a k 6 d n
TU-58 Emulator
a k 6 d n

tu58em is a software emulation of a DECtapeII TU-58 block addressable cartridge tape drive. It requires only a standard Windows PC as a host with an RS232 serial port to connect to the target system.

tu58em was originally based on the 1984 Dan Ts'o tu58 program, but has been almost completely rewritten to make it compile error free, improve the program flow, and add new functionality. It has been compiled within the CYGWIN environment, and will run either within a CYGWIN window or an MSDOS command window with the associated cygwin1.dll helper file.

Each emulated .DSK image file is exactly 256KB (512 blocks of 512 bytes) of data and is a byte-for-byte image of the data on a TU-58 cartridge tape. As currently configured tu58em will support up to 8 drives per controller as DD0: to DD7: (altho this is easily changed in the source).

tu58em has been tested using both native RS232 serial COM ports and serial ports emulated thru USB serial adapters.

If the emulator is run with no options, it prints a usage screen: 


E:\DEC> tu58em
ERROR: no units were specified
FATAL: illegal command line
  tu58 tape emulator v1.4j
  Usage: ./tu58em [-options] -[rwci] file1 ... -[rwci] file7
  Options: -V | --version            output version string
           -v | --verbose            enable verbose output to terminal
           -d | --debug              enable debug output to terminal
           -m | --mrsp               enable standard MRSP mode (byte-level handshake)
           -n | --nosync             disable sending INIT at initial startup
           -t | --timing 1           add timing delays to spoof diagnostic into passing
           -T | --timing 2           add timing delays to mimic a real TU58
           -s | --speed BAUD         set line speed [1200..230400; default 9600]
           -p | --port PORT          set port to PORT [1..N or /dev/comN; default 1]
           -r | --read|rd FILENAME   readonly drive
           -w | --write FILENAME     read/write drive
           -c | --create FILENAME    create new r/w drive, zero tape
           -i | --initrt11 FILENAME  create new r/w drive, initialize RT11 directory
           -z | --initxxdp FILENAME  create new r/w drive, initialize XXDP directory
E:\DEC>

Most of the switches should be pretty obvious:

-V prints the program version and exits
-v sets verbose mode, which outputs status as the emulator runs
-d sets debug mode, which dumps out all packets sent/received
-m enables MRSP mode (VERY MUCH UNTESTED) instead of the default original RSP mode
-n disables the sending of INIT characters at startup
-t adds time delays to allow the emulator to pass the DEC ZTUUF0 TU-58 Performance Exerciser diagnostic
-T adds time delays to make the emulator nearly as slow as a real TU-58 (just for fun)
-s BAUD sets the baud rate (115200, 57600, 38400, 19200, 9600, 4800, 2400, 1200 are supported)
-p PORT sets the com port as a number (1,2,3,...) or if not numeric the full path (/dev/com1)
-r FILENAME set the next unit as a read only drive using file FILENAME
-w FILENAME set the next unit as a read/write drive using file FILENAME
-c FILENAME set the next unit as a read/write drive using file FILENAME, zero the file before use
-i FILENAME set the next unit as a read/write drive using file FILENAME, initialize RT-11 filesystem before use
-z FILENAME set the next unit as a read/write drive using file FILENAME, initialize XXDP filesystem before use

A sample run of tu58em, using COM4 at 115.2Kb, and two read-only XXDP tape images mounted on units DD0 and DD1. 

E:\DEC> tu58em -p 4 -s 115200 -v -r 11XXDP.DSK -r 1134_1.DSK
info: unit 0 r    file '11XXDP.DSK'
info: unit 1 r    file '1134_1.DSK'
info: serial port 4 at 115200 baud
info: TU58 emulation start
info: R restart, S toggle send init, V toggle verbose, D toggle debug, Q quit
info: emulator started
info: <INIT><INIT> seen, sending <CONT>
info: boot     unit=0 blk=0x0000 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0009 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x000A cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x000B cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x000C cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x000D cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x000E cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x000F cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0010 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0011 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0012 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0013 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0014 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0015 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0016 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0017 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0018 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0019 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x001A cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x001B cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x001C cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x001D cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x001E cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x001F cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0020 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0021 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0022 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0023 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0024 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0025 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0026 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0027 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x000E cnt=0x0400
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0018 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0003 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0004 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0005 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0006 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x000E cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0014 cnt=0x0400
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0019 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0003 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x001A cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0044 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0045 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0046 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0047 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0048 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0049 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x004A cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x004B cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x004C cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x004D cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x004E cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x004F cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0050 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0051 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0052 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0053 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0054 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0055 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0056 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0057 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0058 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0059 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x005A cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x005B cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x005C cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x005D cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x005E cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x005F cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0060 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0061 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0062 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0063 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0064 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0065 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0066 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0067 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0068 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x0069 cnt=0x0200
info: read     unit=0 sw=0x00 mod=0x00 blk=0x006A cnt=0x0200
  [ Q typed ]
info: TU58 emulation end
E:\DEC>

Here is the console output from an 11/34 (with an M9312 and DL11-W) that is booting: 

014260 125320 053060 114360
@DD0

BOOTING UP XXDP-XM EXTENDED MONITOR

XXDP-XM EXTENDED MONITOR - XXDP V2.5
REVISION: F0
BOOTED FROM DD0
124KW OF MEMORY
UNIBUS SYSTEM

RESTART ADDRESS: 152000
TYPE "H" FOR HELP !

.

tu58em is now available here on github. Included are a compiled native windows executable, a cygwin executable, and full source code. The latest version of tu58em compiles and has been tested on Windows XPsp3 and Windows 7sp1 32b using the CYGWIN environment, on Ubuntu linux 12.04.5 LTS, and on Mac OSX 10.10.

Last updated: 2016-11-27 12:15pm PST By:  ak6dn _at_ arrl _dot_ net