Pinging Peter Forbes

Ah, thereby hangeth a tale....

Braemar want an arm and three legs for repairs to any tape drive that you send to them, but they will repair one in almost any condition.

Is yours actually mangled or just missing altogether?

I have a spare mangled one that was damaged after being launched across the workshop by the previous owner, and a I have a spare controller for the Newing-Hall CNC unit which is sitting at our friend's place in Phoenix Az in the US of A. Said friends are on a big bird to Thailand as I type, and won't be back for 3 weeks...

So, what can we do?

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Web:

Peter,I don`t have one,and up until Thursday didn`t want one. Braemar cassettes were used by a few of the British machine tool builders for storing backup copies of their machine software.I`m in the unfortunate position of having a control with corrupted bubble memory,I have the executive tapes but nothing to load them with. I have three options,I can bring in a GE chappie at =A350/hr and 450 miles travelling at =A30.60 with no guarantee that the software is still readable or I can find another lathe owner with the same release version of the software who will let me copy his bubble memory onto a utility board for uploading to my control,or download a copy of his files to disc. Or find a loader and try uploading them myself. Apparently it is possible to download from the bubble to a laptop but not possible to download from the tape loader to a laptop. What do you call "an arm and a leg"? I have another three machines here with the same control but not the same software version.The control in question is a GE2000T. I have one other remote chance in that BSA may have a spare bubble board but won`t find out about that until they come back from the holidays. Any ideas? regards,Mark.

They (Braemar) were talking about $250 - $350. I still have the emails from them and a contact name if you need it.

Easiest thing to do is for me to lend you a tape drive for now so you can try it out? Too late for post now as the drive is at the factory, but can post it off Recorded Delivery on Wednesday, is that any help?

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Web:

Peter,that`s a very kind offer.Does it have a serial or parallel output?I think it would be better waiting until the new year before sending it as resident software expert (son) does not work holidays,after 1630 hrs or any day beginning with an S. I will email address offline. I found a link to Braemar that you had posted on one of the other boards and have sent off an email to them.It may be worth eventually buying your knackered one and sending it off to them. regards,Mark.

It's a small IC socket connector, 16-pin. The PCB doesn't have any room for anthing else, so it's probably their standard for this unit.

I haven't a clue as to what output type, but I'd guess at serial, that's what most cassette drives used.

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Web: