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Adam Zeloof

Fri, Jan 31, 2025 8:29 PM

Hi All,

I bought an HP 5370A off of Ebay, and the listing showed the display
powered on. Once I got it, I powered it up and can hear the fans spin, but
no LEDS illuminate. Upon opening it up, I noticed that A12 (the ROM board)
is missing. Was there any configuration that shipped without A12, with its
functionality elsewhere? I'm trying to determine whether something broke in
shipping or I was just sent an incomplete unit.

Thanks,
Adam

Hi All, I bought an HP 5370A off of Ebay, and the listing showed the display powered on. Once I got it, I powered it up and can hear the fans spin, but no LEDS illuminate. Upon opening it up, I noticed that A12 (the ROM board) is missing. Was there any configuration that shipped without A12, with its functionality elsewhere? I'm trying to determine whether something broke in shipping or I was just sent an incomplete unit. Thanks, Adam

C-

Croma641 - Holofarm

Fri, Jan 31, 2025 11:21 PM

This can be the right (and modern) solution:

http://www.jks.com/5370/5370.html

regards

Andrea

Il 31/01/2025 21:29, Adam Zeloof via time-nuts ha scritto:

Hi All,

I bought an HP 5370A off of Ebay, and the listing showed the display
powered on. Once I got it, I powered it up and can hear the fans spin, but
no LEDS illuminate. Upon opening it up, I noticed that A12 (the ROM board)
is missing. Was there any configuration that shipped without A12, with its
functionality elsewhere? I'm trying to determine whether something broke in
shipping or I was just sent an incomplete unit.

Thanks,
Adam

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This can be the right (and modern) solution: http://www.jks.com/5370/5370.html regards Andrea Il 31/01/2025 21:29, Adam Zeloof via time-nuts ha scritto: > Hi All, > > I bought an HP 5370A off of Ebay, and the listing showed the display > powered on. Once I got it, I powered it up and can hear the fans spin, but > no LEDS illuminate. Upon opening it up, I noticed that A12 (the ROM board) > is missing. Was there any configuration that shipped without A12, with its > functionality elsewhere? I'm trying to determine whether something broke in > shipping or I was just sent an incomplete unit. > > Thanks, > Adam > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com > To unsubscribe send an email to time-nuts-leave@lists.febo.com

GH

Glen Hoag

Fri, Jan 31, 2025 11:31 PM

A 5370A would have shipped with a ROM card.

At some point during the life of the 5370B, Fairchild discontinued the 3870 processor that HP designed into many of their early units and HP redesigned the CPU card around the Motorola MC6809 processor. I do not recall whether the ROMs were integrated into the CPU card of the revised version.

(The later CPU can be used in the earlier instrument.)

Check the CPU card to see what processor is in place.

There was also a project by John Seamon to replace the CPU card in the HP5370A/B with a BeagleBone Black single board computer mounted to a daughter card. It runs the original 6809 code in emulation and adds an Ethernet capability.

The software needs a refresh, but the original package runs fine.

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 31, 2025, at 17:13, Adam Zeloof via time-nuts time-nuts@lists.febo.com wrote:

Hi All,

I bought an HP 5370A off of Ebay, and the listing showed the display
powered on. Once I got it, I powered it up and can hear the fans spin, but
no LEDS illuminate. Upon opening it up, I noticed that A12 (the ROM board)
is missing. Was there any configuration that shipped without A12, with its
functionality elsewhere? I'm trying to determine whether something broke in
shipping or I was just sent an incomplete unit.

Thanks,
Adam

time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com
To unsubscribe send an email to time-nuts-leave@lists.febo.com

A 5370A would have shipped with a ROM card. At some point during the life of the 5370B, Fairchild discontinued the 3870 processor that HP designed into many of their early units and HP redesigned the CPU card around the Motorola MC6809 processor. I do not recall whether the ROMs were integrated into the CPU card of the revised version. (The later CPU can be used in the earlier instrument.) Check the CPU card to see what processor is in place. There was also a project by John Seamon to replace the CPU card in the HP5370A/B with a BeagleBone Black single board computer mounted to a daughter card. It runs the original 6809 code in emulation and adds an Ethernet capability. The software needs a refresh, but the original package runs fine. Sent from my iPhone > On Jan 31, 2025, at 17:13, Adam Zeloof via time-nuts <time-nuts@lists.febo.com> wrote: > > Hi All, > > I bought an HP 5370A off of Ebay, and the listing showed the display > powered on. Once I got it, I powered it up and can hear the fans spin, but > no LEDS illuminate. Upon opening it up, I noticed that A12 (the ROM board) > is missing. Was there any configuration that shipped without A12, with its > functionality elsewhere? I'm trying to determine whether something broke in > shipping or I was just sent an incomplete unit. > > Thanks, > Adam > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com > To unsubscribe send an email to time-nuts-leave@lists.febo.com

BC

Bob Camp

Sat, Feb 1, 2025 12:24 AM

Hi

Others know far more about the fiddly details of the 5370 than I do …. still I’d say that you got
an incomplete unit. Without what’s on that ROM board, it’s not going to do very much.

What is pretty well known: There is a lot of “calibration information” that is stuffed away in various
places on the 5370. Just what that data is and how you rebuild it is pretty much “unknown” outside
the production line making 5370’s.

The very much are not “DIY friendly” …..

Bob

On Jan 31, 2025, at 3:29 PM, Adam Zeloof via time-nuts time-nuts@lists.febo.com wrote:

Hi All,

I bought an HP 5370A off of Ebay, and the listing showed the display
powered on. Once I got it, I powered it up and can hear the fans spin, but
no LEDS illuminate. Upon opening it up, I noticed that A12 (the ROM board)
is missing. Was there any configuration that shipped without A12, with its
functionality elsewhere? I'm trying to determine whether something broke in
shipping or I was just sent an incomplete unit.

Thanks,
Adam

time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com
To unsubscribe send an email to time-nuts-leave@lists.febo.com

Hi Others know far more about the fiddly details of the 5370 than I do …. still I’d say that you got an incomplete unit. Without what’s on that ROM board, it’s not going to do very much. What is pretty well known: There is a lot of “calibration information” that is stuffed away in various places on the 5370. Just what that data is and how you rebuild it is pretty much “unknown” outside the production line making 5370’s. The very much are not “DIY friendly” ….. Bob > On Jan 31, 2025, at 3:29 PM, Adam Zeloof via time-nuts <time-nuts@lists.febo.com> wrote: > > Hi All, > > I bought an HP 5370A off of Ebay, and the listing showed the display > powered on. Once I got it, I powered it up and can hear the fans spin, but > no LEDS illuminate. Upon opening it up, I noticed that A12 (the ROM board) > is missing. Was there any configuration that shipped without A12, with its > functionality elsewhere? I'm trying to determine whether something broke in > shipping or I was just sent an incomplete unit. > > Thanks, > Adam > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com > To unsubscribe send an email to time-nuts-leave@lists.febo.com

PK

Poul-Henning Kamp

Sat, Feb 1, 2025 5:35 AM

Bob Camp via time-nuts writes:

I think you are remembering wrong here Bob, on the HP5370 all calibration
is purely electronic and the CPU doesn't even have any special code for
calibration purposes.

--
Poul-Henning Kamp | UNIX since Zilog Zeus 3.20
phk@FreeBSD.ORG | TCP/IP since RFC 956
FreeBSD committer | BSD since 4.3-tahoe
Never attribute to malice what can adequately be explained by incompetence.

Bob Camp via time-nuts writes: I think you are remembering wrong here Bob, on the HP5370 all calibration is purely electronic and the CPU doesn't even have any special code for calibration purposes. -- Poul-Henning Kamp | UNIX since Zilog Zeus 3.20 phk@FreeBSD.ORG | TCP/IP since RFC 956 FreeBSD committer | BSD since 4.3-tahoe Never attribute to malice what can adequately be explained by incompetence.

GD

guido de vries

Sat, Feb 1, 2025 2:39 PM

Hello, I think it is wise to first check the basics such as supply voltages and whether the 5370 is equipped with an internal 10811 oscillator. If the 10MHz clock is not present, the processor/firmware will not start anyway. In that case, the EXT text is probably visible and an external 5/10MHz must be connected. The clock input switch on the rear panel must also be in the correct position.
In addition, I have also made a modification to have the entire firmware on the processor card with an extra EPROM containing the contents of the 8 separate ROMs. And in that case, there does not need to be a ROM card present.

Regards, Guido PE1MHY

Op 01-02-2025 06:35 CET schreef Poul-Henning Kamp via time-nuts time-nuts@lists.febo.com:

Bob Camp via time-nuts writes:

I think you are remembering wrong here Bob, on the HP5370 all calibration
is purely electronic and the CPU doesn't even have any special code for
calibration purposes.

--
Poul-Henning Kamp | UNIX since Zilog Zeus 3.20
phk@FreeBSD.ORG | TCP/IP since RFC 956
FreeBSD committer | BSD since 4.3-tahoe
Never attribute to malice what can adequately be explained by incompetence.

time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com
To unsubscribe send an email to time-nuts-leave@lists.febo.com

Hello, I think it is wise to first check the basics such as supply voltages and whether the 5370 is equipped with an internal 10811 oscillator. If the 10MHz clock is not present, the processor/firmware will not start anyway. In that case, the EXT text is probably visible and an external 5/10MHz must be connected. The clock input switch on the rear panel must also be in the correct position. In addition, I have also made a modification to have the entire firmware on the processor card with an extra EPROM containing the contents of the 8 separate ROMs. And in that case, there does not need to be a ROM card present. Regards, Guido PE1MHY > Op 01-02-2025 06:35 CET schreef Poul-Henning Kamp via time-nuts <time-nuts@lists.febo.com>: > > > Bob Camp via time-nuts writes: > > I think you are remembering wrong here Bob, on the HP5370 all calibration > is purely electronic and the CPU doesn't even have any special code for > calibration purposes. > > -- > Poul-Henning Kamp | UNIX since Zilog Zeus 3.20 > phk@FreeBSD.ORG | TCP/IP since RFC 956 > FreeBSD committer | BSD since 4.3-tahoe > Never attribute to malice what can adequately be explained by incompetence. > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com > To unsubscribe send an email to time-nuts-leave@lists.febo.com

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HP 5370A Missing ROM Card