32
votes
Why did the VT100 terminal have to be connected to a host computer if it already had a processor?
"Having a processor" is not sufficient for something to be a general purpose computing device. The VT100 was designed for a specific purpose, and adding more features like storage and I/O ...
- 6,849
20
votes
Accepted
In this movie I see a strange cable for terminal connection, what kind of connection is this?
It's probably much like the Ampex 210. See page 2-7 of the Ampex 210 Operating Manual. Based on the position, it would be the primary RS232S port connected to a ribbon cable.
Ribbon cables were used ...
- 721
19
votes
In this movie I see a strange cable for terminal connection, what kind of connection is this?
25-wire ribbon cables were quite common for serial ports. See, for example, the classic breakout box:
I preferred using cables and adapters. Typically I would use 6-wire cables (ground, TX, RX, CTS, ...
16
votes
Why did the VT100 terminal have to be connected to a host computer if it already had a processor?
The 2MHz Intel 8080 ran at 290 thousand IPS (instructions per second), whereas the VAX 11/780 that a VT100 plugged into ran at 1,000 thousand IPS (aka 1 MIPS). Thus, 3+x faster.
Just as importantly, ...
- 688
15
votes
Why did the VT100 terminal have to be connected to a host computer if it already had a processor?
So why did it have to be connected to a host computer? Why not use its processor to perform computations?
Because a VT100, or terminals in general, are dedicated devices for a specific purpose. ...
- 213k
15
votes
What was the last terminal to include a physical bell?
To my memory real bells were only a thing with TTYs. After all, ringing a bell is just another lever to be moved when a character comes along - the very same way as any other printable character.
I ...
- 213k
12
votes
Accepted
Could Teletype Model 33 ASR console work on a desktop, without the dedicated stand?
Yes. At my university, the undergrad computing lab had rows of tables with ASR33 and KSR33 teletypes, with the latter probably being in the majority.
I dispute the 'most' part of the question. I'd ...
- 33.5k
12
votes
Accepted
Sending video to Telerate 9" Green Monitor
It is unsure if this will help, but it might just be the monitor after all.
The termination switch on the monitor is incorrect.
It must be set to 75 ohms. It is currently set to no termination which ...
- 28.3k
12
votes
Why did the VT100 terminal have to be connected to a host computer if it already had a processor?
Digital did make a standalone VT100, but it didn't use the built-in 8080. It used a 12-bit Intersil 6100 CPU chip and could run PDP-8 programs such as WPS-8. It was called the Digital DECmate VT278.
- 1,449
10
votes
Did any computer systems connect "terminals" using "broadcast"-style RF to multiplex video, and some other means of multiplexing keyboards?
The closest thing I know of is the IBM 2848 Display Controller in combination with IBM 2260 terminals. The 2848 generated, transmitted and stored video signals for up to 24 terminals. It did, however, ...
- 9,830
9
votes
Why did the VT100 terminal have to be connected to a host computer if it already had a processor?
At the beginning of the '70s it was more the limitations of memory than the processing power that was what was a terminal or what was a computer. You can see it when you study what early glass ...
- 3,649
9
votes
Sending video to Telerate 9" Green Monitor
If you can see the test screen from the converter, the converter is generating a signal the monitor understands, but the converter does not understand the input from the computer.
You are most likely ...
- 2,107
6
votes
Why did the VT100 terminal have to be connected to a host computer if it already had a processor?
What would you do with it? Its only connection was an RS-232 serial port, which connected it to a mainframe or minicomputer. It didn't have a disk for program storage, or even a cassette interface ...
- 1,695
6
votes
Which historical Unixes supported terminal I/O with five or six bits per character, and with what character sets?
They were supported by Unix System III with the DH11 and DZ11 asynchronous multiplexers (serial line interfaces for DEC systems).
While termios.h is only in POSIX systems, the constants come from the ...
- 772
6
votes
What was the last terminal to include a physical bell?
I think the Teletype Model 43, ~ 1980, included a mechanical bell. It has been a while - I got rid of mine around 1986. The service manual references a "bell coil" and "bell plunger&...
6
votes
Did any computer systems connect "terminals" using "broadcast"-style RF to multiplex video, and some other means of multiplexing keyboards?
Well, if custom build devices also count, I would present the SLS-Guckies :))
It was a quite unusual terminal system custom build based on telephone keyboards and TV sets, build for a none existing in ...
- 213k
5
votes
Did any computer systems connect "terminals" using "broadcast"-style RF to multiplex video, and some other means of multiplexing keyboards?
I think the Knight TV system built at the MIT AI lab fits the bill. A PDP-11 with custom add-on boards generated the video signals for a bunch of regular TV monitors. Separate hardware scanned ...
- 3,101
5
votes
Sending video to Telerate 9" Green Monitor
The monitor will display the HDMI/AV converters test screen, but not my actual computer signal.
Guess: The timing for your actual computer signal is wrong, probably because the HDMI input your are ...
- 26.1k
4
votes
Which historical Unixes supported terminal I/O with five or six bits per character, and with what character sets?
While many types of peripheral assumed fewer than 7-bits per character (i.e. did not support 7-bit ASCII), I think it's important to appreciate that just because termios supports a setting doesn't ...
- 2,279
4
votes
Could Teletype Model 33 ASR console work on a desktop, without the dedicated stand?
The Teletype Model 33 ASR console did not work on a standard, flat desk. That is why they were always seen in installations with the metal stand.
Of course, in theory it would always be possible to ...
- 581
4
votes
Could Teletype Model 33 ASR console work on a desktop, without the dedicated stand?
Could Teletype Model 33 ASR console work on a desktop, without the dedicated stand?
Yes, that was the most common version.
But for some reason the fashion shifted and most hard-copy terminals in the ...
- 213k
4
votes
Why did the VT100 terminal have to be connected to a host computer if it already had a processor?
Sharing
This is hinted at in other answers, but it really is the key. There were two ways that a video terminal (or a Teletype, for that matter) could be used:
Single User
A terminal could be a ...
2
votes
Why did the VT100 terminal have to be connected to a host computer if it already had a processor?
The vt100 VT 100 specs had a nice display, a nice keyboard, a RS232 interface, a slow processor, 8 KB of program in ROM and 3KB of RAM. You could probably use it as a calculator without RAM and a ...
- 367
2
votes
Why did the VT100 terminal have to be connected to a host computer if it already had a processor?
So why did it have to be connected to a host computer? Why not use its processor to perform computations?
What wasn't mentioned here before was the other direction:
Many computers were JUST computers,...
- 779
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible