HP 3396B Integrator II - looking for BASIC ROM Image

[Martin Hepperle]

While not exactly a computer, this device also came with an optional BASIC system.

It has a Z80 processor, an HP-IL and a RS-232C interface and can talk to medical/chemistry lab instruments, an integrated Thinkjet and external HP-IL and HB-IB (via converter) hard and floppy disks.

I obtained one of these, but mine has the standard ROM without BASIC.
So I am looking for someone who has one with BASIC and who could create a copy of the ROM so that I could burn an EPROM with the BASIC system.

For opening the device without destroying it: for a first glance, it is sufficient to remove the keyboard plate by opening 3 latches along the rear edge of the plat using a pry tool. Then the keyboard can be lifted up and pulled to the rear - the flexprint cable can stay in place.
I am looking for a replacement / copy 03396-80032 for U 110 in the right front edge of the PCB.

The two versions are:

• Z-80 Standard-ROM 03396-80012
• Z-80 BASIC-ROM 03396-80032

Thank you for looking,
Martin

 

[Chuckster_in_Jax]

Your resources for this are very slim. HP Computer Museum has some info and boot disks.

http://www.hpmuseum.net/display_item.php?hw=668

It is a very basic data acquisition box for a chromatograph. A basic integrator like this would collect data from an instrument and generate a printed report, The basic unit only stored 1 analysis. If it had dual channel capabilities it could collect data from 2 signals coming off the chromatograph. Once the next run was initiated it overwrote the previous data.
The labs I worked in for 34 years had around 24 Gas Chromatographs. We ran between 1200 and 1800 reports a week so we had an HP 1000 server gathering data from HP data acquisition boxes.

I remember seeing one of these standalone integrators in one of our labs but never saw it being in use.

This is a very specialized unit and was never designed for general computing. It was made and sold by the HP Analytical division. Now called Agilent.

 

[Martin Hepperle]

Your resources for this are very slim. HP Computer Museum has some info and boot disks.
[...]

Thank you for your reply. Indeed I found more information on the Series III device, which is similar outside, but rather different under the hood.
I have some of the manuals for the Series II which I am in the process of scanning so that I can send them to the HP-Museum in Australia.

But I noticed that the BASIC is quite complete (including math and binary functions) and supports the internal printer, the HP-IL interface as well as a remote BASIC prompt on the serial interface - if I only had the BASIC ROM ...

My device came from a University lab, where these were obviously used in larger quantities.


Martin

 

[Martin Hepperle]

Just for completeness: inj the meantime I obtained a ROM image with BASIC and made some experments with the BASIC and HP-IL interface of the HP 3396 Integrator. I have collected my experience in this PDF document.

[Unfortunately I was not able to find the RS232C programming manual which is suposed to contain information about the protocol and syntax for remote control via RS232C.]

Martin