Marko Mäkelä wrote:
>
> A while back, I got this message. I tried to search André Fachat's page
> for a FAQ or history of the PET computers, but the pages weren't there
> (at <URL:http://www.6502.org/users/andre/petindex/petindex.html>). Same
> for Larry's PET page. Is my computing equipment cursed today (first the
> disk crash and now this), or what is going on?
>
> Marko
>
My (Larry's) PET Page had switched servers back in Feb(?) you can now find it
(and a bunch of other new PET stuff) at:
http://www.jps.net/foxnhare/commodore.html
> Date: Mon, 06 Sep 1999 18:01:00 CEST
> From: _ _ <mrkz@hotmail.com>
> [...]
>
> I have just come over a piece of classic computer-history, and now I have
> some questions of the hardware. Some days ago I bought this:
>
> * Commodore PET 200 (exactly the same as on the picture at:
> http://calvin.ptloma.edu/~spectre/ckb/secret/cbm-200.jpg)
> * Commodore CBM dual drive floppy disk model 8050
> * Commodore Tractor Printer 4022
>
> The PET 200 (serial no: 14167) is in very good condition with just a few
> minor scratches. When I switch it on, it gives away a nice bleeping sound,
> and the green screen shows that the ROM is loaded with "commodore basic
> 4.0", and that it has 31743 bytes free.
> The keyboard has a Swedish layout, with the three extra keys found in the
> Swedish alphabet (åäö/ÅÄÖ). There are a few keys that doesn't seem to work
> when pressed (3,6,9,*/:,run/stop and inst/del). There actually also were
> some malfunctional keys on the numeric keypad, but after I dissambled the
> keyboard-contact and adjusted a pin, the numeric keyboard now works fine.
> Maybe I should try to tweak some other pins inside he keyboard-contact to
> see if I can get the rest of the keys to work properly too.
Could be a pin I suppose, I don't know the scan of the keyboard but it is
affecting much of a column (which is a giveaway, either columns or patterns of
keys not working, like every other or third...). Though it could just be that
the keys need cleaning.
>
> The floppy diskdrive (serial no: 09557) is a huge piece of metal and plastic
> and when connected to the PET 200 shines with three red LEDs. I noticed that
> when the PET 200 is shut off, the drive flashes the right and middle LED
> from green to red light. I also noticed that when the PET is connected to
> the 8050, it does not give away any startup-sound when switched on. Maybe
> that sound only works as a warning to tell that there's no extra floppy
> attached?
You have the connector connected properly, in the right port and right side
up? Sounds almost like you are plugging the drive in the user port...
>
> The Tractor Printer seem so work to, and when turned on, the printer head
> slides from side to side and then stops with a the button (with the initials
> T.O.F) shines red.
I remember those, bulky monsters (with that tractor thing sticking out),
though it was cool to have the PET trapezoid banner on the front.) Could be
out of paper? I recall the one we had at school doing that, look for a switch
that senses presence of paper and check it.
> Now, I've never owned such an old computer as the PET 200 so I am a bit
> confused/concerned what to do with it. Fro the beginning, I was only to buy
> a 1541 diskdrive for my old C=64, but also ended up with this extra
> hardware. It was the Commodore-logo that made me acquire the PET :)
There are some games, some educational programs, a few word processors, a
database or three, VisiCalc spreadsheet, etc.
>
> So, I now want to know as much as possible of the PET 200. When it was
> introduced,
That was one of the later models; probably 1981 or maybe a little later.
> what it costed, if it's rare
In the U.S. it is quite rare, I think in europe it is more common (I am led to
believe that model was produced on that side of the Atlantic.
> if the Swedish keyboard makes it
> even rare, to whom it was aimed (i.e. secretarys or business analysts)
> and... well... everything!
It was primarily a business or school machine, back then they were about
$700-$1,000 U.S., not cheap.
> I also would like to know how to operate it. It seems like the basic works
> in the same way as he old C=64, but I really would like to know if there's a
> copy of a manual to come over somewhere.
The BASIC is almost identical to the Commodore 64, with the extra 4.0 disk
commands, Check my URL (below) I have a good command quick reference and an
almost complete full reference...
> I also would like to have some
> software to play with. I know there are games produced especially for the
> PET, so do you know where I can get some 5 1/4"-floppies?
I have d64 images on my site of some games, as well as some on the funet.fi
FTP site too. The tough part will be getting them to 8050 format as there is
no equivalent drive for the 64 (which would have been your best conversion route.
>
> I really hope to get some of my questions answered. I am just so glad I now
> own a beatutiful computer as the PET 200! :)
Really cool case, hope I find one someday... ;)
--
01000011 01001111 01001101 01001101 01001111 01000100 01001111 01010010 01000101
Larry Anderson - Sysop of Silicon Realms BBS (209) 754-1363 300-2400 baud
Commodore 8-bit page at: http://www.jps.net/foxnhare/commodore.html
01000011 01001111 01001101 01010000 01010101 01010100 01000101 01010010 01010011
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