Working on a couple of SMC-70s

[markgm]

Maybe contact Bitsavers? Al doesn't have any of these manuals up there, and probably should.

I've reached out before a few times (and to the CHM) and never heard anything back.

 

[dadecoza]

I also got my hands on a SMC-70 and would appreciate any documentation. I would like to get a user guide that covers the machine language monitor and memory map. It would be great if there is a feature to load programs over the serial port.

 

[shirsch]

There are a set of schematics available from one of the folks in the community, but aside from that I've never seen technical documentation of any sort.

 

[dadecoza]

There are a set of schematics available from one of the folks in the community, but aside from that I've never seen technical documentation of any sort.

That is very disappointing, this is such a cool little machine.

 

[jltursan]

Not too much; but here you've a sheet with a lot of hardware info.

 

[dadecoza]

Not too much; but here you've a sheet with a lot of hardware info.

This is useful information!

Here is a pic of mine where I was messing around in basic ...

 

[jltursan]

Nice machine, isn't it? .

Well, maybe a bit bulky if you have some expansions connected...

 

[sabreman61]

I worked for Sony Electronics from 1987 to 2012. I started in Optical Storage supporting 12 inch Write Once (WORM) WDD Drives + WDC Controllers and WDA Autochangers. The SMC-70 was used by the design engineers in Japan. I used the SMC-70 to troubleshoot the WDC Controllers (the early models had separate controllers) . Sony also had a Unix based workstation called the NEWS. I transferred to Sony Tape storage (DDS, AIT, SAIT tape drives and medium changers & tape libraries) in 1998 and was responsible for diagnostic and driver development. Sony EOL AIT and SAIT in 2010. Quantum decided not to release DAT320. Laid off in 2012.

 

[markgm]

That's awesome to hear they were in use as late as '87. I used mine until 1993 when it was hit by lightning, otherwise I'm sure it would have gotten a few more years of use. I managed to pick up the expansion unit for it the other day, so I'm looking forward to playing around with it. As I have it configured, this unit would have run $3,600 for 3 256k RAM drives, a 5.25"/8" floppy controller, and a serial port!

 

[jltursan]

The question is not how you've been able to find 3 SMI-7050 units, but where have you find a table big enough!!

 

[Robbbert]

The SMC-70 and the SMC-777 are very similar units software wise, and some of the software will work on both. Might help you in your search for programs.

 

[jltursan]

Yep!, the late model, the SMI-777C is the best in terms of graphical capacities.

 

[markgm]

They are quite similar, the only picture of the expansion unit I saw in use was actually connected to a 777.