TK50 flavours

From: sms_at_antinode.org <(sms_at_antinode.org)>
Date: Sun Aug 8 16:48:04 1999

   From: "r. 'bear' stricklin" <red_at_bears.org>

> Is a TK50-D not a SCSI device? It sure bears only about a fifth of a
> superficial resemblance to one.
> If not what is it used with?

   The -FA and -GA models have a SCSI controller board (TZK50) with the
drive, in the box which is about 12.5 inch (32 cm) wide.

   Assuming that the "-D" is the one which is about two-thirds as wide,
it is just the raw drive with its ribbon cable going to a (largely idle)
50-pin D connector (as I recall). It connects to a suitable controler,
such as the Q-bus TQK50 or the UNIBUS TUK50. I believe that it was most
commonly used with big-old UNIBUS machines like the VAX-11/7xx, which
had no convenient place for an internally mounted TK50 drive, whereas
most Q-bus systems did.

   Nowadays, the most common use for one is probably as a safe place to
keep a spare drive, in case the drive in one's -FA or -GA fails.

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Received on Sun Aug 08 1999 - 16:48:04 BST