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  #1  
Old 01-28-2009, 07:32 PM
philrrtx philrrtx is offline
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Default Museum restoration of 8800

I am starting the restoration of an Altair 8800 for the Goodwill Computer Museum in Austin. It was discovered about half-way through the Goodwill computer recycling process, and despite our best efforts, we were unable to locate some of the pieces.

In particular, it is missing the case and the dress front panel, which I am hoping I can purchase from Grant. I believe we can source the rest of the parts we need (switches, hardware, etc.) from other suppliers.

We have a Rev 0 original CPU board, four 4K dynamic memory boards (does anyone have schematics for that board?), and a 3P+S I/O board (I also need the schematic for this one).

The chassis is fully loaded with what appear to be factory-built bus cards. Interestingly, in a modification I haven't seen described anywhere, it has had a voltage regulator added to the output of the +8V A supply.
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  #2  
Old 01-28-2009, 07:49 PM
TomL_12953 TomL_12953 is offline
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Default Altair Board Schematics

Quote:
Originally Posted by philrrtx View Post
We have a Rev 0 original CPU board, four 4K dynamic memory boards (does anyone have schematics for that board?), and a 3P+S I/O board (I also need the schematic for this one).
All the schematics you need are in the manuals found at

http://vt100.net/mirror/harte/Altair/

Tom Lake
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  #3  
Old 01-31-2009, 03:07 AM
philrrtx philrrtx is offline
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Exclamation Schematics and switches

Quote:
Originally Posted by TomL_12953 View Post
All the schematics you need are in the manuals found at

http://vt100.net/mirror/harte/Altair/

Tom Lake
Thanks Tom. I found the schematic for the 4K dynamic memory board there. The 3P+S I/O board turns out to have been made by Processor Technology. So far I haven't found a schematic for it on line. Herb Johnson offers copies of the whole 84-page manual for 20 cents a page, but I hardly need 80 pages of "put this resistor in this hole" for a board that's already built. If anyone knows of an on-line source for this schematic, please let me know.

On a different topic, I'm having no luck at all locating the double spring-loaded switches used in the bottom row. The ST1-3 switch is still made by APEM (successor to American Switch, who made the originals) but none of their distributors currently has any in stock, and I'm not likely to convince any of them to make a special order for two pieces. If anyone knows of a source for that switch, or an alternate manufacturer's part number for same, please let me know.

We have four broken ones on the upper row and two on the lower row. The ST1-1s for data/address entry (upper row) are available from a couple of distributors, but none has the ST1-3.

Phil
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Old 01-31-2009, 05:42 AM
TomL_12953 TomL_12953 is offline
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Default 3p+s I/o

Quote:
Originally Posted by philrrtx View Post
Thanks Tom. I found the schematic for the 4K dynamic memory board there. The 3P+S I/O board turns out to have been made by Processor Technology. So far I haven't found a schematic for it on line. Herb Johnson offers copies of the whole 84-page manual for 20 cents a page, but I hardly need 80 pages of "put this resistor in this hole" for a board that's already built. If anyone knows of an on-line source for this schematic, please let me know.
Phil
Have you contacted the guy who wrote the manual, Mark Szpakowski?

szpak@eastlink.ca

He might have kept some of his old work.

Tom Lake
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  #5  
Old 01-31-2009, 12:16 PM
Geoff Harrison Geoff Harrison is offline
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Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by philrrtx View Post
The 3P+S I/O board turns out to have been made by Processor Technology. So far I haven't found a schematic for it on line.
Dave Dunfield has a copy on line. Click on the S100 link.

Geoff.
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  #6  
Old 02-01-2009, 11:13 PM
marty marty is offline
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Default switches

Grant, should be able to get the switches, either now or when He places his next order.. He should be able to add what ever you need on to a later order.
THANKS Marty
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  #7  
Old 02-05-2009, 04:00 AM
shunt1 shunt1 is offline
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Default

Today, I stumbled upon this forum and never realized that other "old farts" like me were still around. I was simply trying to show people what my first computer looked like.

I purchased my MITS Altair 8800 in 1975 and still remember a whining college kid that wrote BASIC for it...

Ok, this machine is absolutly useless, but how can I get one?

When I ordered my first one, MITS allowed me to purchase modules for $200.

Since I was in the Army and stationed in Germany at the time, my total income was only $400 per month. However, I was still able to build my first Altair 8800.

Today, after all these years, I am still doing the exact same thing. This machine changed my life forever.

How do I purchase one of these reproductions?
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