VAXstation 100 Engineering Spec

This document details the VAXSTATION 100 (VS100) Engineering Specification, a 19-inch monochrome workstation designed for professional users.

1. Overview & Components: The VS100 consists of a corporate standard multibox housing an H7865 Power supply, Display Processor Module (DPM), Fiber Optics Transmitter/Receiver (FOT/R) module, and Bit Blit Accelerator (BBA) module. It features a 19-inch landscape monitor (VR100) with a resolution of 1088x864 pixels. The VS100 connects to a VAX 11/7XX CPU via a 10MHz fiber optic cable and a VAX Unibus Window Module (UBW). Input devices include an LK201Cx keyboard and a VS10X-EA mouse, with an optional VS10X-BA digitizing tablet.

2. Standards & Certifications: The VS100 complies with numerous standards and regulations, including DEC standards for product safety (covering UL, CSA, VDE, IEC), AC power, electromagnetic compatibility (FCC, EEC, VDE), acoustic noise, ergonomics, environment (10-40°C, 10-90% humidity), and language (multinational character set). It is designed to obtain safety listings (UL, CSA, IEC) and EMI/RFI certifications (FCC Level A, VDE N-12).

3. Hardware Details:

• Display Processor Module (DPM): Contains an MC68000 CPU, 128KB Program RAM, 16KB Program ROM, and 512KB Screen RAM (4.2M bits). It manages timing, communication, and I/O for various devices. It includes a programmable CRTC controller for the monitor, USARTs for tablet and keyboard, a mouse interface, and fault indication LEDs. It also features power-up self-tests and an idle loop self-test.
• Unibus Window Module (M7452): Acts as an interface between the VS100 and the VAX 11/7XX CPU, connecting to the VAX Unibus backplane. It supports one VS100 communication link up to 300 meters via fiber optic cable and offers loopback capabilities for testing.
• Bit Blit Accelerator (BBA): Dedicated hardware for high-speed data movement and manipulation within the Display Processor Screen memory, independent of the main CPU. It supports instructions like copy area, print text, vector, and halftone.
• Fiber Optic Transmitter/Receiver (FOT/R): Drives the fiber optic cable, handling ECL level data signals and providing a "link available" signal.
• Fiber Optic Cable: A two-channel, graded-index cable with 100nm diameter fiber clad in 140nm glass. Available in lengths up to 300 meters.
• VR100 Monitor: A 19-inch monochrome CRT with a 1088x864 pixel resolution. Features include rear-panel controls, anti-glare coating, noise-free operation (no fan), fault-indicating LEDs, and a tilt/swivel base.
• Input Devices:
  • VS10X-EA Mouse: Hand-held, 3-button device providing relative position data (200 Pulses/inch accuracy, 10 in/sec max movement).
  • VS10X-BA Digitizing Tablet: A highly accurate absolute positioning device with a 5-button puck (1000 Lines/inch accuracy). Supports point, continuous, line, and incremental operation modes.
  • LK201Cx Keyboard: A product-specific variation of the DEC standard LK201 family, supporting N-key rollover.

4. Power Supply (H7865): A regulated AC-DC converter supporting 120V AC (87-128VAC) or 220V AC (174-256VAC) input. Provides overload protection and is designed to operate without degradation under various transient conditions.

5. Firmware & Diagnostics: The VS100's 16KB ROM-based microcode handles power-up diagnostics, hardware initialization, and supports basic display functions. It operates through four main sections: Powerup, Idle Loop, Command Loop, and Maintenance Mode. Extensive self-tests cover the CPU, memory, peripherals (monitor, mouse, tablet, keyboard), and fiber optic links, reporting errors via LEDs and the Host's Interrupt Reason Register.

6. Performance & Maintainability: Hardware limits include a 400ns memory access cycle time and 800ns screen memory access time. The system's calculated Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) is greater than 10,000 hours, with a Mean Time To Repair (MTTR) goal of 2.0 hours or less.