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Data Dynamics ZIP terminal - documentation required.

daver2

daver2

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Joined
Jun 19, 2012
Messages
18,653
Location
UK - Worcester
I have managed to pick up three (3) of these little (but heavy) units: https://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/19568/Data-Dynamics-ZIP-family-of-Terminals/.

They are all fully equipped with paper tape readers and punches.

Two of them are still in bubble wrap (having been returned from repair many, many years ago just before they were retired).

Does anyone have any manuals for them at all?

I will do some investigation when I go to pick them up - but I could not find any documentation in the filing cabinets I was rummaging through...

Regards,

Dave
 
Hi Dave
Did you run the documentation to ground ?
I have recently acquired a very grubby ZIP - inevitably with no documentation
Any assistance / advice appreciated
Best Regards
Martin
 
Not found any yet. I did have a lead, but they did not reply. I will try again.


They are in the UK, so I could take a trip to see them if necessary...

I didn't find any documentation where the ZIPs came from. I suspect it went the way of the other ZIPs...

I do know where they were last repaired at though.

By the way, welcome to VCFED.

Dave
 
Last edited:
Dave

Thank you for your kind welcome - I'm also in the UK, down in Dorset; although I drove down the M5 past Worcester with the ZIP in the back last week

My particular interest is is the punch and to a lesser degree the reader. The punch looks very much like an Epson 6120, I wish to understand it interface well enough to do a home brew interface

I have had a look at the operators manual on lathes.co.uk, I would not expect it to answer internal interface questions - but you never know.

Another thing I found on my travels was https://www.soemtron.org/downloads/teletypes/model43readerpunchcircuit.zip which may be close to the Epson interface - but no main board cct

And https://www.soemtron.org/teletypemanuals.html which contains manuals for the competing Teletype products - mostly very mechanical, the BRPE manual belonging to the 1960's

Any further info most welcome

Best Regards

Martin
 
I checked up on the company that repaired my ZIP units last. Unfortunately, they closed down in 2010...

I will chase up the manual that lathes.co.uk have...

Dave
 
Have you run up your terminals and investigated / characterised the user configuration / control switches ?

If the PSUs don't need rebuilt, after 40 years, I could clean this fellow up and apply power ...

Martin
 
No, not yet.

Mine came from a power station, so they could be either 110V or 230V operation. I can't find any markings on them to tell me which - so I will need to take one apart first...

Dave
 
Mine has a 13A plug on it, which as it came off outof a UK (factory) office is 99% likely to imply 230V / 50 Hz

I shall find the time to clean up, open up, investigate and advise any insight

Martin
 
Which industry is that ?
In UK scientific computing / instrumentation 230V 50 Hz is the norm, and I have rarely met anything else in 50 years
However, Ships supplies are often 115V 60 Hz, Japanese CNC equipment is generally 110V or 200V 50/60 Hz and then there are 400 Hz supplies
Must not forget 110V CT site Xfrmrs
Martin
 
I presumed as much, given where you got them
What is the motivation : electrical safety, US influence or ?
Martin
 
The unit I have is set for 240V. The options are 127 220 240 V. Configuration is by chocky block on the rear of the transformer.

The rear panel has to be removed for access, three pozi screws on the underside and wiggled off the four dowels its top edge seats on. The wiring can be somewhat ad hoc, especially to the IO connectors. The mains side has most slack.

I shall post photograph(s) later in the week

Martin
 
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