Subject: Ebay Don Lancaster Minicom term

From: John Lawson <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat May 24 19:27:35 2003

Okay guyz - here's your chance to get a late 70's Minicom IV
acoustic-coupled 110Baud data terminal from none other than the the author
of the TTL Cookbook, TV-Typewriter Cookbook, etc.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1247&item=2730754787

  Don't say I never told ya's nuttin'!

Cheers

John (who built a Lancaster TVT from scratch, on protoboards  - it worked)

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From: Dan Veeneman <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat May 24 19:45:13 2003

>http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1247&item=2730754787

The device pictured in the auction is not a 110 baud terminal.
It's a 45.5/50 baud TTY device, designed for deaf persons
(is that the current politically correct term?) to communicate
with other TTY-equipped parties via telephone.  A quick Google
search reveals new units currently for sale, direct from
Ultratec and from other vendors.  Here's the Ultratec listing:
http://www.ultratec.com/ShopDTTY_MCIV.html

I've seen these in thrift stores for less than $10.

Cheers,

Dan

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From: "Fred Cisin (XenoSoft)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat May 24 19:46:02 2003

It is really shocking that Don Lancaster would misrepresent a current
production TDD as being a "1978 era" dumb terminal. "easily brought up to
museum quality"  Can anybody believe that he doesn't know better?

He didn't even mention that they are Baudot devices and use a
modem protocol that is not compatible with Bell 103 (although some of the
newest TDDs also support ASCII, Bell 103, and even 300 or more baud)

If you have a documentable hearing impairment, there are phone company
subsidized (note the little extra charge on every phone bill) programs
that will loan you one long term for free.  Before buying a used one,
always check for the ownership sticker.

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From: "Fred Cisin (XenoSoft)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat May 24 19:47:01 2003

> It's a 45.5/50 baud TTY device, designed for deaf persons

I just sent him an e-mail (through e-Bay) saying:
"Does this differ in any way from a current production TDD?
(Telecommunication Device for the Deaf, low speed Baudot TTYs used in
place of voice)"

Will he acknowledge a mistake?

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From: "Fred Cisin (XenoSoft)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat May 24 19:47:48 2003

> Will he acknowledge a mistake? 

He replied, and acknowledged the mistake:

--- Forwarded Message ---

Apparently not.

I only recently found out that the current Minicom IV devices exist.

They make no sense whatsoever, since the web does a better job at zero
cost.
And since direct connect units could be built and sold for one tenth the
cost or less.

Reminds me of the days when Baudot teletypes were foisted off on the
deaf as a cruel hoax.
You had to be deaf to use a Baudot teletype.

--
Many thanks,

Don Lancaster

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: Sat May 24 19:48:20 2003

> I've seen these in thrift stores for less than $10.

10 bux?  Aggguh!  I own two of those IVs and one recent 4425, black 
keys were older versions, the newer ones were white keys plus any 
extras added as option and are currently in production.  I must use 
them to communicate to others via relay or to another person w/ tty.

In same era, Ultratec produced really good design & functicality in 
TDD compact.   It's an 2 line backlighted LCD matrix w/ few features 
including clock (!!), opens up like a tiny notebook, surprising 
good keyboard for an cliclet keys.  Runs on 4 AA for long time and 
extra cell for back up/clock.

The main failing was the orange ribbon cable that connects both 
halves splits from opening/closing flexings.  Must send it to 
Ultratec.  They won't sell parts.

I and other deaf friends moaned that nobody had designed newer TTYs 
that has good mono crisp LCD (I wish TFT), and do much more and lasts 
1 week on battery with features like the PCT (personal communciator 
telephone)  by french manufacturer years ago, now no longer produced. 
 Runs on V40 CPU, 9" mono on a clicklet sh!t of piece keyboard! :-)  
But damned it does stores so many auto-answer callers' messages and 
store list of phone numbers for "speed" dialing.  Superprint 4425, 
Pro80 and like does this similarily but uses power hungry VLD 
displays and very expensive, rechargeable battery (uses six AA 
rechargeable cells) that doesn't last long than 1 year before giving 
up ghost. etc, a charge runs about 15min if no main power available. 
:-P

Cheers,

Wizard (Deaf guy).

PS:  Pro80 prints on regular fax paper roll so that's almost an 
portable tty.  4425 for example uses narrow roll of thermal paper.
PSS: Yes I did repair all of those models listed.