KY11-LB Programmer's Console

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The KY11-LB Programmer's Console was an option for the PDP-11/04 and the PDP-11/34 which provided the functionality of a conventional 'lights and switches' front panel.

It consisted of a front panel, and an M7859 quad card which plugged into any available UNIBUS SPC slot in the backplane holding the CPU, and a 20-conductor flat cable which connected the two.

The front panel had an octal keypad, a 6-digit LED display which showed address and data information, several individual indicator LEDs, and the following function keys:

  • CLR - Clear
  • LAD - Load Address
  • DIS AD - Display Address
  • LSR - Load Switch Register
  • EXAM -Examine
  • DEP - Deposit
  • CNTRL - Control - Used to enable the following keys:
  • INIT - Initialize
  • HALT/SS - Halt/Single-Step (the latter without 'Control')
  • CONT - Continue
  • START
  • BOOT

In addition, several other functions were actuated by use of the 'Control' key along with various numeric keys.

The front panel also had six indicators:

  • RUN
  • SR DISP - Switch Register Display
  • BUS ERR - Bus Error
  • MAINT - Maintenance
  • BATT - Battery
  • DC ON

Cable Connection and Documentation Error

The KY11-LB maintenance manual contains a major error, in describing the configuration of the flat cable that connects the front panel and the UNIBUS interface module. This is covered in Chapter 9, "Installation", which includes two figures, Figures 9-4 and 9-5.

Those figures show the 20-conductor flat cable with the red edge stripe oriented toward the outer edge of the front panel PCB (correct), and also toward the outer edge of the M7859 (WRONG). On the M7859, the red stripe edge needs to be away from the outer edge of the board.

If it is plugged in as shown in these figures, the machine will not operate: the four 'RUN/SR DISP/BUS ERR/MAINT' lights will be on, but nothing else, and it will not respond to any keys. Fortunately, plugging the cable in reversed does not damage anything; simply reverse the cable.

References

  • EK-KY1LB-MM-001, KY11-LB programmer's console/interface module operation and maintenance manual
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