IMSAI 8080 Classic Microcomputer System

From: Mail List <mail.list_at_analog-and-digital-solutions.com>
Date: Sun Jul 13 11:10:00 2003

Hello Bob,

That's a lot of stuff. Post some pictures if you can.

Best Regards




At 11:54 AM 7/13/03 -0400, you wrote:
>Mail List wrote:
>
>>IMSAI 8080 Classic Microcomputer System
>>
>>http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2741173742
>I'll go one better than this...
>
>I'm going to sell my Imsai 8080, but I don't want to ship it. I'd prefer
>a 'local' buyer to come see the machine and carry it away
>after verifying it's operational, etc. This Imsai is located in central
>Massachusetts, about 1 1/2 hour west of Boston.
>
>This is not an eBay sale. This is a machine that needs to go to a 'good
>home', like a list member.
>
>The machine...
>
>Is a stock Imsai 8080 with its original CPU (C8080A in the gold on white
>package). It is tested and operational.
>Cosmetic condition is very good, with only minor scratches to the top
>cover. All switches are good, and it has a full
>(22-slot?) set of backplanes installed.
>
>The memory...
>
>Currently there is 40K of (working) SRAM installed in the following
>configuration:
>
>Two 4K byte SSM (Solid State Music) RAM boards with gold on white ceramic
>2102's (soldered in).
>One 8K Ithaca Audio 1A 1110 Rev B RAM board.
>One 8K Ithaca Audio RAM board with no revision markings, socketed RAM chips.
>One DRC 8K RAM board, no model or revision markings, socketed RAM chips.
>Two PTCO 4KRA RAM boards (soldered in).
>One S-100 extender board.
>
>The I/O boards...
>
>One Tarbell 1011D FDC.
>One SSM IO-4 board, 2 serial ports, 2 parallel input ports, 2 parallel
>output ports.
>
>Extra stuff not installed in the machine (untested)...
>
>One Canada Peripherals CL2400 Real Time Clock.
>One ThinkerToys Disk Jockey 1.
>One Compuprisim color video display board (16K DRAM).
>Three Solid State Music audio synthesizer boards.
>
>Known non-functional memory boards...
>
>One 8K SRAM board, marked "F. Duston 1977".
>Two PTCO 4K SRAM boards.
>One Vector 8800V prototyping board, unused.
>
>Peripherals and Software...
>
>Two Sugart 8-inch floppy disk drives in an external chassis with power supply.
>
>Several boxes of 8-inch floppy disks with CP/M 1.4 and assorted
>software. While the CP/M disks are included
>this machine IS NOT running CP/M! The reason being, when I got the
>machine (from the original builder) the
>I/O board had been removed, and the DIP switch settings changed. I don't
>know the correct configuration settings
>for the BIOS, and I don't currently have enough memory installed to boot
>all of the CP/M builds (48K being the
>most common label on the system disks).
>
>Documentation...
>
>I beleive that all the documentation is present. Many manuals for the
>Imsai chassis, as well as for the various memory
>and I/O boards are present.
>
>Testing performed...
>
>I have run this Imsai and verified the CPU and memory are operational. I
>have also entered the floppy disk test programs
>from the Tarbell controller manual and verfied its ability to read and
>write sectors to drive 0. Also the Tarbell bootstrap
>works correctly.
>
>I have also written simple test routines to send and receive serial data
>from the console serial port. In short, this thing works
>just fine.
>
>Terms and Conditions...
>
>Physically come and see the machine and documentation, and if its state is
>acceptable, pay cash and carry it away. I'll supply
>my own box of tissues and try not to cry uncontrollably as you drive
>away. Once the machine is accepted, there is no warranty
>and I'm not really able to help the buyer get this machine running CP/M.
>
>The Machine's history...
>
>This Imsai was built by a former co-worker. He used it to learn
>programming, experiment with electronic music, and to
>keep records for his bowling league (from looking at his disk labels
>anyway). The machine was placed into storage when
>he went off to college (around the time of the modern PC's
>introduction). On his return, the machine was well behind the
>state of the art, and it never returned to service.
>
>The machine came to me directly from the closet of his parents' home. As I
>was bringing the machine up, it suffered a failure
>of a bridge rectifier diode, and was repaired with new diodes with a more
>appropriate PIV rating for the application. This
>repair is not visible. All the power supply capacitors are original, and
>meet their capacitance and leakage specs.
>
>With a rather low number of total operational hours, the interior of the
>machine is much much cleaner than would be expected
>of this vintage.
>
>I've had the machine for the last 5 years.
>
>Reason for Sale...
>
>I've wanted an Imsai since reading the ads in Popular Electronics back
>when I was in Jr. High School. Several years ago I got
>this machine from its original builder (who did a very reasonable job). In
>the years that I've owned the machine, I have not found
>or made the time to get this machine into its proper state, and I'm
>failing to do it justice. Much of my classic computer time is
>going into my HP machines, and my Imlac as well.
>
>I just have not found the time to conserve this machine properly, I lack
>the low-level CP/M knowledge needed to build or tweak
>the existing O/S into a working state, nor do I have another CP/M system
>to build a CP/M 2.2 disk for it.
>
>So in the painful process of focusing my collection and classic computing
>efforts on my HP 1000's (and Imlac), I'm going to part
>with my treasured Imsai.
>
>Now then, this leaves only one more detail...
>
>The Price...
>
>$1,250.00 USD. Cash and carry. Location is Leominster MA.
>
>Good homes only need apply. Here's your chance to get a 'complete' Imsai
>system for the price some CPU chassis
>go for without drives and extras. Skip the eBay rat-race of last minute
>sniping and get that instant gratification of a
>simple, direct purchase!
>
>Got Blinkenlights? If not, buy a real classic.
>
>If this is the Imsai for you, please email me off list at:
>
>bshannon_at_tiac.net
Received on Sun Jul 13 2003 - 11:10:00 BST

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