Ethan's Retrocomputing Corner
PDP-8 Articles From classiccmp And pdp8-lovers Lists:
From: Tim Shoppa <shoppa@trailing-edge.com>
Organisation: Trailing Edge Technology
Subject: Re: hooking up 8" floppys to a peecee
Date: Tue, 02 Mar 1999 21:38:00 -0400
Reply-to: PDP8-Lovers@zach1.tiac.net
Aaron Nabil wrote:
> Is it practical to hook up an 8" floppy to a standard peecee floppy
> controller and read os-8 formatted disks? I'm more interested in
> the writing the disk image out than the ability to inspect
> individual files.
>
> Are there any notable programs for doing this?
John Wilson's already mentioned PUTR, and I can strongly
recommend it. He's also mentioned some floppy controller chips
that are known to work with single density floppies - important
in your case. I've had good success with controllers based
around the Goldstar Super I/O chips, as well as the on-board
floppy controllers on Adaptec 1542's (Intel 82077's).
A post to comp.os.cpm late last year by Amardeep S. Chana
enumerated these chips:
Will support single density / FM:
NS PC87306 Super I/O
SMC FDC37C65
SMC FDC37C78
Most SMC Super I/O chips
Will NOT support single density / FM:
NS 8473
NS PC87332* Super I/O
NS PC97307* Super I/O
WD FDC37C65
Most (if not all) Intel parts
Any Winbond part
Any UMC part
Reportedly will do single density / FM but NOT verified:
NS 8477
Intel 82077AA
Goldstar Super I/O
> Any notes on how to build the adapter cable necessary?
> From the comp.os.cpm FAQ:
Q14: Can I read my 8" disks with my PC?
A: (John Baker, Tom Sullivan)
With a program called 22disk, and an adaptor board that you can
make, you can read those disks on your PC. All it takes is
rearranging some of the lines on the 34 pin cable, and wiring them
to the 50 pin cable, and you're in business.
The interface on 8" drives and 5 1/4" drives are essentially the
same. The 34 lines on a typical 5 1/4" controller are sufficient to
control most 8" disk drives using soft-sectored disks. Here, is a
diagram for a basic conversion cable to allow connection of an 8"
drive to an IBM-compatible, AT-style (high density) controller.
8" disk drive
PC-AT style controller Based on Shugart SA-851
Grnd. Sig. Sig. Name Sig Name Sig Grnd
1 2 Double/High Density ->>
>>- Write Current Switch/ 2 1
Active Read Compensation
User Customizable I/O pins 4 3
" " " " 6 5
33 34 **Ready ---------------<<------------ True Ready 8 7
<<-------------#Two Sided 10 9
33 34 **Disk Change ---------<<----------- Disk Change 12 11
31 32 Side 1 Select ------->>-----------#Side Select 14 13
3 4 In Use/Open --------->>---------------- In Use 16 15
15 16 *Motor On ------------>>------------- Head Load 18 17
7 8 Index ---------------<<----------------- Index 20 19
33 34 **Ready ---------------<<----------------- Ready 22 21
<<---------------##Sector 24 23
9 10 Drive Select 0 ------>>-------- Drive Select 1 26 25
11 12 Drive Select 1 ------>>-------- Drive Select 2 28 27
13 14 Drive Select 2 ------>>-------- Drive Select 3 30 29
5 6 Drive Select 3 ------>>-------- Drive Select 4 32 31
17 18 Direction Select ---->>------ Direction Select 34 33
19 20 Step ---------------->>------------------ Step 36 35
21 22 Write Data ---------->>------------ Write Data 38 37
23 24 Write Gate ---------->>------------ Write Gate 40 39
25 26 Track 00 ------------<<-------------- Track 00 42 41
27 28 Write Protect -------<<--------- Write Protect 44 43
29 30 Read Data -----------<<------------- Read Data 46 45
<<------##Separation Data 48 47
<<-----##Separation Clock 50 49
This diagram also works in the other direction--that is, to attach
high-density 5 1/4" drives to an 8" controller.
Notes:
* It seems to be a logical substitution since the vast majority of
8" drives have continuously running spindles and instead of
MOTOR ON require a HEAD LOAD signal. Also, a controller sends
MOTOR ON before a DRIVE SELECT.
**- Most 5 1/4" disk drives do not provide a READY signal but send a
DISK CHANGE signal on line 34 of the interface. An 8" drive has
provisions for both signals. Likewise, most AT-style
controllers expect a DISK CHANGE signal on line 34, so lines 33
and 34 should be connected to lines 11 and 12 of the 8" disk
connector. Also, some 8" drives provide a TRUE_READY signal
which is more useful than the standard READY.
# - Unused on single sided drives (SA-800/801).
##- Used only on hard-sector configured drives (SA-801/851).
Some 5 1/4" disk drives have the option of providing _either_ DISK
CHANGE _or_ READY on line 34 (in particular, the TEAC FD55R
series). Some 8" disk controllers do not care about the DISK CHANGE
signal, but must have the READY signal. If you are attaching a
high-density 5 1/4" drive to an 8" controller, you may get away with
making the drive always ready by shorting lines 21 and 22, but this
may cause a few re-tries when switching sides. If your drive offers
a READY signal that your controller can deal with, by all means use
it.
The MOTOR ON/HEADLOAD dilemma may also have an alternate solution if
you are connecting 5 1/4" drives to an 8" controller. Some 5 1/4"
drives permit motor turn-on by means other than the MOTOR ON
signal. For example, the TEAC FD55R series of drives may be
configured to turn the motor on based on the state of the IN USE
light. The IN USE light can, in turn, be set to turn on only on
drive select. Thus selecting the drive automatically turns on the
motor and neither a MOTOR ON or IN USE signal need be present.
Another way to handle 8 inch drives on a PC is with a Microsolutions
Compaticard IV, if you can find one. (MicroSolutions no longer
offers this product.) It has the necessary software support to
properly handle 8 inch drives, and in both SSSD and DSDD. This
controller can be set up as both a primary controller, or as a
secondary. It can support 4 drives, of any type, including 2.8 meg.
It supports two MSDOS 8 inch formats, SSSD (about 250k) and DSDD
(1.2 meg). It works perfectly with 22disk, and can read and write
almost any 8 inch CP/M format.
--
Tim Shoppa Email: shoppa@trailing-edge.com
Trailing Edge Technology WWW: http://www.trailing-edge.com/
7328 Bradley Blvd Voice: 301-767-5917
Bethesda, MD, USA 20817 Fax: 301-767-5927
From: David Gesswein <djg@drs-esg.com>
Subject: Re: Uploading files to PDP8/OS8
Date: Thu, 25 Mar 1999 7:33:22 EST
Reply-to: PDP8-Lovers@zach1.tiac.net
> Hello,
> I'm wondering if anyone out there knows of a reliable way to upload
> a text file from a PC running DOS to a PDP-8 running a limited
> load of OS/8.
I was trying to help somebody else do this to restore their system, I
have a program for the PC which will wait for the character to be
echoed so it doesn't overrun. This isn't reliable yet. I also have
programs to dump and restore RK05 images between PC and PDP8 so you can
use one of the emulators to add stuff which is the method I use. I also
have a version of kermit modified to use the console port.
The dump and restore programs are on http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/pdp8,
the others I can email if you want.
If you found a better way can you let me know.
David Gesswein
From: Aaron Nabil <nabil@spiritone.com>
Subject: Re: Uploading files to PDP8/OS8
Date: Thu, 25 Mar 1999 14:11:57 -0800 (PST)
David Gesswein writes...
> . . .
> What program did you run on the PDP8 side? I didn't find any ones with the
> standard OS8 distribution that knew about flow control so they all dropped
> characters on file download when they wrote a block out to disk. They
> also all terminated with a ^c so downloading binary images didn't work.
>
> Somebody posted a while ago about how to modify the serial card for hardware
> flow control off the reader run flag but I don't think any standard boards
> had that.
That was me. See http://www.spiritone.com/~nabil/pdp8/flow.txt
Subject: Re: Partial OS/8 Software Support Manual online
Organisation: D Bit, Troy, NY
From: wilson@dbit.com (John Wilson)
Date: 26 Mar 1999 00:05:25 -0500
Reply-to: PDP8-Lovers@zach1.tiac.net
In article <01J994VC60AA9OEN4J@cc.usu.edu>,
Roger Ivie Having been blessed with a bit of a lull at the office this week, I've
> typed in and HTMLized a chunk of the OS/8 Software Suport Manual. The
> parts I have so far are the introduction through Chapter 5. Web on over
> to http://cc.usu.edu/~ivie/ and click on "The OS/8 Software Support Manual".
>
> The copy I have is a copy of a copy and no one bothered to copy the back
> of the title page, so I don't know the date or version of this particular
> copy of the manual.
>
> I also don't know when I'll get to the appendices...
Ummm... I hope you won't be upset at the duplication of effort, but
Lee Nichols already scanned in and edited the OS/8 SSM in 1996, it's at:
http://www.dbit.com/pub/pdp8/doc/ssm.doc
including the appendices.
John Wilson
D Bit
From: roby@ida.org (Clyde Roby)
Subject: Re: Partial OS/8 Software Support Manual online
Date: Fri, 26 Mar 1999 09:22:01 -0500 (EST)
Reply-to: PDP8-Lovers@zach1.tiac.net
Roger,
Here's the URL of the document in pretty text form.
Hope it helps.
ftp://tats.wizvax.net/pub/pdp8/doc/ssm.doc
Clyde Roby
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 12:12:55 -0500 (EST)
From: allisonp@world.std.com
Subject: Re: Multi-User BASIC
Reply-to: classiccmp@u.washington.edu
> run? If so, what version? I currently have a fairly messed up, but
> bootable version of OS/8 V3Q
> on one RK05, but that's it, and no facilities as of yet to load a new
> operating
> system, but working on it.
Gee, there are only a handful of sites out there with complete
distributions for OS/8 (most versions).
try http://www.dbit.com/
John Wilson has a lot there and also the old nickels site FTP as well.
if that isn't enough...
http://www.highgate.comm.sfu.ca/pdp8
Allison
Date: Sat, 3 Apr 1999 19:17:31 -0800 (PST)
From: James Carpenter <jim_carpenter@yahoo.com>
Subject: [PDP8-Lovers] List addresses
Reply-to: PDP8-Lovers@onelist.com
Here are the new addresses for PDP8-Lovers:
pdp8-lovers-owner@onelist.com - Sends email to the list owner(s)
pdp8-lovers-subscribe@onelist.co - Subscribe to the list
pdp8-lovers-unsubscribe@onelist.com - Unsubscribe from the list
pdp8-lovers-normal@onelist.com - Switch your subscription to normal
pdp8-lovers-digest@onelist.com - Switch your subscription to digest
pdp8-lovers@onelist.com is the list address. You must be subscribed to send
e-mail to the list!
I know some of you post from a few different addresses. You'll unfortunately
have to e-mail me the addresses you'll be posting from. I'll then subscribe
them to the list, configure them _not_ to receive list messages, and you'll
then get a dumb message welcoming you to the list (again). If you send e-mail
from an unsubscribed address you will get a bounce message back.
If you don't want to be on the list but want to post a message occasionally,
just send the message to pdp8-lovers-owner@onelist.com and I'll post it for
you.
Jim Carpenter
PDP8-Lovers moderator
pdp8-lovers-owner@onelist.com
Date: Sun, 4 Apr 1999 18:03:22 +0100 (BST)
From: ard@p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell)
Subject: Re: bringing up an 8f...
Reply-to: classiccmp@u.washington.edu
> No I have the system up and running save for one bit that is stuck (when
> displaying MD). The display bit is stuck as test programs run verifying
> it's a front pannel problem. It's bit 1 and only with the switch in the
> MD position.
I've got the 8/e frontpanel prints here. From what I remember the 8/f is
a little different.
The frontpanel display logic is mostly built from diode transmission
gates - this circuit
In---->|-----+-----|<------+--- Lamp driver
| |
Sel-\/\/-----+ |
|
> From other gates-----------+
for that lamp
The MD inputs have their own set of gates. I'd start by tracing from MD1
(pin AL1) through the diodes to the appropriate 380 lamp driver
(E26/6,7,2 on the 8/e). My guess is an open-circuit diode...
>
> So far this is good success considering the heaviest test gear used is a
> multimeter. Also that I don't have a print set for 8E.
Oh, these old machines are quite easy to work on (famous last words...)
-tony
Date: Sun, 4 Apr 1999 19:20:31 -0400
From: allisonp@world.std.com (Allison J Parent)
Subject: Re: bringing up an 8f...
Reply-to: classiccmp@u.washington.edu
> I've got the 8/e frontpanel prints here. From what I remember the 8/f is
> a little different.
The displays are leds (minor change around that part), otherwise it's
identical to the 8e.
> The frontpanel display logic is mostly built from diode transmission
> gates - this circuit
>
> In---->|-----+-----|<------+--- Lamp driver
> | |
> Sel-\/\/-----+ |
> |
> >From other gates-----------+
> for that lamp
Does not compute based on the chip part numbers.
> The MD inputs have their own set of gates. I'd start by tracing from MD1
> (pin AL1) through the diodes to the appropriate 380 lamp driver
> (E26/6,7,2 on the 8/e). My guess is an open-circuit diode...
Ther are very few diodes and the drivers appear to be 7404s with 74l54s
used as selectors.
Restate the problem... The display is the variable 12bit on off the
rotary switch and only occures when MD is selected. This suggests the
data selector logic or it's particular source on the board as MD on the bus
has the correct data.
> Oh, these old machines are quite easy to work on (famous last words...)
Generally the PDP-8 series is fairly straightforward.
Allison
Date: Mon, 05 Apr 1999 10:23:03 -0700
From: Chuck McManis <cmcmanis@mcmanis.com>
Subject: Re: bringing up an 8f...
Reply-to: classiccmp@u.washington.edu
At 05:40 AM 4/5/99 -0400, Allison J Parent wrote:
> The last 8e panel I worked with was also ttl. there may have been two
> versions (very likely).
Actually you can date '8s by their front panels ;-) The original PDP-8/E
panel used diodes and a separate lamp supply. At some point (between 1970
and 1972) it was re-designed to use TTL and at the same time the need for
the separate lamp supply was removed, later the lamp sockets were rewired
to accept LEDs (lamps burn out a lot), and then later still (about 1972+)
the LEDs were wired directly on to the panel. I believe, but have not had a
true digit confirm, that the 8/F was named such because the panel had
evolved to the point where it no longer looked like an "E". Clearly the
front panel graphics were redesigned a bit but not much else. The 8/M is
exactly the 8/F with a different decal plate and switch colors (the light
and dark hues are exactly reversed) [If you look at Megan's picture of the
'haul' you can see this in the 8/e and 8/f]
Anyway, if you've got a TTL front panel they are all pretty much the same.
The 8/e/f/m printset only describes this panel.
--Chuck
Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1999 22:28:36 -0400
From: allisonp@world.std.com (Allison J Parent)
Subject: Re: bringing up an 8f...
Reply-to: classiccmp@u.washington.edu
Well folks,
The 8F is now up and basically healthy. The stuck bit was a bad 74L54
that had a stuck input. Shame the replacement I have is a year older than
the machine!
I ran one program that will execute on a DECMATE but the result is not
visible! ;)
/ TEST PROGRAM FOR pdp-8f
/ inchworm view with pannel switch set to Acc (8E/F/M)
/
0200 *0200 / start address
0200 7200 START, CLA /CLEAR ACC
0201 1211 TAD WORM /PUT WORM CHARACTER IN ACC
0202 7004 MAIN, RAL / PUSH THE WORM LEFT
0203 7000 DELAY, NOP
0204 7000 NOP
0205 2212 ISZ DELCNT /DELAY 4096 (~20MS) INNER
0206 5203 JMP DELAY
0207 5202 JMP MAIN
0210 7402 HLT
0211 0007 WORM, 0017 / FOUR BIT LONG INCH WORM
0212 0000 DELCNT, 0000 / INSIDE LOOP COUNT
0213 $
Next step is to get the terminal interface in and try it and also verify
all of CORE as all I've checked is most of 00200, page 0 and random words.
Allison
Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 23:17:45 +0100 (BST)
From: ard@p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell)
Subject: Re: 8/E PSU resolution
Reply-to: classiccmp@u.washington.edu
> Mine's set up pretty similar except for two differences...
>
> At 03:35 PM 4/10/99 -0400, Allison J Parent wrote:
> > Here is the lineup from mine and the recommended board layout.
> >
> > 54-09668 KC8FL PDP-8/F Programmer's Console
> > M8330 KK8E Timing board, replaces M833
> M8340 KE8-E Extended arithmetic element decoder and step counter
> M8341 KE8-K Extended arithmetic element multiplexers and timing
> > M8310 KK8E Major register control
> > M8300 KK8E Major registers
Those boards have to be next to each other in that order for the top
connectors (H851?) to fit
> And on mine this board:
>
> > M837 MC8E Extended Memory and Time Share Control
>
It doesn't matter, but it's more common to stick that with the CPU boards
at the front of the machine.
> Is right in front of the RFI shield (and core stack) Sort of "all
> components of the memory subsystem together" kind of thing :-)
Here's my configuration :
KC8E frontpanel
M8330 clock/timing
M8340 EAE
M8341 EAE
M8310 Major registers control
M8300 Major Registers
M837 MMU/timeshare
M868 DECtape controller
M863 12 bit I/O
M8655 console port with UART (RS232)
Spare slot
M882 line clock
M7104 RK8e RK05 controller
M7105 RK8e
M7106 RK8e
Spare slot
M8357 RX8e RX01 floppy interface
M8342 printer interface
M847 diode matrix boot ROM
---Second backplane---
M840 PC8e PC04 interface
2 spare slots
M849 RFI shield
3 sets of : G111, H212, G333 ? 8K core memory
M8320 Bus loads
-tony
Date: Thu, 06 May 1999 15:38:46 -0700
From: Kevin McQuiggin <mcquiggi@sfu.ca>
Subject: Re: [PDP8-Lovers] Seeking: EDUSystem software...
Reply-to: PDP8-Lovers@onelist.com
Hi Jim:
See http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/pdp8/dectapes for a some paper tape images,
these are DECtapes. Each file is a disk image. The "list" and "dirs" files
list what each file contains.
Good luck,
Kevin
At 11:25 AM 06/05/99 -0700, you wrote:
> From: James Willing <jimw@agora.rdrop.com>
>
>
> Ok, someone has this stuff filed in the closet somewhere... B^}
>
> I'd (and some others around) like to find copies of one or more the
> various versions of the EDUSystem (timeshared BASIC) series of software
> for the PDP-8.
>
> (does anyone besides me see a VCF III demo coming on?) B^}
>
> The one source (pun intended) that I've located on the 'net for
> EDUSystem-25 is partially corrupted (in the math/init section), and so is
> of marginal use...
>
> Does someone have archives of this stuff hiding on some
> disk/tape/paper/etc. somewhere?
>
> Thanks!
> -jim
> ---
> jimw@computergarage.org
> The Computer Garage - http://www.computergarage.org
> Computer Garage Fax - (503) 646-0174
From: "Vines, Robert F" <VinesRF@navair.navy.mil>
To: "'pdp8-lovers'" <pdp8-lovers@onelist.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Aug 1999 13:24:40 -0400
Subject: [PDP8-Lovers] Device Code List Needed & Some Device Code & IOT Questions
Does anyone have a list of device codes (for a PDP-8/A if that matters)?
I am disassembling bits and pieces of a test program which uses device codes
that I can't find in my (limited) documentation. One example of the
(incomplete) original documentation is:
================================================================
/8-11-75
/MUXRD
/ROUTINE TO READ THE DIGITAL MULTIPLEXER
/ENTER WITH MUX. ADDRESS IN AC
/EXIT WITH INPUT WORD IN AC
1272 0000 MUXRD, 0
1273 6300 LMUXAD /LOAD MUX. ADR. REG.
1274 7200 CLA
1275 6572 DBRD /READ SELECTED WORD
1276 5672 JMP I MUXRD /EXIT
================================================================
I understand that "6xxy" instructions are IOT instructions, where "xx" is
the device code and "y" specifies the operation to be performed.
I have to admit that I don't *really* understand what a "digital
multiplexer" is and what it does. Is the "6300" instruction (and its
comment) telling me that the multiplexer's device code is "30"? Am I
correct in assuming that the last "0" tells device 30 (the multiplexer?) to
load its ADdRess REGister (? I think) with the contents of the accumulator,
which was previously loaded with the "address" to be read? Would/could this
"address" possibly tell the multiplexer which of its "incoming" data lines
to read?
Table D1-38, page D1-16, in Digital's "introduction to programming" (3rd
edition, 1972), says that 65x2 is DBRD or "Read incoming data into the AC,
clear receive flag" for the DR8-E Interprocessor Buffer.
What does the "x" stand for in this DBRD instruction?
What is the "DR8-E Interprocessor Buffer" and where is it located in a
PDP-8(/A)?
-----
One portion of the documentation states:
================================================================
/UNIQUE I/O INSTRUCTIONS FOR THIS SYSTEM
LMUXAD=6300 /LOAD MULTIPLEXER ADDRESS
/ (AC BITS 8-11)
LX2LS=6303 /LOAD X2 COUNTER WITH 12 LSB'S
LX2MS=6304 /LOAD X2 COUNTER WITH 4 MSB'S
/ (AC BITS 8-11)
LVDSPY=6305 /LOAD VELOCITY DISPLAY REGISTER
LPDSPY=6306 /LOAD PITCH RATE DISPLAY REGISTER
LTDSPY=6307 /LOAD ELAPSED TIME DISPLAY REGISTER
LCPW1=6310 /LOAD CONTROL PANEL REGISTER WORD 1
LCPW2=6311 /LOAD CONPRNL PANEL REGISTER WORD 2
DBTD=6574 /LOAD 8A OUTPUT REGISTER
DBRD=6572 /READ 8A INPUT REGISTER
================================================================
Does this mean that a programmer can assign certain device codes as he/she
sees fit? If so, how do you do that?
Are there any "rules of thumb" that apply to the many different 6xxy "IOT"
instructions (such as listed in Appendix D1 in "introduction to
programming")?
Thanks,
Bob Vines
Date: Thu, 5 Aug 1999 14:47:17 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Douglas W. Jones" <jones@cs.uiowa.edu>
To: PDP8-Lovers@onelist.com
Subject: Re: [PDP8-Lovers] Device Code List Needed & Some Device Code & IOT Questions
When a device is documented as having device code 65x0, this typically
indicates that a switch or jumpers on the device can be used to set the
address to which it responds. Each device typically has its own PC board
for the interface, plugged into the bus, and where the device code
contains an X, the device will have jumpering or a DIP switch that must
be set to match the software. A few devices could be jumpered to respond
to any device code, but most had boards that fixed most of the addresses
while allowing only the least significant bits of the address to be set
by jumper.
For the old-line posibus and negibus PDP-8 systems, the least significant
3 bits of IOT instructions were seriously constrained. For the 8/E and
the 8/A, the device hardware could do anything it wanted with the least
significant bits of the instruction, so if a device responds to IOT 635y,
the 3 bits of y go into a 3-input 8-output decoder, and the device designer
is free to do anything at all with the outputs of that decoder.
Standard DEC devices, particularly those from early in the OMNIBUS era,
tended to conform to constraints not too different from those of the older
posibus and negibus, but later, they began to get creative, so you couldn't
assume any standard meaning for the different values of y.
On the earlier posibus and negibus systems, the 3 bits of y were sent out
on 3 separate clock lines, the IOP lines, and they were sent in sequence,
100 before 010 before 001. As a result, each device could do 3 consecutive
register transfers on each IOT, and the 3 bits usually determined which of
these 3 operations was to be done for that instruction. IOT 6xx0 would
do none of them, while IOT 6xx7 would do all of them.
On the earlier busses, if you wanted to do freehand decoding of IOTs, you'd
have to catch the first 2 pulses in a 3-bit register and then, as the third
pulse arrives (or fails to arrive), take action appropriately. This was
difficult, and so it was rare. The goal of the old design was to minimize
the per-device logic, back when discrete transistors were the rule.
Doug Jones
jones@cs.uiowa.edu
Date: Mon, 26 Jul 99 07:42:54 PDT
From: "Bob Armstrong" <bob@poco-adagio.santa-clara.ca.us>
To: pdp8-lovers@onelist.com
Subject: [PDP8-Lovers] Can I use RL02s with OS/8 V3D?
Is it possible to use RL02s (not RL01s) with OS8 V3D? I've been looking
at this, and it seems to be a real mess. The V3D DEVEXT kit supports RL01s
but not RL02s. You could probably copy the RL02 drivers from the OS78 V4
kit and use those with V3D (at least I'm assuming you can - has anybody tried
it?), but you also need a format program. RLFRMT from V3D only works on
RL01s, and for RL02s you need the FORMAT program from OS78. Unfortunately
FORMAT can't be run with the "R" command - it requires CCL support. So this
means I have to use the OS78 CCL on V3D which, although I haven't tried, I
suspect will lead to more headaches. Is there a formatter program for RL02s
that works on V3D? Am I forced to run OS78 V4 to get RL02 support?
I've got an 8/A in the garage with a RL02/RL8A that's just dying to know :-)
Thanks,
Bob Armstrong
bob@poco-adagio.santa-clara.ca.us
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 17:05:30 -0400 (EDT)
From: David Gesswein <djg@drs-esg.com>
To: PDP8-Lovers@onelist.com
Subject: [PDP8-Lovers] Online pdp8
I have finally gotten my online pdp8 project working well enough to announce.
Go to http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~djg/onlinepdp8.html and give it a try.
The site needs a lot of work, consider this a beta test so if you don't like
them wait until my next announcement. From the site you can run a PDP8/E
system with currently 2 RK05 (one down for maintenance), 1 TU56 dual DECtape,
and a dual RX02 floppy drive. More in the future. The processor has the
EAE board set but it appears not to be operating correctly right now.
I also have a bunch of images for the drives, OS/8, ETOS (multi user virtual
machine with OS/8), WPS/78, and COS. I also have games on some of the
images. I give pointers to a couple but I don't have the index done so
you get to poke around.
I also have the start of documentation on the hardware and software, and
operating instructions for the machines. If you have no experience you
may have some difficulty.
I also have a not very good webcam so you can see that you are operating
a real machine.
To run the machine you need a browser with Java 1.1 or later and an
internet connection which allows connections to ports 8000, 10000, 10001.
It will not currently work with a proxy server.
Let me know what you think. I know that a bunch of the links don't work
but email me with any errors or what is confusing or just how you like it.
David Gesswein
djg@drs-esg.com
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 17:15:44 -0700
To: PDP8-Lovers@onelist.com
From: Chuck McManis <cmcmanis@freegate.com>
Subject: Re: [PDP8-Lovers] Online pdp8
Cool site Dave! I don't know what makes me more jealous, all that cool '8
gear or all the space you have around it to add more!
--Chuck
At 05:05 PM 7/18/99 -0400, you wrote:
> From: David Gesswein <djg@drs-esg.com>
>
> I have finally gotten my online pdp8 project working well enough to announce.
>
> Go to http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~djg/onlinepdp8.html and give it a try.
Date: Tue, 6 Jul 99 19:35:26 PDT
From: "Bob Armstrong"
To: pdp8-lovers@onelist.com
Subject: [PDP8-Lovers] What's the difference between the KM8AA and AB ??
I've got a PDP-8/A (actually, it has a KK8/E CPU - M8310/8300/8258/8320 -
not the KK8/A, if that matters) that has a problem with the KM8A. I've
actually got two M8317 KM8A boards - one is a YA revision and the other is
YB. Can anybody tell me what the difference is ? In particular, the YB
has three or four wire jumpers that aren't present on the YA - what do they
do ?
The problem is that the YA board works, except for the bootstrap. If I
hand toggle in a boot, then I can run OS/8 just fine. The YB seems to be
"inert", at least as far as the EMA is concerned. The LXA button on the
programmer's console doesn't do anything (i.e. the displayed memory field
never changes), and neither does a CIF or CDF instruction when I enter one
from the console and then single step it. I'm assuming the YB is also
broken, but I thought I might be lucky and it's just the jumper setup or
something obvious.
Bob
bob@poco-adagio.santa-clara.ca.us
Date: 27 Apr 1999 00:59:47 -0000
From: Eric Smith <eric@brouhaha.com>
To: "Discussion re-collecting of classic computers" <classiccmp@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: DEC documentation RUMOR????
> I read a web page somewhere that indicated DEC put in the public domain
> all the documentation they no longer publish.
>
> Is this true? Can anyone point me back to the original web page?
No, it's not true. They have given permission to reproduce certain software
documentation, but they have not put *any* of it into the public domain.
There's a big difference.
Here's some info I found in John Wilson's FTP archive, excerpted from
the file
ftp://ftp.dbit.com/pub/pdp8/doc/README
Note that it is restricted to Digtal's customers. I wonder how lawyers
interpret that.
> From the January 1985 Software Documentation Products Directory (EJ-26361-78),
first page:
3. RIGHT TO COPY
Beginning January 1, 1985, Digital customers are given a right to copy, at
no charge, any Digital Archival Software Documentation Publication
(excluding restricted or third party owned) that we no longer offer for
sale. However, the copyright is retained as the exclusive property of
Digital Equipment Corporation.
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Last modified:
6 August 1999
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