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I have recently discovered that the MAME emulator can faithfully host a DEC vt240 terminal, and route the rs232 to a socket. I wish that I had known this befor

by chasil 4y ago

I have recently discovered that the MAME emulator can faithfully host a DEC vt240 terminal, and route the rs232 to a socket. I wish that I had known this before we blew a huge amount of cash on terminal emulation for our VAX. The worst was Reflections, which is over $500/seat (we didn't pay this much). MAME's vt240 isn't amber, but it is free. ...and I still have some amber HP 700/92 terminals on our elderly PA-RISC HP-UX.

somat 4y ago
I assume you looked into it, and I am misunderstanding your requirements, but if not, xterm is a very good vt220 emulator, usually better than other terminal emulators. We used the program "socat" to make a pty connected to a network socket. then you can hook xterm to the pty.
- chasil 4y ago
  This had to be a windows app in a package. The problem with xterm is that you likely need cygwin/x or xming, and that's too much baggage. We bought Reflections decades ago, and had hundreds of licenses, but it was telnet clear text. On my recommendation, we pushed stunnel to all our clients, and made redundant stunnel server gateways on Linux. Then a new boss said we needed to be on supported software, so we ended up on Bluezone Rocket. It was not Reflections, but it was not cheap. Our VAX is already on an emulator, and I only learned that MAME would do a vt240 after googling for a free OS2200 terminal emulator (MAME uts20, not yet working). We do have many museum pieces in my place of work. Have you ever tried to change directories in VMS? It's a long-winded ordeal.
tyingq 4y ago
If you need a standalone terminal, the Fabgl library has a VTxxx emulator that runs on an esp32. So it's pretty cheap to make a terminal from an old monitor, ps/2 keyboards and mice. http://www.fabglib.org/classfabgl_1_1_terminal.html http://www.fabglib.org/classfabgl_1_1_terminal.html There's also a LilyGo esp32 with all the right connectors already there for ~$12USD https://www.tindie.com/products/lilygo/lilygo-ttgo-vga-v14-controller/ https://www.tindie.com/products/lilygo/lilygo-ttgo-vga-v14-c...
- chasil 4y ago
  This probably wouldn't work, because the VMS apps we are running use a bunch of the really odd modes, double size, line drawing, inside-out (kidding), but it has to be perfect. The "invisible island" xterm guy really brags on the quality of his emulation, but it's just not a windows app.
anikom15 4y ago
You can make it amber using HLSL (you can find the preset I made for it in ini/presets/p3.ini).
wkat4242 4y ago
The 700/92s were great, those were the ones we had at college too. it was just sad that not many programs used their extensive function keys. I still have a hp-ux 10.20 at home for nostalgia but not the text terminals :'(

by chasil 4y ago

somat 4y ago

I assume you looked into it, and I am misunderstanding your requirements, but if not, xterm is a very good vt220 emulator, usually better than other terminal emulators. We used the program "socat" to make a pty connected to a network socket. then you can hook xterm to the pty.

chasil 4y ago
This had to be a windows app in a package. The problem with xterm is that you likely need cygwin/x or xming, and that's too much baggage. We bought Reflections decades ago, and had hundreds of licenses, but it was telnet clear text. On my recommendation, we pushed stunnel to all our clients, and made redundant stunnel server gateways on Linux. Then a new boss said we needed to be on supported software, so we ended up on Bluezone Rocket. It was not Reflections, but it was not cheap. Our VAX is already on an emulator, and I only learned that MAME would do a vt240 after googling for a free OS2200 terminal emulator (MAME uts20, not yet working). We do have many museum pieces in my place of work. Have you ever tried to change directories in VMS? It's a long-winded ordeal.

tyingq 4y ago

If you need a standalone terminal, the Fabgl library has a VTxxx emulator that runs on an esp32. So it's pretty cheap to make a terminal from an old monitor, ps/2 keyboards and mice. http://www.fabglib.org/classfabgl_1_1_terminal.html http://www.fabglib.org/classfabgl_1_1_terminal.html There's also a LilyGo esp32 with all the right connectors already there for ~$12USD https://www.tindie.com/products/lilygo/lilygo-ttgo-vga-v14-controller/ https://www.tindie.com/products/lilygo/lilygo-ttgo-vga-v14-c...

chasil 4y ago
This probably wouldn't work, because the VMS apps we are running use a bunch of the really odd modes, double size, line drawing, inside-out (kidding), but it has to be perfect. The "invisible island" xterm guy really brags on the quality of his emulation, but it's just not a windows app.

anikom15 4y ago

You can make it amber using HLSL (you can find the preset I made for it in ini/presets/p3.ini).

wkat4242 4y ago

The 700/92s were great, those were the ones we had at college too. it was just sad that not many programs used their extensive function keys. I still have a hp-ux 10.20 at home for nostalgia but not the text terminals :'(