3 Nov
2010
3 Nov
'10
9:14 a.m.
On 11/3/10, B Degnan <billdeg at degnanco.com> wrote:
I don't want to hijack this thread except to say
that I too just got an
11/34 last week. I still need to clean it and learn more about what it
was set to do, but I have a quick question about the front panel. My
system has a flat front panel without the white cover cut out resembling
a mirror image of the US State of Delaware on it's side. My system has
a black front panel with a white rectangular frame around it instead.
What is the origin of this variation?
I have never seen that mounting frame for the front panel, but perhaps
it's related to your "DEC DataSystem" cover panel.
Here's a photo I found googling around for "DEC Datasystem"
http://www.compuseum.at/portal/Computers/PDP1134/tabid/93/language/en-US/De…
Here are pictures from the system as I first got it,
if it helps with
the card order/comparison purposes. Note that some cards are not
installed in the backplane.
http://vintagecomputer.net/digital/pdp11-34a/before/
Do you have packs for your RL01 drives? Hopefully the packs were
removed and the heads locked for transport.
An 11/34 w/RL01 is a nice little RT-11 system, though it'd be a bit
cramped for 2.9BSD (both in terms of disk and RAM). You could
probably also run an older version of RSX-11/M on it too. I think we
ran something around RSX-11/M 4.0 or 4.1 on ours in the mid-1980s.
-ethan
3 Nov
3 Nov
9:22 a.m.
New subject: Bill's PDP-11/34A (was Re: PDP-11/34A bring up (question about front panel))
?My system has
a black front panel with a white rectangular frame around it instead.
What is the origin of this variation?
I have never seen that mounting frame for the front panel, but perhaps
it's related to your "DEC DataSystem" cover panel. 
9:23 a.m.
New subject: Bill's PDP-11/34A (was Re: PDP-11/34A bring up (question about front panel))
On 11/3/10 12:14 PM, Ethan Dicks wrote:
I've seen that sort of frame a couple of times; they were used in
(possibly among other things) embedded applications. It's been a long
time but I think I saw them in big GenRad board testers.
I don't
want to hijack this thread except to say that I too just got an
11/34 last week. I still need to clean it and learn more about what it
was set to do, but I have a quick question about the front panel. My
system has a flat front panel without the white cover cut out resembling
a mirror image of the US State of Delaware on it's side. My system has
a black front panel with a white rectangular frame around it instead.
What is the origin of this variation?
I have never seen that mounting frame for the front panel, but perhaps
it's related to your "DEC DataSystem" cover panel. Here's a photo I found googling around for
"DEC Datasystem"
http://www.compuseum.at/portal/Computers/PDP1134/tabid/93/language/en-US/De…
Hey, that looks just like the rack my 11/70 is in.
An 11/34 w/RL01 is a nice little RT-11 system, though
it'd be a bit
cramped for 2.9BSD (both in terms of disk and RAM). You could
probably also run an older version of RSX-11/M on it too. I think we
ran something around RSX-11/M 4.0 or 4.1 on ours in the mid-1980s.
4.0 and 4.1 run very well on an 11/34, I ran 4.0 briefly then 4.1 for
a long time on mine in the mid-1980s. After that I ran RSTS/E v9.4,
which also ran great on that system.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
9:29 a.m.
New subject: Bill's PDP-11/34A (was Re: PDP-11/34A bring up (question about front panel))
On Wed, Nov 03, 2010 at 12:23:19PM -0400, Dave McGuire wrote:
Hey, that looks just like the rack my 11/70 is in.
It's a lovely colortheme, Update has an 11/70 with the same colors and
logotype, though the rack is wider. (two racks in fact)
/P
9:36 a.m.
New subject: Bill's PDP-11/34A (was Re: PDP-11/34A bring up (question about front panel))
On 11/3/10 12:29 PM, Pontus Pihlgren wrote:
Actually I suspect that 11/34's rack is the same one, double-wide,
but the picture is cropped. Anybody know for sure?
I like the DECdatasystem color scheme, but I like the "original"
11/70 scheme better. I've been toying with transplanting my 11/70 into
a standard H960, as I just got another one, and I have a spare purple
front panel bezel. This would get me a bit of floor space back, as the
H960s are taller and thus can accommodate more equipment vertically, and
they waste less space than the "open air" DECdatasystem setup.
Transplanting an 11/70 into a new rack is a LOT of work, though,
which is why I've been thinking about it, rather than DOING it, for the
past two years or so.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
Hey, that
looks just like the rack my 11/70 is in.
It's a lovely colortheme, Update has an 11/70 with the same colors and
logotype, though the rack is wider. (two racks in fact)
9:54 a.m.
New subject: Bill's PDP-11/34A (was Re: PDP-11/34A bring up (question about front panel))
On Wed, Nov 03, 2010 at 12:36:01PM -0400, Dave McGuire wrote:
On 11/3/10 12:29 PM, Pontus Pihlgren wrote:
Actually I suspect that 11/34's rack is the same one, double-wide,
but the picture is cropped. Anybody know for sure?
I don't think so, you can see the edge of the rack in the picture. Also
the logotyp is short enough to fit within one rack. Compare to this
(which I think is your rack):
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/PDP-11-70-DDS570.jpg
And look at Bills blue door:
http://vintagecomputer.net/digital/pdp11-34a/before/2010-10-27_20-42-43_160…
http://vintagecomputer.net/digital/pdp11-34a/before/2010-10-27_20-42-09_614…
I can imagine relocating an 11/70 is a chore, especially if you have
lots of peripherals or memory expansions.
Regards,
Pontus.
Hey,
that looks just like the rack my 11/70 is in.
It's a lovely colortheme, Update has an 11/70 with the same colors and
logotype, though the rack is wider. (two racks in fact) 
10:04 a.m.
New subject: Bill's PDP-11/34A (was Re: PDP-11/34A bring up (question about front panel))
On 11/3/10 12:54 PM, Pontus Pihlgren wrote:
Actually I suspect that 11/34's rack is the same one, double-wide,
but the picture is cropped. Anybody know for sure?
I don't think so, you can see the edge of the rack in the picture. Also
the logotyp is short enough to fit within one rack. Compare to this
(which I think is your rack):
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/PDP-11-70-DDS570.jpg
ROFL! Yes, this is mine. :) Yes, good point about the logotype; it'
definitely extends past the middle of the rack.
Hey, that
looks just like the rack my 11/70 is in.
It's a lovely colortheme, Update has an 11/70 with the same colors and
logotype, though the rack is wider. (two racks in fact) And look at Bills blue door:
http://vintagecomputer.net/digital/pdp11-34a/before/2010-10-27_20-42-43_160…
http://vintagecomputer.net/digital/pdp11-34a/before/2010-10-27_20-42-09_614…
Yes, that one is clearly smaller, a single-width rack, like the one
housing the TE-16 in my 11/70 system. It's a separate rack with a
cableway on the right, and it's bolted to the main (double-wide) 11/70 rack.
I can imagine relocating an 11/70 is a chore,
especially if you have
lots of peripherals or memory expansions.
It's not a huge system peripherals-wise, but it has two memory
chassis. And those power supplies are HEAVY!
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
10:11 a.m.
New subject: Bill's PDP-11/34A (was Re: PDP-11/34A bring up (question about front panel))
On Wed, Nov 03, 2010 at 01:04:39PM -0400, Dave McGuire wrote:
I know! luckily your rack is gorgeous the way it is, it's almost a shame
to break it apart. If floorspace is an issue, I could help you out :D
Cheers,
Pontus.
I can imagine
relocating an 11/70 is a chore, especially if you have
lots of peripherals or memory expansions.
It's not a huge system peripherals-wise, but it has two memory
chassis. And those power supplies are HEAVY!
10:32 a.m.
New subject: Bill's PDP-11/34A (was Re: PDP-11/34A bring up (question about front panel))
On 11/3/10 1:11 PM, Pontus Pihlgren wrote:
I know! luckily your rack is gorgeous the way it is, it's almost a shame
to break it apart. If floorspace is an issue, I could help you out :D
Ha! ;)
Actually I'd give you the DECdatasystem rack set (not the contents,
though!) if we could find a way to get it to you, as floor space really
is an issue.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
I can imagine relocating an 11/70 is a chore,
especially if you have
lots of peripherals or memory expansions.
It's not a huge system peripherals-wise, but it has two memory
chassis. And those power supplies are HEAVY!
10:40 a.m.
New subject: Bill's PDP-11/34A (was Re: PDP-11/34A bring up (question about front panel))
On Wed, Nov 03, 2010 at 01:32:20PM -0400, Dave McGuire wrote:
On 11/3/10 1:11 PM, Pontus Pihlgren wrote:
Ha! ;)
Actually I'd give you the DECdatasystem rack set (not the
contents, though!) if we could find a way to get it to you, as floor
space really is an issue.
Hmm, perhaps I could row it over the atlantic? It sort of resembles a
cargo boat :)
Na, I'll have to be satisfied with the ones at the computer club.
/P
12:16 p.m.
New subject: Bill's PDP-11/34A (was Re: PDP-11/34A bring up (question about front panel))
On 11/3/10 1:40 PM, Pontus Pihlgren wrote:
That would be a sight to see!
Ha! ;)
Actually I'd give you the DECdatasystem rack set (not the
contents, though!) if we could find a way to get it to you, as floor
space really is an issue.
Hmm, perhaps I could row it over the atlantic? It sort of resembles a
cargo boat :) Na, I'll have to be satisfied with the ones at the
computer club.
Ok. :-)
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
11:47 a.m.
New subject: Bill's PDP-11/34A (was Re: PDP-11/34A bring up (question about front panel))
Dave McGuire wrote:
Actually I suspect that 11/34's rack is the same
one, double-wide, but
the picture is cropped. Anybody know for sure?
I can't speak for that specific rack, but I've seen several
DECdatasytems in racks just like that -- one rack, somewhat wider than
normal, but not double width.
--
Pete Peter Turnbull
Network Manager
University of York
5480
days inactive
5480
days old
11 comments
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participants (5)
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ethan.dicks＠gmail.com -
mcguire＠neurotica.com -
pete＠dunnington.plus.com -
pontus＠Update.UU.SE -
wdonzelli＠gmail.com