[net.micro.pc] Cheap PC

towson%amsaa@sri-unix.UUCP (11/23/83)

From:  David Towson (CSD) <towson@amsaa>

Right on!  I put together an IBM-PC with 256K memory, a pair of 360K
drives, the color graphics adapter and a surplus 19" Conrac color
monitor for $3000 including DOS 2.0 and the Technical Reference
Manual.

The only problem I had was that in addition to the R, G and B color
signals I also had to use the intensity signal from the color graphics
adapter if I wanted to have the full "sixteen colors" (actually two
intensities of each color).  The standard color monitor didn't have an
intensity input, so I had to make one using three resistive summing
networks - simple, but effective.  I also needed a composite sync
signal, which is generated on the color graphics board, but is not
brought out on the rear connector.  I brought it out on pin 7, which
was unused.

It works fine, and I could not possibly have gotten this much PC any
other way.  I decided to go with a "real PC" because I didn't want to
make a career out of doing compatibility analyses on the various PC
clones.

Dave