Hardware Documentation - Machines DEC - VAX hardware reference
|
This is an (incomplete) list of Digital Equipment Corporation VAX computers and specifications. Compiled by abs@NetBSD.org with much help from port-vax@NetBSD.org users. This is very much still a work in progress - many sections are little more than placeholders. Having said that, there should be enough here to prove useful. |
|
|
| Type: | bus | Used in: | VAX 700, 6000, 7000, 8000, 9000, and 10000 series |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last updated: | 1998-01-24 | ||
| Type: | storage device interface | Used in: | MicroVAX 3300/3400, VAXft, 4000, 6000, 7000, 10000 series |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last updated: | 1998-01-28 | Notes: | A disk interface superseded by SCSI |
MASSBUS (Busses and interfaces index)
| Type: | storage device interface | Used in: | VAX 700 series via SBI nexus. Used for attaching disks and tapes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last updated: | 1998-01-24 | ||
| Type: | bus | Used in: | VAXstation 3520, VAXstation 3540 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last updated: | 1998-01-28 | Notes: | CPU, memory, I/O, graphics and Q-bus-adapter were on M-bus modules. Synchronous |
| Type: | bus | Used in: | Most MicroVAXes, PDP machines, and some MIPS based DECstations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last updated: | 1998-01-24 | Notes: | 22 bit |
| Type: | bus | Used in: | VAX 700 series |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last updated: | 1998-02-07 | ||
| Notes: | "Synchronous Backplane Interconnect" to which sixteen NEXI may be connected. A NEXUS (singular for NEXI) may be a processor, UNIBUS Adapter (UBA), memory controller (and memory), or a high speed channel for disks/tapes (MASSBUS Adapter or MBA). Limited in length to three meters or less and is terminated on one end by the processor and on the other end by a terminator board | ||
| Type: | storage device interface | Used in: | RA series disks, eg: RA80 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bandwidth: | Around 4MB/s | Last updated: | 1998-02-06 |
| Notes: | "Standard Drive Interconnect" Referred to as "A balanced-serial phase-encoded horror", designed to stop charge buildup at either end. Used four lead coaxial cable. Multiple types of cables - one from KDA50 to 4 male SDI plugs mounted in host system, thick black 'liquorice strap' female to female cable between host and drive housing, then thinner white male to female cables between the drive housing and the drive itself. Cables swap pins so you must have an even or odd number of cables dependant on the drive. Cables were allowed to be up to either 15 or 30 meters | ||
| Type: | storage device interface | Used in: | Generally VAXstations had SCSI built in or as a daughter card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last updated: | 1998-01-28 | Notes: | Other machines had SCSI adapters on Q-bus or similar cards |
| Type: | storage device interface | Used in: | RD series disks, eg: RD54 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last updated: | 1998-01-28 | Notes: | Also referred to as 'MFM' (though that is a drive encoding) |
Turbochannel (Busses and interfaces index)
| Type: | bus | Used in: | VAXstation 4000, most MIPS based DECstations, and early Alpha machines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last updated: | 1998-01-24 | ||
| Type: | bus | Used in: | VAX 700 series via SBI nexus, PDP-11 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last updated: | 1998-02-08 | ||
| Type: | bus | Used in: | VAX 6000 and 8000 series |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bandwidth: | Around 13.3MB/s | Last updated: | 2000-02-15 |
| Notes: | Maximum bandwidth 13.3MB/s, max. 16 VAXBI nodes, used as main bus on 82xx/83xx. | ||
| Type: | bus | Used in: | VAX 6000, 7000, 9000, 10000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last updated: | 1998-01-24 | ||
Back to VAX hardware reference
![[NetBSD flag]](/images/NetBSD-flag.png)
Copyright © 1994-2006 The NetBSD Foundation, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
NetBSD® is a registered trademark of The NetBSD Foundation, Inc.