UniBone Kit Arrived!

[Kevin McQuiggin]

Hi All:

Just FYI, my UniBone kit arrived, so the build is in progress.  

I will post comments as I build, test and then install the board.

Thanks to Joerg for the 2025-02 board update!

Kevin

[Ethan Dicks]

What are the updates for 2025-02? I looked back on the mailing list
archive and didn't see an announcement around Feb 2025.

(I have older boards, probably from the first or second run. Curious
what the change are).

Cheers,

-ethan

[Joerg Hoppe]

Hi,

> What are the updates for 2025-02? I looked back on the mailing list
> archive and didn't see an announcement around Feb 2025.
>
> (I have older boards, probably from the first or second run. Curious
> what the change are).

All boards are functionally identically.
PCB layout changes over the years:
- introduction of the fixed Beaglebone spacers.
- gradually replaced "Through the hole" parts by SMTs,
- removed the I2C EEPROM address jumpers.
- Make the "BUS-ON" LED controllable by software,
- Moved LEDs around,
- cleanup the NPG/BG jumpers
- added a 2x5 pin plug for the status-LEDs and mode-switches
- alternate sockets for both AM26S10 and 8641 bus drivers.

kind regards,

Joerg

[Kevin McQuiggin]

Hi All:

Here’s a progress report on my Unibone.  I’m a new user and this is a work in progress.

I got the kit together with just about no problems.  The hardest part of the build is soldering of the two little circuit boards that hold the male headers that the BBB mounts on, as alluded to by Joerg on his retrocmp web site.

My Unibone passed the initial standalone tests, but I am still working on the “Acceptance Test” portion of the project.  The problems I am seeing are not with the Unibone itself, but with the old DD11-DK backplane that I am using for loopback testing.  My backplane has some issues, likely because it has been out of service for many years, so I am working to clean it.  “De-oxit Gold” has been deployed, and I am going to more closely inspect the wirewrap side of the backplane.

I am now getting great results except for the Unibus SACK signal, and I expect that this is due to some dirt in a connector or otherwise bad in the backplane.  

I should add that Joerg has been VERY helpful in answering my questions as I went into the "testing on a backplane” phase.  I have a systems software/hardware background but have not done low level bus testing in a DEC/Unibus environment.  

Joerg’s “demo.sh” application is comprehensive has all the options that you need to do complex testing.  It does not have a fancy user interface but everything is there for a technically knowledgable user.

You may need to deploy a logic analyzer (mine is a small Saleaea USB device), but there’s a lot that you can do via the testing components of the application itself.  The “TL” (test Unibus lines) sub-application has many helpful options, so you need to read the menus and look at all of the sub-commands to see all the tests you can do.  The retrocmp web site just covers the basics.  Do not underestimate the time you’ll need to get your backplane kinks worked out.

I am working to get my backplane in order, and only then will move on to testing a memory board (core set, in my case), emulating missing memory, and lastly booting RT11 and XXDP.  I have another backplane I can test with but want to get the current one working first if at all possible.

My impetus for getting a Unibone was my sick 11/05 that is functional except for a small portion of core.  XXDP will run but I have had no success in getting RT11 or other (bigger) packages running.  pdp-11 BASIC does run, however, at least until it hits a memory address around 40000, my flaky region.

It’s a fun project-in-progress, and I just thought I’d post a status report.

Kevin McQuiggin, in Canada

[Frits Jalvingh]

Hi Kevin,

Nice writeup! I found that having an Unibone that had a bit of trouble was not too bad; it actually helped with understanding the thing. There is really a lot to learn about it; Joerg made an amazing tool for us all that can do so many things...

Have fun with your project!

Regards,

Frits, from the Netherlands and France ;)

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