Date   : Mon, 21 Oct 1991 12:51:13 GMT
From   : bobsbox!gnat!cmcewen@rutgers.edu (Chris McEwen)
Subject: Re: Xerox something-or-other help?

techs@triton.unm.edu (Erik Fichtner) writes:
> i've come across this machine made by Xerox.  it's got a Terminal module that
> got the CPU inside it.. it's a Z80A machine.   connections on the back go to 
> Comm, Printer, Keyboard, and Disk Drives.
> 
> the disk drive module, is unfortunatly shot. (more specifically, the Shugart 
> hard disk is shot.. it's been blowing up fuses and power supplies left and ri
> needless to say, i've trashed it)   the floppy still works.  anyways..
> 
> the CPU module/Terminal thingy has  Xerox v5.00 (c) 1983  rom monitor.  
> I've managed to figure out most of the commands.. like assemble, insert, dump
> save, load, etc.     it's also got a command H)ost Terminal.   this thing wou
> make a very nice little terminal if only i could change baud rates.. it's stu
> at 300 bps. 

What you describe is a Xerox DEM-II. It is based on the Xerox 820-II, 
with the motherboard in the bottom of the terminal cabinet and an 
external drive cabinet about the size and shape of a PC, which holds a 
floppy and a hard drive. The parameters for the hard drive are set in the 
ROM bios (tracks, heads, etc.) so you will need to replace the Shugart 
100-4 with a similar model. Once up and running, it makes a nice little 
10MB CP/M box.

The Xerox CP/M line was based on the Ferguson Big Board, as was the 
Kaypro. Good lineage. The video attributes between the Xerox and the 
Kaypro are different, but port assignments and other machine-specific 
things are the same. A terminal program configured for the Kaypro will 
work out of the box on the Xerox.

Is it worth your while to get the OS for this box? I would say so. At one 
time, these units were hot tickets. You might ask Lee Bradley who runs 
his bbs on a DEM-II if he will give you a boot disk. Lee's board can be 
reached at (203) 665-1100.

The command to switch the terminal to a higher baud rate:

     At the opening prompt (before hitting H for Host Terminal),
     enter Bn where n equals the baud rate desired.

     5 =  300 baud
     7 = 1200 baud     E = 9600 baud
     A = 2400 baud     F =19200 baud

Then hit H to enter the host terminal.

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