29 Jun
2011
29 Jun
'11
3:12 a.m.
Ok, I have this CX-11 which is a half rack full of backplanes & flip-chips
and has also a half sized lights top panel. It's a Unibus controller to talk
to an IBM bus and tag device. There are 2 large 'In' connectors and also 2
'Out' connectors. I do have a manual which describes some generic IBM info,
but I would like to know what kind of device(s) could (if possible) directly
be connected to such a thing?
Thanks,
Ed
--
Dit is een HTML vrije email / This is an HTML free email.
29 Jun
29 Jun
7:39 a.m.
On 6/29/11 6:12 AM, E. Groenenberg wrote:
Ok, I have this CX-11 which is a half rack full of
backplanes& flip-chips
and has also a half sized lights top panel. It's a Unibus controller to talk
to an IBM bus and tag device. There are 2 large 'In' connectors and also 2
'Out' connectors. I do have a manual which describes some generic IBM info,
but I would like to know what kind of device(s) could (if possible) directly
be connected to such a thing?
Oh, neat! One could have a great deal of fun with that, but it'd
likely involve writing lots of code. ;) I'd hack on it if it were here.
As far as what could be connected to it...I'd imagine pretty much
anything with a B&T interface, which would be most any pre-ESCON IBM
mainframe peripheral. Disk controllers, tape controllers, terminal and
communications controllers..
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
8:18 a.m.
On 6/29/11 6:12 AM, E. Groenenberg wrote:
Ok, that sounds interesting. But could it not be an interface which acts
like a sort of device itself without the capability to control another
device like a disk or tape?
Ed
--
Dit is een HTML vrije email / This is an HTML free email.
Ok, I have this CX-11 which is a half rack full
of backplanes&
flip-chips
and has also a half sized lights top panel. It's a Unibus controller to
talk
to an IBM bus and tag device. There are 2 large 'In' connectors and also
2
'Out' connectors. I do have a manual which describes some generic IBM
info,
but I would like to know what kind of device(s) could (if possible)
directly
be connected to such a thing?
Oh, neat! One could have a great deal of fun with that, but it'd
likely involve writing lots of code. ;) I'd hack on it if it were here.
As far as what could be connected to it...I'd imagine pretty much
anything with a B&T interface, which would be most any pre-ESCON IBM
mainframe peripheral. Disk controllers, tape controllers, terminal and
communications controllers..
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
8:25 a.m.
On 6/29/11 11:18 AM, E. Groenenberg wrote:
Ok, that sounds interesting. But could it not be an interface which acts
like a sort of device itself without the capability to control another
device like a disk or tape?
I suppose it's possible; I don't know what problem it was originally
designed to address. If they were just looking to communicate between a
Unibus machine and an IBM mainframe, I'd think B&T might not be the
first choice though. Perhaps it looks like a CTC adapter? Got any docs?
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
Ok, I have this CX-11 which is a half rack full of
backplanes&
flip-chips
and has also a half sized lights top panel. It's a Unibus controller to
talk
to an IBM bus and tag device. There are 2 large 'In' connectors and also
2
'Out' connectors. I do have a manual which describes some generic IBM
info,
but I would like to know what kind of device(s) could (if possible)
directly
be connected to such a thing?
Oh, neat! One could have a great deal of fun with that, but it'd
likely involve writing lots of code. ;) I'd hack on it if it were here.
As far as what could be connected to it...I'd imagine pretty much
anything with a B&T interface, which would be most any pre-ESCON IBM
mainframe peripheral. Disk controllers, tape controllers, terminal and
communications controllers.. 
8:26 a.m.
Ok, that sounds interesting. But could it not be an
interface which acts
like a sort of device itself without the capability to control another
device like a disk or tape?
I think CX11 was used when you wanted to hang a PDP-11 off a mainframe
channel, rather than have a PDP-11 control anything IBMy.
Somewhere around here I have a similar device that hangs a PDP-11 off
a CDC Cyber channel. The PDP-11 (a /24, I think) was basically used as
a plotter controller.
--
Will
8:37 a.m.
On 6/29/11 11:26 AM, William Donzelli wrote:
Innnnnteresting.
Are there any docs for the CX11 around? A cursory glance at
bitsavers didn't turn up anything.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
Ok, that
sounds interesting. But could it not be an interface which acts
like a sort of device itself without the capability to control another
device like a disk or tape?
I think CX11 was used when you wanted to hang a PDP-11 off a mainframe
channel, rather than have a PDP-11 control anything IBMy.
Somewhere around here I have a similar device that hangs a PDP-11 off
a CDC Cyber channel. The PDP-11 (a /24, I think) was basically used as
a plotter controller. 
11:04 a.m.
Ok, I have this CX-11 which is a half rack full of backplanes & flip-chips
Are you suree it's a CX11? I have a pair of DX11s which sound like the
same thing. 8 rows of flip-chip cards, a sparate PSU and IBM power
interlock panel. I havea printset for it somewhree and maybe a
diagnostic source listing, but not much elase.
and has also a half sized lights top panel. It's a
Unibus controller to talk
to an IBM bus and tag device. There are 2 large 'In' connectors and also 2
'Out' connectors. I do have a manual which describes some generic IBM info,
but I would like to know what kind of device(s) could (if possible) directly
be connected to such a thing?
From what I could deduce from the printset, this is
straictly a slave
device on the IBM channel. In optehr words, it will let a PDP11
communciate iwth an IBM machine, but it won't allow you to connect IBM
peripherals to the Unibus (you need the IBM machine to act as a channel
'master').
-tony
1:27 p.m.
Ok, I have
this CX-11 which is a half rack full of backplanes &
flip-chips
Are you sure it's a CX11? I have a pair of DX11s which sound like the
same thing. 8 rows of flip-chip cards, a separate PSU and IBM power
interlock panel. I have a printset for it somewhere and maybe a
diagnostic source listing, but not much elase.
and has also a half sized lights top panel.
It's a Unibus controller to
talk
to an IBM bus and tag device. There are 2 large 'In' connectors and also
2
'Out' connectors. I do have a manual which describes some generic IBM
info,
but I would like to know what kind of device(s) could (if possible)
directly
be connected to such a thing?
From what I could deduce from the printset, this
is strictly a slave
device on the IBM channel. In other words, it will let a PDP11
communicate iwth an IBM machine, but it won't allow you to connect IBM
peripherals to the Unibus (you need the IBM machine to act as a channel
'master'). 
2:45 p.m.
On 29/06/2011 21:27, E. Groenenberg wrote:
>> Ok, I have this CX-11 which is a half rack
full of backplanes &
>> flip-chips
> Are you sure it's a CX11? I have a pair of DX11s which sound like the
> same thing. 8 rows of flip-chip cards, a separate PSU and IBM power
> interlock panel. I have a printset for it somewhere and maybe a
> diagnostic source listing, but not much elase.
Come to think of it, that's what was nagging at the back of my mind when
I replied earlier. They're DX-11s, the ones Jim has.
Yes, it is as you describe, several horizontally
rackmounted backplanes
with a dedicated PSU. I have a FS printset and a user manual.
Some pictures can be seen at http://tinyurl.com/5w4l6uv
Hmm... all the others I've seen, including Jim's two, are in shorter
racks, which therefore they almost fill.
--
Pete Peter Turnbull
Network Manager
University of York
2:59 p.m.
On Wed, Jun 29, 2011 at 5:45 PM, Pete Turnbull <pete at dunnington.plus.com> wrote:
> Some pictures can be seen at
http://tinyurl.com/5w4l6uv
Does anyone have any lamp information on the indicator panels? I have
one (courtesy of a list member) that was gifted to me with no lamps
and I'd like to do something interesting with it someday (including,
most likely, building LED lamp replacements vs buying dozens of $2
bulbs).
-ethan
4 p.m.
On 29/06/2011 22:59, Ethan Dicks wrote:
On Wed, Jun 29, 2011 at 5:45 PM, Pete Turnbull
<pete at dunnington.plus.com> wrote:
I can't help directly, but I think they are either OL-1 or OL-2. If
Ed's unit is full of LEDs, it has probably been converted, most likely
in the same manner as one of my PDP-8/Es. That has a DEC mod which
consists of snipping (or unsoldering) one end of the trickle resistor,
and replacing the lamp with a 5mm LED that has one leg cut very short
and fitted with a miniature resistor to limit the current. The
resultant LED+resistor fits into the existing lamp sockets. If Ed's is
like that, looking at the resistor should tell you the value, which is
really all you need to know.
--
Pete Peter Turnbull
Network Manager
University of York
> Some pictures can be seen at
http://tinyurl.com/5w4l6uv
Does anyone have any lamp information on the indicator panels? I have
one (courtesy of a list member) that was gifted to me with no lamps
and I'd like to do something interesting with it someday (including,
most likely, building LED lamp replacements vs buying dozens of $2
bulbs). 
7:36 p.m.
From: "Ethan Dicks": Wednesday, June 29, 2011 2:59 PM
On Wed, Jun 29, 2011 at 5:45 PM, Pete Turnbull
<pete at dunnington.plus.com>
wrote:
I have a panel just like that, and mine is (well, was, anyway) full of OL-2.
Vince
> Some pictures can be seen at
http://tinyurl.com/5w4l6uv
Does anyone have any lamp information on the indicator panels? I have
one (courtesy of a list member) that was gifted to me with no lamps
and I'd like to do something interesting with it someday (including,
most likely, building LED lamp replacements vs buying dozens of $2
bulbs). 
8:14 p.m.
New subject: Help - location edge card connector...
Anyone know of a source of 36 pin (18 x 2) edge connectors, but with
long pin through leads? Just like this, but 36 pin:
http://www.electronicsurplus.com/Item/153291/AMP%20INC%20-%2022-Position%20…
Thx
Curt
8:16 p.m.
New subject: Help - location edge card connector...
On Wed, 29 Jun 2011, Curt @ Atari Museum wrote:
Anyone know of a source of 36 pin (18 x 2) edge
connectors, but with long pin
through leads? Just like this, but 36 pin:
http://www.electronicsurplus.com/Item/153291/AMP%20INC%20-%2022-Position%20…
I've had some luck cutting the ends off connectors and splicing them
together. As long as the pins are on a .1" grid, then things should line
up just fine.
--
David Griffith
dgriffi at cs.csubak.edu
A: Because it fouls the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
A: Top-posting.
Q: What is the most annoying thing in e-mail?
8:29 p.m.
New subject: Help - location edge card connector...
Thats actually what I'm trying now...
David Griffith wrote:
On Wed, 29 Jun 2011, Curt @ Atari Museum wrote:
Anyone know of a source of 36 pin (18 x 2) edge
connectors, but with
long pin through leads? Just like this, but 36 pin:
http://www.electronicsurplus.com/Item/153291/AMP%20INC%20-%2022-Position%20…
I've had some luck cutting the ends off connectors and splicing them
together. As long as the pins are on a .1" grid, then things should
line up just fine.
10:35 p.m.
New subject: Help - location edge card connector...
On Wed, Jun 29, 2011 at 8:14 PM, Curt @ Atari Museum
<curt at atarimuseum.com> wrote:
Anyone know of a source of 36 pin (18 x 2) edge
connectors, but with long
pin through leads? ? ?Just like this, but 36 pin:
http://www.electronicsurplus.com/Item/153291/AMP%20INC%20-%2022-Position%20…
Do you need wire wrap pins? If not, would an EDAC 305-036-520-202 work?
http://media.digikey.com/photos/EDAC%20Photos/305-036-520-202.jpg
http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=EDC305…
11:48 p.m.
New subject: Help - location edge card connector...
aww hmm hmmm
On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 12:35 AM, Glen Slick <glen.slick at gmail.com> wrote:
On Wed, Jun 29, 2011 at 8:14 PM, Curt @ Atari Museum
<curt at atarimuseum.com> wrote:
Do you need wire wrap pins? If not, would an EDAC 305-036-520-202 work?
http://media.digikey.com/photos/EDAC%20Photos/305-036-520-202.jpg
http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=EDC305…
Anyone know of a source of 36 pin (18 x 2) edge
connectors, but with long
pin through leads? Just like this, but 36 pin:
http://www.electronicsurplus.com/Item/153291/AMP%20INC%20-%2022-Position%20…
30 Jun
30 Jun
12:38 a.m.
On Wed, Jun 29, 2011 at 5:45 PM, Pete Turnbull
<pete at dunnington.plus.com>
wrote:
> Some pictures can be seen at
http://tinyurl.com/5w4l6uv
Does anyone have any lamp information on the indicator panels? I have
one (courtesy of a list member) that was gifted to me with no lamps
and I'd like to do something interesting with it someday (including,
most likely, building LED lamp replacements vs buying dozens of $2
bulbs).
From what I remember after having briefly looked at the
schematics, the
indicator panel on the DX-11/CX-11 uses a pull-up & pull down
resistor
and +5v for power.
Regards,
Ed
--
Dit is een HTML vrije email / This is an HTML free email.
11:03 a.m.
On Wed, Jun 29, 2011 at 5:45 PM, Pete Turnbull <pete at dunnington.plus.com>
wrote:
> Some pictures can be seen at
http://tinyurl.com/5w4l6uv
Does anyone have any lamp information on the indicator panels? I have
one (courtesy of a list member) that was gifted to me with no lamps From what I remembrm the panels are just lamps and
driver transistrors,
so the lap voltage is determined by the PSU you use (within
reason ;-)).
I think DEC used an 8V (probably unregulted) supply line for them in the
DX11.
One thing to be aware of is that there are no ground pins on the ribbon
cables. All are signals. You have to complete the circuit by ensuring the
lmap power supply shares its 0-V rail wit hthe sytem logic supply.
and I'd like to do something interesting with it
someday (including,
most likely, building LED lamp replacements vs buying dozens of $2
bulbs).
DEC had some official bi-pin LED modules (I think I've seen similar
things in the catalogues, but theu're not cheap, particularly if you need
144 of them). You have to dike out the preheat resistor in each driver
circuit if you use LEDs. If you use bare LEDs, you have to add a suitable
seires resistro (so suit the supply you're running the lamps from).
-tony
12:18 a.m.
On 29/06/2011 21:27, E. Groenenberg wrote:
Well, I may have misread it and it is a DX-11 and not a CX-11, but I
have to check the docs when I have unearthed them after moving the stuff
I keep in the new 'game' room.
Regards,
Ed
--
Dit is een HTML vrije email / This is an HTML free email.
>> Ok, I have this CX-11 which is a half
rack full of backplanes &
>> flip-chips
> Are you sure it's a CX11? I have a pair of DX11s which sound like the
> same thing. 8 rows of flip-chip cards, a separate PSU and IBM power
> interlock panel. I have a printset for it somewhere and maybe a
> diagnostic source listing, but not much elase.
Come to think of it, that's what was nagging at the back of my mind when
I replied earlier. They're DX-11s, the ones Jim has.
Yes, it is as you describe, several horizontally
rackmounted backplanes
with a dedicated PSU. I have a FS printset and a user manual.
Some pictures can be seen at http://tinyurl.com/5w4l6uv
Hmm... all the others I've seen, including Jim's two, are in shorter
racks, which therefore they almost fill.
10:52 a.m.
Yes, it is as you describe, several horizontally
rackmounted backplanes
with a dedicated PSU. I have a FS printset and a user manual.
Some pictures can be seen at http://tinyurl.com/5w4l6uv
It l;ooks a lot like mine, but, of course ,it could have different
flip-chip cards or differnt wiring. I am _sure_ mine is a DX11
My lamp panel has LEDs like yours, it also has a panel over it to label
them. They basically show the values in the unibus-accessible registers.
You can use the same type of lamp panel with the RK11-C cotnroller
(obviosuly with differnet lablellign). I should move the panel from one
of my DX11s to my RK11-C (which get s a lot more use :-))
-tony
11:22 a.m.
On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 1:52 PM, Tony Duell <ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk> wrote:
You can use the same type of lamp panel with the
RK11-C cotnroller
(obviosuly with differnet lablellign). I should move the panel from one
of my DX11s to my RK11-C (which get s a lot more use :-))
That is what I intend to do with my panel - I already have the RK11-C
but have never taken the time to clean and restore it (I've been using
drives on my RKV11D).
-ethan
11:34 a.m.
On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 1:52 PM, Tony Duell <ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk> wrote:
Yes, there are 4 edge connectors in the RX11-C backplane to take the
cables from this panel. It should just plug in (but do make sure you have
a common 0V rail :-)).
Was it used with any other peripherals? If so, which ones? I would assume
they that to be early-ish devices made from flip chip cards.
-tony
You can use the same type of lamp panel with the
RK11-C cotnroller
(obviosuly with differnet lablellign). I should move the panel from one
of my DX11s to my RK11-C (which get s a lot more use :-))
That is what I intend to do with my panel - I already have the RK11-C
but have never taken the time to clean and restore it (I've been using
drives on my RKV11D).
-ethan
29 Jun
29 Jun
2:31 p.m.
On 29/06/2011 11:12, E. Groenenberg wrote:
Ok, I have this CX-11 which is a half rack full of
backplanes &
flip-chips and has also a half sized lights top panel. It's a Unibus
controller to talk to an IBM bus and tag device. There are 2 large
'In' connectors and also 2 'Out' connectors. I do have a manual which
describes some generic IBM info, but I would like to know what kind
of device(s) could (if possible) directly be connected to such a
thing?
Not sure what the limitations are, but Jim Austin (whom you met, once)
has two CX-11s and a bunch of cables and probably some some
peripherals, as he has at least two IBM
mainframes. IIRC one DX-11 has LEDs and the other has lamps, though I
think the LED one isn't complete. They came from a nearby university,
when they scrapped an Amdahl mainframe and a lot of related DE stuff
about 15 years ago. They also had a couple of QBus systems with IBM
channel interface -- but they were rather smaller boxes! They were used
to hang a couple of PDP-11 systems off the IBM or Amdahl; as I
understand it, the PDPs were comms controllers for the mainframes.
--
Pete Peter Turnbull
Network Manager
University of York
3:38 p.m.
On 2011 Jun 29, at 2:31 PM, Pete Turnbull wrote:
On 29/06/2011 11:12, E. Groenenberg wrote:
Just as an example, the MTS system at UBC here used PDP-11s to
multiplex the hundreds of ASCII terminals spread around the campus into
the IBM/Amdahl mainframe. Probably standard for other MTS systems, too.
I don't actually know what the channel<->PDP interface device was, but
this sounds as if it could be a typical application for the CX?DX-11.
Ok, I have this CX-11 which is a half rack full
of backplanes &
flip-chips and has also a half sized lights top panel. It's a Unibus
controller to talk to an IBM bus and tag device. There are 2 large
'In' connectors and also 2 'Out' connectors. I do have a manual which
describes some generic IBM info, but I would like to know what kind
of device(s) could (if possible) directly be connected to such a
thing?
Not sure what the limitations are, but Jim Austin (whom you met, once)
has two CX-11s and a bunch of cables and probably some some
peripherals, as he has at least two IBM
mainframes. IIRC one DX-11 has LEDs and the other has lamps, though I
think the LED one isn't complete. They came from a nearby university,
when they scrapped an Amdahl mainframe and a lot of related DE stuff
about 15 years ago. They also had a couple of QBus systems with IBM
channel interface -- but they were rather smaller boxes! They were
used to hang a couple of PDP-11 systems off the IBM or Amdahl; as I
understand it, the PDPs were comms controllers for the mainframes.
30 Jun
30 Jun
12:13 a.m.
On 29/06/2011 11:12, E. Groenenberg wrote:
Hi Pete,
This unit was connected to an IBM, not sure which model though. This
unit was one of 3 (from what I remember) and they apparently were used
to exchange some sort of air traffic data between them.
This unit has led's, judging by the orange color of them.
Regards,
Ed
--
Dit is een HTML vrije email / This is an HTML free email.
Ok, I have this CX-11 which is a half rack full
of backplanes &
flip-chips and has also a half sized lights top panel. It's a Unibus
controller to talk to an IBM bus and tag device. There are 2 large
'In' connectors and also 2 'Out' connectors. I do have a manual which
describes some generic IBM info, but I would like to know what kind
of device(s) could (if possible) directly be connected to such a
thing?
Not sure what the limitations are, but Jim Austin (whom you met, once)
has two CX-11s and a bunch of cables and probably some some
peripherals, as he has at least two IBM
mainframes. IIRC one DX-11 has LEDs and the other has lamps, though I
think the LED one isn't complete. They came from a nearby university,
when they scrapped an Amdahl mainframe and a lot of related DE stuff
about 15 years ago. They also had a couple of QBus systems with IBM
channel interface -- but they were rather smaller boxes! They were used
to hang a couple of PDP-11 systems off the IBM or Amdahl; as I
understand it, the PDPs were comms controllers for the mainframes.
10:59 a.m.
Not sure what the limitations are, but Jim Austin
(whom you met, once)
has two CX-11s and a bunch of cables and probably some some
peripherals, as he has at least two IBM
mainframes. IIRC one DX-11 has LEDs and the other has lamps, though I
think the LED one isn't complete. They came from a nearby university,
when they scrapped an Amdahl mainframe and a lot of related DE stuff
about 15 years ago. They also had a couple of QBus systems with IBM
channel interface -- but they were rather smaller boxes! They were used
to hang a couple of PDP-11 systems off the IBM or Amdahl; as I
understand it, the PDPs were comms controllers for the mainframes.
Mine came from Cambridge University at about the same time, and AFAIK
they werre used for much the same purpose -- that is using PDP11s as
frontends to an IBM mainfram. The PDP11s were stufferd iwtrh comms cards
-- DMC11s, DMR11s, DUP11s, even the odd DJ11 (16 channel asynchronous
mux). Others wanted the 11/34 CPUs, but the (interesting to me) comms
stuff all came home with me ;-)
Both my DX11s have LED panels.
A bit later I was offerend an 'IBM compatible ethernet interface'. No,
not an ISA/PCI/etc card. A box made by Storagetek to connect to an IBM
channel. I have no idea what I'll use it for (not having got an IBM
mainframe), but I certainly wasn;t going to miss that!
-tony
1:51 p.m.
On 30/06/2011 18:59, Tony Duell wrote:
Mine came from Cambridge University at about the same
time, and AFAIK
they werre used for much the same purpose -- that is using PDP11s as
frontends to an IBM mainfram. The PDP11s were stufferd iwtrh comms cards
-- DMC11s, DMR11s, DUP11s, even the odd DJ11 (16 channel asynchronous
mux). Others wanted the 11/34 CPUs, but the (interesting to me) comms
stuff all came home with me ;-)
Coincidence or not I don't know, but the two at Leeds were also on
11/34s, stuffed with serial I/O, mostly Emulex CS111s, and booting off a
well-worn RX02. I got one of the 11/34s and some serial cards, plus a
few bits and pieces.
Both my DX11s have LED panels.
Jim has, IIRC, one of each.
A bit later I was offerend an 'IBM compatible
ethernet interface'. No,
not an ISA/PCI/etc card. A box made by Storagetek to connect to an IBM
channel. I have no idea what I'll use it for (not having got an IBM
mainframe), but I certainly wasn;t going to miss that!
Leeds also had a couple of brown boxes which were essentially 11/73
machines (each in a 3U-high third-party cabinet) with a rather odd quad
QBus ethernet card made by Camtec (as in "Camtec PAD" or "JNT PAD"),
some synchronous serial I/O, and some other IBM-related interface, I
think. I've still got one of those Ethernet cards somewhere, never
found a driver for it.
--
Pete Peter Turnbull
Network Manager
University of York
1 Jul
1 Jul
1 p.m.
Mine came from
Cambridge University at about the same time, and AFAIK
they werre used for much the same purpose -- that is using PDP11s as
frontends to an IBM mainfram. The PDP11s were stufferd iwtrh comms cards
-- DMC11s, DMR11s, DUP11s, even the odd DJ11 (16 channel asynchronous
mux). Others wanted the 11/34 CPUs, but the (interesting to me) comms
stuff all came home with me ;-)
Coincidence or not I don't know, but the two at Leeds were also on
11/34s, stuffed with serial I/O, mostly Emulex CS111s, and booting off a well-worn RX02. I got one of the 11/34s and some
serial cards, plus a
I am pretty sure the Cambridge University machines ran from RK05s, or 3rd
party equivalents.
few bits and pieces.
Is the CS11 the onw where there's a Unibus board full of 2900 bit slice
chips liked to distribution panels which contain the UARTs are well as
the line driever/receiver ICs? I have one of those in my 11/44.
Leeds also had a couple of brown boxes which were
essentially 11/73
machines (each in a 3U-high third-party cabinet) with a rather odd quad
QBus ethernet card made by Camtec (as in "Camtec PAD" or "JNT PAD"),
As an aside, I have JNT-PAD and its unser manual soewhere. Odd device,
it appears you can save the configuration on an audio cassette recorder...
-tony
2:19 p.m.
On 01/07/2011 21:00, Tony Duell wrote:
I have one too. Before I started in my present job, UoY had quite a lot
of thick yellow etherhose around the place[1], and Camtec pads stuck in
odd corners with various terminals hanging off them. There weren't
really any proper wiring centres in those days, not in the way we now
have rooms with a couple of racks, space to walk round them, etc.
A couple of years ago I got a call from the electricians. "We need to
turn off the power in <somewhere> electrical plant room for testing and
there's one of your network things there with flashing lights. Is it OK
to turn off?" I said we had no network switches there. They described
where <somewhere> was, but it made no sense; our wiring centre for that
building was at the opposite side of the building, it was it's own
dedicated room, and definitely not in an electrical plant room. So
eventually they led me to to this plant room to look, and there was this
dusty long-forgotten Camtec PAD, lights still flashing, connected to a
length of yellow coax that could not possibly have been carrying packets
for over ten years, patiently listening for traffic on serial lines that
led to about a dozen rooms. Yes, it still works.
1][ Actually it still does, though no longer carrying traffic. It's
just to too difficult to try to pull it back out again. Some of it is
probably all that's holding up the covered walkways.
--
Pete Peter Turnbull
Network Manager
University of York
Is the CS11 the onw where there's a Unibus board
full of 2900 bit slice
chips liked to distribution panels which contain the UARTs are well as
the line driever/receiver ICs? I have one of those in my 11/44.
No, the UARTs are on the main board, but IIRC the drivers are on the panels.
Leeds also had
a couple of brown boxes which were essentially 11/73
machines (each in a 3U-high third-party cabinet) with a rather odd quad
QBus ethernet card made by Camtec (as in "Camtec PAD" or "JNT PAD"),
As an aside, I have JNT-PAD and its unser manual soewhere. Odd device,
it appears you can save the configuration on an audio cassette recorder...
2 Jul
2 Jul
10:02 a.m.
On 01/07/2011 21:00, Tony Duell wrote:
There is a serial multipexer for the Unibus -- and I think it's an
Emulex product where the (hex height) Unibus board contains a fair amount
of bit-slice stuff. This links by a ribbon cable to a distrbution unit
(3U high, and quite challow). You cna daisy-chain several of these, you
put a terminator board in the 'out' connector of the last one.
The distrubtion units have a PSU bolted on the back, and a PCB inside
containign the UART chips. There are 2 distritution panels that fit
side-by-side into the distribution unit and connect to pins on the UART
pCB. Thiese distribution panels contain the drivers and connector. All
mine are RS232 ones, I assume there were others, perhaps current loop or
RS422. Each disptribution panel has 8 ports IIRC, so each distribution
unit gicves you 16 serial lines.
Anyone got any ideas what I am thinking of?
Is the CS11 the onw where there's a Unibus
board full of 2900 bit slice
chips liked to distribution panels which contain the UARTs are well as
the line driever/receiver ICs? I have one of those in my 11/44.
No, the UARTs are on the main board, but IIRC the drivers are on the panels. As an aside, I
have JNT-PAD and its unser manual soewhere. Odd device,
it appears you can save the configuration on an audio cassette recorder...
I have one too. Before I started in my present job, UoY had quite a lot
of thick yellow etherhose around the place[1], and Camtec pads stuck in
4688
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