Difference between revisions of "MF10 core memory"

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The '''MF10''' was a [[core memory|core]] [[main memory]] system for the mid-period [[PDP-10]]s, principally the [[KI10]], although it was also used on early [[KL10]]s. It connected to the so-called external memory bus of either the 18-bit or 22-bit [[address]] form. An MF10 contained either 32KW or 64KW; [[parity]] was provided to protect the memory contents. It had an [[access time]] of 0.61 μseconds, and a [[cycle time]] of 0.95 µseconds.
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The '''MF10''' was a [[core memory|core]] [[main memory]] system for the mid-period [[PDP-10]]s, principally the [[KI10]], although it was also used on early [[KL10]]s. It connected to the so-called external memory bus of either the 18-bit or 22-bit [[address]] form;  address bits 14-17 can be set to 'ignore' when an ME10 is connected to a [[KA10]], which uses the 18-bit bus version. An MF10 contained either 32KW or 64KW; [[parity]] was provided to protect the memory contents. It had an [[access time]] of 0.61 μseconds, and a [[cycle time]] of 0.95 µseconds.
  
 
It was a [[multi-port memory]], with 4 ports per memory system: each port can be independently disabled. The [[Central Processing Unit|CPU]] uses one port (in a [[multi-processor]] system, one per CPU); the others are used by  [[channel]]s (such as a [[DF10 Data Channel|DF10]]) for [[mass storage]] such as [[disk]]s.  
 
It was a [[multi-port memory]], with 4 ports per memory system: each port can be independently disabled. The [[Central Processing Unit|CPU]] uses one port (in a [[multi-processor]] system, one per CPU); the others are used by  [[channel]]s (such as a [[DF10 Data Channel|DF10]]) for [[mass storage]] such as [[disk]]s.  
  
Each port could be independently set for its address, and for either 2- or 4-way [[interleaving]] (using [[address]] bits 35 and 19 or 20, depending on the size; and bits 34 and either 18 or 19, depending; respectively).
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Each port could be independently set for its address, and for either 2- or 4-way [[interleaving]] (using [[address]] bits 35 and 19 or 20, depending on the size; and bits 34 and either 18 or 19, depending; respectively - recall that the PDP-10 uses [[big-endian]] numbering, so bit 35 is the low-order bit).
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The maintenance manual (A-MN-MF10-0-MAN-1) discloses that the MF10 shares components with the [[MM11-L core memory]] of the [[PDP-11]]; the H216 core plane of the MF10 is a 19-bit version of the 16-/18-bit H214/H215 of the MM11-L.
  
 
[[Category: PDP-10 memories]]
 
[[Category: PDP-10 memories]]

Revision as of 15:33, 19 April 2021

The MF10 was a core main memory system for the mid-period PDP-10s, principally the KI10, although it was also used on early KL10s. It connected to the so-called external memory bus of either the 18-bit or 22-bit address form; address bits 14-17 can be set to 'ignore' when an ME10 is connected to a KA10, which uses the 18-bit bus version. An MF10 contained either 32KW or 64KW; parity was provided to protect the memory contents. It had an access time of 0.61 μseconds, and a cycle time of 0.95 µseconds.

It was a multi-port memory, with 4 ports per memory system: each port can be independently disabled. The CPU uses one port (in a multi-processor system, one per CPU); the others are used by channels (such as a DF10) for mass storage such as disks.

Each port could be independently set for its address, and for either 2- or 4-way interleaving (using address bits 35 and 19 or 20, depending on the size; and bits 34 and either 18 or 19, depending; respectively - recall that the PDP-10 uses big-endian numbering, so bit 35 is the low-order bit).

The maintenance manual (A-MN-MF10-0-MAN-1) discloses that the MF10 shares components with the MM11-L core memory of the PDP-11; the H216 core plane of the MF10 is a 19-bit version of the 16-/18-bit H214/H215 of the MM11-L.