[Al Skierkiewicz]

An interesting dilemma. The PDP 11 I am familiar with was used as an edit controller for a CMX video post production system. The main box was three or four rack units high, with a separate paper tape reader and several frames of interface electronics that talked to remote controllers for the tape machines (called I Squared). In addition to controlling several edit machines it also controlled a video switcher and audio mixer. As I remember it had 16K real core memory.

The way DEC built those things, it is likely the main computer still functions. It is the interface components that likely went bad. If the motors came with the system, then it likely had smart interfaces. The computer would tell it to go somewhere and the interface would respond when the motors actually got there.

There are many motor controllers that are available for PCs that can be programmed in modern software.