VT36 info
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Lawrence Fisher (RealTimeCat)
May 14, 2024, 5:38:32 PMMay 14
to [PiDP-11]
I am looking to see if anyone has specifications or documenation for the VT36, a color vector graphics terminal available for PDP-11 and VAXen.
I am particularly interested in a full specification of the Picture Definition Language.
It would be fun to build out an emulator for this.
isy...@gmail.com
May 15, 2024, 10:35:56 AMMay 15
to [PiDP-11]
Hi Lawrence,
I recall looking into this a while ago. Here is a link to the tech documentation.
Implementing this in the Simh environment is certainly possible.
Has anyone seen any software for this device?
Regards, Ian.
Johnny Billquist
May 15, 2024, 10:56:54 AMMay 15
to pid...@googlegroups.com
Is the VSV11 really the same thing as a VT36? I have no idea what a VT36
is, and I don't think I've heard of it. But I do know what a VSV11 is.
I have a VSV21 myself, which was the replacement for the VSV11, and can
be run in VSV11 compatible mode. And I do have some software for it, but
in the VSV21 mode, so not usable for anyone with a VSV11. And the
software was used for mass spectrometer gear. (And no, I don't have the
interfacing or hardware for the mass spectrometer.)
Johnny
On 2024-05-15 16:35, isy...@gmail.com wrote:
> Hi Lawrence,
>
> I recall looking into this a while ago. Here is a link to the tech
> documentation.
> YM-C183C-00_VSV11_Option_Description_Dec81.pdf (bitsavers.org)
> <http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/graphics/VSV11/YM-C183C-00_VSV11_Option_Description_Dec81.pdf>
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "[PiDP-11]" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
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> <mailto:pidp-11+u...@googlegroups.com>.
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pidp-11/6c057e32-80db-4b91-8897-33b2a4c9697bn%40googlegroups.com <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pidp-11/6c057e32-80db-4b91-8897-33b2a4c9697bn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
--
Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus
|| on a psychedelic trip
email: b...@softjar.se || Reading murder books
pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol
is, and I don't think I've heard of it. But I do know what a VSV11 is.
I have a VSV21 myself, which was the replacement for the VSV11, and can
be run in VSV11 compatible mode. And I do have some software for it, but
in the VSV21 mode, so not usable for anyone with a VSV11. And the
software was used for mass spectrometer gear. (And no, I don't have the
interfacing or hardware for the mass spectrometer.)
Johnny
On 2024-05-15 16:35, isy...@gmail.com wrote:
> Hi Lawrence,
>
> I recall looking into this a while ago. Here is a link to the tech
> documentation.
> YM-C183C-00_VSV11_Option_Description_Dec81.pdf (bitsavers.org)
> Implementing this in the Simh environment is certainly possible.
> Has anyone seen any software for this device?
>
> Regards, Ian.
>
>
> On Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 10:38:32 PM UTC+1 Lawrence Fisher
> (RealTimeCat) wrote:
>
> I am looking to see if anyone has specifications or documenation for
> the VT36, a color vector graphics terminal available for PDP-11 and
> VAXen.
>
> I am particularly interested in a full specification of the Picture
> Definition Language.
>
> It would be fun to build out an emulator for this.
>
> --
> Has anyone seen any software for this device?
>
> Regards, Ian.
>
>
> On Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 10:38:32 PM UTC+1 Lawrence Fisher
> (RealTimeCat) wrote:
>
> I am looking to see if anyone has specifications or documenation for
> the VT36, a color vector graphics terminal available for PDP-11 and
> VAXen.
>
> I am particularly interested in a full specification of the Picture
> Definition Language.
>
> It would be fun to build out an emulator for this.
>
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "[PiDP-11]" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> an email to pidp-11+u...@googlegroups.com
> <mailto:pidp-11+u...@googlegroups.com>.
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pidp-11/6c057e32-80db-4b91-8897-33b2a4c9697bn%40googlegroups.com <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pidp-11/6c057e32-80db-4b91-8897-33b2a4c9697bn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
--
Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus
|| on a psychedelic trip
email: b...@softjar.se || Reading murder books
pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol
isy...@gmail.com
May 15, 2024, 12:08:17 PMMay 15
to [PiDP-11]
Hi Johnny,
I think a VT36 refers to an additional unibus box containing the VSV11 and includes an RGB monitor and a joystick:
VT36 Color Graphics Display Control System - Computer History Wiki (gunkies.org)
Quite an interesting VT11 type interface with shadow RAM for the display updated via a display processor using DMA.
Regards, Ian.
Johnny Billquist
May 15, 2024, 12:17:08 PMMay 15
to pid...@googlegroups.com
Intersting. And thanks for the link. So it appears the VT36 is a VSV11
plus an 11/23 machine with specific software that makes it work like a
terminal with a serial interface programming model.
And the "language" is a different one to ReGIS, or any other serial
interface language I've seen. Seems pretty easy to use, and also seems
to be pretty much just translating between serial and the actual
interfacing of the VSV11, which have the same kind of functionality in
the display system, but which runs the whole thing on DMA from the
PDP-11 memory.
The VSV21 is similar, but have more advanced functions.
Johnny
On 2024-05-15 18:08, isy...@gmail.com wrote:
> Hi Johnny,
>
> I think a VT36 refers to an additional unibus box containing theVSV11
> and includes an RGB monitor and a joystick: VT36 Color Graphics Display
> Control System - Computer History Wiki (gunkies.org)
> <https://gunkies.org/wiki/VT36_Color_Graphics_Display_Control_System>
> >
> <http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/graphics/VSV11/YM-C183C-00_VSV11_Option_Description_Dec81.pdf <http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/graphics/VSV11/YM-C183C-00_VSV11_Option_Description_Dec81.pdf>>
plus an 11/23 machine with specific software that makes it work like a
terminal with a serial interface programming model.
And the "language" is a different one to ReGIS, or any other serial
interface language I've seen. Seems pretty easy to use, and also seems
to be pretty much just translating between serial and the actual
interfacing of the VSV11, which have the same kind of functionality in
the display system, but which runs the whole thing on DMA from the
PDP-11 memory.
The VSV21 is similar, but have more advanced functions.
Johnny
On 2024-05-15 18:08, isy...@gmail.com wrote:
> Hi Johnny,
>
> I think a VT36 refers to an additional unibus box containing theVSV11
> and includes an RGB monitor and a joystick: VT36 Color Graphics Display
> Control System - Computer History Wiki (gunkies.org)
> Quite an interesting VT11 type interface with shadow RAM for the
> display updated via a display processor using DMA.
>
> Regards, Ian.
>
> On Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 3:56:54 PM UTC+1 b...@softjar.se wrote:
>
> Is the VSV11 really the same thing as a VT36? I have no idea what a
> VT36
> is, and I don't think I've heard of it. But I do know what a VSV11 is.
>
> I have a VSV21 myself, which was the replacement for the VSV11, andcan
> be run in VSV11 compatible mode. And I do have some software for it,
> but
> in the VSV21 mode, so not usable for anyone with a VSV11. And the
> software was used for mass spectrometer gear. (And no, I don't havethe
> interfacing or hardware for the mass spectrometer.)
>
> Johnny
>
> On 2024-05-15 16:35, isy...@gmail.com wrote:
> > Hi Lawrence,
> >
> > I recall looking into this a while ago. Here is a link to the tech
> > documentation.
> > YM-C183C-00_VSV11_Option_Description_Dec81.pdf (bitsavers.org
> <http://bitsavers.org>)
> display updated via a display processor using DMA.
>
> Regards, Ian.
>
> On Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 3:56:54 PM UTC+1 b...@softjar.se wrote:
>
> Is the VSV11 really the same thing as a VT36? I have no idea what a
> VT36
> is, and I don't think I've heard of it. But I do know what a VSV11 is.
>
> I have a VSV21 myself, which was the replacement for the VSV11, andcan
> be run in VSV11 compatible mode. And I do have some software for it,
> but
> in the VSV21 mode, so not usable for anyone with a VSV11. And the
> software was used for mass spectrometer gear. (And no, I don't havethe
> interfacing or hardware for the mass spectrometer.)
>
> Johnny
>
> On 2024-05-15 16:35, isy...@gmail.com wrote:
> > Hi Lawrence,
> >
> > I recall looking into this a while ago. Here is a link to the tech
> > documentation.
> > YM-C183C-00_VSV11_Option_Description_Dec81.pdf (bitsavers.org
> >
> <http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/graphics/VSV11/YM-C183C-00_VSV11_Option_Description_Dec81.pdf <http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/graphics/VSV11/YM-C183C-00_VSV11_Option_Description_Dec81.pdf>>
> > Implementing this in the Simh environment is certainly possible.
> > Has anyone seen any software for this device?
> >
> > Regards, Ian.
> >
> >
> > On Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 10:38:32 PM UTC+1 Lawrence Fisher
> > (RealTimeCat) wrote:
> >
> > I am looking to see if anyone has specifications or documenationfor
> > the VT36, a color vector graphics terminal available for PDP-11 and
> > VAXen.
> >
> > I am particularly interested in a full specification of the Picture
> > Definition Language.
> >
> > It would be fun to build out an emulator for this.
> >
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> > Groups "[PiDP-11]" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it,
> send
> > an email to pidp-11+u...@googlegroups.com
> > <mailto:pidp-11+u...@googlegroups.com>.
> > To view this discussion on the web visit
> >
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pidp-11/6c057e32-80db-4b91-8897-33b2a4c9697bn%40googlegroups.com <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pidp-11/6c057e32-80db-4b91-8897-33b2a4c9697bn%40googlegroups.com> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pidp-11/6c057e32-80db-4b91-8897-33b2a4c9697bn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pidp-11/6c057e32-80db-4b91-8897-33b2a4c9697bn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>>.
> > Has anyone seen any software for this device?
> >
> > Regards, Ian.
> >
> >
> > On Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 10:38:32 PM UTC+1 Lawrence Fisher
> > (RealTimeCat) wrote:
> >
> > I am looking to see if anyone has specifications or documenationfor
> > the VT36, a color vector graphics terminal available for PDP-11 and
> > VAXen.
> >
> > I am particularly interested in a full specification of the Picture
> > Definition Language.
> >
> > It would be fun to build out an emulator for this.
> >
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> > Groups "[PiDP-11]" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it,
> send
> > an email to pidp-11+u...@googlegroups.com
> > <mailto:pidp-11+u...@googlegroups.com>.
> > To view this discussion on the web visit
> >
>
> --
> Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus
> || on a psychedelic trip
> email: b...@softjar.se || Reading murder books
> pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol
>
> --
> Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus
> || on a psychedelic trip
> email: b...@softjar.se || Reading murder books
> pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "[PiDP-11]" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> an email to pidp-11+u...@googlegroups.com
> <mailto:pidp-11+u...@googlegroups.com>.
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pidp-11/a00b572b-ab03-4b98-ae44-e0d699d42613n%40googlegroups.com <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pidp-11/a00b572b-ab03-4b98-ae44-e0d699d42613n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
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> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
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> <mailto:pidp-11+u...@googlegroups.com>.
> To view this discussion on the web visit
Lawrence Fisher (RealTimeCat)
May 15, 2024, 10:33:36 PMMay 15
to [PiDP-11]
The VSV21 sounds like it would be a perfect system to model. The VT36 was the first thing I came across in my research, but what I was really looking for was the q-bus (and I think there was a Unibus model as well) color vector graphics processor. I had worked on one attached to a vax 11/780 early in my career and was trying to dig up the information on it.
Specifications for the VSV21 and associated software would be quite interesting to look at. If you have links to any of the information on it I would greatly appreciate it!
Lawrence Fisher (RealTimeCat)
May 15, 2024, 10:39:52 PMMay 15
to [PiDP-11]
I just looked at the gunkies.org site for the VSV21, and saw the links to the files in your stupi.net website. This is an excellent launching point for me to start studying this!
Thanks again!
Johnny Billquist
May 15, 2024, 10:54:27 PMMay 15
to pid...@googlegroups.com
I have the RSX drivers, and manuals. However, no schematics or hardware
details. I scanned a bunch of it, which you can find at
http://mim.stupi.net/manuals/layered/
I've written a few small programs myself just to play with it, and test
things. The only "sad" think is that it's not double buffered or
anything, so it's a little hard to do nice animated things. I did a
clock face, but having to erase and redraw the hands is visible, and not
super good looking. But if you create a little more static content, it
can be really nice.
Johnny
> <http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/graphics/VSV11/YM-C183C-00_VSV11_Option_Description_Dec81.pdf <http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/graphics/VSV11/YM-C183C-00_VSV11_Option_Description_Dec81.pdf>>
details. I scanned a bunch of it, which you can find at
http://mim.stupi.net/manuals/layered/
I've written a few small programs myself just to play with it, and test
things. The only "sad" think is that it's not double buffered or
anything, so it's a little hard to do nice animated things. I did a
clock face, but having to erase and redraw the hands is visible, and not
super good looking. But if you create a little more static content, it
can be really nice.
Johnny
> > Implementing this in the Simh environment is certainly possible.
> > Has anyone seen any software for this device?
> >
> > Regards, Ian.
> >
> >
> > On Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 10:38:32 PM UTC+1 Lawrence Fisher
> > (RealTimeCat) wrote:
> >
> > I am looking to see if anyone has specifications or documenationfor
> > the VT36, a color vector graphics terminal available for PDP-11 and
> > VAXen.
> >
> > I am particularly interested in a full specification of the Picture
> > Definition Language.
> >
> > It would be fun to build out an emulator for this.
> >
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> > Groups "[PiDP-11]" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it,
> send
> > an email to pidp-11+u...@googlegroups.com
> > <mailto:pidp-11+u...@googlegroups.com>.
> > To view this discussion on the web visit
> >
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pidp-11/6c057e32-80db-4b91-8897-33b2a4c9697bn%40googlegroups.com <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pidp-11/6c057e32-80db-4b91-8897-33b2a4c9697bn%40googlegroups.com> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pidp-11/6c057e32-80db-4b91-8897-33b2a4c9697bn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pidp-11/6c057e32-80db-4b91-8897-33b2a4c9697bn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>>.
> > Has anyone seen any software for this device?
> >
> > Regards, Ian.
> >
> >
> > On Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 10:38:32 PM UTC+1 Lawrence Fisher
> > (RealTimeCat) wrote:
> >
> > I am looking to see if anyone has specifications or documenationfor
> > the VT36, a color vector graphics terminal available for PDP-11 and
> > VAXen.
> >
> > I am particularly interested in a full specification of the Picture
> > Definition Language.
> >
> > It would be fun to build out an emulator for this.
> >
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> > Groups "[PiDP-11]" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it,
> send
> > an email to pidp-11+u...@googlegroups.com
> > <mailto:pidp-11+u...@googlegroups.com>.
> > To view this discussion on the web visit
> >
>
> --
> Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus
> || on a psychedelic trip
> email: b...@softjar.se || Reading murder books
> pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol
>
> --
> Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus
> || on a psychedelic trip
> email: b...@softjar.se || Reading murder books
> pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "[PiDP-11]" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> an email to pidp-11+u...@googlegroups.com
> <mailto:pidp-11+u...@googlegroups.com>.
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pidp-11/91b203d7-a4d2-4797-ac80-6d99087bfd9bn%40googlegroups.com <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pidp-11/91b203d7-a4d2-4797-ac80-6d99087bfd9bn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
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> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
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> To view this discussion on the web visit
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