Hello to all PSION users

[audiokit]

Hello to all of you readers.

I started using a PSION XP in the late 80's, using it as a logging device in our factory. I had the serial link and dumped the data to an IBM PS2 running lotus 123 to make graphes of the pressures of our destillation column. I used it for all kind of things, even to wake me up for the morning shifts. Later I switched to the LZ and when the hype was over and they got really cheap, I bought another LZ, just to "play" with it and see how it was build internally. When the organiser I was introduced in '83 I really wanted to own one. But they were too expensive for me and I had to wait untill 2020 when I finally could get one (secondhand) I was a bit disappointed about the functionality in relation to the organiser II models. When I finally could get hands on the utility and finance packs. I could see the potential of it. I am a real vintage computer enthousiast, not a collector but a user and builder. My main hobby is building single board computers by using the wire wrap technique. That way it is easy to make one-of designs and modification is simple. I use the organiser II as a serial terminal now and then to operate those single board computers that normally were used with a teletype.
My current project is getting the organiser working with the Link-up, waiting to get my hands on a working Link-up pack (the software part for setting the comms parameters)
I hope to see new things here, to keep the organisers alive and even find new use, using modern techniques.
Benny (Netherlands)

[Martin]

Welcome Benny

Jaap Scherphuis a long established 'Dutch' Psion Organiser enthusiast has the Link Up Pack image and manual (here). With images (here). It is anyones guess how the 'comms' pack is wired. You never know a fellow member and long established source of Psion Organiser goodies - thesourcerer - may even have one.

Sincerely Martin

[thesourcerer]

Yes, I have some, they are on eBay, and I now have the software 2 Link Up pack for them which I will be listing as well.

[amenjet]

I have made some link up packs for Peter, both the cable pack and the software pack. The datapacks were written using the datapack tool that I'm slowly working on with Martin P.

I also made a design for a USB version of the Link Up pack, which worked quite well.

There's a repository here:

https://github.com/blackjetrock/psion-organiser-1.git

with my reverse engineered schematic of the Link Up cable pak and also the USB version. The serial interface ICs are fairly difficult to find now and also quite expensive, so the USB version is quite bit cheaper. The serial cable and connector assembly is also quite expensive.

What is needed is an image of the Software Pack 2 of the Psion 1 Link Up cable. That pack has a terminal emulator on it and would be very useful.

Andrew

[amenjet]

It is anyones guess how the 'comms' pack is wired.
Sincerely Martin

i reverse engineered the Linuk Up cable pack and there's a schematic for it now, guess no longer...

Andrew

[thesourcerer]

The software 2 packs are now listed on eBay. Many thanks to Andrew. It took me years to find the original pack!

[amenjet]

The software 2 packs are now listed on eBay. Many thanks to Andrew. It took me years to find the original pack!

Aren't they the software pack for the Link Up cable? The second software pack with the terminal emulator is still missing isn't it?

[thesourcerer]

I don’t know, simply because I don’t have anything to connect it to, to get a TERM response!
But whilst you copied Jaap’s version, and noted there was a difference between that and my original, you didn’t say what the difference was. I don’t want to mislead anyone, but I thought Jaap’s version would be the standard. What amendments might been made during the development of the software Link Up pack are unknown as far as I am aware, and I thought it was useable.
If not I will withdraw it from sale until any omissions are ruled out.

[amenjet]

I don’t know, simply because I don’t have anything to connect it to, to get a TERM response!
But whilst you copied Jaap’s version, and noted there was a difference between that and my original, you didn’t say what the difference was. I don’t want to mislead anyone, but I thought Jaap’s version would be the standard. What amendments might been made during the development of the software Link Up pack are unknown as far as I am aware, and I thought it was useable.
If not I will withdraw it from sale until any omissions are ruled out.

I don't think there's any need to withdraw it from sale, it is the pack that drives the cable pack, I've had that working. I suddenly got excited as I thought I'd maybe copied the pak we don't have an image for, the one mentioned in the manual that has a terminal emulator on it. You have to insert the first software pack which lets you set the baud rate etc then you put the 'Software 2' pack in and you can use the terminal emulator. Well, I think it works that way...

I think the difference in pack images is just a small change that they did at some point. If we had more technical information about the Psion 1 we could probably write a terminal emulator but I don't think the Psion 1 technical manual was ever released? Was there even one created?

[thesourcerer]

I’ve just realised that the pack I had was labelled link up software 2 pack, but it seems it may have been the first link up software in it. Jaap doesn’t have an image of the software 2 pack, so the only way to find out is to wait for another pack to turn up, if one ever does!
In the meantime, at least the Link Up pack is functional, and maybe just has the wrong label (i.e. it should be labelled Link Up pack not software 2 pack). Strangely the label on the Link Up cable is exactly the same as the Link Up pack, although I suppose it is obvious that one has the cable and the other doesn’t!