North Star Horizon User Guide
Contents
1. Power Cord Figure 2 10 All HORIZON system components must be powered from grounded 3 wire A C out lets on the same circuit Do not use any plug adapters that eliminate the ground line Plugging in the HORIZON Figure 2 11 M The computer terminal printer and any other peripheral devices you use MUST be plugged into the same circuit or circuit breaker Other electrical equipment such as copying machines fluorescent lights or typewriters should NOT be plugged into the same circuit The electrical noise generated by such equipment can interfere with the proper operation of the computer system While a power strip is often convenient when several pieces of equipment are operating asa system take care not to overload the circuit Do not use extension cords to power the system Turn on the power to the computer The HORIZON on off switch is located next to Turning on the HORIZON the fan on the back panel To turn the power on press the outer edge of the switch in toward the computer Fig 2 12 Figure 2 12 When you turn the power on the fan begins to whir and the red indicator light over the NorthStar logo on the front panel is illuminated The floppy disk drive s on the HORIZON J are taped closed for shipment Remove the Untaping the Floppy Disk Drives tape from the floppy disk drive s The HORIZON may contain just one floppy disk drive or it may have two floppy disk drives as shown in2. the Parallel Printer to the HORIZON Figure 2 7 on the printer Consult the manual for the printer for the location of this conector y 2 5 SITUATING THE SYSTEM After making the necessary connections turn the HORIZON the terminal and the printer around so that the front of the components face you Position the equipment so that you can use it conveniently itis important to rest the HORIZON and the printer on different surfaces so that printer vibration does not affect the computer Situate the compter so you have easy access to the floppy disk drive s on the front of the HORIZON and can reach the power switch and reset switch on the back of the computer The HORIZON can be placed horizontally as shown in Figure 2 8 Computer System Configuration Figure 2 8 The computer can also be placed on end as shown in Figure 2 9 If you choose this arrangement note that the disk drive s MUST be positioned at the top of the unit as indicated Alternate System Configuration Figure 2 9 2 6 POWERING UP THE COMPUTER SYSTEM Take the socket end of the power cord supplied with the HORIZON Press the sacket firmly over the three prong recep tacle on the computer s back panel Fig 2 10 CAUTIO The HORIZON operates on the standard electrical power supplied to offices schools and homes The computer MUST BE ELECTRICALLY GROUNDED however Installing the
3. Figure 2 13 Figure 2 13 Another HORIZON configuration includes one floppy disk drive and one Winchester hard disk drive as shown in Figure 2 14 HORIZON with Winchester Hard Disk Floppy Disk Drive Winchester Hard Disk Drive Figure 2 14 3 1 HANDLING FLOPPY DISKETTES A floppy diskette consists of a very thin layer of magnetically treated mylar that is permanently encased in a plastic jacket Floppy Diskette Features Plastic Jacket Disk Surface Figure 3 1 Fingerprints scratches or spills can destro p information stored on the diskette if sha Important Diskette Precautions or particles land on a diskette they can interfere with the storage and retrieval of information Likewise if the diskette is exposed to a magnetic field its contents can be last A magnetic field can be gener ated by an electrictypewriter or a magnetic paper clip holder for example Figure 3 2 provides information on how to handle your diskettes Replace in Jacket Do Not Bend e i E Es Never Touch Diskette Surface 10 C 52 C 50 F 125 F Never Expose to Magnetic Field 3 2 Take the system diskette you want ta use and remove it from the protective enve Handling a Diskette lope Be sure to hold the diskette by the label or some portion of the plastic jacket as shown in Figure 3 3 Figure 3 3 INSERTING A DISKETTE IN THE HORIZON You can inser
4. Hard Disk Input Output Port Input Output Port Receptacle Connector Serial Printer Connector Terminal Connecter Figure 2 1 Connect the HORIZON and the terminal before you attach the power cord to the computer Make sure that the power to the terminal is turned off and the power cord is unplugged from the wall socket The terminal is connected to the HORIZON by an RS 232 cord or cable The cord or cable must end in a D shaped connector as shown in Figure 2 2 Terminal Cable Options Press a cable connector carefully over the right serial port connector on the HORI Connecting the Terminal Cable ZON back panel Fig 2 3 These connec to the HORIZON tors only match one way so make sure they are properly aligned Figure 2 3 Use the same procedure to connect the other end of this cable to the MAIN or TERMINAL port on the back of the terminal Consult the manual for the terminal for the location ofthe appropriate port 2 4 CONNECTING A PRINTER TO THE HORIZON A printer with either an RS 232serial interface or a parallel interface can be connected to the HORIZON A serial printer can be placed fifty or more feet away from the computer while the cable to a parallel printer can be no more than ten feet long Before connecting the printer and the HORIZON read the instruction manual provided with the printer Follow the steps specified by the manufacturer to set these standard operating parameters 1200 Bau
5. Northstar HORIZON USER GUIDE UNPACKING EEE Lift the HORIZON and the foam packing material out of the shipping container Unpacking the HORIZON Figure 1 1 Remove the packing material Place the HORIZON on a flat surface capable of supporting a weight of about 50 pounds In addition to the packing materials and this User Guide the container should include a HORIZON Computer e A C Power Cord Documentation and Diskette Package Verify that the contents of the container match this list Should you find that anything is missing from the container or should there appear to be damage due to shipping please notify your dealer immediately Keep the shipping container and packing material if you need to return your HORIZON to the factory the computer must arrive undamaged to qualify for warranty service Repacking the computer in the original container provides the best protection for it EDD a ZS A DfEE ET ESE DCAM RSE ICN j 1 North Star Computers Inc 14440 Catalina St San Leandro CA 94877 USA 415 357 8500 TWX Telex 910 366 7001 004508 2 1 2 2 2 3 INTRODUCTION The HORIZON is a versatile computer that can form the nucleus of either a single user or a multi user configuration If you wish to create a single user system you will probably want to connect the HORIZON toa terminal and a printer These connections are very simple and the instructions are given below To incorpora
6. anual for the program you are running will explain how to exit from that program Always wait until the red indicator light on the floppy disk drive has gone out before removing a diskette from the drive You may damage the diskette if you attempt to remove it while the drive is still operating Lift the latch on the floppy disk drive and carefully remove the diskette Replace the diskette in its protective envelope and store it upright in an appropriate container At the end of the day turn off the power to the HORIZON 14 The following table will help you to diagnose and remedy problems you may encounter as you work with the HORIZON COMPUTER DOES NOT GO ON WHEN POWER IS TURNED ON 1 1 1 Fan off and red indicator light over Power cord is not plugged into wall outlet Plug in logo off cord Power cord is not firmly connected to computer Plug in cord Wall outlet is not providing power Check outlet with another device call electrician for service if necessary AC line fuse is blown Turn power off unplug cord change fuse next to power cord receptacle If second fuse also blows contact your authorized North Star dealer for service COMPUTER GOES ON BUT PROGRAM DOES NOT LOAD SUCCESSFULLY 2 2 1 prive indicator light goes on motor is Press and release the reset switch again audible Diskette inserted improperly Remove diskette and reinsert it then press and release reset s
7. d Full Duplex No Parity if the printer you are using cannot operate at 1200 baud consult the HORIZON Computer System Manual for instructions Connect the computer and the printer before attaching the power cord to the computer Make sure that the power to the printer is turned off and the power cord is unplugged from the wall socket 4 2 4 1 Serial Printer A serial printer can be connected to the HORIZON by either a flat ribbon cable or a round cord The printer cord or cable must end in the same kind of D connector shown in Figure 2 2 above Take the free end of the printer cable and press the D shaped connector carefully Connecting a Serial Printer over the left serial port of the HORIZON to the HORIZON back panel shown in Figure 2 4 These connectors only match one way so make sure they are properly aligned Figure 2 5 M 2 4 2 Parallel Printer To connect a parallel printer to the HORI ZON requires the DB 232 cable shown in Figure 2 6 If the appropriate cable is not available consult your authorized North Star Dealer for assistance Press one end of the printer cable carefully over the parallel output connector on the back of the HORIZON Fig 2 7 These connectors only match ane way so make sure they are properly aligned Use the same procedure to connect the other end of this cable to the appropriate connector Parallel Printer Cable Figure 2 6 Connecting
8. l memory Figure 3 5 When the reset switch is activated the red indicator light on the floppy disk drive comes on the disk drive motor begins to whir and the program prompt appears on the terminal screen You are now ready to begin work with your HORIZON 13 3 4 3 5 USING YOUR HORIZON If your HORIZON has two floppy disk drives the drive toward the center of the computer 1 is used for system diskettes and the drive toward the outer edge 2 is used for data diskettes Use the same procedure described in Section 3 2 to insert a data diskette in drive 2 If your HORIZON contains a Winchester hard disk drive as well as a floppy disk drive the hard disk is permanently installed in the computer You do not interact directly with the hard disk as you do with the floppy diskettes The hard disk is used for storing programs and data The floppy diskettes enable you to load new programs onto the hard disk and to transfer programs and data between computers The floppy diskettes also serve as a backup medium far the hard disk Perhaps the single most important part of working with a computer is learning to make regular backup copies of all your programs and data Systematic backup is crucial to guard against information loss due to operator error equipment malfunction or other causes The manuals for the programs you use will explain exactly how to back up your diskettes or hard isk ENDING A WORK SESSION The m
9. t a diskette in the HORIZON with the computer turned on or off For simplicity the following discussion assumes that the power is turned on in both the HORIZON and the terminal Open the floppy disk drive that is closer to the center of the HORIZON by pulling the latch toward you The system diskette such as the HORIZON Diskette provided with the computer is always loaded into this floppy drive which is either designated as drive 1 or drive A depending on the program you are using Slide the system diskette into the drive opening The diskette should be positioned as shown in Figure 3 4 with the small rectangular notch on top and the label facing toward you Inserting a Diskette Figure 3 4 3 4 y Push the diskette in gently If you encounter more than slight resistance pull the diskette out carefully and start again The diskette is flexible and you may damage it if you force it into the floppy disk drive Push the diskette into the drive until you hear a click and feel the diskette hit the back of the slot This indicates that the diskette is properly positioned in the disk drive With the diskette fully inserted close the disk drive latch BOOTING THE HORIZON Press and release the reset switch on the gt back panel of the HORIZON Fig 3 5 This Booting the HORIZON is called booting the computer and it starts the process of transferring the pro gram from the diskette into the interna
10. te one or more 18Mb hard disks into your computer system follow the directions in the North Star HD 18 User Technical Manual To create a HORIZON based computer system that can serve up to five users follow the directions in the North Star TSS A or TSS C Multi User System Operation Manual SELECTING A SITE You can place the HORIZON in almost any convenient location although the computer should not be exposed to extremes of temperature or humidity Dust and dirt can also be harmful to the HORIZON In general an environment that is comfortable for the aperator is also suitable for the computer CONNECTING A TERMINAL TO THE HORIZON The terminal you select must have an R5S 232 C serial interface Read the instruction manual provided by the manufacturer to be sure that the terminal is appropriate and that you observe all necessary precautions in handling it Follow the steps specified by the manufacturer to set these stand operating parameters 9600 Baud Full Duplex No Parity lf the terminal cannot be set for 9600 baud consult the HORIZON Computer System Manual for instructions Position the HORIZON so the back is facing you The controls and connectors on the back of the computer are labelled in Figure 2 1 Back of the HORIZON Parallel Output Port Hard Disk or Parallel Printer Connector Reset Switch Power On Off Switch Fuse Holder Power Parallel Input Left Serial Right Serial Cord Port
11. witch Cable connections from HORIZON to terminal are improper or insecure Check connections Data diskette inserted instead of system diskette Replace diskette System diskette damaged Replace with another copy of diskette lf the printer and the terminal use the same cables exchange to see if one cable is defective continued 5 4 PROGRAM LOADS AND RUNS THEN FAILS 3 3 1 Terminal screen displays orderly error Consult program manual for explanation of mes message sage and procedure for clearing it 3 2 Screen displays garbled message or Press and release reset switch Repeat program random pattern loading procedure Activate reset switch Remove diskettes Turn power off then on Repeat loading procedure Consult manual for terminal Call for service 16
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