DEC VT100 vs. VT102 - what differences are there? - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

27 Jun 2008

Ethan writes:
...
  My recollection is that the VT102 always has features
that are described
 as options for the straight-VT100...
 I think that must be there because of the cost of SRAMs when the VT100 was
 introduced (weighting the costs in favor of the majority 80-column usage
 of the day).  I don't recall seeing any clones with that limitation, just
 the original VT100. 
The fact that the VT-100 has essentially an "expansion slot" in it made
some aftermarket upgrades available for it. Remeber the "Retrographics"
upgrade? It let it emulate a Tek 4014 type graphics terminal.

(I think the same company that made the Retrographics for the VT100
sold a version for the VT52 as well... different hardware-splicing involved.)

In the late 80's, a VT100 with Retrographics was the next best thing
to having a real 4014 in your office :-).

...
  There are probably a couple other minor differences. 
Somewhere, someone
 should have some DEC literature on the subject. 
The Kermit people use the VTTEST program as a benchmark for VT100
compatibility and they know it so well they know what bugs existed in the
VT100 but were fixed in the VT102. I think you can get bonus points in
the benchmark if you emulate the bugs as well!

 http://www.columbia.edu/kermit/vttest.html 

Tim.