[sci.electronics] VT Phone controller, or Mystery box??

hobbit@topaz.rutgers.edu (*Hobbit*) (05/10/89)

I recently returned from Trenton Computerfest with lots of nifty junk,
including two pieces of communications equipment which I and DEC have
completely failed to identify.

It's a plain white flat modem-style box, apx. 9x6x1.5, sloped front panel
with a little door that opens into two thumbwheel switches and a reset button.
On the rear are two DB-25 connectors, male and female marked "COMM" and 
<little-tv-screen-icon> respectively; two modular jacks, one 4-pin with a
handset icon and one 8-pin with a "line" icon [a bar drawn above it!!];
a Molex marked "~24V" for power.  No other outside markings on the box.
There's a bi-color LED at the right front that indicates status somehow.
The thumbwheel switches go from 0 to 9.  On the board etch I found
"|d|i|g|i|t|a|l", "VT PHONE CONTROLLER", and "50-16478-01" which must be
a DEC part number.  There are two proms marked "MAIN" and "MNTR".  The
box has a speaker mounted up under the top.

Plugging 24VAC into the two outer pins of the molex causes it to power up,
the LED to flash red and green for a while and then go solid green or
blinking green, different depending upon where you'd set the thumbwheels.
I couldn't get a plugged-in terminal to do anything.

What is it??!?!   Colorado DEC field service and such has completely failed
to find it.

_H*

hpoppe@bierstadt.ucar.edu (Herb Poppe) (05/11/89)

In article <May.10.11.52.35.1989.1419@topaz.rutgers.edu> hobbit@topaz.rutgers.edu (*Hobbit*) writes:
>I recently returned from Trenton Computerfest with lots of nifty junk,
>including two pieces of communications equipment which I and DEC have
>completely failed to identify.
>
>It's a plain white flat modem-style box, apx. 9x6x1.5, sloped front panel
>with a little door that opens into two thumbwheel switches and a reset button.

[Description deleted]

>What is it??!?!   Colorado DEC field service and such has completely failed
>to find it.

Perhaps this is a custom "product" produced by DEC's Computer Special Systems
division. (Are they still around?)

I have no idea what this beastie is.

Herb Poppe      NCAR                         INTERNET: hpoppe@ncar.ucar.edu
(303) 497-1296  P.O. Box 3000                   CSNET: hpoppe@ncar.CSNET
		Boulder, CO  80307               UUCP: hpoppe@ncar.UUCP