Tatung Computer Forum

I'm not sure when I developed a masochistic need to "keep things authentic" and avoid sensible solutions like goteks, but now with a homebrew serial cable and EinTrans happily running under Wine in Windows 98 mode I am able to create some disks for my Albie. I have a random smattering of operating systems and SuperForth to get me started, but I'm missing a good terminal emulator (I exercise my retro gear by connecting to telnet BBS's via tcpser on a pi).

I've been through the "communications" folder at mikesretrotech.co.uk and can't see much at tatungeinstein.co.uk, but haven't found anything useable. I found something called TTY, but that seems to want me to short out a couple of pins on my serial cable - and I'm reluctant to rip it open as it is a miracle that it works at all. The version of Kermit that is floating about doesn't seem to have the ability to set basic comms parameters like baud rate. Does anyone have any other recommendations? I've been a bit spoiled on my Beeb with termulator and commstar.

Cheers,

Ian.

Hi,
Try running one under CP/M.

https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threa ... p-m.43540/

suggests IMP or MEX (I've not tried either, but did use ZIMP on a Zenith once).

Regards,
John

I'm tickled that this is still the most recently active thread having posted my question 8 months ago*, but I do have a follow up question ...

Is anyone maintaining a reliable serial connection on their Einstein at anything above 300 baud? I am trying UKM7EIN2.COM (a version of MODEM7) and TTY.COM - both from dsk images from Mike's Retro Tech and apparently tailored for the Einstein. They both seem able to set the comms speed up to 9600 baud, but I'm dropping characters and missing the start of lines at anything above 300 baud. My "modem" is a Raspberry Pi running tcpser connected via a serial to USB converter. I've tried all the usual flow control methods - RTS/CTS, Xon/Xoff and none - but it makes no difference. And tcpser and the Pi are working fine with all my other retro gear.

The other weird thing is that eintrans is working and transferring disk images at a reasonable speed - certainly better than 300 baud. The serial cable is set up as per the documentation for eintrans - just a standard null modem cable with rx/tx and rts/cts crossed.

So to get to the point, am I missing something? On the Osborne 1 there is a setup program to increase the serial port speed from 300 baud to a blazing 1200 baud - is there something similar on the Einstein?

1980s_john wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 9:48 pm Try running one under CP/M.

https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threa ... p-m.43540/

suggests IMP or MEX (I've not tried either, but did use ZIMP on a Zenith once).

John, I meant to thank you for the reply (8 months ago) - my (limited) experience of CP/M comms software is that I'd need to find or create an Einstein specific overlay for the display and UART. Not impossible but I thought I'd keep looking for Arnie specific software.

Cheers,

Ian.

* Don't get me wrong, this forum is a treasure trove of knowledge, just a slow burner ...