PDP-11 video, was Re: VSV11 on pdp11 - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

31 Jan 2010

...
  -----Original Message-----
 From: cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org
 [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Dave McGuire
 Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2010 1:54 PM
 To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
 Subject: PDP-11 video, was Re: VSV11 on pdp11

 On Jan 21, 2010, at 12:52 PM, Zane H. Healy wrote:
  I have one 3rd party PDP-11 video card, and while
most likely have
 RSX-11M
 software for it, I lack the means to actually hook it up to
 anything (or
 anything to hook it up to).  
    I have a nice little dual-width Qbus board with a TMS9918 (classic
 app-note circuit) on it.  I've never messed with it, but I hope to
 find time to someday.  It'll be fun.

             -Dave

 --
 Dave McGuire
 Port Charlotte, FL [AJL>] 

Hi Dave!  The next board we're making for the N8VEM project is an ECB "color
graphics and sound" peripheral.  The goal is MSX BIOS level compatibility.
It probably won't be fully compatible with all MSX applications but should
allow "well behaved" applications work that use the MSX BIOS.

The board will have a TMS9918 for color graphics and AY-3-8910 for sound as
per the MSX specification.  We are considering some other items as well such
as a SP0256-AL2 and/or CT5256A-AL2 depending on how the prototyping goes.

So far, we've got three TMS9918 prototypes working.  The board has a SRAM
modification so no fussy 4116 DRAMs are needed.  If you or anyone else is
interested in helping develop and/or test a modern ECB TMS9918 board.

Unfortunately, I've fallen woefully behind on my prototyping efforts as this
week I got fully absorbed into this S-100 front panel board John and I are
working on.  John's got a prototype and I'm trying to make the PCB board.
The schematic is done and the PCB has a layout but the trace routing is
proving to be highly problematic.

Thanks and have a nice day!

Andrew Lynch