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I know this is just a toy, but the curvature and saturation are massively exaggerated from what using these terminals was really like. This is really hard to lo

I know this is just a toy, but the curvature and saturation are massively exaggerated from what using these terminals was really like. This is really hard to look at for more than a couple seconds. In reality, the old VTxx terminals were much easier on the eyes, particularly the amber ones.

mmastrac 5y ago
Looks like you can adjust that: https://github.com/Swordfish90/cool-retro-term/blob/master/app/qml/SettingsEffectsTab.qml#L59 https://github.com/Swordfish90/cool-retro-term/blob/master/a...
reaperducer 5y ago
the curvature and saturation are massively exaggerated from what using these terminals was really like Depends on how much your company wanted to spend on terminals. I worked for a chemical company where we had hand-me-down Wangs from a different division that looked very much like these. This is really hard to look at for more than a couple seconds. Perhaps speak to your optometrist. When I was back in the office, I used this all day long on a 27-inch monitor with no problem. And I'm a graybeard. the old VTxx terminals were much easier on the eyes, particularly the amber ones I remember the amber terminals being marketed as easier on the eyes than the white or green ones I used, but I have no first-hand experience with amber.
- KerrAvon 5y ago
  I used amber monitors briefly and they were neat because they were different but I don’t recall ever seeing a study justifying the “easier on the eyes” claim.
ilaksh 5y ago
If you right click then you can go to Settings and reduce the curvature and tweak all of the effects levels. I hated it originally also but after turning a few things down and a few other things up (advanced tab "quality") it is much better.
KerrAvon 5y ago
I never used DEC VT terminals, but the curvature here does not seem exaggerated to me for other monitors circa 1980’s.
Maursault 5y ago
> I know this is just a toy No more or less than any other terminal emulator.
tyingq 5y ago
Here's a picture of an old kaypro, looks similar to me. Of course, it's a small screen, and the end user has the saturation up too high. https://www.nightfallcrew.com/wp-content/gallery/non-linear-systems-inc-kaypro-10/IMG_1578.jpg?9bb01f https://www.nightfallcrew.com/wp-content/gallery/non-linear-...
- caymanjim 5y ago
  Screen is curved, text isn't.
  - marcodiego 5y ago
    I think you're wrong. Didn't look at the code but it seems curved to me. Even reflection on the border is simulated.
    - caslon 5y ago
      He probably meant: "On a real display, the screen is curved, but the text isn't."
      - marcodiego 5y ago
        This is very hard for me to confirm: I don't have any crt close by and the crt's which I used more (late 90's) were already mostly plane. But I remember big crt tv's. Some of the biggest one's, had a form of "inverse" curvature to mimic plane panels of the time. I clearly remember one whose curvature was not constant over the screen and panning scenes had a weird effect of enhancing its deformities. So, I still think he is wrong even on this second case.
        classichasclass 5y ago
        There is some curvature on real terminals; here's my AM-75, which is a rebadged Wyse. https://oldvcr.blogspot.com/2020/06/refurb-weekend-alpha-micro-eagle-300.html https://oldvcr.blogspot.com/2020/06/refurb-weekend-alpha-mic... However, it's probably not as extreme as what this does, and when you're sitting in front of it (the photo is at an angle) I don't notice much text distortion.
marcodiego 5y ago
Do you mind sharing realistic settings with us?
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
Falkon1313 5y ago
Yes, the Windows terminal effects overdo that too. Sure there was a little blur, but nowhere near as smeary as they make it look (unless you had buttered your monitor or something). Monitors back then were much lower resolution, so the blur was subpixel. And monochrome monitors or black and white TVs (one part per pixel) were much sharper and clearer than standard color monitors or color TVs (three parts per pixel). There should be almost no noticeable blur if emulating those. Increasing font size to 16 and decreasing font weight to 'light' helps a bit to get it more realistic, as long as you keep the terminal window at about 80x25.
datavirtue 5y ago
Agreed. I would really dig this if it was a bit more realistic. I really miss amber monochrome and have had it at the back of my mind to build some css themes to mimick the old monochrome screens for years.

mmastrac 5y ago

Looks like you can adjust that: https://github.com/Swordfish90/cool-retro-term/blob/master/app/qml/SettingsEffectsTab.qml#L59 https://github.com/Swordfish90/cool-retro-term/blob/master/a...

reaperducer 5y ago

the curvature and saturation are massively exaggerated from what using these terminals was really like Depends on how much your company wanted to spend on terminals. I worked for a chemical company where we had hand-me-down Wangs from a different division that looked very much like these. This is really hard to look at for more than a couple seconds. Perhaps speak to your optometrist. When I was back in the office, I used this all day long on a 27-inch monitor with no problem. And I'm a graybeard. the old VTxx terminals were much easier on the eyes, particularly the amber ones I remember the amber terminals being marketed as easier on the eyes than the white or green ones I used, but I have no first-hand experience with amber.

KerrAvon 5y ago
I used amber monitors briefly and they were neat because they were different but I don’t recall ever seeing a study justifying the “easier on the eyes” claim.

ilaksh 5y ago

If you right click then you can go to Settings and reduce the curvature and tweak all of the effects levels. I hated it originally also but after turning a few things down and a few other things up (advanced tab "quality") it is much better.

KerrAvon 5y ago

I never used DEC VT terminals, but the curvature here does not seem exaggerated to me for other monitors circa 1980’s.

Maursault 5y ago

> I know this is just a toy No more or less than any other terminal emulator.

tyingq 5y ago

Here's a picture of an old kaypro, looks similar to me. Of course, it's a small screen, and the end user has the saturation up too high. https://www.nightfallcrew.com/wp-content/gallery/non-linear-systems-inc-kaypro-10/IMG_1578.jpg?9bb01f https://www.nightfallcrew.com/wp-content/gallery/non-linear-...

caymanjim 5y ago
Screen is curved, text isn't.
- marcodiego 5y ago
  I think you're wrong. Didn't look at the code but it seems curved to me. Even reflection on the border is simulated.
  - caslon 5y ago
    He probably meant: "On a real display, the screen is curved, but the text isn't."
    - marcodiego 5y ago
      This is very hard for me to confirm: I don't have any crt close by and the crt's which I used more (late 90's) were already mostly plane. But I remember big crt tv's. Some of the biggest one's, had a form of "inverse" curvature to mimic plane panels of the time. I clearly remember one whose curvature was not constant over the screen and panning scenes had a weird effect of enhancing its deformities. So, I still think he is wrong even on this second case.
      - classichasclass 5y ago
        There is some curvature on real terminals; here's my AM-75, which is a rebadged Wyse. https://oldvcr.blogspot.com/2020/06/refurb-weekend-alpha-micro-eagle-300.html https://oldvcr.blogspot.com/2020/06/refurb-weekend-alpha-mic... However, it's probably not as extreme as what this does, and when you're sitting in front of it (the photo is at an angle) I don't notice much text distortion.

marcodiego 5y ago

Do you mind sharing realistic settings with us?

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

Falkon1313 5y ago

Yes, the Windows terminal effects overdo that too. Sure there was a little blur, but nowhere near as smeary as they make it look (unless you had buttered your monitor or something). Monitors back then were much lower resolution, so the blur was subpixel. And monochrome monitors or black and white TVs (one part per pixel) were much sharper and clearer than standard color monitors or color TVs (three parts per pixel). There should be almost no noticeable blur if emulating those. Increasing font size to 16 and decreasing font weight to 'light' helps a bit to get it more realistic, as long as you keep the terminal window at about 80x25.

datavirtue 5y ago

Agreed. I would really dig this if it was a bit more realistic. I really miss amber monochrome and have had it at the back of my mind to build some css themes to mimick the old monochrome screens for years.