The quick version : Does anyone know the exact physical and logical
disk format used by CP/M on the Philips P2000C portable computer?
The long version with explanations :
I am having reasonable success transfering files to/from disk images
for my Osborne 1A (using cpmtools) and IBM5155 (MS-DOS, of course
using editdisk). And I've even got the Greaseweazle to transfer those
images to/from real floppies. The Greaseweazle still annoys me in that
I know it's capable of a lot more if only I could work out how to do
it, but at least it does something useful
[The less said about floppy disks shedding oxide and/or suffering from
'sticky shed' the better. I'm spending far too much time dismantling
and cleaning drives....]
Any, I'd like to do the same for another of my machines, a Philips
P2000C cp/m 'portable'. My machine is the version with 2 internal 40
cylinder single head drives (about 160K each, MFM) but I can also plug
in an external 80 cylinder double head drive to handle this machine's
other native format (about 640K).
Unfortunately, this machine is not common, and neither cpmtools nor
the greaseweazle software has the formats predefined. I could add them
myself -- if I knew what they were. Things like #sectors/track, sector
size, #system tracks, skew, etc.
It's not obviously given in any of the manuals I have, so does anyone
know it before I try to work it out.
Alternatively there are rumours that the P2000C could read/write at
least one more common cp/m disk type. The hardware should be capable
of it, sure. Doe anyone know if software to do something like this
exists anywhere for the P2000C. I can't find it on any of the obvious
sites
-tony
They seem to have upgraded the video output!
> I found the picture on the front page of this web site humorous. It's a
> place that sells old Jeep parts. Note the computer surfing the web.
> https://www.kaiserwillys.com/
Folks,
I have been trying to restore a manual card punch. The type with 12
"Buttons" or "Plungers" that operate a lever which pushes a punch "pin"
through a die to create a hole in a card.
Its almost identical to this one:-
https://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/38019/ICL-Hand-Key-Punch-Card-Machi…
so despite lots of cleaning some of the pins stick down. Does any one
have any suggestions how to clean the small square slots?
Any idea how the holes were made?
Dave
G4UGM
How are small wire sizes specified in Europe? I have seen that EN 60228
defines wire cross sections down to 0.5mm2. What about smaller than that?
Does the standard go smaller? Stranded wire must consist of smaller solid
strands.
-chuck
Off topic, but perhaps edifying for all.
Folks,
Apologies for the list outage. Jason thinks this has been going on
since roughly 11/16. I guess the sense of relief at no inbound list
emails kept me from realizing there were no list emails. :)
I think it's better. Will keep an eye on it.
De
I found the picture on the front page of this web site humorous. It's a place that sells old Jeep parts. Note the computer surfing the web.
https://www.kaiserwillys.com/
Will
Today another giant in the ‘microcomputer’ industry has passed: Thomas
Eugene Kurtz a computer scientist, co-creator/inventor with John Kemeny of
the BASIC language that I grew up with. Somewhat dates me!
Happy computing,
Murray 🙂
To my knowledge Intel announced the C8086 processor in Nov. 1978. This
processor set the stage for the current technological age. It continues to
adapt and its future seems bright!
Happy computing,
Murray 🙂
Dear list denizens,
I've got a mental itch that needs to be scratched. Before me sits a
yellow 3-hole reel of IBM 556 bpi 1/2" tape. Fortunately, the leader is
intact and carries the number H241032488. Does this perchance give any
clue as to when the tape was manufactured? I know that IBM still
carried 556-tested tape in their catalog as late as 1966.
Any clues?
Thanks,
--Chuck
Bill
A few years ago I took your advice on interfacing a Fanuc tape reader without reels, it has happily read tapes to its host since then.
The interface card was the common A20B-007-0750/07B, with 24V, 5V & Gnd on CNT3, and IO signals on CNT1.
Notably the 24V currents can be high, eg 1A2 when in auto.
I now have a Fanuc A860-0056-T020 tape reader with reels on the bench and know that several years ago you used the same model.
Two specific questions:
- does the CNT1 connector harbour any surprises ? I presume at worst it is a superset of the A20B-007-0750/07B CNT1 interface
- how did you feed 24V into the beastie
o via CNT1 p23 and p24 ? ie on two ribbon cable cores
o I note that TP2 provides 5V/Gnd terminals, but 24V has no terminals ?
The Fanuc 6T "manual", helpfully available on your web site, indicates (Fig 3.6a) that the tape readers (with/out reels) are fed 24V and 5V over the ribbon cable. And, that the with reels motors run at 100V.
I would be very grateful for an indication of how you implemented the power hook up and intimation of the currents / power levels to be expected.
Hopefully, knowledge will keep the magic smoke inside the system.
Best Regards
Martin
