- vcf-midatlantic - lists.vcfed.org

“Comcast@Home” internet speeds 1998 or so?
by John Heritage 03 Feb '22

03 Feb '22

Hey folks, I’m trying to remember what download speeds Comcast@Home offered circa 1998 (when I first had cable modem). I remember the upload speeds initially being 256-384 kbps but then Comcast cut the upload to 128 kbps. This was terrible not just because it was slow but it was barely enough bandwidth to even request data fast enough to saturate the download speed. I think the initial download speeds were 3 or 4 mbps with cable modems in 1998 (south jersey area - former Storer Cable area), but I have a couple of friends who think it was more like 768kbps - 1 mbps. Any one have memories of this time? P.S. My google-fu sees a lot of ~ 2.8 mbps down on Cox@Home and some other @Home providers around 2000-2003 but I’m having trouble finding earlier than that period online. Thanks! John

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] ?Comcast@Home? internet speeds 1998 or so?
by Andrew Diller 02 Feb '22

02 Feb '22

https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/comcast-announces-10g-advances <https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/comcast-announces-10g-advances> Full Duplex DOCSIS4 changes things. As for 'not enough bandwidth (in coax)' - you have to understand what is happening. The entire path from the head-end to your home drop is being virtualized. “To do this, the team activated what we believe to be another world first – a virtualized cable modem termination system (vCMTS) powered by Full Duplex DOCSIS 4.0 Technology." The virtualization of the CMTS plant infra is going to allow these speeds (for customers that choose and pay for that tier). Yes, it's going to cost, and maybe you are good with 1Gb! But some people will want more. 10G is just showing the max bandwidth - I doubt there will be a plan for 10Gb available for a while. I am asking for a slot in any employee trials lol... -andy disclaimer: I work for Comcast > On Feb 2, 2022, at 12:09 PM, MikeWillegal via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > > From: MikeWillegal <mike(a)willegal.net> > Subject: Re: [vcf-midatlantic] ?Comcast@Home? internet speeds 1998 or so? > Date: February 2, 2022 at 12:09:44 PM EST > To: Neil Cherry <ncherry(a)linuxha.com> > Cc: vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> > > > I can easily believe 660Meg down/40Meg up with DOCSIS, but certainly not multi-gigabit up with current technology in a production DOCSIS network. > > Mike W. > >> On Feb 2, 2022, at 11:56 AM, Neil Cherry <ncherry(a)linuxha.com> wrote: >> >> On 2/2/22 10:30, MikeWillegal wrote: >>> ... Comcast is using direct fiber connections for their really high speed services ... >> >> Grr, would have been nice if I had it all in one message (sorry). >> >> My connection isn't fiber, it's the old cable installed a few years ago. >> I test it to 660M/40M a week ago. Not sure if cache played a part but I think >> the test takes it into account to avoid adding that to the result. >> >> -- >> 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 > > >

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Book - Ideas that Created the Future
by Andrew Diller 02 Feb '22

02 Feb '22

https://www.amazon.com/Ideas-That-Created-Future-Computer/dp/0262045303/ <https://www.amazon.com/Ideas-That-Created-Future-Computer/dp/0262045303/> Saw this mentioned on cctalk, I ordered it and got it- notable since it's probably the first paper book I've ordered from Amazon in 12 years. "Ideas That Created the Future collects forty-six classic papers in computer science that map the evolution of the field." So far it's fascinating to read the actual documents that defined where we are now. To see all 46 of the papers included, this link has them listed: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3471469.3471473 <https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3471469.3471473> Looks like IEEE members can download a PDF: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9357635 <https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9357635> I like having this in paper form FWIW. -andy

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] ?Comcast@Home? internet speeds 1998 or so?
by Neil Cherry 02 Feb '22

02 Feb '22

On 2/2/22 08:05, Mike Willegal via vcf-midatlantic wrote: > things have changed a lot- a few years ago I was able to demonstrate about 2Gbps upstream in a lab environment to a single > mode with DOCSIS 3.1 technology Comcast is selling 3/3 Gbps in the business space and I hear that consumer will be able to get 3/something soon (not 3/3). Ob old man rhetoric: I remember when I was a kid you'd buy a DS0 and split into 9.6 with a Paradyne 740 mux and you were happy (if you could get it to work). ;-) PPS: I'm working with 400Gbs Ethernet that we bundle (400x8). The times they are a changing ... I started out with wet/dry loop (28.8 baud - AP wire service). -- 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

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] ?Comcast@Home? internet speeds 1998 or so?
by Christian Liendo 02 Feb '22

02 Feb '22

It is probably rate limited 10G or what they call fractional. I have multiple 10Gbps circuits at work and we were offered fractional. They all seem to do the same thing. They run some SMF and put a box on your site that they manage to do the rate limiting. On Wed, Feb 2, 2022 at 10:32 AM MikeWillegal via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > I don’t think that Comcast is using DOCSIS for this high speed service as the 2 Gbps lab speed I mentioned is really only barely achievable in a dedicated lab environment and it needs to use of a ton of spectrum that is normally reserved for their video feeds. Comcast is using direct fiber connections for their really high speed services and I’m guessing that you would have to pay plenty for it. > > > regards, > Mike Willegal >

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] ?Comcast@Home? internet speeds 1998 or so?
by Mike Willegal 02 Feb '22

02 Feb '22

For DOCSIS 1.0, max upstream bitrate was either 5 or 10 Mbps, depending upon whether the physical plant could support 16QAM or required usage of slower QPSK modulation. Actual per modem maximum was significantly less because of the way upstream bandwidth was managed through a TDM scheme that required the cable modem to request upstream bandwidth every time it needed to send something. If I recall correctly most cable plants started out having a lot of trouble with QAM 16, so ended up at QPSK speeds to start with. Downstream theoretical max per modem was a bit under 40 Mbps, a bit higher in Europe because cable channels are 8Mhz wide instead of 6Mhz. Actual per modem rates would typically be significantly less. I can’t remember whether per CM rate limiting was provisionable by the MSO (cable operator) in the very first versions or not, but it wasn’t long before MSO had pretty good control of who could use what bandwidth. Regards, Mike Willegal things have changed a lot- a few years ago I was able to demonstrate about 2Gbps upstream in a lab environment to a single modem with DOCSIS 3.1 technology

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Wrap-up of System Source Repair Workshop 1/29 & 1/30, 2022
by Jeffrey Brace 01 Feb '22

01 Feb '22

I had a great time at System Source's Repair Workshop this past weekend. Bob Roswell was a very generous and gracious host. I left at 7:30PM on Friday night because the snow was piling up in NJ. I live near InfoAge so the whole area got 12 inches of snow. But west and southwest of my home, got little to none. So the drive to System Source was a breeze with mostly highway. It took about 3 hours. Stayed at a hotel Friday and Saturday night and got a good sleep. When I got there Saturday things were in full swing with the usual suspects from InfoAge repair workshops, plus the usual System Source suspects. So a very good turnout of about 25 or so people. Lots of stuff fixed as I saw. I made some pickups of repaired VCF artifacts and drop-offs to be repaired artifacts. I loved looking at what was new and looking in more detail at the exhibits in the museum. I also got to catch up on all my friends there and talk about vintage computer stuff it was great! I also got a chance to play with the Xerox Alto for a few hours and see what worked and what didn't. Very cool and rare opportunity for a rare machine that works! This was my favorite part of the weekend. Maybe others want to chime in on what they were working on. ========================================= Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey(a)vcfed.org

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] OT: time to downsize
by Bob Shuster 01 Feb '22

01 Feb '22

Just an update and a question. UPDATE: I'm slowly going through my newer (post-1984) Apple products and testing and/or clearing the hard drives of personal information, then photographing and adding them to my Google Sheets doc. I suspect the older machines will go faster as they have no hard storage to contend with (or obscure monitor connections that I have to remember how to connect or locate the right adapter!) Be patient, the list will be posted as soon as I make enough significant headway. QUESTION: I’m just starting to tackle my Macintosh Plus (ED) 1MB (M0001A), but I cannot locate system disks to test it. Would any group members have these and be willing to give/loan/sell me so I can test the machine? Bob Shuster

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] OT: PC donations to Red Bank Regional High
by Jonathan Sturges 01 Feb '22

01 Feb '22

Hi Adam, I've got a spare Acer Veriton mini-tower w/ an Intel i3-3220 & 8GB DDR3. Boots & runs Windows 10. Would be a good student PC & I'll bring it to the swap meet. -Jonathan

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OT: PC donations to Red Bank Regional High School (Little Silver, NJ)
by Adam Michlin 31 Jan '22

31 Jan '22

Hi Everyone, As many of you know, I teach computer science at Red Bank Regional High School in Little Silver, NJ. I'm trying to help my colleague who teaches IT. He does a lot of projects where the students take apart computers and put them back together (a project near and dear to mine and many of your hearts), but his class sizes are outpacing his supply of PCs. I'm hoping to collect 10-15 not so vintage PCs (core 2 duos and P4s are fine, but obviously we won't complain about better machines). The key is they have to be normal sized PCs, the kind that make it relatively easy for a 9th or 10th grader student to take it apart and put it back together. So no small form factor PCs or laptops. These would be donations and individual machines are fine. If you happen to be downsizing your desktop PCs at the office, that would be even better. Working or not working. I can pick up in most of NJ and will be at the VCF Swap Meet at InfoAge on February 26th, as well. Please contact me directly off list at <adam.michlin(a)vcfed.org> if you have any offers or questions. Thank you for your consideration, -Adam

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