EHRLICH@slb-test.CSNET ("Dan Ehrlich @ SDR ext. 523") (06/16/86)
I would be interested in hearing from anyone who know of an UNIBUS to IBM Channel interface for either VMS or BSD UNIX. Thanks in advance. Dan Ehrlich Schlumberger-Doll Research ehrlich%slb-test@relay.cs.net
bzs@BU-CS.BU.EDU.UUCP (06/23/86)
> I would be interested in hearing from anyone who know of an > UNIBUS to IBM Channel interface for either VMS or BSD UNIX. IBM makes a box called a DACU which is a Channel to Unibus converter, even has a little DD11-CK in it (!and! they put the NPR jumpers on dipswitches you can just reach...genius!) You didn't mention why you needed this, of course this may do you no good. A popular use of the DACU is plugging in an Interlan ethernet board to use WiscNet/TCP on (we do this here at BU on our 3090.) Years ago I believe DEC made such a beast called a DX11-?? (NO, that's *not* a floppy.) I have no idea if it is still a product or still works. If you're just after data transfer (is the UNIBUS part of the VAX and the Channel part of the IBM system? Are you trying to plug an RA81 into an IBM system? Are you trying to plug a 3380 into a VAX?) you might consider WiscNet. (This isn't as strange as it sounds, didn't the DEC20 line have the ability to plug in IBM channel disks/tapes? That would be the converse of the DACU.) -Barry Shein, Boston University
lars@ACC.ARPA (06/24/86)
> Date: Sun, 22 Jun 86 22:05:48 EDT > From: bzs@bu-cs.bu.edu (Barry Shein) > To: info-vax@sri-kl.ARPA > Subject: Re: UNIBUS ==> IBM Channel Interface > > > I would be interested in hearing from anyone who know of an > > UNIBUS to IBM Channel interface for either VMS or BSD UNIX. > > IBM makes a box called a DACU ... > ... > Years ago I believe DEC made such a beast called a DX11-?? > ... > If you're just after data transfer (is the UNIBUS part of the > VAX and the Channel part of the IBM system? Are you trying to > plug an RA81 into an IBM system? Are you trying to plug a 3380 > into a VAX?) you might consider WiscNet. (This isn't as strange > ... > -Barry Shein, Boston University The DACU is a way to put UNIBUS peripherals on an IBM. There are also ways to do the opposite (ACC did one of those to interface an IBM type printer to a VAX). There are also interfaces (such as the DX-11 which is now obsolete but it has been replaced with a KMC-11 based thing) to interface CPU-to-CPU. All of these require perverted software to do something useful, so I agree with Barry's suggestion, that if you need networking, look for a turnkey solution designed with that in mind. In this community, I guess you could suggest putting TCP/IP on both machines; in a different context, the solution might be to put the IBM on DECnet (yes, there are even turnkey packages to do that !!). As for TCP-IP, I'm sure you all know ten ways to connect a VAX; there are at least 4 ways to connect an IBM system; I suggest you get connected to IBM-NETS%BITNIC.BITNET@WISCVM for more discussion. / Lars Poulsen Advanced Computer Communications <Lars @ ACC.ARPA> ------
OPRJFF@SUVM.BITNET (John Fowler) (07/01/86)
Yes, DEC made an IBM channel interface called the DX11B. I have 3 of them on various PDP-11 (Unibus) systems. You can still get them on the used market. Software support is a problem, however. We wrote all our own software for it. DEC also makes a follow-on box to the DX11B called the KDX11. It's supposed to be smaller, faster, etc. but it's only marketed overseas through World Trade. It's not marketed in U.S., but you can get it if you really want it and can do self support. If you have a Q-bus system, there is a channel interface available from AUSCOM (formerly Austin Communications) distributed through KMW Systems Corporation. I have 2 of those. They have a "library" of software subroutines and some stuff to let you drive DMA graphics devices. I talked to KMW at Interface '86 and they are developing and preparing to market a system including software to do TCP/IP on Ethernet attached to IBM channel, joining battle with Spartacus and Wiscnet.