The TI 34010 - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

6 Mar 1999

If you need datasheets and info on transputers, then check out my webpage.
I love transputers and I devote my entire webpage to it.  I maintain a huge collection
of programs, documents, specs, and links on transputers.  The URL is
http://skyscraper.fortunecity.com/ppp/533/

Ram

-----Original Message-----
From:	Derek Peschel [SMTP:dpeschel@u.washington.edu]
Sent:	Saturday, March 06, 1999 8:49 PM
To:	Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
Subject:	Re: The TI 34010

Tony Duell wrote:

[transputers generally rely on a host]

...
  (1) is not so much of a problem. The reason most
transputer systems have 
 a 'host' is that you can boot a transputer over one of its links without 
 having any user-written boot code on the transputer. This means it's easy 
 to develop for (no possibility of your (firmware) bootstrap having bugs 
 in it), etc. But you can equally boot a transputer from external ROM in 
 its own memory space if you want to. And hook a terminal up over an RS232 
 port (the transputer's bus is similar to just about every other bus 
 you're likely to see, so you can have RS232 chips and SCSI chips, and 
 whatever, mapped into the transputer's address space). 
So graphics chips are a good possibility. *drool*  RS232 is fine but it's
not very flashy. :)

...
  In fact one of the first INMOS transputer boards - the
B001 - had a 
 transputer + RAM + RS232 port + ROM on it. It didn't expect a transputer 
 link to the host. 
This may be a good time to ask if there's an exhaustive list of part numbers
and specifications for the various INMOS chips?  I've seen lists (in a
couple of mass-market books about the transputer) but I suspect they're not
complete.  I've never seen the actual data books.

...
  Problem (3) is more serious - the fact that most
(all?) of the transputer 
 chips are no longer in production. 
I guess that IS a problem.  Do they show up on the surplus market?

...
   them;
Sketchpad relied on them and Evans & Sutherland continued the trend. 
 (I'd love to play with some of their machines!)  
 Does anyone know anything about the PS/390 display from E&S? 
Not me.  There's some sort of E&S display at the Computer Museum History
Center but I don't know the model number.

-- Derek