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Vintage Computers Any vintage computer systems, calculators, video games etc., but with an emphasis on 1980s and earlier equipment.

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Old 21st Nov 2022, 11:55 am   #21
microtan_man
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Default Re: Intelgraph (Computer Aids) Intelligent Graphics / 80col VDU Interface board

Many thanks for posting the info on the Intelgraph board. I've been looking out for details of this for years. I shall update the www.microtan.ukpc.net website with this new info to share with the Microtan community. After reading through the comments, I've updated the site's Firmware page and included some photos on the case on the Micron page. Please let me know if there are any other broken links or missing info.
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Old 21st Nov 2022, 10:35 pm   #22
Mark1960
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Default Re: Intelgraph (Computer Aids) Intelligent Graphics / 80col VDU Interface board

Welcome to the forum, I have been searching your microtan pages for a few weeks now as they are a very comprehensive source of information on the Microtan 65.

The Microtan 65 was my third computer after the MK14 and a homebrew based on a z80 board from my first employer. The z80 ended up being a keyboard for the Microtan, but unfortunately no longer working due to loss of firmware. I skipped zx80, zx81 and Spectrum as they were only toys to play games. I’m hoping to find some time to get the Microtan running again soon.
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Old 22nd Nov 2022, 2:28 am   #23
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Default Re: Intelgraph (Computer Aids) Intelligent Graphics / 80col VDU Interface board

Quote:
Originally Posted by microtan_man View Post
Many thanks for posting the info on the Intelgraph board. I've been looking out for details of this for years. I shall update the www.microtan.ukpc.net website with this new info to share with the Microtan community. After reading through the comments, I've updated the site's Firmware page and included some photos on the case on the Micron page. Please let me know if there are any other broken links or missing info.
Welcome to the forum, and thanks for fixing / updating the website.
I've now found the manual pdf, and I see it just covers the Toolkit, so hopefully much of the Intelgraph one I scanned here applies to the TUG 80/82 board.
And thanks for also adding a disassembly-listing of Vbug 6 (PTL), which I see has had quite a bit of commenting added to it.

Many years ago, I did have a Microtan system myself that I'd re-built after acquiring a few of the bits separately after someone had started to dismantle one / removed the odd IC. But I passed it on, after I'd got it working.
However, I do have a friend who's still got one from when they first came out, and will have to see if he's got any documentation / software that's not currently archived on the 'net, as he'd previously offered to lend me any of it.
I may also be tempted to build a replica one day.
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Old 24th Nov 2022, 8:31 pm   #24
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Default Re: Intelgraph (Computer Aids) Intelligent Graphics / 80col VDU Interface board

Thanks guys. I always welcome new material to include on the site. It started off as a place for me to keep all the docs and info notes I had - to avoid having to search for it or relearn the system's intricacies each time I went back to it. Since then many other users have contributed and it has helped an even greater number of users getting their systems live again including old users who have rebuilt a new one.

I've now added the Intelgraph board to the Products page.
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Old 24th Nov 2022, 11:53 pm   #25
Mark1960
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Default Re: Intelgraph (Computer Aids) Intelligent Graphics / 80col VDU Interface board

Are the connectors on the Microtan backplanes on one inch spacing?

I have an old Verorack, I think its a KM6, bought as surplus from work. The card guides are on 0.6 inch spacing so if I continue to use this I probably can’t use a standard backplane. The rack does have guides that suit the size of the Microtan boards.

I have a short length of veroboard that I handwired for the main board and tanex and hand wired onto the end of a length of backplane that was intended for 96 way connectors but fitted with 64 way a+b type. The veroboard isn’t even mounted on the rack, just floating in the space when the main board and tanex are removed.

I did get as far as laying out a pcb with black tape on clear acetate sheet all those years ago but never got around to getting it made as the company moved and we lost access to the prototyping workshop.
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Old 25th Nov 2022, 12:42 am   #26
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Default Re: Intelgraph (Computer Aids) Intelligent Graphics / 80col VDU Interface board

IIRC, they were a bit more than 1" spacing - at least on the only-two horizontally-mounted boards inside the Micron system cased one I actually had, and I've now discovered a photo of the inside of (that I've failed to find using Google Images search):
http://www.microtan.ukpc.net/Micron/MicronInside.jpg

You can probably judge the spacing by working out scale relative to the taller parts like the TV RF-Modulator / HC49 crystal.
Or by making scaled relative measurements, from this top-side view of the Micron backplane PCB: http://www.microtan.ukpc.net/MBmicron.JPG

However, comparing photos of the Micron 2-slot backplane and the full Motherboards here:
http://www.microtan.ukpc.net/pagePro...l#MOTHERBOARDS
It does appear that there's a rather narrower spacing in the vertical rack. And maybe any boards with taller parts, need to go at one end of this / you have to leave an adjacent slot vacant. Plus I've just noticed that the CPU-labelled slot at the end, has a much larger gap to the next slot, than those between subsequent slots.

Last edited by ortek_service; 25th Nov 2022 at 12:48 am.
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Old 25th Nov 2022, 8:21 am   #27
microtan_man
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Default Re: Intelgraph (Computer Aids) Intelligent Graphics / 80col VDU Interface board

The spacing of the sockets on the Microtan motherboards are multiples of 0.2" so that they are compatible with the guide rail spacing in (old?) standard 19" racks. For the Mini-motherboard the spacing is 1.4". On the full-sized Tangerine motherboard they are 0.8" apart except between the CPU and TANEX boards which are 2.2" apart.
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