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New old stock Cardinal CP600 terminal units circa 1988

LiqMatrix

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2017
Messages
687
Last edited:
He stated to me you can contact him via an Ebay msg directly if you are interested in one, but he wont be able to start listing them on a regular basis until mid January.
 
The one I just ordered is on the way. If you like, I can try and help with this, just PM me.
 
From the Ebay photo the case cut-out holes in the back for analog RGB and TV look empty and only composite seems to be populated. I am wondering if the PCB already has circuitry for those other video hookups. Know absolutely nothing about these. I believe they were used for point-of-sale roles since they have a supposed card swipe on the side, but with that 25-pin serial in back I am guessing they can be used as a dumb terminal with pretty much anything. Find out more when I get it I suppose.
 
Looks similar to the RCA VP4801. My guess is that the Cardinal CP600 also has an RCA 1802 on the inside. I haven't dumped the firmware of the VP4801 yet. I could do so if someone wants that.

VP4801-KBD.jpg

VP4801-PCB.JPG

VP4801-LeftRear.jpg

VP4801-RightRear.jpg

From my notes on the VP4801 PCB:

Code:
U051    - LM340T12      3-Terminal Positive Regulators, 12V
U052    - LM320T12      3-Terminal Negative Regulators, -12V
U053    - LM340T5       3-Terminal Positive Regulators, 5V
U054    - RC4558N       Dual General-Purpose Operational Amplifier
U055    - CA3083        General Purpose High Current NPN Transistor Array
----
U101    - CDP1802ACE
U102    - CD40106BE     Hex Schmitt Trigger
U103    - CDP1866CE     4-Bit Latch and Decoder
U104    - CDP1867CE     4-Bit Latch and Decoder
U105    - CD74HC138E
U106    - F4013BPC      Dual D-Type Flip-Flop
U107    - F4069UBPC     Hex Inverter
----
U151    - SCN2671A      Programmable Keyboard and Communcation Controller (PKCC)
U152    - CD4051BE      Single 8-Channel Analog Multiplexer/Demultiplexer
U153    - CD4051BE      Single 8-Channel Analog Multiplexer/Demultiplexer
----
U201    - CDP1852CE     Byte-Wide Input/Output Port
U202    - CDP1852CE     Byte-Wide Input/Output Port
U203    - CD4058BE
U204    - CD4073BE
U205    - CD4011BE
----
U251    - TMS99532NL    Frequency-Shift-Keyed Modem
U252    - RC4558N       Dual General-Purpose Operational Amplifier
U253    - CD4015BE      Dual 4-Bit Static Shift Register
U254    - CD22859E      Dual-Tone Multifrequency Tone Generator
U255    - RC4558N       Dual General-Purpose Operational Amplifier
U256    - CD4053BE      Triple 2-Channel Analog Multiplexer/Demultiplexer
U257    - H11AA1        Optocoupler, Phototransistor Output, AC Input
----
U351    - CDP1852CD     Byte-Wide Input/Output Port
U352    - CDP1852CD     Byte-Wide Input/Output Port
U353    - CDP1852CD     Byte-Wide Input/Output Port
U354    - unpopulated
----
U401    - CDM6116AE3    2KB Static RAM
----
U451    - CDP1852CD     Byte-Wide Input/Output Port
U452    - CA3083        General Purpose High Current NPN Transistor Array
U453    - CA3083        General Purpose High Current NPN Transistor Array
----
U501    - SCN2672B      Programmable Video Timing Controller (PVTC)
U502    - CRT8002B      CRT Video Display Attributes Controller Video Generator (VDAC)
U503    - SN74LS75N
U504    - SN74LS161AN   Synchronous 4-Bit Binary Counters
U505    - SN74LS00N
U507    - SN74LS04N
U508    - SN74LS123N
U509    - DM74LS74AN
----
U701    - CDM6116AE3    2KB Static RAM
U702    - CDM6116AE3    2KB Static RAM
U703    - AM2764
U704    - AM2764
U705    - unpopulated
U706    - CD4556BE      CMOS Dual Binary to 1 of 4 Decoder/Demultiplexers
----
U801    - SN74LS00N
U803    - CD4011BE      Quad 2-Input NAND Gate
U806    - DM74LS74AN
U807    - SN74LS00N
----
U901    - MC1489P
U902    - MC1488P
U903    - CD4053BE      Triple 2-Channel Analog Multiplexer/Demultiplexer
----
 
Huh, interesting. I'll take a photo of the PCB when it comes in. According to that deskthority page above I'll have to be careful as it seems those Cardinal units are held together by plastic clips. Your RCA unit seems like a better build quality.
 
So the unit came in. Will get the docs scanned and uploaded to -0° soon.

Cardinal CP600 Wide 200Kish.jpgCardinal CP600 Close 200Kish.jpgCardinal CP600 Rear Left 200Kish.jpgCardinal CP600 Rear Middle 200Kish.jpgCardinal CP600 Rear Right 200Kish.jpgCardinal CP600 PCB Left 200Kish.jpgCardinal CP600 PCB Right 200Kish.jpg

Best I can do for now as far as photos. They are definitely new old stock. The plastic clips were very easy to undo for the lid removal. Nice terminal unit for the money.
 
Well, turned it on while hooked up to a LCD TV via the composite input and it is very clear, but the entire image blinks on and off like a reset digital alarm clock when the electricity goes out and then back on. Wondering if it is a signal issue with the LCD TV? Will try on a CRT tomorrow and report back.
 
If it doesn't work with the CRT (flashes on and off still), it could be cold solder joints. The 1-Byte Guy had to do the same thing on an Apple IIc, My Trinitron PVM-9L1 has no composite, but I think I can fix it since I have a better soldering iron thanks to my parents for getting me with temperature controls for Christmas (best gift ever).
 
So the unit came in. Will get the docs scanned and uploaded to -0° soon.

View attachment 58420View attachment 58421View attachment 58422View attachment 58423View attachment 58424View attachment 58426View attachment 58425

Best I can do for now as far as photos. They are definitely new old stock. The plastic clips were very easy to undo for the lid removal. Nice terminal unit for the money.

That's a little different on the inside than I expected. Looks like an 80C321 microcontroller for the main processor instead of an 1802 on the RCA VP4801. A lot more program space in EPROM too, if those are two 27C512 64KB EPROMs.
 
Happy to report it was in fact a LCD frequency issue and the terminal works like a charm on a TV I tested it on. You can switch between 40 and 80 column with a keyboard shortcut. The video signal is very clear, but unfortunately I only had my crap phone with me so don't take the attached photo as a good example of the image quality. I am ordering another in the near future, but if someone in the U.S. would like to dump the roms on this thing I would be glad to send it their way. Just PM me to make arrangements.

Cardinal CP600 Main Menu.jpg
 
Its a 80C321. If my memory is correct, this is a ROMless 8051. It uses 8051 code. You should be able to disassemble it as Intel 8051 code. It looks to have a serial out ( can't quite make out the MC14xx parts ). There is a phone modem out as well. My guess is that the connector is for a CF card. Is the battery still alive?
Dwight
 
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Dwight, I have no idea as I am using this strictly for a prop for a photo shoot and will be ordering one more in the near future. I would be glad to send the unit to someone for the cost of shipping so they can dump whatever firmware/roms etc off of it and keep it for all I care as I just got done scanning in the docs for minuszerodegrees archival. I don't need another one at the moment and for the sake of preservation, have at it. So if you or Al would like to play with the thing let me know and we can arrange to send it your way. Shipping should be pretty cheap with Parcelmonkey coming from zip code 34231. I will say I do like the simple interface. It looks to be 19200bps max and VT52 from the brief "fun" I had with it. :)
 
So I just talked with the seller and he plans to start selling these on Ebay again around mid to late January.
 
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