Portable PDP-11 (was Re: Does anyone use RT-11?) - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

10 Sep 2007

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Subject: Re: Portable PDP-11 (was Re: Does anyone use RT-11?)
   From: "Zane H. Healy" <healyzh at aracnet.com>
   Date: Mon, 10 Sep 2007 11:54:24 -0700 (PDT)
     To: cctalk at classiccmp.org

  As for
storage, obviously some flavor of FLASH is great for most
things.  CF is easy to interface to, and CF cards 1GB and smaller are
quite inexpensive.  MMC/SD are also inexpensive and even easier to
interface to, with a bit more work on the driver side to man the SPI
interface.  
 None of the above for cost or availability reasons.  I'd opt for IDE
 using one of the many 40-500mb drives I have. 
I believe converters for IDE to CF cards are pretty cheap, so if you have
IDE, you effectively have CF. 
True but then I ahve to buy an adaptor and the CF. And I don't get 
to use up that pile of drives.. ;)

...
   You envision
what sould like a Laptop.  I can't easily fabricate that
 but a toteable like Kaypro, Osborne and a few others is very doable. 
You might want to look at some of the "Laptops" that others have built for
things such as the Amiga.  It might not be as difficult as you might think. 
If you have to wirewarp the system board first then create a CRT/LCD driver 
board yes it gets nasty. If you have RS170 video already then there are 
screens available.  I've traversed this path a few times already and the 
basic thing is if you have excess money to throw at it then it's easier.

...
   The basic
machine description is a 128kW using 32kx8 static parts (8pcs),
 Boot roms/ODT, MMU, two serial, parallel (PC conpatable for printer) 
 and IDE disk. Things like OS in Eprom have surfaced to my idea pool
 to consider especially if it were not RT11 (CUBIX influence).  Terminal 
 logic would be VK170 (base VT52 on a dual size card) and a monitor in 
 the 7-9" size.  

 Right now it's a static project from the build it perspective but 
 as new ideas surface and other projects supply different expereinces
 it morphs some.  What I'd have built say 6 years ago and noew would 
 be very different. It will eventually get attention as I have parts 
 stored away for it.   
Sounds fun. 
One day I'll just decide to do it.. ;)

Allison