strange IBMs

From: David Wollmann <dwollmann_at_ibmhelp.com>
Date: Wed Mar 11 09:42:46 1998

At 10:18 AM 3/10/98 +0000, you wrote:
>On 10 Mar 98 at 13:11, David Wollmann wrote:
>
>> At 01:27 PM 3/10/98, you wrote:
>> > This morning I went to a trift store and found an IBM PC that said
>> >"Personal Computer 3270". How rare are these? I've never seen one before.
>> >I have seen AT 3270s but not a PC. This one had a full height hard drive
>> >with IBM logo on it and a full height 5 1/4" floppy drive with IBM's logo.
>> >It had model 5271 marked on the back.
>>
>> Whatever you do, don't throw the 3270 adapters, keyboard adapters or APA
>> cards (the card that bridges to the display adapter) away. Those are hard
>> to come by, and we get calls for them on a regular basis.
>>
>
> There was a thread on this a while back. Below follows the relevant
>details. I still have the monitor.
>
>ciao larry
>
>On 3 Feb 98 at 17:22, Philip.Belben_at_powertech.co.uk wrote:
>snip
>>
>> > I'm sure my 3270pc handles a "better" quality CGA. It just looks
>> > like EGA, thought it was... It was running a version of Norton
>> > Utes and it was just beautiful turquoise blue set and clear
>> > characters.
>> >
>> > I'd have to think this was better than CGA, especially since it
>> > took two coupled long cards to run the video...
>> >
>> > -Mike
>>
>> No, it isn't PGA. (Although most of the chips on the cards are
>> likely to be PGAs, in IBM custom metal cans, as I recall...)
>>
>> The IBM 5272, the 3270PC display, was a very nice monitor. I don't
>> know the pixel resolution, but I'd guess at 800 x 400.
>> Unfortunately, AFAIK, it only did 8 colours.
>>
>> The 3270PC display card did TEXT MODES ONLY - it was aimed at
>> emulating the 3279 terminal. You could buy two add-on cards for it
>> that went in the slots either side in the motherboard.
>>
>> 1. The PS card. This provided emulation of the Programmed Symbols
>> option on the 3279. Very nice graphics, but only as a terminal, not
>> as a PC (although presumably you could have written PC drivers for
>> it...)
>>
>> 2. The APA card. This provided support of the All Points
>> Addressable modes of the CGA. These CGA modes were displayed in the
>> top lefthand corner of the screen. And the only 8 colours reduced
>> the capability somewhat as well.
>>
>> It looked very good, but AFAIK IBM never supported it properly.
>> Pity.
>
>snip
>
>> But your description of the 3270PC sounds like you've got only one
>> of PS and APA, alas.
>>
>> Hope this helps
>>
>> Philip.
>>
>I've had a 5272 -23 monitor stashed for some time. Was never able to
>get it working on an XT trying various standard cards and drivers,
>altho it did display jumbled-up color lines so I figured it must be
>the driver. IBM wouldn't/couldn't offer me any help.
> From the above, it appears that I would need a 3270pc display card
>and one of two add-on cards. If I was fortunate enough to find these
>would it work on an XT ?
>
>ciao larry
>lwalkerN0spaM_at_interlog.com
>

I'm not sure if you could make the 5272 work for run-of-the-mill DOS apps
on an XT, even with the 3270 cards since the functionality they add is
mostly for the 3270 ws emu. There was a fellow who was doing a fix on the
5272 that made it a standard EGA--IIRC it was just a couple desolders and a
few cuts with an X-acto knife. I lost track of him, but you might try
searching Alta Vista for "5272". If I find him again I'll post his info here.

Thank you,

David Wollmann
dwollmann_at_ibmhelp.com
DST ibmhelp.com Technical Support
http://www.ibmhelp.com/
--
Support for legacy IBM products.
Data, document and file conversion for legacy
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Received on Wed Mar 11 1998 - 09:42:46 GMT

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