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Author Topic: Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)  (Read 9380 times)

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Offline kishy

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« on: Thu, 23 December 2010, 11:27:03 »
Looking for one of the later models (Pentium MMX-equipped) of Dolch packet sniffer luggable computers.

I don't care if it has Cherry blues or not...apparently some had other keyboards...but it must have the original keyboard present, whatever switching method it uses.

Edit: Got a Dolch, but I need a specific video card from another one (PAC 64 most likely) now. See here please.
« Last Edit: Fri, 25 January 2013, 09:48:44 by kishy »
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Offline Oqsy

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #1 on: Thu, 23 December 2010, 12:55:41 »
awww for some reason knowing of your dead-end compaq portable quest and seeing this post, your avatar looks especially sad.
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[sigpic]Currently in use: Rosewill RK9000 and CH DT225[/sigpic]
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Offline ethanh8791

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 24 December 2010, 15:15:05 »
I've got one at work. I'll get you the details next Tuesday. The keyboard is missing the keycaps (cherry blues) and one switch has been removed from the solder joints. I'll have to get the PC tested. Let me know if this still interests you.
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Offline ethanh8791

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 24 December 2010, 15:36:07 »
I can test it to make sure it's in full working order and let you know if there are any problems. I'll need to wipe the hard drive. I can even include the non-standard keycaps (Ctrl, Shift, Alt, etc..)....all the other keycaps are standard Cherry doubleshots.
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Offline ethanh8791

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #4 on: Fri, 24 December 2010, 15:42:02 »
Oh. I'm located in USA (Virginia). I can ship it however you like and just ask you pay the actual shipping cost.
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Offline ethanh8791

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #5 on: Fri, 24 December 2010, 16:21:48 »
Sorry I don't know the model # off hand. The keyboard is RJ-11 - that should probably help indicate what era it is of.
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Offline Oqsy

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #6 on: Fri, 24 December 2010, 21:06:09 »
mb images from my unit for future reference.
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[sigpic]Currently in use: Rosewill RK9000 and CH DT225[/sigpic]
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Offline taswyn

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #7 on: Fri, 24 December 2010, 23:16:08 »
Aren't those VLB slots on the end of those ISA slots? It's probably 486 then?
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Offline Oqsy

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #8 on: Sat, 25 December 2010, 00:17:46 »
For reference, the video card in my unit is ISA running in an EISA slot.
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[sigpic]Currently in use: Rosewill RK9000 and CH DT225[/sigpic]
"Private misfortunes make for public welfare."

Offline taswyn

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #9 on: Sat, 25 December 2010, 10:45:46 »
Quote
VLB isn't the concerning part though. Look at the ISA slots carefully...there be EISA slots...which means the video card is EISA. The video card that the LCD connects to internally.


I seem to remember EISA managing to survive for longer than VLB did, and making it into quite a few more pentium boards than VLB? I could have sworn I'd seen more than one EISA pentium motherboard, but I can't remember ever seeing any VLB boards except for 486s. I could be mistaken! Either way, good luck! ^.^ Working with hardware that old can be, I know >.<
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Offline Oqsy

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #10 on: Mon, 27 December 2010, 19:52:37 »




Pics of video card and monitor inputs from 486 PAC64
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[sigpic]Currently in use: Rosewill RK9000 and CH DT225[/sigpic]
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Offline ethanh8791

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #11 on: Tue, 28 December 2010, 09:08:20 »
So the one we have is a PAC 586. Let me know if you want more details.
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Offline sixty

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #12 on: Tue, 28 December 2010, 14:21:17 »
Its a damn shame you are not in Europe.

I have this incoming:



Basically entirely new, including full manuals and a super cool carrying case. I will most likely end up trashing everything but the keyboard and the case, unless I find a European buyer.

I know this is not helping and most likely pouring salt into your wound.. how much do these things weight approximately? Maybe I can figure something out if you were interested.

This is one of the older 486 XXC(?) models, in prestige condition.
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Offline ethanh8791

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #13 on: Tue, 28 December 2010, 15:42:41 »
If it's not to hard to crack it open I will confirm your questions  but no time to do that today. I did fire it up and it has a fresh Win95 load with what looks like the sniffing software installed.
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Offline Oqsy

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #14 on: Tue, 28 December 2010, 18:13:59 »
Hmm... Opening the case to get to the expansion cards requires removing 6 screws from the back panel (where the power cable exits the PSU)  Top two corners, top middle, buttom surface near the feet, and one more almost dead center on that panel.  It's held in place by fairly large plastic tabs, so prying it open gently is a good idea (lest you break the mostly likely brittle old plastic).  That should give you a good view of the inside without having to disconnect any cables or fight with the LCD end of the box (BIG PAIN).  I'm also interested in all of kishy's progress and bits of info he picks up because I have a 486 PAC64 (apparently rare in 486) that I'm interested in rebuilding parallel to kishy's unit.  Differences in video cards and LCD to vidcard interfaces will have a huge impact on what method is used to approach these units.  

Finding that my unit uses an XGA LCD with a really weird interface (IDE CABLES??) makes a unit like mine much less attractive, as reusing the LCD will be VERY difficult, and require a motherboard with ISA (to keep the original video card).  It appears that my unit will REQUIRE a new LCD to reach the benchmarks I've set for it.  kishy stands a much better chance of landing one with a usable video interface with the 586+ models out there.  

kishy, I wish you luck.
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[sigpic]Currently in use: Rosewill RK9000 and CH DT225[/sigpic]
"Private misfortunes make for public welfare."

Offline ethanh8791

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #15 on: Tue, 28 December 2010, 19:16:30 »
Thanks for the info Oqsy.

I should be able to look at it tomorrow.

And Kishy you're correct there is no optical drive, just FDD. Screen was nice and bright by the way. And the F4 switch was the one that got dislodged from circuit board. I reinserted it into place and was surprised to see that it made enough contact that when I hit alt F4 to shut it down (no mouse attached) it worked. ;-)
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Offline ethanh8791

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #16 on: Wed, 29 December 2010, 16:12:23 »
Kishy: I emailed you a photo.

The graphics card is in PCI slot. And looks to interface with the LCD via a 10 pin ribbon cable.
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Offline Findecanor

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #17 on: Wed, 29 December 2010, 17:23:47 »
Quote from: sixty;269898
Show Image

Oh, German layout! So, now we know they were made with US/ANSI, UK/ISO and DE/ISO layouts.
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Offline bladamson

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #18 on: Thu, 30 December 2010, 12:02:36 »
If you're going to put a newer mobo into it, you may be able to use a USB->VGA box internally, or even get a video card with a through-hole vga connector, desolder the connector, and hook it to the internal monitor.
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Offline Oqsy

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #19 on: Thu, 30 December 2010, 16:15:16 »
I have said 40pin + 10pin connectors, and they are not like anything else on the market, nor have they been for over a decade.  Sourcing replacements that will work with the original LCD will be VERY hard, and hacking together a DIY solution for converting modern vid card signal to the format the LCD is looking for would be a very daunting task.  

It appears that Kishy and I might part ways on method for a bit considering the big difference in hardware compatibility between an old PCI card, and a completely dead video format.  One might be a pain, but is feasible, the other is damn near impossible.  Hopefully we will meet again with vastly different and unique, but both VERY useable Dolch "lunchbox" PCs.
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[sigpic]Currently in use: Rosewill RK9000 and CH DT225[/sigpic]
"Private misfortunes make for public welfare."

Offline bladamson

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #20 on: Thu, 30 December 2010, 16:32:04 »
Yar, I think I'd be inclined to yoink the OEM LCD and graft something else in there. :3
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Offline ethanh8791

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #21 on: Thu, 30 December 2010, 20:54:14 »
no problem...it's not going anywhere. ;-)
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Offline Oqsy

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #22 on: Tue, 04 January 2011, 02:36:49 »
Dolch project is a go!
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[sigpic]Currently in use: Rosewill RK9000 and CH DT225[/sigpic]
"Private misfortunes make for public welfare."

Offline bladamson

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #23 on: Tue, 04 January 2011, 03:46:25 »
I'm pretty curious to see how this goes.  If it's pretty easy to transplant a decent mobo+cpu into that PAC65, I might have to get one myself. :3
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Offline bladamson

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #24 on: Tue, 04 January 2011, 13:44:26 »
I bet an ITX could be hacked into it too. :3

I don't generally need a ton of CPU in a portable, just a whole boatload of RAM.
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Offline Oqsy

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #25 on: Thu, 13 January 2011, 19:51:10 »
Well kishy, it seems I have scored Dolch #2 for $30 shipped :P  I'll get back to you on which PCI card it actually has, and if it is NOT the 40+10 setup that I need, I'll be sending it to you and then probably going after ethan's pci card :D
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[sigpic]Currently in use: Rosewill RK9000 and CH DT225[/sigpic]
"Private misfortunes make for public welfare."

Offline ethanh8791

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Dolch Luggable Computer (complete)
« Reply #26 on: Thu, 13 January 2011, 20:06:00 »
it's waiting for a home.

Keep meaning to pull the keyboard AT connector from the port...looks like requires a lot of dismantling and haven't had the time to do it.
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