this which have appeared in the last > decade or so. Hi Chris, The Zynq is a processor chip like a BCM used on a RaspberryPI but instead of simple GPIO, it has a big FGPA 'fabric' between its internal ARM processor and GPIO pins. The ZTurn is a particular board that contains a Zynq chip and brings out 90+ pins to connectors on the back. So it is well suited to interface to a processor's IO and memory busses. You can write Verilog or VHDL to program the FPGA to look like the device registers, then the ARM can do the IO simulation and update the device registers. Mike > > I personally encourage keeping activity like this going, folks! > > Thanks much and best regards, > Â Â Â -Chris F. > > > On 12/26/2024 9:02 PM, Mike Rieker via vcf-midatlantic wrote: > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Hey All, > > If anyone is interested, I finished a Zynq thing that plugs into the back > of my PDP-8/L to provide disk, tape, tty functionality. The thing > actually boots and runs OS/8! > > Anyway I made an Hackaday page > https://hackaday.io/project/202048-pdp-8x2fl-enhancements > > There is also a simple RasPI based board that plugs in the front panel > slot to do automated testing. > > About all I had to do to get the PDP running was replace a few (half dozen > or so) 7400 series chips, some corroded diodes on the core stack and a > power resistor. Hasn't missed a beat since. > > I don't know if any of you have interest in this sort of thing. I don't > have a PDP-8/I but it might not be too difficult to adapt it to one of > those or other PDP-8s and maybe 11s. > > Mike > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > -- > ================================================================ > Christian R Fandt > Jamestown, NY 14701 > > Electrical/Electronic Collector & Historian: Radios, Early > Computers, Test Equipment > > Radio restorations: Pre-1970s Automotive & Home radios > > Retired engineer/consultant on electrical/electronic contact physics > > > -- > This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. > www.avast.com >

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Next Repair Workshop Jan 11-12, 2025
by Jeffrey Brace 28 Dec '24

28 Dec '24

Sign up for the next repair workshop is here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IXvycZsSKrcEqG0CHhikN3bgRwIA0tOm1hB… Keep in mind that we are moving the repair workshops to 9032-A and won't be in 9059 going forward. Take care! Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President VCF East Showrunner MARCH Fundraising Manager Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/> jeffrey(a)vcfed.org

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World of Commodore 2024 Report (Nov. 30-Dec. 1, 2024)
by Jeffrey Brace 27 Dec '24

27 Dec '24

Sorry, this report is a few weeks late. I've been busy! I went up by myself to World of Commodore which takes place in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. I went there representing VCF and promoting our shows and museum. I showed off TheC64 Mini, TheC64 (Maxi) and a real C64 with SuperCPU attached. I was assisted by Steve Lowry from time to time when I needed a break and once by Josh Bensadon. I seem to have gotten some of the Candadians interested in crossing the border to visit our show! It was a nice and easy trip up there. It's a small show compared to ours, but it was fun and everyone there is really nice. I wasn't able to see any of the talks as I was at the VCF tables most of the time. It was fun going out to dinner with them after the show on Saturday night. It was a nice and easy trip back as well. I recommend this show to any Commodore Computer fan! I would also like to mention something to those that knew Bryan Pope. Someone approached me who was with him at the end of his life. In his final days Bryan watched VCF East walkthroughs which brought him great joy as he spent his final hours in the hospital. He really loved our group. I also received his MARCH t-shirt that he had bought many years ago. For those that didn't know him Bryan was there during the founding of MARCH back in 2005. He had lived in New Jersey for years before returning back to Canada. He will be greatly missed as he passed away from cancer months ago. Here are my pictures: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1FmKRV-u4E6TYEGVD2BGxORNHtl_iW8QP?us… Someone on Facebook did a video walk through: https://www.facebook.com/vince.giannini/videos/890614656465401/?idorvanity=… Enjoy! Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/> jeffrey(a)vcfed.org

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Holiday gifts 2024
by Hopkins, Justin 27 Dec '24

27 Dec '24

See Dave Plummer’s recent video on how getting his PDP to recognize all the new hardware probably shortened his life by a few years…. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IBFeM-sa2YY ________________________________ From: vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic-bounces(a)lists.vcfed.org> on behalf of Derrik Walker via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> Sent: Friday, December 27, 2024 9:12:59 AM To: vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> Cc: Derrik Walker <dwalker(a)doomd.net> Subject: Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Holiday gifts 2024 This message and any attachments are intended only for the use of the addressee and may contain information that is privileged and confidential. If the reader of the message is not the intended recipient or an authorized representative of the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by e-mail and delete the message and any attachments from your system.

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Holiday gifts 2024
by Andrew Diller 27 Dec '24

27 Dec '24

Don't forget some sweet Atari emulation on that Mac, I got a Mini and finally got the Windows Altirra Emulator working with Wine on OSX: https://www.atariorbit.org/2024/12/26/altirra-arm-and-sequoia/ Then you can run the fujiNet posix app on your mac and go do all the FujiNet fun - without leaving your MacBookPro. -andy > On Dec 27, 2024, at 11:12 AM, Derrik Walker via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > > From: Derrik Walker <dwalker(a)doomd.net> > Subject: Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Holiday gifts 2024 > Date: December 27, 2024 at 11:12:59 AM EST > To: vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> > > > I got The Spectrum. Programming on that thing is pretty crazy. > > Not retro-related, but I got a MacBook M4 Pro. Very fast. Runs the Amiga and C64 emulation great. Now I just have to get the C64 and Amiga cross-compiler tools built for it. I build them from source as I like to understand how they work, and I like the old school UNIX feel of building stuff myself. > > Not for the holidays, but I also recently obtained the C64 Reloaded MK2 for a custom C64 I’m bulling that I intend to mostly use as a Synthesizer. > > BTW. The C64Maxi is awesome. I just wish there was an easy way to plug a MIDI interface into it. But if you just want to experience using a C64, that’s about as good as you'll get without the real deal. I am looking forward to the Amiga Maxi ( or whatever they are going to call it ). > > - Derrik > >> On Dec 27, 2024, at 00:20, Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: >> >> Did anyone else besides Dave Shevett and Ben Krein receive any vintage >> computer related gifts this month? >> >> I got The400 Mini, which is a modern reproduction of The Atari 400. I >> already have TheC64 Mini and TheC64 Maxi. I'm hoping to get TheA500 Mini >> someday! >> >> I use these when traveling long distances to vintage computer shows when >> I'm flying. >> >> Jeff Brace > > >

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Holiday gifts 2024
by Jeffrey Brace 27 Dec '24

27 Dec '24

Did anyone else besides Dave Shevett and Ben Krein receive any vintage computer related gifts this month? I got The400 Mini, which is a modern reproduction of The Atari 400. I already have TheC64 Mini and TheC64 Maxi. I'm hoping to get TheA500 Mini someday! I use these when traveling long distances to vintage computer shows when I'm flying. Jeff Brace

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] PDP-8/L restoration
by Chris Fandt 27 Dec '24

27 Dec '24

Hi Mike, You wrote below: "I don't know if any of you have interest in this sort of thing." Wow ... Are you kidding!! :-) I'm sure I speak for at least a few others on this list who love to hack (in the old, more correct usage of the term) hardware and/or software in order to non-maliciously learn stuff, restore something important, and/or at least bring something back to life. Reverse Engineering and creation of solutions at its best and most fun :-) I retired back in March (finally, at age 70) from the major USA-based independent diesel engine maker and plan to work thru a bunch of DEC PDP-11 gear, my DG Nova 1200, IBM 9370 w/9375-60 Processor, several ASR-33 TTYs, plus a flock of other radio & TV restoration and ham radio projects which have been in 'idle storage' for 10-to-50 years. This email subject matter will definitely apply -depending, of course, upon how my wife and I stretch our SS checks, a modest pension and random restoration and consulting work. I need to catch-up on what that 'Zyng thing' is you mention and other recent hardware/software items like this which have appeared in the last decade or so. I personally encourage keeping activity like this going, folks! Thanks much and best regards, -Chris F. On 12/26/2024 9:02 PM, Mike Rieker via vcf-midatlantic wrote: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hey All, If anyone is interested, I finished a Zynq thing that plugs into the back of my PDP-8/L to provide disk, tape, tty functionality. The thing actually boots and runs OS/8! Anyway I made an Hackaday page https://hackaday.io/project/202048-pdp-8x2fl-enhancements There is also a simple RasPI based board that plugs in the front panel slot to do automated testing. About all I had to do to get the PDP running was replace a few (half dozen or so) 7400 series chips, some corroded diodes on the core stack and a power resistor. Hasn't missed a beat since. I don't know if any of you have interest in this sort of thing. I don't have a PDP-8/I but it might not be too difficult to adapt it to one of those or other PDP-8s and maybe 11s. Mike ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- ================================================================ Christian R Fandt Jamestown, NY 14701 > Electrical/Electronic Collector & Historian: Radios, Early Computers, Test Equipment > Radio restorations: Pre-1970s Automotive & Home radios > Retired engineer/consultant on electrical/electronic contact physics -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. www.avast.com

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PDP-8/L restoration
by wmrieker＠nii.net 26 Dec '24

26 Dec '24

Hey All, If anyone is interested, I finished a Zynq thing that plugs into the back of my PDP-8/L to provide disk, tape, tty functionality. The thing actually boots and runs OS/8! Anyway I made an Hackaday page https://hackaday.io/project/202048-pdp-8x2fl-enhancements There is also a simple RasPI based board that plugs in the front panel slot to do automated testing. About all I had to do to get the PDP running was replace a few (half dozen or so) 7400 series chips, some corroded diodes on the core stack and a power resistor. Hasn't missed a beat since. I don't know if any of you have interest in this sort of thing. I don't have a PDP-8/I but it might not be too difficult to adapt it to one of those or other PDP-8s and maybe 11s. Mike

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Mechanical Calculator Using Wooden Gears
by Chris Fala 26 Dec '24

26 Dec '24

This guy did a lot of work to build this. vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org

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