Knowledge (XXG)

VT220

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Glyphs were formed within a 10 by 10 grid. The terminal shipped with a total of 288 characters in its ROM, each one formed from an 8 by 10 pixel glyph. Using only 8 of the columns left space between the characters. The characters included the 96 printable ASCII characters, 67 Display Controls, 32 DEC
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The VT200 series was extremely successful in the market. Released at $ 1,295, but later priced at $ 795, the VT220 offered features, packaging and price that no other serial terminal could compete with at the time. In 1986, DEC shipped 165,000 units, giving them a 42% market share, double that of the
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Normally the monitor sat facing upward at about a 15 degree angle. Because it was lower than head height, the result was an especially ergonomic terminal. On the rear bottom of the case was a carrying handle that could also be used to angle the monitor more foward. An extendable post could do so to
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keyboard, the VT220 was a new and very popular product. IBM's design team chose to emulate its LK201 keyboard layout. Key innovations that IBM copied were the inverted-T shape of the arrow cluster, the navigation keys above it, and the numeric keypad off to its right. Eventually the popularity of
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before them, had been packaged in relatively large cases that provided room for expansion systems. The VT200s abandoned this concept, and wrapped the much smaller 1980s-era electronics tightly around the CRT. The result was a truncated pyramidal case with the apex at the back, only slightly larger
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link up to 256 character codes were available, which included a full set of European characters. But when operating on a typical 7-bit link, only 128 were available, and only 96 of these produced display output as the rest were
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DEC's solution to this problem, NRCS, allowed individual characters glyphs in the base set of 96 7-bit characters to be swapped out. For instance, the British set made a single substitution, replacing the US's hash character,
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terminals. A standard 25-pin D-connector was also provided for RS-232. Only one of the two ports could be in use at a given time. Later DEC terminals would replace both of these with their proprietary
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the IBM PC would lead to the Model M layout becoming standardized by ANSI and ISO. Through those standards, minor variations of the VT220's keyboard layout have dominated keyboard design ever since.
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was present, it was positioned in the upper left corner of the keyboard. The VT220 moved it to the typical location for the f11 key, in the middle of the top row of keys. For users of the
358:. The VT241 is the color version of the VT240, consisting of the same V240 base unit with VR-241 color monitor. A VT240 can be upgraded to a VT241 by replacing the monitor and the cable. 719: 247:
series, providing more functionality in a much smaller unit with a much smaller and lighter keyboard. Like the VT100, the VT200 series implemented a large subset of
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The VT220 improved on the earlier VT100 series of terminals with a redesigned keyboard, much smaller physical packaging, and a faster microprocessor, the
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facility. It was much smaller and lighter than the VT100s version, and connected to the terminal using a lighter and more flexible coiled cable and a
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to the terminal, which decoded them into the character set memory. In later models, the same sixel concept would be used to send
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keyboard supplied with the VT220 was one of the first full-length, low-profile keyboards available; it was developed at DEC's
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Special Graphics, and a backward question mark used to represent undefined characters.
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The VT200s included the ability to make minor changes to the character set using the
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was the basic version, a text-only version with multi-lingual capabilities. The
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as well. Character graphics were a common example of these downloaded sets.
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than the CRT. This made it much easier to fit the terminal on a desk.
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even greater angles, allowing the monitor to face directly forward.
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Additionally, the VT200s allowed for another 96 characters in the
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in 1987. By that time, DEC had shipped over one million VT220s.
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system but became popular on computers due to the early use of
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Milton Campbell (April 1984). "The RT-11 Perspective: VT220".
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that could be selected among using a series of ANSI commands.
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did the same in color. The 200 series replaced the successful
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editor, in which it is heavily used, this was inconvenient.
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Another version of the terminal, the VT240, used DEC's own
659:"Why I Still Use a 34-Year-Old IBM Model M Keyboard" 320:
The VT200s were the last DEC terminals to provide a
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Computer terminal from Digital Equipment Corporation
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When operating on an 239:support to the base model, while the 7: 1636: 1329:Digital Storage Systems Interconnect 490:- VT100 / VT220 / XTerm Test Utility 410:, but there was a cost in doing so. 93: (equivalent to $ 4,000 in 2023) 1403:Dynamically Redefined Character Set 528:"VT220 Programmer Reference Manual" 427:Dynamically Redefined Character Set 1349:Synchronous Backplane Interconnect 395:National Replacement Character Set 322:20mA current loop serial interface 25: 688:VT220 workstation operating modes 545:Bartimo, Jim (21 November 1983). 282:that used white, green, or amber 1635: 1626: 1625: 1616: 1615: 572:Bright, David (31 August 1987). 199:The National Museum of Computing 1543:Maintenance Operations Protocol 278:. The VT220 was available with 644:. March 18, 1985. p. 68. 1: 1433:Mass Storage Control Protocol 729:Digital Equipment Corporation 532:Digital Equipment Corporation 508:Richard Shuford (1995–2005). 222:Digital Equipment Corporation 1523:Digital Federal Credit Union 745:(founder and CEO, 1957–1992) 224:(DEC) in November 1983. The 1667:Character-oriented terminal 1567:Sequence and Batch Language 1528:Dynamic debugging technique 365:DEC VT220 connected to the 1688: 1558:Record Management Services 1344:Standard Disk Interconnect 447:Prior to the VT220, if an 1611: 1592:The Ultimate Entrepreneur 768: 610:VT320 Soft Character Sets 35: 1255:DIGITAL Command Language 129:12 in (30 cm) 42:DEC VT220 terminal with 1581:Systems Research Center 1576:System Reference Manual 418:, with the pound sign, 1662:DEC computer terminals 1548:On-line Debugging Tool 443:Escape Key controversy 370: 209: 201: 510:"DEC Video Terminals" 369:of a modern computer. 364: 342:Modified Modular Jack 289:The VT100s, like the 207: 196: 1538:Local Area Transport 1296:National Replacement 638:"VT220 ESCAPE key". 255:closest competitor, 197:DEC VT220 in use at 1398:Digital Linear Tape 757:(VP of engineering) 167:serial printer port 32: 1621:Computers template 437:bitmapped graphics 404:control characters 371: 344:(MMJ) connectors. 218:computer terminals 210: 202: 161:20 mA current loop 87:Introductory price 1649: 1648: 952: 951: 334:Teletype Model 33 232:added monochrome 191: 190: 66:Computer terminal 16:(Redirected from 1679: 1639: 1638: 1629: 1628: 1619: 1618: 1413:Flip-Chip module 1306:Special Graphics 793: 774: 763:(CEO, 1992–1998) 722: 715: 708: 699: 670: 669: 667: 666: 655: 649: 648: 635: 629: 628: 618: 612: 607: 601: 596: 590: 589: 587: 585: 569: 563: 562: 560: 558: 542: 536: 535: 524: 518: 517: 512:. Archived from 505: 478:ANSI escape code 134:80x24 characters 92: 82: 80: 40: 33: 21: 1687: 1686: 1682: 1681: 1680: 1678: 1677: 1676: 1652: 1651: 1650: 1645: 1607: 1472: 1368: 1315: 1275:(Multinational) 1259: 1211: 1204: 1099: 1092: 959: 948: 927: 872: 820: 786: 782: 781:Instruction set 775: 766: 749:Harlan Anderson 731: 726: 679: 674: 673: 664: 662: 661:. 25 April 2020 657: 656: 652: 637: 636: 632: 620: 619: 615: 608: 604: 597: 593: 583: 581: 571: 570: 566: 556: 554: 553:. pp. 1, 6 544: 543: 539: 526: 525: 521: 507: 506: 502: 497: 474: 461: 445: 421: 417: 376: 324:(using a 8-pin 276:microcontroller 269: 237:vector graphics 216:is a family of 163: 159: 133: 117: 115: 90: 78: 76: 47: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1685: 1683: 1675: 1674: 1669: 1664: 1654: 1653: 1647: 1646: 1644: 1643: 1633: 1623: 1612: 1609: 1608: 1606: 1605: 1600: 1595: 1588: 1583: 1578: 1573: 1568: 1565: 1560: 1555: 1550: 1545: 1540: 1535: 1530: 1525: 1520: 1519: 1518: 1508: 1503: 1496: 1491: 1486: 1480: 1478: 1477:Related topics 1474: 1473: 1471: 1470: 1465: 1460: 1455: 1450: 1445: 1440: 1435: 1430: 1425: 1420: 1415: 1410: 1405: 1400: 1395: 1390: 1385: 1379: 1377: 1370: 1369: 1367: 1366: 1361: 1356: 1351: 1346: 1341: 1336: 1331: 1325: 1323: 1317: 1316: 1314: 1313: 1308: 1303: 1298: 1293: 1288: 1285:Code page 1288 1282: 1279:Code page 1287 1276: 1273:Code page 1100 1269: 1267: 1265:Character sets 1261: 1260: 1258: 1257: 1252: 1247: 1242: 1237: 1232: 1227: 1222: 1216: 1214: 1206: 1205: 1203: 1202: 1197: 1192: 1187: 1182: 1177: 1172: 1167: 1166: 1165: 1155: 1150: 1145: 1140: 1135: 1130: 1125: 1120: 1115: 1110: 1104: 1102: 1094: 1093: 1091: 1090: 1085: 1079: 1073: 1067: 1061: 1056: 1051: 1045: 1040: 1035: 1029: 1024: 1019: 1014: 1009: 1004: 999: 993: 988: 983: 977: 971: 964: 962: 954: 953: 950: 949: 947: 946: 941: 935: 933: 929: 928: 926: 925: 920: 915: 910: 900: 899: 898: 893: 882: 880: 874: 873: 871: 870: 865: 864: 863: 853: 852: 851: 841: 839:MicroVAX 78032 836: 830: 828: 822: 821: 819: 818: 813: 808: 805: 801: 799: 790: 777: 776: 769: 767: 765: 764: 758: 752: 746: 739: 737: 733: 732: 727: 725: 724: 717: 710: 702: 696: 695: 690: 685: 678: 677:External links 675: 672: 671: 650: 630: 627:. p. 170. 613: 602: 591: 564: 537: 534:. August 1984. 519: 516:on 2009-06-05. 499: 498: 496: 493: 492: 491: 485: 480: 473: 470: 460: 457: 444: 441: 384:character sets 375: 372: 315:telephone jack 268: 265: 220:introduced by 189: 188: 183: 179: 178: 173: 169: 168: 153: 149: 148: 140: 136: 135: 127: 123: 122: 112: 108: 107: 101: 95: 94: 88: 84: 83: 73: 69: 68: 63: 59: 58: 53: 49: 48: 41: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1684: 1673: 1670: 1668: 1665: 1663: 1660: 1659: 1657: 1642: 1634: 1632: 1624: 1622: 1614: 1613: 1610: 1604: 1601: 1599: 1596: 1594: 1593: 1589: 1587: 1584: 1582: 1579: 1577: 1574: 1572: 1569: 1566: 1564: 1561: 1559: 1556: 1554: 1551: 1549: 1546: 1544: 1541: 1539: 1536: 1534: 1531: 1529: 1526: 1524: 1521: 1517: 1514: 1513: 1512: 1509: 1507: 1504: 1502: 1501: 1497: 1495: 1492: 1490: 1487: 1485: 1482: 1481: 1479: 1475: 1469: 1466: 1464: 1463:System Module 1461: 1459: 1456: 1454: 1451: 1449: 1446: 1444: 1441: 1439: 1436: 1434: 1431: 1429: 1426: 1424: 1421: 1419: 1416: 1414: 1411: 1409: 1406: 1404: 1401: 1399: 1396: 1394: 1391: 1389: 1386: 1384: 1381: 1380: 1378: 1376: 1371: 1365: 1362: 1360: 1357: 1355: 1352: 1350: 1347: 1345: 1342: 1340: 1337: 1335: 1332: 1330: 1327: 1326: 1324: 1322: 1321:Bus standards 1318: 1312: 1309: 1307: 1304: 1302: 1299: 1297: 1294: 1292: 1289: 1286: 1283: 1280: 1277: 1274: 1271: 1270: 1268: 1266: 1262: 1256: 1253: 1251: 1248: 1246: 1243: 1241: 1238: 1236: 1233: 1231: 1228: 1226: 1223: 1221: 1218: 1217: 1215: 1213: 1207: 1201: 1198: 1196: 1193: 1191: 1188: 1186: 1183: 1181: 1178: 1176: 1173: 1171: 1168: 1164: 1161: 1160: 1159: 1156: 1154: 1151: 1149: 1146: 1144: 1141: 1139: 1136: 1134: 1131: 1129: 1126: 1124: 1121: 1119: 1116: 1114: 1111: 1109: 1106: 1105: 1103: 1101: 1095: 1089: 1086: 1083: 1080: 1077: 1074: 1071: 1068: 1065: 1062: 1060: 1057: 1055: 1052: 1049: 1046: 1044: 1041: 1039: 1036: 1033: 1030: 1028: 1025: 1023: 1020: 1018: 1015: 1013: 1010: 1008: 1005: 1003: 1000: 997: 994: 992: 989: 987: 984: 981: 978: 975: 972: 969: 966: 965: 963: 961: 955: 945: 942: 940: 937: 936: 934: 930: 924: 921: 919: 916: 914: 911: 908: 904: 901: 897: 894: 892: 889: 888: 887: 884: 883: 881: 879: 875: 869: 866: 862: 859: 858: 857: 854: 850: 847: 846: 845: 842: 840: 837: 835: 832: 831: 829: 827: 823: 817: 814: 812: 809: 806: 803: 802: 800: 798: 794: 791: 789: 784: 783:architectures 778: 773: 762: 761:Robert Palmer 759: 756: 753: 750: 747: 744: 741: 740: 738: 734: 730: 723: 718: 716: 711: 709: 704: 703: 700: 694: 691: 689: 686: 684: 681: 680: 676: 660: 654: 651: 647: 643: 642: 641:Computerworld 634: 631: 626: 625: 617: 614: 611: 606: 603: 600: 595: 592: 579: 578:Computerworld 575: 568: 565: 552: 551:Computerworld 548: 541: 538: 533: 529: 523: 520: 515: 511: 504: 501: 494: 489: 486: 484: 481: 479: 476: 475: 471: 469: 466: 458: 456: 454: 450: 442: 440: 438: 434: 433: 428: 423: 411: 409: 405: 400: 396: 391: 387: 385: 381: 373: 368: 363: 359: 357: 354: 350: 345: 343: 339: 335: 331: 327: 323: 318: 316: 312: 311:Massachusetts 308: 304: 299: 295: 292: 287: 285: 281: 277: 274: 266: 264: 262: 258: 252: 250: 246: 242: 238: 235: 231: 227: 223: 219: 215: 206: 200: 195: 187: 184: 180: 177: 174: 170: 166: 162: 157: 154: 150: 147: 144: 141: 137: 132: 128: 124: 121: 113: 109: 106:@ 11.0592 MHz 105: 102: 100: 96: 89: 85: 79:November 1983 75:November 1983 74: 70: 67: 64: 60: 57: 54: 50: 45: 39: 34: 19: 1590: 1498: 1458:Star coupler 1354:TURBOchannel 1200:Digital UNIX 1031: 751:(co-founder) 663:. 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Index

VT240

LK201
DEC
Computer terminal
CPU
Intel 8051
NVRAM
CRT
LK201
keyboard
RS-232
20 mA current loop
DE-9
VT100
VT320

The National Museum of Computing

computer terminals
Digital Equipment Corporation
ReGIS
vector graphics
VT100
ANSI X.364
Wyse
VT300 series
Intel 8051
microcontroller
CRTs

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