Broken Atlantic Research Interview 40A Vintage Computer / Data Analyzer 

A project not working after getting "flooded in an abandoned mine" is very on-brand for this channel.

I had one of these before it was stolen. It's a very special piece of equipment for analyzing old modem and RS-232 circuits. If you ever decide you don't want I'll buy it from you. I spent many hours working on telephone data circuits with one of these exact same devices. This was back when 9600 baud was considered FAST!!! Check the power supply for voltages and ripple with a scope.

The day has finally come... a "Don't Care" button. It's beautiful.

Worth the $5 just for the video content. Really nice hardware back in the 80's.

The video output is 99% chance just a BW luminance output - in other words a composite output without the color information (and thus not “composite”). You did everything right as far as getting video out but I suspect there are possibly multiple issues with the unit. One easy/quick thing you could check is see if you can detect a clock signal on the input to the CPU (you could use your NanoVNA or an oscilloscope). If the crystal creating the clock has gone bad the whole thing would act dead. Also you can check the main power supply rail voltages. Chances are it uses standard voltages like +5, -5, +12, maybe +18 or +25V.

That panel keyboard featuring "don't care" needs to be on a tee shirt

The video out is NTSC composite video. Check the power supply for +/- 12 volts and 5 volts. Look for an orange glow at the back of the CRT. We could do a Zoom call and I could walk you through some trouble shooting steps.

Now that is really cool. I recently was given an HP serial analyzer that I plan to use for reverse engineering equipment.

That was a blast from the past. Good times dealing with RS232 interfaces.

Free Geek is great, I donate stuff to them all the time.

I used to know some engineers who used to work at AR in the late 1980's. One of them gave me an old semi-functional chassis which I stripped for parts. Several Z80 CPUs and a 8530 or two. It was a lot of fun to muck about with - I still have lots of 74LS parts from it in my junk box.

Good Lord, fix it!

Here for the cats anyways. No loss here.

We actually had a couple or three of these units back in the early 1980s when I worked for a company that made massive RS-232 data switches (PACX IV and friends). EEPROMs (Electrically-Erasable Read-Only Memory) was invented in 1972, by the same guy who invented flash memory. We used some EEPROMs at work back then, but mostly it was UV Erasable EPROMs. The phrase "firmware" has been around for quite a few decades, and we used that to refer to the code that was running on our hardware, programmed into non-volatile (usually EPROM) memory.

I had one of those Sony Watchmans back in the late 80s/early 90s. I drilled a hole in the battery case fed some wires through the hole so I could use a wall adapter.

If I had space and space $$, I'd have tons of stuff like that to run other things.. What a beautiful piece of history~

232 serial data analysers, were a thing in the 70’s~80’s, when I was in datacomms. It became a valued tool, when there were intermittent, or unknown data format/command issues, with, “in band” signalling (commands hidden in the data stream). The little cables, were for making crossover signalling, while debugging. Like spare wheels, seldom used, but a lifesaver, when needed. $5, what a find! The Z80, is worth more 😆

We want it as a cyberdeck!!!

Love the B roll with the voice over showing off the box!

Great video. I would change the storage battery. Some old computers won't start without a battery. Best regards Paul

I love free geek! I can’t even remember how many computers and other tech I have donated to them and bought from them over the years. They have so much other great tech though, it comes and goes so it’s worth going there often if you live nearby.

if you are going to have a "old computer collectors" hobby you really are going to have to get more jiggy with that oscilloscope. Also might be thankful that there is no high voltage going through that. I recall earth straps being pretty cheeky. needs better investigation. Fun thing though. nice find

i do also love these "failed" projects. They are just as interesting as all your successful projects :) and for the CRT-part: in theory, you should be able to hook up a big crt tube, right? So just open up a CRT monitor that is known to work and hook up the cables of the little CRT to the big one.

Those are some really nice rubber feet on it! You got a bargain!

I miss my Sony Watchman. Thanks SIFP

Old TV is super neat, I've never seen a crt that you look directly at basically the back of the screen you would normally see

There seem to be some kind of battery on the add-on board. Check if it has started to leak and remove it. Treat the leakage with vinegar and after that with isopropyl alcohol (99.9% rubbing alcohol). I can be wrong. This won't fix it, but preserve it. Thanks for all your videos, looking forward to your book.

The video output would be overwhelmingly likely to be NTSC composite video -- it was made in the USA, and NTSC was de facto for such things back then.

Looking forward to follow up and hopefully sucess woth this!!

At least you got it to bleep. You could turn it into a door bell 😂

Is the CRT's cathode glowing orange?

what a cool score, and thanks for doin' what you do!

def do a tour of this place please!!!

I'm your father, Wireshark! (well, father of Ethereal)

very very rare...try first to check the powersupply,these equipment should run!....cool vid, thx.

"... show you what it would do... " Well we did get that bit of information anyway.

I am getting my HeathKit SB-614 station monitor ready to diagnose a CB radio. It's been in storage for 32 years, looks like it's working fine disconnected. I expect something will need attention. It has a small CRT for the oscilloscope.

Good luck in getting that thing going!

Great video...👍

I don’t know if you caught the kickstand on the bottom as well. Definitely helps with the use ability with something like this.

I would suspect the power supply to be the issue. You might see if there's any silkscreen markings on the board as far as voltage goes. It would be easy enough to check with a multimeter. If the screen had been cracked, it would be really dark. Since it's a nice shade of light grey I don't think that's the issue.

Firmware is really a new term for BIOS, the software deeply interlinked with the device it's running. on. So Firmware would be correct to say - the test connector could be used for factory test jigs, the firmware would be burned to the non volatile memory before inserting those chips.

Echt Geweldig dat je daar zo nu nog aan die Dingen kan Komen.

Waiting for the CuriousMarc/SaveItForParts collab…

An interesting device, it's a shame that it's no longer working. It can never be a mistake to measure the operating voltages, so that's where I would start. I'm curious to see if you can bring the device back to life.

My guess is the +12V is missing from the power supply. Devices like these very often run the monitor on 12V, and almost always the video output circuit (like the last transistor before the video output on the back) also runs on 12V so even if the device didn't have some exotic RAMs and ROMs that require 12V, you'd still end up dead in the water with no working CRT and not even a video signal even though the motherboard generates one (or most of it). And of course the MoBo could be very dead, that beep has an analog frequency stability to it that doesn't sound like it was CPU controlled... who knows, who cares (pushes Don't Care button on HP 8175A)

Gosh I remember using them every day for data testing bask in the 80s, as a young tech.

You need a decent oscilloscope. Also, test equipment often used non standard sweep frequencies. Is there a model number on the monitor? They were rarely built in house. Ball made a lot of monitors back the. Panasonic also made a few. Those small CRTs used a low second anode voltage, and the CRT is mounted to the steel chassis, so the only way to se if there is HV is with a proper HV probe. As always, the first place to look is the power supply voltages. The monitors were typically +12V. The logic needs a clean +5V, and RS232 also needs a low current -12V supply. After that, you have to see if the processor is running, and if the RAM is good. At that age it could easily be a failed EPROM, with the firmware, There is no 'OS', as in modern computers. I would use an ESR meter to test every electrolytic capacitor. At +40 years old, many will have defective seal, and dried out. The rubber seals of that era will be in poor shape by now. They do not leak like modern caps, but excessive DC voltage or AC current through them can cause them to explode., I was repairing TVs in the middle '60s, when transformerless TVs used a voltage doubler to provide B+ It wasn't unusual to find the doubler capacitor with it's seal blown out and the aluminum foil and paper all over the inside of the set. This is used in modern PC switching supplies to operate at 120VAC.

Very Cool!!

If both HEX and FREEZE are lit up, that means you can cast an ice spell this turn.

There looked like a piece of bent steel wire in that Velcro bag of accessories. Could you compare it to the holes in the vertical expansion PCB that's accessible through the door on top of the machine? I think it's a tool for extracting the boards! As for getting the gadget working, first thing to check is the power supply, and after that re-seat all of the chips in their sockets. IC sockets of that era are notorious for having bad contacts.

I don"t know how much it's a museum piece. If it is, at least a bit, and you're interested to save it, this is other channels like @glasslinger which could be interested (or maybe not x) )

I

Supervisor shows up @ 3:24 😆

I'd say a power delivery issue. looking for bad caps or hot spots is always a good place to start. Or so I've heard.

Well, i think the signal never left the board . The symptoms fit perfectly for bad capacitors...i would desolder them and check the values.

Looks like my old data analyzer, basically an ancient a/d data accusition machine. Still easier to use a new pc, but these work fine. Lmk if you wanna fix it. its gonna be the power supply.

Examine the video output with a scope... if it's dead, it's dead Jim! The monitor should also have some easily identifiable interface stuff. You might look at the TRS80 Model 1 schematic, just about the same vintage etc... you could find the character generator chip and see if it's being buzzed by the uP. Love this content, good luck!

maybe an rtl-sdr with a antenna switcher and a bunch of different antenna output connectors?

Likely works as an old terminal emulator. Try sending it text over the serial connection to see if it displays.

Looks like the most portable laptop, that I've ever seen. LOL.

Check the crystal with an oscope, also the reset and address/data lines on the z80

Try replacing all the copastors on the power board and VGA CRT board and reflow all the plug connector solder joins.

1:16 oh yeah, show us them circuits you naughty thing!

there is still a "don't care" button on modern devices- is is labeled with an I and an O :)

Hi, you could hook up the video output to an amplifier, you should here something. The best way would be an oscilloscope, there cheap ones on Amazon that should be fine for this kind of tests.

I worked for Atlantic Research Corp from 1975 to 2003 when my division was sold off . My Dad was the Director of Manufacturing of the Teleproducts Division which invented and manufactured these products. I would be interested in acquiring the device if possible . My Dad died of COVID related issues in March 2020 .

First try reseating all socketed chips and cards. Next check all power rails. See if you can find a schematic or service manual. Next check CPU pins with a scope and it's datasheet pinout. You want to see activity on the data and address buss. Check the CPU's reset, IRQ, and wait lines and make sure they are becoming inactive so that the CPU can run. If you can find a copy of the ROMs then you can compare what you have with the copy and make sure they are good.

DO check the voltages to the EHT unit could still be a power supply problem poke around with your multi meter if its getting power ,i very rarely see a dead open crt heater so still think its the power supply of eht flyback transistor

$5 for that, I'd have bought it. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with it. :)

Check the electron gun pins for voltage, it also may be the display driver that's bad. If it's not, see if you can find the integration manual for the CRT from Motorola, they may have the required power settings for each pin, and using a power supply you might able to get it to fire (electrons lol)

The only thing I found of relevance (maybe) is that the company was colloquially known as ARC was a company '[that] used to develop and test propellants for various missiles and rockets.' What they have to do with test equipment, I do not know. If I understand they were in Manassas, Va and their site is some sort of toxic problem that eventually went to the supreme court.

Cool

Hey I got one of those.

When I was kid I used to spend hours fine tuning the family TV. Auto tune didn't work that well. On the Sony, did you slowly manually fine tune?

The reason it's not working is simple: You need a barbahexadine lamma convertrix to apply at least 24 ergs of anti rotation colo-vectral non-mogoscopony.

If you need help on debugging, you could ask Adrian's Digital Basement (youtube channel name). He repairs these kinds of machines for fun all the time.

You should get in contact with The 8 Bit Guy. He might know more about that

wow

Maybe ping people like Adrian's Digital Basement?

OK Crt not lighting up a few things to check , first check the heater is still intact does it light up on powering ? if not do a conductivity test unplug the CRT check the heater with a multimeter if ok Check theres 6.3 V at the heater could be as low as 4 volt on some CRTS , is there EHT HV on the last Anode about 5 to 7 KV if not or no voltage on either i would say ita a power supply problem....i hear a beep when you were pressing a button on the mother board so its got power there ......i could not hear if the units fan was running but seems like the mother board has power .....check for any fuses are open . my gut feeling is a HV Trany is dead on the EHT fly back transformer unit ...if so and eht is dead and can not be fixed those ali express bug zapper HV tiny units 3v 6v from memory to 7KV tiny in resin units work great for EHT and would get it up and running easy a LM317 to adjust what ever low volts you have there to 3 volts it will output clean DC to 7KV only thing the leads out of it are both red so you would need a HV probe for you multi meter to check which one to ground which one the positive to the anode .i can explain more if need be ...Another great video mate ;0 )

Don't care means something can be a 1 or a 0.

Man,always a good video from this channel. Vitage tech is awesome. If you're interested , i have a really cool 80s satellite phone setup you could review for free,if you're interested.

Hmm, Actually really cool for $5. I know you also have SDRs, so if I were you, I would see if any signal pops up there (connecting the video out from that thing to the SDR)

I've been seeing Free Geek stuff at Anime Detour for a couple of years now.

Put a cro on the video out. Alternately put a composite video into the video out in the hood it’s simply tee off to the internal crt. Can you identify the voltage supply for the crt and externally power it?

That would be like £200 over here just because it's old.. Looks a bit like my logic analyzer from the same era

0:41 If it's not a display terminal, $5 says it has an 8mhz 286 CPU in it.

I have a link to a manual for this, i think??

Don't you have all kinds of radio equipment that can inspect the output of this thing? i imagine at least something that can view some of a composite video signal or VHF or something on a scope or waterfall o rsomething?

New typing class home row: a, s, d, f, j, k, l, dont care

You can just touch the plug to the antenna for the channel 3? 😳

that thing screams packet/tnc terminal, rip the PSU out and put in a battery ;)

1:04 sorting machine from the 80s?

9:22 Adrian Black could help you with this.

You should really make a video of capturing internet from a satalite

My Phone cut off „Analyzer“ at the worst Spot. Data Anal.

0:15 I SO HATE YOU RIGHT NOW. YOU HAVE FREE GEEK. REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Could that be sdi video?

A ROM is a way to store firmware.