mac@harris.cis.ksu.edu (Myron A. Calhoun) (02/24/89)
MANY have asked for more information on some of the boards about
which I posted several days ago, so I've dug out their respective
documentation folders and abstract some of it herewith:
* MPA 6502-to-S100 adapter (1): No one had asked, so I didn't bring
the documentation--sure enough, someone asked this morning! But
last night I did glance at its document (about a 15-page packet
which did NOT appear to contain a schematic); the following is from
memory: Originally made to convert a PET to S-100, the board can
also stand alone. It has an on-board 6502 but produces standard
S-100 bus-control signals such as PSYNC, PDBIN, etc.
* Solid State Music MUSIC SYNTHESIZER BOARDs (3): "The Synthesizer
Board (SB1) is a waveform synthesizer board designed to interface
with any computer supporting the S-100 bus. The SB1 is a memory
map device that can be located at any 256 byte increment in memory
from 8000 to FF00(HEX) by presetting a switch. The output from
the SB1 is available at a 2-pin connector at approximately 1V rms
when programmed to maximum." (Quoted from 1977 30-page manual,
and a schematic is included.) It generates computer controlled
waveforms (up to 2 waveforms may be stored on the board, waveforms
are defined in 32 segments with 8 bits per segment; there may be 1
to 4 waveforms per envelope); attack envelopes (16 segments, 4 bits
per segment); volume control (16 levels); frequency range (15 Hz to
25 KHz); and octave range (9 octaves).
An auxiliary 60-page document describes MUS-X1, "A High Level
Music Interpreter", and a source code listing IS included. At one
time I had a paper tape version, but even if I could find it now,
it would probably take me as long to re-connect a paper tape reader
to my computer as it would to re-type the source code!
* CT-1 (CompuTalker) board (1): contains phoneme-based synthesizer
hardware (2 BIG black modules) along with regular interfacing IC's
and an RCA phono jack audio output connector (1V peak-to-peak into
10K load), requires 16 I/O addresses relocatable to any hex boundary
via on-board address selector switches. Lloyd Rice from CompuTalker
had an article in the April, 1976, issue of Dr. Dobb's Journal of
Computer Calisthenics & Orthodontia about using the board. The 50-
page document contains instructions, (small-print) source code
listings, examples, and DOES include a schematic. I also have issue
# 1 from The Computalker Newsletter. I HAD paper-tape sources, but
don't know if I can find it anymore or not.
* Cromemco S-100 DAZZLER board (1): A two-slot pair of boards (mine
used the alternative one-slot "piggyback" mount) which, according to
an advertising blurb: "Technically, the Dazzler scans your computer
memory using direct-memory access (DMA). It formats each memory bit
into a point on the tv screen to give a 128 x 128-element picture.
Only a 2K-byte computer memory is required... The quality of the
pictures is evident in the photos." Sorry I can't reproduce the
pictures here! And of course they are NOT nearly as good as today's
EGA-type graphics!
I have three articles torn from magazines, but in those days many
magazines didn't identify themselves on the bottom of every page as
most do now. Two articles MAY have been from Kilobyte (remember
that?!) or Kilobaud or whatever it was called at the time (it
changed names irregularly, I recall). One DEFINITELY was from the
February, 1976, issue of Popular Electronics (pp. 31-40). Documen-
tation consists of about 25 pages of general technical information,
schematic & foil diagrams, and an assembly manual.
* Incidentally, on the back page of one of the torn-out articles is an
advertisement for a KIM-1 for ONLY $245! If anybody wants one (or
more), I have several (both working and non-working) which I will sell
considerably cheaper than that! I've been using them for years as ham
repeater controllers, etc. Manuals ARE available (I've even gotten
permission from Commodore/MOS Technology to reproduce them) but at
five cents a page they cost almost as much as the KIM-1!
* VECTOR 4 computer was pretty-well described in the original posting.
* Northstar S-100 Micro Disk HARD-sectored controller board (1):
^^^^
* Northstar 16K-byte S-100 dynamic RAM boards (fully populated) (4):
^^^^^^^
* Northstar 16K-byte S-100 dynamic RAM boards (UNpopulated) (4):
I have lots of documentation, including schematic, on these RAM boards.
* Digital Group 16K-byte static RAM boards (2):
I have lots of documentation, including schematic, on these RAM boards.
Incidentally, I can NOT guarantee that all of the above are CURRENTLY
working, for I have not had some of it running for MANY years! I am
reasonably sure the CompuTalker and Music boards are OK. I KNOW the
VECTOR is OK because I use it. I recall the Northstar RAM boards were
kind of "flakey" (which is why I have the UNstuffed boards; I was going
to transfer the IC's from the populated boards but never got around to
it--sound familiar?) The DG static RAM boards are OK--I've used them
as add-on memory for KIM-1's and for Commodore VIC-20's.
--Myron
--
Myron A. Calhoun, PhD EE, W0PBV, (913) 532-6350 (work), 539-4448 (home).
INTERNET: mac@ksuvax1.cis.ksu.edu
BITNET: mac@ksuvax1.bitnet
UUCP: ...{rutgers, texbell}!ksuvax1!harry!harv