Re: Cards

[gt5460c@acmez.gatech.edu (Martin Tuck)]

David Frana (franad@svcc.cc.il.us) wrote:

: card 1- one chip has STD. 7x9 E
:                           (C) 1980 Videx
:         another Chip Has FIRMWARE 2.1 
:                          (C) 1980 Videx

	Sounds like you're the proud owner of a Videx Videoterm card.  The
Videx Videoterm card allows the display of upper and lower case characters
in 80 column mode on the Apple ][.  Special character sets (either user
programmed on EPROMs or provided by Videx) can also be installed.  It's
also a high speed (12000 baud was high in 1980) terminal display card;
additional firmware (in the form of a replacement chip) allows the Hayes
Micromodem II to work directly with the Videx to give a full functioning
terminal interface (with Ctrl-character screen navigation...etc.).  NOTE:
I'm not saying that one gets 12000 baud throughput with the modem, I'm
saying that the Videx communicates with the Apple at 12000 baud for "an
almost immediate response to all inputs" (from the manual).

	The Videx does not alter the standard Apple video output, so you
could (and usually did) use two monitors, one to show the Apple video
output (a color TV would do fine) and one with good resolution to show the
Videx output.  The Videx shows no graphics other than special character 
sets; if at the command line on the Videx display you type HGR, the
Apple display is toggled to graphics mode.  One of the neat features of
this is you can open a graphics screen on the Apple video and do all your
typing on the Videx video.  

	Not all of them are like this, but mine has a hardware switch to
toggle between display modes (after activating the card PR#n).  There is
also something called a Videx Switchplate which allows for the use of a
single monitor for both Apple and Videx output with no hardware switching 
required; this option most closely approximates what ][e and ][gs users
have with 80 column mode, but I still like the double monitors (if one has
the space).

	Oh yeah, the Microsoft Z80 Softcard automagically recognized the
Videx and used it for output.

	That's about as much of an abstract of the manual as I have time
for now.  I hope that helps.

			-Martin Tuck

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* smile just before I cry and then left me   *       Martin Tuck        *
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