----- Original Message -----
From: "Gunther Schadow" <gunther@aurora.regenstrief.org>
To: <port-vax@netbsd.org>
Sent: Friday, May 25, 2001 8:08 AM
Subject: VAX 6420: what KDB50 cabling? RA91 anywhere?


Hi Gunther,

> no news from the sparkling electricity front yet but the weekend
> is near :-).

Gooooood.

> As I indicated earlier, I have found a KDB50 T1002+1003 pair for
> only $40 at a retail dealer. It's even got 30 days warranty -- just
> that I might not be able to test them within those 30 days :-(

Hopefully it won't take quite that long.

> What this shows is two things: (1) prices get down and (2) making
> an offer for the price you name can be woth a trial. I also
> found pricing very market-oriented. I.e., you can get those CI
> bus cards very cheap but will pay a fortune for an XMI SCSI card
> (if you can even find one.)

Quite so.

> For those KDB50 I am afraid there are no cables shipped with those
> boards, so I'm seeking advice on what is needed, where possibly to
> get them or how to make those cables yourself?

Did the boards include the cabinet kit, with the 4 x sockets and ribbon
cables?
If not you are in trouble.
The black SDI cables you need to connect to the actual drives are
probably not
impossible to make yourself, but you would be infinitely better off with
real ones.

> searching for the RA91 drive and didn't found anything, not even
> with retailers. Where might one get that from?

You could also try RA90's or RA70, 71, 72, or 73, though the 7x's need
the SA70
module.  Should be heaps of 9x's and 7x's around.  I have some cables
and some drives
here, but shipping from Oz to you would be a bitch, and i'm sure someone
closer will have
some or know where you can pick some up.

> Finally, we do have some reel tape lying around my office and
> I'd like to use it. What kind of reel tape drive is usually used
> with VAX 6000s, how connected?

Several variations.   TA78/TU78's and/or TA79's were common.  These are
SDI/STI devices and run
off a HSC or a KDB50, however they are huge, heavy, and run on
compressed air and vaccuum, and draw
around 15 amps @ 240v so I don't recommend them.  TU81+ and companion
KLESI card in the Vax is probably way to
go if you want 9 track, capacity is around 250Mb per tape, depending on
what density you use.
This is a much smaller machine and runs off a standard wall outlet
easily.
The TK70 is a prick of a thing, but it (mostly) works, roughly 270mb
capacity.
If you want bigger capacity you really need a scsi card and some DAT
drives.
I have all the above, and find the TU81+ very good for 9 track, but use
DAT for backup, with a
3rd party scsi card.

> Is it worthwile or are those bad and flaky?

The TA78/79 are somewhat temperamental and were heavy on tweaking,
cleaning and maintainance.
You can get a very nice air compressor by dissecting one, and a nice
vaccuum pump too.

 Cheers

Geoff in Oz