Re: SerialDisk (Re: LINCtape images)
On Tue, Nov 02, 2021 at 03:12:05PM +0100, Christian Corti wrote: > On Tue, 2 Nov 2021, Vincent Slyngstad wrote: > > Another option would be to spin the data onto LINCtape with a TD8E, then > > mount the result on the PDP-12. I think Dave is creating the images in > > the first place with either a TD8E, or possibly a custom controller. > > I think he used a custom controller. > I have several TD8E controllers, but the TU56s are wired for the TC08, and > one unit for the TC11. > The TD8E can't read LINCtapes without putting an inverter in the clock line. With it still wasn't great. Code I used depended on the databreak interface board I made for formerly online PDP-8. Being slowly reworked to get rid of the obsolete java front end and dependance on a parallel port which my new server didn't have so will be back online at some point. Currently I use a beaglebone that connects in place of the TD8E. Works better but code gets confused at times with errors. Really needs a rewrite. Also doesn't like most of the LINC-8 tapes I have. Haven't had time to figure out why. http://www.pdp8online.com/dectape/
Re: SerialDisk (Re: LINCtape images)
On 11/2/2021 7:12 AM, Christian Corti via cctalk wrote: On Tue, 2 Nov 2021, Vincent Slyngstad wrote: https://github.com/drovak/os8diskserver The current version should have no problems with the 8/I or with the PDP-12. (Maybe even the straight-8, but I can't remember checking if it is "increment and rotate" clean. Doug might know.) Thanks. I've seen this, but the doc/comments apparently don't reflect the changes and modifications so I was thinking that this is the unpatched version. The edit history in the handlers/*.pal reflect the driver changes, and there's also a pile of useful changes to the installer, etc. The github per-file check-in comments aren't always that helpful. The "history" button in the upper right gives perhaps the best synopsis of the changes on a "per commit" level. If "RES/E" doesn't report version "I", you aren't running the latest. (Kyle's code was through "E", Bob's code was "F", CJL's code was "G" and "H", and my KIE fix is "I".) I also have lying around somewhere a bootable SerialDisk image I made with LINCtape drivers, which I hope to actually run on my -12 someday. CJL had some ideas about a SerialDisk for PQS?8 and other non-OS/8 operating systems, but I haven't seen any code for that. (I also disagree with his ideas about the need to switch to 128-word blocks.) Vince
Re: SerialDisk (Re: LINCtape images)
On Tue, 2 Nov 2021, Vincent Slyngstad wrote: Another option would be to spin the data onto LINCtape with a TD8E, then mount the result on the PDP-12. I think Dave is creating the images in the first place with either a TD8E, or possibly a custom controller. I think he used a custom controller. I have several TD8E controllers, but the TU56s are wired for the TC08, and one unit for the TC11. https://github.com/drovak/os8diskserver The current version should have no problems with the 8/I or with the PDP-12. (Maybe even the straight-8, but I can't remember checking if it is "increment and rotate" clean. Doug might know.) Thanks. I've seen this, but the doc/comments apparently don't reflect the changes and modifications so I was thinking that this is the unpatched version. Christian
Re: SerialDisk (Re: LINCtape images)
On 11/2/2021 2:42 AM, Christian Corti via cctalk wrote: On Fri, 29 Oct 2021, Vincent Slyngstad wrote: There seem to be a couple of formats that were frequently used, and a third lesser used format. One of the issues is that you have to go into maintenance mode, as far as I can tell, to determine the size of the block you just read into memory. It seems so. But I would need just a restore version of the program, capable of formatting the tape first. I'm wondering if I am the first who wants to create LINCtapes from an image. There is a mention of using SerialDisk with the PDP-12 (a modified version by cjl), but I can't locate it :-( Another option would be to spin the data onto LINCtape with a TD8E, then mount the result on the PDP-12. I think Dave is creating the images in the first place with either a TD8E, or possibly a custom controller. I folded in the SerialDisk changes from Bob and from CJL back in January, as well as the new boot loader from Doug and various other fixes in February, including support for systems without the KIE instruction. Kyle approved and merged my pull requests, so that should all be there for you at Kyle's github: https://github.com/drovak/os8diskserver The current version should have no problems with the 8/I or with the PDP-12. (Maybe even the straight-8, but I can't remember checking if it is "increment and rotate" clean. Doug might know.) Vince
