Update - I have 3 of these Viking controllers, 2 are rebadged to
Alphatronix.
1. I was able to 'kludge' together jumpers to connect a laptop serial
port to the controller. Pin 20 IDC -> pin 2 DB-9, pin 22 IDC -> pin 3
DB-9 and pin 24 or 25 IDC -> pin 5 DB-9. It didn't seem to matter if
you used 24 or 25 for the ground.
2. The Alphatronix monitor program assumes a VT100 terminal and sends
escape codes, the Viking didn't.
3. I was not able to start the monitor program if a disk was attached to
the SCSI bus for either type of controller. In this case it was a
SCSI2SD V5.2.
Here is what the Viking Monitor dialog looks like when you start it:
Viking Model QDO, S/N 8546
Version A4.0, (C) 1989,90 TD Systems
Type H for help
>H
To execute command, enter letter and return.
DEL deletes last character.
CTL-C aborts command and returns to prompt.
XOFF/XON control console output.
Command list:
A Abort MSCP tasks, reset SCSI
C Display configuration
D Display SCSI devices
F Format unit
M Mode sense/select
P Tape port monitor
R Read block
S SCSI command
T Test menu
V Verify unit
W Write block
X Cold start exit
>C
Host Adapter parameters:
SCSI 7, SCSI reset ON, Disconnect ON, Defect Management ON, DMA burst= 4
PORT A = Disk server, Autoconfigure
Here is one of the Alphatronix monitors report: [I used this one on a
PDP-11/53 to boot RT-11]
TM
IIIIIIII NNN NN SSSSSSS PPPPPPP IIIIIIII RRRRRRRR EEEEEEEE
II NNNN NN SS SS PP PP II RR RR EE
II NN NN NN SS PP PP II RR RR EE
II NN NN NN SSSSSSS PPPPPPP II RRRRRRRR EEEEEE
II NN NN NN SS PP II RR RR EE
II NN NNNN SS SS PP II RR RR EE
IIIIIIII NN NNN SSSSSSS PP IIIIIIII RR RR EEEEEEEE
by ALPHATRONIX
by ALPHATRONIX
Host Adapter S/N 11003
Firmware Version 1.51, (C) 1988, 89, 90, 91 ALPHATRONIX Inc.
Licensed Material - Programs Property of ALPHATRONIX Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
Type M for menu.
>m
INSTALLATION COMMANDS
1 set/show configuration 2 show attached drives
UTILITY COMMANDS
C certify/format disk V write verify (currently OFF)
MAINTENANCE COMMANDS
3 reset host adapter 4 reset SCSI bus
5 read a block 6 write a block
7 multi-block read-only test 8 single-block write-read test
9 low-level commands
enter number of selected command
ctrl-c aborts commands
>1
Host Adapter parameters:
SCSI 7, SCSI reset ON, Disconnect OFF, Defect Management ON, DMA burst= 4
PORT A = Disk server, Fixed configuration
Unit 0: SCSI 0, Parity ON, Disconnect OFF, Defect Management ON
Capacity (autosize), Media type RD54
Unit 1: SCSI 1, Parity ON, Disconnect OFF, Defect Management ON
Capacity (autosize), Media type RD54
My questions at this point are:
1. Why can't I start the monitor is a disk is attached?
2. All of these boards are configured for a base CSR of 772150, standard
MSCP hard disk DU. The Viking and one of the Alphatronix boards work
just fine with a SCSI2SD. How do I get the other Alphatronix to work?
Swap ROMs?
3. Is there something about the actual RS232 adapter board that I don't
know about that keeps the monitor and disks coexisting?
4. Should I try attaching the terminal to the FP port and see what
happens? Is it the 'secret' back door?
Doug
