I built a battery powered dedicated 'terminal' using the Lilygo board and a MAX3232 for my RC2014. It isn't documented anywhere, but if you attach a battery to the board,, there is a charge circuit built into the board (via the USB socket). One 18650 will power the terminal for days!
My first work “computer” was an old VAX terminal with a green screen. Endless hours of data entry into our old accounting system. 😂 This definitely brings back memories.
One of my first “real” jobs in tech had VT420’s connected, via DECServer terminal servers, to many VAXen, they’ll always have a sweet spot for me. I’m still on the search for an LK-451 keyboard for this one, the 471 there is a decent stand-in, but I really want that Do key. ;-)
I like the "roll your own" level of work here! - I've been using older thin-client systems for 5250 emulation (over 100Mb Ethernet), beyond the serial terminal functions they would also support.
i recently found an ADDS 1010 terminal in a warehouse. restored it, and it works like a charm. i even hardlined a serial port and i use it to chat with irssi. unfortunately it's extremely basic. it doesn't support VT100 features. so i wrote my own for a RP2040 and a MDA monitor. it's been a fun project.
Nice! A real, physical, one, especially a VT220 or similar is so much nicer and cooler. I have a 420 but more and more, as the value goes up, and the tube gets older, I’m terrified to use it all that often. I debated about taking it to VCFMW this year to set next to this terminal for a side by side, but fear won out.
Wow, thanks a lot for that, I tried to “get to the point” as much as possible so others could get something out of it quickly. I’ve been using it for a while now, having a dedicated terminal sitting there is massively helpful, especially one that you KNOW works. I’ve since put 3 of them on a small KVM and hooked up an old serial switcher to one so I can bounce around between them and various inputs. You know that old manual RS-232 switcher we all had years ago? The ones we all said we’d never need again? Yea, one of those. ;-)
One of my first computers was the DEC Rainbow 100B. I could use Kermit and a 9600 baud modem to log into a VAX/VMS BBS. No GUI. Those were the days...lol.
Looks good! I bought one of the ttgo-boards a long time ago, but in the end I went with a version of the Pico-based VersaTerm. Had quite a bit of problems with those adapter boards though, most have a cloned chip tag includes a nasty bug. If you power-cycle one of the ends, then it will sometimes start heating up (as in scorching hot). The versions with a DIP-chip don't seem to have this issue, but then again - they're pretty huge 😅
I have some old communications equipment that could be bought back to life with this setup. Trying to find good condition working dumb terminals is unobtanium now.
It really is, the same project, FabGL, has a VIC-20 “emulator” example, I’ve toyed with picking up a VIC-20 case and keyboard and using the ESP32 VGA to build one. Zero useful value other than “this is frickin weird”.
To get a color capable console, ensure your TERM variable is set to ansi… ‘export TERM=ansi’ To check, ‘echo $TERM’. You might be able to set the default TERM type in the getty service config.
I like this, but I am allergic to the idea of using an entire computer (the ESP32) to do something so trivial. (If you're going to use a complete computer, just use a computer, you know?) This seems much more like the kind of thing where an FPGA would really be ideal, though an FPGA would certainly not be cheaper or easier to implement. It really feels to me like an FPGA is the right tool for this job. FPGAs handle RS232, VGA, and HDMI with ease, and can go all the way up to resolutions like 1920x1080 and beyond, though not all the way to 4k. On the other hand, you would probably need to implement a CPU to handle all of the terminal compatibility and features that something like a DEC 525 terminal would support, so what do I know?
You’ll love the video on using an ESP32 just to turn on a light bulb then. Granted, it’s on a C64, but still relatively useless. Possibility for the sake of possibility is what inspired us to build the Internet.
It's too bad it's not easier to do the reverse of this (ie. VGA-to-serial). Anyway, pretty cool! Pine died some 20 years ago and mutt took over. Then there was Alpine but I stuck with mutt even though I preferred Pine. They were all relatively dead anyway once webmail and HTML made it so difficult to use old-school mail clients. I still send text-only even from web clients, ha.
Amazon: “jarrvz 4 Tier Printer Stand with Wheels Printer Desk, Multipurpose Office and Home Storage Rack, Removable and Fixed Printer Stand for Fax Machines, Scanners, Rolling Cart Stand Vintage Brown” I’m kinda amazed at how well it works, there’s even some room to DIY a couple shelves for more machines.
I had the Callisto 2 case 3d printed for a raspberry pi and run cool-retro-term on it as a terminal for my retro computers. Looks kind of like a Lear Siegler ADM-3 terminal. Short video of it connected to a pidp-8. th-cam.com/users/shorts_0ylpBaaKFM?si=DgodiIBHDMvxkx4m
I built a battery powered dedicated 'terminal' using the Lilygo board and a MAX3232 for my RC2014. It isn't documented anywhere, but if you attach a battery to the board,, there is a charge circuit built into the board (via the USB socket). One 18650 will power the terminal for days!
My first work “computer” was an old VAX terminal with a green screen. Endless hours of data entry into our old accounting system. 😂 This definitely brings back memories.
One of my first “real” jobs in tech had VT420’s connected, via DECServer terminal servers, to many VAXen, they’ll always have a sweet spot for me.
I’m still on the search for an LK-451 keyboard for this one, the 471 there is a decent stand-in, but I really want that Do key. ;-)
I just bought my dad a Televideo 920c terminal for Christmas since that's what he learned on when he was a child.
Awh, that’s awesome!
I use a 80x24 putty console for SSH, this looks fun! I've always liked barebones setups for SSH
I like the "roll your own" level of work here! - I've been using older thin-client systems for 5250 emulation (over 100Mb Ethernet), beyond the serial terminal functions they would also support.
i recently found an ADDS 1010 terminal in a warehouse. restored it, and it works like a charm. i even hardlined a serial port and i use it to chat with irssi. unfortunately it's extremely basic. it doesn't support VT100 features. so i wrote my own for a RP2040 and a MDA monitor. it's been a fun project.
Nice! A real, physical, one, especially a VT220 or similar is so much nicer and cooler. I have a 420 but more and more, as the value goes up, and the tube gets older, I’m terrified to use it all that often. I debated about taking it to VCFMW this year to set next to this terminal for a side by side, but fear won out.
This is the kind of video youtube needs more of. Thanks for the info. I have been struggling with terminal ideas for my 6502 SBC project
Wow, thanks a lot for that, I tried to “get to the point” as much as possible so others could get something out of it quickly. I’ve been using it for a while now, having a dedicated terminal sitting there is massively helpful, especially one that you KNOW works.
I’ve since put 3 of them on a small KVM and hooked up an old serial switcher to one so I can bounce around between them and various inputs. You know that old manual RS-232 switcher we all had years ago? The ones we all said we’d never need again? Yea, one of those. ;-)
One of my first computers was the DEC Rainbow 100B. I could use Kermit and a 9600 baud modem to log into a VAX/VMS BBS. No GUI. Those were the days...lol.
That was very useful - I have now ordered a board and RS232 converter. Just what I need when I get my Sun Fire V490's back out of storage !!!😀
Looks good! I bought one of the ttgo-boards a long time ago, but in the end I went with a version of the Pico-based VersaTerm. Had quite a bit of problems with those adapter boards though, most have a cloned chip tag includes a nasty bug. If you power-cycle one of the ends, then it will sometimes start heating up (as in scorching hot). The versions with a DIP-chip don't seem to have this issue, but then again - they're pretty huge 😅
I’ve been meaning to build a VersaTerm, but for $25 this one holds up decently well. Enough so I don’t have to be terrified taking my vt320 to shows.
@technicallyworking4real Either solution does what we want it to, so it comes down to be preferences - it's good to be spoilt for choice 😅
Thanks for the detailed info and links. Much appreciated.
Sure thing, hope it helps!
I have some old communications equipment that could be bought back to life with this setup. Trying to find good condition working dumb terminals is unobtanium now.
it's wild that the "dumb terminal" has more compute power than the mini or micro it's plugged into.
It really is, the same project, FabGL, has a VIC-20 “emulator” example, I’ve toyed with picking up a VIC-20 case and keyboard and using the ESP32 VGA to build one. Zero useful value other than “this is frickin weird”.
To get a color capable console, ensure your TERM variable is set to ansi… ‘export TERM=ansi’
To check, ‘echo $TERM’. You might be able to set the default TERM type in the getty service config.
Thanks for mentioning that, I completely forgot to in the video.
Wow, this video is very interesting and informative. Well done. Thank you.
Thx, hope it helps others out!
Cool project.
Excellent vid, subscribed!
I like this, but I am allergic to the idea of using an entire computer (the ESP32) to do something so trivial. (If you're going to use a complete computer, just use a computer, you know?) This seems much more like the kind of thing where an FPGA would really be ideal, though an FPGA would certainly not be cheaper or easier to implement. It really feels to me like an FPGA is the right tool for this job. FPGAs handle RS232, VGA, and HDMI with ease, and can go all the way up to resolutions like 1920x1080 and beyond, though not all the way to 4k. On the other hand, you would probably need to implement a CPU to handle all of the terminal compatibility and features that something like a DEC 525 terminal would support, so what do I know?
You’ll love the video on using an ESP32 just to turn on a light bulb then. Granted, it’s on a C64, but still relatively useless. Possibility for the sake of possibility is what inspired us to build the Internet.
You do realise that dumb terminals had microprocessors inside them? I fact that was one of the first uses for microprocessors.
@ yes…. And the entire ecosystem and environment of all of this has changed significantly. So let’s do it how it was done then?
It's too bad it's not easier to do the reverse of this (ie. VGA-to-serial). Anyway, pretty cool!
Pine died some 20 years ago and mutt took over. Then there was Alpine but I stuck with mutt even though I preferred Pine. They were all relatively dead anyway once webmail and HTML made it so difficult to use old-school mail clients. I still send text-only even from web clients, ha.
/bin/mail FTW ;-) man I feel old.
Thought this was RMS for a second
Wait... Richard Stallman has a brother?!
Wait, John Romero has a brother?
Is there any way to add dot metrix printer support ?
I’d lean towards ‘unlikely’
Hey what is the stand you have behind you with the c64 and display on it? I'd love to get that for my place.
Amazon: “jarrvz 4 Tier Printer Stand with Wheels Printer Desk, Multipurpose Office and Home Storage Rack, Removable and Fixed Printer Stand for Fax Machines, Scanners, Rolling Cart Stand Vintage Brown”
I’m kinda amazed at how well it works, there’s even some room to DIY a couple shelves for more machines.
I found this board had poor video quality, but Olimex make a compatible FabGL board which has much better video output.
Really, have to find that one.
I had the Callisto 2 case 3d printed for a raspberry pi and run cool-retro-term on it as a terminal for my retro computers. Looks kind of like a Lear Siegler ADM-3 terminal.
Short video of it connected to a pidp-8. th-cam.com/users/shorts_0ylpBaaKFM?si=DgodiIBHDMvxkx4m
That’s pretty cool.
whatever keyboard endup > 25$