7 Oct
2003
7 Oct
'03
4:42 a.m.
I now have a DEC Professional 380 that was originally a VAX Console.
Inspecting it, I find a floppy interface, a Winchester interface, and an
RTI interface (used for the VAX I think). The disk is an RD52 with a big
piece of red tape that says TOP SECRET.
I have lots of questions....
After looking for pinouts, I have attached a NEC Multisync 3D monitor
and an LK201 keyboard to the VIDEO 1 port. During the self test I get an
error saying a key is stuck on the keyboard. This may indeed be true, I
have not tested the keyboard before. It also says hit <RESUME> to
continue. The keyboard has no <RESUME> key. I suspect there were various
markings for the keycaps. Any suggestion on which key might be <RESUME>?
What are the monochrome monitor specifications (horizontal frequency,
vertical frequency, etc)? It looks like the NEC 3D can barely get the
correct sync. This monitor is a bit old and when it warms up it loses
sync. Not sure if this is a problem with the monitor, or I am just
stretching its specs too much. A NEC XV17 I tried would not even begin
to sync.
I read that the printer port is also a console for the Pro. After
finding the pinouts, I connected a terminal to the port and a break
dropped me into ODT. Is there microPDP-11/83 style firmware in there
somewhere that I can use on the PR 1 port or do I have to use the
keyboard and video?
Using ODT, I can see that there are 512kB of memory.
The RTI seems interesting, but I have not seen any pinouts for the 62
pin connector. From what I can find there are two serial ports, a 24
line bi-directional I/O port and an IEEE-488 port. Pretty cool, but
useless without a pinout...
-chuck
7 Oct
7 Oct
5 a.m.
After looking for pinouts, I have attached a NEC
Multisync 3D monitor
and an LK201 keyboard to the VIDEO 1 port. During the self
test I get an
error saying a key is stuck on the keyboard. This may indeed
be true, I
have not tested the keyboard before. It also says hit <RESUME> to
continue. The keyboard has no <RESUME> key. I suspect there
were various
markings for the keycaps. Any suggestion on which key might
be <RESUME>?
You can find some LK201/VR201 info (mostly schematics) at
http://www.pdp11.nl/documentation/
(The Rainbow used the same kbd/monitor IIRC)
The RTI seems interesting, but I have not seen any
pinouts for the 62
pin connector. From what I can find there are two serial ports, a 24
line bi-directional I/O port and an IEEE-488 port. Pretty cool, but
useless without a pinout...
You can find some Nautilus (VAX 85xx/8700/8800) info at:
http://208.190.133.201/decimages/
(that's what these things were often attached to as a console).
--
---------------
Antonio Carlini arcarlini(a)iee.org
6:55 a.m.
On Tuesday 07 October 2003 11:42, Charles H. Dickman wrote:
I now have a DEC Professional 380 that was originally
a VAX Console.
Inspecting it, I find a floppy interface, a Winchester interface, and an
RTI interface (used for the VAX I think). The disk is an RD52 with a big
piece of red tape that says TOP SECRET.
Just about anything marked "TOP SECRET" must be cool : ).
What are the monochrome monitor specifications
(horizontal frequency,
vertical frequency, etc)? It looks like the NEC 3D can barely get the
correct sync. This monitor is a bit old and when it warms up it loses
sync. Not sure if this is a problem with the monitor, or I am just
stretching its specs too much. A NEC XV17 I tried would not even begin
to sync.
You should, actually, be able to connect it to a composite NTSC monitor. The
sync rates are the same as or very close to those used on USA analog TV
signals. That's what I used for a display on my PRO 380.
I read that the printer port is also a console for the
Pro. After
finding the pinouts, I connected a terminal to the port and a break
dropped me into ODT. Is there microPDP-11/83 style firmware in there
somewhere that I can use on the PR 1 port or do I have to use the
keyboard and video?
Most apps on the PRO 380 expected you to use the video console, with the
possible exception of some debuggers, and custom SYSGEN'd copies of RT11 (or
any other DEC OS's that'd run on it). Bascially, you'll want to use a
keyboard and monitor, not a serial console.
--
Purdue University ITAP/RCS
Information Technology at Purdue
Research Computing and Storage
http://www.itap.purdue.edu/rcs/
4:28 p.m.
On Tue, 7 Oct 2003, Charles H. Dickman wrote:
After looking for pinouts, I have attached a NEC
Multisync 3D monitor
and an LK201 keyboard to the VIDEO 1 port. During the self test I get an
error saying a key is stuck on the keyboard. This may indeed be true, I
have not tested the keyboard before. It also says hit <RESUME> to
continue. The keyboard has no <RESUME> key. I suspect there were various
markings for the keycaps. Any suggestion on which key might be <RESUME>?
What are the monochrome monitor specifications (horizontal frequency,
vertical frequency, etc)? It looks like the NEC 3D can barely get the
correct sync. This monitor is a bit old and when it warms up it loses
sync. Not sure if this is a problem with the monitor, or I am just
stretching its specs too much. A NEC XV17 I tried would not even begin
to sync.
The NEC 3D was very poorly made compared to the earlier and most of the
later 4D/5FG/etc monitors. I've yet to see one that still works properly.
-Toth
12:17 p.m.
The NEC 3D was very poorly made compared to the earlier and most of the
later 4D/5FG/etc monitors. I've yet to see one that still works properly.
-Toth
How do u know? I had a 3D, still ok after 8 yr when I first
bought it years ago then later sold it still working. Only plm with
it was small tube.
Oh yeah, I also had 4FGe. Luckily picked it up for free. It snapped
and popped LOUDLY once in while, threw it out bec it's is really
uncertain when it whatever decides to die in big way.
I know 5D is still working at friend's home but it's HUGE and heavy
as an tank.
Cheers,
Wizard
7:08 p.m.
On Wed, 8 Oct 2003 jpero(a)sympatico.ca wrote:
Tothwolf wrote:
Because I've worked with literally 100s of NEC monitors over the years.
Out of all the 3D monitors I've worked with, every single one that had
more than a few years of power on time had serious problems. Often they
would pop and hiss, some had problems with the tube's phosphor, and some
had major deflection problems. I've not seen near the problems with
earlier or later NEC monitors.
The NEC 3D was very poorly made compared to the
earlier and most of
the later 4D/5FG/etc monitors. I've yet to see one that still works
properly.
How do u know? I had a 3D, still ok after 8 yr when I first bought it
years ago then later sold it still working. Only plm with it was small
tube. Oh yeah, I also had 4FGe. Luckily picked it up for
free. It snapped
and popped LOUDLY once in while, threw it out bec it's is really
uncertain when it whatever decides to die in big way.
Might have been a bad solder joint. Some of the 3D monitors certainly had
that type of problem.
I know 5D is still working at friend's home but
it's HUGE and heavy as
an tank.
I'm viewing this on a 5FG right now, with another 5FGe right next to it.
I've only recently (and temporarily) retired my 2A, as it needs some caps
replaced.
-Toth
7:52 p.m.
"Tothwolf" <tothwolf(a)concentric.net> wrote:
The NEC 3D was very poorly made compared to the
earlier and most of the
later 4D/5FG/etc monitors. I've yet to see one that still works properly.
That may be, but AFAIK it's the last of the NEC Multisync line that could
actually sync to horizontal rates as low as 15.75 KHz, which is necessary
if you want to use it with a DEC Pro 380.
4:36 p.m.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tothwolf" <tothwolf(a)concentric.net>
To: <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Wednesday, October 08, 2003 12:28 AM
Subject: Re: DEC Pro 380 Info Request
The NEC 3D was very poorly made compared to the earlier and most of the
later 4D/5FG/etc monitors. I've yet to see one that still works properly.
-Toth
I have a nec 3Ds (later version of 3d?) that syncs correctly on my amiga
1200 (15khz) , maybe I am lucky
TZ
7 p.m.
On Wed, 8 Oct 2003, TeoZ wrote:
From: "Tothwolf"
<tothwolf(a)concentric.net>
Very...It must not have very many hours on it.
-Toth
The NEC 3D was very poorly made compared to the
earlier and most of
the later 4D/5FG/etc monitors. I've yet to see one that still works
properly.
I have a nec 3Ds (later version of 3d?) that syncs correctly on my amiga
1200 (15khz) , maybe I am lucky
7746
days inactive
7747
days old
8 comments
7 participants
participants (7)
-
arcarlini＠iee.org -
chd_1＠nktelco.net -
eric＠brouhaha.com -
jpero＠sympatico.ca -
pat＠purdueriots.com -
teoz＠neo.rr.com -
tothwolf＠concentric.net