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What is this? Post Photos of Mystery Items Here (vintage computers only)

So I need help identifying a strange video card. This came out of an industrial computer and can run a screen off of an onboard header. All my googling got me basically nothing.
https://imgur.com/pacMQCD

Sorry for the URL, but couldn't upload this large of an image so figured Imgur would be the best thing.

Let me know if you guys want anymore pictures.
 
This appears to be an early USB joystick, of some type, but there are no identifying markings on it whatsoever. Windows recognizes it as a HID compliant game controller and says that it's working properly but manipulating it has no effect on the mouse pointer.

I say "early" because it came from a closed down warehouse that had nothing modern in it. Any ideas?

usbjoystick.jpg
 
Umm, why would a joystick have any effect on the mouse pointer?
Look under devices and printers, look for a joystick or controller, right click and select controller properties.

Later,
dabone
 
This appears to be an early USB joystick, of some type, but there are no identifying markings on it whatsoever. Windows recognizes it as a HID compliant game controller and says that it's working properly but manipulating it has no effect on the mouse pointer.

View attachment 46598

This is a CH Products Mach IV, but I've never seen the USB variant. The original came out in 1987 and presented as both a joystick as well as a serial pointing device (had two leads on the cable). It's possible what you have is old stock modified for modern factory/warehouse use.

Because of the USB lead, I don't think the original MACH IV software would help you.
 
That printer looks a bit like a Mannesmann Tally/Genicom to me but it's been a very long time since I last saw an MT660


Cheers,

Andy.
 
This is a CH Products Mach IV, but I've never seen the USB variant. The original came out in 1987 and presented as both a joystick as well as a serial pointing device (had two leads on the cable). It's possible what you have is old stock modified for modern factory/warehouse use.

Because of the USB lead, I don't think the original MACH IV software would help you.

Thanks, that's very helpful. Google doesn't find any reference to a USB version, so I'm thinking either modified (as you suggest) or prototype (based on the lack of ID markings).

I think I may have to open it up and see what's inside. I assume the screws are under the rubber feet.
 
Here's the insides. The label on the IC reads OEM8A/32B and the only other markings that I can see on the PCB read "509-009 Rev 1.1"

Googling tells me that the CH Products Pro Pedals contain a PCB marked "509-009 Rev 5.0", so I'm going to suggest that we're leaning away from a third party mod and towards one done by CH themselves.

Whether or not it's a prototype, I can't be sure. I've left a voicemail with tech support at CH, to ask whether they can tell me any more about it.

Searching google for "CH Products" "Mach IV" "USB" -ebay produces fewer than 20 hits and no evidence at all that they ever marketed such a thing. Changing "Mach IV" to "Mach V" doesn't help either.

So, I'm thinking either a prototype or a short run custom product that they made for a government or industrial customer.

I'll report back if I learn anything further.

usbjoystick2.jpg
 
Tried that this morning. I got to the set up USB game controllers screen and it identifies as a CH 8 Axis 32 Input Control. This corresponds with the label on the IC on the 509-009 Rev 1.1 PCB, which reads "OEM 8A/32B". This appears to be an early version of the CH 8 axis 32 button controller that's in several of their products.

What's interesting is, where we would expect to see CH Products molded into the plastic of the case there is just a rectangle of smooth plastic, with no branding whatsoever. That's why I'm thinking prototype...
 
Tried that this morning. I got to the set up USB game controllers screen and it identifies as a CH 8 Axis 32 Input Control. This corresponds with the label on the IC on the 509-009 Rev 1.1 PCB, which reads "OEM 8A/32B". This appears to be an early version of the CH 8 axis 32 button controller that's in several of their products.

What's interesting is, where we would expect to see CH Products molded into the plastic of the case there is just a rectangle of smooth plastic, with no branding whatsoever. That's why I'm thinking prototype...

That's CH's standard practice. My CH "Trackball Pro" units have all of the information, including the back-of-the-box, printed on stickum labels and inserted into the molded recesses.
 
All that we can conclude is that C-H was inconsistent in their practice. Just pointing out that what you have is likely not a prototype, given C-H's manufacturing practices. It could be, like their trackballs, intended for OEM use, in which case branding would not be desirable.
 
All that we can conclude is that C-H was inconsistent in their practice. Just pointing out that what you have is likely not a prototype, given C-H's manufacturing practices. It could be, like their trackballs, intended for OEM use, in which case branding would not be desirable.

It turns out that you are correct. I've been exchanging emails with a chap at APEM, which bought CH Products many years ago. There's nobody from those days still working there, so there's an element of guesswork in this, but he managed to find a scan of an ancient industrial joysticks catalog page.

It appears to show that, 15 to 20 years ago (based on the revision # of the PCB) CH offered industrial joysticks in a range of housings. One, the FJ, looks identical to the Mach IV. It seems plausible that the molds did not have any info in them, but rather had a blank space for a sticker, as you describe.

He did not know whether that configuration had ever been marketed by them as a USB Mach IV and, based on the lack of evidence from my searches, I suspect that it never was. I do think it fair to say that it is functionally a USB Mach IV, even though it may never have been formally called that.
 
Okay, I'll join in--what is this?

r0E7Sfq.jpg


aaLqyAl.jpg


I believe that I know--I'm pretty sure that it dates from the very early 1960s. The transistors are interesting--2N404 PNP germanium and 2N1132 PNP silicon. I'll give my guess after folks have had a chance to check in. Please be as specific as possible, including function and manufacturer. Note that this board comes from a time before plated vias--the ones you see are soldered eyelets.
 
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