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From: robert@gitpyr.gatech.EDU (Robert Viduya)
Newsgroups: comp.sources.d
Subject: Re: Using a PC for a terminal
Message-ID: <3669@gitpyr.gatech.EDU>
Date: Mon, 1-Jun-87 10:48:55 EDT
Article-I.D.: gitpyr.3669
Posted: Mon Jun  1 10:48:55 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 3-Jun-87 00:44:47 EDT
References: <1149@carthage.swatsun.UUCP> <8601@tekecs.TEK.COM> <6828@mimsy.UUCP> <16906@amdcad.AMD.COM> <1731@ttrdc.UUCP>
Reply-To: robert@gitpyr.UUCP (Robert Viduya)
Organization: Office of Computing Services, Georgia Tech
Lines: 33
Keywords: termcap, curses

>levy@ttrdc.UUCP (Daniel R. Levy) (levy@ttrdc.UUCP, <1731@ttrdc.UUCP>):
> Some (all?) PC/clones cannot keep up with speeds > 4800 baud in the VT100
> terminal emulator (they lose bursts of characters, even with Xon-Xoff flow
> control).

This is just plain wrong.  I've written a comm program (vt100) that
gets about 9000 baud max throughput on a standard 4Mhz 8088 PC (running
at 9600 baud occasionally requires flow control, 7200 baud doesn't need
any).  This program is written in 90% C and 10% assembly.  If it was
entirely in assembly it could probably run at over 15000 baud.  Since
most clones are faster than a PC (8Mhz or a V20 or 8086 or various
combinations) they ought to be able to handle true 9600 baud with no
flow control.  And I when I say true 9600 baud, I mean characters being
pumped over the line at the maximum 960 cps sustained (assuming 8
bits/1 start/1 stop), which you might call "bursts".

> You want a PC, you buy a PC.  You want a terminal, well, I hope
> you get an AT&T terminal (plug plug :-) ).

Based on my experience with the AT&T 4425, I wouldn't recommend an AT&T
terminal if speed was a major criterion.  Now I don't have any
experience with any of the other terminals that AT&T sells (save for the
5620, which I'm not sure really counts), but the 4425 is the slowest
VT100 emulating terminal I've ever used.  I've not timed it, but I don't
think it'll handle greater than 4800 baud (certainly not 7200 baud).
Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad terminal in most other respects.

				robert
-- 
Robert Viduya						  robert@pyr.gatech.edu
Office of Computing Services
Georgia Institute of Technology					 (404) 894-4660
Atlanta, Georgia	30332