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.
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