DEC keys and consoles

From: PDP11 Hacker ..... <ard_at_siva.bris.ac.uk>
Date: Sun Aug 3 17:59:59 1997

>There are three sorts of commonly-found DEC keys:
>
>1. The metal cylinder-lock keys. These are found on -8's, most older (pre

Didn't the 8/a have a PDP11/34-style knob for the power switch and no key at
all?

>11/24, 11/44, 11/84, 11/94) Unibux -11's, and some other boxes. These
>are standard ACE cylinder keys, with pattern # XX2247. Any competent
>locksmith ought to be able to make one of these for you (though you
>may need to be friendly with the locksmith - almost all ACE keys are
>stamped "DO NOT DUPLICATE").
>
>2. The plastic cylinder keys. As of a few months ago, you could still
>order these from DECDirect (1-800-DIGITAL) - the part number is 1217119-01.

In my experience, key [1] will fit locks designed for key [2], but not vice
versa. I use the XX2247 that came with my 11/45 for the 11/45, the 8/e, the
DECSA, the 11/24, the 11/44, the 11/730, etc.

Since lock [2] has no pins, probably just about any Ace tubular key will fit
it. Lock [1] is a 'real' lock, however.

>> Also, I'm looking for information on connecting a console to the 11/10.
>> The only place on this machine that looks like a likely candidate for
>> console connection is a double height module (an M9970 Berg backplane
>> connector) that is essentially unpopulated except for traces connecting
>> the backplane to a single Berg connector. Is this the serial interface?
>> If so, are there any configuration options (on another board), or am I
>> stuck using what I assume is a fixed 110 baud 20 mA current loop interface
>> (or digging up something else, such as a DL11-W)?
>
>I'm not sure what the answer to this is. I thought the standard
>console interface on a 11/10 was a DL11-W. Have you tried asking
>on "vmsnet.pdp-11" on Usenet?

Not at all : Both the 11/10 and 11/10S have a console port on the CPU board. On
the 11/10S it's possible to disable this (fit/remove a link on one of the
boards), and use a DL11 of some flavour instead.

On the 5.25" box, the console port is the 40-pin BERG on the back of the CPU
under the power cable. It's cabled to the backplane, where it is connected to
the appropriate pins on the CPU board.

I don't own a 10.5" 11/10, but I have worked on one. From memort, there is,
indeed a dual-height card which contains the console connector (40 pin BERG)
and no logic. Can't remember the M-number, and my prints are at home.

It's the standard DEC serial connector. Current loop is certainly there, and I
think at least one of the TTL and/or EIA connections are there as well. This
may depend on which CPU board set you have, however. I seem to recall
pinouts/cable lists are on one of the PDP_8_ web sites.

11/10's use an RC clock for the baud rate generator. It's tweakable by a preset
on one of the boards - check it at pin 40 of the UART (the only 40 pin chip in
the CPU), and set to 16 times the baud rate. I think the 11/10S uses an Xtal
clock, and there's a switch to set standard rates.

The RC clock does 110 baud as standard, but can be tweaked at least to 300
baud. You can change (reduce) the timing capacitor to get higher rates, of
course.

>
>Tim.

-tony
Received on Sun Aug 03 1997 - 17:59:59 BST