Re: Interest level for new PDP-11 indicator panels

[Ben Sinclair]

I'm interested in the blinkenlitz! Of course, I'm interested in the
controller even without that too!

On Wed, Dec 16, 2015 at 10:43 AM, Noel Chiappa  wrote:
> > I'm trying to get a sense of how much demand there would be for the
> > indicator panel option (for parts ordering; I have a chance to buy some
> > discontinued stuff, and I want to know how much to stock up on). If you
> > would be interested in one or more indicator panels, could you let me
> > know? (Please don't reply to the list, just to me personally.)
>
> I should have mentioned that we'll likely do a UNIBUS version of the card
> (ENABLE+, and it should be easy to guess why that name :-) as soon as we're
> done with the QBUS one; the same indicator panels would be supported by both
> (so they count to the parts pool).
>
> So if you have a UNIBUS machine, and would be interested in adding an ENABLE+
> _with indicator panels_, I would be interested to hear about those too.
> Thanks!
>
> Noel



-- 
Ben Sinclair
b...@bensinclair.com

Interest level for new PDP-11 indicator panels

[Noel Chiappa]

So I've mention that Dave Bridgham and I are working on a new QBUS board (the
'QSIC', for lack of a more imaginative name) that will emulate a variety of
older DEC disk controllers/drives using a micro-controller/FPGA and SD cards.
(We currently have one prototype [for Dave] mostly constructed, and another
[for me] half-way done.)

Since Dave and I are both blinkenlitz addicts, we're doing an indicator panel
option, emulating exactly the look of the old DEC indictor panels (4x36
lights, with 'inlays' to customize a panel to particular controller, mounted
in a 5-1/4 panel for a 19" rack). (These panels are specific to the QSIC, and
don't work with the original controllers.) A QSIC will be able to drive up to
4 (or so) indicator panels - I plan to have 3 on my machine: RK11, RP11, and a
fixed-head disk.

So I'm trying to get a sense of how much demand there would be for the
indicator panel option (for parts ordering; I have a chance to buy some
discontinued stuff, and I want to know how much to stock up on). If you would
be interested in one or more indicator panels, could you let me know? (Please
don't reply to the list, just to me personally.)

Thanks.

Noel

Re: Interest level for new PDP-11 indicator panels

[Noel Chiappa]

> I'm trying to get a sense of how much demand there would be for the
> indicator panel option (for parts ordering; I have a chance to buy some
> discontinued stuff, and I want to know how much to stock up on). If you
> would be interested in one or more indicator panels, could you let me
> know? (Please don't reply to the list, just to me personally.)

I should have mentioned that we'll likely do a UNIBUS version of the card
(ENABLE+, and it should be easy to guess why that name :-) as soon as we're
done with the QBUS one; the same indicator panels would be supported by both
(so they count to the parts pool).

So if you have a UNIBUS machine, and would be interested in adding an ENABLE+
_with indicator panels_, I would be interested to hear about those too.
Thanks!

Noel