cgordon@vpnet.chi.il.us (Crash Gordon) (10/20/90)
Recently I picked up some used terminals at an auction. I have some questions: Lear-Siegler ADM-3 -- This one is not configured for lowercase. The DIP switches were pretty easy to figure out, so I can _send_ lowercase, but not receive it without additional hardware. I need to add a couple of 2102 RAMs to add that extra bit to the frame buffer. I think I also need an extension to the character generator ROM. Does anyone still sell 2102s? And where might I come across the ROM (or even just the format; I've got a burner and could cob up a lowercase font...) (OK, so I'm bored :-) Lear-Siegler ADM-20 -- Seems to work a lot like a DEC VT-xxx. I'm guessing VT-52. Any clue as to what all the setup bits are? I don't have a DEC VT manual available, but they're probably the same. Soroc Technology IQ-120 -- This unit has a High-voltage problem, but is probably fixable. What sort of emulations are in this thing? There's a "Main" port, an "Aux" port, and a place for a "Printer" port. What's the Aux for? How tough (or useful) would it be to try and turn up the printer port? Memorex 2051 Model 11 -- This one is cabled up for a Twinax system, and seems to have a lot more intelligence than your average terminal. I've never messed with Twinax anything, so I'm really in the dark here. It's fun to watch in "Test" mode, but that's not real useful. Of course "Real Cheap" sources for manuals on these animals would be nice. I know the Lears (particularly the ADM-3) are/were real workhorses in the industry, so there are probably quite a few sources for info. I suppose if Lear-Siegler is still around that would be my best bet. Are they? Thanks for your time... ----------------------------------------------------- Gordon S. Hlavenka cgordon@vpnet.chi.il.us Crash Electronics, Inc. "A Westmont Tradition Westmont, IL for Over a Quarter!"
rrw@naucse.cse.nau.edu (Robert Wier) (10/21/90)
In article <271fe183-4c9sci.electronics@vpnet.chi.il.us>, cgordon@vpnet.chi.il.us (Crash Gordon) writes: > Recently I picked up some used terminals at an auction. I have some > questions: > > Lear-Siegler ADM-3 -- This one is not configured for lowercase. The DIP > switches were pretty easy to figure out, so I can _send_ lowercase, but not > receive it without additional hardware. I need to add a couple of 2102 RAMs > to add that extra bit to the frame buffer. I think I also need an extension > to the character generator ROM. Does anyone still sell 2102s? And where > might I come across the ROM (or even just the format; I've got a burner and > could cob up a lowercase font...) (OK, so I'm bored :-) > I also have an LSI ADM3A (built from a KIT .. anybody remember those?). Last summer, I was thinking about using it again after it sat in the closet for 5 years. However, no lower case :-( (Unix don't like no stinkin' lower case!) I wrote LSI a letter inquiring about the LC rom. They wrote back (are you ready for this) that they'd sell me one for $50 plus shipping. I about fell down the stairs on that one... You can occasionally buy WHOLE ADM3s at about this price when property surplus has it's disposal auctions. I think what I might do is to have my students design the ROM in class next semester for me (nice to have a pool of slave labor --- JUST KIDDING!)... - Bob Wier -------------- insert favorite standard disclaimers here ---------- College of Engineering Northern Arizona University / Flagstaff, Arizona Internet: rrw@naucse.cse.nau.edu | BITNET: WIER@NAUVAX | WB5KXH or uucp: ...arizona!naucse!rrw
cbrandau@isis.cs.du.edu (carl brandauer) (10/24/90)
In article <2719@naucse.cse.nau.edu> rrw@naucse.cse.nau.edu (Robert Wier) writes: >In article <271fe183-4c9sci.electronics@vpnet.chi.il.us>, cgordon@vpnet.chi.il.us (Crash Gordon) writes: [original message deleted] > I also have an LSI ADM3A (built from a KIT .. anybody remember >those?). Last summer, I was thinking about using it again after >it sat in the closet for 5 years. However, no lower case :-( >(Unix don't like no stinkin' lower case!) I wrote LSI a letter >inquiring about the LC rom. They wrote back (are you ready for >this) that they'd sell me one for $50 plus shipping. I about >fell down the stairs on that one... In the days when BYTE still was worth reading it contained a note that pointed out that the LC rom was a standard less than $5.- item in which the polarity of the chip select had been reversed. The author also pointed out that somewhere near the rom socket there was an unused inverter, so a bent pin and a few small wires did the trick. Sorry I don't remember what issue, but would guess within the first five or so years after the first issue. Good luck.
markz@ssc.UUCP (Mark Zenier) (10/25/90)
In article <2719@naucse.cse.nau.edu>, rrw@naucse.cse.nau.edu (Robert Wier) writes: > In article <271fe183-4c9sci.electronics@vpnet.chi.il.us>, cgordon@vpnet.chi.il.us (Crash Gordon) writes: > > Lear-Siegler ADM-3 -- This one is not configured for lowercase. > > I need to add a couple of 2102 RAMs > > to add that extra bit to the frame buffer. I think I also need an extension > > to the character generator ROM. Does anyone still sell 2102s? And where > > might I come across the ROM (or even just the format; I've got a burner and > > could cob up a lowercase font...) (OK, so I'm bored :-) > > > I also have an LSI ADM3A (built from a KIT .. anybody remember > those?). Get the fastest 2102 you can find, or your screen will have ghost character and other strange stuff. Some things to know about the ADM3 1. the ring indicator pin on the modem connector is connected to the diagnostic memory readback. If this become active (ttl gnd?), the contents of the display memory are dumped out the serial port. If your modem uses this, cut the trace. 2. the lower case rom is nonstandard. (At this late date, it doesn't matter much). The character select inputs are inverted. 3. If you have the lower case rom, and disable the control character decoder (can't find my notes, arrgh), it makes a cheap line monitor. GI RO-3-2513 1 NC (-12v) 24 5v 2 NC 23 NC 3 NC 22 A9 character select 4 O1 output (right column) 21 A8 " " 5 O2 20 A7 " " 6 O3 19 A6 " " 7 O4 18 A5 " " 8 O5 output (left column) 17 A4 " " 9 NC 16 A3 row select 10 Gnd 15 A2 " " 11 /CE 14 A1 " " 12 NC (-5v) 13 NC 1. row address 000 not used, row 001 top, row 111 bottom 2. for the lower case rom, the character select 0xxxxx is graphic representation of the control characters, the character select 1xxxxx is the printable characters. markz@ssc.uucp
rrw@naucse.cse.nau.edu (Robert Wier) (10/25/90)
In article <1990Oct24.161056.26330@isis.cs.du.edu>, cbrandau@isis.cs.du.edu (carl brandauer) writes: > > In the days when BYTE still was worth reading it contained a note that > pointed out that the LC rom was a standard less than $5.- item in which the > polarity of the chip select had been reversed. The author also pointed out > that somewhere near the rom socket there was an unused inverter, so a bent > pin and a few small wires did the trick. > > Sorry I don't remember what issue, but would guess within the first five or > so years after the first issue. Good luck. AHA! GOOD information. I will have to check over in the library to see if they have issues back that far. I believe BYTE started publishing in Sept, 1976 (or was it 1975?). Just as an aside, when BYTE started I got wind of it about 4 months ahead. I told some of my fellow graduate students that there was going to be a magazine devoted to micro processors and small desktop computers. It was amazing how many of them said "WHY?". These were the days of the large IBM machines, and no one could think of a reason to have a small computer on your desk, as long as you had a terminal. I eventually worked on my dissertation on an IBM 4341 (I think it was...) but had to wait until after midnight because I needed a (GASP!) 800K byte partition. Normally during the day you could only get a maximum of 120K. Being a poor graduate student, I wrote up an article "on spec" for BYTE and it turned up in issue #3. Carl Helmers was editor at that time, a real gentleman... - Bob Wier -------------- insert favorite standard disclaimers here ---------- College of Engineering Northern Arizona University / Flagstaff, Arizona Internet: rrw@naucse.cse.nau.edu | BITNET: WIER@NAUVAX | WB5KXH or uucp: ...arizona!naucse!rrw