June 14, 2015

Wangtek 5099 Controller Board #30425 for QIC-02 interface

I'm trying to get a Wangtek 5099 to work with my MightyFrame.

Right now, the MightyFrame uses an Archive 5945, but that only reads 60Mb 9-track QIC-24 tapes.  I want to read older 20Mb 4-track QIC-11 tapes, thus the attempt to switch to the Wangtek 5099, which has the physical hardware capability of reading those.

So, here's what I've discovered so far on my MightyFrame with it's original tape drive: 

Motherboard -> Tape Drive Interface Board -> Archive 5945L

where

Motherboard -> Tape Drive Interface Board = QIC-02 interface

and where

Tape Drive Interface Board -> Archive 5945L = QIC-36 interface

There is a lot of confusion in my discussions with SCSI vs QIC-02 vs QIC-36.

Why do I think that Motherboard -> Tape Drive Interface Board = QIC-02 interface?  See these 2 videos of a diagnostic I built to to test this:



I'm using the vintage-period-correct manuals for these very devices to determine these protocols, and that based on my diagnostic testing on each of the even of the 50-pin connectors.

Why do I think that Tape Drive Interface Board -> Archive 5945L = QIC-36 interface?  See these 2 videos of a diagnostic I built to to test this:





SCSI diagram (just to rule out SCSI as an option here)

Now, on the the Wangtek, I've read all the manuals I can find:


Wangtek OEM Manual - Series 5000E Basic




in the middle, I'm using the Wangtek 30425 Tape Drive Interface Board board, which also *appears* to be an "adapter" from QIC-02 to QIC-36.












BUT, I'm not able to find any references to setting the jumpers, or seeing the specs, on this Wangtek 30425 controller board

And, of course, I'm not able to just plug in the Wangtek with its 30425 controller and get it to work.

Here's what happens when I try:


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Update:  I just tried using the QIC-02 to QIC-36 Tape Drive Interface Board that runs between the MightyFrame Motherboard and the Archive 5945 tape drive, but with the Wangtek 5099 this time.

And it works!!!!  I am able to boot the MightyFrame from tape, or boot from hard drive and then read files from tape.  All good!  So, it looks like the problem in this system is definitely the Wangtek 30425 Controller Board, and hopefully it's just a jumper that I haven't figured out how to change yet.

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Discussing this at:  



OLD discussion, wrong board, but close:




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