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Pertec-interface tape controller.

Development at least for the initial phase is almost done and I'll post the sources on github. The board piggybacks an inexpensive MCU dev board and looks like the first photo here. The first version of the PCB needed only minor "bodge" wires; the respin appears to work perfectly.
I've got mine in a nice box that will be tucked away in back of one of my tape drives. It looks like the second photo.
I've attached a sample log of dealing with a tape having 4 files. After reading the whole thing, I show how to read each file individually.
Hooked to a Fujitsu M2444AC drive, the controller can read a 6250 GCR tape at the full 75 ips. Writing takes about the same amount of time. Read errors are flagged in the .tap file.

Although I connected the STM32F4VE devboard using wire-wrap (easy to modify), I'll be replacing the wires with Dupont-terminated cables.

I want to compliment Mattis Lind for his fine job of PCB layout. The gerbers went to PCBway without a hitch.
 

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Okay, initial commit to github done for the prototype. It's a lot to digest, but I'd be interested in opinions. I'm using an old yahoo email address for the owner, as I don't know if a github project results in a lot of spam.

github.com

GitHub - Tubatstuff/Pertec-Interface-Tape-Controller

Contribute to Tubatstuff/Pertec-Interface-Tape-Controller development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com github.com
 
What the finished product looks like--USB, power and interface cables all exit from one side. My old P3 ISA board was getting cranky, as was the tape controller. Now I have something whose innards aren't a mystery.
 

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faxm0dem said:
Hi there,

I'm new here, and I'm interested in your project for the following reaseon.
We have a working Kennedy 9000 + 9219 and we'd like to control it using modern hardware. We would mostly like to read some old tapes, but write would be neat too.
One option we have is to purchase an ISA Pertec controller card from new old stock, and put it into a not-too-recent PC running DOS.
But it would be more practical to use more modern hardware.

If I understood correctly, your project is about controlling a pertec compatible tape drive with the SIMH emulator ?
Click to expand...
Hey @faxm0dem,

If you're ever looking to get rid of your Kennedy 9000 and especially the 9219 formatter, let me know -- I've also got a Kennedy 9000 that's missing the formatter (9219) and have been searching for one.

Thanks!

-Chris
 
Thanks for your work in making this. I just got a Qualstar 1260, so I'll be building this board in the coming months. Also thank you for providing so much documentation with the project as well.
I'll respond to the thread with my results once I get around to building it.
 
When you do, contact me for a firmware update--I haven't updated the github site in quite awhile and there are some worthwhile changes that I've made.

I made the unit through-hole construction rather than surface-mount to attract more folks--although I have no idea how many pertec-interface drives are out there looking for a controller. ;)
 
The boards and components have been ordered.
I still cant send a PM since I haven't hit 10 posts yet. Could you PM me? Unless you had another way you wanted me to get in contact with you.

If anyone else wants a board, let me know and I can send you one, just cover the cost of shipping.
 
Chuck(G) said:
I'm not sure how easy it is completely updating the source branch. Looks pretty complicated to me. If there were a simple bash script to run, that'd be fine.
Click to expand...
Not my area of expertise/understanding Chuck :-{. I can only suggest either (1) create a new "v2" project in Github, or (2) bundle up your updated source and post it here as a zip (and make reference to this thread in the Github intro). [Or (3) learn Github ...]
 
I am not sure what you want to do. But if you want to have another branch it as simple as do a git checkout -b <new branch>. Then put your files there and commit changes and push the new branch. You need to do a git push --set-upstream origin <new branch>. In the Github GUI you can then select the new branch as the default branch.
 
The idea is that numerous changes have been made in the source code. Some of the original files are still there, but others have been added and others changed.
Is it possible to automate an update procedure using diff and a shell script?
And what was wrong with sccs that github doesn't use it?
 
"And what was wrong with sccs"

Short answer,
The biggest alpha male code bully (Linus) didn't write it.

pages and pages have been written about the history of source control systems and how
a user hostile one came to power.
 
Chuck(G) said:
Is it possible to automate an update procedure using diff and a shell script?
Click to expand...

The general approach I used to update my github repository is I have a local copy. If you don't have a local copy you can make one with git clone
I then copy the updated files into my local copy and in that local copy use these commands
git add .
git commit -m 'Commit comment'
if your using tags for version git tag 4.12
git push origin master --tags

I'm not a git expert so others may know better procedures.

If its easier you can overwrite or delete and replace all your files in the local copy as long as you don't mess with the git files it uses to keep track of the repo. Under Linux its in .git directory at top level of repo.

Don't see a need for diff. You can wrap the commands in a shell script.
 
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