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Unknown Q-BUS modules

PDP11GY

Experienced Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2009
Messages
144
Location
Munich/Germany
Hello,
enclosed, please find a picture which shows 2 Q-Bus modules. I have got
these modules from the Computer-Museum-Munich but I am not able to
identify these 2 Q-BUS modules The module on the left was designed by
"QUALOGY" , 800103-02 REV A .The module on the right looks like a special
edition from "DATA SYSTEMS DESIGN", 804140-01 REV R Both modules are
assembled with the same parts.
Maybe , it is a (floppy)disk controller ?
Regards
 

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I do not know for sure, but I would guess that they are the qbus controller for a DSD880. The 880 was a combination RX02/RL02 emulator.

DSD changed their name to Qualogy at some point. Both cards are the same.

I have two DSD440s, which only emulate the RX02 (Not the RL.) The DSD440 qbus controller is a bit simpler (fewer ICs), which is why I think these are for the 880.

You should hold on to them because DSD880s turn up every so often (usually without these controllers!)

Lou
 
I'm not sure Lou. I've never seen either of these before. I'm sitting here with a board from an 880-30, and although it's similar, it is not the same.

While they are clearly DSD [later QUALOGY] QBUS boards, they must be for something beyond the 880. The 880 boards have 26-pin headers on them. These two have 34, and 50 pins, respectively. And the chips on these two are different from mine.


  • It's likely one [the 50-pin card] is a DSD 4140 5.25 inch Floppy control
It might help us if we could read the board numbers printed along the right edge in the component-side photos. I can't quite resolve them. If you post the numbers or higher res pics, we might be able to take this further.
 
I will try to make a picture to with a higher resolution.
I will prompt for the museum existly whether a DSD4140 is.
Will inform you.
 
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Still looking...

I found a reference online that indicates the 800103 was a compatible upgrade / replacement for the 800102.
Unfortunately it doesn't say what either is. This is the one with the 36-pin ribbon header.
Since they [left and right] are both so physically similar, I'd bet they are both MFM drive controllers.

Here's an idea:
Most of the DSD products include a bootstrap. You might find out more if you installed each board in a system with only a CPU and system console serial port, and observed what happens when you power them. They might self-identify or offer a clue what they're expecting in the ensuing error message.
 
The very good ideas always come from Lou and RSX11M+ . Many thanks.
Please find attached the new uploaded picture with a much higher resolution.
The info concerning 800103 sounds very interesting. As soon as I have time,
I will start the test and hope to receive the self-identify message and
will inform you if I have new upgrade infos. Regards, Reinhard
 

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So for the heck of it I looked through all the DSD manuals on bitsavers. There is another manual there referring to the 4140.

This one http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dsd/040002-01_4140-430-470_UM.pdf is for the 4140 board in an RX02 emulation application.

It appears that it can connect directly to SA800 type drives with no other interposing boards! (Hence the 50 pin connector). The manual that was linked to earlier seems to be for this version (with an interposing adapter board) used to connecto to SA400 style 5-1/4" drives.

The other board remains a mystery, but it looks soooo much like the 4140! It must be a version intended to connect straight to an SA400 style drive with no interposing board.

Lou
 
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