[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread] 

List:       sunrescue
Subject:    Re: [rescue] PiDP-8/11, was: The Soul of that old Machine
From:       Lionel Peterson <lionel4287 () gmail ! com>
Date:       2021-11-24 17:54:16
Message-ID: ADD903A8-660E-47F7-8953-E3AAD901134D () gmail ! com
[Download RAW message or body]

What's really nice, even if you don't build the kit, the software ecosystem
that supports them is good, and the documentation links are great.

Great for bit-fiddling on a budget - a Pi Zero W capably runs either emulator
for about $15, as would the new Pi Zero 2 W for a couple dollars more.

You can run SSH connection, or buy a cheap serial adapter and hardwire a real
terminal to the pi's ttl level serial port.

Ken

> On Nov 24, 2021, at 10:41, Steve Hatle <steve.hatle@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> o;?I've built both the PiDP-8 and PiDP-11 and really enjoyed both kits. I
> need to do the work to add "real" serial ports to my PiDP-11 and hook up
> real terminals.
>
> I've also built the Altairduino which is an Arduino based version of the
> 8800.
>
> Soldering all those resistors, LEDs, and switches really upped my
> soldering game! :-)
>
> Steve
>
>> Lionel Peterson <mailto:lionel4287@gmail.com>
>> November 24, 2021 at 9:39 AM
>> Speaking of simulating classic hardware:
>>
>> Years ago I bought two kits from a fellow named Oscar in Switzerland, his
>> PiDP-8 and PiDP-11, they are RPi-based SimH boxes designed to look like
>> classic PDP-8 and PDP-11/70 control panels with working switches and
>> LEDs at
>> 2/3rds scale.
>>
>> While these devices would likely only appeal to a certain kind of
>> person, he's
>> apparently sold several thousand of each.
>>
>> I built my PiDP-11 kit a week ago, but (ignorantly) soldered the switches
>> upside down (having never worked a 'real' PDP-11 I just assumed the
>> address/data switches toggled 'down' not 'up'), now I'm trying to
>> figure out
>> proper desoldering tools to fix the switches...
>>
>> The kits are pricey, but they are well-designed and result in a
>> quality piece
>> of blinking light artwork.
>>
>> The SimH software can be run on a standalone RPi (no control panel) and
>> accessed over serial, usb, or ssh sessions. My discovery/recovery of
>> my VT420
>> terminal motivated me to pick up my soldering iron and have a go at
>> the kit.
>> The PiDP-8 is on-deck for assembly over the holiday weekend.
>>
>> The PiDP-11 took about 6 hours to build incorrectly, it shouldn't take any
>> longer if you follow the instructions.
>>
>> PiDP-8: https://obsolescence.wixsite.com/obsolescence/pidp-8
>>
>> PiDP-11: https://obsolescence.wixsite.com/obsolescence/pidp-11
>>
>> To get back on-topic, I don't think DG had anywhere near the 'fanatic'
>> following PDP-8 and PDP-11 systems had, maybe they lacked the
>> blinkenlights?
>>
>> Ken
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue
>> Jonathan Patschke <mailto:jp@celestrion.net>
>> November 24, 2021 at 9:11 AM
>> On Wed, 24 Nov 2021, John Hudak wrote:
>>
>>
>> Simh is rather nice.B  It's long been my go-to for PDP11 and VAX
>> emulation.B  Hacking on it about 15 years ago to have better battery
>> performance (mostly spinlock-hunting) on OS X was fun, too.B  It tends to
>> feel very "abstract," though, because every machine goes through the
>> same interface.
>>
>> Most of what made, for example, using Hercules not feel like just
>> running another VM is that so much of the console experience is
>> preserved (albeit at some necessity because of how IBM mainframes treat
>> the consoles as extra-special).B  I guess I was hoping for something less
>> like simh and more like Hecules.
> _______________________________________________
> rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue
_______________________________________________
rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue
[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread]