pdp8/e Problems: KE8-E EAE debugging

[Charles H. Dickman]

Ethan Dicks wrote:

>On Wed, 09 Mar 2005 20:43:12 -0500, Charles H. Dickman
><chd_1 at nktelco.net> wrote:
>  
>
>>I added support to SPCWR3.PA for the VC8/I.
>>
>>http://www.chd.dyndns.org/pdp8/VC8/SPCWR3_vc8i.PA
>>    
>>
>
>Nice!  Thanks!
> 
>  
>
It was nothing really... :-)

>>This requires an EAE and now I find out that my untested EAE does not work.
>>    
>>
>
>Doh!  I didn't even think of that.  :-(  I don't have a single EAE for
>_any_ machine.
>
>  
>
This version does use the EAE. I have another that is MUCH simpler that 
does not seem to need EAE.

>The closest I could think about getting would be to bum some M-series
>boards from a working machine/disk controller and stuff them in my -8/i,
>but ISTR there are a few wire changes to make as well, so I think I'd
>rather not do that if I thought I'd have to remove it.  In any case, I don't
>have a genuine VC8/I in the first place, or it might be attractive to try.
>
>Ah, well... maybe _someday_ I'll run across the parts I need to pull this off.
>  
>
 From what I saw in the 8/I printset, you need 3 cards: two A607, and 
one M701 or A701 (one place its and A and another place its an M). The 
A607 might be generic, but the M701 is very specifically the VC8/I 
display controller.

>>I got a copy of MAINDEC-8E-D0LB-D which is EAE test 1 and it locked up
>>pretty much the same way. I removed the EAE and the diagnostic halted at
>>a reasonable place insteading of locking up.
>>    
>>
>
>Sounds ominous.
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>  
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It seem like there is something wrong with the timing generator in the 
EAE. Since NOTHING works when the EAE timing generator is needed, maybe 
it is something simple. :-)

>>This not gonna be easy to fix. The over-the-top connectors prevent the
>>use of an extender card, so I can't probe anything easily.
>>    
>>
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>  
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Lately what I need most is time...

>
>-ethan
>
-chuck