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Northstar Horizon DOS on any S-100 |
A New 68000 CPU S-100 Boardby monahan_z Total messages in this thread: 1 For those of you building S-100 bus systems and are following our work, I am delighted to announce that Andrew and I now have an S-100 bus Motorola 68000 CPU board that can be configured as an S-100 Bus Master or as a Bus Slave . In the second configuration the 68K CPU can sit silently in the bus (typically run by a Z80 master) and upon outputting a bit to a port take control completely from the z80 itself running the bus. This switching of CPUs can go back and forth continuously is as described in the IEEE-696 protocol. The board has room on board for a 32KX2 EEPROM pair and 32KX2 Static RAM. The 68K interrupt lines are active and up to 16MG or RAM can be utilized. A simple 68K Monitor is supplied. Further details can be found here:- http://s100compu...K%20CPU%20Board.htm We are taking limited orders for hobbyists that would like to t">... [ read more ] |
DEC PDP 11/40 Projectby billdeg Total messages in this thread: 8 Updated: [ Bootstrap RX02 drive to the PDP 11/40 ] 08/29/2010 This weekend my wife and I drove 1200 miles to pick up a working PDP 11/40, RL02 disk drive, and Decwriter II from A. Carder in South Carolina. He's an expert on the PDP 11/40 and runs this web site: http://www.woffordwitch.com Here are the initial pics before I started working. ">... [ read more ] |
Xerox 8010 Starby billdeg Total messages in this thread: 3 Updated: [ Xerox Star 8010 ] 02/27/2012  The XEROX model 8010 was known as the Xerox Star because that was the name of its application software. Before the Apple Lisa and Apple Macintosh, the "Star" is generally accepted to be the first stand-alone commercial computer to employ the graphical user interface / desktop metaphor. This particular system is missing the side panels, wheels, and is not fully operational. The notes to follow describe what steps have been taken to stabilize and hopefully restore this system. Aside from the ugliness of the exposed steel under carriage, the only real problem that I have detected so far is the Quantum Q 2040's drive belt, and possibly some bad RAM. Click image for larger view.
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Archiving and Copying Software 101by billdeg Total messages in this thread: 1 Kelly Leavitt and I will be doing a workshop at the Vintage Computer Festival East 2012 this May. This thread will contain notes and ideas as I think of them. Tools: Laplink Serial Terminal Media Conversion Programs Image Disk Catweasel SD card / USB drive devices ">... [ read more ] |
Xerox 820 II CP/M disks avail.by billdeg Total messages in this thread: 3 Updated: [ Xerox 820 disks compatible with 820-II? ] 02/26/2012 Hi - I just successfully created two boot disks for a Xerox 820 II. CP/M 2.2C. I have tested the process, works. Contact me if you're attempting to restore a Xerox system and need a boot disk. Copies are for restorative purposes only, only where permitted by law, educational use only, and so on. I have an extra manual as well, for a fair $$. I will put up pics of the system when I have the chance.">... [ read more ] |
Commodore 8296 Computerby billdeg Total messages in this thread: 9 Updated: [ 8+V Out from pwr supply bad ] 02/05/2012 OEM Commodore? "Malvern Particle Sizer" http://www.vin...alvern_8296/ Initial inspection of unit - does not work. 1. Monitor electronics loose 2. Made in England but US electric compat. 3. Took off monitor, unplugged from base unit. 4. The power was disconnected, board detached from monitor. I re-attached, no screen output. 5. Disk drive gave familiar long blink/2 short blinks of a IEEE drive with a good controller. Internal cable IEEE. 6. The P/N of the drive controller is 251203 REV B 1983. (This is the sfd-1001 I have been told...) 7. Motherboard: "80/40 column CPU 64/128 Ass number 324645" 8. Add on card above motherboard using two connectors to attach to mother board, with power: "Malvern Instruments Ltd." "MSM82C55A-5RS" "42041" "2,5 PC" 9. No keyboard response to Shift+RUN/STOP 10. Can hear trans">... [ read more ] |
Replacement teletype print hammer headby billdeg Total messages in this thread: 1 If you've finally acquired a teletype for your vintage computer, you need to replace the rubber print hammer head because it will have disintegrated. It will feel like a gummy bear candy. The acknowldeged printer hammer head replacement for the Teletype model 33 is a PVC tube, fit over the hammer like a sheath, but I have found recently that these last less than 100 hours before a the tube needs to be replaced. A permanent divot will form on the tube where it strikes the cylinder, making it useless. So here is a tip - if you use your teletype regularly, replace the hammer pad each time you replace the printer ribbon. Here is my Teletype 101 primer - how to set up an ASR 33 for use with a computer. ">... [ read more ] |
Tic Tac Toe Computer 1956by billdeg Total messages in this thread: 1  Radio-Electronics December 1956 with "Relay Moe" article by Edmund Berkeley describing one of the earliest electronic computer games ever produced. Click image for full article.
Occasionally the question of the first computer video game comes up. Here's one that must be one of the first. This analog computer-based game is capable of determining it's own moves. Relay Moe is not the first computerized tic-tac-toe game, I am guessing the first appeared in the early 1950's.">... [ read more ]
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Commodore Amiga A1200by billdeg Total messages in this thread: 2 Updated: [ Experiments with Amiga A1200 ] 01/30/2012 Picked up a working Commodore Amiga A1200 from the Vintage Computer Festival East 5.0 Although the system came with an external disk drive, the internal drive needs to be replaced. I attempted to install the drive from a HD2000, but they're not the right size. Amiga A1200 with Commodore 1950 monitor">... [ read more ] |
Amiga 2500 Restorationby billdeg Total messages in this thread: 6 Updated: [ Returning Amiga 2500 to Stock ] 01/24/2012  The Amiga 2500 with Video Toaster, top cover removed. The 2500 was actually an Amiga A2000 that shipped with certain upgrades included. Motherboard Rev 6.2 Click image for larger picture.
 Picture of the Video Toaster installed. Click image for larger picture.
 Commodore Amiga 2500 top cover.
NEXT: Replace the battery and clean the motherboard:
http://www...allery/index.php?n=2390">... [ read more ]
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Commodore LCD Laptopby billdeg Total messages in this thread: 1 CNN just posted an article titled CES vaporware: Awesome, unreleased gadgets. Among the gadgets listed, was the Commodore LCD laptop. http://money.cnn.com/gal...porware/3.html Photo look familiar? That's because it was taken at the Vintage Computer Festival East 4, I received photo credit by the author. ">... [ read more ] |
Boxed Amiga 3000 and boxed CBM 1950by billdeg Total messages in this thread: 2 Updated: [ Replacing Amiga Motherboard Battery ] 01/05/2012 Given to me locally. At present this computer does not boot. Front logo closeup Front Full Note that monitor is a Commodore 1950 Multiscan. Works. When 3000 system is powered on, fan comes on with left green light, nothing else happens. No screen output. The motherboard processor chip (I think, I have to remove the add-on board to get part number) starts to get hot after a few minutes.">... [ read more ] |
Amiga 2000 with Dual Drives and HDby billdeg Total messages in this thread: 1  Commodore Amiga 2000 with dual 3.5" drives and 80MB hard drive. Click image for larger view.
 The Amiga Workbench desktop
This system had no hard drive and a bad "2" diskette drive. The diskette drive was replaced, and a hard drive/RAM card was installed. Done. No Video Toaster or Flicker Fixer, just a nice gaming system.
More Pictures">... [ read more ]
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Franklinstein Apple II cloneby billdeg Total messages in this thread: 1  A Frankenstein Apple II clone consisting of a Franklin Ace1000 chassis, drives, and power supply, Apple /// monitor, and Unitron clone motherboard. The system is running Apple DOS 3.3. Click on image for larger view.
 The first clue that this computer is no normal Franklin Ace1000 is the "UNITRON" message that displays when the computer first boots.
 The Unitron motherboard is version 658 rev C. Note how it's much smaller than a Franklin motherboard. The Unitron 658 is sized to fit i">... [ read more ]
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Updated: [ Personalizing CP/M2 24K on Northstar ] 03/18/2012
Been working for the past week and a half to build a set of hardware that I can install into any S-100 computer that will boot the Northstar Horizon DOS system. So far I have a working MDS-A3 card, disks, dual external drives, cable. I am working with various monitor programs to fit the DOS bootstrap at E800 into the system. Been experimenting with different approaches. A lot of work without much to show for it....yet I have also in parallel been trying to get *any* Micropolis disk drive to boot (FDOS). I have a Vector Graphic ZCB single board computer with something called the Northstar Monitor 1.5. Using this as the processor card I can then activate my DAJEN Prom card with DAJEN monitor program to burn ePROMS. The idea is that once I get a working system I can burn it into an ePROM(S). I have a serial switch box that I can use to jump to the differently-configured monit">... [ read more ]