23 Mar
2000
23 Mar
'00
12:31 p.m.
::Hmm... not really -- it's not quite what I thought. Teletext and Viewdata
::normally use colour, chunky graphics (each character cell is divided into a
::2 x 3 mosaic grid), and a 40 x 25 character screen. So either this is some
::really simple device, or that's just a status display: is there any socket
::anywhere that could be a video or TV connector? Serial connector? Any
::others? What's marked on the keys?
No, it definitely doesn't hook up a TV. On the bottom is an acoustic coupler
that acts as both microphone and speaker. The keys say things like SEARCH,
INSERT, RCVE, LIST/PRINT, ON/STOP and LOAD/DUMP. There is a 1/8" stereo
jack on one side which the manual mentions might be connected to an RS232
port (hope someone can translate this! -- it's Dutch and my schoolboy German
can't figure out enough words):
** import text **
10.4 Andere printers
Voor het aansluiten van een andere printer dan de PXP 40 kunt u gebruik maken
van de meegeleverde kabel (zie afb. 4). De driepolige ronde steker past in de
aansluiting aan de linkerkant van de PX 1000. De drie losse draden aan de
andere kant van de kabel moeten worden verbonden met de printer, overeenkomstig
de handleiding daarvan. De drie draden hebben de volgende functie:
wit (A) uitgang naar printer
rood (B) ingang voor PX 1000 en voeding
afscherming (C) massa
De toesten LIST/PRINT, ON/STOP en de regeltoets hebben bij gebruik van een
andere printer dezelfde functies als bij de PXP 40.
De meeste printers met een RS232-ofwel V24-aansluiting zijn uitgerust met de
hier afgebeelde 25-polige connector, waarvan niet alle pennen zijn
aangesloten. De meeste printers zullen goed werken als u ze op de hiernaast
beschreven manier op de PX 1000 aansluit:
[ figure, RS-232 ]
[ figure, 1/8" three-connector jack ]
wit (A) pen 3
rood (B) pen 20
afscherming (C) pen 7
Verbind de pennen 4, 5, 6 en 8 van de 25-polige connector met behulp van
een draad met elkaar door.
** end import **
I can't seem to make out any sections on encoding or standards, but it
does offer private-key cryptography. Munitions, anyone? :-)
The funky thing is that the *box* is in English, not Dutch, and has a
picture of the English keyboard.
** import text **
PX 1000 TEXT TELL (R)
Press ON/STOP to switch unit on or to stop any operation. Press <__| to
read text line by line or to create a blank line.
< backspace |< line start
forward space >| end of line
V next
line V_ end of text
^ prior line ^ text start
This unit will switch itself off (50 sec.)
LIST to view first lines of all text in memory.
TEXT to start a new text.
MARGIN to set right margin (range 10-80).
INSERT (TXT) to insert characters (or a full text) within existing text.
To end "insert mode" press INSERT again.
DELETE (TX) rubout of characters (or a full text).
CLEAR ALL press twice to erace all text in memory
(de/encoding KEY is preserved).
CLR LINE to erase one line only
(from cursor to end of line).
CODE press twice to decode or encode text fully.
KEY to change de/encoding KEY: enter characters & press again.
To transmit text: see reverse side.
** end import **
Unfortunately there is no reverse side on the "box" picture, and the bottom
of the unit is of course in Dutch.
::If it's European, it will use CCITT tones rather than Bell tones (I'm
::assuming it's simple FSK modulation). The V23 standard is rather like Bell
::202 (V23 uses 2100/1300Hz and 202 uses 2200/1200Hz); half-duplex except
::that it has a modulated 75 baud back-channel, while Bell 202 has a 5 baud
::CW back-channel, a 387Hz tone keyed on and off for signalling. The answer
::tones are slightly different too. However, there's a small chance it might
::be V21, which is 300 baud full duplex. Again, though, CCITT V21 uses
::different tones to Bell 103.
What would a typical American modem use?
If it helps, the box brags it can send 4 to 5 pages (since the memory is
7400 characters, which the box says is 4 to 5 pages, I assume this is 7400
bytes) within 60 seconds. This can't be a whopping transfer rate.
This rotten thing is sounding more and more proprietary all the time.
Stinking Philips Corp. :-P But the units look cool, come in a sweet case,
and are very sturdy. You could give someone a nasty bruise if you whacked
them on the head with one.
--
----------------------------- personal page: http://www.armory.com/~spectre/ --
Cameron Kaiser * Point Loma Nazarene University * ckaiser(a)ptloma.edu
-- Room service? Send up a bigger room. -- Groucho Marx -----------------------