COlor of PDP-11/23 Front Panel

[pdr0663]

Dear PDP-11 Team,

I bought a front panel from a PDP-11/23 on eBay to go with a frankenstein machine I'm making up. It's in pretty poor condition, and I want to restore it, so will need to be painted.

My question is, does anyone know the "official" color specififcations for these parts? It's a whitish beige color, as you'll all be no doubt familiar. I'm looking for a color specified as:
- RALxxxx
- Pantone xxx
- Rxx Gxx Bxx
- Commercial brand and color name or number.

Anyone know?

Paul

[Vincent Slyngstad]

Post by pdr0663
Dear PDP-11 Team,
I bought a front panel from a PDP-11/23 on eBay to go with a frankenstein machine I'm making up. It's in pretty poor condition, and I want to restore it, so will need to be painted.
- RALxxxx
- Pantone xxx
- Rxx Gxx Bxx
- Commercial brand and color name or number.
Anyone know?

There's an extensive discussion of DEC colors here:
https://www.vcfed.org/forum/forum/genres/dec/77767-reproduction-pdp-8e-toggle-switches

but I think you are basically looking for "Munsell N 9.5", which is a
shade of gray that is 9.5 out of 10 "white" (and 0.5 "black").

Here's the relevant standard:
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/standards/EL-00092-00-0_F_Finish_and_Color_Standard_Dec82.pdf

CHD's take on it:
http://www.chdickman.com/pdp8/DECcolors/

and mine:
http://svn.so-much-stuff.com/svn/trunk/so-much-stuff.com/pdp8/repair/dec-std.html

I found any number of calculators online which attempt to convert the
RGB values to paint colors you can buy. It's difficult because it's
affected by illumination, etc. Not to mention the color you had before
may have yellowed or whatever, so the shiny new color looks "off".

Fortunately, you're going for a neutral mostly white, so it is likely to
look fine in most light.

Vince

[Lars Brinkhoff]

Post by Vincent Slyngstad
https://www.vcfed.org/forum/forum/genres/dec/77767-reproduction-pdp-8e-toggle-switches
but I think you are basically looking for "Munsell N 9.5", which is a
shade of gray that is 9.5 out of 10 "white" (and 0.5 "black").
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/standards/EL-00092-00-0_F_Finish_and_Color_Standard_Dec82.pdf
http://www.chdickman.com/pdp8/DECcolors/
http://svn.so-much-stuff.com/svn/trunk/so-much-stuff.com/pdp8/repair/dec-std.html

What color is a VT100? I read all of the above, but I didn't see
anyting other than "Digital Brown" which doesn't seem to be the usual
color.

I'm 3D printing Michael Gardi's 2:3 VT100 model.

[Vincent Slyngstad]

Post by Lars Brinkhoff
What color is a VT100? I read all of the above, but I didn't see
anyting other than "Digital Brown" which doesn't seem to be the usual
color.
I'm 3D printing Michael Gardi's 2:3 VT100 model.

I may be clueless, but I thought the VT100 was essentially the same
white, with black trim.

Surviving examples are often significantly yellowed, though.

Vince

[pdr0663]

Post by Vincent Slyngstad

What color is a VT100? I read all of the above, but I didn't see
anyting other than "Digital Brown" which doesn't seem to be the usual
color.
I'm 3D printing Michael Gardi's 2:3 VT100 model.

I may be clueless, but I thought the VT100 was essentially the same
white, with black trim.
Surviving examples are often significantly yellowed, though.
Vince

I have a VT100, and I think the dark color is actually brown, quite dark.

Paul

[Lars Brinkhoff]

Post by pdr0663

Post by Vincent Slyngstad

Post by Lars Brinkhoff
What color is a VT100? I read all of the above, but I didn't see
anyting other than "Digital Brown" which doesn't seem to be the
usual color.

I may be clueless, but I thought the VT100 was essentially the same
white, with black trim. Surviving examples are often significantly
yellowed, though.

You may well be right!

Post by pdr0663
I have a VT100, and I think the dark color is actually brown, quite dark.

Interesting, so maybe that is "Digital Brown".