| COMPUTARIUM LCD |
|
| WORKS |
This page is about ongoing works of the Computarium crew. Newest items are on top.
| What? | Who? | Description | State |
|
There has been so much going on, that I do not find the
time any more to update this correctly. So here a short resumé (22 Jan
2012)
|
Massen Francis |
- made RGB -Peritel connection of an ORIC Atmos
microcomputer (one difficult to find trick) - checked, cleaned and restored Commodore 1541 floppy drive and several C64 computers - checked Olivetti Envision 400 system - cleaned, repaired (partially) "Supertotalizer" Comptometer - assembled many new boards for storing equipment - ongoing repair of 3rd ASR33 (tricky) and much more.... |
done |
| GOUPIl Golf SX had exhausted battery in DALLAS 1287 RTC chip | Massen Francis |
We received a very nice French semi-portable Goupil Golf
SX (1989) from the Lycée Charlemagne in Thionville. Alas, it has a soldered
Dallas RTC chip with an inside exhausted BIOS battery. The location of the
chip made the repair instructions found here
and here
impossible to follow, so a new third variation of the theme had to be done.
It is tricky work. See album.
|
Repair done, Goupil works flawlessly again. |
| Finished restoration of second ASR-33 (115VAC model) (18May2011) | Massen Francis |
 Jean Mootz donated a second ASR-33, a model with quite some differences from the previous one (as someone said: "2 ASR-33's are never the same"). As the first ASR-33 developed some nasty mechanical problems (intermittent blockings) I decided to use this one with the OSI500. I first built a new +5/-9 VDC power-supply for the OSI500, using an old ATX PS and a switching PS from Conrad Electronic. I made a hybrid of these 2, which was not without some pain. The OSI is mounted at the right side o the hollow TTY stand, which contains a step-down transformer, a separate PS for the tape-reader, the kludged OSI PS and a dual 230VAC outlet. The stand has to be closed for obvious electrical security reasons (the connectors of the 230/115 transformer and the tape-reader PS are blank and accessible!). The ensemble works fine, with the exception of the tape-reader (reads but characters are gobbled). There is also a second non-lethal flaw: the calling drum (which should be activated only if the "Hereis" key is pressed or "WRU" (who are you?) code is received, is always engaged. I had to immobilize its switches to avoid garbage from two set of switches working at the same time. From time to time the TTY goes into an "absent" mode, with the magnet on the receiver side refusing to work (or a mechanical clutch blocking its function...). Both problems will have to wait before being corrected. Look here for a short album. |
TTY with attached OSI500 throughly cleaned and mounted an
rollers, ready to be shown in action. Tape-reader, calling drum and "absent" problems not yet solved. No source for 8.5" perforated paper roll (or fan-fold) for sprockets found here in Luxembourg (if you have some old US paper, please tell me!). Will use A4 fan-fold paper with right side cut off; holes on left side suffice for correct guiding (with some helping hand). Work on the first TTY will resume asap. |
| Built RS32 - current loop converter (15May2011) |
 As the OSI500 is the only device having a current loop serial output, I wanted to built a general RS232 -20mA CL converter. This enables to drive the TTY by a laptop. I found a good and affordable kit for an active CL interface here. There was some head scratching regarding active and passive CL, Tx and Rx and polarity (yes!). Click on the above figure for the layout with the proper connections to the DB9 socket of the PC RS232 port and the terminal strip of the TTY. I was happy to find an old copy of the marvelous MICROLINK communications software (Win95), which is capable of 110 baud and 7 databits, whose existence seems to be forgotten by many more recent programs. |
Finished. | |
| Brought OSI500 + ASR-33 TTY to work | Massen Francis |  Making the OSI500 to teletype assembly working was a bit tricky. The OSI has no crystal controlled oscillator (only a cheap 555 based circuit), so getting the 110 baud right asked for some fiddling (change of potentiometer, new toggle switches...).The serial line to the TTY is of the 20mA type, and the 1977 vintage OSI is laid out for this (he also has a regular RS232 output). Look here for an album and a video.(m4v, 25MB) |
Basic repair and cleaning done. OSI will be mounted with a new power supply (+5V, -9V) into the original stand of the TTY. |
| Installed Home PC corner | Heirendt
Colette Massen Francis |
 We installed a cosy home PC corner, laying out some carpet and exposing a working TRS80 system (1977-1983), a Philips vintage Pong game (1977) displayed on a vintage black/white Sony TV, and a working BBC Master2 system (1986) |
Mostly done |
| Privately bought a Millionaire calculator | Massen Francis | A very beautiful working calculator (serial 4201, probably around 1920), bought from Antikma. | Needs some cleaning. |
| Repaired
a totally blocked Brunsviga 13RK Repaired a 2nd Brunsviga 13RK whose reset to zero was not working Repaired a Odhner Original who had one blocked button to move the carriage |
Massen Francis | Mostly a work of patience, cleaning, oiling an slight bending | All 3 machines ok now.Brunsviga 13RK will be displayed "naked" to show the inner workings |
| Work on the ASR33 teletype | Massen Francis | Trying to make the teletype interact with the OSI computer | Baud rate (stability?) problem still unsolved. |
| Major transformation of the TC | Massen F. and Heirendt C. | The bureau/workshop part was displaced into a new, separate refurbished room. Visitors are such spared the view of creative chaos inevitable in a workshop! | Finished |
| Work on the IMSAI 8080 (28Oct10) | Mootz
Jean Massen Francis |
We have the computer running (lights blink, stop/go/single step seems to work) | Terminal attached (computer using Hyperterm) gives no answer. Did not found time to study the doc. |
| Repaired Triumphator CRN2 (20Oct10) | Massen Francis |  Three faults made the machine not working: two missing nuts and one partially blocked slider of the clear-all mechanism. |
In good working condition now. |
| Installed LED
lighting in exhibition shelves (19Oct10 to 21Oct10) |
Baumann Claude Massen Francis |
We mounted LED-strips to give a better impression of the machines exposed in the blue shelves. A problem was to avoid being blinded by the visible upper row strip. Solved by mounting it into a cable-channel. | Finished. LED's switched on by wireless operated outlets. |
| HP2100A
now exposed as first visible item (19Oct10) |
Baumann Claude Massen Francis |
 The HP2100A was the first (mini-)computer ever used in a Luxembourg school (1973, introduced by Prof. Jos Lahr). So it stands out as one of the most precious items of the collection. |
We
built sort of a semi-boot, so that the display enhances the structure of
the computer. Before entering the Thesaurus Computarii, this is the first item to see. |
| Put SBC Mazel II back to working (16Oct10) | Massen Francis |  |
We received this board from contributor N. Malget. It had no power supply, and the pin-outs of the connector were not marked. An email exchange with Silicium was only partially helpful, so a more rigorous investigation led to the solution. Contributor F. Thillen donated an self-built power supply with the needed +5V, -5V and +12V voltages. Board is again in mint condition. |
| Exorset30 system now booting (15Oct10) | Massen Francis |  |
This
marvellous system donated by N. Malget refused to boot into XDOS and
BASICM. There clearly is a problem with the first 5.25" floppy disk.
Making the 2nd disk the boot disk solved the problem. Repairing or reclaibratiing the other disk remains to be done. |
| Put HP 7585B A0 plotter to work. (06Jul10) | Baumann Claude Massen Francis |
 The big A0 plotter donated by C. Bechoux did its demo flawlessly, but we were unable to drive it from a computer |
Problem solved with new RS2132 cable and many fiddling on the different setup parameters. The plotter works from Windows XP Pro through Roland HPGL drivers or (what is our default) through the Winline HPGL drivers for Windows. |
| Installed
shelves and show cases in the TC. Some more painting and wood work. Started final cleaning before moving objects in. |
Baumann Claude Massen Francis |
The main room is now almost ready. Installation will start in two weeks. Most objects will be installed after the summer vacations (in September-October) | |
| Repaired MADAS 16LS calculator(12Feb10) | Massen Francis | I bought a MADAS electromechanical 16LS calculator on eBAY. It was in a very good shape, but, as common for eBay goods, didn't work. The machine was blocked, one key-columns showed one unit to much (pressing key 1 displayed 2). I dismounted the casing and carriage and with a bit of luck, inspection and WD40 put the whole thing back to correct working. I was unable to complete a division, but this too was solved with the help of Computarium team member C. Heirendt. | Working again 100% |
| Lighting in room #2 of the TC (03Feb10) | Massen Francis Baumann Claude |
We installed the full mounty of all nice lamps of the LCDNB restaurant that I managed to salvage are installed. There was a nasty problem with excessive current (a 132W rated lamp uses ca. 400W) that has been solved through rewiring. | Done |
| Works at the TC progresses as planned. | Massen Francis Krack J-Cl Jean Mootz |
Room#1 is finished, as well as
major repairs in room#2. Approx. 500 working-hours invested up to now. Look at an album here! |
Painting and electrical wiring will be done next. |
| Heavy work at the Thesaurus Computarii (TC), the storage rooms in the attic of the LCD | Massen Francis Krack J-Cl Baumann Cl. |
Provisional gathering of all material in first part of the attic. Wood work, painting, LAN, furniture, lightning. | First room (administration, repair shop, large vitrine...) almost finished (19Sep09) |
| Repaired an Olivetti Summa15 printing calculator (donor: anonymous) which was in a very bad shape. (Feb 09) | Massen Francis | Will be used as an open machine to see working innards | Working again 100% |
| Tested 2 Russian electronic pocket calculators from the Elektronika series. | Massen Francis | No batteries anymore but... | In good shape. |
| Repair in progress on machines donated from N. Friob.(Dec 08) | Mootz Jean Massen Francis |
Many of these machines are not
working. Started with electronic booking machine from Olympia; printing works intermittently, cause as yet unknown. Diehl, Marchant, Facit thoroughly blocked... |
Repair in progress |
| Repaired a Hamann Elma (Dec.08) | Massen Francis | Old Hamann Elma bought from eBay (link to picture, not actual machine!). Was in bad shape. Electrical motor had one missing carbon contact, bearings were blocked. | |
| Restaured Olivetti Divisumma 15 (Nov.08) | Massen Francis | Machine was very dirty, but mostly functional after some fiddling. Cleaned, checked. | Working again 100% |
| TIM UNITAS bought | The AALCD (=Amicale des Anciens du LCD) financed two major acquisitions: a very old TIM UNITAS calculator and a newer Brunsviga D13R dual rotary calculator used in geodesic work. | Both machines working 100% | |
| We made a major successful bid on eBay for about 20 old calculators, all from a single collection. All are in a very "dusty and rusty" state, none is working as is. | Mootz Jean Massen Francis |
Olivetti Divisumma 24 repaired and
working at 98% Olivetti Divisumma 26GT working 100% Rheinmetall printing adder (beautiful old black steel) repaired and working. Facit electromec. calculators (2) partially working Old Olympia calculator with Nixie tubes: no success, but Nixies are lighting up. Also repaired a non working MONROE LA7160 from another bid. |
Ongoing work |
|
The Cirque des Sciences left us
with a legacy of broken-down machines, which did not survive the children's sometimes brute force |
Mootz Jean Massen Francis |
Several big 4 function calculators
are blocked, as well as a couple of rotary machines. |
Big Friden electromec. and several rotary calculators repaired |
| Building an RS232 interface to connect an old Siemens telex to a PC | Baumann Claude Massen Francis |
Baumann Claude (with minor help from FM) designs a microcontroller (PIC) driven interface; the very complicated programming is made in Labview. The method used is VERY unorthodox! | Telex to PC ok PC to Telex still problems |
| Some pictures of the repairshop |
Massen Francis Mootz Jean |
Many repairs going on. Last success: Cellatron R44SM | Still much to do! |
last revision: 19 Jul 2011
