Rainbow Owner's Manual

This document is the Owner's Manual for the Digital Equipment Corporation Rainbow computer (Model EK-R100E-OM-001), published in September 1983.

The manual serves as a comprehensive guide for users, covering the following key areas:

1. System Components & Features: It describes the hardware components of the Rainbow computer, including the monitor, keyboard, and system unit (which houses dual-diskette drives, power supply, and a system module with Z80A and 8088 processors). It highlights user-friendly design aspects and basic features of each component, such as monitor display options and keyboard functionalities.
2. Keyboard Operation: The document details the keyboard layout and key functions, including standard keys, editing/cursor control, numeric keypad, and special function keys. It explains how to use Compose Character sequences for special characters and the meaning of keyboard indicator lights.
3. User Configuration (Set-Up): A significant portion is dedicated to the "Set-Up" mode, allowing users to customize various computer features. This includes display settings (screen width, cursor style, background, scrolling), keyboard behavior (keyclick volume, auto-repeat, language/character set selection), and communication parameters for both printers and modems (baud rates, data bits, parity, protocols like FDXA, FDXB, FDXC). Instructions are provided for entering, navigating, saving, and recalling Set-Up values.
4. Connectivity: The manual offers detailed guidance on connecting external devices, specifically printers and other computers. It covers physical connections, cable types, signal pin assignments (RS-232-C, RS-423, CCITT), and the specific Set-Up adjustments required for successful communication, including using the Rainbow in terminal mode.
5. Diagnostics & Troubleshooting: It outlines internal diagnostic tests that run automatically on startup and diskette-based diagnostic tests to identify and isolate hardware issues. A dedicated troubleshooting section provides common symptoms, probable causes, and corrective actions, supported by an appendix listing detailed error messages and their resolutions.
6. System Expansion & Reference: The document lists optional hardware upgrades such as additional memory, a second diskette drive, a hard (Winchester) disk, extended communications capabilities, and a color/graphics option. Appendices also provide technical references for international keyboard layouts, character set translations, a parts list, a glossary of terms, and a comprehensive guide to Rainbow Control Functions (ANSI and VT52 escape sequences for programmatic control).

In essence, this manual empowers the Rainbow computer owner with instructions for setup, daily operation, customization, connectivity, and basic problem diagnosis.