Re: Consoles old and new

[Kevin Chieff <chieff%scrc-pegasus@WARBUCKS.AI.SRI.COM>]

It's my understanding that the newer style consoles, (ribbed enclosure
with the screen tilting within the frame) are a complete redesign, and
use a 100MHz PE video signal, where all four variations of the older 
console used an 80MHz PE video.  So... L machines with PE video (that
is, 364x, 367x, and 3600 with the PE upgrade) will work with all four
variations of the older console only.  G machines can work with either
console, but the console electronics inside the G machine (an SLB
console interface board) is different, dependent on whether you're
driving an 80MHz or 100MHz console, and the XL400 only drives the new
100MHz console.  As to the four variations of the older console, I 
believe they are as follows:  I forget which order, but Phillips and
Moniterm made the original two consoles, they had slotted top panels,
and could only be differentiated visually by peering inside at the
adjustments, or other identifying characteristics.  Smbx then began
producing much of the console in house, and that console utilized the
solid top.  The fourth console is the grey solid top console, identical
to the third Smbx own console, except for the cosmetic change to match
the color of the 3620's and 3630's that it was shipped with.
Personal opinion on reliability - the consoles have steadily improved
in reliability in the order in which Smbx released them, to the point 
that the solid top consoles and new ribbed consoles generate nowhere
near the calls that the older consoles did.  That's based on observation
of the 150 or so consoles in the customer base here in NJ.