RP10 Product Description

This document describes the PDP-10 Disk Pack Systems, which provide on-line, rapid-access, and software-compatible file storage for PDP-10 computers. These systems are designed for flexibility, economy, and high performance, supporting various PDP-10 Monitor applications and time-shared systems for swapping user jobs and expandable file storage.

Key components and features include:

1. RP10 Disk Pack Drive Controller: This controller can manage up to eight disk pack drives (either RP01 or RP02, but not intermixed). It uses the DF10 Data Channel to enable direct memory transfers between the disk pack drives and the PDP-10 memory.

2. RP01 Disk Pack Drive:

   • Offers nearly 1,292,800 36-bit words of storage per removable disk pack.
   • Features 10 recording surfaces and 10 heads.
   • Achieves a data transfer rate of 33,333 words/s (30 µs/word).
   • Has an average access time of 62.5 milliseconds (50 ms seek + 12.5 ms rotational latency), attributed to a technological breakthrough in head positioner design using a servo-controlled linear motor.

3. RP02 Disk Pack Drive:

   • Provides significantly higher capacity, nearly 5,171,200 36-bit words of storage per removable disk pack, which is four times the capacity of the RP01.
   • Features 20 recording surfaces and 20 heads.
   • Boasts a faster data transfer rate of 66,666 words/s (15 µs/word).
   • Has an average access time of 63 milliseconds.
   • Includes a high-speed linear positioner and dynamic disk brake for efficient operation and disk pack changes.

Both the RP01 and RP02 drives utilize removable disk packs (RP01P and RP02P respectively), allowing for additional off-line storage capacity. The RP01P is an industry-standard pack, while the RP02P is exclusively available from DIGITAL.