11/70 Front Panel - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

24 Oct 1998

...
  Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 18:33:48 +0100 (BST)
 From: ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell)
 To: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu
 Subject: Re: 11/70 front panel
 Message-ID: <m0zX7ZY-000IyNC@p850ug1>
 Content-Type: text

  The "programmer's" front panel
doesn't exist for the PDP11/70.  
 I would guess he's refering to the original 11/70 front panel. It looks 
 just like an 11/45 panel, except that it has 22 address indicators and 22 
 switches.

  What you probably have is the 11/70 Remote
Diagnostic Console
 which allowed DEC to remotely diagnose the 11/70 (even when hung
 in a microcode loop or power fail routine) from Colorado.

 The front panel hooks to a microprocessor controlled card which interfaced  
 The original 11/70 panel connects directly into the CPU logic AFAIK. I don't
 think there's a microprocessor in there. 
I don't believe so... I do think the Remote Diag Console used a microprocessor
(Looked kind of like a modified DMC/KMC-11 to allow it to grab Unibus 
state snapshots and stuff like that from a machine which was completely
hung.

I only wished they kept working front panel switches and lights with
the RDC.

...

 -tony

You could do a lot of good diagnostic stuff remotely with just the 
RDC and a console DL11 hooked to a modem...

The board was supposed to be DEC proprietary and removed from the machine
(like the 11/750 RDC board) when it went off service contact.
In the late 80's DEC started getting a bit lax on removing them.

If I find the pocket guide for it -- I'll post the commands.

Bill
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