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1703:
45:
377:. Options could be added to the terminal to support an external printer, additional graphic renditions, and more character memory. The last option, known as the "Advanced Video Option" or AVO, allowed the terminal to support a full 24 lines of text in 132-column mode, increasing from the 14 lines of the unexpanded model when used in 132-column mode. The VT100 became a platform on which Digital constructed several related hardware products.
344:
1713:
245:(1975). The VT52 featured a text display with 80 columns and 24 rows, bidirectional scrolling, and a custom control protocol that allowed the cursor to be moved about the screen. These "smart terminals" were a hit due both to their capabilities and to their ability to be run over inexpensive serial links, rather than custom proprietary connections as in the case of systems like the
352:
260:
system over serial lines at a minimum speed of 50 bit/s, but increased the maximum speed to 19,200 bit/s, double that of the VT52. The terminal provided an option for "smooth scrolling", whereby displayed lines of text were moved gradually up or down the screen to make room for new lines, instead of
311:
The VT100's internal layout can be split into two boards for functionality, not including the VT100's optional boards you can purchase. There is a board called the video monitor board which is used for things like adjusting the CRT on the terminal itself. This board is responsible for adjusting the
389:. This system allowed two mathematical functions to be drawn to the screen superimposed over the normal text display, allowing text and graphics to be mixed to produce charts and similar output. The VT125 added an implementation of the byte-efficient Remote Graphic Instruction Set (
380:
The VT101 and VT102 were cost-reduced, non-expandable follow-on versions. The VT101 was essentially a base-model VT100, while the VT102 came standard with the AVO and serial printer port options pre-installed. The VT105 contained a simple graphics subsystem known as
209:
for cursor control and other tasks, and added a number of extended codes for special features like controlling the status lights on the keyboard. This led to rapid uptake of the ANSI standard, which became the
292:
for VT52-compatible software, by also supporting the older control sequences. Other improvements beyond the VT52 included a 132-column mode, and a variety of "graphic renditions" including blinking, bolding,
312:
CRT in the case that the electron beam is offset. The terminal controller board is what handles the terminal logic, and includes a multitude of chips such as DEC's rebranding of the Intel 8080.
404:
support, allowing a form to be sent to the terminal and filled in locally by the user, and then sending the contents of the fields in the form back to the host when the form is filled in.
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221:
The VT100 series, especially the VT102, was extremely successful in the market, and made DEC the leading terminal vendor at the time. The VT100 series was replaced by the
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starting in 1983, which proved equally successful. Ultimately, over six million terminals in the VT series were sold, based largely on the success of the VT100.
327:
The VT100 has various third party and first party boards designed to enhance the capabilities of the device. Most notable of these from DEC themselves are the
264:
The major internal change was the control protocol. Unlike the VT50/52's proprietary cursor control language, the VT100 was based on the newly emerging
393:), which used custom ANSI codes to send graphics commands to the terminal, rather than requiring the terminal to be set to a separate less-efficient
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The VT100 form factor left significant physical space in the case for expansion, and DEC used this to produce several all-in-one stand-alone
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within the terminal. Maintainability was also significantly improved, since a VT100 could be quickly dismantled into replaceable modules.
249:, which generally required expensive controllers for distributed applications. In contrast, "dumb terminals" or "glass teletypes" like the
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All configuration setup of the VT100 was accomplished using interactive displays presented on the screen; the setup data was stored in
730:
A similar standard was being organized as ECMA-48, which was fairly similar to X3.64. The two standards were later merged in ISO 6429.
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advancing in sudden "jumps". This made it easier to scan or read the text, although it somewhat slowed down the maximum data rate.
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The VT100 was introduced in August 1978, replacing the VT50/VT52 family. Like the earlier models, it communicated with its
253:(1976) lacked advanced features such as full cursor addressability, and competed mostly on lowest possible hardware cost.
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335:(20 mA Current Loop Option). The cards' capabilities and existence are described in Chapter 4 of the VT100 User Guide.
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standard for command codes. At the time, some computer vendors had suggested that the new standard was beyond the
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DECtape II block-addressable cartridge tape drive which could be used like a very slow disk drive. The
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The VT100 was the first of
Digital's terminals to be based on an industry-standard microprocessor, the
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In 1983, the VT100 was replaced by the more powerful VT200 series terminals such as the
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and could not be implemented at a reasonable price. The introduction of low-cost
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containing various pseudographics that allowed the drawing of on-screen forms.
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microcomputer system within the case, and supported an optional dual
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offered greatly expanded capabilities, and the VT100 used the new
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596:. Digital Equipment Corporation. September 1981. EK-VT101-PS-001.
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427:(codenamed "Robin") added a single-board microcomputer using a
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577:. Digital Equipment Corporation. August 1978. EK-VT100-UG-001.
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which was mostly compatible with same system in the earlier
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362:"VT102" and "VT103" redirect here. For the highways, see
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The VT101 was the lowest-cost member of the VT100 family.
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411:
systems. The VT103 included a cardcage and 4×4 (8-slot)
547:
DEC Video
Terminals—The VT100 and Its Successors
501:
205:(DEC). It was one of the first terminals to support
27:
Computer terminal from
Digital Equipment Corporation
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443:processor, allowing the terminal to run Digital's
415:backplane, sufficient to configure a small 16-bit
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686:VT103 LSI-11 Video Terminal User's Guide
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519:. Digital Equipment Corporation. 1979.
214:for hardware video terminals and later
14:
1753:Computer-related introductions in 1978
1730:
777:
1712:
1405:Digital Storage Systems Interconnect
1479:Dynamically Redefined Character Set
696:. September 1979. EK-VT103-UG-001.
481:"VT 510/520 Video Display Terminal"
233:DEC's first video terminal was the
167:Keyboard: 4.5 lb (2.0 kg)
24:
1425:Synchronous Backplane Interconnect
288:. In addition, the VT100 provided
25:
1764:
737:
656:. October 1981. EK-VT131-UG-002.
590:VT101 Series Pocket Service Guide
241:(1974), and soon upgraded to the
1711:
1702:
1701:
1692:
1691:
497:from the original on 2015-02-05.
331:(Advanced Video Option) and the
165:Monitor: 30 lb (14 kg)
1619:Maintenance Operations Protocol
703:from the original on 2011-08-14
663:from the original on 2022-07-11
646:VT131 Video Terminal User Guide
626:from the original on 2022-03-21
554:from the original on 2022-04-22
526:from the original on 2020-01-01
201:, introduced in August 1978 by
770:category at the Terminals Wiki
724:
637:
619:. February 1977. AA-4949A-TC.
600:
581:
537:
473:
228:
13:
1:
1509:Mass Storage Control Protocol
805:Digital Equipment Corporation
757:VT100 Series Technical Manual
694:Digital Equipment Corporation
654:Digital Equipment Corporation
617:Digital Equipment Corporation
513:VT100 Series Technical Manual
467:
276:and the ever-falling cost of
203:Digital Equipment Corporation
1599:Digital Federal Credit Union
821:(founder and CEO, 1957–1992)
544:Shuford, Richard S. (2005),
7:
1743:Character-oriented terminal
1643:Sequence and Batch Language
1604:Dynamic debugging technique
450:
338:
10:
1769:
1634:Record Management Services
1420:Standard Disk Interconnect
744:DEC video terminal history
447:word processing software.
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122:80x24 or 132x14 characters
29:
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1668:The Ultimate Entrepreneur
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237:(1970), succeeded by the
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1331:DIGITAL Command Language
609:VT55 Programmer's Manual
117:12 in (30 cm)
1657:Systems Research Center
1652:System Reference Manual
290:backwards compatibility
32:VT 100 (disambiguation)
1738:DEC computer terminals
1624:On-line Debugging Tool
488:Boundless Technologies
435:operating system. The
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357:Living Computer Museum
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346:
130:Speaker (in keyboard)
1614:Local Area Transport
1372:National Replacement
457:DEC Special Graphics
30:For other uses, see
1474:Digital Linear Tape
833:(VP of engineering)
306:non-volatile memory
39:
1748:Computer terminals
1697:Computers template
692:(First ed.).
575:"VT100 User Guide"
360:
349:
216:terminal emulators
156:20 mA current loop
138:83-key detachable
37:
1725:
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383:waveform graphics
368:Vermont Route 103
364:Vermont Route 102
212:de facto standard
207:ANSI escape codes
191:
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66:Computer terminal
16:(Redirected from
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1489:Flip-Chip module
1382:Special Graphics
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839:(CEO, 1992–1998)
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752:VT100 user guide
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652:(2nd ed.).
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400:The VT131 added
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284:as its internal
270:state of the art
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1534:Star coupler
1430:TURBOchannel
1276:Digital UNIX
1071:
827:(co-founder)
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705:. Retrieved
685:
665:. Retrieved
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628:. Retrieved
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146:Connectivity
72:Release date
52:Manufacturer
1286:Programming
999:Alpha 21464
994:Alpha 21364
989:Alpha 21264
979:Alpha 21164
962:Alpha 21064
831:Gordon Bell
431:to run the
229:Description
197:is a video
172:Predecessor
154:(optional)
1732:Categories
1592:HP-Interex
1015:MicroPRISM
864:processors
812:Key people
707:2014-05-03
667:2022-04-21
630:2022-04-21
558:2015-08-22
530:2022-04-22
468:References
402:block mode
375:Intel 8080
282:Intel 8080
266:ANSI X3.64
93:Intel 8080
1565:AltaVista
1469:DECwriter
1440:VAXBI bus
1387:Technical
1363:(Turkish)
1326:VAX MACRO
1288:languages
1174:Operating
1056:VT50/VT52
1036:terminals
1020:StrongARM
819:Ken Olsen
429:Zilog Z80
286:processor
182:Successor
106:175 byte
18:DEC VT100
1707:Category
1576:CPU Wars
1494:Gold key
1451:hardware
1377:RADIX 50
1316:MACRO-11
1311:MACRO-10
1034:Computer
698:Archived
658:Archived
621:Archived
552:archived
521:Archived
492:Archived
451:See also
339:Variants
333:VT1XX-AA
329:VT1XX-AB
247:IBM 3270
199:terminal
140:keyboard
104:8 KB ROM
102:3 KB RAM
1717:Commons
1629:PALcode
1514:PALcode
1484:Firefly
1464:DECtape
1459:DECtalk
1410:Massbus
1357:(Greek)
1296:BASIC-8
1256:VAX/VMS
1251:TOPS-20
1199:TOPS-10
1176:systems
983:21164PC
762:ECMA-48
747:Archive
323:Options
114:Display
77: (
1662:TD/SMP
1582:DECnet
1570:Compaq
1449:Other
1435:Unibus
1367:Hebrew
1266:Ultrix
1261:VAXELN
1246:DSM-11
1234:RSX-11
1229:RSTS/E
1219:DOS-11
1204:RSX-15
1189:4K DMS
1184:DECsys
1160:(1994)
1154:(1993)
1148:(1990)
1146:VT1000
1142:(1990)
1126:(1987)
1110:(1983)
1074:(1978)
1058:(1975)
1052:(1972)
1046:(1970)
937:Mariah
880:LSI-11
873:PDP-11
417:LSI-11
251:ADM-3A
152:serial
150:RS-232
99:Memory
1679:WPS-8
1674:VT640
1647:Sixel
1639:ReGIS
1609:FX!32
1587:DECUS
1560:AdvFS
1504:LK421
1499:LK201
1415:Q-Bus
1321:MUMPS
1306:FOCAL
1301:DIBOL
1224:RT-11
1209:TSS/8
1164:VT525
1158:VT520
1152:VT510
1140:VT420
1135:VT340
1130:VT330
1124:VT320
1119:VT241
1114:VT240
1108:VT220
1103:VT180
1098:VT131
1093:VT105
1088:VT103
1083:VT102
1078:VT101
1072:VT100
1008:Other
972:21068
967:21066
954:Alpha
932:Rigel
718:Notes
701:(PDF)
690:(PDF)
661:(PDF)
650:(PDF)
624:(PDF)
613:(PDF)
594:(PDF)
524:(PDF)
517:(PDF)
495:(PDF)
484:(PDF)
462:VT640
445:WPS-8
441:PDP-8
425:VT180
413:Q-Bus
391:ReGIS
317:VT220
195:VT100
186:VT220
135:Input
127:Sound
108:NVRAM
38:VT100
1544:TU81
1529:RL02
1524:RK05
1519:RA90
1271:MICA
1214:OS/8
1067:VT62
1062:VT55
1050:GT40
1044:VT05
944:NVAX
920:CVAX
910:V-11
892:J-11
887:T-11
883:F-11
766:The
433:CP/M
421:TU58
387:VT55
366:and
258:host
243:VT52
239:VT50
235:VT05
193:The
176:VT50
162:Mass
79:1978
75:1978
62:Type
1239:IAS
1194:COS
925:SOC
902:VAX
768:DEC
119:CRT
88:CPU
56:DEC
1734::
676:^
615:.
566:^
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503:^
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486:.
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985:)
981:(
861:,
797:e
790:t
783:v
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633:.
533:.
370:.
81:)
34:.
20:)
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