Lear-Siegler Terminals (such as ADM-3A)

<#>=<#>=<#>=<#>=<#>=<#>=<#>=<#>=<#>=<#>=<#>=<#>=<#>=<#>=<#>=<#>=<#>=<#>=<#>=<#>

As of 2004-01-08, see the ADM-3 user manual, each page a GIF-encoded image, at:

    http://members.cox.net/oldcomp/lsi.htm

(courtesy of Bryan Blackburn)

An ADM-3 maintenance manual may be found here:

    http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/learSiegler/

 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Newsgroups: comp.terminals
NNTP-Posting-Host: 67.180.193.211
NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2006 00:26:31 -0600
Message-ID: <ruidnbvZc5wK_MTYnZ2dnUVZ_sudnZ2d@comcast.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2006 22:26:31 -0800
From: scott moore <nospam@nowhere.com>
Subject: ADM 3A terminal questions

Hi, I have programmed the functionality of an ADM 3A into an
FPGA. I could use some information from anyone who has an
ADM 3A or knows how it works. I have several operators manuals
for the unit, from 1979, 1981 and 1986, but they do not cover
the specifics I need.

If possible, I could use answers to the following questions:

1. When the screen is cleared with ctrl-z, does this also
   home the cursor?

2. What is the action of the terminal if the cursor goes off
   screen with a ctrl-l to the right? To the left with ctrl-h?
   Off the top with ctrl-k?

3. What year did the ADM 3A get block graphics?

Thank you.

Scott Moore

 ..............................................................................

Newsgroups: comp.terminals
NNTP-Posting-Host: xmission.xmission.com
NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2006 18:27:07 +0000 (UTC)
References: <ruidnbvZc5wK_MTYnZ2dnUVZ_sudnZ2d@comcast.com>
Message-ID: <ejd1pr$uoi$1@news.xmission.com>
Organization: multi-cellular, biological
Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2006 18:27:07 +0000 (UTC)
From: Richard <legalize+jeeves@mail.xmission.com>
Subject: Re: ADM 3A terminal questions

[Please do not mail me a copy of your followup]

scott moore <nospam@nowhere.com> spake the secret code
<ruidnbvZc5wK_MTYnZ2dnUVZ_sudnZ2d@comcast.com> thusly:
>
> Hi, I have programmed the functionality of an ADM 3A into
> an FPGA. I could use some information from anyone who has an
> ADM 3A or knows how it works. [...]

I have an ADM 3A that I purchased recently, but haven't yet cleaned it
up and powered it on.  If someone else doesn't get you an answer
anytime soon, email me and I'll see what I can do.

-- 
"The Direct3D Graphics Pipeline" -- DirectX 9 draft available for download
      <http://www.xmission.com/~legalize/book/download/index.html>


 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Newsgroups: comp.terminals
Path: utkcs2!emory!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!hela.iti.org!cs.widener.edu
      !dsinc!netnews.upenn.edu!gynko!rsk
Message-ID: <102267@netnews.upenn.edu>
References: <1992Dec10.235708.1@acad.drake.edu>
Sender: news@netnews.upenn.edu
Organization: Mike Singletary Appreciation Society
Lines: 42
Nntp-Posting-Host: gynko.circ.upenn.edu
Date: 16 Dec 1992 05:00:44 GMT
From: rsk@gynko.circ.upenn.edu (Rich Kulawiec)
Subject: Re: ADM5 (?): The Terminal From Hell...

In article <1992Dec10.235708.1@acad.drake.edu> aar001@acad.drake.edu writes:
>
>Ques:	What the heck is an ADM5?   
>
>INFO: 	I took it apart *grin* and looked inside.  The producion date seems
>     	to be about March 1982, and its board has about 64 chips.  (1 K 
>  	chips I would guess)  And at the top back of the inside is a little
>	switch board with 6 (?) little switches.  and on the right and left
> 	side (inside above keyboard ) are 2 switches that don't seem to 
>	do anything.
>
> Ques:	Anyone know if the ADM5 can be modified to simulate a VT100 terminal?  


Since all of its functions are implemented in hardware -- and I mean,
in *hardware*, as in the finest Schottky TTL money could buy a decade
ago, this would be a tough job.  You are looking at Lear-Siegler's
followup to the ADM3A, a vintage piece of computing gear so beloved
that it has its own newsgroup, alt.religion.adm3a.  (In fact, you
might try posting your query there, as many ADM3A afficianados
may be found there.)

Count your blessings: you have a terminal that handles lowercase
*without* the necessity of installing the upgrade kit. ;-)
ADM's are also pretty hard to kill; I once bounced one down
a flight of stairs, and it worked just fine afterwards.
They also possess the same flowing, graceful, eye-pleasing
lines as a Volkswagen Beetle, another simplistic low-tech
design which proved remarkably sturdy.

The ADM3A, by the way, has nearly a perfect layout for a Unix keyboard:
no weenie function keys, no silly keypad, no useless caps lock, and no
arrow keys.  What it does have is (1) a handy escape key, just to the
left of "q", (2) a handy control key, just to the left of "a", (3) an
easy to smack ^, in the upper right hand corner, (4) a decent ~,
which is the shift of ^, (5) handy [] and {}, (6) handy _ (right of ;),
and (7) reasonable handling of the rest of the punctuation.
Compare this sensible layout with the unbelievably brain-damaged
default keyboard that Sun ships with Sparc 2's these days.
Unfortunately, the ADM5 terminals deviated from their streamlined
predecessors by moving the control key to an annoying spot and adding
a few useless extra keys.

---Rsk

 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Newsgroups: comp.terminals
Path: cs.utk.edu!gatech!news.ans.net!cmcl2!adm!smoke!gwyn
From: gwyn@smoke.brl.mil (Doug Gwyn)
Subject: Re: Another approach to the Adm3a+?
Message-ID: <19607@smoke.brl.mil>
Date: 26 Jan 93 15:15:35 GMT
References: <C1FC9D.L7x@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu>
Organization: U.S. Army Ballistic Research Lab, APG MD.
Lines: 35

In article <C1FC9D.L7x@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu> mphall@nickel.ucs.indiana.edu
(Michael Hall) writes:
>	This leads me to think there may be a function within the stty
>command that sets space characters to either destructive or merely
>cursor-forward commands

No, "stty" merely affects future behavior of the tty handler portion
of the operating system; it does not transmit anything to the terminal.

While some of the LSI ADM family of terminals can be configured to have
code 32 (space) act as a non-destructive cursor-right action, it is
really not a good idea, as many programs expect the usual space
character to act destructively.  Code 12 (ctrl-L) does act as a cursor-
right command regardless of switch settings, and thus this capability
is available even when the normal, destructive space is configured.

I've seen quite a few incorrect ADM termcaps; here is the set I use.

#
# LSI ADM-3A, ADM-3A+, ADM-5
# The following ADM-3A switch settings are assumed for normal operation:
#	SPACE		U/L_DISP	CLR_SCRN	24_LINE
#	CUR_CTL		LC_EN		AUTO_NL		FDX
# Other switches may be set for operator convenience or communication
# requirements.  I recommend
#	DISABLE_KB_LOCK	LOCAL_OFF	103		202_OFF
#	ETX_OFF		EOT_OFF
la|adm3a|LSI ADM-3A:\
	:am:bl=^G:cl=1^Z:cm=\E=%+ %+ :co#80:cr=^M:do=^J:ho=^^:kd=^J:kl=^H:\
	:kr=^L:ku=^K:le=^H:li#24:ma=^K^P:nd=^L:rs=^N:sf=^J:up=^K:\
	:bs:nl=^J:
lb|adm3a+|LSI ADM-3A+:\
	:tc=adm3a:
l5|adm5|LSI ADM-5:\
	:cd=\EY:ce=\ET:kb=^H:kh=^^:se=\EG:sg#1:so=\EG:tc=adm3a:

 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Newsgroups: comp.terminals
Path: cs.utk.edu!emory!gatech!kd4nc!cld
From: cld@kd4nc.uucp (Charles D'Englere)
Subject: Re: Help with ADM/3A
Message-ID: <1993Mar3.181250.23827@kd4nc.uucp>
Organization: KD4NC HAM Packet Radio Gateway
References: <Feb.28.16.32.26.1993.3799@remus.rutgers.edu>
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1993 18:12:50 GMT
Lines: 28

glenw@remus.rutgers.edu (Glenn T. Wasserman) writes:

>I'm going nuts with an Old ADM-3A terminal - the problem is I'm not even
>sure if it works right. 

>I'm trying to connect to a unix machine (linux) and I can't seem to get
>uppercase and lowercase to work. There are a bunch of DIP switches, and I
>can't seem to get the right combination. Anyone familiar with this?

>-Glenn

>-- 
>*	Glenn Wasserman - Rutgers University - Computer Science  	*
>**         Yes, I use OS/2 and Linux! DOS and Win 3.1 stink!           **
>*	glenw@remus.rutgers.edu	*	glenw@gandalf.rutgers.edu	*
>*************************************************************************
Most of these terminals required an optional lower casekit to get the
lower case letter to show on the screen. If you have an open 24 pin
dip socket, then the kit is NOT installed.

Charles



-- 
Grady Memorial Hospital Information Systems UUCP: {...!gatech,!emory}!kd4nc!cld
  Charles L. D'Englere KD4APM               Phone: 404+6167815
  100 Edgewood Avenue                       Atlanta, GA 30305

 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Newsgroups: comp.emacs,comp.terminals,comp.unix.shell
Path: cs.utk.edu!darwin.sura.net!haven.umd.edu!mimsy!afterlife!adm!smoke!gwyn
From: gwyn@smoke.brl.mil (Doug Gwyn)
Subject: Re: HELP! The bells emacs is sending are freaking out my terminal!
Message-ID: <19825@smoke.brl.mil>
Date: 9 Mar 93 18:28:58 GMT
References: <EJH.93Mar8160348@khonshu.colorado.edu>
Followup-To: comp.emacs
Organization: U.S. Army Ballistic Research Lab, APG MD.
Lines: 16
Xref: cs.utk.edu comp.emacs:12452 comp.terminals:414 comp.unix.shell:10047

In article <EJH.93Mar8160348@khonshu.colorado.edu> ejh@khonshu.colorado.edu (Edward J. Hartnett) writes:
>
>I have a very weird problem with my adm5 terminal dialing into GNU
>emacs 18.58; every now and again my terminal will freak out, shooting
>all kinds of garbage on to the screen and into emacs too! I have
>determined that it happens (both in the tcsh and emacs) every time I
>would normally expect a beep! That is, whenever the computer sends a
>control G (bell) to my terminal. 

Hm, this sounds vaguely familiar.  I seem to recall that some LSI
terminals would respond to ^G by performing some special diagnostic
dump -- IF and only IF a certain pin on the RS-232-C port were
asserted.  This may have been pin 22 but I'm not certain.  I can't
seem to find the hardware manual for this terminal.  The solution,
assuming this is the problem, would be to cut the offending wire
from the RS-232-C cable.  (Very few pins are needed by the ADM-5,
and you can probably get by with just pins 2, 3, and 7.)


 ..............................................................................

Newsgroups: comp.terminals,comp.unix.shell,comp.emacs
Path: cs.utk.edu!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!usc!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!boulder
      !colorado.edu!ejh
Message-ID: <EJH.93Mar12120856@khonshu.colorado.edu>
Sender: news@colorado.edu (The Daily Planet)
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Organization: CIRES, University of Colorado
Lines: 45
Date: 12 Mar 1993 12:08:56
From: ejh@khonshu.colorado.edu (Edward J. Hartnett)
Subject: MORE INFO on that adm5, ^G problem


Recently I posted a problem I was having with an old adm5 terminal,
namely that it was going beserk every time a ^g was sent to it by
emacs. I already posted a way to make sure that emacs stops sending
the ^g, but seemingly there's a better solution that I'll be trying
any day now...

Here's a message I received which summarized the situation well.
Thanks again to all who replied.



  From: BRANDAUER CARL M <brandy@rintintin.Colorado.EDU>
  To: ejh@khonshu.colorado.edu
  Subject: Re: SUMMARY - HELP! The bells emacs is sending are freaking out my terminal!
  Newsgroups: comp.emacs,comp.terminals,comp.unix.shell

  The real problem lies in a truly idiotic decision (feature??) of all early
  ADM type terminals.  If one of the rarely used pins in the DB25 connector,
  something like 'Ring Indicator' or similar, is tied high/low?, the terminal
  goes into a self-test mode when a CTRL-G (Bel) is received.  The solution
  is to cut all of the connections in the DB25 cable not needed - usually
  only a few pins are necessary.  If you need numbers let me know and I'll
  look it up at home.

  Sorry I can't be more specific about the offending pin - while at BTL we
  repeatedly paid Lear-Siegler $150.00 for sevice calls until we stopped
  using cables with all 25 pins connected - BUT, that was at least 15years
  ago.

  Cheers - Carl Brandauer

PS - I got another message from someone who suggested it might be pin
22. Right now I'm using a straight thru cable, but I'll change that to
a 4-wire cable, and I'm sure that will get the offending pin,
whichever one it is!

--
Edward Hartnett				ejh@khonshu.colorado.edu

 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Newsgroups: comp.terminals
Path: cs.utk.edu!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!spool.mu.edu!nigel.msen.com
      !yale.edu!cmcl2!admii!smoke!gwyn
From: gwyn@smoke.brl.mil (Doug Gwyn)
Subject: Re: ADM 3A TERMINAL DOES GRAPHICS, BUT HOW?
Keywords: ADM 3A, TEK 4014, Graphics
Message-ID: <20381@smoke.brl.mil>
Date: 28 Jul 93 19:00:21 GMT
References: <234qq3$g6f@max.physics.sunysb.edu>
Organization: U.S. Army Ballistic Research Lab, APG MD.
Lines: 38

In article <234qq3$g6f@max.physics.sunysb.edu> danube@max.physics.sunysb.edu (Dan Koller*) writes:
>    I have an ADM 3A terminal, and I discovered by accident that it does
>graphics.  The manual says nothing of it, so with the aid of some other
>netters, we came to the conclusion that it has an aftermarket card in it
>(which I see is indeed installed) and it emulates an old TEK 4014.

Yes, while there were at least two such cards available, odds are good
that you have Digital Engineering's "RetroGraphics" card.  Basically it
overlays the graphics with the native ADM-3A text display.  (The same
company also made such cards for other terminals, including DEC VT-100.)

>   But is there a simple series of instructions to operate this thing?
>Does anybody have a neat little summary of them they could send me?
>Alternatively, does anyone have or know of any drivers to operate such a
>unit on an IBM PC clone?

Basically it emulates a 4010, not really a 4014.  It enters graphics
mode when it receives a Tektronix graphics escape sequence such as
ESC FF (which clears the graphics overlay) -- from the UNIX shell:
	echo '\0033\0014\c'
I forget how it gets back into text mode, but I think it happens when
a recognizable ADM-3A escape sequence is seen (e.g. cursor positioning).

The Tektronix Graphics INput (GIN) mode, which on a real Tektronix let
an application read a cursor that the user positioned via two thumbwheels,
was simulated using the ADM-3A arrow keys.  There was an option to attach
a cursor control box to make this more convenient.

>   Finally, what's a ADM worth these days (without the graphics).  I have
>2.5 of these things, but only envision keeping one of them.

The ADM-3A was one of the first affordable CRT terminals -- it was the
successor to the upper-case only ADM-3, advertised as "The Dumb Terminal"
(trademark of Lear-Siegler Inc.).  It is basically only of historical
value, although one in working order might fetch $50 or so (original
cost was just under $1000).  I had one at home that quit working and I
couldn't justify investing the time to fix it, even though I have
complete tech info for it.

 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Newsgroups: comp.terminals,alt.folklore.computers
Path: cs.utk.edu!emory!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!EU.net!sun4nl!sci.kun.nl
     !severus.mbfys.kun.nl!rhialto
From: rhialto@mbfys.kun.nl (Olaf Seibert)
Subject: Re: Questions about archaic terminals
Message-ID: <D4o31H.1nB@sci.kun.nl>
Sender: news@sci.kun.nl (News owner)
Nntp-Posting-Host: severus.mbfys.kun.nl
Organization: University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands
References: <3iifuu$dan@netaxs.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Feb 1995 16:27:17 GMT
Lines: 20
Xref: cs.utk.edu comp.terminals:3655 alt.folklore.computers:98144

In <3iifuu$dan@netaxs.com> esr@netaxs.com (Eric Raymond) writes:
>I've taken over (with his approval) the master termcap file from John Kunze at
>Berkeley.  I've significantly reorganized and updated it, and am trying to
>clean up the cobwebs and dust in its neglected corners.

Rather than helping with any of these terminals, I'd want to say something
about the adm12.

If your master copy says  :us=\EG1:  it's incorrect, as I discovered
this weekend when I got one for free (an adm-12, not a termcap file.  I
already had it. For free). \EG1 is actually invisible.  Underlined is
\EG8 if I recall correctly.

Btw, is there anybody who knows the adm-12's commands apart from those
in the termcap?

-Olaf.
--
---  Olaf 'Rhialto' Seibert    rhialto@mbfys.kun.nl

 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

From: waters@polaris.net (Jonathan Waters)
Newsgroups: comp.terminals
Subject: Re: Intermediate Terminal Model ADM 31
Date: 7 Mar 1996 22:11:25 GMT
Organization: Polaris Networking
Lines: 25
Message-ID: <4hnmud$jlj@server.cntfl.com>
References: <4hbn4c$qgq@gidora.kralizec.net.au>
NNTP-Posting-Host: p1dyn29.polaris.net
X-Newsreader: WinVN 0.92.6+


In article <4hbn4c$qgq@gidora.kralizec.net.au>, newhamg@godzilla.zeta.org.au
(Gerard Newham) says:
>
>Gday there,
>
>I have recently come into possession of one of the above serial 
>terminals.  Going by the plate on the back it was manufacterer by Lear 
>Siegel, Inc of Anaheim California.  Does anyone have any info regarding 
>this unit, for example emulations it will support, etc?  It appears to 
>handle straight ASCII data quite happily, but I'd be interested in 
>knowing if it has any more advanced capabilities.


Gday from a pom

        I know the unit very well I wrote emulations for the firmware
for this unit, and I knew all the gang from Anaheim.

        The ADM31 has its own emulation as a base, and then has someoptions
(e.g. polling).

        The base emulation is quite straight forward, uses embedded addtibutes
(Esc G n, where "n" is a code of 1,2,3,4   . etc) and suppports
cursor ppositioning (Esc Y r c, where "r" and "c" range from space on upwards.

I still have some of the code that I wrote ..

regards Jonathan

 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

    http://wfn-shop.Princeton.EDU:80/foldoc/cgi-script?terminak

    terminak

    /ter'mi-nak`/ [Caltech, ca. 1979] Any malfunctioning computer terminal.
    A common failure mode of Lear-Siegler ADM-3a terminals caused the
    "L" key to produce the "K" code instead; complaints about this
    tended to look like "Terminak #3 has a bad keyboard. Pkease fix."

 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

If you need a quick-and-dirty way to emulate a serial-port ADM-3a under MS-DOS,
try this little tool:

    http://oak.oakland.edu/pub/simtelnet/msdos/commprog/tega.zip

Here follows the instructions for its use:

..............................................................................

This terminal emulator is compact and fast.  You should have no trouble
operating at up to 19,200 kbps, yet operation at slow line speeds is enhanced
by compact command sequences and implementation of insert/delete of
line/character.  The terminal emulator emulates ADM3A or Soroc terminals, and
the Osborne computer, but for best results use the given termcap.

The command line may take two arguments.  The data rate may be specified;
if absent then the data rate is not changed.  If the letter "O" preceeds the
rate, or if the only argument is "O" then snow is eliminated (use this option
for old-technology CGA and PGA displays).  Only COM1 may be used, and there
is no autodial or upload/download facility (that keeps the program small, and
I never used a terminal that had these features anyway!).

Use ALT-F1 to exit the emulator.

Command sequences:

        CTRL-H          Cursor Left
        CTRL-I          Tab
        CTRL-J          Linefeed
        CTRL-K          Cursor Up
        CTRL-L          Cursor Right
        CTRL-M          Return
        CTRL-Z          Clear screen and home cursor
        CTRL-^          Home cursor

(Note, emulator can write to last position on screen without scrolling)

        ESC  (          Normal Video
        ESC  )          Reverse Video
        ESC *           Clear screen and home cursor
        ESC = y+32 x+32 Position cursor
        ESC E           Insert blank line
        ESC Q           Insert space character
        ESC R           Delete current line
        ESC T           Clear to end of line
        ESC W           Delete character
        ESC Y           Clear to end of screen

..............................................................................

Tom Almy
Tektronix Inc
PO BOX 500, MS 50-370
Beaverton, OR 97077

<toma@tekgvs.labs.tek.com>
+1 503/627-6188

 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

References: <38CCB282.7A7B110D@uwasa.fi>
Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2000 18:06:21 GMT
Newsgroups: comp.terminals
Message-ID: <sdnbktk3lul93@corp.supernews.com>
From: brian hiles <bsh@rainey.blueneptune.com>
Subject: Re: ADM-3a and a stupid question

Jarkko Hermanni Teppo <jate@uwasa.fi> wrote:
> Hello all!
> I just got my hands on an ADM-3a and I know that in order to
> get lower-case characters you have to have the "expansion kit" or
> whatever. Anyway, how do I know if it's installed ? When powering
> up the terminal I can only type upper case characters.. I guess
> it must be the *empty* 24-pin socket just above the keyboard ?
> Hmm, anybody have one they can give away :)
>
> Other than that the terminal is muchos cool, in excellent condition
> and I can see why some say the keyboard is a unix-nerd-dream-keyboard:)

Yes, that is correct. See:

http://www.cs.utk.edu/~shuford/terminal/lear_siegler_adm_news.txt

     (which you are reading now  :-)


For potential sources of the DIP expansion kit, you need to post
to alt.religion.adm3a. No, I am not making this up!

As an side note: I went to Cal Berkeley in the late '80s, when BSD
UNIX was in constant development. Of course, the undergraduates
were relegated to the bowels of Cory Hall and Evans Hall, and down
the unlit, concrete steps (where on the grey walls some wag had
spray-painted the quote from Dante's "Inferno," "Abandon all Hope,
Ye Who Enter Here"), one comes to a stark, fluorescent-lit room
with peeling travel posters and rotting sound tiles. The terminals:
row upon row of Lear-Siegler ADM-3a terminals (with the capability
of displaying lowercase characters, BTW.)

I just can't face those horrible things anymore; it must be the
memory of too many 3:00 A.M. programming sessions.

-Brian

 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Newsgroups: comp.terminals,alt.folklore.computers
Message-ID: <944uc6$dc4$1@shell.monmouth.com>
Organization: Kentucky Fried Fox
Date: 17 Jan 2001 15:12:54 -0500
From: colonel@monmouth.com (He Comes As No Surprise)
Subject: what does A.D.M. stand for?

Sorry if this is a F.A.Q.  I haven't been able to find the answer
on the Web or in Deja.

In "Lear-Siegler ADM-3A", what did "A.D.M." stand for?

-:-

-- 
        "Hey, Rocky!  Watch me pull a UNIX program out of my
           source directory!"
        "AGAIN?"
        "Nothin' up my sleeve . . . PRESTO!"

                IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
                    AUTHOR-NAME.  B. J. MOOSE, FROSTBYTE DATA SYS.
                    SOURCE-COMPUTER.  IBM-7044.
                    OBJECT-COMPUTER.  IBM-7044.
                . . .

        "No doubt about it--I gotta get a new source directory!"
--
Col. G. L. Sicherman
home: colonel@mail.monmouth.com
work: sicherman@lucent.com
web: http://www.monmouth.com/~colonel/

 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Newsgroups: comp.terminals,alt.folklore.computers
Organization: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Message-ID: <omvgrc4ulq.fsf@disco.cs.utk.edu>
References: <944uc6$dc4$1@shell.monmouth.com>
    <x7y9w9wme4.fsf@hana.snafu.org> <slrn96dak7.s4.himself@snark.esands.com>
Date: 18 Jan 2001 12:51:13 -0500
From: Victor Eijkhout <eijkhout@cs.utk.edu>
Subject: Re: what does A.D.M. stand for?

himself@esands.com (him self) writes:

> On Thu, 18 Jan 2001 03:49:16 GMT, Marco S Hyman <marc@snafu.org> wrote:
>
> > > In "Lear-Siegler ADM-3A", what did "A.D.M." stand for?
> >
> > American Dream Machine.
> >
> If we are going to be silly ..
>
> Awful Dumb Monitor.

No, that can't be, because it was already called an ADM-3a Dumb Terminal.
Said so on the boxes. Must be Advanced Display Module, then.

Btw, the adm-3a manual had the best designed ascii chart I've ever seen.
I made a TeX implementation of it:

    ftp://ctan.tug.org/tex-archive/info/ascii.tex

--
Victor Eijkhout

 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Newsgroups: comp.terminals,alt.folklore.computers
Organization: The University of Iowa
Message-ID: <947kri$ci4$1@flood.weeg.uiowa.edu>
References: <3a674781_2@news.iglou.com>
Date: 18 Jan 2001 20:48:50 GMT
From: "Douglas W. Jones,201H MLH,3193350740,3193382879" <jones@cs.uiowa.edu>
Subject: Re: what does A.D.M. stand for?

From article <3a674781_2@news.iglou.com>, by "Bill Marcum" <bmarcum@iglou.com>:

> I think they actually did use "American Dream Machine" in advertisements
> for the ADM-3.  Don't know if that was the original meaning of the
> initials.

Remember, this was the era when almost all of us using interactive computers
were stuck with ASR 33 Teletypes, except for those using IBM 2741's to
work with IBM 360 systems.  Compared to those boat anchors, the ADM video
terminals were reliable, quiet, clean, versitile and even inexpensive.
They really were dream machines!


Lear Siegler ran what must have been the very last factory in downtown Ann
Arbor back then.  I used to commute past it on a fairly regular basis when
I worked at ComShare Inc. (now www.comshare.com) in the summer of 1972.

                                Doug Jones
                                jones@cs.uiowa.edu

 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////


Newsgroups: comp.terminals,alt.folklore.computers
References: <3a674781_2@news.iglou.com> <947kri$ci4$1@flood.weeg.uiowa.edu>
Message-ID: <WzX96.9959$Mo6.91541@e420r-atl1.usenetserver.com>
Organization: WebUseNet Corp
Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2001 08:48:13 -0500
From: "Mike" <yardmaster@firstconnect.com>
Subject: Re: what does A.D.M. stand for?

> the ADM video
> terminals were reliable, quiet, clean, versitile and even inexpensive.
> They really were dream machines!

I once purchased an ADM-3A for home use, solely to connect with Micronet,
the forerunner of CompuServe. It was a nice terminal, but the power supply
in mine always seemed flaky. I returned it for repair several times, but
they never got it right.

Compared to the other heavy, boxy terminals of that time (Hazeltine, etc.),
the ADM was definitely a winner for its compact, quiet, and sleek design.
IIRC, you could order them with white, green, or amber text.

Mike

 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////


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Date: Sat, 03 Jun 2006 15:43:40 -0400
From: "Lance F. Squire" <lance@alteeve.com>
Subject: Set-up questions for a Lear Siegler ADM 3A+

First the particulars...

I'm the prowd new owner of a Lear Siegler ADM 3A+!

I've managed to get my Lunix to acknoledge it as a system terminal. (Yay 
Happy me.)

Wanted to get the 'Here is' button to work, and figure out 'program' 
mode, so I searched the internet and found some ADM 3a (not plus) manuals.

According to the 3a manual I should see inversed text, half bright, 
blink and TRS-80 style 'Busness Graphics'.

The Esc sequences that should produce these don't seem to work. In fact,
only the cursor position 'Esc = x y' seems to actualy work.

Also the 3a book mentions a set-up mode for programming the 'Here is' 
key and other features. But the 'Set-up' key dosen't exist on the 3a+ 
keyboard.

However I do have 4 arrow keys, a home key, a numeric pad with . , - 
'tab' and 'Enter'. (I think it's called 'Enter' this key cap is missing, 
but it dose just duplicate the 'Return' key function)

The DIP switchs on the main board are different that the 3a as well. 
Though I've gotteh the ones that are there mostly figured-out.

Oh, Yes it does have lowercase.

Any 3a+ specific information would be greatly appreciated.

If more detailed information about the 3a+ layout/DIP switches is 
needed, I'd be happy to provide.

Thanks,

Lance F. Squire

 ..............................................................................

Newsgroups: comp.terminals
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Date: Sat, 03 Jun 2006 15:10:24 -0500
From: ArarghMail606NOSPAM@NOT.AT.Arargh.com
Subject: Re: Set-up questions for a Lear Siegler ADM 3A+

On Sat, 03 Jun 2006 15:43:40 -0400, "Lance F. Squire"
<lance@alteeve.com> wrote:

<snip>
>If more detailed information about the 3a+ layout/DIP switches is 
>needed, I'd be happy to provide.

Have you tried: http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/learSiegler/  ?
-- 
ArarghMail606 at [drop the 'http://www.' from ->] http://www.arargh.com
BCET Basic Compiler Page: http://www.arargh.com/basic/index.html

  (To reply by email, remove the garbage from the reply address.)


 ..............................................................................

Newsgroups: comp.terminals
Message-ID: <4482010B.9020902@alteeve.com>
References: <NDlgg.2252$Su3.188962@news20.bellglobal.com>
Date: Sat, 03 Jun 2006 17:37:15 -0400
From: "Lance F. Squire" <lance@alteeve.com>
Subject: Re: Set-up questions for a Lear Siegler ADM 3A+

Here's a quick summary of the DIP switch differences:

Upper left block:

3a Manual		3a+ here
---------		---------
SPACE - ADV		RS232 - CL
UC DISP - U/L DISP	DIS - LOCK
DISABLE - KB LOCK	DIS - CLRSCR
DISABLE - CLEAR SCREEN	50 - 60
50HZ - 60HZ		HDX - FDX
12 LINE - 24 LINE

Upper Right block:

3a Manual		3a+ here
---------		---------
CURSOR CONTROL		ANAL
LOCAL - OFF		LOCAL - OFF
103 - OFF		103 - OFF
202 - OFF		202 - OFF
CODE - SEC CHAN		CODE - SEC
EXT - OFF		EXT - OFF
EOT - OFF		EOT - OFF

LOWER RIGHT BLOCKS:

3a Manual		3a+ here
---------		---------
Down left side of KB	along top left of KB

BIT 8-0 - 1		8BIT 1 - 0? (Second positions not printed)
PARITY - INH		PARITY
STOP 1 - 2		ODD PAR
DATA 7 - 8		WORD 7
PARITY ODD - EVEN	1 STOP
LC EN - UC		---------
----------		75
AUTO NL - OFF		110
RS232 - CL		150
HDX - FDX		300
19200			600
9600			1200
4800			---------
2400			1800
----------		2400
1800			4800
1200			9600
600			19200
300
150
110
75

Keyboard also has no 'REPT' key

 ..............................................................................

Newsgroups: comp.terminals
Message-ID: <448398E2.7010205@alteeve.com>
Date: Sun, 04 Jun 2006 22:37:22 -0400
From: Lance F. Squire <lance@alteeve.com>
Subject: Re: Set-up questions for a Lear Siegler ADM 3A+

In case anyone is interested, or needs to know later...

I've re read through both ADM 3A manuals online in detail.

The 'Tenth Anniversary Edition' (Apr 1986) manual is for a somewhat newer
unit than mine.

It looks like they changed from the DIP switch set-up to a NVRAM set-up 
at some point and added the extra video modes I am missing.

In the older manual (ADM3A_Maint.pdf) the only ESC code mentioned is the 
cursor position codes.

So, the long and short of it is:

If your ADM 3A(+) terminal has no 'SETUP' key, and does have DIP 
switches. Then you are lucky if you have lower case, and the 'HERE IS' 
key message is coded in the rom. (If there is one. blank on mine)

If your ADM 3A(+) terminal does have a 'SETUP' key then you probably 
also have inverse, half bright, blink and graphics + most likely 
lowercase text.

Having read the newer manual first, I was understandably confused while 
trying to match the information to my 3A+

Thanks to ArarghMail for pointing me to the manuals I'd already found. 
Making me think to re-read them in detail and comparison.

Lance F. Squire

 ..............................................................................

Newsgroups: comp.terminals
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References: <NDlgg.2252$Su3.188962@news20.bellglobal.com>
            <448398E2.7010205@alteeve.com>
Organization: Ripco Communications Inc.
Date: Sun, 04 Jun 2006 23:24:21 -0500
From: ArarghMail606NOSPAM@NOT.AT.Arargh.com
Subject: Re: Set-up questions for a Lear Siegler ADM 3A+

On Sun, 04 Jun 2006 22:37:22 -0400, "Lance F. Squire"
<lance@alteeve.com> wrote:

<snip>
>
>Thanks to ArarghMail for pointing me to the manuals I'd already found. 
>Making me think to re-read them in detail and comparison.

After reading thru the terminfo entries for the adm 3A & 3A+, the only
feature that I see that the 3A+ has over a 3A is:

        kbs=^H, 
which I presume means that the 3A+ will do a backspace fom the serial
line.

The other interesting thing was this comment:
#
# Most of these terminals required an option ROM to support lower case display.
# Open the case and look at the motherboard; if you see an open 24-pin DIP
# socket, you may be out of luck.





Full adm 3(a(+)) entry from a year old terminfo.master:

adm3|lsi adm3, 
        am, OTbs,
        cols#80, lines#24, 
        bel=^G, clear=^Z, cr=^M, cub1=^H, cud1=^J, ind=^J, 
# The following ADM-3A switch settings are assumed for normal operation:
#       SPACE           U/L_DISP        CLR_SCRN        24_LINE
#       CUR_CTL         LC_EN           AUTO_NL         FDX
# Other switches may be set for operator convenience or communication
# requirements.  I recommend
#       DISABLE_KB_LOCK LOCAL_OFF       103             202_OFF
#       ETX_OFF         EOT_OFF
# Most of these terminals required an option ROM to support lower case display.
# Open the case and look at the motherboard; if you see an open 24-pin DIP
# socket, you may be out of luck.
#
# (adm3a: some capabilities merged in from BRl entry -- esr)
adm3a|lsi adm3a, 
        OTbs, am, 
        cols#80, lines#24,
        OTma=^K^P, OTnl=^J, OTrs=^N,  
        bel=^G, clear=\032$<1/>, cr=^M, cub1=^H, cud1=^J, cuf1=^L, 
        cup=\E=%p1%{32}%+%c%p2%{32}%+%c, cuu1=^K, home=^^, 
        ind=^J, kcub1=^H, kcud1=^J, kcuf1=^L, kcuu1=^K, rs1=^N, 
adm3a+|adm3a plus, 
        kbs=^H, 
        use=adm3a,

-- 
ArarghMail606 at [drop the 'http://www.' from ->] http://www.arargh.com
BCET Basic Compiler Page: http://www.arargh.com/basic/index.html

 ..............................................................................


Newsgroups: comp.terminals
Message-ID: <12884if2nm33q3a@corp.supernews.com>
Date: Mon, 05 Jun 2006 11:15:27 -0000
From: Thomas Dickey <dickey@saltmine.radix.net>
Subject: Re: Set-up questions for a Lear Siegler ADM 3A+

ArarghMail606NOSPAM@not.at.arargh.com wrote:
> On Sun, 04 Jun 2006 22:37:22 -0400, "Lance F. Squire"
> <lance@alteeve.com> wrote:

> <snip>
>>Thanks to ArarghMail for pointing me to the manuals I'd already found. 
>>Making me think to re-read them in detail and comparison.

> After reading thru the terminfo entries for the adm 3A & 3A+, the only
> feature that I see that the 3A+ has over a 3A is:

>         kbs=^H, 
> which I presume means that the 3A+ will do a backspace fom the serial
> line.


or it may not.  That's a default value, so it's not documented in a lot
of terminal descriptions.  Also bear in mind that a lot of termcaps were
constructed using cut/paste - 


> Full adm 3(a(+)) entry from a year old terminfo.master:

hmm - which one?  esr's "terminfo.master" is much older than that.
I don't know where you would find recent data on an ADM-3A(+).

See also

	ftp://invisible-island.net/ncurses/terminfo.src.gz

-- 
Thomas E. Dickey
http://invisible-island.net/
 ftp://invisible-island.net/

 ..............................................................................

Newsgroups: comp.terminals
Message-ID: <6j7982l1s2gb4lfm2di4gckn7vmn17mghs@4ax.com>
Date: Mon, 05 Jun 2006 16:13:46 -0500
From: ArarghMail606NOSPAM@NOT.AT.Arargh.com
Subject: Re: Set-up questions for a Lear Siegler ADM 3A+

On Mon, 05 Jun 2006 14:32:01 -0500,
ArarghMail606NOSPAM@NOT.AT.Arargh.com wrote:

>On Mon, 05 Jun 2006 11:15:27 -0000, Thomas Dickey
><dickey@saltmine.radix.net> wrote:
>
>>ArarghMail606NOSPAM@not.at.arargh.com wrote:
><snip>
>>> After reading thru the terminfo entries for the adm 3A & 3A+, the only
>>> feature that I see that the 3A+ has over a 3A is:
>>
>>>         kbs=^H, 
>>> which I presume means that the 3A+ will do a backspace fom the serial
>>> line.
>>
>>or it may not.  That's a default value, so it's not documented in a lot
>>of terminal descriptions.  Also bear in mind that a lot of termcaps were
>>constructed using cut/paste - 
>>
>>> Full adm 3(a(+)) entry from a year old terminfo.master:
>>
>>hmm - which one?  esr's "terminfo.master" is much older than that.
>>I don't know where you would find recent data on an ADM-3A(+).
> 11.0.1 with an internal date of sometime in 2000, downloaded in 2005.
>
>>See also
>>
>>	ftp://invisible-island.net/ncurses/terminfo.src.gz
>
>Older version, newer date.  Two differences for the adm3A.
>
>And the URL is broke, so I am having trouble finding the most recent
>'official' version.

Not the URL above, but the one in terminfo.master. :-)

-- 
ArarghMail606 at [drop the 'http://www.' from ->] http://www.arargh.com
BCET Basic Compiler Page: http://www.arargh.com/basic/index.html

 ..............................................................................

Newsgroups: comp.terminals
Message-ID: <1289ggba4d5u79@corp.supernews.com>
Date: Mon, 05 Jun 2006 23:45:15 -0000
From: Thomas Dickey <dickey@saltmine.radix.net>
Subject: Re: Set-up questions for a Lear Siegler ADM 3A+

ArarghMail606NOSPAM@not.at.arargh.com wrote:
>>See also
>>
>>	ftp://invisible-island.net/ncurses/terminfo.src.gz

> Older version, newer date.  Two differences for the adm3A.

no - read my comments at the top, and the history at the bottom.

Offhand, you may be seeing a difference in the way the reset (rs) string
is represented.

> And the URL is broke, so I am having trouble finding the most recent
> 'official' version.

http://www.catb.org/~esr/terminfo/

six years old and counting...

-- 
Thomas E. Dickey
http://invisible-island.net/
 ftp://invisible-island.net/

 ..............................................................................

Newsgroups: comp.terminals
Message-ID: <pij982pneqfnpofdeogb2j62q2ftg1ji04@4ax.com>
Date: Mon, 05 Jun 2006 19:56:03 -0500
From: ArarghMail606NOSPAM@NOT.AT.Arargh.com
Subject: Re: Set-up questions for a Lear Siegler ADM 3A+

On Mon, 05 Jun 2006 23:45:15 -0000, Thomas Dickey
<dickey@saltmine.radix.net> wrote:

>ArarghMail606NOSPAM@not.at.arargh.com wrote:
>>>See also
>>>
>>>	ftp://invisible-island.net/ncurses/terminfo.src.gz
>
>> Older version, newer date.  Two differences for the adm3A.
>
>no - read my comments at the top, and the history at the bottom.
>
>Offhand, you may be seeing a difference in the way the reset (rs) string
>is represented.
>
>> And the URL is broke, so I am having trouble finding the most recent
>> 'official' version.
>
>http://www.catb.org/~esr/terminfo/
>
>six years old and counting...
I did eventually find that page, after an hour or so from google.

But, from: terminfo.master from that page:

<quote>
# The latest version can always be found at
# <http://www.tuxedo.org/terminfo>.
</quote>

That is what caused my problem in locating the 'official' version.

-- 
ArarghMail606 at [drop the 'http://www.' from ->] http://www.arargh.com
BCET Basic Compiler Page: http://www.arargh.com/basic/index.html

 ..............................................................................

Newsgroups: comp.terminals
References: <NDlgg.2252$Su3.188962@news20.bellglobal.com>
    <448398E2.7010205@alteeve.com> <l6c782lhc78rr3cbig91ufr0jgkfmo0nmo@4ax.com>
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Message-ID: <128alkb8l4pcl71@corp.supernews.com>
Date: Tue, 06 Jun 2006 10:18:51 -0000
From: Thomas Dickey <dickey@saltmine.radix.net>
Subject: Re: Set-up questions for a Lear Siegler ADM 3A+

ArarghMail606NOSPAM@not.at.arargh.com wrote:

> But, from: terminfo.master from that page:


BTW, another difference is that ncurses' terminfo includes features
which are separately stored in esr's so-called terminfo.master and
terminfo files.  That's because the latter rely on some never-released
scripts and/or manual editing to make the transformation.  ncurses'
termcap.src is mechanially derived (using tic) from the terminfo.src
file.

It's a dead topic anyway - most of the changes that went into the 11.x
versions were copied from ncurses (in places changing the history to make
it appear as if some other person had done the work).


-- 
Thomas E. Dickey
http://invisible-island.net/
 ftp://invisible-island.net/


 ..............................................................................

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Message-ID: <1149650256.659120.27240@u72g2000cwu.googlegroups.com>
Date: 6 Jun 2006 20:17:36 -0700
From: lance@alteeve.com
Subject: Re: Set-up questions for a Lear Siegler ADM 3A+

Ncurses and the current termcap/info seem to be working just fine.

Played Adam for a few hours on it.

I was more conserned with the set-up of the actual unit/hardware.
Though why I wasn't seeing inversed text was a quandry, till I re-read
the http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/learSiegler/ manuals.

I'm guessing that the NVram style terminals are far more scarce than
the DIP switch style.the DIP switch style.

ADM3A_Maint.pdf covers the DIP switch units, with 3A+ differences
mentioned previously.
These terminals are truly 'Dumb'! :) Simple text only.

DP2880486F_ADM3A_UM_Apr86.pdf covers the VNRAM units with the extra
video modes.

I'm thinking of setting up a page hosting both manuals and detailing
the hardware differences between the ADM3A_Maint manual and the 3A+ I
have.

Would have posted earlier, but my ISP just dropped Usenet access. Using
Google Groups to post...

Lance F. Squire

 ..............................................................................
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

