How to use a SYS68k CPU-6A Force Computers card? \ VOGONS

How to use a SYS68k CPU-6A Force Computers card?

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First post, by tonata

Posted on 2023-05-26, 07:27

tonata Offline

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Rank: Newbie
Posts: 27
Joined: 2019-10-11, 19:10

Hi,

I have this SYS68k/CPU-6A rev 4.4 board. It uses VMEBus.
Can I make a computer out of it? And connect through serial port to it?
If I can power it on and make terminal only computer, it's still something.
I have no idea what OS can run on it.

Specification:
• 68000 CPU ( 8MHz) on CPU-6 68000 CPU (12,5MHz) on CPU-6A 68010 CPU (12,5MHz) on CPU-6VN6VB
• 512 Kbyte of dynamic RAM o Wait States at 8MHz 1 Wait State at 12,5MHz Distributed hardware refresh every 15us
• 4 EPROM sockets provide 256 Kbyte space
• 3 serial communication ports (RS232 compatible)
• Parallel I/O interface to P2 connector
• Real Time Clock with on-board battery back-up
• 24-bit timer with 5-bit prescaler
• Local interrupt service via auto-vectoring
• Fully VMEbus IEEE 1014 standard compatible
• RESET and ABORT function switches
• Double Eurocard from factor
• Powerful real time Monitor/Debugger VMEPROM on board
• PDOS' Real Time Operating System optionally available
• Fully software and I/O signal compatible to the SYS68K1CPU-1 B series

Reply 1 of 2, by mdog69

Posted on 2023-05-26, 12:50

mdog69 Offline

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Rank: Newbie
Posts: 87
Joined: 2019-02-09, 10:42
Location: Coventry, UK

You will probably need a vme backplane plus a suitable power supply, and maybe an MSM (mass storage module) card to hold one or two SCSI hard drives. (Force SPARC boards did have an option to jumper SCSI via the backplane or the HD50 connector on the front, the 68k may differ.

The MSM used what amounts to "spare" or "user defined" pins on the VME backplane to talk to the CPU.

Can't really help much more - I only have limited knowledge of Force SPARC vme boards and that comes from teh interwebs rather than personal experience.