ASR-33 (was Re: Shame, shame, shame)

From: Ethan Dicks <erd_at_infinet.com>
Date: Tue Aug 25 08:55:13 1998

Tony writes:
>
> Jack Peacock writes:
> > That's one every TTY user can identify with, watching your listing
> > slowly crawl across the page at 10 CPS.
>
> Not this TTY user (and for a time, an ASR33 was my only printer, and my only
> serial terminal). I know that I'm the guy who'd have to fix the machine
> next day, you see. And I have enough problem keeping it aligned with
> undamaged original parts...

Speaking of ASR-33's, I've got one in storage that's a bit under the weather.
Originally, it must have belonged to a newspaper or news service - it does
not have a 20mA interface, it's got a 110 baud modem (data set) built into
the pedestal, the *whole* pedestal. What's wrong with it is that many years
ago, when I was much younger and much more reckless, I removed the touch tone
keypad and do not have a diagram for putting one back. As it stands, I can
call into it, but I can't call out of it (if plugged in, it will start up
when the phone rings and turn off when a CTRL-D (a *real* End Of Text!) goes
through.

At one point, I was going to remove the data set and attempt to hack back
in the current loop. Now, since I have a phone line simulator (8049 uP-
based product of a former employer), I can rig up a current loop to RS-232
converter (got one) to a 300 baud modem, route through the C.O. simulator
and "dial up" the TTY. All this, just to get a teletype on a PDP-8.

Somewhere in storage, I have mechanicals on the ASR-33 itself, but not on
the data set mod, especially not the keypad. Does anyone out there have
any info on Western Electric touch tone keypads? ISTR that this one had
more wires than a typical phone keypad of its day, say 12 instead of 8,
but that is only a guess.

Thanks,

-ethan
Received on Tue Aug 25 1998 - 08:55:13 BST