Early 1993 Maritn Marietta needed a way to connect a DPI 2106 processor to an IBM machine via a bisync interface. They were unable to obtain the normal bisync from NCR. Bob Hedrick, Don Villarrubia, and I came up with the following solution.
We contracted with Garrock Engineering Services to build a T/R to RS232 converter. It looked like an old Hayes 1200 baud modem and about the same size. Inside, there was a microprocessor and some internal software that handled polling, mod errors, etc. The terminal address was selected via a switch. We defined the converter as a 3760 controller to DCOS. The serial port was connected to a 386 or 486 PC running SCO Unix.
Throughout the day, transactions from the DPI terminals were written to a queue file on the 2106. At dequeue time, the operator would do an 04 command to bring the "3760" on line. The "3760" would request a load. Aide/DCOS would send the queued records. The transactions came in on the PC's serial port and were written to the PC's disk. Another program read the file and sent the transactions out the bisync port. Though we never did, we could have connected a modem to the PC, thus allowing an operator at a MIT terminal, or even a 1216, to connect the internet. Even better, the DPI machine could have hosted a web site. Can you imagine what the Aide code for a home page would look like?
I still have the spare Garrock conterter box, in case you know someone who needs one.
-- russ --
Editor's (that's me) added trivia (I'm full of it - trivia that is):
Garrock Engineering was a 2 man basement outfit in Columbus, Ohio when I first contacted them to build a T/R to printer interface since NCR Orlando was no longer manufacturing them. Not long afterward, Garrock was building quite a few of the little boxes and moved into larger quarters. Of course he was also doing various kinds of special projects for companies other than NCR Data Pathing customers.
Gary Daniels, the founder, president, engineer, etc. of Garrock had a big dream of working with Data Pathing Systems Dayton to build a Plug Compatible replacement for the DPI processor. He was going to simulate DCOS on an Intel 486 microprocessor. He even made a presentation in Dayton. He was convinced that 1990 technology had to run faster than 1970. Frankly, I doubt if he could have gotten 2000 T&A transactions per minute from 90 1204 terminals like we did with a 2103 in 1968. You don't think I would give in even at this late date do you. Heck, I'll bet his replacement system would not even have lights and front panel switches. Much less a Sync Halt!!!
The name Garrock was derived from the "founder's" first name, Gary, and the fact that he was a big Rock-and-Roll fan. If fact he had lost some of his hearing as a result of playing Rock music too loud (don't they all?? Oh my kingdom for Glenn Miller to still be alive and seranading us).