A question for the keyboard collectors, who also collect terminals

User avatar
AJM

28 Jun 2019, 16:41

Hi,
I'm thinking about buying an IBM 5251 terminal/screen for my existing 5251 keyboard.
I wonder, will this be only a decoration piece or would it be possible to get any kind of interaction between the terminal und the keyboard (without the actual computer behind it). For example: Will some characters pop up on the screen, which I enter on the keyboard, or something like that?

User avatar
Polecat

29 Jun 2019, 05:27

AJM wrote:
28 Jun 2019, 16:41
Hi,
I'm thinking about buying an IBM 5251 terminal/screen for my existing 5251 keyboard.
I wonder, will this be only a decoration piece or would it be possible to get any kind of interaction between the terminal und the keyboard (without the actual computer behind it). For example: Will some characters pop up on the screen, which I enter on the keyboard, or something like that?
On an RS232 terminal you can connect the Rx Data and Tx Data pins together on the DB25 connector, pins 2 and 3, and it will loop back and display what you type on the keyboard.

listofoptions

29 Jun 2019, 06:09

Polecat wrote:
29 Jun 2019, 05:27
AJM wrote:
28 Jun 2019, 16:41
Hi,
I'm thinking about buying an IBM 5251 terminal/screen for my existing 5251 keyboard.
I wonder, will this be only a decoration piece or would it be possible to get any kind of interaction between the terminal und the keyboard (without the actual computer behind it). For example: Will some characters pop up on the screen, which I enter on the keyboard, or something like that?
On an RS232 terminal you can connect the Rx Data and Tx Data pins together on the DB25 connector, pins 2 and 3, and it will loop back and display what you type on the keyboard.
right but isnt the 5251 a twinax system? iirc you need a terminator, not a loopback, or nullmodem. either way i do think the things have a self test mode you can put them in. oh and a buddy of mine had one and apparently there's two power switches, one inside the pop-top gullwings. digressing, there is a way to use it but the hardware is extra-ordinarily expensive. i recall taking a look here http://www.twindata.com/iocorp.htm but i dont recall if they had anything that converted from modern pc to terminal (iirc they only have a twinax system to modern pc converter) i wouldnt be surprized if some of the controllers for these IBM terminals had a controller or controller add-on that let them use ethernet or rs232.

User avatar
AJM

29 Jun 2019, 17:11

Thank you for your input. It doesn't sound so easy after all. Especially for someone like me - with very limited electronical skills.
This together with the size of the piece and the problems with transporting it has brought me to my senses and I think I better back away from that plan.

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