Viking SCSI controller RS232 adapter

[Douglas Taylor]

Update -  I have 3 of these Viking controllers, 2 are rebadged to 
Alphatronix.

1. I was able to 'kludge' together jumpers to connect a laptop serial 
port to the controller.  Pin 20 IDC -> pin 2 DB-9, pin 22 IDC -> pin 3 
DB-9 and pin 24 or 25 IDC -> pin 5 DB-9.  It didn't seem to matter if 
you used 24 or 25 for the ground.

2. The Alphatronix monitor program assumes a VT100 terminal and sends 
escape codes, the Viking didn't.

3. I was not able to start the monitor program if a disk was attached to 
the SCSI bus for either type of controller.  In this case it was a 
SCSI2SD V5.2.

Here is what the Viking Monitor dialog looks like when you start it:


Viking Model QDO, S/N 8546
  Version A4.0, (C) 1989,90 TD Systems
  Type H for help

 >H

To execute command, enter letter and return.
  DEL deletes last character.
  CTL-C aborts command and returns to prompt.
  XOFF/XON control console output.
Command list:
  A  Abort MSCP tasks, reset SCSI
  C  Display configuration
  D  Display SCSI devices
  F  Format unit
  M  Mode sense/select
  P  Tape port monitor
  R  Read block
  S  SCSI command
  T  Test menu
  V  Verify unit
  W  Write block
  X  Cold start exit

 >C

Host Adapter parameters:
   SCSI 7, SCSI reset ON, Disconnect ON, Defect Management ON, DMA burst= 4
PORT A = Disk server, Autoconfigure

Here is one of the Alphatronix monitors report:  [I used this one on a 
PDP-11/53 to boot RT-11]

TM
IIIIIIII  NNN     NN   SSSSSSS   PPPPPPP  IIIIIIII  RRRRRRRR EEEEEEEE
    II     NNNN    NN  SS     SS  PP    PP    II     RR     RR EE
    II     NN NN   NN  SS         PP    PP    II     RR     RR EE
    II     NN  NN  NN   SSSSSSS   PPPPPPP     II     RRRRRRRR EEEEEE
    II     NN   NN NN         SS  PP          II     RR RR EE
    II     NN    NNNN  SS     SS  PP          II     RR   RR EE
IIIIIIII  NN     NNN   SSSSSSS   PP       IIIIIIII  RR     RR EEEEEEEE


                      by ALPHATRONIX
                      by ALPHATRONIX



Host Adapter S/N 11003

Firmware Version 1.51, (C) 1988, 89, 90, 91  ALPHATRONIX Inc.
Licensed Material - Programs Property of ALPHATRONIX Inc.
All Rights Reserved.

Type M for menu.

 >m

INSTALLATION COMMANDS

1  set/show configuration            2  show attached drives
UTILITY COMMANDS

C certify/format disk                V  write verify (currently OFF)
MAINTENANCE COMMANDS

3  reset host adapter                4  reset SCSI bus
5  read a block                      6  write a block
7  multi-block read-only test        8  single-block write-read test
9  low-level commands
enter number of selected command
ctrl-c aborts commands

 >1

Host Adapter parameters:
   SCSI 7, SCSI reset ON, Disconnect OFF, Defect Management ON, DMA burst= 4
PORT A = Disk server, Fixed configuration
   Unit 0: SCSI 0, Parity ON, Disconnect OFF, Defect Management ON
           Capacity (autosize), Media type RD54
   Unit 1: SCSI 1, Parity ON, Disconnect OFF, Defect Management ON
           Capacity (autosize), Media type RD54

My questions at this point are:

1. Why can't I start the monitor is a disk is attached?

2. All of these boards are configured for a base CSR of 772150, standard 
MSCP hard disk DU.  The Viking and one of the Alphatronix boards work 
just fine with a SCSI2SD.  How do I get the other Alphatronix to work?  
Swap ROMs?

3. Is there something about the actual RS232 adapter board that I don't 
know about that keeps the monitor and disks coexisting?

4. Should I try attaching the terminal to the FP port and see what 
happens?  Is it the 'secret' back door?

Doug