On Mon, 2 Feb 1998, Joe wrote:
> Allison,
>
> At 09:46 AM 2/2/98 -0500, you wrote:
> >
> >< I'd like to get away from having to use a terminal. The only terminal
> ><I have are big HP things and I don't know if they would work with the
> ><Altair (too fast?, block mode instead of character mode?)
> >
> >The hp thing would not work. Try and scrounge up a vt100 or other more
> >commonplace terminal vt100, vt220, heath/zenith h19, PC running Procomm
> >or other term program.
>
> I had forgotten that I have a pile of VT 320s, will they work?
> >
> >< I'm aware to the addresssing problems. Sounds like you have to
> ><re-address everything to match the program or else hack the programs to
> ><change all the device adresses, program loation etc.
> >
> >That's putting it mildly. Some of the CUTS and tarbell format tapes
> >assumed you were using their monitor programs in rom. If you weren't,
> >zap, a whole lot of IO code was missing.
>
> Sounds like just picking up old software is a waste of time and money.
> It's to be exactly right for the system that it's going on.
>
> > > >< I have a NS disk controller. I don't know if it has a IPL or how that
> ><has to be done. The manual I have doesn't say. I also need to find a
> ><Shugart SA 400 to go with NS controller. I know other drives are
> ><electrically compatable with the SA 400 but I don't know if the track
> ><spacing and other physical parameters are the same or not. If the physic
> ><parameters aren't the same then the media would not be compatable.
> >
> >First you don't have the software manual or the hardware manuals as they
> >do explain that. The NS* controller has a minimal boot as part of the
> >hardware. If it's the single density controller it will work with an
> >8080, however if it's the later double density controller a z80 at 4mhz
> >is a must. The NS* OS has an area that must be configured to match the
> >IO in your system if it is not it will boot and hang. As to the disk your
> >not locked to the sa400 there are hundres of different drives that will
> >work. Sa400 was 35 tracks 48tpi single sided, any single sided drive
> >other than a few oddballs will be 48tpi. Most older 360k full or half
> >height drives will work as well despite being two sided.
>
> I wondered about using the drives out of an old Osborne model OCC 1 that
> I have.
Definitely NO!!! They are non-standard drives as far as electrical
connections are concerned. For one thing, power comes in via the ribbon
cable.
- don
> >
> >< This is an 8080 machine. Will it run CPM? I thought that was for Z80s
> >
> >Go back and read up on history. CP/M-80 ran on all 8080 systems with
>
> You're right. I have manuals for NS* CPM, CPM assembler, CPM
> interface, etc. I haven't had time to read all this stuff yet. I'm glad
> you told me that CPM will run on an 8080. I've seen some very old CPM
> stuff but I didn't think I could use it. But there is a chance.
>
> >a miimum of 20k ram starting at 0000h, a floopy disk system and some
> >kind ot terminal.
>
> Actually now that I know what I'm looking for, my NS* CPM manual says
> 16K of Ram with an origin of 2000 Hex. I have a bunch of NS* manuals, I'd
> like to find the NS* software that goes with them. BTW the NS* CPM book
> says that the NS* board is supposed to have a PROM on it that contains the
> IPL.
> >
> >< Yes, I know. Bill Gates first commercial product.
> >
> >First commercial hack done using borrowed time on his employers cpu.
> >Oh, he wan't that good it was Gates and Allen.
>
> That's almost always the case, the businessman gets rich and the
> inventor gets screwed. ie George Westinghouse vs Tesla, Oliver Winchester
> vs Henry, etc etc.
> >
> >
> >Allison
>
> Joe
> >
> >
>
>
donm_at_cts.com
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Don Maslin - Keeper of the Dina-SIG CP/M System Disk Archives
Chairman, Dina-SIG of the San Diego Computer Society
Clinging tenaciously to the trailing edge of technology.
Sysop - Elephant's Graveyard (CP/M) - 619-454-8412
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Received on Mon Feb 02 1998 - 15:29:14 GMT