DEC ST506 Interface Adapter Part No 54-17003-01

[Robert Jarratt]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org [mailto:cctalk-
> bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Ethan Dicks
> Sent: 14 May 2009 18:40
> To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
> Subject: Re: DEC ST506 Interface Adapter Part No 54-17003-01
> 
> On Thu, May 14, 2009 at 1:24 PM, Robert Jarratt
> <robert.jarratt at ntlworld.com> wrote:
> > Looks like it is for a VAXstation 2000. Knowing that, does anyone
> know if
> > such a thing could fit (and work) in one of the two machines I
> mention
> > above?
> 
> I have a couple of uVAX 2000s (same box, move a jumper and don't
> attach a tube).  The unexpanded box has connectors on the motherboard
> and comes with cables to attach one drive.  I've seen them usually
> with RD53s and RD54s, but RD31s and RD32s should work fine, or IIRC,
> any drive you can manage to format on an RQDX3 using the Field Service
> formatter (not the Customer Runnable Diagnostics formatter).  You can
> format known models of drive (RD31, RD32, RD53, RD54, and perhaps
> others) in the uVAX2000 box, too, but I don't think there's a way to
> format non-DEC-geometry drives there.
> 
> So... unexpanded, you get a 20-pin and a 34-pin cable from the
> mainboard to the drive.  What this expansion *might* be is a
> replacement cable that extends past the drive and goes out an access
> plate on the bottom of the box, then to a connector on a "skirt" (that
> should also be included) to give you a (ISTR) DD50P that you can cable
> to an external drive.  There may also be a small circuit board in the
> skirt for the drive, it's been years since I've opened mine.
> 
> There's also room in the skirt for external connector for the 8-port
> serial expander (DHT32?).  I have one of those too, but haven't gotten
> the external cabling to use it.
> 
> So... there _is_ a kit for adding an external disk connector to a
> MicroVAX/VAXstation 2000, but I have no idea if this part number is
> what it is.  The *controller* is built into every uV/VS2000, but not
> the cabling for an external drive.
> 
> -ethan

Thanks very much for that. I thought this was an interface, and indeed the
item description calls it an interface (item no 170331891284), but I found
somewhere that said this was for a VS 2000, so it could be that the latter
description was incorrect. I was once told that some MicroVAX 3100s had an
ST506 option and thought this might be it.

Regards

Rob