paulrickards

Artist exploring vintage plotters with modern code. Retrocomputing repair and collecting. Mixes the best of new and old. He/him #plottertwitter refugee #penplotter #c64 🏳️‍🌈

Location: Delaware, USA
Shop: https://shop.paulrickards.com
Blog: https://biosrhythm.com
See a plot you like but it’s not in the shop?: DM me to purchase it.

Public Key

npub1kmd59frrgzswaqd83hdtrfcuvjf98wu8k3dt4cvuacsxys3f4u6qdw3fq6

NIP-05 Address

[email protected]

Profile Code

nprofile1qqstdk6z5335pg8wsxncmk435uwxfyjnhwrmgk46uxwwugrzgg567dqpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dsrzrdx9

Publishing to

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

Author Public Key

npub1kmd59frrgzswaqd83hdtrfcuvjf98wu8k3dt4cvuacsxys3f4u6qdw3fq6

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Last Notes

2024-07-31 17:10:35

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I’m glad you asked because it’s a miracle. Shipped in the same box! The plotter and legs come off the vacuum base. Two boxes taped together. Not really much bubble wrap and a sprinkling of peanuts. I think it was just too heavy to mishandle?? In any case, it made it!
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/881/722/403/222/046/original/1b5e805569c4dc9c.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/881/724/845/692/805/original/8295905dc4ddfb57.jpeg
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2024-07-31 16:57:41

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One more HP: the big brother to the DXL, the HP DraftPro EXL. Basically the same except 36” wide paper path. This one I got on eBay and much to my surprise wasn’t damaged in shipping at all.
You adjust the paper width manually by sliding the right side grip wheel, anywhere from 8.5” to 36” so it’s very flexible on paper sizes.
#RetroComputing #PenPlotter #GenerativeArt #CreativeCoding #MastoArt #Art #ArtForSale #Artist #ArtForSaleByArtist #PenPlotterArt #PenPlot
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/881/666/390/591/091/original/accdb94cee32c7fb.jpeg
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2024-07-31 16:35:14

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Wait, there’s one more Roland and it’s a big one.
The Roland DPX-2000 is an ANSI C sized plotter. They basically scalled up their DXY A3 series plotters and kept all of the features: 8 pens, coordinate display, and electrostatic paper hold. Everyone loved it at VCF East. It’s a little on the slow side but I think that makes it more captivating to watch.
#RetroComputing #PenPlotter #GenerativeArt #CreativeCoding #MastoArt #Art #ArtForSale #Artist #ArtForSaleByArtist #PenPlotterArt #PenPlot
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/881/589/842/493/261/original/79620d4d17fbe7f6.jpeg
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2024-07-05 19:20:34

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It’s every bit as mesmerizing as a pen plotter! Lovely design too! 😍❤️

2024-06-02 20:53:58

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So I took the Radius PowerView apart and the PSU polarity is center positive. Here’s the inside along with the ROM.
#RetroComputing #VintageApple #VintageMac
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/548/524/357/492/783/original/7cebec174dc0eca0.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/548/524/796/086/306/original/dec1ae31f57cd0c7.jpeg

2024-06-02 19:55:08

Can anyone confirm the PSU specs for the Radius PowerView 0346 SCSI video adapter for Mac?
It lists 5V 1.5A on the back but no polarity. I think it’s center positive but would like confirmation. Thx!
#RetroComputing #VintageApple #VintageMac

2024-05-23 04:46:30

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110, 300, 1200, 2400, 9600, 14400, 19200, 28800, 38400, 57600, 115200

2024-05-23 01:19:14

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And it works! Here’s a video of the HP 7585B #PenPlotter plotting a big arc Truchet tile design using three colors (yellow, cyan, and magenta) on 11x15 watercolor. Total time 1h15m.
Warning: sound may have loud clicks/taps!
#GenerativeArt #CreativeCoding #MastoArt #Art #ArtForSale #Artist #ArtForSaleByArtist #RetroComputing
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/487/286/076/651/570/original/e574879a41d8e6c4.mp4

2024-05-22 23:59:03

#PenPlotter maintenance today. My HP 7585B stopped responding over RS-232. Diagnostics revealed a problem with the interface card. Luckily I have a spare machine that can donate a new working card!
#RetroComputing
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/486/968/623/816/058/original/d57bceff32ed5ab3.jpeg
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2024-05-14 01:40:54

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This animation shows the simulated output of CUPS ImageWriter II DitherPPI setting approximately from 2 to 31. After that, it changes to a more posterized dither and is the same for any larger value. You can see the dithering dots start very large and shrink down with each new value.
#RetroComputing #VintageApple #VintageMac #ImageWriterII
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/436/412/341/294/752/original/f8c439edde1bf746.mp4

2024-05-14 00:54:59

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I was able to tweak the output of the ImageWriter II prints from CUPS to be slightly better. I've updated the blog post.
https://biosrhythm.com/?p=2791
#RetroComputing #VintageApple #VintageMac #ImageWriterII
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/436/234/765/672/977/original/84892f67514f521b.jpg

2024-05-11 21:22:12

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As promised, I wrote a blog post about creating my own classic Mac support server using a Raspberry Pi Zero, a TashTalk 2 hat, netatalk, and a few other tools. It's very much like MacIPRpi with everything current.
https://biosrhythm.com/?p=2791
Boosts appreciated!
#RetroComputing #VintageApple #VintageMac #netatalk #MacIPRpi #MacipGW
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/424/067/623/278/369/original/4f28bdfe4664cec1.png

2024-05-08 23:14:09

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Ok, so this centipede printer workflow isn’t really reliable so I dove into CUPS to try and see if there’s a way to alter the dithering.
I tried adding different settings to the PPD file but nothing produced any changes.
Until I added “DitherPPI” (a GS option) and it produced a result that was pretty good! I tried various values (30, 80, 120, 180) but they all looked identical. In any case, this is good enough for me!
#ImageWriterii #RetroComputing #VintageApple #VintageMac #netatalk
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/407/519/705/930/593/original/521f340ac26e4399.jpeg

2024-05-08 20:27:43

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The way it works is this:
1. A print is initiated from a device to the CUPS-PDF driver on my #netatalk Raspberry Pi.
2. The resulting PDF is placed in the AFP share of netatalk/afpd.
3. An emulated PPC Mac 9.2.2 running the #AppleScript below is watching for new files in that folder and will print them using Acrobat Reader to the #ImageWriterII via #LocalTalk using the MacPalette II driver.
It works, but crashes with dialog that I can't auto-dismiss.
#RetroComputing #VintageApple #VintageMac
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/406/856/875/698/499/original/d57d7947de0c3b6a.png

2024-05-08 20:19:21

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Ok, I've abandoned Folder Actions as it just doesn't seem to work. I've now gone with an always-running #AppleScript to scan the folder.
And.. it works! Almost? It seems that MacPalette II crashes (and takes Acrobat Reader with it) after it completes a print and there's a finder dialog that's proving difficult to dismiss in AppleScript.
#RetroComputing #VintageApple #VintageMac

2024-05-08 16:34:24

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So I have a new MacOS 9.2.2 #AppleScript Folder Action attached to a network share via netatalk. It works only if these conditions are met:
1. The folder is open already in the Finder. If it’s closed, it never triggers.
2. The new item is added to the folder from the current machine. Items added remotely to the network share do not “refresh” therefore never trigger the action.
Is this expected?
#RetroComputing #VintageApple #VintageMac

2024-05-07 23:29:18

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Ok #AppleScript folks: how do you make MacOS 9.2 automatically print a PDF that appears in a specific folder?
#VintageApple #VintageMac #RetroComputing

2024-05-07 23:25:39

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I lifted some halftone settings and stuffed them into the ImageWriter II foomatic PPD and did some test strip prints.
At both resolutions, the result seems to be the same? So maybe that’s not the setting I need. Maybe it can’t be changed? MacPalette II still wins here!
#RetroComputing #VintageApple #VintageMac #ImageWriterII
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/401/898/272/787/966/original/71039b9119a61fcb.jpeg
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2024-05-07 23:08:50

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In the interest of science, I did an ImageWriter II comparison print of CUPS vs the MacPalette driver for Classic. I think MacPalette wins here. There appears to be better color range and the text is a little sharper.
#RetroComputing #VintageApple #VintageMac #LiveLaughLocalTalk #ImageWriterII
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/401/834/990/155/077/original/5d695383736e2054.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/401/837/107/798/138/original/bacb1971752d51f7.jpeg

2024-05-05 21:59:18

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With netatalk, a TashTalk hat, TashRouter, and CUPS on the Raspberry Pi, we can do clever things like share a #ImageWriter II printer over #LocalTalk with an iPhone using AirPrint!
This screenshot was printed from my phone to the ImageWriter II.
Interestingly, this was just fixed in the latest netatalk 2.3.2!
#LiveLaughLocalTalk #RetroComputing #VintageApple #VintageMac
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/390/229/549/506/624/original/a21f83ae8f78fe0a.jpeg
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2024-04-28 16:11:13

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One piece that's missing is AURP aka #GlobalTalk support. I'd like to avoid running a VM and have something more lightweight.
Luckily @npub1y5w…hdve has created jrouter which comes very close to accomplishing this! Remote zones are showing up but are all empty and not sure if my zone is visible outside. I need to play with some settings some more I think. But soooo close!
https://gitea.drjosh.dev/josh/jrouter
#RetroComputing #VintageMac #VintageApple
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/349/237/265/506/680/original/c5429ed594768f3b.png

2024-04-28 14:57:37

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One reason for rebuilding netatalk is I wanted to run TashRouter on the same machine. It’s doesn’t work right on the MacIPGW image because of the “split horizon” patch.
I can now freely use AppleTalk devices on EtherTalk, LocalTalk (PhoneNet!), and LToUDP (Mini VMac). This enables, for instance, printing to an ImageWriter II from my modern Mac running System 7.5 in Mini VMac! (There were lots of bugs to resolve to get the ImageWriter II working!)
#RetroComputing #VintageApple #VintageMac

2024-04-28 13:44:12

I’ve been rebuilding a #RaspberryPi installation that supports my classic Mac habit 😄
I used to use the awesome #MacIPGW image which includes a ton of pre-configured software like #netatalk. But it hasn’t been updated in a while so I used it as excuse to start from scratch.
I used this Pi Zero W as my starting point. HDMI video stopped working on it for unknown reasons. I added an Ethernet/USB hub hat and a #TashTalk 2 hat for #LocalTalk devices.
#RetroComputing #VintageApple #VintageMac
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/348/653/840/639/561/original/bae0e5e0c167ceb0.jpeg