[rescue] NCD Explora 700 Software

[Mike Dombrowski]

> > Subject: Re: [rescue] NCD Explora 700 Software
> >
> > ftp.ncd.com/pub/ncd/Archive/Binaries/Solaris/NCDwareV5.1.140.1_
> > Solaris_bin.tar.Z has something but as I do not have my terminal yet
> > I am unable to test. If this is not the real software
> 
> No, it's not the "real" software -- it's only the host-specific stuff,
> and in particular some replacements for, and additions to, various X11
> programs, boot support, printing support, etc.  It's not what you need
> to boot the terminal.

Darn, I thought that was maybe an older version of the software.
 
> you don't want to provide free access to licensed software, no matter
> how much you don't like the vendor.....
>

I guess you're right, that could turn nasty.

> > I'm also looking for 
> > docs.
> 
> The NCDware mauals, in both PDF and HTML form, are available from
> ftp.ncd.com.

I musta missed em, time to go back and browse that awful place.
 
> > Too bad the HP X-Terms aren't as nice as the NCDs from what I've
> > seen
> 
> IIRC there are some _very_ nice HP X workstations, but I don't really
> know much about them any more, and I've never used one (only played
> with them at computer shows...  :-)

I've never seen one with >16bit but then again I don't look that 
hard... might be time to start looking.
 
> > I really want 1024x768 16bit.
> 
> I don't think you'll get that exactly from any NCD.

The 700s and 450s will do that. That's a minimum of what I want, 
more rezies and more colors are better.
 
> The 19c and hmx are 1280x1024 8bpp.  The hmxpro24 is 24bpp.

Oooh, shiny, I didn't know they made such a thing.

> I _REALLY_ want an HMXpro24 (or two or three!!!)!!!!  :-)

Ja. Me too.

> > On a related note, how do you 
> > work with the serial/parallel ports that X-Terms often come with?
> 
> To just connect a terminal window to a serial port on the NCD you just
> pop up the console window and and select "New Serial.." from the
> "Terminals" menu.
> 
> You can also use the serial port for SL/IP, PPP, Xremote, or for a
> printer, or even for a console to the NCD itself.

Time to start reading the docs.
 
> From the setup menu you can start a TCP daemon that listens on any
> specified TCP port and dumps received data to the hardware port.
> There's even a "parallel" and "serial" protocol that must be
> documented somewhere.

Very cool, this is basically what I want but I'd also need 2-way.

> 
> > Is 
> > there a general platform-independant interface for controlling
> > these? 
> 
> Certainly -- TCP/IP or LAT, take your pick!  ;-)

LAT?
 
Mike