DEC Rainbow - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

2 Nov 2002

From:           	"Lawrence Walker" &lt;lgwalker(a)mts.net&gt;
To:             	cctalk(a)classiccmp.org
Date sent:      	Sat, 2 Nov 2002 18:01:05 -0600
Subject:        	Re: DEC Rainbow
Send reply to:  	lgwalker(a)mts.net
Priority:       	normal

...
       If it has a graphic card you can also use it
with a VR241. The original
  Byte  
 Actually, you can use a VR241 without the graphics card. Just connect the
 green input to the mono video output of the 'Bow. You'll get perfectly good
 green text. 

 OK, it's a waste of a colour monitor, but if it's all you have...
   Good tip. It's certainly not in the Rainbow site archive and I might have
been
able to get my 'bow up and running earlier with a VR241.

...
   review claimed
the VR201 was compatable with the VT102.  
 Considering the former is a composite mono monitor and the latter is a 
 terminal, that's just impossible.
   I was quoting one of the 2 reviews Byte did on the "bow. They generally 
slagged the Rainbow and were likely possible for part of it's lack of success.
The other part was the DEC executives who never really liked the venture and
saddled it with a bunch of prohibitives so as to not threaten their mini-market
including the PRO and DECMate. 

...
  I think, though, that the 'Bow  + VR201 will
emulate a VT102. 

   Jeff Armstrong who wrote the Rainbow FAQ claimed
there was a built-in 
 terminal that could be accessed at the start-up menu by typing T altho I
 have never tried it. He also said a friend of his was using it for a
 terminal on his VAX II.  
 There is, and it works. It's a pretty good VT100/VT102 emulation. 

   Tony Duell posted the pin-outs for both mono and
color a while back on the 
 list to make a monitor cable, which can be hard-to-find. The LK201's are  
 Has this been archived anywhere? If not, should I post it again?
   Well it should be in CC archives and of course I have it in mine. It would be
good to have it on the Swedish Archives however. Hopefully the maintainer who
answered Antonio Carlini's offer of the service manual, will also put it onto
the site as it was a very comprehensive pinout listing.

...
  As I've said several times before, if I put
something on this list, then
 you're welcome to stick copies on appropriate web sites, etc. I've essentially
 made it public by posting it here. Note, I don't regard it as legally public
 domain (I would not be at all happy if somebody else claimed ownership, for
 example), but I am not going to object to it being shared.

 -tony

Lawrence
lgwalker(a)mts.net
bigwalk_ca(a)yahoo.com
------- End of forwarded message -------
lgwalker(a)mts.net
bigwalk_ca(a)yahoo.com