PIP Image Format

PIP Image Format PIP image format is two 12 bit words converted to 3 8 bit characters. This format gives an exact copy of any file type. If the file is a .BN file this gives a file you can use with a paper tape reader as a normal binary file. The file is created as:
.PIP
*PTP:<FILE.EX/I

To read a file in under an emulator attach the file to the paper tape reader and use:
.PIP
*FILE.EX<PTR:/I

This doesn't work well with real paper tape since you must start with exactly the correct character. The Kermit ENCODE and DECODE format is better for transfering files to a real PDP-8.

The encoding converts 2 12 bit words into 3 bytes as follows:

   char1 = word1 & 0xff;
   char2 = word2 & 0xff;
   char3 = ((word1 & 0xf00) >> 4) | (word2 >> 8);

Feel free to contact me, David Gesswein djg@pdp8online.com with any questions, comments on the web site, or if you have related equipment, documentation, software etc. you are willing to part with. I am interested in anything PDP-8 related, computers, peripherals used with them, DEC or third party, or documentation.

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