Subject: DECmate II seen for sale

From: [email-masked] (Frank McConnell)
Date: Mon, 5 Apr 1993 17:51:13 GMT

I saw a DECmate II for sale at the Livermore, California hamfest/swap
meet yesterday, complete with a "Go ahead -- make a RIDICULOUS offer"
sign on it.  Equipment appeared to include system unit with RX50
minifloppy drive, keyboard, monitor, Letterprinter 100, manuals, and
software (including diagnostics and WPS); it all looked like it was in
good shape.

No, I didn't pick it up -- I've got a pretty full apartment already,
but thought some of the more PDP-8-knowledgeable folks here might be
interested.  I've seen the seller at the Foothill swap meet in the
past as well, and so there is a good chance it will appear there too.
Look for a brown van; the seller has not-quite-shoulder-length brown
hair and a mustache.  (Side note: I did inquire whether he had video
cables for a Pro 350, as I have a friend who is trying to revive one
but was not able to make it to Livermore yesterday; he let drop that
he could use several himself for VT240s.)

Yes, I am kicking myself for not getting his name and address.  If I
had it, I would post it for the benefit of readers not in the SF Bay
Area.  At the time I wasn't sure whether it would be worthwhile to
post about DECmates here; most of the activity here seems to center
around older (and more hacker-friendly) PDP-8 equipment.

An aside: I have this vague impression that DECmates are not
particularly hackable machines.  I also have a vague recollection that
exactly this matter was discussed here (or was it on a.f.c?) some time
ago.  Of course, I didn't save it, so I am forced to ask: is there an
archive of discussions from this group?  (I certainly hope so -- some
of what I've seen pass by looks like esoterica any PDP-8 hacker would
enjoy well into the next century!)

The Foothill swap meet occurs on the second Saturday of every month
from March to September inclusive, and is at Foothill College, 12345
El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills, CA.  Next one is 10 April 1993.
Official opening time is 7:00 AM (it is rumored that most of the Good
Stuff is gone by then), and it pretty much winds up by noon.  Bring
four quarters per car for parking fee; admission for buyers is
otherwise free.  Take Interstate 280 to the El Monte Road exit, and go
to the right if you're coming from the north, or to the left if you're
coming from the south.  The entrance to Foothill College will be on
your right.

-Frank McConnell   "I want my MPE" (w/apologies to Dire Straits)
 <[email-masked]>

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From: [email-masked] (Charles Lasner)
Date: Tue, 6 Apr 1993 01:11:20 GMT

>software (including diagnostics and WPS); it all looked like it was in

I have been getting these systems almost for nothing from the right places.
The commercial market believes them to be worthless; members of this group
will have a very different opinion.

The problems of the DECmate series are basically solvable, thus eventually they
will be put into the "mainstream" of the PDP-8 world.  I have mapped out how
to accomplish this, etc. and it's just a matter of man-months, etc.  However,
documentation is scarce, so you sort-of have to know what's implemented to
get anywhere with it at the hardware level, etc.  (Schematics for all of the
option cards seem to be unavailable :-(.)

And yes, it's not a hardware hacker's system, as it ain't expandable much, if
at all.

But it does make a good basic system to run -8 software on, and can be 
considered to be at least a physically small -8 with a VT-220 (-like) terminal
attached as a console.

cjl

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 6 Apr 93 10:25:01 MDT

> And yes, it's not a hardware hacker's system, as it ain't expandable much, if

It's expandable a little bit if you're willing to give something up. You could
hack a bit of hardware on if you didn't have/didn't want the graphics module,
for instance. Unfortunately, the best hacking spot is where the hard disk
controller goes; just about the entire pin-bus of the 6120 shows up over there.

Roger Ivie
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Charles Lasner)
Date: Tue, 6 Apr 1993 17:20:30 GMT

>controller goes; just about the entire pin-bus of the 6120 shows up over there.

In that sense, the DM III is a better machine.  The III/III+ outputs an
actual bus (2 slots) mechanically as well as electrically.

cjl