The News

2013-07-10

Omnibus to USB converter!

In March I developed an Omnibus to USB converter. It works very reliably and is lightning-fast!
There's also a little bit of info in the corresponding gallery. But it's quite outdatet. Omni-USB is just now getting its own page!

2013-07-10

Still alive!

It has been more than four years that I did not update this page. Sorry for that! In the meantime I hoarded even more DEC stuff, moved to Hannover, got on a new job, left the job, and much more.
I'll try to keep the site more up-to-date again!

2009-04-7

New Hardware

I bought some core memory from Tim Radde, and also traded 32KW SC memory for 16K 8/a core memory.
(Thank you, Tim! The SC memory is still laying here, ready for shipping!)

And there is a new paper tape reader/punch combination, a PC04. Will add this to the LAB-8/e, soon.
I have taken many pictures while cleaning and resurrecting the unit.

2008-10-21

Added: Software

Today I got a lot of DECTapes belonging to my LAB-8/E. Most of them were sensitive user data (and what seemed to be), so they have been bulk erased. A bunch of DEC system tapes survived. I have read them into my PC and put them online. Some of the original tapes have been erased by accident. Would be cool to get them restored.

2008-04-05

Added: Documentation index, "Wanted" section

I have set up a new "Wanted!" section. Please look around and tell me, if you can and want to help me out.

Now there is an index of all my DEC software listings and some of my manuals, all the paper that's in the white DEC folders. Please look around here, too. As I don't have too much time at the moment, I won't scan in everything. But if you need some particular documents, let me know! Then I will scan them and put them online.

2008-03-28

Website update

Yes, I know... This website is a bit unmaintained. Today I have rearranged it a bit. And because I am currently spending some time with PDP-8 equipment, there is a chance that I will add more info and pictures, soon!

2008-02-25

New stuff

Wow! Nearly three years without update! One might think that the site is dead or unmaintained - wrong! I just did not have any news about my PDP8s.

My PDP8/L machines are still sitting in the shelf waiting for repair, one in a kind of "sometimes and perhaps working" condition.

In fall 2006, I got a little nice PDP8/e system consisting of a rack with RK05, DECtape and a plotter. There is also a PDP8/A expansion box (partial hex wide) with 32kw semiconductor memory inside. No core. I have scrapped the plotter, it's just too rotten. The rest is still in an unknown partially working state. With the system I got a Calcomp 565 drum plotter. It's in use with my Honeywell h316 at the moment.

And last week, I became owner of a nearly full-blown LAB-8/e.

2x 4kw core memory
2 PDP-12 coloured racks with PDP-12 sign and LAB-8/e sign
2 RK05 drives
1 TU56 DECtape (two units)
32kw semiconductor memory
VR14 CRT display
Teletype ASR33
A/D converters
serial interfaces
PDP-12 floating point processor (half rack full!)
Some RK05 and DECtape media

Some first images of the system, still in its old place, can be found here.

2005-03-30
Now I have got the original software for my PDPs. The man who had stored the machines for over 20 years called me that he had have found the diagnostic and utility paper tapes. the collection looks quite complete. I have read the tapes into my computer using my GNT4604 tape device.
You can take a look at the tapes in the new software section.
I would like to see my files on bitsavers.org, too.... :-)

2005-03-10
Now the gallery is online!
Of course, I will still add more. But it's already worth a look!

2005-03-09
The first machine is beeing revived. Today I have changed a broken diode on the core stack. Tested over 500 diodes to find the broken one. I don't find any more black holes in the memory. Looks good. What about the "PAR" light? It's lit - but the machine has no parity option. Hope to improve the website, soon.

2005-03-07
Started a new website...