DEC Rainbow 100+ Plus

[Tony Duell]

> 
> Hi
>     I am now the owner of a DEC Rainbow 100 Plus. (10mb Hard Drive and
> all)
> Its just like the one I had on my desk at DECPark circa 1981=20
>  The good news is its got loads of software with it.
> The bad news is the tube in the VR201 monitor is shot.
> The screen has mould between the tube and bonded on faceplate.
> No amount of standard adjustment will make it bright enough to read in
> normal lighting.
> So...
>    I need:
> =20
>         a) A  replacement tube.

IIRC, the CRT is a pretty generic one, a 7 pin (modified B7G base) with 
11.5V heater. I usepect (without trying it) that any 12" 90 degree 
deflection CRT with those cheacteristics will work.

Last time I needed a CRT (to repair a somewhat odd terminal), I found the 
easiest/cheapest way to get one was to buy a monochrome portable TV and 
raid it for the CRT. But can you still buy monochrome protable TVs?


> =20
>         or=20
> =20
>         b) a Digital VR201-A , -B or -C
> =20
>         or
> =20
>         d) A colour graphics card for a DEC Rainbow. 100+

e) A normal TV-rate composite monitor and the right cabling. Basically, 
you have to wire up an RJ11 socket to the right 4 pins on the DA15 
connector for the keyboard, and take composite video (and ground) from 
another 2 pins. By default the 'bow uses US rates, but I think you can 
set it to 50Hz vetical on one of the setup menus, so it should be close 
then to UK rates.

Let me know if you want to do this and I can dig out the pinouts, etc.

-tony