[GreenKeys] USB-teletype adapters - Terminal Servers

[W2HX]

Hi Paul, et. Al,

You are correct it is not a common feature. I originally purchased a fairly standard lantronix unit. I really liked that unit until I discovered that I really needed this interconnect capability to switch my 8-bit tape reader/punch to different devices.  

The unit I have is a WTI model TSM-24. I have posted the manual here:
http://w2hx.com/x/WTI-TSM-24/

here is an excerpt from the manual:

"The full matrix capability of the TSM allows you to easily connect any two serial ports,
even when the ports are using different communications settings. Ports can also be
connected or disconnected by a third party with Administrator or SuperUser level
command rights, and system managers can swap various RS232 devices between ports
at a remote location."

I find this a great little unit. Right now there are some on ebay but for crazy money. I think I paid around $100 for mine. It's a great little unit!

Good luck!
Eugene W2HX

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Birkel [mailto:pbirkel at gmail.com] 
Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2016 1:20 AM
To: W2HX
Cc: greenkeys at mailman.qth.net
Subject: RE: [GreenKeys] USB-teletype adapters - Terminal Servers

Eugene:  Which brand/model terminal server device are you using?  I didn't know that any allowed you to cross-connect any two devices and then handle speed translation (etc.); nice feature!

-----Original Message-----
From: GreenKeys [mailto:greenkeys-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of W2HX
Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2016 5:11 PM
To: epvgk at limpoc.com; greenkeys at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] USB-teletype adapters

If I am not already, let me be the first to tell you this is absolutely brilliant. In so many ways,  you should be congratulated for this project. I am very impressed. Small touches like baud rate changes (and generation of the baud rate) and a local mode to allow you to set up parameters. Just brilliant.

As for me, I hate USB! In my shack, I have a lot of serial devices. From computers, to GPSDOs, one Cesium Clock, receivers that use serial control, b-bit CNC paper tape reader/punch, an S100 computer, a PDP-8/e etc, etc, etc. All of these use RS232 and are all connected up to a terminal server which is connected to my home network. This allows two things. One, I can communicate with any of these devices from anywhere in the house or anywhere in the world using telnet. Second, I can issue commands to the terminal server to cross connect any two devices and it will handle speed translation etc, for me. It is not an expensive device on ebay. I think mine has 24 ports.

I would LOVE to put one of your  devices onto my terminal server. This would be fantastic. Imagine, I could then connect my M28 to my IMSAI or PDP. I could use my M28 as a printer for my PC. I could have my GPSDO send its time or NMEA sentences to my M28. I could run all my 5-bit tapes to my PC in order to store them. I could interconnect my M28ASR and copy my 5-bit tapes to 8-bit mylar tape for long term storage by cross connecting to my CNC punch. And then print from the 8-bit tape (which would only contain 5 bits of data) to my M28. SO MANY ACTIVITIES (to quote the "Step Brothers" movie)!
All of these things would be possible by sending very simple commands to my terminal server (ie "/C 4 5" connect port 4 to port 5).

But for me, USB doesn't fit :( Maybe either, there could ever be a serial version of this board, or could I use some kind of USB-serial dongle of some kind?

One last question, the documentation mentions that ASCII characters that are unknown to ITA5 would be ignored. Is there an option to translate lower case letters to upper case before going to the TTY side of the circuit?

Anyway, GREAT WORK!
Eugene


-----Original Message-----
From: GreenKeys [mailto:greenkeys-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of epvgk at limpoc.com
Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2016 2:35 AM
To: greenkeys at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [GreenKeys] USB-teletype adapters

Hey, 

So I got the first few sample boards back for my USB serial teletype adapter. 
Miraculously I appear to not have screwed anything up in the CAD files, so they actually work. The assembly service only forgot a couple of parts :) 

I will probably go ahead and have a small batch built on the assumption that at least the people who responded to my previous mention of it will want some. 

I've done a little write up about it if you'd like to peruse and offer thoughts. 
I probably won't do major overhauls of the hardware, but the firmware is still a work in progress. 

Check it out at http://heepy.net/index.php/USB-teletype

eric
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