Looking for info on a CAMAC module - Kinetic 3912 Unibus Crate Controller

[Dave Wade]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Jon Elson
> Sent: 02 November 2016 16:24
> To: General at classiccmp.org; Discussion at classiccmp.org:On-Topic and Off-
> Topic Posts <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Subject: Re: Looking for info on a CAMAC module - Kinetic 3912 Unibus Crate
> Controller
> 
> On 10/31/2016 01:04 PM, Pete Lancashire wrote:
> > Over the years I've played around with a few old CAMAC (*) modules, by
> > today's standard they pretty much have zero value, anyway that's
> > another story. Recently I've been offered a CAMAC to Unibus board. A
> > Kinetic 3912 Unibus Crate Controller .
> > A Crate in CAMAC speak is just a chassis with a backplane.
> >
> > The problem with CAMAC is there is almost no information out there,
> >
> > Since I don't YET have a Unibus system, it more of a curiosity then
> > anything.
> >
> > So .. anyone have the manual ?
> >
> > (*) -
> >
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_Automated_Measurement_and_C
> ontr
> > ol
> >
> I have a 3922 crate controller and a 3953 auxiliary crate controller at work.  I
> also have manuals for the 3911 PDP-11 crate controller and 2912 LSI-11 bus
> adapter and the 3953.
> These have schematics in them.
> 
> I THINK the 3912 may be an LSI-11 (QBus) controller, not Unibus.
> 
> Jon

I just wish I could remember any of this, and I have lost contact with my colleagues who might have remembered. 
When I worked at NERC they were used for most everything, generally in conjunction with a PDP-11 or LSI-11.
We had Media Conversion Systems that took various tapes from Scientific Data Recorders and converted them to standard paper tape or 9-track mag tape.
"HASP" work stations with Card Readers, Line Printers & Tape drives.
Terminal Concentrators with multiple HP26xx terminals that could connect to our Honeywell or VAX systems.
Some were used as Front End Processors on the Honeywell.
By the time I started most were lsi11-03 or 23 modules that fitted into the end slot on the CAMAC crate. 
They were generally loaded from Paper Tape or sometimes PROM boards which I think emulated Paper Tape or something stupid....
There is a manual for one of the RJE stations here:-

http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/392339/

and this paper contains info on how to convert some data using a PDP11-05 based media conversion system

http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/392307/1/1188056-1001.pdf

I hope these are interesting

Dave Wade