Any idea what this beauty is
Posted by auximines_minotaur@reddit | vintagecomputing | View on Reddit | 23 comments
I'm guessing some sort of terminal, but perhaps an early computer?
Terrible-Bear3883@reddit
Looks like a Basic four terminal - there's a post about them and others here - https://www.reddit.com/r/computers/comments/185kuzv/mai_basic_four_information_system_4301/
auximines_minotaur@reddit (OP)
Interesting. Yeah I noticed a "four colors" logo, which made me think, "Could this be a color terminal.....? Nah!"
Thanks for the quick response. Kinda sounds like it would be difficult to use one of these for hobbiest purposes.
Terrible-Bear3883@reddit
It looks on the wiring it uses Xon/Xoff rather than full signalling,pin 2-3 (on remote end), 3-2, 4-5, 6-8-20 on the wiring at each end, I'd try a cable wired like that using something like hyperterminal set for the same baud rate and Xon/Xoff, normally I'd start at 9600 or I'd try a local loopback cable, same wiring as above but link pins 2 and 3, then 4-5 linked 6-8-20 linked, if you type, it should loop back to itself.
enchomko@reddit
Where did you find the pin definitions? It seems like RS-232 from your description. If it is RS-232, then it would have value to old home computer owners like the SWTPC 6800 or any of the S-100 systems from the mid to late 70s (IMSAI, Altair, Polymorphics, etc.).
Terrible-Bear3883@reddit
I'm going by memory, I'm certain we had a white version of that terminal in our office/workshop many years ago, and (I think) a couple of the 4312 terminals, I seem to remember linking them up to our Alpha micro and other systems using that wiring, we worked with a lot of terminals like VT100, Hazeltine 1500, Ampex etc. in those days.
oldmagicstudios@reddit
Looks like something from Thunderbirds - stealing the shell design for a cyberdeck!
SomePeopleCallMeJJ@reddit
Must've been before they started making breakfast cereal. :-)
scootunit@reddit
It would be really cool too use that terminal to dip into a Linux system.
michaelpaoli@reddit
Can probably be done. *Nix, including Linux, does well support serial terminals ... even serial console. And I've done quite a bit of those.
dizzywig2000@reddit
Beautiful
hatecirclejerks@reddit
What a sexy thing to turn into a sleeper, if it isnt rare of course.
Preferablly without cutting or drilling, its possible, i stuck a mac mini into my se/30 case while having it be 100% reversable with no damage, would be cool to do to this...
sarajevo81@reddit
Some shitty UPPERCASE terminal.
Kasawery24@reddit
I was guessing it was a French Minitel terminal.
FlyByPC@reddit
No idea, but it would seem it processes a lot of Category I, whatever that is.
ExpensiveFroyo3513@reddit
Un basic four, blue, génial 👍
UnableDirector5442@reddit
I didn't know a vertical key that bug was possible.
lewisb42@reddit
It reminds me of some adding machines that had a big vertical addition key. Probably meant to help transition people used to that?
quickbanishment@reddit
Also love that it's just labeled with the Roman numeral "I"! Why so few Roman numerals in modern computing
neverJamToday@reddit
I've got a full suite of roman numerals on my keyboard. IVXLCDM, see?
MacAddict81@reddit
Probably has a stabilizer underneath, like a spacebar, only sideways 🤣
cch123@reddit
MAI Basic Four
MacAddict81@reddit
It's yours for the right price 👍
Mike1978uk@reddit
Google suggests an MAI Basic Four there are a few models - it will be a terminal..