DEC Rainbow 100A

From: Lawrence Walker <lwalker_at_mail.interlog.com>
Date: Sun Nov 30 23:43:10 1997

On 29 Nov 97 at 19:29, Tim Shoppa wrote:

> > >I have one, complete and working, color monitor, printer, >word perfect,
> > lotus
> > >symphone, and ALL documentation. It's available!
> >
> > >Fax 770-486-9847
> > Isn't that the infamous computer that couldn't format disks? If not, what
> > was? I am not interested in acquiring this machine, but I would be interested
> > in the general specs
>
 I have some old Byte 'zines that previewed the Rainbow and one of
the reviewer's gripes (Jerry Pournelle ?) was that he had to run
around to find a shop that could format some disks. The controller
had it's own Z-80 board IIRC for duo floppies. It could use either
CPM or MSDos. I have 2 that I haven't ressurected yet ( no term, no
k-brd, no System disks, but one has a Seagate HD which I'm hoping is
self-booting ) I believe that this was another case of an OEM wanting
to lock in it's customers, so it failed miserably, altho there were
quite a few Rainbow user groups sponserred by DEC. Allison I'm sure,
has all the specs and there is a downloadable systems site.

> Of all the machines that DEC sold with RX50 drives, the Rainbow is the
> only one that I own that *can* format blank floppies into RX50's.
> Computers that couldn't format RX50 disks include:
>
> Anything with a RQDX1, 2, or 3 controller (i.e. Q-bus machines)
> or with a RUX50 (i.e. Unibus machines). Third-party Q-bus and Unibus
> disk subsystems are generally capable of formatting RX50's.
> *and*
> Any of the DEC PRO series.
> Actually, didn't some of the DECmates come with a RX50 floppy drive?
> Were these capable of formatting?
>
> Tim. (shoppa_at_triumf.ca)
>
 Not being mini or DEC literate what is the RX50 format and what
systems (platforms) is it used on ?

ciao larry
lwalkerN0spaM_at_interlog.com
Received on Sun Nov 30 1997 - 23:43:10 GMT