Talking of the 380Z...

[Tony Duell]

> 
> 
> I've just found that there are at least two case variants for the 380Z
> too; they have exactly the same connectors and panel blanking plates /
> cut-outs, but in a totally different arrangement, which seems a strange
> thing to do. (One styles does have the stencils for RGBS video signals
> on the back, but both types have the blanking plate / hole for the BNC
> video signals, so it doesn't seem to be the case that one type was never
> intended to have a colour board)

I don't think I've seen one with the RGB sockets labelled on the back 
panel. My RGB board, and the one I fitted to a machine back at school, 
had coloured dots stuck on the bracket hodling the BNCs to label them.

The intallation notes for the RGB board in my machine mention at least 3 
case variants : 

'For most black case 380Zs : facing the rear panel, remove the 
rectangular blanking plate on the lower right of the rear panel (behind 
the drives on an MDS-2). There may be one or two blanking plates, if two 
use the one nearest the righthand side. On a few black case machines a 
horizontally alighend rectangular hole was provided; this will need 
slightly enlarging by the user before an RGB board can be fitted

For blue-case (early model) 380Zs : consult Research Machines'

There were also at least 3 different front panels : no drives, 2 
horizontally-mounted full-height drives, and 2 vertically mounted 2/3rd 
height drivwa.


> 
> I'm still hoping to find out one day why at least one of RML's adverts
> shows a white-cased 380Z; I've never heard of anyone who owns such a
> thing.

I've seen a hard disk unit in much the same case as at 380Z but white-ish 
in colour.


> 
> I think at least one of my manuals mentions Tony's prototyping board in
> passing, but I've not seen any details on it though.

It's mentioned in the Information File IIRC...

-tony