[Simh] VCB02 Released

[Matt Burke]

On 06/04/2019 21:24, Timothy Stark wrote:
> I would like to see color display for other VAX emulators like VAXstation 3900 and VAXstation 4000 systems. 
>
> I now found firmware images for VAX 4000 and 6000 series. 
>
> Have you successfully emulate HSC constrollers for CI interface yet?
>
VAXstation 3900 will be possible with the VCB02. Whether the console
firmware supports it is not confirmed yet.

The VAXstation 4000 series is difficult because these use the SPX and
LCG graphics controllers for which there is no documentation available.
I've been able to work out some of the details by looking at driver
source code but that only tells part of the story.

I have a HSC70 simulator which is just about (with a lot of manual
intervention) able to boot the CRONIC operating system, but there are no
CI, SDI or STI adapters implemented because almost no documentation is
available. I'm guessing the manuals that are needed are:

EK-HS572-TM - HSC50/70 Software Technical Manual
EK-HS574-TM - HSC50/70 Chip Description Technical Manual

However I've seen post from various people over the years asking for
these manuals but no replies so they are most likely lost for good. Also
I could do to obtain the ROM image from a real HSC70.

It would probably be easier to just write an MSCP server that hooks into
the virtual CI.

Matt