22 Dec
2005
22 Dec
'05
12:48 p.m.
Would a Decmate keyboard and monitor work with a
Rainbow?
Well, the keyboard/monitor from a DECmate II will work, they are the same
units (modulo different keycaps in some cases).
The keyboard is a plain LK201, the mono monitor is a VR201 (and the
keyboard plugs into the monitor). That is just a composite monitor with
strange connectors, The colour monitor is a VR241 (RGB monitor with
sync-on-green).
If you don't have the colour graphics board fitted, you get composite text
video on one pin of the monitor connector. That's what drives the VR201
If you add the colour card, an output from that is combined with the text
video and appears on the same pin. That gives you mono graphics/text on a
VR201, and is also the green drive signal for the VR241. 2 other outputs
from the colour card go to the R and B inputs on the
VR241. You get green
text and colour graphics. There is anouther output from the
colour card
that is combined with the syncs and ends up on another pin of the monitor
connector. With a sepcial cable you can link that to the green input of
the VR241 and also connect a VR201. That way you can have text (and
optionally mono graphics) on the VR201, and colour graphics on the VR241.
You should be able to find a file in the archives which explains the
monitor connector on the 'bow, how to link up non-standard monitors, what
happens if you have the colour card, etc. If not, I'll post it again.
-tony