S100 hard disk controller

[Roland Huisman]

According the Byte article it seems the HCA controller was also sold by:

'ASC Associates of Lexington Park Maryland'

You can read ASC on the picture of the PCB in the document as well.
Maybe someone here has ever bought this complete set? Or have it in possession?

Regards, Roland

 

[Roland Huisman]

I could not resist it. I've made a start to design the HCA.
It would probably the same amount of work as wirewrapping...
Now I have to put in the copper areas.



I think / hope I have all errors out of the schematics.
Can't attach the schematic file because it's to big...

Anyone have a spare Xebec 1410 for sale?

To be continued.

Regards, Roland

 

[Roland Huisman]

I've ordered a few of these boards...And I was wondering, am I the only
one interested in this board or are there more people interested?

I've been looking to the software part, I hope my knowledge would be enough
to cover that part... And if not, I hope I can ask here for help :D

The whole KiCAD project is free of course. But I don't have a place to upload it yet.



Regards, Roland

 

[pbirkel@gmail.com]

I've ordered a few of these boards...And I was wondering, am I the only
one interested in this board or are there more people interested?

Regards, Roland

I am Roland, but not able to do anything actively at the moment :-<. I'd be interested in one of your excess boards if shipping to the USA isn't too bad.

Instead of looking for a Xebec 1410, what about an ST-506 -- which is also SASI and is I believe more commonly available?

 

[NobodyIsHere]

Hi Roland,
I think your best option is to upload the file set to retrobrewcomputers.org so it doesn't get lost. Thanks, Andrew Lynch

 

[Roland Huisman]

I am Roland, but not able to do anything actively at the moment :-<. I'd be interested in one of your excess boards if shipping to the USA isn't too bad. Instead of looking for a Xebec 1410, what about an ST-506 -- which is also SASI and is I believe more commonly available?

The Xebec 1410 interface is a SASI <-> ST506 interface. The Xebec 1410 is a quite intelligent interface
which leaves a rather simple interface to built between SASI and any computer bus. In this case S100.
There were possibilities to attach to Tandy, Apple II and other sorts of machines as well...
I even have an ISA Xebec SASI controller for an IBM compatible MS-Dos machine.

If you have a S100 design for a ST506 directly I would be happy to copy/redesign that.
But the main problems are often proms like PAL or GAL. So I'm afraid it would take a
long way to get to a working board.

Shipping to the US is no problem I guess... But it would be great to have some help
to get it running. If the board works it is no problem to order more... But I prefer to ship
the first boards to people who can help to get it running...

Hi Roland,
I think your best option is to upload the file set to retrobrewcomputers.org so it doesn't get lost. Thanks, Andrew Lynch

Thanks, that would probably the best way indeed.

Regards, Roland

 

[pbirkel@gmail.com]

The Xebec 1410 interface is a SASI <-> ST506 interface. The Xebec 1410 is a quite intelligent interface
which leaves a rather simple interface to built between SASI and any computer bus.

Ah, thanks; bulb now fully lit :->.

 

[Roland Huisman]

So I got a picture of my new designed HCA boards.
They are still in China but will be shipped to me asap.



I'm very curious... The software listing in the Byte article seems
to be incomplete too. But we have example codes from Xebec.
So a lot to figure out, but hey that's hobby

Regards, Roland

 

[pbirkel@gmail.com]

So a lot to figure out, but hey that's hobby

Yes indeed :->. Still interested in one of your spare PCBs. Now have Xebec 1410 to complement at some point.

 

[Roland Huisman]

Yes indeed :->. Still interested in one of your spare PCBs. Now have Xebec 1410 to complement at some point.

No problem. Shipping is not really expensive as you have seen on your IM6100 :D

 

[Roland Huisman]

So I've got the PCB's now. I got 10 of them instead of 4 or 5... :D
I've soldered the first one together.



The software part will be the winter I guess...
At this moment I'm busy to repair a few Anita MK8 and MK12 calculators...
No chips, just tubes, valves and nixies https://youtu.be/6-qvtiqWens
I hope I can get my hands on a real computer whit this technology once!

But TTL pcb's like this HCA controller gives much pleasure too... :D

Regards, Roland

 

[ahend]

So I've got the PCB's now. I got 10 of them instead of 4 or 5... :D
I've soldered the first one together.

View attachment 1019223

The software part will be the winter I guess...
At this moment I'm busy to repair a few Anita MK8 and MK12 calculators...
No chips, just tubes, valves and nixies

I hope I can get my hands on a real computer whit this technology once!

But TTL pcb's like this HCA controller gives much pleasure too... :D

Regards, Roland

Hi Roland,

What has happened to your SASI HCA project. I am very interested.

These are impossible to find...



Andy

 

[Roland Huisman]

Hi Andy, I never completed the project because of a pile of other projects. I have a few bare boards. If you want to take on the project you can have a board for shipping costs if you want.

Regards Roland

 

[ahend]

Hi Andy, I never completed the project because of a pile of other projects. I have a few bare boards. If you want to take on the project you can have a board for shipping costs if you want.

Regards Roland

Roland,
I know how that goes with the projects. It's Curiosity to blame, mostly...
After recently reading the BYTE articles I got really excited about the interface, and the current glut of Xebec S1410's on ebay. I'm no project leader but your board would give me a good start and be greatly welcomed. There is another interface I ran across, you may have as well, by a Michael Holley. He made a SASI host board for the SWTPC 68K (SASI Host), so as to communicate with the same Xebec S1410. There may be enough around now to give me some traction.

See my shipping address below, I defiantly would like one of your bare PCB's. On top of the shipping, charge me something for the board as well, to help recoup a little of your production costs.
Thanks so much!

I'm in no hurry, International post is always a bit cumbersome.

Rose Medical - Andrew H.
1440 Front Ave NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504

Thanks again,
Andy

 

[atariquest]

I have a Xebec the S-100 host adapter for the S1410 like shown in the ad photo posted by ahend.

I have attached Xebec's documentation for patching CP/M and their .ASM code.

There is a contoller like mine on eBay now. The seller does not know what it is, so it is not listed corretly. eBay link

Marvin

 

[antiquekid3]

I've got a 14" hard drive system that came with an Action Computer Enterprise Discovery multiuser system. Dang, this thing is big and heavy!















Talk about a simplistic S-100 interface card! The ADES Gypsy interface apparently put just about everything on the hard drive side, and apparently the Priam interface was relatively easy to interface to as well, though they offered SMD and SCSI as options.

I believe I've got the complete set of docs for it, so I do hope it have it running one of these days...

 

[ahend]

I have a Xebec the S-100 host adapter for the S1410 like shown in the ad photo posted by ahend.

I have attached Xebec's documentation for patching CP/M and their .ASM code.

There is a contoller like mine on eBay now. The seller does not know what it is, so it is not listed corretly. eBay link

Marvin

Fantastic Marvin! Hardware is only half the battle.
Are you sure that host adapter on ebay is a copy of the one you are using? There is so little information how would contend with the switch settings?

 

[atariquest]

The eBay listing is identical to my adapter other than the fact that mine has a grey pin header. You can see Xebec's part number 104616 in one of the photos. I am not sure why Xebec did not put their name on the host adapter. Perhaps they didn't actually manufacture it. Anyway, no doubt that is their adapter.

I have already posted a .zip with all the software and instructions you need to patch CP/M.

The last thing you need is the Xebec manual for the host adapter. I will have to find mine and make a scan. I have a few hundred S-100 boards so give me a few days to find mine because it is not in active use. I no longer have a functional HD. I use 8" floppies for everything, but maybe I will get another HD if I can find one cheap.

Marvin

 

[ahend]

The eBay listing is identical to my adapter other than the fact that mine has a grey pin header. You can see Xebec's part number 104616 in one of the photos. I am not sure why Xebec did not put their name on the host adapter. Perhaps they didn't actually manufacture it. Anyway, no doubt that is their adapter.

I have already posted a .zip with all the software and instructions you need to patch CP/M.

The last thing you need is the Xebec manual for the host adapter. I will have to find mine and make a scan. I have a few hundred S-100 boards so give me a few days to find mine because it is not in active use. I no longer have a functional HD. I use 8" floppies for everything, but maybe I will get another HD if I can find one cheap.

Marvin

I've got your zip file, many thanks. If you can find your manual and share it, I would be very grateful.

Andy

 

[atariquest]

Here is the manual for the Xebec S-100 Host Adapter. This with the .zip I uploaded earlier in this thread is all that is needed to get it up and running.

Marvin