From: SMTP%"RELAY-INFO-VAX@CRVAX.SRI.COM" 30-AUG-1993 17:21:17.94 To: EVERHART CC: Subj: Re: RE: VS2000 alternate console Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1993 14:26:43 EDT From: Mighty Firebreather <dragon@nscvax.princeton.edu> To: dfilip@colornet.com CC: info-vax@sri.com Message-ID: <00971CCA.26C31640.4752@nscvax.princeton.edu> Subject: Re: RE: VS2000 alternate console David E. Filip <dfilip@colornet.com> writes: >>>dragon@nscvax.princeton.edu (Mighty Firebreather) writes : >>>> jburns@agora.rain.com (Jamie Burns) writes: >>>>>I have a VAXstation 2000 and the monitor is dead, does any >>>>>one have experience in getting a VT320 for example to run >>>>>as the console terminal. I don't want to use a monitor in >>>>>the first place. >>>>> >>>>>Someone suggested connecting the terminal to the printer port >>>>>on the back of the VAXstation, but it doesn't work. >>>> >>>> You need a special cable. I forget the number. I believe that the >>>>only difference between it and the standard cable is that it has pins 8 and >>>>9 jumpered together. If you try this and fry something, I'll deny that I >>>>ever said this. :-) It may only check for the jumper at startup so try >>>>rebooting with the special cable. > >I wrote : >>>I am using a normal BCC08-10 cable and it works with a PC. If you need a >>>jumber with a VT3x/VT4x, it probably means that the PC serial port is >>>supplying a signal that DECconnect is not supplying. > >> The problem is that the VAXStation 2000 requires pins 8&9 to be >>jumpered together in order to allow the printer port to be used as a >>console port. DEC sells a cable that does this, it may be the BCC08. DEC >>also sells a cable for use with a serial printer (BCC05??) which will not >>work as a console cable. > >OK, now I understand. Pin 8 is DCD, which is a signal supported by the PC. >Pin 9 is +DC, so strapping it brings DCD high. A VT3xx/4xx with a DECconnect >will NOT support DCD or DTE. > >Regards, > >Dave. > I'm not sure that you understand yet. You appear to be talking about the "Communication Connector (J10), a 25 pin RS232 connector. I'm talking about the nine pin printer connector (J3) on the back of the VS2000. Pin eight is ground, not DCD. Pin nine is "FER_ENA" rather than +DC. The cable is wired as follows: DB9F DB25 3 -- 2 2 -- 3 7 -- 7 6 -- 20 8-| 9-| (jumpered) This cable disables TTA3 on power up and replaces it with OPA0. This is one of those bits of esoterica that never made it into the manual. ************************************************************************* * Here, there be dragons! * * dragon@nscvax.princeton.edu * * * * I'm job hunting. Any offers or leads will be appreciated. * * Thanks! * * Richard B. Gilbert * *************************************************************************