ScuzzBlog: Diaries 2018
March 05: Entry 1802: scuzzblog: Post: 1
Inside the Cifer Club
Odd beast is the Cifer Club or Model No 1887 R Y Serial 19239
This is a computer from 1982 I would guess made by Cifer at
Melksham Wiltshire. The unit is labelled as working in 1997 and
there are various test labels for July 1983 to give some kind
of life span. Whilst I can get power to the machine nothing
appears to be working.
The OS in this machine is CP/M and there is a sticker inside
with a CP/M reference. The outer casing is made of a strange
material which is like Bakelite or Asbestolux coated in a paint
that has a rusting content, could be an intumescent. Without
testing the casing difficult to say , could be fibreglass.
The unit has built in 5.25" floppy and small monitor display.
The PSU looks capable of powering a hover mower and sits smack
between the floppy and monitor. If there was ever more a lethal
concoction of components I couldn't imagine.
Seems to be little known about the computer other than they were
often used as terminals in universities and the like. I haven't
discovered any manuals and circuit diagrams. The main board sits
deep below all the monitor electronics and I am not tempted to
start taking the thing apart.
Sadly this really is a thing in truth, a big heavy lump of a
thing. Used only to stand some other computer gear on top of.
Shame really, but there you have it The Cifer.... thing.
Luck would have it I found my two Zenith Data Systems
keyboards that I have been searching for. I now have
monitors, computers, floppy drives and keyboards so I
should be able to see if I can get them working. The
computers have key locks and I was lucky enough to be
forwarded the keys. So fingers crossed.
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