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From: LCAMPBELL@dec-marlboro@sri-unix.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: Inquiries on the DEC Rainbow 100
Message-ID: <12287@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 3-Oct-83 16:51:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.12287
Posted: Mon Oct  3 16:51:00 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 6-Oct-83 08:00:22 EDT
Lines: 46

From:  Larry Campbell <LCAMPBELL@dec-marlboro>

You can get documentation from DEC that tells you where the comm ports
are.  I don't have the number handy, but it's called something like
the "Rainbow Technical Documentation Set", and it's referenced in the back
of one of the manuals that comes with the Rainbow.

There are three communication packages available for the Rainbow that
I've tried:

	1) Poly-XFR, from Polygon Associates, in St. Louis (this is
	   distributed by DEC so you can get it through your retailer).
	   Pretty good stuff.  Does terminal emulation, and file transfers
	   between the Rainbow and VAX/VMS, RSTS, RSX, and RT-11.

	2) Kermit, in the public domain, available over the ARPANET
	   from Columbia University (mail to Frank daCruz, daCruz@COLUMBIA-20
	   for details).  Does terminal emulation and file transfers
	   between other PC's running Kermit, and VAX/VMS, Unix,
	   TOPS-20, and a few other operating systems.  The version
	   I have doesn't work in server mode, but does work in command
	   mode, and the terminal emulation works fine.

	3) MODEM7, the venerable old CP/M public domain comm package.
	   I have a version that doesn't work at all.  Maybe someone
	   out there has a working one, but I haven't seen it.

	By the way, Poly-XFR costs money ($150???  not sure...) but works
	pretty well.  Kermit is the Best Buy;  it's free and works OK.

You can buy a formatting program from a couple of different outfits for
about sixty dollars, but DEC will be shipping one with the 100+ that you can get
if you're still on a service contract, for free.  Actually I believe the
DEC retail stores have the program and will give you one for free;  if
you're dealing with some other store (like Computerland) they should also
have it and should give you one.  Any Rainbow you buy now will come with it;
DEC realized that not shipping it was a lose.

Letter-quality printers:  there are many, but the best I've seen
for the money is the Transtar (don't remember the model number).
It's about $600 and produces very good output.

Hope this helps...

- Larry Campbell
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