Wanted: Pertec Tape Controller

[Jon Elson]

On 08/06/2015 10:35 AM, Al Kossow wrote:
>
>
> On 8/6/15 8:30 AM, Jay Jaeger wrote:
>> I wouldn't mind one as well -- I have a handful of Pertec 
>> drives that it
>> would be nice to be able to talk to.  One that handles 
>> multiple
>> interface speeds would be a plus.
>>
>> I suppose I could always design one....  ;)
>>
>
> Formatted Pertec is a fairly simple interface. Chuck has 
> talked in the past of designing one, and some of the 
> gotchas with the interface.
>
Yes, I hacked up one of my CNC control boards to make it 
into a read-only adapter for Pertec formatted drives.  Works 
well, but is pretty slow.  I've thought that using the PRU 
(attached 32-bit, 200 MHz micorcontroller) on the Beagle 
Bone would make a really great formatted Pertec interface.  
One problem is limited memory directly on the PRU, I haven't 
learned yet how to use the bulk system memory from the PRU.

Jon