Scott

= Sent from my iPhone

On J= un 3, 2023, at 11:55 AM, SBC-85 <craig@sbc-85.com> wrote:

=EF=BB=BF
Hi Scott,
Thanks, I w= ill send these out when I am back in town Monday.

=
Any info on your bubble projects that you want to sha= re?

Regards
Craig

On Jun 1, 20= 23, at 5:03 PM, Scott Baker <smbaker@gmail.com> wrote:

=EF=BB=BF
FYI, ordered another couple BPK-70s and another couple controller ICs. G= ot at least a couple more good bubble memory ideas left, I think. :)
I did send a request for the 86 date code ones if possible.

Scott

On Wed, May 24, 2023 at 8:25=E2=80=AFPM SBC-8= 5 <craig@sbc-85.com> wrote:
Yes, exactly. Page si= ze is 64 bytes when ECC is enabled and if ECC is disabled then those 3 bytes= become data.

On M= ay 24, 2023, at 3:28 PM, Scott Baker <smbaker@gmail.com> wrote:

=EF=BB=BF
Crai= g, something that confuses the heck out of me is the 68-byte data transfers i= nstead of 64-byte. Reading the datasheet, it just isn't jumping out at m= e why this is so, other than maybe it has something to do with bits reserved= for ECC.

Everything I read in the datasheets suggest to m= e that the controller implements 2048 pages of 64 bytes each, yet the code c= learly transfers 68 bytes at a time.

68-byte pages s= eem really inconvenient to deal with.

Since you've i= mplemented this already, you probably know what I'm misunderstanding.
<= div>
Scott

On Tue, May 23, 2023 at 11:28=E2=80=AFAM SBC-85 &= lt;craig@sbc-85.com> wrote:
Congratulations!

The bubble chips are thankful they= are being utilized rather than cast into a paperweight for some =E2=80=9Cco= llector=E2=80=9D

On May 2= 2, 2023, at 10:17 PM, Scott Baker <smbaker@gmail.com> wrote:

=
=EF=BB=BF
I think= I can claim victory!

BUBBLE TOOL
404040
>T
T= ESTING PAGE --07FF
>

Scott
On Mon, Ma= y 22, 2023 at 9:37=E2=80=AFAM SBC-85 <craig@sbc-85.com> wrote:
=EF=BB=BF
Despite my best ef= forts, I have not been able to raise interest in multibus. Everyone is enamo= red with s100 for some reason. So I would imagine that there are not a= lot of people in the 251. I frequently watch items for a year or more= until the price drops. Personally, I think the vintage computer price= s is back on its way down. I frequently see things sitting on eBay for month= s that are priced incredibly reasonable or even underpriced. I know no= ne of that helps when shopping for something very specific.

The Z coil is isolated, so yes, leaving one= lead floating is sufficient. I reread that part of the manual and am s= ure I knew much more about the bubbles than I do now, so I trust earlier me.= To be honest, most of the documentation and videos I do are to remind= future me of details I have forgotten.

To answer your question about the 7220 testing, current m= e wasn=E2=80=99t even sure what test software that former me was talking abo= ut in the manual, so I obviously need to add more specifics about the test r= outines to the users manual. Maybe I have good information in the head= er of those files, I haven=E2=80=99t looked yet.

Now that I have refreshed my memory about bubbl= e test , I remember spending hours getting that all to work and testing, but= I do not specifically remember why I had the abort command in that specific= spot. I dont see any requirement for the abort unless something was h= anging that needed to be cleaned up. I would say that if you are relia= bly getting your buffer data back, you can move on and see how the tests wit= h the formatter go. It will be a week or so before I will get a chance= test this again. In the mean time, keep me posted.
You have seen this?
= <= tr>
<8832481678035279805.jpg>
=
=
An OS= and SW Tools For The SBC-85
hackaday.io
=

On May 21, 2023, at 11:31 PM, Scott Baker <smbaker@gmail.com> wrote:

=EF=BB=BF
Part of me wants to buy the silly SBC-215. But part of me is more= reasonable and thinks I should wait for it to sit a few months and see if t= he seller comes to his senses...

Just to clarify, for yo= ur schematic, for the 7110AZ it's sufficient to only leave #13 disconn= ected (pin 6 is connected to +12V via 47ohm resistor). Want to make sur= e before I plug in my bubble module tomorrow... :)

Also a= few questions about the 7220 controller test. I'm testing with only the 722= 0. No 7242 yet. If I execute the following instructions from the user manual= .

1. Fill the FIFO using F
2. Issue an ab= ort using #9
3. Read the FIFO using G
4. Dump the input b= uffer

Then I end up reading back 0xFF from the FIFO= . Should step 2 (issue an abort) be omitted? If I skip that step, then I'm a= ble to read back the fill message as expected.

Scot= t

On Sun, May 21, 2023 at 9:18=E2=80=AFPM SBC-85 <craig@sbc-85.com> wr= ote:
6 and 13 are the Z axis. It look= s like they are left unconnected on this board.

On May 21, 2023, at 7:25 PM, Scott Baker <smbaker@gmail.com> wr= ote:

=EF= =BB=BF
It's this one -- https://www.ebay.com/itm/144006137223 -- looks like there is a PBA on the front side.

Scott<= /div>

On Sun, May 21, 2023 at 6:37=E2=80=AFPM SBC-85 <craig@sbc-85.com> wrote:
There are three versions and all require differ= ent pinout. The original 7110 leadless that goes in a carrier, the 7110A tha= t is the pinned version, and the 7110AZ that is also pinned but has the Z-ax= is bulk erase so the pinout is slightly modified.

I would like to see if the Z version of the 251= utilizes the bulk erase or if unused.

The 251 had many revisions and at least two pcb numbers. Do= you know what the PCA and PCB numbers are on the board you are lookin= g at? Maybe ask seller for additional photos with the board numbers

Regards
Craig= .

On May 21, 2023, at 6:= 23 PM, Scott Baker <smbaker@gmail.com> wrote:

=EF=BB=BF
Thanks Craig, I don't t= hink this seller is going to budge. They're some large outfit selling what l= ooked primarily like industrial stuff. I got back a "thanks for the inquiry b= ut the price is already good and we're leaving it where it's at". No counter= , no offer to negotiate, places like this are often content to let listings s= it for years. So unless I want to spend 2X what I probably should spend, to g= et my hands on 5 lower case letters in a blue font, I'm stuck. :)

This SBX-251 looked to have dual-footprints. There was a set of pad= s that look like they would have accommodated the socket. If I did win the l= ottery and decided I had $200 I was willing to burn, I'd definitel= y reverse engineer the netlist and send the schematic your way. :)

Scott

On Sun, May 21, 2023 at 5:36= =E2=80=AFPM <craig@= sbc-85.com> wrote:
Hi Scott,=

pretty much all the bubbles I have purchased loose have been dead, so I= generally advise against buying bubbles that are not mounted in a board.&nb= sp; Bubbles that are mounted in a board seem to fair much better ( as long a= s they were working when taken out of service of course). the board he= lps protect them from static and other abuse. That said, I am very che= ap and I usually only buy boards /bubbles when the price is low enough that I= am OK with it being DOA.
&nb= sp;
Interesting that the SBX-251 is the 711= 0AZ version. I would need to check again, but I do not think I have an= y 251 that are the Z version of the bubble. I am sure that I don=E2=80= =99t have schematics for the SBX-251 with Z bubble.

as for pricin= g, I did a quick search of my emails to /from ebay sellers --- I see w= here I declined an offer to buy a SBX-251 board for $88, so when I was in th= e market for them I thought that was too much. I also see that there w= as one =E2=80=98buy now=E2=80=99 priced at $45 plus shipping but I do not kn= ow if I bought that one or not. if I didn=E2=80=99t but it, I pr= obably should have because I think that is a good price even considering it w= as a =E2=80=9Cno-return=E2=80=9D offer.

So your $200 fellow is a b= it too proud of his board for my budget, but if it came with a user=E2=80=99= s manual or schematics it would pique my interest much more=E2=80=A6 not to t= he tune of $200 but certainly $100 if it had documentation.. and that is onl= y because I do not have any documentation as recent as the Z version.=

If you are able to get it for a reasonable price, if you are only inter= ested in the bubble, I would be interested in getting the board off you.<= /u>

hope that was helpful

regards
craig

From: Scott Baker <smbaker@gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, May 21, 2023 4= :38 PM
To: SBC-85 <craig@sbc-85.com>
Subject: Re: [Tindie Community] [= PM] Order status
=
Thanks Craig,
<= p class=3D"MsoNormal">
BTW, I did manage to find an intel-branded 7110AZ on a SBX-251, but sell= er wants ~ $200 on it and isn't interested in offers. I assume that 1) odds o= f the memory itself being viable based on your experience are poor, and 2) t= he price is too high? What have you paid for such things in the past?=

<= div>
Thanks,
Scott
&= nbsp;
On Sat, May 20, 2023 at 3:4= 0=E2=80=AFPM SBC-85 <craig@sbc-85.com> wrote:
=
Scott, you can modify and redistribute my code to you= r hearts delight. Please just reference the source in the header.<= /u>

=
Lately Digi-Key has been (evidently using calculated w= eight/size) printing a label and giving a tracking number up to three days b= efore the order is actually fulfilled and ships.
Regards
Craig
<= br>
On May 20, 2023, at 2= :52 PM, Scott Baker <smbaker@gmail.com> wrote:
=EF=BB=BF
Thanks for looking= , Craig. I'll have to keep my eyes out for an Intel-branded one. If you do e= ver turn one up, please let me know. :)

I'll make= sure to send you a pointer to the video once it's out. I'm a little bit del= ayed this weekend as one of my digikey packages is taking the scenic route g= etting here. Maybe next weekend.

What are t= he license restrictions for using/modifying/redistributing your code (on a n= on-commercial / hobbyist project). I see copyright headers, but no license r= estrictions. Ideally I'd make my modifications and push to to my github, but= don't want to run afoul of license if you don't permit redistribution.

I may be back for another bubble kit or two ass= uming these ones work out well for me -- I have a few projects in the back o= f my mind.
<= u>
Scott

On Fri, May 19, 2023 at 4:21=E2=80=AFPM <craig@sbc-85.com> wrote:
Hi Scott<= /u>

I have about another 10 of the memtech labeled kits. looking through t= he plastic at the date code on the bubble, about half of those with date cod= es of 86 and the rest date code of 87. I do not know when the brand ma= rking transfer occurred, I believe it was sometime in 86 for the 1Mbit and m= aybe a little later for the 4Mbit. Just like the ones I sent you= , the =E2=80=9Cstatic sensitive=E2=80=9D label is placed right over the top o= f the bubble so I can not see the branding of the chip itself. if I we= re a betting man, I would say they are all memtech.

look at the b= ack of the ones you have=E2=80=A6. where it says Philippines=E2=80=A6. on so= me of the ones I have there is a lower case intel =E2=80=9Ci=E2=80=9D just t= o the left & superscript to the =E2=80=9CP=E2=80=9D, maybe even merged w= ith the P actually. The date code and this iPhillipines is visib= le through the plastic on the back if that turns out to be a hint.

Of course any 1Mbit in the 7110 leadless will be intel branded, they had s= witched to the 7110A pin version before going over to memtech. I do no= t have the any of the BPK70 (leadless) kits, only the BPK70A (pinned version= ) kits. I am not sure there was a leadless BPK70 kit. <= /u>

I do have a couple of BPK-72 which was the bubble prototype kits, I t= hink one or both of those are leadless carrier version. They will be p= art of my estate if you can wait that long.

There was a BPK-72 ki= t in Canada on ebay the other day. it went for $445, but not to me.&nb= sp; I would really like to know who bought it because I would like a bit of i= nformation from them. That one had an intel branded 7110A bubble. = ; eBay item numb= er:125767052713= sold a few months ago.

I have a number of 4Mbit= bubbles in some intel bubble PC boards. I doubt that I will ever make= a 4Mbit version of the SBC-85 bubble board so someday I will part ways with= most of those.
=
I am not the most organized person so it is possi= ble that I have some in a box or drawer that I have forgotten about. I= also have one or two intel iSBX boards and imagine those may be intel brand= ed bubbles. I do not recall if they are 7110 or 7110A bubbles.<= u>

Sorry I can=E2=80=99t be more help. let me know where to watch you= r video blog, I am always interested in hearing about bubble projects.

regards

craig
= ;

From: scott baker <smbaker@gmail.com>
<= b>Sent: Friday, May 19, 2023 1:33 PM
To: SBC-85 <craig@sbc-85.com>
S= ubject: Re: [Tindie Community] [PM] Order status
=

= If we can find a live one, I=E2=80=99d prefer that to a dead one, but I can s= till find some use for a dead one =E2=80=94 I=E2=80=99ll be making a video b= log post on this at some point, and the intel ones do look nice and I can te= ll a little bit of a story.
&nb= sp;
The three memtech kit= s you have left on tindie, are they the remainder of your inventory?<= u>

Scott
Sent from my iPad
=

=
On May 19, 2023, at 12:32 AM, SBC-85 <craig@sbc-85.com> w= rote:
=EF=BB=BF
=
Hi Scott,

I will= look through them to see what I have (unless the sticker makes it impossibl= e to see the bubble chip itself without opening the package).<= /p>

Are you looking for dead or alive? I frequently see= loose chips on eBay, but most or all the loose ones I have purchased have b= een dead.

Regards
Craig

On May 18, 2023, at 11:15 PM, Scott Baker <smbaker@gmail.com> wrote:<= /u>
=EF=BB=BF
Hey Craig,
&= nbsp;
I was wondering if a= ny of the kits you have remaining are known to have Intel-braded/labeled bub= ble memories in them? Alternatively, if you had any loose modules with Intel= branding on them, I could be interested in picking one up.

BTW, the package arrived last week, all looks great.=

<= div>
Scott

On Fri, Ma= y 5, 2023 at 10:41=E2=80=AFPM Scott Baker <smbaker@gmail.com> wrote:
<= /div>
Thanks a lot, and I'm looki= ng forward to it!
=
Scott

On Fri, May 5, 2023 at 9:14=E2=80=AFPM SBC-85 <craig@sbc-85.com> wrote:
Thanks for the re= minder. Shipped, and tracking number on tindie
=

On May 4, 2023, at 9:29 PM, SBC-85 <<= a href=3D"mailto:craig@sbc-85.com" target=3D"_blank">craig@sbc-85.com>= ; wrote:
=EF=BB=BF<= /p>
Hi Scott,

Ye= s, sorry, I forgot about your order. I will send it out tomorrow and post th= e tracking number.
=
Regards

Craig

Begin forward= ed message:
From:= scott baker via Tindie Community <donotreply@tindie.com>
Date: May 4= , 2023 at 8:25:27 PM PDT
To: craig@sbc-85.com
Subject: [Tindie Communit= y] [PM] Order status
Reply-To: scott baker via Tindie Communit= y <discuss+7d42f15c87f25561f8c3ec448c69a4ad@tindie.com= >
=EF=BB=BF
=
<~WRD0000.jpg&= gt;
smbaker
May 5 =
Hey Craig, I noticed my order for some bubble memories and other goodies ha= sn=E2=80=99t shipped yet. Just checking in for an ETA, and to make sure you g= ot a notification on the order from tindie. Thanks, Scott. [Sent from Store P= age]
Visit Message or reply to this email to respond to smba= ker, ccandrews.
To unsubscribe from these emails, click here.
= = ; &nbs= p;
<~WRD0000.jpg>
=