Well being that I collect early Motorola single board computers and development systems, 12 months back, I jumped at the chance to get this VME board for a few $'s secondhand. Its looked mechanically ok, but its anyone's guess when it was last powered up (if ever), and if it still works.
I have zero experience with VME systems, so I do wonder if this is going to be an easy or hard learn.
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Board currently has a ports for a console and 3 other users but does not have the connector for SCSI nor Ethernet port added.
I have not checked but assume the matching chip sets 53C710 for SCSI and i82596CA of ethernet, are not on the board.
Hopefully if the board works as is, then I am going to review if its worthwhile task to add both ports.
Long term, I am not planing to fit this into a full VME backplane, but more wish to keep it as a single board system.
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So before I attempt to power this MVME162-200, I will make note of all jumpers as is currently set, then check the documents to see if any need changing for operating it, as the only board in bus.
Also, I will get out my eprom programmer and take a copy of both the eproms.
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Should I upload the images to BITSAVER ?
Then work out what I need and make a cable to go between the console and one of my terminals.
I will also put an ohm meter across the power pins on the board, just to check I have no shorts, due maybe to failing tag caps.
I am not sure what to do at the moment about the 2 batteries on the board. I will certainly see if I can confirm the voltage on each. One I should be able to test, but this one I am not sure about.
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Now I will go and clean that VME backplane, I have mentioned in a recent post, that had the AT&T cpu and other cards in it.
By now I will have put all the originally fitted VME cards into antistatic bags and put to one side, since for I don't have enough info on them to think of using them.
Plus as I said, I am really just wanting this to be a single board system, unless I find some very cheap a/d and d/a and digital I/O VME cards.
So now to check the power cables and then put power to back plane, and measure if the various voltage/s are correct to match the Motorola MVME162-200
If so power down backplane and wait till I confirm there is no voltage left, then plug in the MVME162-200, and turn power on.
And then ???? hopefully no smoke or like.
So a check power supply is all good and then connect consule and hit the reset button.
More to come ......
especially I like to find out about the "IndustryPackInterfaceContoller" option for this board and if its obtainable as an upgrade at min $'s.
I read it can be two single size packs or one double size pack.
I have zero experience with VME systems, so I do wonder if this is going to be an easy or hard learn.
Board currently has a ports for a console and 3 other users but does not have the connector for SCSI nor Ethernet port added.
I have not checked but assume the matching chip sets 53C710 for SCSI and i82596CA of ethernet, are not on the board.
Hopefully if the board works as is, then I am going to review if its worthwhile task to add both ports.
Long term, I am not planing to fit this into a full VME backplane, but more wish to keep it as a single board system.
So before I attempt to power this MVME162-200, I will make note of all jumpers as is currently set, then check the documents to see if any need changing for operating it, as the only board in bus.
Also, I will get out my eprom programmer and take a copy of both the eproms.
Should I upload the images to BITSAVER ?
Then work out what I need and make a cable to go between the console and one of my terminals.
I will also put an ohm meter across the power pins on the board, just to check I have no shorts, due maybe to failing tag caps.
I am not sure what to do at the moment about the 2 batteries on the board. I will certainly see if I can confirm the voltage on each. One I should be able to test, but this one I am not sure about.
Now I will go and clean that VME backplane, I have mentioned in a recent post, that had the AT&T cpu and other cards in it.
By now I will have put all the originally fitted VME cards into antistatic bags and put to one side, since for I don't have enough info on them to think of using them.
Plus as I said, I am really just wanting this to be a single board system, unless I find some very cheap a/d and d/a and digital I/O VME cards.
So now to check the power cables and then put power to back plane, and measure if the various voltage/s are correct to match the Motorola MVME162-200
If so power down backplane and wait till I confirm there is no voltage left, then plug in the MVME162-200, and turn power on.
And then ???? hopefully no smoke or like.
So a check power supply is all good and then connect consule and hit the reset button.
More to come ......
especially I like to find out about the "IndustryPackInterfaceContoller" option for this board and if its obtainable as an upgrade at min $'s.
I read it can be two single size packs or one double size pack.