[HECnet] PDP-11/70 on FPGA

[Johnny Billquist]

Zane H. Healy wrote:
On Tue, 10 Aug 2010, Brian Hechinger wrote:
On Tue, Aug 10, 2010 at 06:50:32AM -0400, Paul Koning wrote:

Yes, it should run most software just fine.

Excellent.
I'd personally be the most interested in RT-11 and RSTS/E.   From the sound
of things, RT-11 at least should work.

RT-11 will probably be the best use of this in it's current form.
I think RSTS/E can run reasonably well without an FPP, but I'm sure Paul will correct me if I'm wrong.
Lots of layered products require the FPP though.

Non-MSCP disks can be done in logic; MSCP has always been implemented as firmware running on the storage controller.   Presumably you'd want to do likewise here.   That's certainly possible, with the help of an embedded processor inside the FPGA.   Then you'd have to implement the MSCP firmware, which is a fair chunk of code.   (I don't suppose anyone has the UDA50 firmware available?   Then all you'd need is an FPGA model of the hardware, which would be easy by comparison.)

I *think* I've got a UDA50 laying around (or know someone who does), what would
be required to extract the firmware from it?
Even on the PDP-11, an RK05 is a bit tight.   In fact it means that running
any semi-current OS would be challenging.   I don't believe I have a UDA50,
but I'm pretty sure there is a KDA50 in my MicroVAX III (yes, I know that is
Q-Bus rather than Unibus).

One, or even four RK05 is definitely a challenge to run anything on. :-)
RT-11 is once more probably the best choice.

	Johnny

-- 
Johnny Billquist                                   || "I'm on a bus
                                                                  ||   on a psychedelic trip
email: bqt at softjar.se                         ||   Reading murder books
pdp is alive!                                         ||   tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol