New England Corvus Transporter for DEC Rainbow 100

[shirsch]

I'm in NE, but will take one from wherever I can get one! Looking for the add-on board that interfaces with Corvus Omninet (twisted-pair) network.

 

[N. Brown]

Well, I could only think of two quick solutions for you, but both require some knowledge of electronics to do.
And possibly some one who can do PCB production and component installation.
> You might be able to find a ISA-Bus card base version some ware and would have to make up a bus adapter for the DEC. RB100 computer, OR:
..
> We have been remaking them by reusing the Corvus Omninet (twisted-par) cards from the APPLE II Computers, of course we don't reuse the FIRMWARE ROM, Custom PLA's for the Apple II. But the rest of the parts are the same, so I theory some one could make a bus adapter card to reuse it on the Dec RB100 computer. The RB100 memory expansion bus has some hidden facts about it. In the way it handles external interrupt request and a couple of other issues. So it would be easier to make a adapter to plug into the CPU socket with a new socket on it for the CPU.
> The Corvus Omninet adapter for the old Apricot x86 pc is another easy card to convert and add their DMA circuity with it.
The network software is easy to patch for MS-DOS use.
..
> The other thing is try to find a old external parallel version of the external Transponder, but you will still need the I/F card for the RB100 computer.
..
The Address and memory locations plus the software for the original Corvus Omninet adapter for the DEC. RB100 was available at a couple of other websites. But trying to find a original RB100 model good luck.
..
Hopefully this short message helps put you on a path for one.

 

[shirsch]

Where is that quote from? I had no idea there was a project to clone Corvus interface boards and would be interested in knowing more about this effort.

 

[pdevine]

There's also an Omninet card for the Victor 9000. I'd expect the DEC Rainbow card to be quite similar to the Victor card. There's schematics for the Victor card are here on page 79:
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/victor/victor9000/Victor_9000_Sirius_1_Options_Manual.pdf

There's also source code for the Omninet Victor card here:
https://archive.org/details/@pauldevine?and[]=subject:"VictorLAN"

It was re-branded as VictorLan, but it's standard omninet card with a different name. Much of the source code looks platform independent to me, without doing more than a cursory glance. Hope that helps with your endeavor.

 

[Al Kossow]

is there a picture of the rainbow omninet card around anywhere?

 

[N. Brown]

Unformal with the Corvus Systems Museum being now permanently off line, there is likely no chance of getting a photo of them.
There still could be other pictures of them out there, but if it is with a company doing a NDA service contract ( with Gov't like orgs)- good luck with that.
..
The archives there where more complete then the stuff at Bitsavers.org or at Archive.org websites.
This included the drivers and software for a lot of systems that where not at other websites.
..
I think it use to be at something like www.corvusmuseum.com. ? or some thing like that

 

[N. Brown]

Where is that quote from? I had no idea there was a project to clone Corvus interface boards and would be interested in knowing more about this effort.

Their has been some independent users recreating the cards for their own use, mostly re using the recovered Corvus Transponder cards for the Apple II computer.
Because trying to find a original card that not for a Apple II or an IBM Pc ISA bus is all most impossible to get now days.

 

[N. Brown]

There's also an Omninet card for the Victor 9000. I'd expect the DEC Rainbow card to be quite similar to the Victor card. There's schematics for the Victor card are here on page 79:
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/victor/victor9000/Victor_9000_Sirius_1_Options_Manual.pdf

There's also source code for the Omninet Victor card here:
https://archive.org/details/@pauldevine?and[]=subject:"VictorLAN"

It was re-branded as VictorLan, but it's standard omninet card with a different name. Much of the source code looks platform independent to me, without doing more than a cursory glance. Hope that helps with your endeavor.

Thanks for putting a direct link for an alternative Corvus's Omninet Card as the original website for Corvus Systems is no longer active.
Nor is the original support site for the Act Apricot PC IX computer that had the complete documentation and drivers disks. There are other websites but there archive is incomplete.
Some of the manuals have pages omitted from them and there is no active link to the original driver diskettes.

 

[Al Kossow]

I think it use to be at something like www.corvusmuseum.com. ? or some thing like that

That was Curt Vendel's site
The last IA snaphot is

Wayback Machine

 

[N. Brown]

Ya something like that - the captured (screen) images at the Wayback machine is limited.
I have other files that the download location indicated was from there, but there is no mention of them in the Wayback machine images.
Other files where from Eastern Block Countries or was downloaded from what was a Palestine website. Those internet address now come back as invalid or something else comes up.
Basically I wished some one uploaded them to the bitsavers.org and Archive.org websites before they got lost including the diskettes and PLA images with them. O well.

 

[shirsch]

I would have downloaded anything from Curt's site that was unique. Is there something particular you are after? I can check my archives.

 

[N. Brown]

As for Corvus Transporter for DEC Rainbow 100 from Oct 6, 2023 entry.​

I have some time to day to add some more information to it. The Other OMNINET Cards w DEC. RB100 is a note my me on which other Corvus I/F cards would be the easiest to convert for the use on the DEC. RB100 computer.
Most stock Corvus Omninet cards use a standard design like the schematic that I have included, for reference purposes.
..
Some members in/on this forum might be looking for some one to supply a complete unit. Sorry but that is not myself.
The last units we did for the DEC. RB100 computers was back in the early 2000's. There has not been any NEW PMT/FGC's
contracts since them.
..
Hopefully this entry helps to get the user shirsch some help in getting a replacement unit for the RB100 computer.

 

[shirsch]

Outstanding! That's the first schematic I've ever seen for an Omninet interface. The text file is interesting as well. Thanks for posting those.

 

[N. Brown]

I would have downloaded anything from Curt's site that was unique. Is there something particular you are after? I can check my archives.

I sorry, but back in your Oct 6, 2023 message it looked like you where looking for a Corvus Omninet (twisted-pair) network card for the DEC.
Rainbow 100 Computer. So that is what I based my original reply off of.
..
Do you actively have the real Corvus systems driver disk for the DEC. RB100 computer system ? as you where looking for a card.
..
As far as your archives, I guest you can always check for other manufactures Corvus Network drivers and cards.
The ACT Apricot PC-IX diskette. (The cards PLA is a minor issue as its only a peripheral device Address coder unit).
The Interface for the IBM system 23 as well (,this was likely 3Rd parity (could of been done by CORE))
Corvus I/F for Onyx systems.
Other Corvus hardware: The Gateway Interface units - SNA one mainly
Corvus also did a RLL and ESDI drive format version on the network Omninet drive as well. (but the serving data is now gone).
..
Well that's' about it for now.
Thanks' for reading

 

[shirsch]

I am looking for a Rainbow 100 Omninet interface, but I also have a sizeable collection of other Corvus interfaces, servers and utility devices along with a working Concept. Always looking for software, hardware and information on Corvus. I do not have the Rainbow-specific setup diskettes - one thing at a time .

I was unaware that they ever supported IBM minicomputers - learn something every day. Similarly I have never heard of RLL or ESDI based Omnidrives.

There are two sets of software that I'm very much in need of:

Support for Corvus flat-cable (pre Omninet) QBus adapter. For LSI-11 systems. I have the interface, but have never been able to locate any documentation or software.

The Constellation II support for Microsoft Softcard CP/M. All of the variously named disk images are actually Constellation I software. There was a 2 disk (or maybe 2 sided) set where one of them had the Apple Pascal volume name of A2CPM.1.

 

[shirsch]

I should amplify a bit more on the QBus interface. When it is paired with a properly prepared disk server the subsystem appears to RT-11 as an RL01/RL02 and does not need proprietary device drivers. The problem lies in a proper setup of the server volume. It uses firmware and media layout that's unique to RT-11 support. Most likely there were a couple of LSI-11 binaries that initialized the drive. Just need to find someone who has the 8" diskette on the shelf.

 

[N. Brown]

Thanks' for letting us know that the old Rt-11 operating system is in use, and not another OS on the LSI-11 based computer.