[GreenKeys] Selectric I/O

[Randy and Sherry Guttery]

On 12/31/2010 7:05 PM, Keith Densmore wrote:
> Power to the Green in 2011,
>
> I came across an interesting old advertisement on Ebay for   a IBM Selectric
> Terminal. This unit was put together by a company called Data-Trans and was
> a 300 baud printing terminal.
> The ad is here
> 190361445421
>
> Any list members have, use,  or even know of the existence of any of these
> old terminals? I know IBM had several versions of Selectric Teminals over
> the years but most used non standard codes. But it might be possible to do a
> data conversion with some modern electronics.  It would be cool to see one
> running with HeavyMetal. Just trying to dream up more weird projects for the
> new year.
Back in the early 1980s - a company made a "kit" that 
consisted of several relay type solenoids that would "kick" 
the tilt and rotate bails under the keyboard (as well as the 
appropriate operational bails including CR, space, etc.).  A 
cable was then run from the modified Selectric to a (IIRC) 
blue box that contained a some electronics that converted 
RS-232 into the appropriate drive pulses for the solenoids.  
This was nearly identical to the modifications 
Sperry/Autonetics had installed on IBM Selectrics some 20+ 
years earlier - only their electronics "box" was the size of 
a desk.  IIRC that unit was also able to read the keyboard, 
though our equipment didn't have that capability. One of the 
other computers in the Nav Center could print letters; but 
we only had four bits - available for "the printer" - so we 
were limited to  + - .  1234567890 Space and CR. I don't 
recall the company that made the "kit" to interface the 
Selectric with a microcomputer - but I'll see if I can find 
any info on that in my old North Star "stuff"...

best regards...

-- 
randy guttery

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