[comp.sys.dec] DEC Rainbow

jeff@ingr.com (Jeff Kilpatrick) (02/22/89)

  I just read an article in Digital Review where DEC has slashed prices on 
their Rainbows, model PC100, and Professional 350.  I understand the latter
machine runs RSX11M+ and the previous runs DOS.  Anyone know if these machines
have expansion slots?  If so, is it an IBM PC type or DEC proprietary(sp?)?
Does it come with support for a serial printer?  Any recommendations for using
one as a home computer?


Thanks in advance.

aad@stpstn.UUCP (Anthony A. Datri) (02/22/89)

In article <4028@ingr.com> jeff@ingr.com (Jeff Kilpatrick) writes:

>their Rainbows, model PC100, and Professional 350.  I understand the latter
>machine runs RSX11M+ and the previous runs DOS.  Anyone know if these
>machines have expansion slots?  If so, is it an IBM PC type or DEC
>proprietary(sp?)? Does it come with support for a serial printer?  Any
>recommendations for using one as a home computer?

As I understand it, DEC doesn't make either of those any more, but
makes pro 380's to use as consoles for big vaxes.  The rainbow is
an MS-DOS or CPM machine, but *not* pc compatible.  400k rx50
floppy drives.  There are variants like "A", "B", and "+", but I
don't know the differences.  The Pro 350 is basically a PDP 11/23
in a box that looks like a stretched rainbow.  The Rainbow comes
with a serial port -- in fact, you can use it as a vt102 without even
booting an operating system.
-- 
@disclaimer(Any concepts or opinions above are entirely mine, not those of my
	    employer, my GIGI, my VT05, or my 11/34)
beak is@>beak is not
Anthony A. Datri @SysAdmin(Stepstone Corporation) aad@stepstone.com stpstn!aad

hst@mh_co2.mh.nl (Klaas Hemstra) (02/23/89)

Does anyone have any experience with the product 
	VAX Link/X.25
	running under ULTRIX-32
	from Systems Strategies Inc. (New York).

We would like any comments on this product.

Are there any other simular products available ?
 (allowing X25-communication on an Ultrix machine)

Also we would like information about PAD emulation programs for Ultrix.
  (The latter might be a part of an X25 communication program)

Please email and maybe I will post a summary on the net.

P.S. I posted this on comp.unix.ultrix but it hasn't shown up yet so I post it
     here too.

Klaas Hemstra  (hst@mh.nl)                   |    /  / ,~~~  ~~/~~
uucp: ..{uunet!}hp4nl!mh.nl!hst              |   /--/  `-,    /  ___  |_/ |__|
Multihouse N.V., Gouda, the Netherlands      |  /  / ___/    /   ---  | \ |  | 

davidsen@steinmetz.ge.com (William E. Davidsen Jr) (02/24/89)

In article <4028@ingr.com> jeff@ingr.com (Jeff Kilpatrick) writes:
| 
|   I just read an article in Digital Review where DEC has slashed prices on 
| their Rainbows, model PC100, and Professional 350.  I understand the latter
| machine runs RSX11M+ and the previous runs DOS.  Anyone know if these machines
| have expansion slots?  

  Totally non-compatible with PC. The Rainbow has a Z80 and 8088, and
can run CP/M-80, CP/M-86, CCPM and MS-DOS thru 2.1. There is one
expansion connector, not compatible with anything else. If you want a
really neat machine to hack and as a controller, get a Rainbow and
CP/M-86. The Z80 runs the disk and the 8088 runs the serial port, and
you can do some real learning about parallel processing and real time
using one of these boxes. They are also a vt-100 terminal, which makes
them worth about $200. I learned a lot from these, and I almost hacked
PC/ix (SysIII for 8088) to run on it.

  The Pro-350 is an LSI-11, or 11/23, or some such. It does run RSX11M+,
and I'm told that you can get (could get?) UNIX for it, either V7 or
SysIII. Another nice box to hack with!

  I wouldn't consider either of these for anything other than hacking,
but the Rainbow running CP/M-86 is a great place to learn about
assembler and debugging. For hacking I highly recommend it!
-- 
	bill davidsen		(wedu@ge-crd.arpa)
  {uunet | philabs}!steinmetz!crdos1!davidsen
"Stupidity, like virtue, is its own reward" -me

tjc@mbunix.mitre.org (Tom J. Colley) (02/24/89)

In article <4028@ingr.com> jeff@ingr.com (Jeff Kilpatrick) writes:
>
>  I just read an article in Digital Review where DEC has slashed prices on 
>their Rainbows, model PC100, and Professional 350.  I understand the latter
>machine runs RSX11M+ and the previous runs DOS.  Anyone know if these machines
>have expansion slots?  If so, is it an IBM PC type or DEC proprietary(sp?)?
>Does it come with support for a serial printer?  Any recommendations for using
>one as a home computer?
>
>Thanks in advance.

Jeff,
	Get this:  I own a DEC Rainbow--no, make that two Rainbows.  One is a 
100A and the other a 100B.  Currently, one sits unused, and so does the 
other!  The 100B has 768KB RAM and a 5MB hard disk and the standard two 
RX50 disk drives.  The other has 256KB RAM and the RX50s.  True, it can
run CP/M and DOS, but I'd be real surprised if anyone has released software
for it in 4 or 5 years.  It is not IBM compatible in the least.  There are
two 'slots' you can expand into.  One is for the hard disk or extended comm
option.  The other is for the graphics option.  I have documentation for 
the 100A but never bothered to get the massive three binders for the 100B.
In one of the binders is some documentation on the slot for the graphics opt.
	I have not used either system because of the lack of modern software
and compatibility with everyone else.  If you indeed are interested in 
purchasing one, I'll sell you two.  Actually I'll unload the 100B with hard
disk and 512KB RAM and all the software I have and all the documentation for
$999.95  I honestly think that this is way too much for a used DEC Rainbow,
but in the local swap sheet, people are asking for $1500 for a 128KB, no hard
disk system (I feel for the people who buy them).
	Incidentally, I used to do some repair work for the CS department at 
the alma matter.  DEC went overboard with service charges, so I volunteered 
to fix them.  It was very nearly a full time job.  They were very susceptable 
to bad connections, and the RX50s fail quickly (and are annoyingly noisy).
	Now it would seem that I think the things are junk.  Well...I did
get quite a bit of enjoyment from these machines three years ago, and they
were state of the art the day they were released (two processors, CP/M AND
MS-DOS, vt100,...).  And by the way, two serial ports.  One labeled COMM and
the other PRINTER. 

						Tom
P.S.  anyone interested in buying the gem, e-mail your bid! 
Sorry if I insulted any Rainbow power users :-)  

shevett@mccc.UUCP (Dave Shevett) (02/26/89)

In article <13238@steinmetz.ge.com> davidsen@crdos1.UUCP (bill davidsen) writes:
>In article <4028@ingr.com> jeff@ingr.com (Jeff Kilpatrick) writes:
>| ... I understand the latter
>| machine runs RSX11M+ and the previous runs DOS.  Anyone know if these machines
>| have expansion slots?  

The Rainbow was expandable, but only with Rainbow cards.  The cards cost an
arm and a leg, and are WAY overpriced... (something like 600 bucks for a HD
controller). 
 
>They are also a vt-100 terminal, which makes
>them worth about $200. I learned a lot from these, and I almost hacked

This is arguable.  The Vt??? emulation on the Rainbow is yucky at best.  
There is not file functions you would hope for from a PC based terminal.  
Better to run out and get a real vt100 for $150.

>
>  The Pro-350 is an LSI-11, or 11/23, or some such. It does run RSX11M+,
>and I'm told that you can get (could get?) UNIX for it, either V7 or
>SysIII. Another nice box to hack with!

The Pro can run Pro/VENIX, a derivative of V7 Unix.  (I think).  It's got
all sorts of extenstions to make it usable for Real-Time functions.  It
goes for about a grand, but (big but) - most pro's were distributed with
teeny hard drives (ala RD50 (5 meg), RD51, (10 meg), and if your lucky, and
RD52, (32 meg). )  Try shoehorning a comfortable Unix system into this and
you'll run into problems.  Also, the pro has 2 (count 'em 2) serial ports
than Venix will turn into terminals, and THATS IT.  There is a port
expander system for the beast, but just try finding one with a price tag
less than a mortgage. 


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