The 8/A's power supply, RL02's and RX01 is all working fine (knocking on
wood)... so far, no return of the dreaded Power OK "flicker". Maybe it
really is fixed this time.. Famous last words, I know!
Now I am pondering my PC8E (M840) reader/punch control board, and a Slo-Syn
TRP125 reel-to-reel 1" 8-bit paper tape reader that's been sitting unused in
my other rack, probably for at least ten years when I got it very cheap. I'm
thinking of interfacing them since I don't have a PC04 and no pressing need
(or money) for one. The TRP125 can do 125 characters per second, not as good
as the 300 of the PC04 but still much faster than the ASR-33 if I feel like
messing with paper tapes...
The drive just needs a pulse to move the tape. Data can be read/strobed into
the PC8E register almost any time the tape is not actually moving. (A real
PC04 has a stepper motor controlled by the PC8E, so one of those four step
outputs will probably work as a move pulse). Doubt I'd ever need to back up
the tape one character.
Timing will probably need to be adjusted for some pulse widths and the rep
rate which is slower. (1 byte is 8 ms on this one but 3.33 ms on the PC04.
The no-tape timeout of the PC8E is 10 ms).
One thing missing from the TRP125 is a tape-out indication and motor stop,
though. The TRP125 reel drive motors keep spinning until the tension arms
are manually raised to a detent position that actuates microswitches to turn
the motors off. The ASR-33 stops automatically when the tape has run out,
which would be useful. I suppose I could add a microswitch to sense the
presence of tape, or perhaps an LED/photocell to read the sprocket holes and
provide pulses as the PC04 does. Otherwise I'd have to "fake" the feed hole
pulses and manually shut the reader off once the tape runs out.
I'd like to hear from anyone who's done something similar to interface a
non-DEC tape reader.
thanks
Charles
