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xerox diablo 3000 computer and printer

Hi Harry,

Some news.
I analyzed half part of assembly firmware and do some reverse schematic diagrams.
I found the problem and I repaired the CPU board, the buffer DP8304 was dead. I changed it with LS245 with some modifications.

Now, the machine is stable and boot on all floppies.
See picture of system disk CP/M8.

Do you know how to edit text file to use ASEM command ?
Exists IO redirection to replace keyboard/screen by serial IO ?

I can't send you a PM my account is locked. (?)

Didier


disk_sys.jpg
 
dhtoulouse said:
Hi Harry,

Some news.
I analyzed half part of assembly firmware and do some reverse schematic diagrams.
I found the problem and I repaired the CPU board, the buffer DP8304 was dead. I changed it with LS245 with some modifications.

Now, the machine is stable and boot on all floppies.
See picture of system disk CP/M8.

Do you know how to edit text file to use ASEM command ?
Exists IO redirection to replace keyboard/screen by serial IO ?

I can't send you a PM my account is locked. (?)

Didier


View attachment 27976
Click to expand...



Hello Didier,
Glad you have found and repaired some faults, to get your machine reading your disks, and working again, well done! , I have looked for answers to your questions regarding ASEM command, and serial I/O, There is very little detail other than one should refer to the "Assembly Language Reference Manual," which I do not have, but the user manual does give the keyboard line entry.....and some pages on introduction to assembler, Maybe I can try to scan these and pdf. them to you if helpful.

ASEM (/unit),source-filename(/unit)(,object-filename(/unit))

(,list-option)(,cross-ref-filename(/unit))(,list-filename(/unit))

unit = disk drive if other than default(0)

There are explanations of the source, object, and cross ref files, if needed?
list -option has three options, L ,N, or n a number between 0 and 127,
L= list entire assembly on printer
N= turn entire listing off except for errors
n = 0-127 causes ASEM to skip listing of first n modules.
hope this helps?

There is nothing in any of the manuals I have, regarding a serial I/O port configuration, or detalis of any provision to send or recieve serial data?
I will send PM,

Harry
 
Hello Harry,

Thanks for your informations, very usefull.
I would like to write and serial utility to read disk to make image disk.

Stupid, but I don't know how to edit a file text ?
And do you have the information how to link an object file to do executable ?

Regards.
Didier
 
Didier,

I have looked in the manual for some programs that may be helpful using M8. The one program which may be useful if you have it on disk is the UPD (updater) this has many options to modify files/text, Once UPD is running and using it in CRT modify mode, this seems to have many options to modify text in single line mode, If the cursor up key is pressed to move the cursor above the white strip, there are many CTRL+( letter, or Number Key) options to edit , move, or type, text.
Maybe you could see if there are any HELP files on UPD, which may show all its options.

.......Harry

!! We really need a moderator to allow you to receive/ send PM,s which would really help in this case, !!


..... Harry
 
FYI...

I scanned in the Diablo 3200 schematics here:

https://www.retrotronics.org/diablo3200/docs/

This includes the primary card stack, back-plane, and power supply circuits.

The place that scanned the manual did not have the resolution high enough. I will rescan the document if anyone needs more detail. I also plan on dumping the ROMs soon. Will upload and post here once available.

Hopefully will be useful to some.
 
Hello eeguru,

Congratulation for your fantastic job, the scan is very clean and can be read easily.

For information, the Diablo 3200 and 3000 are very different :
3200 : many boards with CPU 8080
3000 : 4 boards : CPU 8085+DMA; DRAM board; serial and kbd interface; floppy board with 8039 CPU

Soon I'll finish the reverse schematic of CPU + DRAM board and commented disassembly of 2K firmware.

Regards.
DH

cpu_top.jpg
ram_top.jpg
 
I know they are very different machines. But I couldn't find any information on 3200s initially. This thread is one of the very few places it is even mentioned on the Internet.
 
France and the UK, impressive, I didn't realize that Xerox Diablo Computers were international. There were two Diablo suppliers I was aware of in the Midwest US, 3D Computers in Cincinnati and Info-Data in Southfield MI. We purchased both a 3200 with a Daisy Wheel printer and a 510 with a Shasta dot matrix printer. The Daisy Wheel printer was important for producing HCFA medical claim forms which were OCR scanned by the insurance companies. (early 1980s) Yes, it was referred to as CP, (Control Program), the native OS on the Xerox Diablo, but the computer could be booted with CP/M. We had an alternate disk that had the Supercalc spreadsheet program on it. Wyse 50 terminals could be programmed (EEProm) to emulate the native terminal behavior. For the VDTs, there was direct and relative positioning of output (row, column-wise), and reverse video, underlining, blinking attributes. I think I still have the Diablo Application Compiler Language (DACL) programmers manual somewhere in a box. Didn't know that DACL was a derivative of DIBOL. Will have to check out the features of that language. The application written in DACL used a basic indexed sequential file system with (master and index files) master files had a header record and an overflow section for new records added since the last sort. Sorts between the Shugart (named after an IBM engineer/manager) floppy disk drives were a little noisy, clicking back and forth as data was read/written between drives. And performing an IPL (same terminology used in IBM Mainframe shops) , A series of toggle switches on the 3200 and just a single button on the 510/515. If there was too much static electricity in the room you could accidentally cause an IPL via proximity.
 
Thanks Alex. I just wanted to add to this thread, thought it was interesting that work was being done to restart one of the 32oos.
 
Hello Tfinn.
I have used both 3200 and 3000 Diablo machines since 1979. Both were used for accountancy in my business. I wrote software for both. I converted all the software to run on MSDOS sometime in the 1980’s. We continued to use the DACL software until about 5 years ago when we were forced to change to Sage. I still have the PC under MSDOS hidden away in my garage together with all the application programs. Unfortunately both the original 3200 and 3000 machines were scrapped! If you are interested in using the original software let me know. Tony
 
Jabiru430 said:
Hello Tfinn.
I have used both 3200 and 3000 Diablo machines since 1979. Both were used for accountancy in my business. I wrote software for both. I converted all the software to run on MSDOS sometime in the 1980’s. We continued to use the DACL software until about 5 years ago when we were forced to change to Sage. I still have the PC under MSDOS hidden away in my garage together with all the application programs. Unfortunately both the original 3200 and 3000 machines were scrapped! If you are interested in using the original software let me know. Tony
Click to expand...
Thanks Jabiru430, but I have no need for an accounting application at this time., I develop applications using C++, C, Go. C# , Cobol applications now. Interesting that you ported the DACL logic. Did you rewrite in QBasic?
 
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