DEC ST506 Interface Adapter Part No 54-17003-01

[Ethan Dicks]

On Thu, May 14, 2009 at 3:13 PM, Allison <ajp166 at verizon.net> wrote:
> The VS2000 can also format ANY MFM disk with to RQDX3 format for use with
> with that board.  it has a diagnostic monitor page that does this.  Anyone
> working with DEC hardware will find that feature alone useful.

I thought it could only format "known" disk types, not arbitrary disks
(a firmware limitation in the formatter application, not a hardware
limitation).  I know a QBus uVAX w/RQDX3 can format arbitrary disks
with the right formatter (FS, not CRD).

Hmm... my little pile of uVAX2Ks may have become more interesting to
me - formerly, I've been booting up a uVAXII off of TK50 to format
drives, and that takes a long while.

> the Box was expanable to a second similar sized on to add either TK50 using
> the sasi (sorta scsi) bus...

Is it _really_ SASI?  ISTR there's a 5380 chip in there, but I could
be thinking of the TK50Z-FA board.  I did once download and burn a set
of EPROMs to try to boot a (slow) SCSI disk in the MV2000, but I don't
think I ever got as far as loading a disk.  I have a 200MB 3.5"
Embedded SCSI drive ready to drop into a machine if I ever get a
chance to pick that project back up.  I know the interface won't be
fast, but it would allow me to use more modern disks, and that's
really, really handy, no matter how slow.

> or another MFM drive such as rd50, 51, 52, 53, 54
> 31 and 32 plus RX33 floppy(teac fd55GFR).
>  It is also possible to mount a
> rx33 and a rd32 in the same box.

I haven't done it myself, but I'm aware that it's possible.

-ethan