Nixie Calculator Bundle...

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Nicholas Stock

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Feb 25, 2020, 5:46:14 PM2/25/20
to 'Greg P' via neonixie-l

Now here's an interesting listing....not exactly a desktop calculator, but would make an interesting restoration!

Not my listing etc, etc....

Nick

Jeff Walton

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Feb 25, 2020, 5:59:42 PM2/25/20
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I spent a lot of time on this exact calculator.  The control box was up in an unventilated ceiling at the office and it used to lock up when it got hot.  If you enjoy flashing nixies, this is the ticket!

 

Jeff

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gregebert

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Feb 25, 2020, 6:24:57 PM2/25/20
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What is contained in the control unit vs the desktop unit ? Is this similar to a compute-server and remote terminals ?

John Rehwinkel

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Feb 25, 2020, 6:26:09 PM2/25/20
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Now here's an interesting listing....not exactly a desktop calculator, but would make an interesting restoration!

I used to have one of those.  One day, it started flickering madly and stopped working.  I was just a kid, and couldn't figure out how to fix it (I suspect it was a simple power supply issue), so I took it to pieces.  All I have left is part of the frame of one of the remote units and one of the display boards with the nixies (CD-66, I think).

- John

John Rehwinkel

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Feb 25, 2020, 6:27:03 PM2/25/20
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> What is contained in the control unit vs the desktop unit ? Is this similar to a compute-server and remote terminals ?

The control unit held all the smarts. The desktop units were just keyboards and displays.

I remember seeing boards covered with diodes, I guess they were simple discrete ROMs.

- John

gregebert

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Feb 25, 2020, 6:45:21 PM2/25/20
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I would be willing to go in for 1/3 or 1/4 share for 1 of the desktop units and replace the brains with a RasPi.
Hopefully there would be enough room in the desktop unit case for a PC board, and use an external laptop power supply.
I have no interest or desire trying to resurrect the control unit.

Nicholas Stock

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Feb 25, 2020, 6:47:53 PM2/25/20
to 'Greg P' via neonixie-l
I'd join you Greg....you'd have to lend me a hand with the brain surgery though....:)

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gregebert

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Feb 25, 2020, 7:06:13 PM2/25/20
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I will say this much: The RasPi is such a complete, convenient, and low-cost (10 USD) platform that gives you easy hardware control thru C-language, that I will not consider any other platform for many years to come.
Bringing in the keyboard signals to software is simple, and controlling nixies from a RasPi is trivial. From there, the calculator software is pretty simple.

Only nuisance is the boot-time, which is around 30 seconds.

So if another 1-2 folks are interested, this could fly.

Nicholas Stock

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Feb 25, 2020, 7:09:53 PM2/25/20
to 'Greg P' via neonixie-l
Maybe a nixie HV defeat switch so the RasPi can stay live....?

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Dylan Distasio

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Feb 25, 2020, 7:15:12 PM2/25/20
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I would go in on one as well, but would also appreciate help running with the Pi, although no obligation!

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John Rehwinkel

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Feb 25, 2020, 9:25:01 PM2/25/20
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Hmm, if no one wants the control unit, I could pitch in for it.

- John

alb.001 alb.001

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Feb 26, 2020, 1:27:29 PM2/26/20
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I have one with the keyboard and the spark erosion printer.  It uses a core plane non-volatile memory.  If you programmed a lengthy calculation, you could just switch it off at the end of the work day. The next day when you turned it back on a red lamp indicating that it was still calculating switched on until it finally finished.  I still have it but have not turned it on in decades.

Pharma Phil

Mark Moulding

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Feb 27, 2020, 4:56:34 AM2/27/20
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Since the description says that the displays light and respond to the keyboard, it sounds like quite a lot of the system is working - it might not take too much to completely restore it.  Personally, I think it would be a shame to destroy this - at this point exceedingly rare - piece of history, if it's not beyond hope of salvage (which I'm pretty sure it's not)...
~~
Mark Moulding

gregebert

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Feb 28, 2020, 11:35:59 AM2/28/20
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Is someone interested in bringing-up 1 or 2 calculators with the original system, and selling-off the other 2-3 calculator terminals ?
That way, a good chunk of the original machine is preserved. I do feel bad destroying it.

I'm mostly interested in the keyboard because it will cost me about 200 USD to find a usable keypad and have the keycaps engraved.
If I can get the case, keyboard, tubes, and sockets for 150USD, I'm very happy.

I may consider using an LCD touchscreen. Now THAT would be a weird machine......

John Rehwinkel

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Feb 28, 2020, 1:35:39 PM2/28/20
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> I'm mostly interested in the keyboard because it will cost me about 200 USD to find a usable keypad and have the keycaps engraved.
> If I can get the case, keyboard, tubes, and sockets for 150USD, I'm very happy.

Note that the original Wang keycaps are not engraved, they're just clear top keys with printed paper labels inside. Replicating that wouldn't be too expensive.

- John

gregebert

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Feb 28, 2020, 6:21:08 PM2/28/20
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The more I think about this, the more I think I will just use a 75 USD LCD touchscreen for the RasPi, and define my own keyboard.

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