HP9831 operating manual

[Joe R.]

At 01:27 AM 8/27/05 +0100, you wrote:
>> 
>> At 09:24 PM 8/26/05 +0100, you wrote:
>> >It sounds like my house is similar to others on this list....
>> >
>> >Anyway, while extracting an off-topic device, I came across a ring 
>> >binder that I had labelled 'HP9831 Manual' Inside were the 2 volumes of 
>> >user documentation for that machine -- the Operating/Programming Manual 
>> >and the I/O Manual.
>> 
>>    COOL!  When are you going get it copied or scanned so the rest of us can
>> see it? :-)
>
>Firstly, here are the exact titles of the 2 manuals I found : 
>
>9813A Operating & Programming (09831-90000)
>
>9831A Peripheral Control (09831-90020)
>
>The first of those lists 'related publications' which I don't have, but 
>which are as follows :
>
>Basic Reference Boolklet (09831-90010)
>System Test Booklet (09831-90031)
>Fliexible Disk Operating and Programming Manual (09885-90050)
>Matrix/Plotter ROM Programming Manual (09831-90021)
>HP9896 System Installation Manual (09896-90030)
>HP9896 System Operators Guide (09896-90000)
>
>>From what I've read elsewhere (particularly on http://www.hpmuseum.net), 
>the 9896 was a desk with a 9831 on top and a couple of 9885 8" drives in 
>the pedestal.

   I wonder if they used the "combining stand" to put them together?
That's what they did with the (I think) 9830 and 9866 printer. I actually
found one of the "combining stands". It's just a C-shapped metal frame like
a printer stand except that it fits over the calculator and hold the
printer. It's nothing real special but it is an interesting accessory.

>
>I can look into getting a friend to scan it sometime. It's a fairly thick 
>manual, and I don't want to lend it out (since it's not exactly common), 

   I understand that! I was very hestitant to ship my HP books to Al for
scanning. I seriously doubt I would have if it involved shipping them
across the pond. Hopefully someone in the UK can scan them and post them
somewhere on the net.


>but I will see what I can do.
>
>> 
>> >
>> >[The HP9831 has similar hardware to the 9825, but has BASIC, not HPL,
in ROM]
>> 
>>    The 9831 is a 9825 with HP 9830 ROM code in it. I was told by one of the
>
>Not exactly. The 9831 ran a BASIC which is compatible with the 9830 
>BASIC, but 2 machines have rather different processors, so the binary 
>contents of the ROMs are different.

   True. Obviously it's not an EXACT copy since it also includes the 9830
option ROMs. I should have said it was a functional+ copy of the 9830 OS
and option ROMs.

 You can't, for example, use 9830 
>machine code programs or ROMs with the 9831.
>
>> it's developers that it had ALL the 9830 ROMs built into it and this is the
>> first time that I've heard that there were ROMs available for it. Do you
>> have any idea of the part numbers for them? I have seen a couple of
>
>Sure : 
>HP98223A/B Matrix/Plotter ROM (-A for the 9862A plotter, -B for the 9872A 
>plotter). 
>

   Cool, I think I have one of those too but I don't remember if it's an A
or B ROM. I need to gather those things up and sort them out. I've found a
good number of 98X5 ROMs and interfaces over years and I've just thrown
them into the pile(s) and never sorted them out or done anything with them.

>HP98218A Flexible Disk ROM (controls up to 8 9885M (Master) Flexible Disk 
>drives; if needed up to 3 9885S (slave) drives can be connected to each 
>master drice) [ Hang one, that's 32 disk drives ! -- ARD]

    Yeap! I have a pile of 9885M and a couple of 9885S. But I've never
tried to hook one up and use it. I think Steve Robertson has. i should ask
him what success he's had with them. FWIW a LOT of the 9825s that I've
found have included 9885 drives. I remember a couple of years ago I found
SEVEN test stations that all had HP 9825Ts, 9885s, I/O Expanders, HP-IB
interfaces, RTC clocks and several other interfaces. That was a nice haul!

>
>The manual claims there were also 'Tape cartridges and flexible disks 
>containtain programs for solving problems from many disciplines'. Alas no 
>list is given, just the instruction to contact an HP sales office.

   Sounds like they didn't actually have anything available speciacly for
the 9831 but planned to intended to develope something. I don't know if
they ever did. If they did I never heard of it.  I kind of doubt that they
did since it was only on the market for one year.  I'd still like to know
the story behind that.

>
>[9877 tape drive]
>
>> >Unfortunately it says nothing about the actually interface for the 9877 
>> >-- for all other peripherals (printers, card reader, paper tape punch, 
>> >paper tape reader), it says that the interface is a 98032 16 bit parallel 
>> >module with the approriate 'option' (cable and link settings). Does 
>> >anyone know if the 9877 _definietly_ connected via a 98032 as well?
>> 
>>   Yes it does. I have (had?) a picture of one at one time.
>> 
>> 
>>  Even 
>> >better, does anyone know the wiring?
>> 
>>    No. There were a lot of modified 98032 interfaces available for
>> different peripherals and I've been looking for any of them but I've only
>
>As I understand it (from the 98032 operating/service manual), the 
>modifications consisted of the correct connector for the peripheral, the 
>connections of the 98032 cable to that connector, a set of soldered links 
>on the cable connector PCB in the rear shell of the 98032 itself and 
>possibly a capacitor on that PCB to slow down the handshake. The 2 main 
>boards in the 98032 were not changed.

    That's my understanding as well. But there are a lot of jumpers in the
interfaces. Plus the wiring and connectors are unique so that's going to
make it impossible to duplicate without a good set of docs.

>
>
>> found a couple of them and I think I only have docs (and schematic) for ONE
>> of them.  I SHOULD set up an automatic E-bay search for HP 98032 and see if
>
>The only wiring I have details of is the Option 085 Flexible Disk one. I 
>buzzed out the wiring in mine.

    IIRC that the ones that I have a couple of and it's the one that I have
docs on and  so I can't add anything new about the interfaces. Years ago I
did see one for a PT punch but I didn't buy it. Now I'm kicking myself!

>
>I've posted a couple of times here and to MoHPC asking if anyone has the 
>docs for other Options (or the interfaces themselves that can be buzzed 
>out), but no response.

   Ditto!  I STILL need to set up that E-bay search. I'm sure it would turn
up some eventually.

>
>> I can turn up more of the modified interfaces but I haven't done it.
>> Regarding the 9877, as you know I have two of them. Kennedy Space Center
>> also has one and we have both been looking for interfaces, docs and
>> software for them but with little luck. KSC does have an interface but they
>> weren't willing to let me examine it. They did sent me a picture of it but
>> it just looks like any other modified 98032. It's marked 98032 option 77.
>
>OK, it is, presumanbly, just the wiring and links that I need. Pity you 
>can't take it apart :-(. 

  Yes, but they were adamant about it! Not too hard to understand actually,
after all this was NASA. But OTOH I didn't go out of my way to help them
after that.

    Joe

I have a hand-drawn schematic of the 9877 which 
>gives the pinout of the connector on the back (50 pin Blue Ribbon), all I 
>need to know is how to link that to the 98032.
>
>-tony
>
>