modern serial terminal

[M H Stein]

Date: Sun, 4 Nov 2007 12:55:10 -0500
From: Dave McGuire <mcguire at neurotica.com>
Subject: Re: modern serial terminal

On Nov 4, 2007, at 12:39 PM, woodelf wrote:
>>>   I really cannot fathom why people keep suggesting a computer when 
>>> the OP wanted a *terminal*.
>> A 6809 terminal sounds easy. :)

>   And fun!
-----------------
A moot distinction; what's the difference? If you must have a terminal box
instead of just running your vintage hardware from the computer on your
desk, just take an old laptop, remove the (perhaps broken) display, stick a 
USB or Flash disk in it to boot and run emulation S/W from, plug in your 
keyboard, display and RS-232 cable and how's that different in any real 
sense from a fancy terminal? CPU, EEPROM, RAM and I/O; sounds the
same to me, and probably free...

Except of course for the added features of programmability, extra memory, 
up/download and text capture capability, network access, RS-232<>Internet 
bridge capability, printer & USB ports, alternate keyboard, modem, etc.

I've got a dozen terminals here gathering dust; my small 486 Compaq laptop
is portable and way more convenient. The only terminal I have kept on my desk 
is a Cromemco C-5 to run one particular HD diagnostic program because AFAIK
there isn't an emulator for Cromemco 3101-style terminals, but a couple of
us are working on it so I hope to be able to retire that one as well soon.

I have to admit that using an XT doesn't make much sense to me either though; 
why would anyone... (oh, oh, starting to sound like Tony...)

If you insist, I have a couple of 6502-based Linger 65/9028VT terminal
boards (abt 6"x4", Heath/Televideo/Hazeltine/ANSI etc.) and also a bunch of 
8631/8563-based Crestline CT-128 colour terminals in enclosures 
(abt 8"x5"x2", Intecolor, VGA/composite); the only catch is that there's no 
source available for the EPROMs AFAIK (although there _might_ be).

mike