Pat_Barron@TRANSARC.COM (11/29/90)
Through very little effort on my own part, I seem to have acquired a few VT180 systems. They seem to be VT100-AA's with an extra board (which says it's a "VT180" board), which connects to a box with dual RX180 floppies in it. When powered up, they select both floppy drives in turn, and then identify themselves as "VT18X 1.1", with a date (presumably the date the ROM bootstrap was compiled) some time in 1981. They then present a menu offering to boot the system from one of drives A through D, execute self tests, or go into terminal mode (making it just behave like a regular VT100, as far as I can tell). Can anybody tell me what these systems are all about? What software runs on them, can it still be gotten? What is the processor? I'm suspecting it's some sort of LSI-11 based thing, but I'm not sure. And what about these RX180 floppy drives? Are they "normal" floppy drives (where "normal" is defined as either single or double sided, single or double density format, as would be found on most micros), or are they perhaps RX50 compatible? Inquring minds want to know.... While I can always use another terminal, it might be fun to make these things do more than be just VT100's.... Thanks! --Pat.
galetich@dtoa1.dt.navy.mil (Galetich) (11/30/90)
In article <0bJ_ewH0BwweN1WWhK@transarc.com> Pat_Barron@TRANSARC.COM writes: >Through very little effort on my own part, I seem to have acquired a few >VT180 systems. They seem to be VT100-AA's with an extra board (which says >it's a "VT180" board), which connects to a box with dual RX180 floppies >in it. When powered up, they select both floppy drives in turn, and then >identify themselves as "VT18X 1.1", with a date (presumably the date the ROM >bootstrap was compiled) some time in 1981. They then present a menu offering >to boot the system from one of drives A through D, execute self tests, or >go into terminal mode (making it just behave like a regular VT100, as far as >I can tell). The VT180 "Robin" was a Z-80 machine which ran CP/M. DEC Professional used to run occasional articles about them a few years ago, but I've thrown out all my old DEC Professionals. I believe one of the reasons for the early demise of the VT180 was the totally unique disk format on the RX180 floppies. Don Galetich, David Taylor Research Center galetich@dtoa1.dt.navy.mil
tp@mccall.com (Terry Poot) (11/30/90)
In article <0bJ_ewH0BwweN1WWhK@transarc.com>, Pat_Barron@TRANSARC.COM writes: >Can anybody tell me what these systems are all about? What software runs on >them, can it still be gotten? What is the processor? I'm suspecting it's some >sort of LSI-11 based thing, but I'm not sure. And what about these RX180 >floppy drives? Are they "normal" floppy drives (where "normal" is defined as >either single or double sided, single or double density format, as would be >found on most micros), or are they perhaps RX50 compatible? The VT180 (also known as a "Robin") is a Z80 based CPM machine. It was discontinued sometime around '84 or '85. I was on a project that used them as a user interface front-end (hmm...network based workstation running applications remotely on a VAX, sounds like X windows ... nah!). Don't remember about the floppies. I think they are standard in CPM. This machine was discontinued when the Rainbow came out. We tried to use the Rainbow, but there were problems. The company then proceeded to start stockpiling VT180's to supply to customers as front ends. Sorry I don't remember more, I was on the VAX end of the project. -- Terry Poot <tp@mccall.com> The McCall Pattern Company (uucp: ...!rutgers!ksuvax1!mccall!tp) 615 McCall Road (800)255-2762, in KS (913)776-4041 Manhattan, KS 66502, USA
jdudeck@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU (John R. Dudeck) (12/01/90)
In an article tp@mccall.com (Terry Poot) wrote: >The VT180 (also known as a "Robin") is a Z80 based CPM machine. It was >discontinued sometime around '84 or '85. I was on a project that used them as a >user interface front-end (hmm...network based workstation running applications >remotely on a VAX, sounds like X windows ... nah!). Don't remember about the >floppies. I think they are standard in CPM. This machine was discontinued when >the Rainbow came out. We tried to use the Rainbow, but there were problems. The >company then proceeded to start stockpiling VT180's to supply to customers as >front ends. Would you believe I am still supporting one of these for some very elderly ladies who are using it to write books! The system is a very generic CP/M Z80. The terminal is of course a VT100. Actually the VT180 disks would boot on a Rainbow. They are 40 track single sided 9 sectors. The Rainbow is 80 track, but it knew how to skip every other track, and the Rainbow's Z80 would run the CP/M. -- John Dudeck "If it's Object Oriented then by jdudeck@Polyslo.CalPoly.Edu definition it's A Good Thing". ESL: 62013975 Tel: 805-545-9549 -- D. Stearns
stewart_andy@decus.com.au (12/01/90)
In article <0bJ_ewH0BwweN1WWhK@transarc.com>, Pat_Barron@TRANSARC.COM writes: > Through very little effort on my own part, I seem to have acquired a few > VT180 systems. They seem to be VT100-AA's with an extra board (which says > it's a "VT180" board), which connects to a box with dual RX180 floppies > in it. .... > > Can anybody tell me what these systems are all about? What software runs on > them, can it still be gotten? What is the processor? I'm suspecting it's some > sort of LSI-11 based thing, but I'm not sure. Congartulations! You have a "Robin", DEC's first attempt at a PC. It is a Z80 microprocessor with CP/M software. > And what about these RX180 > floppy drives? Are they "normal" floppy drives (where "normal" is defined as > either single or double sided, single or double density format, as would be > found on most micros), or are they perhaps RX50 compatible? I believe they are a 40 track drive, double sided, single density drive. Ie. not RX50 compatible. > > Inquring minds want to know.... While I can always use another terminal, it > might be fun to make these things do more than be just VT100's.... > I believe the award for the worst product DEC produces each year is called the Robin award. Good Luck! You'll need it! Andy 8^)}
steve@grian.cps.altadena.ca.us (Steve Mitchell) (12/01/90)
galetich@dtoa1.dt.navy.mil (Galetich) writes: >The VT180 "Robin" was a Z-80 machine which ran CP/M. DEC Professional >used to run occasional articles about them a few years ago, but I've >thrown out all my old DEC Professionals. I believe one of the reasons >for the early demise of the VT180 was the totally unique disk format >on the RX180 floppies. Actually, almost every CP/M system had a unique disk format, which is the worst thing about CP/M. Digital Research didn't define a standard format (except the original 8" sssd), thinking that would encourage competition and progress. Instead, it was a significant factor in the demise of CP/M. The early MS-DOS was just a CP/M clone, but everyone was more-or-less forced to use the same disk format. IMHO a more significant reason for the death of the '180 was that it was a product of the Terminals group, and the PC's group was working on Real Personal Computers (the Rainbow, DECmate II, and Profession lines). -- - Steve Mitchell steve@cps.altadena.ca.us grian!steve@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov ames!elroy!grian!steve "God is licht, an in him there is nae mirkness ava." -- 1 John 1:5
STRCC@CUNYVM (Stuart Cohnen) (12/06/90)
I've still got one at home. In 1984 DEC offered them to employees at some ridicilous low price, about $2400 including a LA34. I sold the LA34 to an OEM, who needed them (DEC had discontinued them). I have one with 4 drives, giving me a whopping 720K of disk storage. I have Multiplan spread sheet, Fortran and Basic for it,and of course kermit etc. Anyone want to buy it? Stu /STRCC@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
gordon@itsgw.rpi.edu (Gordon E. Greene) (12/09/90)
In article <0bJ_ewH0BwweN1WWhK@transarc.com> Pat_Barron@TRANSARC.COM writes: >Through very little effort on my own part, I seem to have acquired a few >VT180 systems. ... >Can anybody tell me what these systems are all about? ... My understanding is that the VT180 is a CP/M machine. I wasn't able to identify the processor though. There are a number of 80xx chips, but I don't recall offhand which was a processor and which a fancy I/O chip. It does have a 1793 FDC, so it can do double density. I don't remember what the drives can do. Yes, you're right, I do have one of these, but I have 3 broken vt100s and not one live one to put it in. :-( I've been wondering whether the vt180 board would leave enough room for the graphics board to go in too. That would be fun. CP/M machine with Tek graphics. Now if only I could fix or get a new vt100... -- --------- You can never have too many ferrets. ----------- gordon@rpi.edu USERF023@RPITSMTS USERF023@mts.rpi.edu