13 Aug
2010
13 Aug
'10
8:27 a.m.
Dave McGuire <mcguire at neurotica.com> wrote:
Not at all, I just wanted to know what he didn't
like about them. The
only thing I dislike about VT420s is the non-removable power cables.
Huh? My VT420s have removable power cords...
William Donzelli <wdonzelli at gmail.com> wrote:
I do not like the VT420 due to MMJ, the relatively low
reliability,
and that CRAP power switch on the front. The keyboards are nothing to
write home about either, but DEC keyboards rarely are.
Interesting, how different peoples view can be.
The VT420 have both DB25 and MMJ, so I can't see how that could annoy
anyone. (As do all DEC terminals from the VT220 onwards.)
However, MMJ is actually very nice. Too bad it didn't catch on outside
of DEC. But I try to use it for everything I can at home.
The power switch I can agree on. I don't fancy that slider.
Keyboards... I know people have very different opinions on those, but I
think the LK201 and LK402 keyboards are wonderful. I really dislike IBM
PC keyboards. Way too long key presses, and to much klickety klack. And
all the copies of them are even worse.
The VT100 keyboard is not a favorite, though. That one also have too
much travel when pressing a key.
No, I can't honestly think of a keyboard I like better than the LK201
and LK401.
And I really think they layout is way better than what IBM dreamt up.
The reliability of the VT420 seems to be pretty decent. I've had many
more VT320 fail on me. But we have to remember that we're talking about
20+ year old equipment now...
Johnny
--
Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus
|| on a psychedelic trip
email: bqt at softjar.se || Reading murder books
pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol
14 Aug
14 Aug
12:47 a.m.
On 8/13/10 4:27 AM, Johnny Billquist wrote:
Mine do not. This is interesting. I know there was a variation of
the VT320 (yes 320) that had a removable power cord, but they're not
terribly common. Apparently there's a removable-cord version of the
VT420 as well. Interesting!
Not at all,
I just wanted to know what he didn't like about them. The
only thing I dislike about VT420s is the non-removable power cables.
Huh? My VT420s have removable power cords... The VT420 have both DB25 and MMJ, so I can't see
how that could annoy
anyone. (As do all DEC terminals from the VT220 onwards.)
Now waitaminute. I am staring at the back of both a VT420 and VT320
right now, on the table opposite my desk. Neither of them have DB25s,
only MMJs. The VT420 has what looks like a knock-out that's about the
right size for a DB25.
Apparently versions with and without DB25s exist as well!
That same (rare-to-me) VT320 I mentioned above that has a removable
power cord also has a DB25. Out of a few hundred VT320s that have gone
through my hands, it's the only one I've ever seen that has either a
removable power cord or a DB25. I've never seen a VT420 with either of
those, and until now, I haven't even heard of their existence.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
8:19 p.m.
On 8/13/10 4:27 AM, Johnny Billquist wrote:
Mine do not. This is interesting. I know there was a variation of
Odd.. Every VT1xx, 2xx and 3xx terminal I have ever seen has had a normal
IEC 'kettle plug' for the mains imput, and has a removable cable.
I wonder how different the 2 versions are. In particular are the case
mouldings the same. It's possible that the case is designed to take a IEC
plug, and that the integral-cable versions has a strain-releif that fits
the same cutouts in the case (Seen that on other equipment...)
I am wondiering if it might be possible to convert one.
-tony
Not at
all, I just wanted to know what he didn't like about them. The
only thing I dislike about VT420s is the non-removable power cables.
Huh? My VT420s have removable power cords... 
12:49 a.m.
Huh? My VT420s have removable power cords...
Some do, some do not.
The VT420 have both DB25 and MMJ,
Some do, some do not. Of the fifty or so I had recently, I think only
one had the DB25 in addition to MMJ.
However, MMJ is actually very nice. Too bad it
didn't catch on outside of
DEC. But I try to use it for everything I can at home.
MMJ "fixed" a problem that really was no big deal - people confusing
RJ45 serial with ethernet. I think the real reason was to lock people
into MMJ by doing the old lets-violate-the-standard trick. In my book,
DEC is guilty as anyone else here.
No, I can't honestly think of a keyboard I like
better than the LK201 and
LK401.
Mmmm...
The reliability of the VT420 seems to be pretty
decent. I've had many more
VT320 fail on me. But we have to remember that we're talking about 20+ year
old equipment now...
Yes, but these were built well towards the end of the monochrome CRT era.
--
Will
12:57 a.m.
On 8/13/10 8:49 PM, William Donzelli wrote:
Huh? I don't see how that can be. The 802.3i standard which defined
10baseT Ethernet on RJ45 connectors came out in 1990, while the first
terminal to implement MMJ was the VT320, which predates that by three years.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
However, MMJ
is actually very nice. Too bad it didn't catch on outside of
DEC. But I try to use it for everything I can at home.
MMJ "fixed" a problem that really was no big deal - people confusing
RJ45 serial with ethernet. 
15 Aug
15 Aug
2:23 a.m.
I think the US version has the attached power cord, and the international
one has an attached power cord.
Paul
On Fri, Aug 13, 2010 at 7:49 PM, William Donzelli <wdonzelli at gmail.com>wrote:
Huh? My VT420s
have removable power cords...
Some do, some do not.
The VT420 have both DB25 and MMJ,
Some do, some do not. Of the fifty or so I had recently, I think only
one had the DB25 in addition to MMJ.
However, MMJ is actually very nice. Too bad it
didn't catch on outside of
DEC. But I try to use it for everything I can at home.
MMJ "fixed" a problem that really was no big deal - people confusing
RJ45 serial with ethernet. I think the real reason was to lock people
into MMJ by doing the old lets-violate-the-standard trick. In my book,
DEC is guilty as anyone else here.
No, I can't honestly think of a keyboard I
like better than the LK201 and
LK401.
Mmmm...
The reliability of the VT420 seems to be pretty
decent. I've had many
more
VT320 fail on me. But we have to remember that
we're talking about 20+
year
old equipment now...
Yes, but these were built well towards the end of the monochrome CRT era.
--
Will
16 Aug
16 Aug
6:07 p.m.
Sorry- still on too many pain pills. attached cords were for US, 120v, no
cord were international.
paul
On Sun, Aug 15, 2010 at 3:40 AM, Dave McGuire <mcguire at neurotica.com> wrote:
On 8/14/10 10:23 PM, Paul Anderson wrote:
I think the US version has the attached power
cord, and the international
one has an attached power cord.
Um. Huh? ;)
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
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