New England Victor 9000 / Vicki Systems, Hardware, Software, Documentation

[BradC]

Delivery Options

In Country Shipping or Local Pickup

Between using Victors for a couple of businesses and having a friend that was a Victor dealer I accumulated an assortment of Victor stuff. I'm now trying to have less stuff, and would like to find new homes for the following:

Systems

1) Vicki portable, 640K memory, full working condition AFAIK. (I've tested everything except the parallel port.) I believe I have both DOS 2.11 and DOS 3.1 for this. No manuals.

2) Victor 9000 with Plus PC kit. (The Plus PC converts the Victor 9000 into a system that can run MS-DOS either in V-mode, supporting Victor 9000 software or I-mode, supporting PC software. Either mode can read and write both Victor and PC 360K disks. IIRC, Plus PC systems cannot boot CP/M-86.) 640K memory, dual floppy. System boots, both drives working. (Repaired the left floppy this morning.) MS-DOS 3.1 manual, MS-BASIC Manual, VBASICA Manual, MS-DOS 2.1 Reference for PlusPC, PlusPC Users guide, Victor dust covers.


Victor Software / Modules

(All with original manual, slipcase, and diskettes unless otherwise noted)

• CP/M-80 System, Original manual, software, and Z-80 CPU board
• CP/M-86 System Configuration Version 1.1
• Server Network version 2.2e (also has 2.2d discs)
• MS-DOS Programmer’s Tool Kit 1.1 Volumes I and II (no slip case)
• Victor Audio ToolKit with V1.2 and 1.3 discs PLUS Audio Pre-amp board. (Currently missing the condenser microphone, but I’m pretty sure it is around here somewhere.)
• Hard Disk Tool Kit 1.0
• Graphics Tool Kit v1.1 (no slip case)
• Graphics Tool Kit II v2.1 (slip case damaged)
• Hard Disk Tool Kit II v2.2, also includes “Factory SuperF” disk that I remember as being necessary for configuring new disks to work with Victor

Other Software

• White Crane Brooklyn Bridge Victor 9000 / IBM PC file transfer kit. With original hardware in original box.
• Word Perfect word processor - various versions with documentation and function key templates. This represents one license migrated through various versions, and I'm going to keep it together.
• FancyFont (graphics mode text printing software for Epson printers) for the Victor 9000
• Set of 70+ public domain / shareware software and information disks.

Hardware

• PlusPC Kit with original keyboard labels sheet, installation instructions, shrink wrapped manuals and software. (The Plus PC converts the Victor 9000 into a system that can run MS-DOS either in V-mode, supporting Victor 9000 software or I-mode, supporting PC software. Either mode can read and write both Victor and PC 360K disks. IIRC, Plus PC systems cannot boot CP/M-86.) I believe this is a complete kit.
• Partial Plus PC kit with assorted PlusPC components (some marked defective) and Plus PC keyboard labels sheet and MS-DOS disk
• TWO Dataflex Memory boards, fully populated with memory chips. At least one believed to be non-functional.
• Victor Clock Card with software
• NEC D8088D Processor chip
• Sirius Systems Main CPU board 100470-01. Operating status unknown-- I'd assume the worst.
• Victor VI keyboard, new in box. (The VI was dual boot Victor 9000 / PC compatible system-- basically the PlusPC sold as a system instead of an addon.) This keyboard has a more PC-like layout with a convenient diamond configuration on the arrow keys. I believe this will work with a regular Victor 9000.
• Assorted VictorLAN components- network cards, connection boxes, etc.

Documentation

• Victor Hardware Reference Manual 1983 in original Victor binder
• Victor 9000 Technical Reference Manual June 1982 (photocopy in 3 ring binder)
• V9000/Sirius 1 Service Manual (photocopy, loose pages, cover page torn)
• Supplementary Technical Reference Manual Version 1.1 1984 (dot matrix printout in 3 ring binder)
• Supplementary Technical Reference Manual Version 1.1 1984 (photocopy in comb binding)
• Three ring binder with photocopies of assorted technical documentation:
  • Theory of Operation for the 256K CPU by Stan Knight
  • Victor Field Engineering Technical Bulletins 1982-1985
  • Tandon OEM Operating and Service Manual TM501, TM502, TM503 Disk Drives
  • Seagate ST-406/412 Microwinchester Service Manual Jan 14, 1983
  • Victor: Installing VictorLAN with only Diskless Workstations
• Channel 9000 user group newsletter (mostly technical info) Jan 1983 – July/Aug 1984
• Victor BIOS v2.6 Source code printout (line printer in binder)
• Victor MS-DOS 3.1 Source code printout (line printer in binder)
• Valid Technologies C3-1000 clock/memory board software, installation guide, and diagnostics (no board)

Miscellaneous

• Victor branded floppy diskette file
• Set of hard-sided transport/shipping cases for Victor 9000 desktop system. One case holds the system unit and keyboard with some room for manuals or disks. The second case holds the monitor and swivel plate. The cases themselves are in good condition, but the foam lining in both needs to be replaced.
• Victor system and keyboard dust covers

I'm still in the process of organizing all this and I haven't even thought about pricing yet. If you see something of interest, make me an offer.

I'll work on getting pictures of various things and more stuff may show up as I keep going. I'll plan on adding pictures and new finds as replies to this thread.

I'm happy to package things up for shipping. Buyer pays for shipping costs.

I'm happy to consider offers for the whole lot. Shipping all this would be a pallet and freight company job. For pickup of everything, I think it would easily fit in something like a Ford Escape. Maybe in a Hyundai Elantra. Probably not in a Mazda 3.

 

[BradC]

Updates since yesterday:

1) Found the microphone for the Audio Tool Kit (yay)

2) More documentation

• V9000/S1 Hard Disk Subsystem manual. Descriptions, theory of operation, schematics, diagnostics documentation. I'm pretty sure I have the diagnostics disks somewhere. Stay tuned on that.
• V9000/S1 Option Manual. Information and schematics for 8087 Option, CP/M 80 Z-80 board, and Network.
• Western Automation Escort V/S Memory Board manual
• Early version of Victor 9000 Operator Reference not in a binder.

3) More software

• White Crane Disk Tools - FAT editor / file recovery tool
• Peachware PeachText 5000 Personal Productivity System in original box. Word Processor, Thesaurus, Spelling Proofreader, PeachCalc spreadsheet, List Manager, Configurator, and Sample Lessons. Complete with manuals, reference card, quick start, and lesson book.

4) More hardware

• Assorted Boot PROMs and Memory board PROMs. See my separate post on these for details.
• A number (quick count says 32) of 4164 RAM chips in anti-static protective sleeves. Just what is needed for populating most Victor memory boards. (FWIW, there are also quite a few of these chips on the fully populated memory boards I have.)

 

[BradC]

Vicki pictures...

System front. Screen brightness control at top left. Power switch at bottom right, reset button just above it.




System rear, with electrical, parallel, and serial connections.


Keyboard rear, showing the combination closing latches and elevation feet.


Cord storage, door open. The door doubles as a stand for angling up the system into working position.


Cord storage door closed.


Detail of keyboard cord fitting into its storage compartment at the top right edge of system front.

 

[BradC]

Victor VI keyboard pictures:





Detail of keyboard foot:

 

[BradC]

Networking stuff:

 

[BradC]

Clock Card:

 

[BradC]

Dual floppy system with PlusPC installed.

I have some concerns about the power supply on this system. After I took the first few pictures, there was a minor "smoke event" with a puff coming out the rear vent and a burned smell. The system stayed running. I turned it off, waited a bit and turned it back on-- it did power up. I opened it up and looked around (especially inside the power supply, where there was a minor burnt smell). I didn't see anything burned, but... my recommendation would be to either swap in in a known good power supply or give this one a good going over.



System has 512K RAM installed, with some dedicated to video. Note the "{ Mode I }" PlusPC prompts, meaning that the system is running in IBM mode and the keyboard will use the IBM mappings.


The yellow labels on the key fronts show what they are in I mode:



Rear view:


The view inside (after the smoke, BTW). I think this is a 256K base system with two 128K cards installed.


Monitor swivel base included:

 

[BradC]

1980s office chic-- Victor dust covers on a Victor system. (I have two sets of these covers).

 

[westveld]

View attachment 1260418

Could we get close-ups of the main chips on the left 2 cards?

The top one looks like one of those cool piggy-back EPROM versions.

 

[BradC]

Could we get close-ups of the main chips on the left 2 cards?

The top one looks like one of those cool piggy-back EPROM versions.

You are correct. That is exactly what it is.

 

[1302L]

Hi Brad,
did you already sell your Victors and the Accessories?
Thanks for your reply,
Martin.

 

[BradC]

Hi Brad,
did you already sell your Victors and the Accessories?
Thanks for your reply,
Martin.

Pretty much all gone.
I think I have one set of dust covers and a VBASICA manual left.

 

[westveld]

Yeah, we pretty much cleaned him out

I demo-ed a Victor 9000 and the Vicki from Brad at VCF Midwest last month.
Had a great spot next to Ron and Steve, and the ∀2 Analog guy.
A bit too heavy on the Apple stuff with that crowd, haha