Altomare

I like old hardware and to start projects I'll never finish.
From Paris, with leaded solder.

Website: https://altoma.re/

Public Key

npub159plrxazgdeea2d6e340scq7f5x590rtudexf60dxy378g0kmwmquxm7ts

NIP-05 Address

[email protected]

Profile Code

nprofile1qqs2zsl3nw3yxuu74xavc6hcvq0y6r2zh347xunya8knzglr58mdhdsprpmhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumt0d4hhxarj9ecxjmntglgjvv

Publishing to

relay.momostr.pink

Author Public Key

npub159plrxazgdeea2d6e340scq7f5x590rtudexf60dxy378g0kmwmquxm7ts

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Last Notes

2026-09-24 18:15:36 GMT

I found some very neat tact switches, but I have no idea what their manufacturer or part number is. They were alongside classic digitast switches, and the bottom part matches some digitast clones.
Is anyone familiar with them?
#electronics
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/117/327/367/121/381/935/original/230bb2839565fdf3.jpg
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/117/327/367/527/755/342/original/64bb52b1723df17a.jpg
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/117/327/367/530/644/965/original/ec8c34010fa6d3e0.jpg

2026-09-03 19:03:25 GMT

Functional PCB art from the 60s. It's likely a 3 decade count from 0 to 999. I assume it was for lab equipment but I'm not sure. I only know it's made in France, likely by someone who worked at Intertechnique.
Apologies for the hasty pictures, there will be better ones once the board is installed in a museum (spoiler alert?).
#electronics #pcbart
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/117/208/644/018/701/642/original/3871c22dbc7bada8.jpg
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/117/208/643/073/936/061/original/2b9254956d750f80.jpg
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/117/208/652/244/685/024/original/4ef5e7e609989bbd.jpg

2026-08-09 15:47:29 GMT

Bibliothèque scientifique à sauver !
Un institut parisien va se débarrasser de ces trois étagères de livres mi-septembre. Tout est récupérable (meuble inclus) entre le 15 août et le 15 septembre environ.
Si un laboratoire, association ou autre a la place, ce serait merveilleux de pouvoir sauver ces livres.
Envoyez un MP pour la mise en contact par e-mail
Retoot apprécié !
#livres #science #paris
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/117/066/326/421/822/914/original/75166fa4638cb8bf.jpg
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/117/066/326/421/166/847/original/d012b121d152e850.jpg

2026-06-29 15:48:13 GMT

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Oh and it added unwanted effects on the text too. The black border around the "LE BOSS" title are not there on the original document. For added comparison, here's a comparison with the scan and a phone pic.
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/116/834/170/753/479/269/original/09b5aa6ccbdc5766.png

2026-06-29 15:39:45 GMT

I bought a CZUR ET Max scanner, assuming it would be nice for the big pile of old computer brochures I have to scan. Never have I been so disappointed...
The software is buggy (doesn't recognize selection half the time), auto-trim and crop is useless, flattening doesn't really work and the quality is piss poor. Yet I was testing on what seemed like an easy candidate: almost flat A4 commercial booklet, in good diffused natural lighting.
Here's a picture of the cover page "scanned" at 600 DPI, and side-by-side details comparison from the scanner and a phone picture. The auto-descreening messed up most of the details, the front page text is oddly sharpened while all the computer details are blurry.
It would be alright for doing quick and dirty scans, but the quality & software doesn't warrant the high price when a phone and ScanTailor have better results... And the phone is less expensive than the scanner. Boo.
In a nutshell, don't bother. I'll go back to my flatbed for the time being and will try to get a Plustek book scanner at a later time.
#vintagecomputing #books #scanning
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/116/834/126/621/990/385/original/05a549209fc5b313.png
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/116/834/130/622/088/408/original/0580da35b74d75c2.png

2025-10-26 00:15:16 GMT

Some neat info about 70s hard drive contaminants.
From the DEC RK05 disk drive maintenance manual (DEC-00-HRK05-C-D)
#retrocomputing #dec
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/115/437/564/265/341/408/original/bad4c3c6e7767094.png

2025-06-17 19:57:22 GMT

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Well, I also came across these files in my archives. The original uploader name sounds... familiar :-)
https://altoma.re/files/otrona/software/jennings/

2025-06-17 19:53:41 GMT

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I can make you a zip image yeah. IMD files and the rest are a pain to open. cpmtools is good, but it's also very finicky...
I'm working on adding CP/M filesystem support to the HxC Floppy software, but it nowhere near complete.

2025-06-17 18:51:35 GMT

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I probably have a Multiplan disk image for the Otrona Attaché if needs be.

2025-02-06 21:49:57 GMT

Sorting through a box of modern-ish (2000s~2010s) integrated circuits, which I'll give away due to never having any use for them.
I'm starting with the tubes, but it's taking a lot of time.
Is anyone interested in what's inventorized so far?
The first table with bags doesn't have proper quantities, it's what was written on the original Mouser label.
#electronics #freestuff
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/113/959/141/694/767/925/original/3e2609ae8575fc4b.png
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/113/959/143/047/193/847/original/154f828b3d385011.png

2024-12-31 10:47:41 GMT

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Xerox Alto uses 74181, not AM2900. There's the Mick and Brick book for the AM2900 family but it's a brain twister.
As for schematics, check out the ETH Lilith. Everything is available on bitsavers and the schematics include handy block diagrams

2024-12-29 23:44:16 GMT

ADM-3A terminal first test: this is a triumph.
#retrocomputing #terminal
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/113/738/761/755/497/359/original/dc4c2a8dfbb3ab2c.jpeg

2024-11-14 10:36:53 GMT

It's an Open University Hektor III, a little computer companion for a course on computer design!
It came with a lot of documentation and a few software tapes.
#retrocomputing
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/113/480/838/486/207/402/original/c5430df16dbd1afe.jpg

2024-11-10 17:44:12 GMT

The mystery computer is...
A R2E Portal! It was an French Intel 8085-based luggable intended for accounting. It used the Prologue operating system. Didn't sell well and was forgotten by most.
I'm surprised at how good the build quality is.
The wikipedia page for this machine was written by an auction house trying to sell one, and features a bunch of equid-defecation. They tried to pass it as a very influential machine, and the first true luggable. It's absolutely not.
The machine belongs to @npub12s8…f6e5 and we plan on reversing/documenting as much as we can
#retrocomputing
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/113/459/892/860/186/246/original/71f705f730f41ed2.jpg

2024-10-19 21:37:06 GMT

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There's also this one
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/113/336/240/182/354/248/original/83c3b5b211426ce3.jpg

2024-10-18 18:24:16 GMT

Special problems require special solutions.
Pic by DontDoubleBagIt on Reddit
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/113/329/791/336/399/280/original/41db7db07b0f35fb.jpeg

2024-09-25 18:26:00 GMT

Recently saved a lot of unused MCX and MMCX hardware from the dumpster: solder connectors, crimp connectors, cables and adapters.
Would anyone have any use for it?
#electronics #hamradio #freestuff

2024-08-18 22:54:27 GMT

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Just to let you know, I made 2 piles for the both of you :)
I won't ship them right away as I'm sorting through the parts and will offer more stuff, then dispatch everything at once

2024-08-14 22:57:26 GMT

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I did find some Zilog parts but they're the kind of parts I use in my tinkering (CP/M era machines). No sound chip so far but I got a few ISD1416P voice recorder chips I won't use.

2024-08-14 22:15:25 GMT

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I might have some more in another box, and I gave a bunch away to friends IRL already.
A seller here has these kind of lots every 2 weeks or so, and they're full of goodies. I'm trying to sort through and dispatch everything I won't use. Got my money worth of parts from it already ^^
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/112/962/678/385/750/203/original/7c101b841d23fbc2.jpg

2024-08-14 22:13:33 GMT

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https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/112/962/673/750/838/968/original/febc72e48c6d39d6.jpg

2024-08-14 22:04:36 GMT

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PLCC, and I got enough for the both of you. I just need to gather all the chips in one place, they're from 3 separate lots

2024-08-14 21:56:53 GMT

Would anyone have use for a non-reasonable quantity of CPLDs from the Altera MAX7000 family? EPM7128, EPM7064...
I got a lot in a recycling lot, and won't use them.
#electronics #retrocomputing #fpga