Re: Hello from a new list member - couple questions

[Pete Lancashire <pete%petelancashire.com@localhost>]

Thanks for the info on the SCSI-1 timing. I ran into this type of
issue with an old Sun-1 Pizza box. The SCSI1/2 adapters are pretty
cheap, I'll let you know how they work out.

The 385 has VGA ! So that was a plus, but when I get around to playing
with my 310, I'll make up a sync-on-green to VGA, pretty easy to do.
Still looking for a 345 or similar.

RMB, I forgot, thanks I'll add it to my list.

Got a lot to learn

Thanks

-pete

On Mon, Jan 16, 2017 at 10:53 PM, Michael <macallan%netbsd.org@localhost> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> On Mon, 16 Jan 2017 11:27:52 -0800
> Pete Lancashire <pete%petelancashire.com@localhost> wrote:
>
>> I've started to work away at getting a couple 9000/385's up.
>>
>> I acquired them from a surplus dealer (not eBay for a change) and
>> were in great shape, except that the original owner had pulled the
>> hard drives and as usual no keyboards.
>
> Nice!
>
>> I've order a couple SCSI1-2 to 68 and 80 PIN adapters, and have
>> a few unused drives.
>
> You may run into problems here.
> I've had a hp9000/345, its onboard SCSI controller ( or the ROM
> firmware, who knows ) caused it to only boot from actual SCSI-I drives,
> apparently timings were more relaxed for SCSI-II so many SCSI-II
> drives were not recognized. This applies only to the ROM though, NetBSD
> has no such problems. My workaround was to boot the kernel from a SCSI
> ZIP drive ( which apparently conformed to SCSI-I specs ) and then have
> the root fs on an actual harddisk.
> Also, all HP9000 can boot over network, although not necessarily over
> ethernet. IIRC you need a rev. D ROM for that.
>
>> I've got a HIL keyboard in pretty bad shape but should function,
>> If it does not work, I bite the bullet and buy one for now off eBay.
>
> IIRC there's a switch at the back for a serial console. There should be
> a serial port on either the CPU board or the human interface board -
> not sure which the 385 uses.
>
>> Memory. Does anyone know if the largest memory SIMM one
>> can use is 8MB, for a total of 32 MB ? They both came with
>> 2x8MB or 16MB and would like to max them out.
>
> No idea, my 245 had 16MB on 8 modules but I've heard of people having
> up to 128MB in machines like that.
>
>> GPIB: My goal is to use at least one of them for a GPIB to instrumnet
>> controller, anyone else on the list doing this ?
>
> For *that* you might be better off with Rocky Mountain BASIC.
>
>> So far, I've powered one up using a old LCD monitor and the thing powers
>> up, but w/o a keyboard I just have to wait.
>
> IIRC all the HP colour graphics boards are sync-on-green.
>
> have fun
> Michael
>