66 lines
3.6 KiB
Markdown
66 lines
3.6 KiB
Markdown
---
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layout: page
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title: RX11 Disk Controller
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permalink: /devices/pdp11/rx11/
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---
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RX11 Disk Controller
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--------------------
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The RX11 Disk Controller controls up to two RX01 disk drives, which in turn read/write 8-inch diskettes that DEC
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merely describes as "compatible with the IBM 3740 family of equipment." We refer to them simply as RX01 diskettes.
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RX01 diskettes are single-sided, with a logical format of 77 tracks, 26 sectors per track, and a sector size of 128
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bytes, for a total capacity of 250Kb (256,256 bytes).
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> **SIDEBAR**: DEC's [documentation](/pubs/dec/pdp11/rx11/) claims a capacity of "256K bytes", but like many disk drive
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manufacturers, they overstated the capacity by treating "K" as 1000 rather than 1024, which was its traditional meaning
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within the computer industry at the time. DEC's own processor handbooks, for example, invariably used "K" to mean 1024.
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> However, since 1998, standards organizations have been pushing the term "kibibyte" (abbreviated KiB) to mean 1024 bytes,
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in an effort to redefine the "K" in "Kilobyte" (Kb) as 1000, but that doesn't change what the term commonly meant prior
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to 1998 (the marketing departments of disk drive manufacturers notwithstanding).
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Machines containing the [RX11 Component](/modules/pdp11/lib/rx11.js) include:
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- [PDP-11/70 with Front Panel](/devices/pdp11/machine/1170/panel/) (with [Debugger](/devices/pdp11/machine/1170/panel/debugger/))
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- [PDP-11/70 with VT100 Terminal](/devices/pdp11/machine/1170/vt100/) (with [Debugger](/devices/pdp11/machine/1170/vt100/debugger/))
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PCjs has archived a selection of [RX01 Disk Images](/disks/dec/rx01/) for use by those machines, which are listed in
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the following RX11 Device XML file:
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- [Default](/devices/pdp11/rx11/default.xml)
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which is typically referenced by a Machine XML file as:
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```xml
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<device ref="/devices/pdp11/rx11/default.xml"/>
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```
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Device XML files not only configure a device, but also list all the resource the device will use, and define UI elements
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used to control the device, such as choosing which disks should be "auto-mounted" by the RX11 device. For example:
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```xml
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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
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<device id="rx11" type="rx11" pos="left" width="35%" padLeft="8px" padBottom="8px">
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<name>Disk Drive Controls</name>
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<control type="container">
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<control type="list" binding="listDrives"/>
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<control type="list" binding="listDisks">
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<disk id="disk01" name="RT-11 V3 SYS (1 OF 9)" path="http://archive.pcjs.org/disks/dec/rx01/RX01-RT11-V03-1.json"/>
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<disk id="disk01" name="RT-11 V3 SYS (2 OF 9)" path="http://archive.pcjs.org/disks/dec/rx01/RX01-RT11-V03-2.json"/>
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<disk id="disk01" name="RT-11 V3 SYS (3 OF 9)" path="http://archive.pcjs.org/disks/dec/rx01/RX01-RT11-V03-3.json"/>
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<disk id="disk01" name="RT-11 V3 SYS (4 OF 9)" path="http://archive.pcjs.org/disks/dec/rx01/RX01-RT11-V03-4.json"/>
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<disk id="disk01" name="RT-11 V3 SYS (5 OF 9)" path="http://archive.pcjs.org/disks/dec/rx01/RX01-RT11-V03-5.json"/>
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<disk id="disk01" name="RT-11 V3 SYS (6 OF 9)" path="http://archive.pcjs.org/disks/dec/rx01/RX01-RT11-V03-6.json"/>
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<disk id="disk01" name="RT-11 V3 SYS (7 OF 9)" path="http://archive.pcjs.org/disks/dec/rx01/RX01-RT11-V03-7.json"/>
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<disk id="disk01" name="RT-11 V3 SYS (8 OF 9)" path="http://archive.pcjs.org/disks/dec/rx01/RX01-RT11-V03-8.json"/>
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<disk id="disk01" name="RT-11 V3 SYS (9 OF 9)" path="http://archive.pcjs.org/disks/dec/rx01/RX01-RT11-V03-9.json"/>
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</control>
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<control type="button" binding="loadDisk">Load</control>
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<control type="button" binding="bootDisk">Boot</control>
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<control type="description" binding="descDisk" padRight="8px"/>
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<control type="file" binding="mountDisk"/>
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</control>
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</device>
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```
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