>Date: Wed, 7 Oct 2020 11:29:43 -0700
>From: Glen Slick <glen.slick at gmail.com>
>Subject: Re: Remote job submission from PDP-11
>
>On Wed, Oct 7, 2020 at 11:04 AM Paul Koning <paulkoning at comcast.net> wrote:
> >
> > > On Oct 7, 2020, at 12:06 PM, Glen Slick via cctalk
> <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
> > >
> > > ...
> > > I was curious about this DEC M8704 DMS11-DA that sold cheap a few days
> > > ago. It has eight SMC COM5025 "Multi-Protocol Universal Synchronous
> > > Receiver/Transmitter USYNR/T" chips:
> > >
> > > https://www.ebay.com/itm/373243388363
> > >
> > > Apparently it can't do anything on its own. It needs to be connected
> > > to a UNIBUS through a companion KMC11 processor board, which might not
> > > be too common if someone wanted to put together a working
> > > configuration.
> >
> > That model number isn't familiar.
> >
> > A KMC-11 is simply a microprocessor that sits on the Unibus and
> does Unibus cycles to another device on behalf of the host. The
> idea is to offload operations so the host can ask for block
> transfers and the KMC does the individual character I/O operations needed.
> >
> > That said, it clearly is not correct that "it can't do anything
> on its own". The KMC-11 reaches into the device via its Unibus
> CSRs. If you can find a description of its operation, or reverse
> engineer it, you can clearly write a device driver for it that
> doesn't rely on a KMC-11.
> >
> > paul
>
>Well it does appear that M8704 DMS11-DA "can't do anything on its own"
>directly through the UNIBUS. From a quick visual inspection it only
>has power and grant continuity traces on the card edge connectors. The
>connection to the controlling KMC-11 is through the 40-pin Berg
>connector. So without a KMC-11 an alternate interface through the
>40-pin Berg connector would be needed.
My first job at DEC was to release the KMC-11 Programmer's Tools
support for RSX-11.
(I didn't write them from scratch, two other engineers did that, but
I did do final debug and QA)
We provided two firmware kit products; the CommIOP-DUP and DZ, which
controlled the DUP-11 and DZ-11 respectively.
The KMC-11 could do NPR bus transfers to/from the devices, and the
CommIOP-DUP firmware could do Bisync or X.25 type framing so that you
got an RSX-11 driver with a packet interface, vs byte at a
time. The CommIO-DZ firmware provided various customizable state
driven things as you might want for a line driven terminal
concentrator. I'm pretty sure the packages came with the "source"
code, so you could customize it if you could understand it.
The DMC-11 did DDMCP support and was basically a KMC with ROM in the
control store. And it did use that external connector to the
proprietary network interface card, DMC-11DA.
In later years, I wrote and released a KMC Tools package for
VMS-11. That came with a VMS DMA LP-11 line printer driver I authored.
I don't remember if the CommIOP tools were supported. Some VMS
engineers didn't like these products. (another story)
(That didn't stop the Lab products guys in Marlboro from using them
for their applications)
There was a later version called the KMC-11B which doubled the memory
and probably ran faster too. It was the same board as the DMP-11
product which was an improved version of the DMC-11.
These were quad Unibus boards. In the Q bus world, there was a 6502
based I/O processor card developed (outside of Networks) (as one-chip
micros became available) as well.
I have a KMC-11 Programmer's Manual here... I think you'll need a
print set to figure out that connector.
Dave.
So far, two people have asked for "Varian Data 620/i Systems Computer
Manual."
So that I don't have to decide who gets it, I've put it on EBay for a7-
day auction with a starting bid of $0.99.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/224184671124 id="-x-evo-selection-start-marker">
Van Snydervan.snyder at sbcglobal.net
In about 1974, for my senior undergraduate project, I wrote microcode
to convince a Varian V70 that it was actually an IBM 1130.
Being substantially more modern hardware, it was much faster than a
real 1130.
If anybody wants microcode and flow diagrams, and listings for the I/O
simulation (which ran in 620/f mode), I'm happy to send them.
Van Snyder
van.snyder at sbcglobal.net
So far, two people have asked for "Programming HP 21MX Computers."
So that I don't have to decide who gets it, I've put it on EBay for a
7-day auction with a starting bid of $0.99.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/224184669206
It has a cheap "perfect" binding, and it's 3-hold punched, so it could
be disassembled and scanned, but I don't want to be the one who does
this.
Van Snyder
van.snyder at sbcglobal.net
https://pt.gofundme.com/f/exhibition-of-agora-computing
They really need donations so they can get going again. Can anyone help?
--
Cindy Croxton
Electronics Plus
1613 Water Street
Kerrville, TX 78028
830-370-3239 direct
Hi all,
Am wondering if anybody knows how to find a copy of the "Handheld
Systems Archives CD-ROM" that was sold through the domain cdpubs.com
20-30 ywars ago.
/Tomas
Hi All,
I've recently bought a TU56 for my PDP-8/e, and am looking for some
advice on getting it to work.
Over the course of a few weeks I fixed odds and ends with the drive
(motor run capacitors, damaged wires, transistors, etc.), and for a few
days the right drive worked very reliably. I could read existing tapes,
write to them, and format fresh tapes.
(A write-up to this point is here: www.vcfed.org/forum/showthread.php?76935)
(A good source for new motor run capacitors: https://www.ebay.com/itm/142631210678)
However, this changed when I wrote a file to an existing tape, only to
find that the directory structure had somehow been corrupted in the
process. Out of curiosity I mounted a scratch tape that I knew I could
format before and tried to format it again, the result was a
BLOCK NUMBER ERROR PHASE 4.
When running the TD8E MAINDEC it's apparent why - when set to display
the block number in the accumulator for the tape I tried to format,
every third bit appears to stick or glitch out. The tape I think I
corrupted however appears to count up and down the blocks correctly.
(Video here: https://streamable.com/bh8f7p)
I tried swapping the G888s around to see if it made any difference, but
nothing changed. I then turned my attention to the cabling and the TD8E.
Somewhere along the line things got worse, and now running TDFRMT just
results in a "SETUP?" error when trying to format a tape.
I've tried running the TD8E MAINDEC (DHTDAB), and managed to get it to
pass the following tests:
-Operator Intervention
-Data Register
-Command Register
-Initialize
-SDLC, SDLD, SDRC, and SDRC and AC Clear
-Single Line Skip Instruction and Logic Test
-Quad Line Skip Instruction and Logic Test
However, once it reaches the Timing Error Skip Instruction and Logic
Test, it fails with the following:
>TIMING ERROR SKIP INSTRUCTION AND LOGIC
>TIMING ERROR STATUS BIT NOT SET IN COMMAND REGISTER
>
>TIMING ERROR DOES NOT CLEAR WRITE FLIP/FLOP
I also found some tests that check the Data and Command Registers by
accepting input from the switches and displaying the result in the MQ.
These work fine, although though doing so I discovered that I had stuck
bits on the MQ on one of my Major Registers boards. I swapped with a
spare for now and will look at that later.
Lastly I found a copy of the source for TDFRMT so I could see what
exactly was causing the "SETUP?" error. I noticed there's several things
that can cause that error (the JMPs to ERCHK), so I replaced the first
JMP ERCHK with a halt and sure enough it did halt there.
/SEE IF THE DRIVE IS OK
003224 6774 RSTSM, SDLC /LOAD CR TO CLEAR TIMEING ERROR
003225 6775 SDLD /LOAD DATA BUFFER TO CLEAR S Q FLAGS
003226 1162 TAD DT0400 /SET WRITE
003227 1027 TAD DTA /GET UNIT
003230 3257 DCA SAV /STORE IT AWAY
003231 1257 TAD SAV
003232 6771 SDSS
003233 5232 JMP .-1
003234 6774 SDLC
003235 1257 TAD SAV
003236 6774 SDLC /LOAD THE TRANSPORT
003237 6776 SDRC /READ THE COMMAND REGISTER AND CHECK IT
003240 7006 RTL
003241 7004 RAL
003242 7500 SMA /CHECK WRITE TO BE SET
003243 5260 JMP ERCHK /WRITE IS NOT SET <<<---Halts here if changed to HLT.
003244 7004 RAL /CHECK WLO
003245 7510 SPA
003246 5260 JMP ERCHK /WLO
003247 7004 RAL /CHECK SELECT AND TIMING ERROR
003250 7710 SPA CLA
003251 5260 JMP ERCHK /SELECT OR TIMING ERROR
003252 4777' JMS NUDTA /CHECK OTHER DRIVE IF ANY
003253 5213 JMP RSTSM-11 /CHECK OTHER DRIVE
003254 5655 JMP I .+1
003255 1400 STMK
003256 0000 CNTERL, 0
003257 0000 SAV, 0
Does anyone have any hints on what I should check from here?
Regards,
-Tom
mosst at sdf.org
SDF Public Access UNIX System - https://sdf.org
Working on cleaning up my RX02 drives: I've taken the 8 inch floppy
units out of the case/chassis and have been cleaning dust and such off
the whole assemblies.
One thing I noticed: There is a pad opposite the head that comes down
when a solenoid is energized to provide pressure against the read head.
Makes sense, it also has a pad that presses against the floppy disc
itself, probably to keep it from jittering. However I noticed on both
heads that the bracket is adjusted all the way down. This means that
even when the solenoid is not energized the head pad is pressing against
the disk and pushing the disk against the head.
Is this normal? I would think this would result in the floppy always
being pressed against the head and quickly wearing out the disk. The
whole point is to let the disk float against the head, only letting the
pad push things into contact when doing a read.
Do I have this right, and is adjusting that that assembly proper when
the pad puck is not touching the disk when up, but is touching it when down?
C
I have some books I no longer need. Is this a good place to offer them?
WordPerfect Wiorkbook for IBM Personal Computers
Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0 User's Guide and Reference
Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0 Getting Started
WordPerfect Version 6.0 DOS Reference (along with a CD)
WordPerfect Add-Ons Catalog
WordPerfect Software Product Catalog
WordPerfect Version 6.0 DOS Getting Started for the New User
WordPerfect Shell Version 4.0 DOS User's Guide
WordPerfect Version 6.0 DOS Learning WordPerfect
WordPerfect for UNIX 7 Installation and Administration Guide
WordPerfect for UNIX 7 User Guide
WordPerfect for UNIX 7 Clipart Guide
Van Snyder
van.snyder at sbcglobal.net
