4 Aug
2016
4 Aug
'16
11:25 a.m.
Hey guys,
In addition to that 6800 SWTPC I got, I also picked up this 'board bucket'
from ebay:
http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/unclefalter/library/Tektronix%206800%20Dev
eloper%20Computer?sort=3
<http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/unclefalter/library/Tektronix%206800%20De
veloper%20Computer?sort=3&page=1> &page=1
It's a 6800 system of sorts and has BASIC and 'DDE' ROMs. I've tried
hooking it up to a terminal but no response. I think the system isn't fully
running. This is a video I took:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YSUuF6xTAg
Hard to see with the camera, but when you hit and hold reset the little
display looks sort of normal. When you release, it's like some of the
segments are half-on rather than fully on or off. I tried pulling RAM boards
and such but no action yet. Step button on the CPU card doesn't do
anything.
If anyone has seen one of these or has any ideas on getting her working, I'd
be most interested. I sent an email to Tektronix to inquire about it as
there are part numbers and stuff on the boards. Hopefully they can answer
questions.
Brad
4 Aug
4 Aug
2:57 p.m.
There is a rare chance I might have some information. At Tek anyone could
order a system, and if wanted one for you own use everything was at cost.
The chassis you have does not look like the one I use to see the most, that
chassis has a much simpler front and back that was the same height as the
sides.
They were made to introduce microprocessors to the engineers within the
company, "bit bucket" comes to mind but "board bucket" may have been
the
name. There were CPU boards for just about every uP, and a list of
'standard' I/O boards, and accessories like 5-1/4" floppy drives.
One thing that help with their internal success was Tek was a very vertical
company, they made their own metal work, PCBs, transformers, etc, and being
a major buyer of components the cost for parts was much less. For example
many Motorola part prices were based on aggregate quantities.
When I started at Tek in 1977 the list of what you could order was quite
extensive.
Back to what you have. It may predate the buckets. It has been way to long.
As to getting anything from the current Tek, forget it. The company was
sold and the current owners couldn't give a d*** about the past.
The one board I can make out a P/N on is an engineering number and those
archives were dumpstered long long ago.
On the flip side here is what I would do. Contact the Tek Museum (which is
not tied to Tek in anyway), www.vintagetek.org. And send me an email I will
see what I can dig up, maybe a couple emails of Ex Tekkies that can help
-pete
PS SWTP was the most common O/S for the 6800/6802/6809 buckets.
On Thu, Aug 4, 2016 at 9:25 AM, Brad H <vintagecomputer at bettercomputing.net>
wrote:
Hey guys,
In addition to that 6800 SWTPC I got, I also picked up this 'board bucket'
from ebay:
http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/unclefalter/library/
Tektronix%206800%20Dev
eloper%20Computer?sort=3
<http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/unclefalter/library/
Tektronix%206800%20De
veloper%20Computer?sort=3&page=1> &page=1
It's a 6800 system of sorts and has BASIC and 'DDE' ROMs. I've tried
hooking it up to a terminal but no response. I think the system isn't
fully
running. This is a video I took:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YSUuF6xTAg
Hard to see with the camera, but when you hit and hold reset the little
display looks sort of normal. When you release, it's like some of the
segments are half-on rather than fully on or off. I tried pulling RAM
boards
and such but no action yet. Step button on the CPU card doesn't do
anything.
If anyone has seen one of these or has any ideas on getting her working,
I'd
be most interested. I sent an email to Tektronix to inquire about it as
there are part numbers and stuff on the boards. Hopefully they can answer
questions.
Brad
3:18 p.m.
Just found this .. someone to contact
http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?BoardBucket
http://marc.info/?l=classiccmp&m=117817190126728 (same person)
On Thu, Aug 4, 2016 at 12:57 PM, Pete Lancashire <pete at petelancashire.com>
wrote:
There is a rare chance I might have some information.
At Tek anyone could
order a system, and if wanted one for you own use everything was at cost.
The chassis you have does not look like the one I use to see the most, that
chassis has a much simpler front and back that was the same height as the
sides.
They were made to introduce microprocessors to the engineers within the
company, "bit bucket" comes to mind but "board bucket" may have been
the
name. There were CPU boards for just about every uP, and a list of
'standard' I/O boards, and accessories like 5-1/4" floppy drives.
One thing that help with their internal success was Tek was a very
vertical company, they made their own metal work, PCBs, transformers, etc,
and being a major buyer of components the cost for parts was much less. For
example many Motorola part prices were based on aggregate quantities.
When I started at Tek in 1977 the list of what you could order was quite
extensive.
Back to what you have. It may predate the buckets. It has been way to long.
As to getting anything from the current Tek, forget it. The company was
sold and the current owners couldn't give a d*** about the past.
The one board I can make out a P/N on is an engineering number and those
archives were dumpstered long long ago.
On the flip side here is what I would do. Contact the Tek Museum (which is
not tied to Tek in anyway), www.vintagetek.org. And send me an email I
will see what I can dig up, maybe a couple emails of Ex Tekkies that can
help
-pete
PS SWTP was the most common O/S for the 6800/6802/6809 buckets.
On Thu, Aug 4, 2016 at 9:25 AM, Brad H <vintagecomputer@
bettercomputing.net> wrote:
Hey guys,
In addition to that 6800 SWTPC I got, I also picked up this 'board bucket'
from ebay:
http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/unclefalter/library/Tektro
nix%206800%20Dev
eloper%20Computer?sort=3
<http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/unclefalter/library/Tektronix%206800%20Developer%20Computer?sort=3>
<http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/unclefalter/library/Tektr
onix%206800%20De
veloper%20Computer?sort=3&page=1
<http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/unclefalter/library/Tektronix%206800%20Developer%20Computer?sort=3&page=1>>
&page=1
It's a 6800 system of sorts and has BASIC and 'DDE' ROMs. I've tried
hooking it up to a terminal but no response. I think the system isn't
fully
running. This is a video I took:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YSUuF6xTAg
Hard to see with the camera, but when you hit and hold reset the little
display looks sort of normal. When you release, it's like some of the
segments are half-on rather than fully on or off. I tried pulling RAM
boards
and such but no action yet. Step button on the CPU card doesn't do
anything.
If anyone has seen one of these or has any ideas on getting her working,
I'd
be most interested. I sent an email to Tektronix to inquire about it as
there are part numbers and stuff on the boards. Hopefully they can
answer
questions.
Brad
5 Aug
5 Aug
12:53 a.m.
Thanks Pete. I believe the person that sold this to me contacted Tek Museum and the best
they could say was it 'looked like' a board bucket, that had been upgraded a
little later on. But not much info beyond that.
I emailed Rick Bensene also. Hopefully he might have a clue.
Thanks for the very useful tips!
-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Pete Lancashire
Sent: Thursday, August 4, 2016 12:58 PM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Subject: Re: Tektronix 6800 'Developer Computer'
There is a rare chance I might have some information. At Tek anyone could order a system,
and if wanted one for you own use everything was at cost.
The chassis you have does not look like the one I use to see the most, that chassis has a
much simpler front and back that was the same height as the sides.
They were made to introduce microprocessors to the engineers within the company, "bit
bucket" comes to mind but "board bucket" may have been the name. There were
CPU boards for just about every uP, and a list of 'standard' I/O boards, and
accessories like 5-1/4" floppy drives.
One thing that help with their internal success was Tek was a very vertical company, they
made their own metal work, PCBs, transformers, etc, and being a major buyer of components
the cost for parts was much less. For example many Motorola part prices were based on
aggregate quantities.
When I started at Tek in 1977 the list of what you could order was quite extensive.
Back to what you have. It may predate the buckets. It has been way to long.
As to getting anything from the current Tek, forget it. The company was sold and the
current owners couldn't give a d*** about the past.
The one board I can make out a P/N on is an engineering number and those archives were
dumpstered long long ago.
On the flip side here is what I would do. Contact the Tek Museum (which is not tied to Tek
in anyway), www.vintagetek.org. And send me an email I will see what I can dig up, maybe a
couple emails of Ex Tekkies that can help
-pete
PS SWTP was the most common O/S for the 6800/6802/6809 buckets.
On Thu, Aug 4, 2016 at 9:25 AM, Brad H <vintagecomputer at bettercomputing.net>
wrote:
Hey guys,
In addition to that 6800 SWTPC I got, I also picked up this 'board bucket'
from ebay:
http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/unclefalter/library/
Tektronix%206800%20Dev
eloper%20Computer?sort=3
<http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/unclefalter/library/
Tektronix%206800%20De
veloper%20Computer?sort=3&page=1> &page=1
It's a 6800 system of sorts and has BASIC and 'DDE' ROMs. I've tried
hooking it up to a terminal but no response. I think the system isn't
fully
running. This is a video I took:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YSUuF6xTAg
Hard to see with the camera, but when you hit and hold reset the
little display looks sort of normal. When you release, it's like some
of the segments are half-on rather than fully on or off. I tried
pulling RAM boards and such but no action yet. Step button on the CPU
card doesn't do anything.
If anyone has seen one of these or has any ideas on getting her
working, I'd be most interested. I sent an email to Tektronix to
inquire about it as
there are part numbers and stuff on the boards. Hopefully they can answer
questions.
Brad
3401
days inactive
3402
days old
3 comments
2 participants
participants (2)
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pete＠petelancashire.com -
vintagecomputer＠bettercomputing.net