EEVblog #648 - Mailbag

[miguelvp]

If it's possible to read and write to the fascinating Magnetic Core Memory module, I'm suggesting "EEVblog" and then frame the whole module for the future.
I'm assuming it will fit? 8 bytes for each letter, 8 x 7 = 56 bits.

If framed, at least put a connector on the edge with a cover to prevent getting dust/dirt inside the connector.

[Kadah]

Are the brown strips on that board a mezzanine power bus? I haven't seen one of those in quite a few years.

Could be, but I wouldn't really know. There's one running under nearly every row of DIPs. Looking at it again, it does look like its 2 separate conductor layers laminated together.


The lower board contains the actual memory.

[RupertGo]

I used to have a PDP 8/A, which had (I think) 16K of proper core store. The service manual the PDP came with also detailed an alternative, solid-state, static replacement memory made out of either discrete components or SSI. The aspect of it (the 8/A was a late TTL version)  I most definitely remember was that it also came with huge secondary batteries, so that it could properly emulate core store for however many hours they lasted...

[romantronixlab]

Nice mailbag, Made me laugh all the way , Nice blade btw. Is that a Dave "?" Jones edition blade?

[coppice]

Are the brown strips on that board a mezzanine power bus? I haven't seen one of those in quite a few years.

Could be, but I wouldn't really know. There's one running under nearly every row of DIPs. Looking at it again, it does look like its 2 separate conductor layers laminated together.

Now I see it close up it I recognise it. They usually stood upright, and they were more often white, but those mezzanine power buses were quite popular in high end equipment at one stage. They were often stacked several layers thick, in the days when quite a few chips (e.g. DRAMs) had three power rails.

[mswhin63]

Surprised no one mentioned comment on Bruce.

[BlinkY]

Quote from: mswhin63 on Today at 09:42:51 AM

Surprised no one mentioned comment on Bruce.

>

Nice one, Bruce.

[Stonent]

Quote from: mswhin63 on Today at 09:42:51 AM

Surprised no one mentioned comment on Bruce.

>

Nice one, Bruce.

Ay Bruces! Ya know it works better if you take the "S" off, right?

[dean1066]

Dave,

I work for Pure in the UK, I'll see if i can dig out a replacement OLED display for you ( It may be a white backlit one rather then yellow/green).
To replace it you need to take out the whole front panel PCB assembly, but first  pull of the knobs on the front panel to allow you to undo the nuts which hold in the shaft encoders. It's fairly easy.

Pure are shipping many Digital/Internet radios  to Australia now and also a range of wireless multi-room speakers called Jongo... check it out on our website...

http://www.pure.com/au/

[kcozens]

Greetings, Dave. It is always interesting to see what items land on your desk to be opened on Mailbag Monday. I think you made your point with the big knife. I never had a problem with the size of the knife you used but I always thought of it as a safety issue. At least you haven't accidentally cut yourself with it when opening packages.

I liked the segment on the core memory. The first computer I really got to touch and operate was an HP 2114A that came to my school. I had been doing some programming in a computer club after school so when I became a student operator of the machine for a week when my math class was giving the other students in the class information about the computer and how to program it. The 2114A used core memory in it. If the computer had been off over the weekend you had to use the attached paper tape reader to reload the BASIC interpreter so the students could run their programs. The programs were fed to the machine using mark sense cards and printouts went to an ASR-33 teletype printer. It used to shake the table it was sitting on when it was typing out a program listing. I can still remember the sound of over 30 years later. Ah, what memories.

[Porto]

The Victorinox knife is cool, I have a 90's SwissChamp!   
The bowie knife is cooler, looks a bit like my Gil Hibben made Rambo 3 knife I have laying around.




Nice one!   

[BlinkY]

Quote

Ay Bruces! Ya know it works better if you take the "S" off, right>[/quote]

Not sure I follow, Bruce. But right on .
Back on topic before that Crazy Aussie bloke slaps us with wet fish.



EDIT: I've edited this message about five times and the format is continuously messed up, if it's messed up this time then everyone knows why.

[crisr]

Did anyone else shout "Crocodile Dundee" seeing that crazy aussie bloke holding that knife?

[SeanB]

I watched that in the cinema, on the big screen ( 2 storeys tall as well!) and I was in row 3. you could see every freckle on Lisa Koslowski's face, and every pore, along with other things, shown large. I also saw Star wars there, with the Dolby Surround turned up full wick. After a week they had to turn it down, as the blocks of flats around were complaining of pictures falling off the walls.

[Galaxyrise]

The pocketknife on that book cover had its logo edited off, but there's no hiding which style of knife it is (Victorinox).  Have a look at these comparison images; the can opener is the dead give-away.   Specifically, it looks like the Spartan.

[coilcap]

Does anyone know if Dave placed the hi-res images of the core memory anywhere on this web site? I would love to have a copy. This micro mechanics is so cool looking. Thanks a bunch!