July 2024 - vcf-midatlantic

Re: [vcf-midatlantic] OT: time to downsize
by Bob Shuster 03 Sep '25

03 Sep '25

I’ve finally gone through all the old Apple “i“-devices I’ve accumulated, but I haven’t listed them on the website as they definitely don’t fit the “vintage” moniker. That being said, perhaps some of you might also collect these or want them for parts/nostalgia? There are a couple of 1st gen iPads, a 1st gen iPad mini, various iPods, and a handful of iPhone 5 and 6 phones. Drop me an email if you want any more details. And still plenty of other stuff left - although I’ve been slowly selling off bits and pieces on eBay. - Bob Shuster > I've been regularly marking the sold and sale pending items, thank you guys so much! And once again - many thanks to those who have adopted some of my babies so far. Please let me know if I can clarify anything or if any more photos are needed. > > The link: http://www.theshusters.com/bobvintage.html > > Please don't share without asking me. Currently just open to this group - my contact info is intentionally missing from the webpages. If you can read this, you have my email. > > Email me with questions or offers! Please don't make offers on the list, but if you want to discuss my process and feel the group would benefit, then by all means knock yourself out! :) > > Bob Shuster > > (Original message below) > ---- > Well, folks, I've gotten to the age where I need to seriously downsize my hobbies and collections, not wanting to leave it to my children to have to deal with in later years. (I had to do that recently for a relative.) On the electronics side, I've decided to concentrate on my vintage video game systems - and therefore sell off most of my vintage computer stuff. My collection includes mostly 8-bit stuff: TRS-80 Models I, IV, M100, etc. - Atari 400, 800, Portfolio, ST, etc. - C64/VIC20 - T/S1000 (including an unbuilt kit), Apple II, II+, IIe, IIe Platinum, IIgs - Wang WLTC - Mattel Aquarius - TI-99/4A - many others that I still have to dig out - plus lots of peripherals, disks, manuals, etc. Also have some newer Macs starting with a Mac Plus in an Apple carrying bag. > > I'm starting with you guys before trying to list elsewhere, although I may hit some of the dedicated FaceBorg pages (such as for Aquarius and Apple II.) I'm willing to ship some of the smaller items, but in general systems or monitors will need to be picked up here (near the Fort Washington exit of the PA Turnpike) or nearby, and cash or PayPal for payment. I may also consider trades for some of the video game stuff I'm looking for. > > It pains me to do this, but the clutter is getting out of hand, and I haven't touched most of these in years. It's time for someone else to enjoy. > > Bob Shuster > > > > > > > > > > > > >

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OT / Equipment pickup
by Martin Flynn 11 Jan '25

11 Jan '25

Anyone on list in proximity to Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania? There's a Winsted equipment rack that's a cosmetic match for what we have deployed already that I am considering purchase of Before arranging shipping / freight, anyone nearby that might be headed to VCF East or the swap meet? Martin

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A 4004 Based Microcomputer the Comstar System 4
by Christian Liendo 26 Dec '24

26 Dec '24

A number of years ago I got my hands on a Comstar Programmer, it programmed roms for a computer called the Comstar System 4. I was told both the programmer and the System 4 were intel 4004 based. I asked around and kept getting told no computer was 4004 based. I really didn't do much due diligence just some searching here and there but I found enough to show that the computer did exist and was 4004 based. The website "Internet Scripophily Museum of Computing" has a page on the history of The Warner & Swasey Company. It's a decent timeline of the company http://ismoc.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-warner-swasey-company.html In "Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers" April 1976, the computer is mentioned on page 54 and page 70. On page 70 are the specifications and they show it being 4004 based. http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/auerbach/Auerbach_Guide_to_Minicomputers_Apr76… In the IEEE Spectum May 1975 on page 26 the compiler and the System 4 are talked about having a 4004 https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=6368812 In the ACM's archives "Development of a portable compiler for industrial microcomputer systems" by LEROY H. ANDERSON The Warner & Swasey Company, it discusses the system and has images on the unit. https://www.computer.org/csdl/pds/api/csdl/proceedings/download-article/12O… And finally the Computer History Museum put the manual up for download. https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102686568 I'm still trying to get more info, but I think this is some decent evidence to show there was a 4004 based computer in 1972

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] VCF Tech Swap Meet Nov 2, please let your friends and groups know.
by Jeffrey Brace 19 Sep '24

19 Sep '24

On Thu, Jun 27, 2024 at 12:19 Sentrytv via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > Thinking the same way > Please make sure that the ARRL calendar is updated with the event as well! Yes of course, but now they require a someone with a Ham Radio license. I do not have one. Martin did it last time. I will try to get a VCF member to do it this time. > > Sent from: > My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device. > > > On Jun 27, 2024, at 10:51 AM, Christian Liendo via vcf-midatlantic < > vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > > > So, I know this happens every time but as we get closer to the next > > swap meet we get told. My group has an event and they conflict. > > > > Can you please let the groups you belong to know about the event. This > > should reduce the chance of a conflict and it will also drum up > > interest. > > > > https://vcfed.org/vcf-swap-meet/ > > > > We would like the next swap meet to be bigger and it would help to > > start getting the word out now. > > > > Thanks > >

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Cisco 2503 available
by Martin A. Flynn 04 Aug '24

04 Aug '24

If anyone wants to tackle adding thicknet networking to the museum space, there is a Cisco 2503 router with a DA-15 pin AUI port that is up for grabs. Off list replies to reduce the list clutter please!

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Atari Camp
by Christian Liendo 31 Jul '24

31 Jul '24

So Atari is shifting itself into a brand now and they have some nice stuff. I may have to "invest" in the Adventure t-shirts. https://atari.com/collections/summer-camp

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] quick HOPE report
by Ken 31 Jul '24

31 Jul '24

I also spent the majority of my 3 HOPE days at the VCF tables, helping and demo'ing and chatting and directing a lot of folks to the 2025 VCF East event. (I was first introduced to VCF - and saw my latent vintage computing fetish initially activated - at HOPE 2000!) It was a fantastic display, and I really appreciated the representation this time of those trainers and circuit demos. It added so much more than just having the familiar late 70's/early 80's home computers. Thanks to Doug (new to the hacker conference!) who I think was behind that addition. Some brilliant and varied people stopped by with all sorts of expertise and stories to share, and I hope some will wind up exhibiting at InfoAge next year! Also of note was Jeff Brace winning the HOPE talent show via some karaoke prowess? Thank you Doug, Dean, Jeff and Jeff! - Ken At 7/25/2024 02:07 AM, Jeffrey Jonas via vcf-midatlantic wrote: >I had a blast staffing VCF's exhibit at the HOPE conference on Friday & >Saturday. >Many thanks to Doug, Dean, Jeff Brace for carpooling and making such an >engaging exhibit. >It was perfectly on-target for the audience, limited by what fits in one >car. >I was in my element, meeting folks I know from Unigroup (NYC Unix/Linux >professional society), >NJ Linux group and other circles of friends. > >The exhibit started with the Discrete Transistor 555 and a breadboarded 555, >showing how the first chips were only dozens of transistors. >The Bell & Howell chip trainer's flip-flops were wired as a binary counter >next to a single chip counter doing essentially the same thing. >That got a LOT of attention >since it vividly illustrated how the building-blocks of logic gates makes >for larger useful elements. > >Then the microprocessor trainers: 6502, 8080, 8085. >Folks adored running the ROM demos via the hex keypads and 7 segment >displays. > >The Apple 1 replica got a lot of attention, >particularly with the SD-card cassette emulator instantly loading games and >such. >Some folks really enjoyed using the WOZ monitor and peeking/poking into RAM. > >The PET, GRID and others got a lot of love too, particularly the GRID's >plasma display. >Some folks were into display tech, thus the geeking out over Doug's VFD and >LED demo. >A really great outreach opportunity. > >-- Jeff Jonas

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OT - Help Identifying Connector
by Chris Fala 31 Jul '24

31 Jul '24

Can anyone tell me what type of connectors (4 pin and 6 pin) are on this item, and if they are readily available (preferably with wires already terminated)?? https://www.amazon.com/Monitor-Vintage-Screen-Electronic-Picture/dp/B09DXST… Thanks in advance!

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OT: InfoAge Dining Room Door Dedication
by Jeffrey Brace 27 Jul '24

27 Jul '24

To All - You are cordially invited to the dedication of the new Dining Room doors of the Marconi Hotel on Sunday, August 4 at 1:00pm. The dedication is to honor Pat Thecker for the many years of support (almost $100,000) that she and her husband, Duncan, provided to InfoAge. There will be a small reception immediately after the dedication. I hope that some of you can make it! Take care! Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President Vintage Computer Festival East Showrunner VCF Mid-Atlantic Event Manager Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/> jeffrey(a)vcfed.org

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Looking for people with expertise/equipment in data recovery
by Herbert Johnson 26 Jul '24

26 Jul '24

> 1] "we" == World River Center, a 501(c)3 and parent organization of > the International Whitewater Hall of Fame. We're building an online, > free, searchable archive of born-digital and digitized objects because > most of the history of paddlesports is sitting in boxes in closets > around the world...and it's being lost. We're trying to acquire it > and save it from oblivion. > There's not really a budget for this, which is one reason why a > substantial chunk of my life is now spent writing grant applications -- > so that we [1] can have a budget. But there's a chicken-and-egg problem: > I can't write "give us money just in case we hit this problem" because > that won't fly (I know: I tried) (repeatedly); I need to wait until we > bump into it and then explain why it's important that we solve it, e.g., > "these documents have significance to X" or "this is the only surviving > video of Y" or whatever. So, pardon my analysis and advice. But you are laying out a project in public, asking for resources. So I think responses to the project are appropriate. If not, my apologies. You are asking granting institutions for money for data recovery of analog/digital media. That is, asking historic preservation people with limited digital technology knowledge, for money for not just tech, but *old* tech which even fewer people will know today. Does that seem likely to fly? No, you are already explaining to them instead, the result they DO know: historic content of paddle sports, in a social/sports context. This is not my skills-set, don't argue with me, but talk instead to grant-writing people from other institutions (maybe sports institutions) about how they succeed in getting funding for their (maybe similar) projects. also: Consider this question. Rather than going top-down, to ask institutional funding agencies for money (with the issues I raised); Why not go bottom-up? *Ask the people who own this content, and people who would enjoy/benefit from this content, for pledges and eventually donations.* I deal with the children of vintage computing developers, when they are "releasing" their parent's estates. Sometimes, the developers themselves when they retire. They'd like to see their (parent's) work preserved and appreciated (they frame it as "in a museum" but that's what it amounts to). But they can't keep this stuff themselves. They might be willing to provide dollars for conversion to easily preserved and accessed digital content. I find most people appreciate seeing their (parent's) work available online, if not in a facility, if not in restored use. If no one responded to *my* converted vintage content, I would have stopped doing it years ago. But they do, so I don't. That's what I mean by bottom-up. But it may be, the institution you are working with, would make that appeal to their constituents - not ask you to do that. Finally: lots of historic institutions are dealing with conversion of analog or vintage media to 21st century digital content. Maybe, the answer is to ally with one of *those* institutions? Make use of their *already-developed* assets, give THEM some funding? Sometimes finding an ally is more optimum than going it alone. at the least, you might learn something, from those already doing what you are asking to do. Simple concept. Also see what they do with their results, how they make them available online. Again, maybe someone else at your institution will do that part. > (But I do understand that there's a point at which asking-for-help > crosses over into really-should-be-paying-for-help, > trying to get myself up to > a baseline level of knowledge in this area In any event, if you develop and operate such a facility, they will be your *colleagues*, so you may as well start getting acquainted now. In fact, it seems to me, you are talking about a career, not a one-off project. That depends on the volume of material and the calendar-time level of commitment (sounds like years). what you do personally, is entirely your consideration, none of my business. However, when you present a grant proposal, you *already* have to make the case for commitment in time, materials, resources, and *people* - that's you, you are the people. Think all of that through. Those thoughts, might give you some leads (as you requested), about the actions you are considering. 1) how to ask for money 2) how to (learn to) work with arcane vintage media 3) how to scope out the intended work 4) whether this is work you choose to do, on the terms offered by the institution you are working with. It sounded to me, like you were looking for some directions. Here they are. Regards Herb Johnson -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey USA https://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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