On 01/15/2014 06:42 PM, Cory Smelosky wrote:
A lot of people (myself included) insisted on direct-in-the-bus
printer controllers when we saw how badly serial printers tanked the
system when we connected them to DZ11s. ;)
Oh I can imagine that. A dedicated controller would have MUCH higher
bandwidth than the <1.5mbitcapable on the DZ11. ;)
It's the interrupt load that's the problem. It could TANK an 11/750.
Didn't the DZ11 depend on the CPU for interrupts?
Every interrupt depends on the CPU. ;)
Isn't that why say...the DHV11 had processors to offload serial
processing to?
The DHV11 has a pair of 8051s on it. The DH11 is several boards full
of logic. It has buffering and DMA capability to offload the host
system...it needs much less hand-holding than the DZ11.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
New Kensington, PA
On 01/15/2014 06:41 PM, Cory Smelosky wrote:
I'll gladly take a 6800. ;)
I can make COMPLETE use of 24 processors! As it'll take a IV...that's
dual-core right? Meaning...48 cores!
Even the processors that are in them have GREAT BIG CLANGING BALLS. I
just have no use for them here. If you want one, you can have one. I
will deliver it to your driveway, but you must bear the expense. That
will primarily consist of truck rental fees and fuel. I could probably
get one to you for about $250.
Note that these are larger-than-normal racks, and they're very
difficult to move. They weigh about 1200lbs. I've moved a pair of
these machines by myself without proper equipment, and thus at great
personal risk, to my old place a few years ago. I did so out of
necessity. The story (with pics) is here:
http://www.neurotica.com/wiki/Sun_Fire_6800_Unload
DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. I could very easily have gotten killed in
that operation. "Regular" racks are one thing...these weigh well over
half a ton, and are a different matter entirely.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
New Kensington, PA
On Wed, 15 Jan 2014, Dave McGuire wrote:
On 01/15/2014 06:35 PM, Cory Smelosky wrote:
A lot of people (myself included) insisted on direct-in-the-bus
printer controllers when we saw how badly serial printers tanked the
system when we connected them to DZ11s. ;)
Oh I can imagine that. A dedicated controller would have MUCH higher
bandwidth than the <1.5mbitcapable on the DZ11. ;)
It's the interrupt load that's the problem. It could TANK an 11/750.
Didn't the DZ11 depend on the CPU for interrupts?
Isn't that why say...the DHV11 had processors to offload serial processing to?
-Dave
--
Cory Smelosky
http://gewt.net Personal stuff
http://gimme-sympathy.org Projects
On 01/15/2014 06:39 PM, Brian Schenkenberger, VAXman- wrote:
Yup. 'Twas still a nice line printer. I printed walls of boxes of greenbar
on the LXY21.
Glorious machines. I have two here; one DEC-badged and one Printronix
badged. The DEC-badged one is in pretty bad shape but may be
recoverable. The Printronix-badged one is nearly pristine and works great.
We should do a group buy of greenbar paper. I am running low.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
New Kensington, PA
On Wed, 15 Jan 2014, Dave McGuire wrote:
On 01/15/2014 06:31 PM, Cory Smelosky wrote:
The LA120 was the de facto console terminal for the VAX-11/78*s. One
reason
why I have three; albeit, one has been cannibalized for parts.
I only have one!
I'm sure Dave could spare another, though...;)
No...I'm interested in sending some of my too-old-to-run yet
too-new-to-collect gear, like the remaining two Sun Fire 6800s. As for
vintage stuff, vintage DEC stuff in particular, I am in acquisition
mode. I've only sent stuff along to you because I'm trying to support
your learning and restoration efforts.
Ahhhh. I can understand that. I said it mostly-jokingly, anyway. ;) I'm not quite sure where I'll put THIS one...let alone more. ;)
Thanks for supporting my learning and restoration. I just need to get those bootstrap modules and a working DEC floppy drive.
I'll gladly take a 6800. ;)
I can make COMPLETE use of 24 processors! As it'll take a IV...that's dual-core right? Meaning...48 cores!
*me mumbles something about a buildbox*
-Dave
--
Cory Smelosky
http://gewt.net Personal stuff
http://gimme-sympathy.org Projects
Dave McGuire <mcguire at neurotica.com> writes:
On 01/15/2014 06:17 PM, Brian Schenkenberger, VAXman- wrote:
Mark Wickens <mark at wickensonline.co.uk> writes:
So, out of interest, what was the last/most reliable/most desirable DEC
true line printer - i.e. chain/band rather than matrix?
My first year at college ~ 1990 included VAX/Pascal programming with
assignments printed to a true line printer.
Happy times in that lovely warm computer room on cold, dark winter days...
IMHO, the LXY21!
The LXY21 is a matrix printer, a re-badged Printronix machine.
Yup. 'Twas still a nice line printer. I printed walls of boxes of greenbar
on the LXY21.
--
VAXman- A Bored Certified VMS Kernel Mode Hacker VAXman(at)TMESIS(dot)ORG
Well I speak to machines with the voice of humanity.
On 01/15/2014 06:35 PM, Cory Smelosky wrote:
A lot of people (myself included) insisted on direct-in-the-bus
printer controllers when we saw how badly serial printers tanked the
system when we connected them to DZ11s. ;)
Oh I can imagine that. A dedicated controller would have MUCH higher
bandwidth than the <1.5mbitcapable on the DZ11. ;)
It's the interrupt load that's the problem. It could TANK an 11/750.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
New Kensington, PA
On 01/15/2014 06:31 PM, Cory Smelosky wrote:
The LA120 was the de facto console terminal for the VAX-11/78*s. One
reason
why I have three; albeit, one has been cannibalized for parts.
I only have one!
I'm sure Dave could spare another, though...;)
No...I'm interested in sending some of my too-old-to-run yet
too-new-to-collect gear, like the remaining two Sun Fire 6800s. As for
vintage stuff, vintage DEC stuff in particular, I am in acquisition
mode. I've only sent stuff along to you because I'm trying to support
your learning and restoration efforts.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
New Kensington, PA
On 01/15/2014 06:17 PM, Brian Schenkenberger, VAXman- wrote:
Mark Wickens <mark at wickensonline.co.uk> writes:
So, out of interest, what was the last/most reliable/most desirable DEC
true line printer - i.e. chain/band rather than matrix?
My first year at college ~ 1990 included VAX/Pascal programming with
assignments printed to a true line printer.
Happy times in that lovely warm computer room on cold, dark winter days...
IMHO, the LXY21!
The LXY21 is a matrix printer, a re-badged Printronix machine.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
New Kensington, PA
On Wed, 15 Jan 2014, Dave McGuire wrote:
On 01/15/2014 06:27 PM, Cory Smelosky wrote:
The LA180 has more in common with the LA120 than the LA36. There is
also a serially-interfaced variant of the LA180, which has a
serial-to-parallel (*NOT* "Centronics" parallel, for others reading
this) converter board mounted internally.
That's...quite interesting. Why is it parallel internally...
Because the primary intended configuration for those printers is with
dedicated printer controller boards like the LP11, LPV11, and LS11.
Ahhhhh. Interesting design choice, to be honest. I bet it was a bit
proprietary though....fast as well.
Of course it's proprietary. You ordered a printer from DEC when you
ordered your computer from DEC. It was a very different world back then.
True. I don't it's too difficult to adapt adapters, though.
A lot of people (myself included) insisted on direct-in-the-bus
printer controllers when we saw how badly serial printers tanked the
system when we connected them to DZ11s. ;)
Oh I can imagine that. A dedicated controller would have MUCH higher bandwidth than the <1.5mbitcapable on the DZ11. ;)
-Dave
--
Cory Smelosky
http://gewt.net Personal stuff
http://gimme-sympathy.org Projects
