[GreenKeys] Done lurking; Teletype model 33 KSR/ASR restoration

Tue Aug 4 20:35:59 EDT 2015

Jeff,

Sounds like you have a little work cut out for you from what the other
guys have said about your machines (specifically the KSR).

I too am a vintage computing buff, recently restored/repaired a 33 ASR
for use with my Altair 680, the combination of which will be shown at
Vintage Computer Festival Midwest at the end of this month (vcfmw.org).

I hope you have an ACR or disk system for your Imsai or Altair machines, 
or possibly a high-speed reader.  Loading at 110 baud is tedious, but 
not quite as tedious as toggling a program in from the console!  As you
probably recall, unless you have a PROM board for your S100 machines, you
will be toggling boot loader code into the machines every time you power
them up, and often when you decide to change programs.  A good PROM
monitor system will make this a thing of the past, as your machine can
have its boot vector set to jump directly into the PROM and be ready to
load code.  That's one of the great things about my 680, even though it
is a front panel machine, it was never really intended to be operated from
the panel (as is obvious by its lack of control for things like DEPOSIT
NEXT, EXAMINE NEXT, etc - every address change is a manual change of the
address switches).

You've certainly come to the right place - the fellas here eat, breathe,
and sleep Teletypes.  I joined the list at one point when I thought I 
had reached my wits end, but one more good night's sleep and another read
of the manual fixed the major issue I'd been having.  Since I was already
on the list, I decided to tell the crew here about my adventure, and
as you've already witnessed - I got a ton of parts delivered to my door!

Those reproduction vinyl hammer pads that Dave had made, and that Wayne
wants to send you, are a must-have part.  If the original rubber pad
goes (and it will, in the middle of printing something!) your type 
cylinder will be *ruined* in just a couple seconds thereafter.  The
removal of the old rubber is simple if you're cautious, and after you
have cleaned up the metal of as much rubber residue as possible, the
new vinyl part simply snaps onto the metal part with no fuss!

I see from your photos on your wiki that you still have the metal
trim plate across the front of the machine, that's good news!  Those
things tend to disappear, since the only thing that holds them on
are a couple places where they try to grab hold of the plastic, and
the main "fastener" is the mode selection knob.

You might enjoy a video I recently made:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGjTZxRdYD8

This video demonstrates using the co-resident Assembler/Editor 
package on the Altair 680 to input, edit, assemble, make a program
listing page, and punch the final object tape, all using the 33 ASR.

Enjoy your projects, and keep us posted on your progress! :)

cheers,
j

Jeff Albrecht(jeffa) wrote:
> Hi,
> 
>  
> 
> I've been reading the list for several weeks. Now that I've retrieved my
> teletype model 33 KSR left behind in storage when I moved from Spokane, Wa.
> to Mesa, Az. I'm ready to get to work restoring what was once my father's
> I/O for an Imsai 8080 S-100 computer. I remember playing startrek(.bas) on
> it. I also picked up an ASR as I'm really wanting the paper punch/reader
> lacking in our old KSR. My interest in the Model 33s is for display with my
> late 70s early 80s computers. I still have Dad's unfinished Altair kit, I've
> recently rebuilt the power supply in his Imsai and I've got my old CompuPro
> up and running MP/M 8-16.
> 
>  
> 
> FWIW I recently picked up a Hazeltine 1500 serial terminal. It's interesting
> in that it can be configured for current loop. Maybe handy for testing.
> 
>  
> 
> I've got a page started with some pictures and restoration notes.
> http://retrowagon.org/wiki/index.php/Teletype_Model_33_SN_xyz (Shortened:
> http://rodaw.me/1dAG4z3 )
> 
>  
> 
> I have three Teletype technical manuals. I'm currently reading Volume I
> "General Description and Principles of Operation"
> 
>  
> 
> Hoping to find something obvious. Otherwise is there anyone in the Phoenix
> area that might be able to help me repair this? Or does repair work? Or if
> not local are there any people still doing repair that I could ship or
> deliver this to?
> 
>  
> 
> So far they both power up, motors running but in hopefully local mode I get
> nothing when depressing the keys. The innards don't appear to be very gummy.
> The ASR seems newer than the KSR judging by the look of the circuit boards
> and components. The KSR is missing the modem which I understand would have
> been located in the base.
> 
>  
> 
> I'm looking for some 
> 
> -          Paper tape for the ASR. 
> 
> -          Couple type wheel hammer pads.
> 
> -          Cover plate that goes under rotary dial with holes for buttons.
> 
> -          Volume control knob.
> 
>  
> 
> Is this greenkeys list archived and indexed anywhere suitable for searching?
> I found this http://www.rtty.com/greenkeys.htm but the search cgi is broken.
> 
>  
> 
> Has anyone written a troubleshooting guide for the Model 33? Good blog post
> or ??
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks for reading. 
> 
>  
> 
> -          jeffa
> 
>  
> 
> Jeff Albrecht KF7CRU
> 
>  
> 

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