"Televideo Systems"

From: Richard Erlacher <edick_at_idcomm.com>
Date: Sat May 4 21:54:25 2002

You're right ... it was the server.

Dick

----- Original Message -----
From: "John Chris Wren" <jcwren_at_jcwren.com>
To: <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Saturday, May 04, 2002 12:58 AM
Subject: RE: "Televideo Systems"


> The TS-806 wasn't a multi-user system, per se. It had up to 6 attached
> TS-800A's, which had their own Z-80s, memory, and video circuitry. The
> TS-806 was basically a file server and comm-hub. Depending on what O/S you
> were running (there were at least 2, and possible 3), you could lock files,
> perform inter-terminal communications via mailboxes on the TS-806, etc. At
> least one of the companies that produced an OS for it was based in Atlanta,
> GA, in the basement of a photography store. I spent a lot of time debugging
> for them.
>
> I believe the TS-816 was still Z-80 based, but had 16 ports instead of 6.
> I am not positive about this, as I never had one.
>
> I used to write medical software (patient care plans, accounts receivable,
> mailing lists, etc) on these beasts, using Microsoft compiled BASIC.
>
> The TS-800As are the same form factor as the TVI-900/TVI-950. They do have
> nice keyboards, some of the better ones, at the time. Although in my book,
> nothing compares to the Cherry keyboard that was on the SOL-20. Oh, how I
> covet a SOL-20 at a reasonable price...
>
> --John
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org
> > [mailto:owner-classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org]On Behalf Of Pat Finnegan
> > Sent: Saturday, May 04, 2002 2:07 AM
> > To: ClassicCmp List
> > Subject: RE: "Televideo Systems"
> >
> >
> > On Fri, 3 May 2002, Douglas H. Quebbeman wrote:
> >
> > > > Just pinging out there... I was wondering if anyone had a
> > Televideo TS 806
> > > > or TS 816 they would be willing to give to a 'good home'. I
> > have a bit of
> > > > an attachment/longing for one, it was that computer at my Dad's office
> > > > (he's an Optometrist) that I never got to play with until it broke and
> > > > (since I was rather young at the time) I took it apart. The
> > pieces have
> > > > since been tossed by my parents in the interest of 'cleaning up'.
> > >
> > > Wasn't the 816 the 8086/8088 version? The TS-803 had a Z-80.
> >
> > Aparently so, but the TS-806 was a Z80 version also, with support for up
> > to 6 terminals on RS-422 (if the TS-806 is the system I took apart). I
> > remember it worked like a boot-server to TS-800's (or was it TVI-800's?)
> > as diskless workstations that connected back to the TS-806. It was fairly
> > cool, I always liked the shape of the things and the keyboards for some
> > reason... perhaps becuse it was the first 'multiuser' system I got to
> > see. I'm still amazed at how one could run 6 user sessions off a
> > processor that lacked 'protection' between tasks. I guess code was just
> > better written back then (no major MicroSoft apps to screw the system
> > up :).
> >
> > After realizing that the 816 was an 8088 box, I'm a bit less interested in
> > it...
> >
> > > We had 25 of the TS-803 at RETS, and I've been haggling
> > > for the only one I know is left from the guy who has it,
> > > so far, to no avail. I have manuals and lots of software
> > > for it, including TELE-WRITE and TELE-DRAW. We had a
> > > MouseSystems optical mouse on ours that worked with TELE-DRAW.
> >
> > Cool. I'm pretty sure the TS-806 and TS/TVI-800's were text-only, but if
> > the text-mode software still is compatible, that'd be awesome.
> >
> > -- Pat
> >
> >
>
>
Received on Sat May 04 2002 - 21:54:25 BST