COlor of PDP-11/23 Front Panel

pdr0663

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Jun 8, 2021, 8:25:03 PM6/8/21

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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

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Jun 9, 2021, 1:14:08 PM6/9/21

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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

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Jun 9, 2021, 1:45:50 PM6/9/21

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Vincent Slyngstad wrote:
> 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

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

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Jun 9, 2021, 4:58:53 PM6/9/21

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On 6/9/2021 10:45 AM, Lars Brinkhoff wrote:
> 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

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Jun 9, 2021, 6:47:37 PM6/9/21

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

Paul

Lars Brinkhoff

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Jun 10, 2021, 1:01:32 AM6/10/21

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pdr0663 wrote:

> Vincent Slyngstad wrote:
>>> 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!

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

Interesting, so maybe that is "Digital Brown".