HP-1000 HP-IB / GP-IB IEEE-488.2, etc

[J. David Bryan]

On 8 Apr 2008 at 17:19, Tim Riker wrote:

> > No, these drives used the MAC command set.
> 
> Got a pointer to docs on that?

As Eric mentioned, Bitsavers has the 13037 documents, although they're a 
little bit difficult to find.  The Controller Installation and Service 
Manual is <hp/disc/13037C.pdf>.  This describes the MAC command set.

The 13175/8 Interface Kits manual is <hp/21xx/interfaces/13175D.pdf>.  This 
shows the CPU-to-controller cabling.

The 12745 HP-IB Controller to HP-IB Adapter Kit Service manual is 
<hp/disc/12745-90911_MAC-HPIB_Sep83.pdf>.  It also lists the cables used in 
the HP-IB configuration.

The individual 79xx disc drive installation manuals illustrate the 
controller-to-drive cabling.  I don't think Bitsavers has any online, but 
the HP Computer Museum does (e.g., 07906-90902, "7906 Disc Drive 
Installation Manual").

There's also the "13037 Disc Controller Technical Information Package" 
(13037-90902), that has schematics, controller microcode, detailed theory 
of operation, etc. on both the controller and the 13175 interface.  This is 
<hp/disc/13037-90902_TechInfPk_Aug80.pdf>.


> HP-1000 w/13175/13178 <cable-a> 13075 <cable-b> 7905/06/20/25 yes?

Almost.  The 1317x cards were daisy-chained together and connected to the 
13037 controller.  The 79xx disc drives used two cables: a command cable 
(thick) and a data cable (thin).  The command cables were daisy-chained 
together and connected to the controller.  The data cables went from each 
drive to the controller individually.


> What are cable-a and cable-b? dual 50 pin card edge on both ends of both
> cables?

The above documents have pictures, wiring, etc. of the cables involved.  
The drive control cables were fairly involved.  There was a multi-unit 
cable from the controller to a terminator board mounted on a bracket on the 
rack cabinet.  From that, a ribbon cable connected to the drive, and (if 
used) a second multi-unit cable went to the next terminator board, etc.


> So now we have:
> 
> HP-1000 w/12821 <cable-c> 13075 w/12745 <cable-d> 7905/06/20/25
> 
> where cable-c is a 50-pin to gp-ib?

Yes.


> and cable-d is as cable-b above? 

Yes (actually, a pair of cables: control and data).


> HP-1000 w/12821 <cable e> 7925H
> 
> so I presume cable-e is 50 pin card edge to GP-IB?

Yes.


> You say the drives could be "connected together". Is this just a normal
> GP-IB bus? or are there still a unit number here?

The ICD (H) drives daisy-chained HP-IB connectors, and each appeared as a 
separate address.  The 13037 configurations, either 13175 or 12745, daisy-
chained the drives as mentioned above.


> I forget which pdf I read that number in. I think it was one of the
> 13037 documents. Can the 26xx terminals also speak GP-IB?

There was an HP-IB option for the 264x terminals, but I am unfamiliar with 
its operation.


> I'm confused. See previous "connected together" comment.

If you're still confused after looking at the cabling diagrams in the PDFa, 
please ask again.  ;-)

                                      -- Dave