30 Aug
2023
30 Aug
'23
8:52 p.m.
I had a video board and keyboard on my Gimix SS-50 system.
Why?
1. The video board/monitor is much faster than a terminal even at
115,200 baud.
2. A Video board, keyboard and monitor was way cheaper back then than a
terminal (Yes there was the SWTPc CT64 and the Lear Siegler ADM-3A kits,
but fully loaded they weren't all that cheap).
3. If the video board supports any kind of graphics that is another
reason. The Gimix video board supported graphics with a RAM character
generator.
On 8/30/2023 2:38 PM, W2HX via cctalk wrote:
Hi all,
I recently acquired an S-100 computer, and it came with a video card and a keyboard (3rd
party products, not originally equipped with these). I am trying to figure out the
benefits of having a video card and keyboard vs just using a serial port and terminal.
Certainly if the video card supported graphics, that would be a reason to go that route
over a terminal. As for the keyboard, ok-maybe you need specific keys for a specific
application. But I don't understand the video monitor. I could understand maybe if
there was an RF modulator so that you could use a standard TV. That would save the builder
some money. But this computer just provides composite.
Other than graphics (and maybe some special function keys for an application on a
keyboard), why would an S-100 builder in those days opt to buy a video card instead of a
terminal?
Thanks for the bandwidth.
73 Eugene W2HX
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