TS11 controller

TS11 controller

The TS11 controller was a UNIBUS magnetic tape controllers from DEC; it was part of the TS11 Subsystem, along with a TS04 Tape Transport. It used DMA to transfer both data, and 'command packets', which are commands to the device to perform various functions, stored in main memory.

The TS11 controller is a hex card, the M7982, which plugs into an SPC slot. Two DIP switches, E90 and E34, configure the controller's bus address and interrupt vector (respectively). The controller is designed for PDP-11 and VAX computers with a UNIBUS.

Device registers

The TS11 contains only three registers in its own hardware; two are read-only and write-only (respectively), and share the same bus address:

Register	Abbreviation	Address
Data Buffer Register	TSDB	772520 (write)
Bus Address Register	TSBA	772520 (read)
Status Register	TSSR	772522

(Addresses are given assuming the TS11 is configured to the standard base address, 0772520.)

Data Buffer Register (TSDB)

Data15 <---> Data00
15	14	13	12	11	10	09	08	07	06	05	04	03	02	01	00

Bus Address Register (TSBA)

BA15 <---> BA02														Unused (0)
15	14	13	12	11	10	09	08	07	06	05	04	03	02	01	00

Status Register (TSSR)

SC	UPE	SPE	RMR	NXM	NBA	XBA		SSR	OFL	FC		TC			Unused
15	14	13	12	11	10	09	08	07	06	05	04	03	02	01	00

• SC - Special Condition
• UPE - Unibus Parity Error
• SPE - Serial Bus Parity Error
• RMR - Register Modification Refused:
• NXM - Nonexistent Memory
• NBA - Need Buffer Address
• XBA - Extended Bus Address
• SSR - Subsystem Ready
• OFL - Off-Line
• FC - Fatal Termination Class
• TC - Termination Class

External links

• TS11 - documentation at BitSavers
  • TS11 Subsystem User Guide (EK-0TS11-UG-002)
  • TS11 Subsystem Technical Manual (EK-0TS11-TM-003)
  • TS11-B Field Maintenance Print Set (MP00850) - the TS11 controller is covered in the TS11-A Field Maintenance Print Set (MP00849), pp. 14-34 of the PDF