On Tue, 22 May 2001, Anders Magnusson wrote:

> > I understand that the VAX 6400 has the RIEGEL chip and also
> > comes with a vector processor. I notice special 50-or-so pin
> > receptacles on the front of the CPU board. Is this where the
> > tight connection to the vector board is made? Does anyone
> > know the part number or anything about those vector modules?
> > Where might one get some? Has anybody ever actually seen one?
> > Where would one get the programming reference specifications?

> Well, I collected a 6410VP yesterday. And yes, the 50-or-so pin
> ons the front is to connect to the vector unit.
> How to use it is described in for example the VAX/VMS assembly
> programmers reference or similar new doc.

The 2nd edition of the VAX Architecture Reference Manual give a lot of
details about the vector architecture in chapters 12-13 (pp 429-522).

Some basic stats are

- 16 vector registers V0-V15
- Each register contains 64 elements numbered 0-63.
- Each element is 64bits wide.

The vector processor normally runs asychronously from the scalar
processors.  In section 13.3 they talk about syncronization though.
Apparently special software instructions are provided to run the
processors syncronously when that behavior is desired.

And then Section 13.1.3 discusses vector chaining on the VAX vector
processor.  It is supported.

Now if I could just get a vector processor board and find a
digital-to-analog BI or XMI board, I could turn my VAX 6000-420
into an MP3 jukebox.

-brian.