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HP Forum Archive 19

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80 column HP-IL interface
Message #1 Posted by Egan Ford on 13 Mar 2009, 6:09 p.m.

After a long wait I finally obtained an 80-column HP-IL interface for my 71B. For analog video I use a video capture USB dongle on my Mac Book Pro. It works great with the 32-column interface and the 80-column in 40-column mode, but in 80-column mode it looks terrible. However on a CRT TV it 80-columns looks readable. It's been over 20 years since I've seen 80-column video on a TV (Apple ][e, IIRC). IIRC, it never really looked that crisp.

What are you all using for your 80-column output device? Have any had luck with video capture devices?

Thanks.

P.S. I forgot to add, that is looks a bit better in PAL mode with video capture.

Edited: 13 Mar 2009, 6:11 p.m.

      
Re: 80 column HP-IL interface
Message #2 Posted by Garth Wilson on 13 Mar 2009, 6:49 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Egan Ford

Quote:
What are you all using for your 80-column output device? Have any had luck with video capture devices?
HP92198 (made by Mountain Computer) in 80-column mode, and a Zenith monochrome monitor with composite video input (not RF). It's plenty sharp for 80-column.

Edit: I should add that there's no reason you can't do 80 columns (or more) on a 41. In an automated test equipment set-up I did in the late 80's, the 41cx fed data to the monitor or printer with the ACA (accumulate alpha) and ACX (accumulate X) instructions to form 80-character lines. And with synthetic programming, you can have quoted strings with any characters including lower case, inverse video, and control characters, far more efficiently than using XTOA.

Edited: 13 Mar 2009, 7:07 p.m.

      
Re: 80 column HP-IL interface
Message #3 Posted by Allen on 14 Mar 2009, 7:32 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Egan Ford

I've been playing with connecting an HP-41CV and HP 82163A Video Interface to a small Polaroid BT-6025 DVD player. The Video is IN/OUT selectable, and reads nicely- small enough to put on a desktop with some other accessories and still work.

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