return to main pageAdding an IBM 1407 work-a-like
updated through Jan 17, 2022
to the Connecticut 1401
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Background & BlogBackground:
"Our" "Connecticut" 1401 was used by "Buzz" Bellefleur as an accounting machine for nearby country Connecticut clubs. Buzz apparently felt the need for more than 16,000 characters of memory, and/or wanted to play. So his CE connected a CPM based microcomputer to the 1401 through the existing 8 bit wide 1401 papertape reader/punch channel. This gave Buzz access to another 64K characters of a faster than tape memory, and/or a play ground.
In 2010, Bill Newman and Stan Paddock struggled to
- figure the interface rules for this channel
- make an interface card between the 1401 and a PC.
They succeeded - now what ?Make the 1401 an interactive machine of course !! Why not?
So Bob Erickson offered up a semi-working transmitting typewriter, which he has since made reliable.
George Ahearn, Bob Erickson, Jim Hunt, Doug Martin, Bill Newman, and Stan Paddock are working (spring 2011) to make an IBM 1407 Console work-a-like. They are using an arduino card to handle the translations, timing, interfaces etc.
Current Capabilities from Stan Paddock, Jan 17, 2022
The PC to 1401 on the Connecticut machine came with the machine.
There is a "blue box" came with the machine.
It converts the voltage levels of the 1401 to the TTL levels of the PC printer port.
The PC software I wrote.
Basically, the PC is a client and the 1401 is the server.
The system can send a PC file to the 1403
The system can send a PC file to the 1403 with Fortran carriage control
The system can send a PC file to the 1402 and punch cards
The system can send a PC Autocoder file to the 1401 and run it
The system can send a 1401 card file from the 1402 to the PC
The system can send a PC file to a 729 tape drive
The system can send a 'Write a tape mark' command to a 729 tape drive
The system can send a 'Rewind' command to a 729 tape drive
Steps:
1. Load the 'server' program on the 1401 and start it
2. Load the 'client' program on the PC
A menu will be displayed and the user follows the menu.
The 'new' systems being developed for the German machine uses new code for the PC and 1401.
An Arduino is utilized between the 1401 and the PC.
Tom Scolyga is working on the Arduino and the level shifting board.
He has already successfully communicated between an Arduino and the German Machine via the serial port of the German machine.BLOG: - most recent near here
- May 14, 2011
- May 8, 2011
Doug, After you left, Bill used one of our many DB-25 female sockets to tie the four scan lines and the first four key lines to his prototype board.
The first thing we found was we had two of the key lines mixed.
Then we found the third contact wanted to stay on and the key associated with the 'N' key was stuck on.
Other keys worked as designed.
Bob Erickson worked on the typewriter today and fixed the stuck key switches.
When we attach the real connector, all of the keyboard connectors should work.
As to weather we have built the correct keystem to ASCII character, we will see about that.
When the contacts all work, we can start on the solenoids.
Sent: Sunday, May 08, 2011 10:23 AM
Subject: Re: IBM1407Rev7.xlsAll...
The interface board is showing signs of life for both input and output now. Time to attach the DB25 plugs. For now, I will wire what I can on the first DB25, and integrate the switch sense part of the driver into George's code.
I will follow the IBM1407Rev7.xls spreadsheet from Stan for plug wiring on the switch sense side. The only variable in my case is which way the counters shift. I will wire it to the board so that the tables that Stan has created can be used directly as the look up table in the driver software. Also, I am assuming that ModelBTable2.xls is the most recent stem codes definition, and that where its blank for the row entry is really a "1", meaning the uppermost row of keys...at least most of the time? - CR/enter is certainly not in a row... I don't think I need it for wiring the plugs.
Also, for those that have not discussed this with Stan, realize that this first DB25 will have hot pins on it eventually - those unused pins in the spreadsheet will wind up with the electromagnet high side voltages controlling the 5 "state" magnets - CR, shift, unlock, space, tab.
Stan...I guess "next" happens when we can put the EM assembly back into the typewriter to verify exactly which key goes to which electromagnet? So, I will not wire the second DB25 yet.
Bill
415-518-7131 cell