Q-BUS primer?

Dave Dunfield wrote:

Hi Guys, Recently acquired a goodly amount of DEC gear - I had put the Q-BUS stuff aside while I got the "all in one" VAXstation/VAXservers up and running, but I'm starting to collect information - I've no experience whatsoever with Q-bus, but from what I've read, I understand that it will take a bit of research to determine how to properly configure and position the boards. I'm hoping that I have enough material to built up at least one (possibly 2) nice little PDP-11's, and/or a MicroVax II) At this point, all I'm really looking for is a good "starting point". Can anyone recomment a good document/resources for a Q-bus newbie? Btw, this is what I've got - If there's anything I'm obviously missing, or will have to find extra parts for, please advise me so that I can start looking... Three chassis: BA-23: complete with outer shell and end caps. It bears a "MicroVAX II" label on the console switch panel, and has a floppy drive (dual disk) installed in it. I don't know the model numbers for the next two: - One looks like a BA32 but smaller, and has the "3-switch" PDP console/display panel on it. The cards are inserted from the front beside the panel. - The last one is the smallest, looks much like the one above, complete with 3-switch console/display panel, however instead of metal side/top/bottom plates, it has a "wire cage". It also has a second expansion chassis of similar construction with no power supply or console panel. I've got the following DEC Q-BUS cards: (Descriptions taken from the "Field Guide to Q-BUS and Unbus modules" M3106 4-line async M7264 11/03 processor with 4-Kword RAM M7504 Ethernet adapter (older DEQNA) M7546 TMSCP controller for TK50 M7555 Winchester and floppy disk controller M7606 MicroVAX II KA630 M7608 x2 2/4 MB RAM (boards are fully populated) M7940 x2 SLU Module M7944 x3 4-Kword RAM M7946 x2 RX01 floppy disk controller M8043 x2 4-SLU peripheral interface M8044DB x2 32Kword RAM M8044DF x2 32Kword RAM M8047 RAM, Async, ROMs M8186 11/23 CPU M9047 Grant continuity M9400YA 120-ohm terminators with refresh & floppy boot M9400YE Headers and 250 Ohm resistors I've also got the following third party cards - I don't know anything about these, other than the identifying marks found on the boards listed below - if anyone can provide more information on these, that would be helpful: (Several of them appear to be media controllers of one sort or another). Andromedia Systems UDC-11 rev H (50 pin connector at front edge) Micro Technology Inc. MSV05B (x2) (50 pin connector at front edge) TD Systems TDL-11H/A (50 pin connwctor at front edge) Xylogics "Wizard 1" (50 pin connector at front edge) SDC-RXVZ1 "8202 FD Controller" (50 pin connector at front edge) Versatec LSI-11 P/P Interface (40 pin connector at front edge) Sigma Information Systems Assy 40100 - This board has one 40 + one 50 pin connector, and a place to populate another 40 pin - none are at the front edge. W951 "Flip Chip" - This board has places for various sized chips (most of them populated) with pins to wire-wrap connections between them - looks like some sort of prototyping board. + A couple of the little grant continuity boards. I don't expect this to be a short journy, but it should be interesting... Thanks in advance for any advice/tips. Regards, Dave -- dave06a (at) Dave Dunfield dunfield (dot) Firmware development services & tools: www.dunfield.com com Collector of vintage computing equipment: http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/index.html