Difference between revisions of "RF11 disk controller"

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The [[DEC]] RF11 was the controller used to interface with up to eight [[RS11]] fixed-head fixed-platter drives. It occupies the top of a H960 cabinet and has a wire wrapped backplane.
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The '''RF11''' [[device controller]] from [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]] for the [[UNIBUS]] is an early [[secondary storage]] controller for the [[PDP-11]]. It can interface with up to eight [[RS11 disk drive|RS11]] [[fixed-head disk]] drives; each has a capacity of 512 Kbytes of storage.
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Unlike all other DEC disk controllers, the RF11 can read or write individual words; this was itended to allow optimal use of both disk space and [[main memory]] (e.g. during [[swapping]]).
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Like many of the early large [[peripheral]] controllers for the [[PDP-11]], it was a large custom [[wire-wrap]]ped [[backplane]] which bolted into the front of a 19 inch rack, such as an [[H960 rack|H960]]; into it plugged about 40 small M-Series [[FLIP CHIP]]s.
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A single rack held the controller, its [[power supply]], and one or more drives (up to two in that rack), along with an [[DEC indicator panel|indicator panel]] at the top of the rack.
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==Device registers==
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{| border=1
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! Register !! Abbreviation !! Address
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|-
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|Disk Control Status Register          || DCS || 777460
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|-
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|Word Count Register                  || WC || 777462
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|-
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|Current Memory Address                || CMA || 777464
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|-
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|Disk Address Register                || DAR || 777466
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|-
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|Disk Address Extension Error Register || DAE || 777470
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|-
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|Data Buffer Register                  || DBR || 777472
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|-
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|Maintenance Register                  || MA || 777474
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|-
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|Address of Disk Segment Register      || ADS || 777476
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|}
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===777460: Disk Control Status Register (DCS)===
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{{16bit-header}}
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| Error || Freeze || Write Check || Data Parity || NXD || Write Lockout|| Missed Xfer || Disk Clear || Control Ready || Interrupt Enable || colspan=2 | Ext Mem || Maintenance || colspan=2 | Function Register || Go
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{{16bit-bitout}}
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===777462: Word Count Register (WC)===
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{{16bit-header}}
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| colspan=16 | WC15 <---> WC00
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{{16bitoctal-bitout}}
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===777464: Current Memory Address Register (CMA)===
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{{16bit-header}}
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| colspan=15 | BA15 <---> BA01 || Unused
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{{16bitoctal-bitout}}
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===777466: Disk Address Register (DAR)===
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{{16bit-header}}
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| colspan=5 | Track Address || colspan=11 | Word Address
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{{16bitoctal-bitout}}
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===777470: Disk Address Extension Error Register (DAR)===
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{{16bit-header}}
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| Address Parity || colspan=3 | Timing Track Error || Unused || NXM || Unused || Current Memory || Data Req Late || Unused || Disk Addr Ovflo || colspan=3 | Disk Address || colspan=2 | Track Address
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{{16bit-bitout}}
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The low five bits of this register are actually an extension to the Disk Address Register (above).
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===777472: Data Buffer Register (DBR)===
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{{16bit-header}}
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| colspan=16 | DB15 <---> DB00
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{{16bitoctal-bitout}}
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===777474: Maintenance Register (MA)===
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{{16bit-header}}
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| colspan=3 | Unused || Data || colspan=3 | Timing || Unused || colspan=2 | Data Track || colspan=2 | Timing C || colspan=2 | Timing B || colspan=2 | Timing A
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{{16bit-bitout}}
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===777476: Address of Disk Segment Register (ADS)===
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{{16bit-header}}
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| colspan=5 | Unused || colspan=11 | Disk Segment Address
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{{16bitoctal-bitout}}
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==External links==
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* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/unibus/DEC-11-HRFB-D__RF11_RS11_DECdisk_System_Manual__Aug71.pdf RF11/RS11 DECdisk system manual] (DEC-11-HRFB-D)
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* [http://www.bitsavers.org/www.computer.museum.uq.edu.au/pdf/DEC-11-HRFD-D%20RF11%20&%20RS11%20DECdisk%20System%20Manual.pdf RF11/RS11 DECdisk system manual] (DEC-11-HRFD-D)
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* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/unibus/RF11_EngrDrws_Oct70.pdf RF11/RS11 DECdisk system engineering drawings]
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[[Category: UNIBUS Storage Controllers]]

Latest revision as of 22:52, 8 December 2021

The RF11 device controller from DEC for the UNIBUS is an early secondary storage controller for the PDP-11. It can interface with up to eight RS11 fixed-head disk drives; each has a capacity of 512 Kbytes of storage.

Unlike all other DEC disk controllers, the RF11 can read or write individual words; this was itended to allow optimal use of both disk space and main memory (e.g. during swapping).

Like many of the early large peripheral controllers for the PDP-11, it was a large custom wire-wrapped backplane which bolted into the front of a 19 inch rack, such as an H960; into it plugged about 40 small M-Series FLIP CHIPs.

A single rack held the controller, its power supply, and one or more drives (up to two in that rack), along with an indicator panel at the top of the rack.

Device registers

Register Abbreviation Address
Disk Control Status Register DCS 777460
Word Count Register WC 777462
Current Memory Address CMA 777464
Disk Address Register DAR 777466
Disk Address Extension Error Register DAE 777470
Data Buffer Register DBR 777472
Maintenance Register MA 777474
Address of Disk Segment Register ADS 777476

777460: Disk Control Status Register (DCS)

Error Freeze Write Check Data Parity NXD Write Lockout Missed Xfer Disk Clear Control Ready Interrupt Enable Ext Mem Maintenance Function Register Go
15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01 00

777462: Word Count Register (WC)

WC15 <---> WC00
15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01 00

777464: Current Memory Address Register (CMA)

BA15 <---> BA01 Unused
15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01 00

777466: Disk Address Register (DAR)

Track Address Word Address
15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01 00

777470: Disk Address Extension Error Register (DAR)

Address Parity Timing Track Error Unused NXM Unused Current Memory Data Req Late Unused Disk Addr Ovflo Disk Address Track Address
15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01 00

The low five bits of this register are actually an extension to the Disk Address Register (above).

777472: Data Buffer Register (DBR)

DB15 <---> DB00
15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01 00

777474: Maintenance Register (MA)

Unused Data Timing Unused Data Track Timing C Timing B Timing A
15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01 00

777476: Address of Disk Segment Register (ADS)

Unused Disk Segment Address
15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01 00

External links

Retrieved from "https://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=RF11_disk_controller&oldid=24846"