The Digital Equipment Corporation "Rainbow" Personal Computer A machine with an 8086 processor, which originally ran CP/M-86 but which was later revamped (with motherboard mods) to run a version of MS-DOS, but which was not fully hardware compatible with the IBM PC. ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Article 2883 of comp.sys.dec.micro: Path: cs.utk.edu!darwin.sura.net!howland.reston.ans.net!noc.near.net!uunet!orca.es.com!cnn.sim.es.com!javelin!gold From: gold@imp.sim.es.com (Bruce Gold) Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec.micro Subject: Re: What can I do with a Rainbow? Date: 16 Jul 1993 20:09:09 GMT Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corp., Salt Lake City, UT Lines: 46 Sender: gold@imp (Bruce Gold) Distribution: world Message-ID: <2271t5$r4a@cnn.sim.es.com> References: <1993Jul7.225517.23901@a.cs.okstate.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: imp.sim.es.com (KENNEDY DOUGLAS WA) writes: |> |> I now own a Rainbow 100+, and I have a few of questions about it. |> |> 1) How can I get a copy of DOS 3.1? |> |> 2) Where can I get the system utilities? I'm thinking about putting |> in a bigger, cheap hard drive. The Kramden Utilities (how did they get THAT name?) include some useful stuff. Whatever version of the Norton Utilities I have works. |> 3) How can I make the Rainbow more regular-DOS compatible? If Suitable Solutions is still in business, maybe you can get MS-DOS V3.10b and Code Blue from them. That would handle questions 1 and 3. |> |> 4) Is there any way to run CP/M 2.2 stuff, or is there a good place |> to find CPM86 stuff? |> |> It's a fun machine, but I only have some WP and DBMS software, and a |> couple o' Infocom games. Where can I find software?? Go to your local software store and purchase "Lost Treasures of Infocom" and "Lost Treasures of Infocom II" in floppy disk form, not CD-ROM form. Take them to a some IBMPCclone with a 1.2M 5-1/4 floppy drive and the RX50 device driver software installed. Copy the Infocom disks onto Rainbow-formatted floppies and then install the games on your Rainbow. Some run straight. Some require Code Blue. One of the dozens of games you will have actually won't run on the Rainbow because it uses IBMPC CGA. The Turbo-C V2.00 compiler from Borland definitely works with Code Blue and the resulting code typically runs native. I've read of others making Turbo-C V2.00 run in native mode on the Rainbow, but I never succeeded in that. My MSC V3 works wonderfully on my Rainbow. Once you have a C compiler, you can convert many applications intended Unix, IBMPCcloneMS-DOS, or other systems. Or roll your own. |> |> I tell friends that snicker at my machine that it's a "MicroVAX 100+", |> which usually gives them the proper attitude of respect. (of course, this |> just works with really dumb friends) :) :) In honor of the VMS dollar sign, I use the cent sign for a command prompt. If you'd like a copy of that line from my autoexec.bat, ask. -- Bruce Gold Utah ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Article 1759 of vmsnet.pdp-11: Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec.micro,vmsnet.pdp-11 Path: cs.utk.edu!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!math.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!utnut!torn!watserv2.uwaterloo.ca!watdragon.uwaterloo.ca!kcwellsc From: kcwellsc@watdragon.uwaterloo.ca (Ken Wellsch) Subject: Re: Another Pro 350 Question Message-ID: Sender: news@watdragon.uwaterloo.ca (USENET News System) Organization: University of Waterloo References: <1993Aug25.120644.1@csusb> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1993 01:01:44 GMT Lines: 37 Xref: cs.utk.edu comp.sys.dec.micro:3010 vmsnet.pdp-11:1759 > Well, I too find myself with a Pro 350 (could not turn it down for $5.00). > My question is: How do I tell whether it is set up for monochrome (VR201) > or color (VR241)? The color version of the Pro 350 requires the video board plus the extended video board to provide the other two "color planes" (combined the two give RGB). You appear to have only the video board (i.e. mono only). > It did not come with a monitor or keyboard, so I took the VR201/LK201/cable > off a Rainbow and used it. This worked fine, and displayed highlighted > and normal text (as well as cute graphics prior to booting from floppy). Curiously enough I've found the two cables are not actually compatible. The Pro does work with a Rainbow cable but not visa versa. The colors are also flakey (if you had color) using a Rainbow video cable. > I assume that since it worked, I have a monochrome Pro, but could it be > a color system and still work with a VR201? The system contains: The color system also can run a mono monitor (sync on green and mono video lines). If I understand correctly the mono monitor is running off the +12V supply on the Pro itself, while a VR241 monitor is of course stand-alone with a separate 110V plug. > Slot: Description: > > 1 RD controller > 2 RX controller > 3 video This is titled "CT100 Video Generator" and is numbered 001002. You also need "CT100 Color Bitmap" numbered 001403. It has an over-the-top 40 pin BERG connector between the two. > 4 256K memory > 5 empty > 6 empty ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Article 3168 of comp.sys.dec.micro: Path: cs.utk.edu!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!sunic!corax.udac.uu.se!news.uu.se!tomk From: tomk@kobra.csd.uu.se (Tom Karlsson) Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec.micro Subject: Re: Rainbow HD Connectors Date: 2 Nov 93 05:25:13 Organization: /home/kobra/d91/tomk/.organization Lines: 15 Message-ID: References: <751938332.AA01741@ican.ican.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: kobra.csd.uu.se In-reply-to: jeff@ican.com's message of Fri, 29 Oct 1993 14:03:20 -0600 In article <751938332.AA01741@ican.ican.com> jeff@ican.com (Jeff Weiner) writes: > Does anyone have any information on the pinouts for connectors J4 and > J5 on the Rainbow system board, with regard to the Winchester drive > controller? Try take a look at the document files at ftp.update.uu.se under the /pub/rainbow/doc directory. /Tom -- | Tom Karlsson email: tomk@csd.uu.se phone: +46 18 260097 | | student of computer science @ Uppsala University, Sweden. | | member of Update. (tomk@update.uu.se) | | "Intelligence is to do stupid things in a smart way" | =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ++ The cable information below was obtained from the aforementioned ++ DEC Rainbow Computer archive at the Swedish anonymous-FTP site ++ "ftp.update.uu.se". ++ Look in the directory "pub/rainbow/doc" >The VR-201 monochrome monitor on my Rainbow just shuffled off this >mortal coil and I need another. Any spares for sale out there? Any >ideas on a cheap way to replace it? Please e-mail responses to the >address below. Thanks! If you can handle a soldering iron and a meter, then you can do a quick hack like this (totally unaproved of by DEC of course). Start off with a 15 pin D connector of the right gender to fit the monitor end of the cable (I think you need a plug), and a 4-pin RJ11 (I think) to take the keyboard cable. Now : link pins 7 and 8 on the 15 pin D (+12V out) link pins 4,5,6,13 on the 15 pin D (ground) Looking into the face of the RJ11, with the pins towards you, number the leftmost pin 1. Now link as follows: RJ11 pin 1 to pin 14 of the D RJ11 pin 2 to +12V RJ11 pin 3 to Ground RJ11 pin 4 to pin 15 of the D You should check those connections between the D connector and the RJ11 on your existing VR201, in case I've noted them down wrongly Now you need to find a composite mono monitor, capable of handling the USA TV scan frequencies. Such monitors are relatively common, nut are not used with PCs (except as a mono monitor on a CGA card I guess). Now find a video lead to fit the monitor input, connect it's sheild to ground on the 15 pin D plug, and the inner to pin 12. Plug everything in, and it should work. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= > QUESTION: > 3) My Pro380 cable (bcc03-o6) won't work with RB, what's wrong ?? > The pin orders seemed to be quite the same. The Rainbow uses a BCC17 cable with the VR241 color monitor, NOT the BCC03 cable used by the Professional, DECmate, and VT241 terminal. Here in the United States, Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) is selling the BCC17-6 cable for $56 US. ====================== BCC03 and BCC17 cables ====================== The following data was extracted from the PDP-11 Systems And Options Catalog, October - December 1984 (DEC part number ED-26049-41), page 4-19. The cables consist of three 30 AWG coax cables and four 20-AWG stranded conductors with a 38 AWG tinned copper braid shield. The connectors are: P1 = 15 position D subminiature P2 = keyboard plug P3 = "B" BNC P4 = "G" BNC P5 = "R" BNC The wiring is: P1-1 -- P3 coax shield P1-2 -- P4 coax shield P1-3 -- P5 coax shield P1-4 -- -------------- P1-5 -- P1-13 jumper P1-6 -- P2-3 conductor P1-7 -- -------------- P1-8 -- P2-2 conductor P1-9 -- P3 coax center P1-10 -- P4 coax center in BCC03 only -- nothing in BCC17 P1-11 -- P5 coax center P1-12 -- P4 coax center in BCC17 only -- nothing in BCC03 P1-13 -- P1-5 jumper P1-14 -- P2-1 conductor P1-15 -- P2-4 conductor Rainbow keyboard / monitor connector (J3) ========================================= The following pin assignments for the Rainbow keyboard/monitor connector were extracted from "PC100 Mother Board" skematic (DEC drawing size D, code CS, number 5415486-0-1, revision E) which is included in the "PC100 Field Maintenance Print Set (DEC part number MP-01491-00). The assignments are also listed in the Rainbow 100 Technical Manual (DEC part number EK-PC100-TM-001); table 3-6 on page 3-22 except that table shows the keyboard data flowing in directions opposite that shown on the schematic and listed below. The BCC02 monochrome cable wiring was obtained by inspecting that cable. BCC03 and BCC17 cable wiring was from the source listed above. BCC02 BCC03 BCC17 Possible Rainbow Pin Mono Color Color Dual Monitor ======= === ===== ===== ===== ============ Red shield ground ------- 1 ----- X X Color Green shield ground ----- 2 ----- X X Color Blue shield ground ------ 3 ----- X X Color Mono shield ground ------ 4 X ----- ----- Monochrome Ground ------------------ 5 X jumper jumper Monochrome Ground ------------------ 6 X X X Keyboard +12 volts --------------- 7 X ----- ----- Monochrome +12 volts --------------- 8 X X X Keyboard Blue video -------------- 9 ----- X X Color Green video ------------- 10 ----- X ----- Color Red video --------------- 11 ----- X X Color Mono video -------------- 12 X ----- X Monochrome -- not used ------------- 13 ----- jumper jumper ----- Data from keyboard to CPU 14 X X X Keyboard Data from CPU to keyboard 15 X X X Keyboard Conclusion ========== Comparison of the above data suggests that when the graphics board is in a Rainbow, the BCC03 cable should route the color graphics signals to the VR241 monitor. However, the monochrome signal generated on the Rainbow's motherboard will NOT be capable of being displayed with the BCC03 cable. As indicated in the "Rainbow Color/Graphics Option Programmer's Reference Guide" (DEC part number AA-AE36A-TV), the Rainbow can support three different monitor configurations: (1) monochrome monitor only (2) color monitor only (3) both monochrome and color monitors Each of the single monitor configurations presents a problem, that is how to get graphics video data to the monochrome monitor, and how to get motherboard video data to the color monitor. DEC solved these problems with a electronic switch on the motherboard. That switch is controlled by bit 2 of port 0A hexidecimal. Setting that bit to 0 places motherboard video data on pin 12 of the BCC02 / BCC17 cable. In contrast, setting the bit to 1 puts graphics option "green" data on that pin. To my knowledge, DEC never sold a cable to support the Rainbow's dual monitor configuration. However, some people have built such a cable. (Note: The above data suggests a Professional or DECmate, when equipped with its graphics option and an appropriate cable, may also be capable of supporting a dual monitor configuration.) Carl C. Hoff choff@cs.wright.edu ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec Path: cs.utk.edu!cssun.mathcs.emory.edu!emory!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!dish.news.pipex.net!pipex!news.mathworks.com!uunet!in1.uu.net!pgh!powell Message-ID: References: <3tjril$p3c@topaz.sensor.com> Organization: Nauticom - Internet Access Provider X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2] Lines: 26 Date: Mon, 10 Jul 1995 19:38:56 GMT From: powell@pgh.nauticom.net (Reed Powell) Subject: Re: vrc-16 monitor for PCs (windows, linux, etc)? Well, there is finally some good news, I think, for all those people out there with old fixed frequency large screen monitors, left over from workstations (VAX or DEC), and who want to use them on a PC. This has always been a problem because of the fixed frequency aspect. DEC used to sell an ISA board for $2000 but that was excessive. Send email to Emil Darmo at Mirage (mirage@lainet.com), which is a company that makes both VLB and PCI cards for handling these monitors. THey run around $400 ea and have a 10-day money back guarantee. -reed Ron Natalie (ron@topaz.sensor.com) wrote: : Bryan Levin (blevin@netcom.com) wrote: : : Hi, : : How easy is it to connect a vrC-16 monitor (comes with a decstation 5000/25) : : to a PC? I would like to run 1024x768; higher if possible. : : On the back, there is "r g/s b" (red; green + sync?; blue), : : along with "h/c v" (h=horizontal sync? v=vertical? What is the "c" in the : : "h/c"?) : Composite. //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////