Subject: Re-engineering the mailstation

From: "donhamilton2002" <donhamilton2002@...>
Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 20:57:21 -0000

Hello all,

Warning: rambling ahead.

I have been clearing out stuff in my shop and have found the two
mailstations I hacked a few years ago.

My first thought was to give this units away to someone.

My second thought was to re-engineer these units in someway.

Plastic cases are a problem for one off projects.

The mailstation is old technology and I would like to bring it up to a
more recent processor.

The LCD display and keyboard are as good as any.

The builtin battery pack is very usefull.

The modem is a waste. I am sure people in this group will look for a
hotspot before using a modem.

So, my thought is desiging a card that would replace the main board in
the mailstation.

[ Idea 1 ]

A full 32-bit cpu with a couple of megs of memory (flash/ram), an
ethernet interface would be nice, but we would be talking about a
$100/$200+ retrofit. 

Someone to layout the board, get them manufactured, put parts on them.

[ Idea 2 ]

A 32 bit single chip cpu with enough memory would make a reasonable
development platform.

Maybe one of the larger single chip cpus for NXP.

Has anyhone measured out the main board in the MS ?

The back panel has only a few openings but it may be enough.

Add a compact flash for an 802.11 interface, an SPI interface for SD
cards.

[ Idea 3 ]

Finding a low cost cpu board that we can build a carrier to plug it
into the MS plastic.

Ok, what do you think.

Some summer project to keep us from mowing the lawn :-).

don

---

From: "John R. Hogerhuis" <jhoger@...>
Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 17:10:10 -0700

The mailstation case and keyboard are not worth saving.

One thought is to start with a TRS-80 Model 100 or Tandy 102 case.
Much more room to work. Has a built-in 4 AA battery holder.

I think a MS display would fit in there.

The keyboard is much better than the MS's

If the CPU is fast enough, you could run VirtualT and have a
supercharged Model 100 :-)

I will donate a case and KB if you design a PCB.

As far as CPU I would go for low power, long battery life.

-- John.

---

From: Eddy Wright <eddy@...>
Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 21:29:38 -0500

I have a couple of MS's that I thought of doing something similar. I 
wasn't able to find out how to drive the LCD with another processor. I 
decoded the keyboard and was able to make a functional serial terminal 
by using a different display. But my alternate display didn't fit the 
case at all. I used a Mega32 AVR microcontroller to drive the LCD and 
read the keyboard. It had more than enough power to act as a serial 
terminal...

Anyone have success trying to drive the LCD?

Eddy
http://www.wrighthobbies.net

John R. Hogerhuis wrote:
> Yahoo! Groups Links

---

From: "Neil Morrison" <neilsmorr@...>
Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2007 05:52:11 -0000

IMO these are desirable as is. All we need are solid methods to
rewrite the ROM to provide the functions we want. The internal fax
modem is fine as is.

If you want a WiFi computer, a laptop is now so cheap it isn't worth
the work needed to re engineer these.

My 2 cents.

Neil

--- In [email-masked], "donhamilton2002"

---

From: "wayne" <waynem@...>
Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2007 17:47:11 -0700

My 2 cents:
You have to find something that is worthwhile to be sold to the general
public or else it is NOT going to
be built in a Mass big enough to get the price down to reasonable !!

The Mailstation concept is still doable !!!  A lot of people out there do
not have a computer, do not understand
how a computer runs, and do not want to put up with the hassles of owning
and maintaining one. This especially
goes for the Senior Citizens in this country.
BUT THEY STILL NEED TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE WORLD !!!

I have set up several Mailstations for some of my Senior relatives, and
although they were leery to use it, they
now don't know how they would survive without it.  The world has gone from
written letters to electronic ones, and
the electronic ones are there is minutes.

The Mailstation just needs to be updated, and allowed to be used on ANY
email server unit. This would allow
the user to then search and find the best service for them and connect the
unit to it.

The new unit should be patterned after the Model 350, which allows the
downloading of pictures and larger
emails.  Since memory has come a long way since the Mailstation's inception,
it is now efficient to include
larger memory in the unit.

Some of the faster, laptop CPU's would work with their lower power
consumption.  Even a older Pentium chip
would still be faster than what the original Mailstation had in it.

Biggest problem would be watching to not step on any patents that still
might be used in the device.

The option of a plug-in WIFI card is a good one, let the option slot take
either a Modem, WIFI, or Ethernet
plug in card. That way whichever service is going to be used can be
accommodated easily and without having to
load all that extra circuitry into the unit and not use it. That would also
keep the cost down for the unit.

Just my thoughts,
Wayne
Iwireless
tempe, az.
  -----Original Message-----
  From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]]On
Behalf Of Neil Morrison
  Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2007 10:52 PM
  To: [email-masked]
  Subject: [mailstation] Re: Re-engineering the mailstation

  My 2 cents.

  Neil

---

From: "Neil Morrison" <neilsmorr@...>
Date: Tue, 01 May 2007 05:41:24 -0000

IIRC one or more of these already has a wireless modem (not WiFi though).

Neil

--- In [email-masked], "wayne" <waynem@...> wrote:

> plug in card.

---

From: "wayne" <waynem@...>
Date: Tue, 1 May 2007 10:35:39 -0700

Your thinking of the Model 350. This has a 900 Mhz. wireless connection to
it's
plug-in modem unit, so the Model 350 can be used remotely in the room and
not
have to be used where the telephone line plugs in.  It is not compatible
with
the 2 Gig WIFI stuff.  And changing the wireless unit out in the Model 350
would
mean that you would have to get the unit type accepted again by the FCC.

Easiest way is to use an "Option slot" for these. That way it would take
anyone's
unit, (Which is already FCC type accepted), and you would not have to mess
around
with it.  It would also keep the cost down by not requiring each unit to
have all three
hookup cards, (WIFI, Ethernet, Modem) inside the main unit.  I don't see any
situation
where you would be using more than one connection type at one time ??

You could go with the Linux software, since it is considered "Freeware", and
you would
not have to pay Microsoft any royalties for anything.  But it would require
more time
compiling an Operating system for this specific use.  Actually, Linux uses
less space
to run than Windows does, and works with more stuff.  The Boot up Kernel can
be "Edited"
so as to just allow it to install and access only the drivers and devices
that you needed it too.
Unlike Windows, which loads everything under the sun on your system. A lot
of which is
not needed for your specific applications.  Linux will run well with even a
386 cpu and small memory.

The Sendmail program is a tried and true mail program for Linux. There are
lots of other
programs for specific uses available for "Free" for Linux at the CPAN web
site.

Wayne
Iwireless

  -----Original Message-----
  From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]]On
Behalf Of Neil Morrison
  Sent: Monday, April 30, 2007 10:41 PM
  To: [email-masked]
  Subject: [mailstation] Re: Re-engineering the mailstation

  Neil