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Digital Rainbow PC100-B2 (100+ and B2)

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  Digital Rainbow PC100-B2 (100+ and B2) by Bill Degnan - 06/24/2016 09:42
DEC Rainbow 100+ removed from and resting upon it's pedestal case. Click for larger image.


This thread will document the restoration of two DEC Rainbow Model PC-100 B2 units. Both are not functional. One is a "plus" unit with a pedestal case. Otherwise they're pretty much the same.

DEC Rainbow display with plenty of screen rot, model VR-201. The display works inside, so the question is whether to attempt a repair or just swap with a non-working case. Click for larger image.


Model PC-100 B2 plus / pedestal
Model PC-100 B2 desktop

The donor provided a listing

DIGITAL Rainbow 100
Model PC-100 B2, Serial No. WFD7227
Substitute 8088 out for NEC V20 on motherboard, always gets Message 23 (ignore, ok)
Added Seagate ST-225 hard disk
CHS Controller will allow 2nd hard disk
Max memory, 896K
Graphics board, can drive color monitor
SEE NOTE from Michael Branton (in Rainbow Owner's manual) on how to
boot this machine to Xenix

DIGITAL Rainbow 100
Model PC-100-B2, Serial No. WFB9883
In DIGITAL stand-up case
Substitute 8088 for 80186? on daughter board, plus Rom swap (original provided)
Apparently has Comm board, not graphics board
Booted up and worked great about 1 year ago. June 2016 gets motherboard error

DIGITAL VR241-A, Color Monitor (requires Rainbow graphics board) (2)
With adapter cables with RGB connectors
Manufactured Feb 1984, April 1984

DIGITAL VR-201-A monitor (B&W), (2)
Serial HK47590, water droplets (inside glass?), display works but very hard to read
Serial ??, inside box, not tested.
Note: Keyboard plugs into monitor, not into computer.

DIGITAL LK-201 Keyboards
In box, with loose F keys (1)
Out of box, working well (3)
Some key label inserts provided

DIGITAL LA-100 Letterprinter (in original box, not tested)
Plug-in cartridges with additional fonts (4)
User+ programmer documentation for LA-100
User documentation for LA-50 printer


Box of loose Rainbow cables, various

Rainbow software, original disk and documentation
- "Rainbow 100" (hardware documentation and diagnostics disk)
- MS-DOS
- CP/M 80-86
- Dr. Logo
- Starcross (2 copies)
- "The Witness"
- WordPerfect
- Venix/86 Operating System for Rainbow: set of 5 manuals, disks (very rare)

Plus, software developed on this Rainbow 100, Serial No. WFB9883
- Dr. Pascal for IBM-PC (two manual with bundled disk)
- Dr. Pascal marketing brochure


Reply
  Archive VENIX by Bill Degnan - 02/22/2017 09:50
Got this comment regarding the fact that I have VEXIX.. I will archive asap.

-------- Original Message --------

> Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2017 9:20 AM
> Subject: VintageComputer.net Inquiry
>
> VintageComputer.net Inquiry Contact Information Name: Bavarese
> Email: bb4812d@[hidden] Phone: 555-1212 ------------------------- Comments:
> In regards to blog post titled Digital Rainbow 100 Restorations: VENIX for that machine is in fact super rare and basically has been written off by the community. Please back it up soon!
>
> Post codes can be derived from the LEDs on the back of the machine (best with keyboard plugged in and RX50 floppy + board in place).

Reply

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