Altair 8800 - Video #7.2 - 4K BASIC Console Alternatives

[@roysutton9592]

Back in the mid 70s I used my 8K Altair BASIC with paper tape. The load time on an ASR-33 for 68 feet at 10 bytes per second @ 110 baud was horrendous. I found an optical phototransistor array from TI that had the 8 bits and the 9th for the sprocket hole was used to strobe the data into an Intel 8212 parallel port. Then it was able to enter the data as fast as I could pull the paper tape through a set of bent piano wire guides. I eventually used a hand drill and rubber wheels. The cost of a 1Kx8 EPROM was then around $100.

[@amaningdmusic]

Glad to see another video from you!

[@Rouverius]

Looking at the title, I was wonder how you were going to get 3840 x 2160 resolution monitor connected to that amazing piece of history. Still, great video!

[@sundhaug92]

USB serial on a modern PC

[@ericsills6484]

The A/B switch idea is kinda funny after seeing the 8-bit guy's video about the Commodore computers where he talks about the screen going blank for a couple of compatibility related reasons.

[@wrongmouse1658]

One Saturday in the late 70’s I thought I wanted to play a game of Battleship. After toggling in the bootloader, I started loading my copy of 12K MS basic paper tape. That was 45 minutes, and it came to READY. Next, I started the load of Battleship paper tape. That was another 45 minutes, and that too came to READY. Then the power to the apartment blinked. I then left the apartment in disgusted to do something else. The next board I bought was an auto tape interface. That lasted for about a month or two and after that was a floppy drive system (90K).

[@allanegleston4931]

omg ,,,, a amber screen. had 1 for my 286 that was converted to a 486 se . loved it .i came in on the last vestages of punched paper tape , punched cards and giant magnetic tape reels , oh forgot , teyetypes too also. cool historic video. thanks .

[@Lee_Adamson_OCF]

Mannn, that thing is beautiful.

[@edgeeffect]

I might be wrong (it was a LONG TIME ago) but I'm sure I once saw a BASIC where "Ok" or "READY" was a command. It did nothing at all but eliminated the "Syntax Error" when loading and/or editing programs.

[@widgewidge8606]

I find every single video of yours to be very interesting, thanks.

[@cjstanonis]

Love my clone!!!! Thanks, Mike!

[@AmazingJeeves]

Great video. I have a question not so much about the Altair, but about serial terminals. Have you ever known anyone to attach a dial-up modem directly to an ASCII terminal for dialing into BBSes? I ask because I just got ahold of an IBM 3151 and thought it might be worth trying, at least until I can get another system to play around with. Thanks.

[@markandrewsolis2049]

Wow. Modern day Gog and Magog starring the Altair 8800 clone as NOVAC. :-)

[@saulalifi8262]

I think you mean Tower of Babel.

[@radishpineapple74]

Did you personally patch BASIC yourself, or is this available online somewhere?

[@deramp5113]

I created the patched version of Altair 4K BASIC. You can find it here deramp.com/downloads/altair/software/papertape_cassette/4K%20BASIC%20Alternate%20Console/

[@radishpineapple74]

@@deramp5113 Very cool, thanks for the link. Very well commented, I must say. An idea for a video would be to go through the process of making a patch like this using the old hardware and software, like people had to do in the old days. Struggling with ed might be a bit much, but doing it on CP/M would still be really fun to watch.

[@undergroundman1993]

Is there a place where you can buy a copy of 4K basic on paper tape?

[@deramp5113]

You can find the tape images for various versions of Altair BASIC at the following link. Anyone with a punch can create a copy of a tape. deramp.com/downloads/altair/software/papertape_cassette/

[@mgas1237]

Great video as usual :) You inspired me to build an Arduino based clone. Its fun to learn with.

[@KrisRyanStallard]

Where do you get paper tape and printer ribbon from? I'm a little shocked that you're able to get these things in 2020!

[@tomlake2732]

Walmart sells the paper rolls. The paper tape is still available from automated cutting machine dealers.

[@SimonClarkstone]

Do you have any FORTHs for this machine? It was suited to tiny machines like this.

[@grossteilfahrer]

Do notice the mechanical "bits" under the carriage

[@codecage9333]

The proverbial bit bucket!

[@felixgraphx]

This is so cool!!

[@RedFathom]

what about using the OP-80A?

[@rty1955]

I volunteer at a computer museum where we have about a doz Altair machines, about 18 IMSAI machines and a slew of asr devices. I repair all this equipment. We also have the only PDP-9 that actually works Stop switching from online to local......

[@huseman21]

The left side of that printer looks like it ate your fingers as a snack? Anyways set it up as a bitcoin miner.