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Any way to test this?

D

dosboxbud

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Joined
Feb 14, 2014
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15
20140214_160354.jpg20140214_160319.jpg

Hello - I purchased this machine at a garage sale, thinking it could have been some old school video game machine, or video game tester - but I really dont have any experience on how to test this. I'll post pictures of it below.

Im assuming it would be some type of connector to another machine instead of just an outlet, so I was wondering what type of machine I would need to test the functionality of it?

Well, ill also attach the pictures of these two cards that came with it. One has data register, print options as the subjects - so im guessing it was a machine that tested these functions possibly? Anyway, might as well try to get the complete set to try it out.

I appreciate any suggestions you may have. Have a good day!
 
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Why did you post all the pics upside down? That's kinda' unhelpful. You might think if someone's looking for assistance he wouldn't make it more difficult for those who might be going to help him. Really
 
Sorry about that! I didnt mean for it to be all screwy with the attaching. Now updated the first two pics at the beginning of the post.
 
Yes, that's a lot better. My monitor's to big/heavy to turn upside down and my neck's too sore to twist it 180º either. :) And there's real experts here that are much older and more physically limited (much more) than I am who will likely know exactly what that might be. So you surely want them to have a good view of this item.
 
Chuck(G) said:
Looks like some sort of test set for an old line printer.
Click to expand...

Ahh gotcha, its kinda looking like it now I guess. I'll try to take it apart to see if there is any model number to it. The card is double sided and the other side has sbujects like 'Read Counter Timer' 'Channel Register' 'Punch' 'Address Set Switches'. I just got it because the guy said (while he wasnt sure) that it might have been something to do with an old video game system. But its not looking like it now.

Stone said:
Yes, that's a lot better. My monitor's to big/heavy to turn upside down and my neck's too sore to twist it 180º either. :) And there's real experts here that are much older and more physically limited (much more) than I am who will likely know exactly what that might be. So you surely want them to have a good view of this item.
Click to expand...

Haha - yea I kinda thought there was a rotate tool so I didnt put too much effort in changing it until, well - I realized there wasnt : D
 
Not sure myself, any other text on it any where else? It's certainly for inputting data to something or an analog type pattern programmer, my guess if anything would be that it's the input to a larger item though not a computer itself but I'm completely guessing. Welcome to the forums btw :)

Chuck's been around so many systems btw his suggestion is certainly the best one here probably lol. FWIW I think most of us would have bought it also and been here trying to figure out what it was afterwards also.
 
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It somewhat remids me of the univac "trainer" machine from my USN NTDS training in the 60's. I don't think this is one, but it looks like some kind of computing device with multiple registers with the rotary switch selecting which register the switches are hooked to. If it were our old training computer, the cable would have hooked up to a Friden Flexowriter for data entry/paper tape punch.
 
The AMP 201692-4 connector is still in production and has been used on a bunch of gear. To get a little more certainty, a few extra photos would help.
 
Hey - I appreciate all of the input so far everyone! Thats pretty interesting knowing it could be somewhat compared to UNIVAC (as a possible training/testing/programming apparatus). I think the little cards that came with it can be of help, because it looks like they slid in front of all of the lights and there are instructions listed like data entry/print options. 20140214_160417.jpg

I'll do a few things, one is to dig into it and take it apart and see if I can either find a model number of the unit itself, or of all the parts to the unit, and upload the pictures to give all of you more clarity. Also, the guy who sold it to me was a really nice guy - so I could just go back and try to see if he possibly has anymore information about it.
 
The notation on that panel is very familiar (e.g., UCB = Universal Character Buffer). I'm going to guess that the thing is a CE test unit for the IBM 1403 printer.

Stay tuned--I'm searching bitsavers...

Well, this unit isn't mentioned, but the acronyms definitely fit 1403 reference manual.

If your box is full of SMS cards, that pretty much cinches it.

The 1403 was ubiquitous--used not only on 1960s IBM gear but also on other manufacturers' systems. It was a mechanical nightmare or work of art, depending on your viewpoint.
 
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Wow - thanks again for looking into this.

I decided to take it apart and did find one SMS card in it. View attachment 17303
The bottom of the card reads EGB 374818 then its VB 131121 825 (if that helps). Thats the only one ive found so far, but i've only removed the back plate. I think there is a lot of evidence to show that it likely is a test unit for it then. Pretty interesting/fun to find out that the unit it went with sounded like it was a pain in the butt to operate!


Oh - And I wasnt sure if its helpful or not, but if the 'UCB' on the top of that card triggered a tip, when I flipped the card around it has '2540' on the exact same spot on the opposite side. Not sure if that had any meaning. And also, the picture of that connector I uploaded earlier, there are actually two of them. Wasnt sure if some used only 1 and some used 2. But I guess it turns in order to test this thing, I would need to find something like an IBM 1403 printer - which based on the size and age of it doesnt seem like I can just pick one up off the street :p, shucks.
 
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Nice! It looks like it they both have the same type of lights on the machine. Out of curiosity, what color were the lights (well, im assuming they are lights - they might not be) when they flashed, were they yellow, red, or something else?
 
dosboxbud said:
Wow - thanks again for looking into this.

I decided to take it apart and did find one SMS card in it. View attachment 17303
The bottom of the card reads EGB 374818 then its VB 131121 825 (if that helps). Thats the only one ive found so far, but i've only removed the back plate. I think there is a lot of evidence to show that it likely is a test unit for it then. Pretty interesting/fun to find out that the unit it went with sounded like it was a pain in the butt to operate!
Click to expand...

Sorry, but I get an "invalid attachment" message when I click on your link.

But you'll see "STL" on the panel--that was a 1403 feature--"Selective tape list". I'm not aware of any other manufacturer who used that term.
 
I went back to the person I bought it from today and he still didnt know, but when I told him about the possible things it could be thanks to this forum, he said it likely was something from IBM considering his wife worked as an IBM programmer either in the army, or shortly thereafter. He was also able to find another card, that was pretty much exactly like the one I got from him earlier.

The top of the card on one of the sides had '2540' on it, whereas the back of the card (same location) had '1403' on it. With the suggestion that this worked with the 1403 Printer, and getting this card with 1403 on it - as well as looking through that online manual/etc, it looks like it was a tester of some sort for the unit.

Again - I appreciate the input everyone! Should be one heckuva journey to try and test this out!
 
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