RM NIMBUS PC-186 SERIAL COMMUNICATION WITH WINDOWS PC
FINALLY!!! YES!!! I've successfully cracked another unsolved mystery.... "RM Nimbus PC-186 Serial Communication with Windows PC" this morning around 11:52am, this time in order to prevent from damaging my prized RM Nimbus PC-186 PC2 from Matt, I've used my RM Nimbus X10 PC (only early model YD-640 Floppy Drive still works as both 3 x Rodime R0352 Type 02 10MB HDDs - 2 unused & 1 faulty and XEBEC 104786 SCSI SASI to MFM Disk Controller board are damaged) for experimenting, as my 1987 re-designed RM Nimbus 186 PC2 is no longer working as both floppy drives doesn't boot.
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I've 'borrowed' RM Nimbus 186 Memory Module Expansion board from Matt's PC for enabling "RM NIMBUS PC-186 IBM MODE SUPPORT v2.70" - COLOUR GRAPHICS ADAPTER (CGA) loaded up using this command: SETPC IBM /C via IBM Mode Software For Nimbus PC Rel 3 disk and then swap the disks around to use FastLynx software (FX) - copied onto blank 3.5" 720k formatted floppy.
Since my RM Nimbus X10 has Serial Data Communications Controller (DCC) board - PN 15179 ISS 2 already installed as COM1 - supplied when purchased, I've decided to give it a try using (PC side) 2m RS232 Serial Cable DB9 Female to DB9 Pin Male Null Modem Cable & 9 Pin Serial RS 232 DB9 Female to DB25 Pins Male AT Parallel Adapter Converter (RM Nimbus side) to my e-Machines 320 PC on Windows 98 SE and it works perfectly on 9600 speed.
Update on 17/8/2019 21:12:
I was wrong about 9600 speed, I just realised that it works much more smoothly and instantly on both directions using Baud Rate of 19200!!
Notes / Scans:
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RM Nimbus Terminal Emulator (VT100/TEK4014)
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| Page 2.1 | Page 2.2 | Page 2.3 | Page D.1 |
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| Page D.2 | Page D.3 | Page D.4 | Page E.6 |
- I totally 100% agree that Data Communications Controller (DCC) board
is both first choice to use and performs best on RM Nimbus - the easy way
as mentioned in RM Nimbus Terminal Emulator (VT100/TEK4014) on Page 2.1
(as shown above).
- I've purchased DB9 RS232 serials to RJ11 rj12 6p6c for leadshine servo motors or steppers·driUV from eBay on 09-Jul-19 22:36:24 BST
but it didn't work. I guess I'll need customised 6-way bell connector
(RJ11) to 25-way RS232C 'D' Female DB25 connector Null Modem Cable using
"2. Other connections to aux port" - Data Terminal
Equipment (DTE) in RM Nimbus Terminal Emulator (VT100/TEK4014) on Pages
D.2 & D.3 (as shown above) - see Piconet / Aux pinouts or Page TD 3.7. RM Nimbus PC Owners Handbook
6.2 (Page 197) 4.2 (Page 225) 4.5 (Page 228) PR 11 (Page 264) 
TD 3.7 (Page 348) TD 3.8 (Page 349) TD 3.9 (Page 350)
Update on 24/8/2019 02:30am:
- I've managed to create myself a modified copy of IBM Mode software + FastLynx software onto 1 x 3.5" disc and allowing to load both "RM NIMBUS PC-186 IBM MODE SUPPORT v2.70" - COLOUR GRAPHICS ADAPTER (CGA) and FastLynx automatically.
- Great news: I've found out that RM Nimbus PN12865 Issue 3 HDD SCSI Controller Card supplied with my RM Nimbus X10 still works perfectly by using the 34 pin connector on J4 to connect Seagate ST125N HDD from my RM Nimbus PC186 20MB for testing and it works!!
- Sucessfully transferring data from RM Nimbus X10 to Amstrad PC 1512 HD10 and visa versa without any problems.
- Sucessfully got PalmZip driver installed on RM Nimbus like the way I did with Using Iomega Z100P2 on Amstrad PC Series. Unfortanutely, RM Nimbus hangs up without gaining access to use Iomega Z100P2 - see pic below
Update on 29/8/2019 22:17:
Since I've purchased TRUE USB GQ-4x4 EEPROM FLASH CHIP PROGRAMMER PRG-055 | USB WILLEM GQ-4X v4.0, ADP-054 16BIT EEPROM 40/42 PIN ZIF ADAPTER V4.0 GQ-3X | GQ-4X | WILLEM | PLCC44 & UV EPROM ERASER | TOOL-007 | UV-C G4T5 | 4 WATT on 30/9/17 from eBay, I've successfully upgraded my existing IBM Mode Firmware Version from 1.32D to 1.32F EPROMs - copied from 186-PC2 using M5M27256 (32KB) ROM setting as follows:
Update on 31/8/2019 10:30am:
After reading Nimbus PC "How to use IBM Mode" manual, I've made a few changes in Autoexec.bat file as follows:
setpc /c
setpc stat
fx
setpc rm
also, I've added this line in Config.sys file:
DEVICE=CLOCK.SYS
Plus, I've transferred these files: Config.exe, Format.exe, Harddisk.exe & Piconfig.exe using MSDOS V.310 SYSTEM AND WELCOME DISK RELEASE 3.02A 4.11.85 from e-Machines PC to RM Nimbus onto my modified copy of IBM Mode software disk.
Update on 9/9/2020 23:21:
I've decided to be fitted with a HDD replacement using an SD card - SCSI2SD
Update on 9/12/2020 15:48:
To be honest with you, I gotta admit that RM Nimbus PC-386/20 Serial communication to Windows based PC is much more easier as it works exactly the same way as Amstrad PC Serial Communication with Windows PC than RM Nimbus PC-186 Serial Communication as it requires to have at least 1MB of memory via RM Nimbus 186 Memory Module Expansion board, IBM Mode Utility Board Card and Serial Data Communications Controller (DCC) board installed first before loading up both IBM Mode + FastLynx software - PC 186 automatically but with RM Nimbus PC-386, there is no need to have all of this, just use FastLynx software - PC 386 and it'll load up automatically after you've connected Null-Modem cable to both ends of the PCs and you're good to go, simple as that - the easy way!
Update on 17/3/2021 01:23:
I've managed to updated my modified copy of IBM Mode v2.90 software - PC 186, same as above except with having MS-DOS 3.10 release 3.10C, IBM Mode Support v2.90 and containing one small line change in Autoexec.bat file: setpc /c=0,1,14,13 for selecting particular colours, attempting of trying to match with the colours from FastLynx main screen on Windows PC.
Unfortunately, when COLOUR GRAPHICS ADAPTER (CGA) is selected, RM Nimbus PC has restricted to use only 4 colours in 80-column text display out of 16 colours in RM Nimbus PC palette, but with FastLynx software, so far I've managed to changed 2 out of 4 colours - background = 0 (Black) - default, foreground = 1 (Dark Blue), reverse = 14 (Yellow) - default & highlight = 13 (Light Cyan) and that's probably the closest I'll ever get.
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