Just finished building my interak , all up and running ! Does anyone know how to mount the cp/m bin file on windows or linux to transfer files or alternatively how to use the cp/m FT utility to copy files via serial ?  

I'm not sure if I am asking in the right place, but would anyone have or know where I can get the CTS256A-AL2 text to speech IC?

hey there! was the VDU based on an existing design? i've been comparing it to the original MDA/CGA boards for the IBM PC and see some timing differences.... 

Joy to the world an Interak is born. I finally "finished" building the Interak I started 30+ years ago. I say "finished", it's only a 4 card minimum system (using original hardware) but it works! Are there any Interak forums or groups? I have a long and boring story and a laundry list of questions. :-)

Hi Alistair, it;s good to hear from you, yes most of us started 30-40 years ago. Only in the last year have we added an whole lot of new PCB's (Sorry to say be some of the old designs have stuck) But going from floppies to a CF card system with 14 drives of 8Mb each is lots for an 8 bit system.  If you send your email details to me at:

mel.saunders47@btinternet.com I can add you to the list (a short one) and you can join in with us and see what we say or do!  we're here to help.

Best wishes.

Mel.

Ooh, would you be ok to add me too? I've been looking for some Interak contacts. It'd be great to set up a forum or something for this.

I recently resurrected the Interak my dad built 40 years ago (and I coded a ton on). Dug it out recently and it's now my hobby (again). Check out this thread for the 'unearthing process' and occasional updates. https://twitter.com/ga5p0d3/status/1469690261626314757

I'm currently working on squirting commands/data at it from my PC via the keyboard port (I want to keep interactions as non-intrusive as possible).

Sam

email: interak@ursaminor.uk

Guys

There is a typo in the bill of materials for the CPU-Compact Flash Card....... R5 is listed as a 10K resistor and it should actually be a 4K7 resistor.

I`ve just started a full new build with Julian`s brilliant PCB`s as I got hold of a mint original rack with backplane and PSU.... I`ll keep you posted how it goes ! :-)

Rob.

(tears up) It's so beautiful!

Nice! Just looked at a Z-80 cpu card with 64K memory with the Motorola 6845(?) Video chip. Also have a batch of programs to support it. Had plans to add a 256 byte paging system. Had the card connected to a minicomputer for mass storage and downloading the os and app programs. Mostly assembly programs.  Card is wire wrapped. Nice to see there is still an interest in the Z-80...

Hi alcmcintosh! I like it.  I am just looking at on old Elektor cct for an 80 col VDU also using the MC6845, 64 cols at present but most CP/M stuff is for an 80 col screen. also need programmable graphics. We have schematics etc..

Hi. Looks like my homebrewed 1984 Orwell-Z80-system with ORWELL-DOS operating system in assembler, with ten Euro-size cards, 64-pin bus-system, 8-inch-Floppy-controller, 512*512-pixel B/W graphic controller,  4*32 k EPROM for the operating system, 4*8 k SRAM for battery-buffered data and 32 k dynamic RAM for data.  See http://www.gsc-da.de/orwell/orwell.html for the hardware (in German only). brgs, gsc

Do you know if the physical arrangement is compatible with Eurorack (the modular music synthesizer system)?  (5.08 mm (0.2") horizontal spacing between centers of 3 mm threaded holes, and 122.5 mm (4.82") between centers vertical spacing.)  It LOOKS the same, aside from depth from the front panel, which is much greater than most Eurorack cards, and I think that Eurorack got its physical arrangement from generic card mounting boxes produced in the 1980s.

I've been toying with the idea of using Eurorack for amateur radio modules (VFOs, synthesizers, IF strips, mixers, audio preamps and amps, using better connectors (no 3.5mm plugs for RF!!)), and it would be great if a microcomputer standard fit into the same physical space.  Do you know what type of connectors are used?  And are these on ribbon cables (like Eurorack), or are they on a backplane that dictates a particular card depth?  I mean, it SEEMS like even if there is a standard depth, the backplane could be implemented with ribbon cable - just a thought.

There many card racks of this kind 19 inch wide 3HU means the cards that fit in there are 100 x 160 mm

I used this rack in 1980 to build a z80 system that is still working today

Eurorack (the synthesizer format) is based on the Eurocard subframe format as used by these computers.  Dieter just used standard parts from the likes of Rittal, Schroff, etc, to keep costs down.

What these rack mount computers use is a common backplane to carry power and the address/data/control lines between the various cards (CPU, IO, VDU, floppy, etc).  This is how this case system is supposed to be used.  The Interak uses an edge connector backplane, the alternative is the DIN41612 connectors, which are also typically mounted on a backplane (see VMEBus or STEBus systems).

The Eurocard format (100mm x 160mm) is designed to exactly fit into these frames and support an DIN41612 connector to the backplane.  There is a wide variety of DIN41612-compatible connectors, some up to 96 pins, some with RF connectors, some with power spades, and some have combinations of all of these.

19in subracks are used extensively in the comms world.  So amateur radio should feel right at home there!

Mine's been in the shed for 18 years - just starting to power it all back up (cautiously).

You had me at rack mount...

I never heard of this one at all. That modular design is cool. Looking forward to progress.