I just received an interesting piece of late 80's technology. An in-circuit Digital IC tester (kit). Made by Alpha it is a Z80 based tester that clips over the IC in question and lets you know if it is working correctly. I suspect it is not unlike the Bug-Trap (HP) Logic Comparator. You need to key in the logic table for each IC that you wish to test (up to 24 pin), and it stores these in non-volatile RAM. Seems to work and I shall post the manual, Eprom, and stored RAM (Dallas) eventually to TTL's FTP. Originally published in Radio-Electronics in November and December 1987 as a kit or you could buy it assembled for $399US. John :-#)# _______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist@flippers.com http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist
What ever happened to the keyboard kludge for the 9100A/AF machines? John :-#)# _______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist@flippers.com http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist
Her name is Cassiopeia :) And she is almost 2. All that is left is for me to modify the code slightly to handle keyboard repeat and it will be ready to release to the web. I will be taking the last two weeks of December off and will finish it then. So by new years we should have something. A very embarrassed, David ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Robertson" <jrr@flippers.com> To: "Technical Tools Mail List" <techtoolslist@flippers.com> Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2005 8:28 PM Subject: [Techtoolslist] Ruminations...
What ever happened to the keyboard kludge for the 9100A/AF machines?
John :-#)# _______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist@flippers.com http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist
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Dave, While we've got you, what's the byte returned from the keyboard when the 9100A sends a reset? Thanks, Dave ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Shoemaker" <davids@oz.net> To: "Technical Tools Mail List" <techtoolslist@flippers.com> Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2005 12:47 PM Subject: Re: [Techtoolslist] Ruminations...
Her name is Cassiopeia :) And she is almost 2.
All that is left is for me to modify the code slightly to handle keyboard repeat and it will be ready to release to the web. I will be taking the last two weeks of December off and will finish it then.
So by new years we should have something.
A very embarrassed, David
----- Original Message ----- From: "John Robertson" <jrr@flippers.com> To: "Technical Tools Mail List" <techtoolslist@flippers.com> Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2005 8:28 PM Subject: [Techtoolslist] Ruminations...
What ever happened to the keyboard kludge for the 9100A/AF machines?
John :-#)# _______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist@flippers.com http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist
_______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist@flippers.com http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist
_______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist@flippers.com http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist
0xF5 Do I have some competition? :) ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Fish" <dfish_1@comcast.net> To: "Technical Tools Mail List" <techtoolslist@flippers.com> Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2005 2:38 PM Subject: Re: [Techtoolslist] Ruminations...
Dave,
While we've got you, what's the byte returned from the keyboard when the 9100A sends a reset?
Thanks, Dave
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Thanks Dave! Competition? Absolutely not! I have a need for one of these and I wasn't able to get any info on your design so I designed my own. It's strictly a 'one-of'. The only piece of the puzzle I was missing was the reset response byte since I have no access to a real keyboard. Mine is definitely a proto as you can see from the picture. http://home.comcast.net/~dfish_1/pix/converter.jpg It fits inside the keyboard housing and plugs in between the keyboard's PCB and a new 5 conductor cable w/DIN conn. It's still a WIP but mostly done. Regards, Dave ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Shoemaker" <davids@oz.net> To: "Technical Tools Mail List" <techtoolslist@flippers.com> Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2005 1:08 AM Subject: Re: [Techtoolslist] Ruminations...
0xF5 Do I have some competition? :)
----- Original Message ----- From: "David Fish" <dfish_1@comcast.net> To: "Technical Tools Mail List" <techtoolslist@flippers.com> Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2005 2:38 PM Subject: Re: [Techtoolslist] Ruminations...
Dave,
While we've got you, what's the byte returned from the keyboard when the 9100A sends a reset?
Thanks, Dave
_______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist@flippers.com http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist
Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist@flippers.com http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist
John Robertson wrote:
I just received an interesting piece of late 80's technology. An in-circuit Digital IC tester (kit). Made by Alpha it is a Z80 based tester that clips over the IC in question and lets you know if it is working correctly. I suspect it is not unlike the Bug-Trap (HP) Logic Comparator. You need to key in the logic table for each IC that you wish to test (up to 24 pin), and it stores these in non-volatile RAM.
Seems to work and I shall post the manual, Eprom, and stored RAM (Dallas) eventually to TTL's FTP.
Originally published in Radio-Electronics in November and December 1987 as a kit or you could buy it assembled for $399US.
John :-#)#
Well, I wrote that in 2005 and was always intending to read the code...but too late! I just unpacked it today as I wanted to see if it could help me with a service dog and it is dead, dead, dead. The battery backup had failed... Bummer. Well, the designer turns out to be still around so I'll be calling him to ask if he still has the code and is willing to share it. Have just posted the manuals to Flippers archive under Alpha Electronics...more to come after chatting with Bill. So, try not to put off backing up data folks! John :-#)# -- How to subscribe or unsubscribe from TTL http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist FTP site is: ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org _______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist@flippers.com http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist FTP site is: ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org Archive site: http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/techtoolslist/
John Robertson wrote:
I just received an interesting piece of late 80's technology. An in-circuit Digital IC tester (kit). Made by Alpha it is a Z80 based tester that clips over the IC in question and lets you know if it is working correctly. I suspect it is not unlike the Bug-Trap (HP) Logic Comparator. You need to key in the logic table for each IC that you wish to test (up to 24 pin), and it stores these in non-volatile RAM.
Seems to work and I shall post the manual, Eprom, and stored RAM (Dallas) eventually to TTL's FTP.
Originally published in Radio-Electronics in November and December 1987 as a kit or you could buy it assembled for $399US.
John :-#)#
(Well, I wrote that in 2005 and was always intending to read the code...but too late! I just unpacked it today as I wanted to see if it could help me with a service dog and it is dead, dead, dead. The battery backup had failed... Bummer.) Well, that was the wrong Bill Green. Am now hunting other possible options to track him down... Full name of the unit is ALPHA ELECTRONICS Corporation, Merritt Island, FL - DYNAMIC INTEGRATED DIGITAL IC TESTER So, does any one have this device? The chip used (under the DO NOT REMOVE label) is Sony CXK58256P-12L - mounted in a socket that was to make it equal to a Dallas DS1230-104. So it is 256 X 8 CMOS RAM. I'm assuming the battery gave up as I'm only getting 0.3VDC between pin 28 and pin 14... John :-#(# -- How to subscribe or unsubscribe from TTL http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist FTP site is: ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org _______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist@flippers.com http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist FTP site is: ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org Archive site: http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/techtoolslist/
On Fri, Sep 7, 2012 at 9:03 PM, John Robertson <jrr@flippers.com> wrote:
John Robertson wrote:
I just received an interesting piece of late 80's technology. An in-circuit Digital IC tester (kit). Made by Alpha it is a Z80 based tester that clips over the IC in question and lets you know if it is working correctly. I suspect it is not unlike the Bug-Trap (HP) Logic Comparator. You need to key in the logic table for each IC that you wish to test (up to 24 pin), and it stores these in non-volatile RAM.
Seems to work and I shall post the manual, Eprom, and stored RAM (Dallas) eventually to TTL's FTP.
Originally published in Radio-Electronics in November and December 1987 as
One has to ask, was the source in the article :) Dave Caroline
Dave Caroline wrote:
On Fri, Sep 7, 2012 at 9:03 PM, John Robertson <jrr@flippers.com> wrote:
John Robertson wrote:
I just received an interesting piece of late 80's technology. An in-circuit Digital IC tester (kit). Made by Alpha it is a Z80 based tester that clips over the IC in question and lets you know if it is working correctly. I suspect it is not unlike the Bug-Trap (HP) Logic Comparator. You need to key in the logic table for each IC that you wish to test (up to 24 pin), and it stores these in non-volatile RAM.
Seems to work and I shall post the manual, Eprom, and stored RAM (Dallas) eventually to TTL's FTP.
Originally published in Radio-Electronics in November and December 1987 as
One has to ask, was the source in the article :)
Dave Caroline
Ah, no, that would be 'easy' - the code was only in the battery backed up RAM. (background sound of person kicking self around the room) It also appears that Mr. Green may have died - am checking with another author who mentions a Bill Green from Radio-Electronics and Popular Electronics as the 'late Bill Green'. John :-#(# _______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist@flippers.com http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist FTP site is: ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org Archive site: http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/techtoolslist/
John Robertson wrote:
Dave Caroline wrote:
On Fri, Sep 7, 2012 at 9:03 PM, John Robertson <jrr@flippers.com> wrote:
John Robertson wrote:
I just received an interesting piece of late 80's technology. An in-circuit Digital IC tester (kit). Made by Alpha it is a Z80 based tester that clips over the IC in question and lets you know if it is working correctly. I suspect it is not unlike the Bug-Trap (HP) Logic Comparator. You need to key in the logic table for each IC that you wish to test (up to 24 pin), and it stores these in non-volatile RAM.
Seems to work and I shall post the manual, Eprom, and stored RAM (Dallas) eventually to TTL's FTP.
Originally published in Radio-Electronics in November and December 1987 as
One has to ask, was the source in the article :)
Dave Caroline
Ah, no, that would be 'easy' - the code was only in the battery backed up RAM. (background sound of person kicking self around the room)
It also appears that Mr. Green may have died - am checking with another author who mentions a Bill Green from Radio-Electronics and Popular Electronics as the 'late Bill Green'.
John :-#(#
Unfortunately it has now been confirmed that Bill Green has died. I just received the following note in response to asking about Bill: /Yep.. Bill is no longer with us. I would be the only keeper of the grail... However, I don't have one of those or the code./ So, now to find one of these machines that still works...right... John :-#(# _______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist@flippers.com http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist FTP site is: ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org Archive site: http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/techtoolslist/
It's very unlikely that program code was in RAM, get power to RAM straightend out first before panicking. On Sep 7, 2012 5:36 PM, "John Robertson" <jrr@flippers.com> wrote:
John Robertson wrote:
Dave Caroline wrote:
On Fri, Sep 7, 2012 at 9:03 PM, John Robertson <jrr@flippers.com> wrote:
John Robertson wrote:
I just received an interesting piece of late 80's technology. An in-circuit Digital IC tester (kit). Made by Alpha it is a Z80 based tester that clips over the IC in question and lets you know if it is working correctly. I suspect it is not unlike the Bug-Trap (HP) Logic Comparator. You need to key in the logic table for each IC that you wish to test (up to 24 pin), and it stores these in non-volatile RAM.
Seems to work and I shall post the manual, Eprom, and stored RAM (Dallas) eventually to TTL's FTP.
Originally published in Radio-Electronics in November and December 1987 as
One has to ask, was the source in the article :)
Dave Caroline
Ah, no, that would be 'easy' - the code was only in the battery backed up RAM. (background sound of person kicking self around the room)
It also appears that Mr. Green may have died - am checking with another author who mentions a Bill Green from Radio-Electronics and Popular Electronics as the 'late Bill Green'.
John :-#(#
Unfortunately it has now been confirmed that Bill Green has died. I just received the following note in response to asking about Bill:
/Yep.. Bill is no longer with us. I would be the only keeper of the grail... However, I don't have one of those or the code./
So, now to find one of these machines that still works...right...
John :-#(# ______________________________**_________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist@flippers.com http://seven.pairlist.net/**mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist<http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist> FTP site is: ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org Archive site: http://seven.pairlist.net/**pipermail/techtoolslist/<http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/techtoolslist/>
Rodger Boots wrote:
It's very unlikely that program code was in RAM, get power to RAM straightend out first before panicking.
Sorry Rodger, the code IS in the volatile RAM....as the manual states the code is in the first 4K of the DALLAS device, with the rest of the device set aside for IC parameters. Grrrr. Don't ask me why he did it that way - the device had a sticker on it saying 'Do not remove or warranty is void' too. No sign of the source code anywhere. Tried reading the device, but while there was data on it, hard to say if it was any good...next I guess I could check if the data has a reasonable boot vector (somewhere in the 1st 4K) for Z80 and hope that the thing is not too badly scrambled...it is always possible that the ROM code is good, but that the display logic has failed. John :-#(#
On Sep 7, 2012 5:36 PM, "John Robertson" <jrr@flippers.com <mailto:jrr@flippers.com>> wrote:
John Robertson wrote:
Dave Caroline wrote:
On Fri, Sep 7, 2012 at 9:03 PM, John Robertson <jrr@flippers.com <mailto:jrr@flippers.com>> wrote:
John Robertson wrote:
I just received an interesting piece of late 80's technology. An in-circuit Digital IC tester (kit). Made by Alpha it is a Z80 based tester that clips over the IC in question and lets you know if it is working correctly. I suspect it is not unlike the Bug-Trap (HP) Logic Comparator. You need to key in the logic table for each IC that you wish to test (up to 24 pin), and it stores these in non-volatile RAM.
Seems to work and I shall post the manual, Eprom, and stored RAM (Dallas) eventually to TTL's FTP.
Originally published in Radio-Electronics in November and December 1987 as
One has to ask, was the source in the article :)
Dave Caroline
Ah, no, that would be 'easy' - the code was only in the battery backed up RAM. (background sound of person kicking self around the room)
It also appears that Mr. Green may have died - am checking with another author who mentions a Bill Green from Radio-Electronics and Popular Electronics as the 'late Bill Green'.
John :-#(#
Unfortunately it has now been confirmed that Bill Green has died. I just received the following note in response to asking about Bill:
/Yep.. Bill is no longer with us. I would be the only keeper of the grail... However, I don't have one of those or the code./
So, now to find one of these machines that still works...right...
John :-#(# _______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist@flippers.com <mailto:Techtoolslist@flippers.com> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist FTP site is: ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org Archive site: http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/techtoolslist/
_______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist@flippers.com http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist FTP site is: ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org Archive site: http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/techtoolslist/
Anyone have any info on this Pics model number support list would like to see it or find one like it thanks tony -----Original Message----- From: techtoolslist-bounces@flippers.com [mailto:techtoolslist-bounces@flippers.com] On Behalf Of John Robertson Sent: Sunday, September 09, 2012 12:54 PM To: techtoolslist@flippers.com Subject: Re: [Techtoolslist] Old test equipment kits...Alpha's IC tester. Rodger Boots wrote:
It's very unlikely that program code was in RAM, get power to RAM straightend out first before panicking.
Sorry Rodger, the code IS in the volatile RAM....as the manual states the code is in the first 4K of the DALLAS device, with the rest of the device set aside for IC parameters. Grrrr. Don't ask me why he did it that way - the device had a sticker on it saying 'Do not remove or warranty is void' too. No sign of the source code anywhere. Tried reading the device, but while there was data on it, hard to say if it was any good...next I guess I could check if the data has a reasonable boot vector (somewhere in the 1st 4K) for Z80 and hope that the thing is not too badly scrambled...it is always possible that the ROM code is good, but that the display logic has failed. John :-#(#
On Sep 7, 2012 5:36 PM, "John Robertson" <jrr@flippers.com <mailto:jrr@flippers.com>> wrote:
John Robertson wrote:
Dave Caroline wrote:
On Fri, Sep 7, 2012 at 9:03 PM, John Robertson <jrr@flippers.com <mailto:jrr@flippers.com>> wrote:
John Robertson wrote:
I just received an interesting piece of late 80's technology. An in-circuit Digital IC tester (kit). Made by Alpha it is a Z80 based tester that clips over the IC in question and lets you know if it is working correctly. I suspect it is not unlike the Bug-Trap (HP) Logic Comparator. You need to key in the logic table for each IC that you wish to test (up to 24 pin), and it stores these in non-volatile RAM.
Seems to work and I shall post the manual, Eprom, and stored RAM (Dallas) eventually to TTL's FTP.
Originally published in Radio-Electronics in November and December 1987 as
One has to ask, was the source in the article :)
Dave Caroline
Ah, no, that would be 'easy' - the code was only in the battery backed up RAM. (background sound of person kicking self around the room)
It also appears that Mr. Green may have died - am checking with another author who mentions a Bill Green from Radio-Electronics and Popular Electronics as the 'late Bill Green'.
John :-#(#
Unfortunately it has now been confirmed that Bill Green has died. I just received the following note in response to asking about Bill:
/Yep.. Bill is no longer with us. I would be the only keeper of the grail... However, I don't have one of those or the code./
So, now to find one of these machines that still works...right...
John :-#(# _______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist@flippers.com <mailto:Techtoolslist@flippers.com> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist FTP site is: ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org Archive site: http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/techtoolslist/
_______________________________________________ Techtoolslist mailing list Techtoolslist@flippers.com http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/techtoolslist FTP site is: ftp://ttl.arcadetech.org Archive site: http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/techtoolslist/
participants (7)
-
Dave Caroline -
David Fish -
David Shoemaker -
Ed Osborne -
John Robertson -
Rodger Boots -
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