collector
Experienced Member
can someone tell me about this machine. Does it run cpm software like the dec 100 (rainbow). Does it use the same monitor as the dec 100.
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Decmate II PC238-AA III
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Chuck(G)
25k Member
A trip to Wikipedia should answer most of your questions. But it was a PDP-8 based computer and nothing at all like the Rainbow 11. It uses its own software; most of the ones that I've seen ran WPS--a word processing package.
But WikiP says the PC238 as a DECMate III, so I'm a little confused.
You could get a Z80 co-processor board for it, but it wasn't standard equipment.
But WikiP says the PC238 as a DECMate III, so I'm a little confused.
You could get a Z80 co-processor board for it, but it wasn't standard equipment.
Micom 2000
Veteran Member
I picked up a DECMATE software folder many moons ago. It had a disk with one of those exploration apps that most companies put out as well as a 2(?)disk labeled WPS as well. Interestingly enough my 'BOW can read the explore disk. The pics and hardware descriptions were basicly identical to the 'BOW. The WPS of course wouldn't work on my machine.
L
L
Chuck(G)
25k Member
The WPS for DECmate is very strange, even to OS/8 and COS. The disk format is weird; the character set is basically 6-bit with escape codes. However, there was a version of WPS for the Rainbow (incompatible with the DECmate) and I believe even one for MS-DOS on the PC.
The DECMate I looks like a VT100; the II is the spitting image of a Rainbow; the III looks a little like a Rainbow that's been hitting the poutine too much--it's somewhat taller than the Rainbow.
There's also a somewhat-related DECStation that's stuffed into a VT52 case, but also runs WPS.
The DECMate I looks like a VT100; the II is the spitting image of a Rainbow; the III looks a little like a Rainbow that's been hitting the poutine too much--it's somewhat taller than the Rainbow.
There's also a somewhat-related DECStation that's stuffed into a VT52 case, but also runs WPS.
Lou - N2MIY
Veteran Member
The decmate II indeed does use the same keyboard and monitor as a rainbow. It will only run CP/M if the APU option is installed. It will run OS/278 and WPS.
I have one: http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/album.php?albumid=43&attachmentid=3047 and it is fully loaded. Somewhere I got all the disk images of most of the software and made real RX50s with imagedisk.
Here it is running CP/M : http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/album.php?albumid=43&attachmentid=3048 .
I have decmate (I) II and III all working. The VT52 looking machine mentioned earlier is a VT78. I don't have one of those yet.
The decmates all use the GE/Intersil or Harris HD6120 processor (second generation PDP-8 on a chip.) My personal interst in them comes from their 8-family heritage.
Lou
I have one: http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/album.php?albumid=43&attachmentid=3047 and it is fully loaded. Somewhere I got all the disk images of most of the software and made real RX50s with imagedisk.
Here it is running CP/M : http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/album.php?albumid=43&attachmentid=3048 .
I have decmate (I) II and III all working. The VT52 looking machine mentioned earlier is a VT78. I don't have one of those yet.
The decmates all use the GE/Intersil or Harris HD6120 processor (second generation PDP-8 on a chip.) My personal interst in them comes from their 8-family heritage.
Lou