Phill's Research Machines Page

Machine Name    : Link 380z
Processor       : Zilog Z80A at 4MHz.
Memory          : 32K-56K
Backing Store   : Floppy, 144K 5.25", optional 241K 8"
Firmware        : 4K ROM containing bootstrap loader.
Screen          : Text 40x24, optional 80x24
                  Graphics 320x192x(8 from 256).
Other I/O       : RS232
                  Paralell printer
                  IEE488
    

The RM 380z was one of the first machines aimed at the educational market, it was indeed the first computer that my school owned. It also saw use as a scientific controller, asit was mounted in a sturdy 19" rack type case and like the Comodore machines of it's time also included an IEE488 interface.

Machine Name    : Link 480z
Processor       : Zilog Z80A at 4MHz.
Memory          : 64K
Backing Store   : Cassette at 1200 baud,
                  Floppy disk, optional.
Firmware        : 32K, containing OS, Microsoft Basic and Z80 debugger.
Screen          : Text 40x25, 80x25
                  Graphics 640x192x8
Other I/O       : Paralell printer
                  IEE488
                  Analogue Joystick
                  Optional network.
    

The Link 480z is the succsessor to the 380z, and was also aimed at the educational market. It came in two case colours, black to match the 380z, and also a cream colour. The one that I owned for a while was of the latter type.

Machine Name    : Nimbus 186.
Processor       : Intel 80186 at 8Mhz
Memory          : 192K-1Mb
Backing Store   : Floppy, 720K 3.5"
                  Hard disk, 10 or 20Mb internal, 20, 40 or 80Mb external up
                  to a maximum of 160Mb total.
Firmware        : Disk/Network BIOS and boot loader.
Screen          : Text 40x25, 80x25
                  Graphics 320x250x16, 640x350x4
Other I/O       : Mouse/Digital joystick
                  Mono & Colour monitor connectors
                  Keyboard connector for 84 key keyboard
                  Serial Port
                  Serial/Piconet port
                  Optional Network adapter
                  Optional External disk adapter
                  Optional Paralell printer port
    

An excelent machine for it's time boasting expansion from a single floppy based system with 192K of ram to a full blow hard disk based system with 1Mb of ram. The Nimbus 186, like the IBM PC, ran a version of Microsoft MS-DOS (ver 3.10), though you could not run RM MS-DOS on a PC or vice versa. The Nimbus can run in two modes, native Nimbus mode which gives you access to the extended graphics and sound capabilities, and IBM mode in which it emulated via software an IBM PC, allowing it to behave like a fast XT, with CGA. The Nimbus was designed as a network machine and most of them came with a built in network, which like ethernet, ran over 50ohm co-axial cable. The machine was also supplied in a diskless version that required a network server to boot from. My two machines where origonally like this, but I have since added single floppy and internal 20Mb hard disks to both of them. I also own an XW40, external 40Mb hard drive unit, and a non operational XT20 tape streamer, which I hope to get working.

Machine Name    : Nimbus PC286
Processor       : Intel 80286 at 8MHz?
Memory          : 640K, expandable to 4Mb?
Backing Store   : Floppy, Single 1.44Mb 3.5"
                  Hard disk, 20Mb?
Firmware        : IBM compatible ROM BIOS, Network BIOS on later machines.
Screen          : Text 40x25, 80x25
                  Graphics various up to 640x480x16, VGA compatible.
Other I/O       : Keyboard interface, for standard IBM PS/2 keyboard
                  Mouse
                  Serial Port
                  Bidirectional Paralell printer
                  Ethernet network on later models.
    

This machine is a lot more PC compatible than the Nimbus 186, having standard 1.44Mb drives, and it will boot a standard version of MS/PC dos. It was also designed primaraly as a network sattion, though it can be used stand alone if booted from floppy, or fitted with an internal hard disk. This machine was unuusual in being one of the few non IBM machines that used the MCA based bus for it's expansion cards.

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