🚀 go-pugleaf

grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins) writes:
>Anybody want to take a whack at the following questions?
>1) What actually control whether the port is used as a "console port"?
>   If I leave a termina plugged in, or a modem does that become the
>   console if the system crashes and reboots?
If you do not have a video SIMM (CFB/MFB), the console will default to
that serial port.  I believe this configuration is sold as a server.

>2) If the port is not being used as a "console port", then can one
>   set the baud rate to one of the 16 arbitrary speeds?
Yes, no problem.

>3) Is 19200 baud, supposed to work, not supposed to work, broken somehow
>   or locked out by the 9600 baud "requirement"?
19200 baud does not work on PMAX.  Sorry.

>4) If the port is being used as a "console port", does the really mean
>   that I can't use port #3 as a local terminal/printer port?  Can I
>   still use the keyboard/mouse on ports #0 and #1?
What the man page was probably trying to say was that if you are using
that port for your console, you may not disconnect the console terminal
and plug in a printer or modem or somesuch.  The rest of the serial ports
are unaffected, although you won't have much luck with keyboard/mouse
since you do not have a display device.

In short:  if you are using your PMAX as a workstation,  ignore all that
jazz about serial console.

And in reply to the original question:  PMAX hardware does not allow 19.2K.

Obligatory disclaimer:  I do not speak for Digital or for WSE.
Ed Santiago                                      santiago@decwrl.dec.com
DEC Workstations Systems Engineering             ..decwrl!santiago