njd@ihlpm.ATT.COM (DiMasi) (03/01/89)
I have a question for users of the OmniCom 80-column VT100
terminal emulator. (I know that there are some of you out there!)
Anyone who knows how to set up an 850 for different RS-232 speeds may
be able to help, too.
I have been using OmniCom for several years now, and recently acquired
the standalone ("shareware") version. I want to "upgrade" to a 2400
bps modem, but _will OmniCom work at 2400 bps?_ The documentation
says that the program may have trouble handling continuous incoming
characters at _1200_ bps, if there are no pauses (say, between
"screenfuls" of lines), under some conditions. (It also says that
OmniCom will use ^S (X-OFF) / ^Q (X-ON) flow control to keep from
losing characters. Of course, if the host computer takes too
long to respond to ^S, characters will be lost.) I have never
experienced a problem like this at 1200 bps. Also, I seem to recall
David Young (CDY) saying (a year or two ago? sometime before he
"retired," anyway) that he had been working on improving OmniCom's
speed, even to handle 2400 bps.
If it will work at 2400 bps (even with possible occasional
loss of characters, but I would hope that file transfer, i.e.
Xmodem and Kermit, work OK), does anyone know what to set the 850 I/O
parameters (or whatever they're called) for 2400 bps? OmniCom has
no speed setting for 2400, only 300, 1200, or "custom" for user-
specified I/O control parameters for the 850. I imagine that
any program that sets up an 850 for 2400 bps would have to use the
same (or similar) values.....
I want to know if 2400 bps will work before I spend money on a 2400
bps modem (I suppose I could try to borrow one, but I still would like
to know if there is any hope of success.)
Thanks in advance for any help or information.
Nick DiMasi njd@ihlpm.ATT.COM ...att!ihlpm!njd DELPHI: TURBONICK
Uni'q Digital Technologies (Fox Valley Software subsidiary;
^ working as a contractor at AT&T Bell Labs in Naperville, IL)
( | this is an accent mark, supposed to replace the dot over the 'i')gdtltr@vax1.acs.udel.EDU (Gary D Duzan) (03/01/89)
I have used Omnicom at 2400 with little problem (though I normaly use Kermit65). The custom option lets you set your baud by the parameters of the set baud XIO command. I don't know the number off the top of my head, but you should be able to find it in your 850 manual. The only reason XON/XOFF has to be used is the slow 80-column screen handler. Scrolling is particularly bad since it has to move a whole screenfull of bits. This isn't a problem with Kermit and Xmodem since they don't print the data to the screen. Your best bet, if you can do it, is to configure the system you are calling to clear the screen as much as possible instead of scrolling as it will go much faster. XON/XOFF speed isn't too bad a problem unless you are going through a network or two that don't support it (transparant). Also, in case you are thinking of using a PLATO system in ascii mode, don't bother. Control-Q is SHIFT-STOP on PLATO, so everytime the screen scrolls a few times in a row you will get kicked out of whatever you are doing. Not a fun experience. You may also consider picking up Kermit65. Flow control is optional in K65. Gary Duzan Time Lord Third Regeneration Atari Enthusiast Extreme p.s. For those of you who noticed, I am in fact no longer isolated from the net. Now you all get to put up with me for another semester. ;-] GD,TL,TR,AEE