68kMLA Classic Interface
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| Click here to select a new forum. | | Fasten your hard-hats... | Posted by: Bunsen on 2008-03-10 03:28:59
... and switch on the lamp; we're excavating the back shed, soon to be demolished. Judging by the artefacts exposed so far as we gently brush back the accumulated layers of time, this site was last accessed some time in the late CP/M early IBM PC era.
One Unicorn RX-8800 Personal Computer, sporting not one but two processors. Feel the blistering power of both a Z80A and a 6502 in one machine! Judge the rarity by the fact that there's not a single Google hit on this puppy, or any "Unicorn" branded computers of the era or architecture. I may have to remove the system board and see if there's another manufacturer's name. Perhaps a grey-market Apple II clone that could also run CP/M?
A dozen or so expansion cards of some kind. One is an Apple Turnover, an IBM PC/XT card that let 5 1/4" XT drives read Apple floppies. Judging by appearance, the rest are XT cards too.
Loads of small electronic projects boxes, bags of components, vintage Dick Smith Funway kits, unbuilt, in plastic, and half-built unidentified PCBs, ICs, IC sockets, plugs, ribbon cable.
At least two Amigas, one Amiga 1084 monitor, and a couple of huge boxes of Amiga software.
And more to come. Gotta come up for air.
| Posted by: SiliconValleyPirate on 2008-03-11 01:07:42
One Unicorn RX-8800 Personal Computer, sporting not one but two processors. Feel the blistering power of both a Z80A and a 6502 in one machine! Judge the rarity by the fact that there's not a single Google hit on this puppy, or any "Unicorn" branded computers of the era or architecture. I may have to remove the system board and see if there's another manufacturer's name. Perhaps a grey-market Apple II clone that could also run CP/M? Dear lord, I could run a 6502 and Z80 side by side in a BBC Micro... In fact I believe it was done that was so the BBC could run CP/M.
At least two Amigas, one Amiga 1084 monitor, and a couple of huge boxes of Amiga software. WOOHOOO!!! Let me guess, at least one is a 500/500+ 😛
| Posted by: Bunsen on 2008-03-11 09:08:38
Yep, it appears so.
I've since uncovered a bunch of RAM - some 128MB and 64MB PC100, and some 72 and 30 pin SIMMs. Can't tell size on most of them, but as they're taken from machines that were originally set up as servers, I'm guessing they'd be maxed out.
There's also one set of RAM of a type I've never seen before. It has actual pins rather than an edge connector.
If I'd had a little more time I could have recovered oodles of socketed ICs, possibly more by the shake n bake method.
Also two full height, 5 1/4" hard drives. One IDE, one unknown. I saved the controller cards from the machine the unknown drive came out of. It was an AT clone. MFM? The connector on the drive was a PCB edge connector, not a DIL header.
| Posted by: quinterro on 2008-03-11 09:15:37
There's also one set of RAM of a type I've never seen before. It has actual pins rather than an edge connector. These are called SIPP modules. My fist generic PC (a 286 I think) used these.
| Posted by: bluekatt on 2008-03-11 09:39:59
sipp stands for single inline pin package
they were used in 286 and 386sx's
| Posted by: Quadraman on 2008-03-11 10:17:20
I have a CP/M card in my IIe, so running two operating systems is no biggie. Many of the early Apple II clones shipped here were sent with a Z80 chip installed so they could pass customs as CP/M machines and only got a 6502 and Apple ROM after they arrived here. Are you sure your Unicorn isn't an illegal Apple II clone?
| Posted by: Bunsen on 2008-03-11 12:18:07
Nope, I'm not sure. In fact that's my front-running theory at the moment.
| Posted by: Bunsen on 2008-03-11 12:25:16
New: Two 4U rack cases, filled with dial-up modem cards, formerly from an abortive ISP/BBS project. Nice cases with card slide guides and front panel blanks, as well as the actualo modem cards which have recoverable switches and LEDs. These will come in handy for audio projects, like my Simmons SDSV rebuild.
A small bunch of full-tower PC cases. Some AT, some ATX, some even older. I'm seeking out the best for a Mac recasing, probably a IIfx Frankentower.
Anyone know off the top of their heads whether Nubus lobos would fit best with PCI or ISA card slot spacing? Might be a moot point, as my favourite tower has a completely removable back panel.
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