RM NIMBUS X10 WITH PHILIPS CM8833-II MONITOR (TESTING)

While all my vintage / retro computers and accessories collection has been stored probably before 8th Nov 2007 in my mum's approx L: 8.05m x W: 2.31m triangle shaped, unfurnished internal loft with bare walls, no plastering, no loft insulation, nothing, extremely very dirty plus very restricted short height like 0.94m that I had to crawl exactly like Bruce Willis crawling through air vent in Die Hard (1988) without any lights or stairs fitted, due to lack of space in 2nd floor small bedroom while moving out from 1st floor bedroom approx L: 3.99m x W: 3.25m (used to be living room / boy's play room) with high celling approx 3.10m tall (after been living there since around 1998 / 1999 at the time, next door to huge sitting / reception room approx L: 5.28m x W: 4.55m with bay windows and high celling approx 3.09m tall before being converted into another bedroom - see Floorplan) to 2nd floor small bedroom L: 3.96m x W: 3.26m with very low celling (H: 2.56m) for my parents to sleep in my old 1st floor bedroom without the need for them to climbing up more stairs until my dad RIP has passed away in 1st Oct 2008 while my oldest brother moved back in to sorting out both my parent's huge master bedroom and converting huge sitting / reception room into mum's bedroom while living in parent's master bedroom after my dad has passed away.

So I had to use my dad's 15.4FT Aluminum Multi-Purpose Extendable Folding Telescopic Ladder except without any non-slip rubber feet or bottom bar with Rubber Protective Pads fitted and one of my Bayonet fitting Flexible Clip Clamp On Search Light Lamp Mains 2M Extension Cable Lead with 30m extension cable lead, as its very dark, cold and damp but yup, you've guessed it! Perfect condition for spiders, as it was fully covered with cobwebs, luckily didn't find any spiders. 

Anyway, after I've got some of my computers down from the attic including RM Nimbus X10 before moving out from 2nd floor small bedroom with low celling (living there since around Nov 2007) to my parent's huge master bedroom with low celling on the same floor around 10th Dec 2014, due to my very huge amount of stuff after my oldest brother has finally finished sorting out my parent's huge master bedroom while been living in that room, moving out for me taking over while my 2nd older brother moved back in his old 2nd floor small bedroom, using the 1st floor bedroom for storage while my mum sleeps in huge sitting / reception room after has been converted into another bedroom, during halfway through experimenting with Using Iomega Z100P2 on Amstrad PC 1512, I've find out my original Microvitec modified Colour CUB monitor has been damaged from moisture in damp condition attic, resulting water damage. Unfortunately, no more RM monitors available for sale or no suitable cables to buy for connecting RM Nimbus to TV via SCART. So I had no option except to search a suitable replacement monitor for RM Nimbus X10.

 

Fortunately, I'm very good with the knowledge side of all retro stuff, but only problem is I don't have any room space or suitable place for experimenting or access to use lot of various equipment to gain more computing experience. Since I've find out about RM Nimbus has TTL RGB output and Philips CM8833-II supports it as well looking at Andy Taylor's photo. I've searched all over the whole Internet for this monitor, but no luck. Suddenly, I've found the only last one in Germany via eBay. While, I was pretty desperate for this monitor and didn't really care how much it cost, I've decided to bid with maximum EUR 200 and won Amiga Monitor Philips CM8833-II - volle Funktion - guter Zustand, hoping this monitor will work in the UK, I think it should work as it says 220-240V on the back of the Philips monitor as shown in one of the pics below. All I can say is... FINALLY... I've got Philips CM8833-II Monitor at long last!! It wasn't very easy to look and trying to get hold one of them.

 

Philips CM8833-II Monitor Mk 2

 

Now, that Philips CM8833-II monitor is out of the way, next step is to find a cable from RM Nimbus to Philips CM8833-II monitor? It turns out, not very easy task to purchase ready made RM Nimbus RGB cable, so I had to ask Andy from cool-novelties to customized made cable for RM Nimbus to Philips with Pin Out link. I'm willing to make very fast payment via PayPal, no matter how much it cost. Fortunately, he replied back to me and according to Andy: "Philips CM8833 Mk2 is an excellent monitor for all retro gaming applications and is great for interfacing to." Phew! Lucky I've have the perfect monitor for RM Nimbus X10, otherwise I'll use for Sega Master System / Mega Drive or Amstrad 6128 Plus. He also, asked me about RM Nimbus have any audio output that you need cables for.

 

So I replied back to Andy with 3 scanned pages from my RM Nimbus Owners User Manual, as shown below.

 

 

With RM Nimbus Audio output, I'm a bit confused with pages 3.5 & 3.6. All I know there is only one built-in loudspeaker on RM Nimbus main computer case, but from 6-pin DIN Monitor (Mono) socket too? Then, that means I'm thinking that the audio will be in Mono output, not in Stereo sound, unless you can try to convert them into 2 phono (RCA) plugs.

 

I'm guessing that I'll need 2 separate cables - 2 metres long each as follows:

1 x 8-pin DIN (RM Nimbus - Monitor: Colour on page 3.4) to 9-pin D (Philips CM8833-II - RGB)
1 x 6-pin DIN (RM Nimbus - Audio output only from Monitor: Mono on pages 3.5 & 3.6) to 2 x Phono (RCA) plugs (Philips CM8833-II - Audio L & R)

 

In the end, we both accept the total cost for the cable of £15 (£13 + £2 P&P) via PayPal Invoice sent to my PayPal address and my instant payment via PayPal has been made, as well sending a green light to Andy for continuing with making customised 2 metres long cable - this is the first RM Nimbus he have made cables for me!

 

Good news, his both 8-Pin DIN Male to DB9 Male D-Sub & separate 6-Pin DIN Male to 2 x RCA Phono Male Audio cables has arrived to me on 22nd Nov afternoon. Unfortunately, I'm still waiting for my Philips CM8833-II Monitor to come from Germany, couldn't really wait for trying out our first time ever RM Nimbus cables now, really excited!!

 

 

Update on 24th Nov 2014:

After testing out the cable received from Andy, I've kept my word about letting him know how it went as soon after I've tested it out by sending him a eBay message dated 24-Nov-14 21:25:52 with some pics as follows:

 

Hi Andy,

I just want to let you know with the updates on our RM Nimbus cables.

I’ve a bit of both good and bad news, I’m afraid.

Good news: I’ve finally managed to get my RM Nimbus X10 up and running past the main start-up screen after of many hours trying to create 720k MS-DOS formatted RM Nimbus Welcome Disk Ver. 3.00C from RM Nimbus PC186 Software - B (500K) as well opening up my RM Nimbus and cleaning the inside. Unfortunately, my 10MB HDD is damaged, but I’ve managed to get my floppy drive working.

The picture output on Philips Monitor looks very awesome, very sharp & clear especially the start-up screen using RM Nimbus to Philips (RGB) Monitor cable with the following push in switch positions:

ANALOGUE / TTL: IN
CVBS / RGB: OUT

Bad news: Audio cable works perfectly with both internal loudspeaker & Philips Monitor Stereo Speakers at the same time – but only RGB cable disconnected (no picture output on the monitor).

If I connect the RGB cable, no audio coming out on Philips monitor speakers, only the sounds coming out of internal loudspeaker on RM Nimbus. I used ‘Sounds like Bach’ demo – see pic for testing out the audio cable. 2 metres long cables did helped a lot for me; due to lack of space in my bedroom however the audio cable is a bit longer than RGB cable. This one is very tricky, but don’t give up.

Since its Analogue RGB signal, I think you can make RM Nimbus to SCART cable (which is my original plan at the beginning, lol) similar to Amstrad CPC to SCART cable set-up but only problem is how to get the audio working at the same time with RM Nimbus to SCART cables.

Regards,
Jonathan.

 

 

Update on 25/11/2014:

While I was trying out to get more info about getting RM Nimbus sounds coming out from Philips CM8833-II Monitor speakers, I've joined BetaArchive Forum but everybody was more very interested about my RM Nimbus software collection after finding out from Retro Computers: Addition – RM Nimbus PC-186 web site and been helping them with my software contribution since as well getting MESS: RM Nimbus Emulator to work on my PC and other RM Nimbus projects.

Update on 27th Nov 2014:

 

I've received a reply back from Andy via eBay message as follows:

 

Hi Jonathan

Sorry for taking a while to reply. Bad news about your hard disk, hopefully you'll be able to source one on the net.

It sounds like it's a deliberate function of the Nimbus to cut the sound off from the external source when the TTL port is being used. I'm not quite sure why they would do this - but that's what's happening. I'll have a look on the net to see if I can find any reference to this.

The RGB signal is TTL and not analogue, the Amstrad CPC is analogue RGB hence scart cables work fine. However you could connect a TV via the audio port as the pin connections you sent me had a composite video signal on there. This would provide audio and video to the TV at a level the TV can handle, albeit at a loss of picture quality.

Kind Regards

Andy

 

Sending another message to Andy afterwards:

 

That's ok. Just been busy with trying to get a replacement Rodime 10MB HDD or maybe bigger one for my RM Nimbus X10 and another 10MB HDD for my Amstrad PC 1512 HD10. Both of these HDDs are the older MFM type which is extremely very rare. The same with RAM chips for upgrading my RM Nimbus from 512k to the full maximum 1MB is extremely very rare also.

So, far I've managed to upgraded my Amstrad PC 1512 HD10 to 640k RAM, as well got the 5.25" floppy drives working and found the similar original Sega Master System (SMS) with Snail Maze game built-in on eBay as a replacement for my original SMS back in 1989 which it got damaged by my oldest brother around 1999.

That's weird about RM Nimbus cutting off the sound when TTL is connected. I just don't get it at all. Speaking of TTL and analogue. I sort of playing around with the ANALOGUE / TTL push in switch positions on the back of CM8833 monitor. The differences between the two is TTL mode makes the colours on the Monitor to be a bit dimmed while the ANALOGUE mode makes the colours on the monitor much more brighter.

As for Audio port to the TV causes some disturbance / interference (or humming like as if connecting the Record Player / Turntable to the Hi-Fi system) noises on both my 22" HD TV (but no sound coming out from the TV) while the sounds coming out only on RM Nimbus loudspeaker at the same time when using Philips Monitor. Turning the TV off with audio (Phono) still connected to the TV, still have some disturbance / interference noises interference noise on RM Nimbus. Even the same thing when Philips Monitor switched off, still have interference affect on RM Nimbus.
 

Update on 19/06/2017 12:59:

 

According to Darren from RM Nimbus Museum website: "The new monitor you have is a rebranded Mitsubishi: https://www.thenimbus.co.uk/nimbus-parts-list/rm1404, the monitors prior to that were manufactured my Microvitec and was a modified CUB monitor."

I was keeping in touch with Darren via Facebook Messenger at the time since 8th Feb 2016 23:47 after he has found out my details on various sites for RM Nimbus as my username mentioned a lot regarding with RM gear while helping him by giving out missing pieces of the puzzle with something he doesn't have documented on his website as well allowing him to add my uploaded pics onto his site. 

 

I've realised that there are two RM Nimbus case designs, both my RM Nimbus X10 & PC2 (1985) from Matt are 1985 model design and the one I've purchased PC2 (1987) from eBay recently is re-designed 1987 version which is the one that I always wanted to get and these re-designed models especially PC1 (1987) version is the only one I haven't got in my RM Nimbus collection was used in both my primary (1989) and secondary (1991-1995/96) schools when I was younger. To be honest with you, I prefer rebranded Mitsubishi monitor more than the previous Microvitec monitor.

Fun Fact: Before RM Nimbus Museum website existed, no-one except me has got some RM Nimbus documentation, pics, software available at the time back in Sept 2009 - Retro Computers: Addition – RM Nimbus PC-186 web site after I've purchased my first RM Nimbus PC: X10 on Tues 12th Oct 2004, Darren has contacted me first via Facebook and been helping him with giving some pics, documentation, ideas to create his web site after I've been helping the others with my RM Nimbus software contribution on BetaArchive Forum.

 

Update on 10/07/2021:

 

While my Philips monitor is still going strong after using with both RM Nimbus X10 & Slimline PC-186, I've find out the easy way of RM Nimbus to Philips CM8833-II Monitor pinouts as shown below, also I've find out that Mitsubishi XC-1404CB monitor has the same pin out as Philips CM8833-II monitor, both pin outs are identical, just need to convert / make up the signal cable for either monitor to be used on RM Nimbus.
   

Research Machines Nimbus PC	Philips CM8833-II Monitor
Colour (TTL – 8 pin DIN – uses standard numbering) Intensity Iine sync Red Ground Blue Green 12V Frame sync	TTL RGB - Pin no. Ground Ground Red Green Blue Intensity n/a H sync V sync

Links:

• Information required: Pin-outs for the RM Nimbus PC 186 colour monitor connector | OFF TOPIC | Retro Computer Museum Forum

• RGB pinouts

• shmups.system11.org • View topic - DC to a Philips CM8833 II monitor?

Update on 22/07/2021:  

 

After finding the separate 6-Pin DIN Male to 2 x RCA Phono Male Audio cable, I've decided to give it another try on Slimline PC-186 while getting it ready for RM Nimbus PC-186 RS422 Communication with Windows PC testing. 

 

Unfortunately, having no affect on either I'm connecting or disconnecting 8-Pin DIN Male to DB9 Male D-Sub RGB cable, same with ANALOGUE / TTL push in switch positions and the same goes with CVBS / RGB push in switch positions but still having no audio coming out on Philips monitor speakers at all, just having disturbance / interference - humming like noises instead, only the sounds coming out of RM Nimbus internal loudspeaker using ‘Sounds like Bach’ demo – like the same way in previous pic as shown above for testing out the audio cable.