powering up older machines - is it safe?

[Steven Hirsch]

On Mon, 2 Jun 2008, Allison wrote:

> Generally yes in my exerience. The PS is a ASTEC switcher in the drive
> and DEC in the tube/system case.
>
> Customer could buy the second drive though when it was being sold it was
> very expensive.
>
>> Any pointers appreciated (on or off list) - what to do or check in what
>> order would be great.  Its been a long time since I blew up directional
>> capacitors in lab...so long I don't even remember what they're called.
>> Thanks in advance!<grin>
>
> Generally every one I'd found powered up or was dead.  The latter was
> "it was dead when I got it" from the person before me and likely dead
> from the person before that.
>
> Watch the VT100 monitor board.  There is a cap that should be a higher
> voltage part that fails in time taking parts.  It's repairable if croaked
> but people panic when they see chared board.

Allison,

Do you recall anything about the semi-mythical Corvus interface for the 
VT180?  It's mentioned in the Corvus technical literature, but I've never 
talked to anyone that's actually seen it in the wild.  I'm curious if it 
ever actually existed.

Steve



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