"Peter C. Wallace" wrote:

> On Thu, 19 Oct 2000, Scott Horton wrote:
> 
> > I don't have a lot of hope for this one, but thought I'd ask.
> > 
> > I have a 5000/240 that I picked up, and have been messing with for a little
> > while.  Had to get cables, found and old CD-ROM drive that would be
> > compatible, etc. etc., I'm sure the list is familiar with this old dance...
> >:)
> > 
> > Now the problem.  It came with a 16" monitor, which worked for about 5 days
> > (long enough to get me fully interested) then died.  I currently have a pair
> > of good DEC VR290-DA monitors that came with a VAXStation, one of which I
> > could use for this instead, except that the PMAGB-BA in the machine isn't
> > compatible.  I've done a little looking, without success, for something to
> > make this work.
> > 
> > So - the question:  Is there a way (a card, a modification to the PMAGB) to
> > make one of these VR290's work with the DS5000/240, or am I just basically
> > SOL?
> 
> Dont know if NetBSDs driver supports it but if you replace the PMAGB-BAs
> OSC1 (119MHZ) with a 69 MHz oscillator and install the OSC jumper, the
> video clock will be right for the VR290. (This makes your card a PMAG-BX,
> dont know what X is) This works with Ultrix, not so sure about NetBSD.

This works fine under NetBSD as well.  Just a nit - the card is still
a PMAGB-Bx, but running at a lower resolution.  If the NetBSD/pmax X
server used the accelerated features of the PMAGB series you'd still
get the acceleration even at the lower resolution.  The exact xtal
you need is 69.1968MHz.

Also, you don't have to replace the existing xtal on the PMAGB-BA;
there's a spare xtal socket and a jumper marked "Osc" - just jumper
that and the second xtal will be used.

> Alternatively I could send you a PMAG-B... (he said, looking at a pile of
> 6 or so)

If Scott can't find a 69MHz xtal, the one from a PMAG-B can be
desoldered and put into the PMAGB-BA - we did this hundreds of times at
my old job.


As an alternate solution, if you can find a BNC-to-VGA adapter (DEC part
number 29-32549-01) you can use a standard VGA monitor with DEC video
cards (that's what I'm using right now as I type this).  I know they
were available in Australia recently (last six months or so) for about
$AUS40.

Simon.
--
Simon Burge                            <simonb@wasabisystems.com>
NetBSD Sales, Support and Service:  http://www.wasabisystems.com/