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Help with Restoring an Altair 680

Ragooman

Experienced Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2005
Messages
162
Location
Pittsburgh,PA
Hi,

I tried posting on cctech, but haven't rcvd any replies yet. I was wondering if anyone might know where I can get the logo artwork preproduced for the front on my Altair 680. This was an original computer my late brother bought as a kit back in the 70's. I helped him build this and we sure had some fun programming this. I'm finally getting around to restoring this. I dug it out from the last trip visiting them. All my stuff was stored in their garage since we moved. The logo silkscreen has faded away alot there's nothing left that resembles a logo. I was hoping there is some way to restore this, either by replacing the front panel or getting this repainted(or silkscreened). In the meantime, I can get the hardware cleaned up and hopefully get this to run again.

thanks,
=Dan
 
You may get some answers here but I think, in this case, the Altair Computer Club may be your best bet. It's a much smaller group, of course, but with a tighter focus! :)

One member has posted some silkscreening tips from his 8800 restoration which might be helpfull.

It's on Yahoo Groups as Altaircomputerclub.

Let me know if you can't find it and I'll dig up more specifics.

Best of luck!

Erik
 
Hi,

Thanks all for the help. I saw from an earlier post on Altair Computer Club about using PhotoEZ to silkscreen front panels. That looks so great to use and easy to handle. I'm going to get some of this to restore my other machines too. But now I have to find somebody who has scanned a good version of the front panel for an Altair 680. I hope someone who has an Altair 680 could offer this.
http://www.photoezsilkscreen.com/

=Dan
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I have an Altair 680b. It was upgraded with an adapter card to accept s100 cards and eventually I added the Mikbug software in the extra 1702 eproms for motorola compatability. It stilll works and has 12k dynamic (s100) ram in it. I used to load software with a "Bit Boffer" interface from a tape player. The SWTP 8k and 4k Basic was modded to run in the 680b. I also modded the swtp co-resident editor and assembler for the 680b. Not sure if I still have it on floppy somewhere.
 
Help with Restoring an Altair 680

I'm curious about which adapter card you have there. Where could I get a copy of the Mikbug ? I also like to try the SWTP basic, are those files availalbe too ? I could work with the original hex files to burn some eproms, just have to find some chips now.

=Dan


dicksch said:
I have an Altair 680b. It was upgraded with an adapter card to accept s100 cards and eventually I added the Mikbug software in the extra 1702 eproms for motorola compatability. It stilll works and has 12k dynamic (s100) ram in it. I used to load software with a "Bit Boffer" interface from a tape player. The SWTP 8k and 4k Basic was modded to run in the 680b. I also modded the swtp co-resident editor and assembler for the 680b. Not sure if I still have it on floppy somewhere.
 
The adapter card was, If memory serves me correctly, in a Kilobaud magazine many years ago (late 70's). I had to etch the board myself and used wire wrap for the connections. I haven't been able to locate the software lately but I'm sure I still have it. The patches to the CO-RESIDENT EDITOR ASSEMBLER were in a Dr. Dobbs about the same circa. Lately I just used a PC to connect to the serial port. The Editor assembler is on a diskette in Motorola S format, so can be downloaded via the PC.
I would have to dump the roms to get the mikbug monitor. The orginal 1K was moved to E000 addres to handle the mikbug while the 12K was starting a 0000. I will skulk around to see if I can find the SWTP Basic programs. Send me an email at v e 3 h d j @ r a c.c a if you still want them. I put spaces in the email hopefuly for some protection.
 
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