Uploaded July 2023 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
My second video on using punched paper tape with vintage computers. I found a FANUC PPR (Portable Punch Reader) on eBay. I repaired it. Then I modified my RC2014 using a custom serial board and a custom BASIC interpreter so that I could load and save BASIC programs to punched paper tape. I also augmented BASIC so I can use the PPR's printer to print program listings. Then I connected this to my Heathkit H8 and used Extended Benton Harbor BASIC to read and write BASIC programs to tape. Finally, I printed over a hundred feet of tape (first paper, then mylar) from my Laptop containing the binary for Benton Harbor BASIC and loaded that into the H8, demonstrating how to load a large binary program. Tape went all over the flow, it was quite a mess, but eventually I loaded over the 100+ foot tape. The FANUC PPR is a great way to experiment with paper tape on Vintage or Retro computers as it implements everything you need -- paper tape punch, paper tape reader, and even a printer -- and it implements is using a standard RS232 Interface that is very easy to use with most older computers. For more vintage computing projects, see smbaker.com
My second video on using punched paper tape with vintage computers. I found a FANUC PPR (Portable Punch Reader) on eBay. I repaired it. Then I modified my RC2014 using a custom serial board and a custom BASIC interpreter so that I could load and save BASIC programs to punched paper tape. I also augmented BASIC so I can use the PPR's printer to print program listings. Then I connected this to my Heathkit H8 and used Extended Benton Harbor BASIC to read and write BASIC programs to tape. Finally, I printed over a hundred feet of tape (first paper, then mylar) from my Laptop containing the binary for Benton Harbor BASIC and loaded that into the H8, demonstrating how to load a large binary program. Tape went all over the flow, it was quite a mess, but eventually I loaded over the 100+ foot tape. The FANUC PPR is a great way to experiment with paper tape on Vintage or Retro computers as it implements everything you need -- paper tape punch, paper tape reader, and even a printer -- and it implements is using a standard RS232 Interface that is very easy to use with most older computers. For more vintage computing projects, see smbaker.com
