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Just scored a Tektronix 4052!

N

NathanAllan

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2003
Messages
2,437
Location
Bellevue, Colorado
This is now the pride of my collection. It's large and metal, heavy as heck and has a vector graphics screen. This is the one with the DVST in it.

It has problems but I'm willing to work on it. Last week I went to a mostly unannounced ham radio auction and I honestly thought it was a terminal before I looked it up. I have some pictures here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/nathan.dkassandra4/UntitledAlbum#5404927052049469026

and click forward. The 4025 is about to be mine as soon as I have a place to put it. Things are packed to the gills right now, just gotta figure something out.

Pride of my collection, definitely. I'l be glad when it all works.

Nathan
 
I'm hoping to do some sort of slow paced game on it, maybe something like Dungeons of Daggorath (seems a perfect fit for Vector) and maybe a few text based games. Not sure, gotta get the thing working well first. There's a LOT of screen burn, and I don't think I'll ever see another DVST screen anywhere I ever go ever again.

When I get the basic funtion of it down, I will be replacing the capacitors on it asap. It's been 32 years, after all. They're due to be replaced.

Anybody else have one? There were a few threads on it already, but are they still the most excellent parts of any collections here? To me, it's a great piece.
 
That's one of those things you really do need 2 of in your collection, for spares. It has no video memory, the tube directly stores the image (like on early storage scopes) and you wipe the display between re-writes.

Is the odd port an HPIB/GPIB one?

It's an oddball & I'm jealous!
 
I can check to see what the port says, it's at the office and I'm home now. I'll document it and take pictures and everything more tomorrow (maybe a bit later, when things stop changing at the office) but it'll get done.

The weird machines really make me interested, too. The 4025 is still waiting for me, so it has a chance to be alive again soon.

This one, though, will be developed on and for, I have to unlock any potential this thing has that was never realised! I can't stop myself-- it has a true serial port so I can actually make it communicate to something like, oh, this Altos 986? A teletype? Twitter?? Full of promise!

More details starting tomorrow.
 
Has it really been since NOVEMBER since I posted here?? Wow, time really flies.

Small update; I got myself a film scanner and a color laser printer, so that manual on microfilm might become a downloadable reality very soon. They're both odd machines, so they'll take a bit of setting up and lots of room (mainly the scanner, the desk is just not ready for it) but I'll get it done.
Is the odd port an HPIB/GPIB one?

It's an oddball & I'm jealous!
Click to expand...
My fault again, I totally missed replying to this. I'll have to check when I can and see what that port is all about.
 
I feel like I already offered you this, but I don't see it here, so here goes again...

I have two tape drives and two tapes of the same type that this machine takes (but for the PC, I believe, full-height). One tape is a program - Faceterm. The other is blank. I'd be willing to sell these for any reasonable offer, and the drives might help you get software onto (and off of) this machine.
 
Raven said:
I feel like I already offered you this, but I don't see it here, so here goes again...

I have two tape drives and two tapes of the same type that this machine takes (but for the PC, I believe, full-height). One tape is a program - Faceterm. The other is blank. I'd be willing to sell these for any reasonable offer, and the drives might help you get software onto (and off of) this machine.
Click to expand...

I might get that from you, it could be helpful just like you say. There's one external here, but not sure if it works, and I need to get the machine fixed first to use any of it. Something in my head remembers that you offered but can't nail that down :) I want to see what those tapes say that have "property of IBM" on them :)

When I know more I will be posting. So many projects!
 
Sure - the drives have been sitting on a shelf here for quite some time and won't go anywhere unless you're getting them, more likely than not. Let me know. I'll be sure to let you know if I end up planning to eBay them or anything prior to doing so, so don't worry about them disappearing.
 
Actually, I have a few Tektronix DVSTs from scrapped Tek equipment. We were just talking about what to do with them at work the other day. I can pull the model numbers if you want.
 
Raven said:
Sure - the drives have been sitting on a shelf here for quite some time and won't go anywhere unless you're getting them, more likely than not. Let me know. I'll be sure to let you know if I end up planning to eBay them or anything prior to doing so, so don't worry about them disappearing.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I most likely will get one or two from you, because what's better than having a tape drive? Having several tape drives :)
glitch said:
Actually, I have a few Tektronix DVSTs from scrapped Tek equipment. We were just talking about what to do with them at work the other day. I can pull the model numbers if you want.
Click to expand...
That would definitely save me the trouble of taking mine out-- not that it's difficult, just have many (many MANY) other things to take care of first. Model numbers would help!
 
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