Pdp-10

[Lou - N2MIY]

Oh, but there is! I have been testing it heavily for weeks.

http://github.com/rcornwell/sims

Well then, I had better start planning this project!

It will be helpful if there is a way to have the emulator spit out the entire state of the console display over I2C and likewise be able to scan the entire state of the switches. The panel lamps are mounted on four boards that span the back of the console. Each has three H802-style (single sided) cardedge connectors. I can't remember but there may be one for each row of lamps. I would imagine one common design row driver PCB with lamp drivers and I2C receivers like MCP23017 could be used to address a row of 16 lamps. The console switches are presented at the rear as six H802s across the width of the console. Another common design switch monitoring board could also be used at each switch connector. I2C seems plenty fast and the addressability is useful (although the 23017 has only three address pins, so an external address multiplexer would be needed for the lamps (unless someone knows of a similar device with more address select pins). I have used this device for other projects which is why it comes to mind.

I have an LA36 and VT52s, which although mid-70s would at least be only slightly period-incorrect with respect to the KA. I think Dad would get a kick out of it, however he would likely try esoteric field-service things to see how accurate the emulator is.

Does this emulator run well enough on a PI 3 or beaglebone, or is something more heavy-duty required?

Lou

[larsbrinkhoff]

It will be helpful if there is a way to have the emulator spit out the entire state of the console display over I2C and likewise be able to scan the entire state of the switches.

I'm fairly sure there's nothing like that at this point.

A lot of the communication around this emulator happens on GitHub. I would suggest getting an account there.

I have an LA36 and VT52s, which although mid-70s would at least be only slightly period-incorrect with respect to the KA. I think Dad would get a kick out of it, however he would likely try esoteric field-service things to see how accurate the emulator is.

The three MIT KA10 machines had many LA36 and TV52 attached. (I'm only running ITS myself.)

An ex-DEC engineer is working on adding support for the 340 display. Maybe slightly period-incorrect too, being older than the PDP-10.

I think it would be great if your dad could uncover emulator inaccuracies!

Does this emulator run well enough on a PI 3 or beaglebone, or is something more heavy-duty required?

It's probably ok on an rPi class host.

[anders_bzn]

Actually we have two KA10 consoles.

I have a box with flipchips that comes from what I think is a KA CPU. Seams to be 1/3 of all modules needed for the CPU. Some of them are used in PDP-9 as well. Mostly red R modules and blue B modules. I have a list if anyone is interested.

[m_thompson]

I have a box with flipchips that comes from what I think is a KA CPU. Seams to be 1/3 of all modules needed for the CPU. Some of them are used in PDP-9 as well. Mostly red R modules and blue B modules. I have a list if anyone is interested.

The RICM is always interested in flipchips that fit in our PDP-9. We have a good collection of R modules, but not many B modules. Can you send me your inventory list?

[billdeg]

Catching up with this thread...My actual PDP hardware is a PDP 8 and 11. Anything else I want to experience is via simH or a museum visit. I am very much into mainframes as a "fan" of them with no actual hardware experience on the classics. I am too young to have been in the field when a lot of this was in production.

I have a lot of manuals for the PDPs 10 and 9, most of which are on bitsavers.org but it's nice to have the original binders to hold in my hand. In fact I "collect" operations manuals from long lost mainframes and I have a very nice sampling of the major mainframes since the 1950's.

Given I have no expectations of ever owning a mainframe I am very thankful for simH, which allows me to build up a system to match the manuals I have. I can follow the manuals to experiment safely with the "hardware", load a few tapes or disks. I have a nice working simH environment. I have documented how to get simH running with a serial terminal. I connect simH machines via serial port to an adm3, VT-100, VT50, serial printer terminals etc... You just have to pretend the mainframe is in the other room. I use simH to build disk packs for my working PDP 11/8 hardware.

The simH mailing list has discussions about DEC/VAX emulation more than anything else and if you're into PDP 10, I'd join there as it comes up occasionally. They keep it pretty tight there, be sure to put an OT: in your subject if you're asking a question that is not simH-specific when asking about an actual PDP 10. simh@trailing-edge.com

Side comment...I have no issues with cctech myself but I agree that the first 5 or so posts in a given thread have the meat, the following posts drive quickly off the road and I ignore them or create a new more targeted thread. But this is just a hobby not worth stressing about all that.

The next time I am in New England I want to visit the Rhode Island Computer Museum to see the PDP-9. In early March I plan to visit the LCSM in Pittsburgh, they have a PDP 10 there that works. Here is a photo I took from late 2017 when I last was there...

http://www.vintagecomputer.net/pictu...LSSM/PDP10.jpg


Bill

[m_thompson]

The next time I am in New England I want to visit the Rhode Island Computer Museum to see the PDP-9. In early March I plan to visit the LCSM in Pittsburgh, they have a PDP 10 there that works.
Bill

When you visit the RICM you can see the KS10 at my house that runs TOPS-10.

[billdeg]

I'll take you up on that. ... Likewise if you're ever traveling south down RT I-95 or RTE 1 (I live near Newark, Delaware) and want to check out my computer systems and manuals library let me know.

Bill

[MattisLind]

http://www.vintagecomputer.net/pictu...LSSM/PDP10.jpg


Bill

Isn't that a DecDatasystem 570. I.e. a PDP-11/70?

Anyway. I visited RICM last november. It was indeed very interesting! But far to short visit. Wasn't time to stop by Micheal's house unfortunately.

Here are some pictures I took when visting RICM.

[billdeg]

Isn't that a DecDatasystem 570. I.e. a PDP-11/70?

Oh, I thought it was an PDP 10. I have corrected my web site reference, thanks.

Here is the LSSM's 2020
http://www.vintagecomputer.net/pictu...YSTEM_2020.jpg

[Joerg Hoppe]

Then I have good news for you. The miracle is happening as we speak.

I'm assisting Richard Cornwell in his work to add a KA10/KI10 simulator to SIMH. He says it's working fine with TOPS-10, and I'm involved making it work with ITS as well (just the KA of course).

Can I make my own miracle request? A BlinkenBone KA10.

We just returned from VCF PNW at Seattle. The LCM has KA10 panels in the repository, they invited me to make all the photographic work in their rooms, which may take 2 or 3 days.

Nice people there, and the LCM collection is awesome. So I will go to Seattle again, as time&money allows.

Jörg