[net.micro.cbm] c64 as a terminal

kurt@uwmacc.UUCP (kurt ruthmansdorfer) (01/14/85)

I want to use my C64 as a terminal primarily on BSD 4.2.

I want 80 columns so I guess I need an 80 column adapter and 
a decent monitor.  I have just started looking and the only 80 column
card I have found is from Protecto for $99.  Monitors seem cheap.
I think I want at least a 12" monchrome. Protecto has them for $99.

I have Commodore's cheapo modem and their 64term package.

Is this going to work? What else do I need?  Money is not  the
biggest concern, I want something that will work without hassle.
Can you recommend anything better?

What do you do about the UN*X characters that are not on the C64
keyboard? Or, are they all there someplace?  

What about a termcap for this setup? does any one have one or any pointers?

Are there any good terminal emulator packages?

I assume any responses will be interesting enough to submit to the net
but I will gladly summarize anything I get. Thank you.

vljohnson@watrose.UUCP (Lee Johnson) (01/15/85)

OK, you've shamed me into it.  I've been looking at requests for terminal
emulators and TERMCAPs for the C-64 for the last 5 months now.  Somehow,
I feel compelled to mention that I have an 80-column terminal program for
the C-64 which I specifically wrote with UN*X in mind.  The program, 
"M80" (I have a penchant for short file names), is a bit less than 5K of
machine language.  It doesn't look like any terminal I know of, so there's
a TERMCAP entry which goes with it.  I have been using it extensively without
problems.  You can even use vi (in slow mode it's not too unreasonable).

Features:

- 80 columns (using the hi-res bit map)
- cursor addressability, local insert/delete character, insert/delete line,
  forward and backwards tabbing (tab stops every 8 columns), erase to end
  of line, bell, and a *real* BREAK key
- all of the printable ASCII characters are represented
- simple monochrome graphics (move to point, draw to point) on the bit map
- escape sequences kept deliberately short (for 300 baud users)
- works with most Commodore-like modems.

Features which are implemented, but for which no user interface has been
written yet:

- programmable keys (assign any string up to 255 chars to nearly any key)
- keyboard can be redefined (without using the programmable key feature:
  this allows interesting possibilities such as *Dvorak* layouts).

Shortcomings:

- no upload/download capability
- lack of flow control (XON/XOFF or otherwise)
- no facility for autodial
- text clarity is limited (the usual problem of drawing 1-pixel wide lines
  on the hi-res map.  This may be better on a monochrome monitor--I use a
  1702 colour monitor).

I have held back from "announcing" this little gem because I feel it is
incomplete.  I would be willing to complete this program and release the
object to the public domain (I would keep control of the source) if there
was sufficient interest in the thing.  Users wanting to feed their input
into the final design should send their suggestions via mail.  I don't
promise to implement any or all of them, but I will give each one due
consideration.  I realize I may be opening the floodgates here, so please
keep the messages as short as you reasonably can.  Inquiries may be sent
the same way.

Regards,
Lee Johnson {lots of machines}!watmath!water!watrose!vljohnson

bill@caribou.UUCP (Bill's area) (01/17/85)

> I want to use my C64 as a terminal primarily on BSD 4.2.
> 
> I want 80 columns so I guess I need an 80 column adapter and 
> a decent monitor.  I have just started looking and the only 80 column
> card I have found is from Protecto for $99.  Monitors seem cheap.
> I think I want at least a 12" monchrome. Protecto has them for $99.
> 
> I have Commodore's cheapo modem and their 64term package.
> 
> Is this going to work? What else do I need?  Money is not  the
> biggest concern, I want something that will work without hassle.
> Can you recommend anything better?
> 
> What do you do about the UN*X characters that are not on the C64
> keyboard? Or, are they all there someplace?  
> 
> What about a termcap for this setup? does any one have one or any pointers?
> 
> Are there any good terminal emulator packages?
> 
> I assume any responses will be interesting enough to submit to the net
> but I will gladly summarize anything I get. Thank you.

Commodore is now selling the CompuServe VIDTEX terminal software program
under their label.  This emulator supports backslash, tilde, grave etc
and should works on UNIX (at least vers. V).  I found a Commodore 64
TERMCAP entry on the Vax/unix sig on CompuServe.  We have made some
modifications to it and it still is not quite right, but is close.
Vidtex - I believe - only works in 40 column mode as the TERMCAP entry
implies.

CompuServe's VIDTEX varies for different brands of microcomputers due to
screen and other parameters (co; li; so; se) etc. but generally is a vt52
variant (without reverse scroll ESC I).
Bill Louden
caribou!bill

Here is the TERMCAP entry.

#	1/10/85	Caribou Information Network
#	Corrected ce, cd and cl to actual VIDTEX parameters.
#	(discovered that ce and cd were reversed and that cl
#	was not ^L but an escape sequence.)
#	Bill Louden
#
#       Termcap entry added by Ralph Hightower NCR Columbia:QA/MPEE
#               for support of Commodore 64
#               running CompuServe's VIDTEX(tm) Software
#
#       Improvements are encouraged.  Please contact me on
#       CompuServe [70346,1667]
#       in the Commodore 64 Sig (PCS-156/COMM64)
#       CP/M SIG (PCS-47/SIGCPM)
#       Programmers' SIG (PCS-158/PROGRA)
#       or in the VAX SIG (PCS-16/VAXSIG)
#       or by mail:
#       Ralph M. Hightower, Jr.
#       NCR E&M-Columbia
#       Quality Assurance-MPEE (991)
#       3325 Platt Springs Rd.
#       West Columbia, SC 29169
#
#       or:
#       Ralph M. Hightower, Jr.
#       108 Ashwood Dr.
#       Irmo, SC 29063
#
#       Most of the entries are pure UNIX(tm); but some of the entries
#       are for MultiPlan(tm) and Ryan/McFarland COBOL as integrated on the
#       NCR Tower-1632.
#
#       Home key        = ^A
#       Left Arrow key  = ^H
#       Right Arrow key = ^F
#       Up Arrow key    = ^U
#       Down Arrow key  = ^J
#
#       Discovered key sequences for UNIX using VIDTEX(tm) Software:
#       Note: These are to specific to Commodore 64's only.  Please read the
#       manual specific to your machine and experiment.
#
#       pipe symbol: CTRL/!
#       reverse apostrophe: CTRL/'
#       left brace: CTRL/(
#       right brace: CTRL/)
#       tilde (squiggle): CTRL/-
#       backslash: CTRL/# (English pound)
#       escape: # (English pound)
#       delete: CTRL/INST-DEL
VT|c64vtx|CompuServe VIDTEX(tm):co#40:li#25:bs:cl=\EH\EJ:ti=^H:te:\
cm=\EY%+ %+ :cd=\EJ:ce=\EK:kh=^A:kl=^U:bc=^H:kr=^F:nd=\EC:ku=^U:up=\EA:\
kd=^J:do=\EB:kb=^H:kc=^M:so=:se=:sg#0:us=:ue=:ug#0:\
k1=\E1:k2=\E2:k3=\E3:k4=\E4:k5=\E5:k6=\6:k7=\E7:k8=\E8:k9=\E9:\
CN=:CF=:NM=:NB=:NR=:NS=:AL=:AB=:AR=:AS=:OV#0:\
MP=:MR=:NU=^N:EN=^V:
#
#End of termcap definition for VIDTEX