WTB /WTT DEC TZ30 and/or 1/2" open reel SCSI magtape drives

[Chuck Guzis]

On 06/09/2015 10:31 PM, Mark J. Blair wrote:

>> Any particular reason why Pertec IF isn't desirable?
>
> I already have 1-2 Pertec IF drives; my Kennedy 9610, and presumably
> my TU80 based on the two 50-pin cables between it and my VAX. I don't
> have any Pertec interface controllers on my modernish, up-and-running
> computers, but I do have a fully-working Sun Ultra 60 with SCSI
> interface, software support for SCSI tape drives, and capable of
> talking to my NAS for easy file transfer to my main computer (Mac Pro
> "trashcan"). I already have two Pertec-capable projects, and I'm
> looking for something to help me bootstrap those rather than a third
> similar project. So either getting a SCSI magtape drive or a SCSI to
> Pertec bridge should get me there more easily.

Okay, I understand that.  I use an old Chi ISA-bus controller for my 
Pertec IF drives.  It works okay, but without detailed internals, it's 
hard to write a really good driver for it.


> It's delightful for one, that's how! Think you might make more than
> one of them, or share the plans? It sounds like something I could
> potentially use! I've considered making something like that myself,
> but I have so many such ideas that I am happy to let other folks make
> some of them for me. :)

It's sort of strange design, but what I wanted to do was approach the 
problem step-wise.  So I've got an XC95108 CPLD consolidating the IF to 
a simple 8-bit wishbone bus affair.  I'm currently using a PIC32MX795 to 
interface with that and provide the USB interface, but too much CPU and 
too little memory.  A small ARM MCU would probably be better suited to 
the job.

Anyway, a work in progress...

--Chuck