[Simh] Extended SimH on BeagleBone controls real blinkenlight panels

[dott.Piergiorgio d' Errico]

Il 19/04/2012 15:21, Bucher, Andreas (Andreas)** CTR ** ha scritto:
> Hi,
>
>> I just finished another "Blinkenlight" project: An extended SimH
>> runs on a BeagleBone (credit card sized Linux platform) and
>> controls real console panels of historical computers, or
>> simulations of those panels. So the project is named
>> "BlinkenBone".
>>
>> First implementation is re-animation of a PDP-11/40 console
>> (KY11-D), others will follow. See documentation here:
>> www.retrocmp.com/projects/blinkenbone
>>
>> I think there are a few? a lot? other "SimH-blinkenlight" projects
>> out there. Perhaps it is time to define the definitive "SimH -
>> Blinkenlight" interface, so there's a standard for future work. My
>> proposal is
>> http://www.retrocmp.com/projects/blinkenbone/169-blinkenbone-a
> rchitecture-overview
>>
>> If you like to build this too, we will support you ... but it won't
>> be cheap. And code deployment isn't organized yet, contact me on
>> demand.
>
>
>
> Hi,
>
> that's waaay cool ! Not really useful for practical computing, but
> absolutely mandatory for the genuine look-and-feel of some ancient
> "big iron" :-)
>
> I like your modular approach - it allows people NOT owning true
> hardware blinkenlights to replace them with some software simulated
> frontend instead ! Would be cool to have SIMH equipped with all kind
> of genuine virtual (or real, for the purists) designs of the systems
> it emulates ! Have a look for PINMAME, the pinball emulator software,
> and you know what I mean :-) (weeeell, yes, a pinball machine's main
> item IS the hardware you see, and the CPU is only some aid in behind,
> while our emulated data processing systems are vice-versa - but
> anyway ...)
>
> And - finally ... that's what I already suggested years ago (and only
> got startled looks): Equip SIMH with some standard interface to
> optionally drive "real" hardware components of the systems it
> emulates, like console panels and stuff. I even went as far as to
> suggest incorporating all other kind of events from inside the system
> beeing signalled out - this could be used to generate sound events as
> well !

Perhaps the startled looks came from people whose main interest is 
keeping running legacy software, an important thing in se, but driving 
real (reconstructed) hardware is equally important, if not for the 
recovering & preservation of software & source codes on DECtapes, tapes, 
removable platters &c....

On the blinkenlighten project, I have indeed suggested (ands ends 
rejected...) that ex and de command accept (and outputs) binary digits 
and space, (e.g. de 000 100 111 ) whose IMVHO is not only a convenient 
means when dealing with old big iron software, but also a convenient 
protocol (being *both* human and machine readable/writable) for a 
"blinkenlighten" protocol.

Seems that there's a consensus in starting working on graphics emulation 
after 3.9.0 release and the sort of "retirement" (If I have understand 
well...) of bob from the active development of SIMH.

I reckon that my perspective (of Historian of technology and "random 
hacking when the mood is in") differ from the other member of this fair 
ML, but it's my perspective (for the record my lack of frequent 
contribuition is because of the extreme dispersiveness in dealing with 
project (I suspect that my WIP list is in high 10s or low 100s, but I 
have never done a census of it...)

> Think about your DECbox emitting true 11/750 noises, perhaps with
> some TE16 tape in the background, hehe :-)
>
> So, you better go ahead and digitize not only the Front Panels, but
> also the sound of the remaining hardware that is alive, or sythesize
> the sound of dead hardware and have it "proof-listened" by the few
> people knowing the hardware that still are alive as well ...

I'm deaf and not much interested in that "ambient sound emulation" idea, 
but ISTR to have pointed to bob in a PM the group whose mantain and keep 
running the lone working LGP-30 (whose emulation, last time I checked, 
seems to have some issues)

Best regards from Italy, hoping that my suggestion will be understand

(looks like that lately I have some issues in writing understandable 
English)

Dott. Piergiorgio.