STB Systems AT/RLL(2,7) drive controller information request

[Dagwood]

Hello all. I've been trying to find jumper settings for the this drive controller but am not having any luck. It's a 16-bit ISA card with 17 jumpers identified at W1-W17. A photo is attached.

The PCB top copper layer says:

"STB SYSTEMS" "FAB REV.B" "210-0078-002"

The EPROM labeled "AT RLL 2.5" contains the following strings:

SN 00000000000000000 (not masked, they are all zero)
REV 2.4
MODEL NUMBER ATRLLC

The EPROM labaled "RLL BIOS 3.0" contains the following strings:

STB Systems, Inc. AT/RLL(2,7) Controller ROM Bios Vers. 3.0
(c) Copyright 1990, Chips and Technologies, Inc.
STB Systems, Inc. AT/RLL(2,7) Hard Disk Format Utility Version 3.0
As well as a bunch of text relating to an integrated low level format utility user interface.

It also contains 32KB and 2KB SRAM's. I'm a bit surprised I couldn't turn anything up with Google with the STB brand and the model/ROM information. Any information would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

 

[mikey99]

I have an AMS 1100 16 bit RLL controller that is somewhat similar. The jumper locations on the card are different however.

The jumpers on the AMS card control the following only:
Hard disk controller disable
Floppy controller disable
Alternate port address Floppy
Alternate port address Hard drive
BIOS prom disable
BIOS Prom address

Have you tested the card attached to an RLL drive ?

The integrated low level format utility in these controllers is typically accessed by booting a DOS diskette, running the DEBUG utility
and entering the following:
g=c800:5

This should start the format utility and allow the user to enter the drive parameters.

 

[Dagwood]

Thanks, your info led me to some other info, which then led me down a rabbit hole. Then I chucked the controller in a box and put it on a shelf because I have since acquired another one with a known config.

 

[mikey99]

Which RLL controller and drive are you using ? I'm running a Mitsubishi MR535R 65MB on my AMS 1100.

 

[Stone]

I've got a NIB NOS Western Digital WD1006V-SR1 if that's of interest to anybody.

 

[Chuck(G)]

I've got several AT RLL controllers from WD, Omti, etc. I'd have thought that, with the decline in usable ST506 drives that they'd be nearly useless today; which is why I haven't bothered to offer them.

 

[Dagwood]

Which RLL controller and drive are you using ? I'm running a Mitsubishi MR535R 65MB on my AMS 1100.

I ended up not going RLL. When I initially started this thread I was looking at controllers and drives on hand to figure out which way to go with a project. An MFM controller then fell into my lap and I was able to revive one of two MFM drives that I thought were shot. So, life is good and a WD12 drive lives to spin another day (and the Miniscribe M2012 remains in the time out corner... probably forever).