DX10 Data Channel

This document serves as a maintenance manual for the DX10 Data Channel, a high-speed I/O processor designed to facilitate data transfer between the DECsystem-10 CPU/memory and the TU70 Magnetic Tape Subsystem. The DX10 operates autonomously, driven by an internal PDP-8/A Microprocessor that executes "Channel Programs" stored in DECsystem-10 memory. The manual details the system's functional organization, including its interface with the I/O Bus, Memory Bus, and Channel Bus, as well as its various data formats (Byte, Sixbit, Core Dump, ASCII) and operating modes. It provides comprehensive instructions for installation, programming, and fault detection through diagnostic routines. The document also describes the DX10's internal logical elements, such as data registers, SILO buffers, and control registers, which manage the high-speed (up to 320 KB/sec) transfer of data to 7- or 9-track magnetic tape units.