(link dead, now only at archive.org)
[Translated from German to English] This is one of the legendary Nixdorf terminals for Nixdorf mainframes. The terminal dates back to the time when Nixdorf was still an independent company. It has a 9-inch black and white picture tube which is covered with a yellow color filter and a thin wire mesh. This is a terminal from the 70s where computers were still huge expensive machines. The purpose of such terminals was to bring the computing power of the mainframe computer to the user's desktop. The terminal thus served as a remote control for the mainframe computer. Today, where personal computers have become small and cheap, the terminal mainframe concept has gone out of fashion. Central mainframe (nowadays, rather, the term "server")
Unfortunately, this terminal is a wreck, on the one hand, the electronics are incompatible with today's Linux / Unix servers and probably have problems with the memory, as it outputs only a par confused characters. On the other hand, the chassis of the monitor is heavily rusted and the electronics of the monitor is no longer working properly.During the last test I noticed that the picture tube at the back glows blue. A sure sign that it has drawn air. Since the whole thing is in the bucket, I will I think about what I will do. You could equip the keyboard with a microcontroller and replace the monitor with something new.
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This image appears at the bottom of this page on runningserver.com
(link dead, now only at archive.org)
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Here is his contact information which shows an email address which I won't repeat here, since he's encoded it so that the spambots don't find him...very clever!
So, is this Philipp on YouTube? Philipp Maier Yes, indeed it is him!
UPDATE: 2019-09-07 - I just received an email reply from Philipp, asking if he still has this terminal. Here's an excerpt of his reply:
I still have my terminal, but I want to keep it for the moment. That
terminal is one of the Items I already have for a long time now. I was
collecting those roundly shaped devices back then (see also Intertec
Superbrain). Unfortunately the terminal is in a very sad condition. The
CRT is up to air and the rest seems also not to work properly.
So far I have not done anything to it. The orange screen you see on the
"monset" page is actually a CRT screen. I was experimenting with
replacement screens back then. The problem back then was that I did not
have the skills to create a dignified mod for that terminal. There was
not only the screen-problem, but also the keyboard that would have needed
some work done to it. However, now I could do it, it is still on my to-do-list.
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UPDATE: 2019-10-14 - I just came from a visit to Philipp's house in a northwest suburb of Berlin, and I am thrilled to report that Philipp has decided to sell me this terminal! We shall begin reverse engineering and restoration of this terminal immediately upon my return to the USA. Please watch here at entrex480.blogspot.com to see updates of our progress with understanding this rare and enigmatic terminal.
Here is his contact information which shows an email address which I won't repeat here, since he's encoded it so that the spambots don't find him...very clever!
So, is this Philipp on YouTube? Philipp Maier Yes, indeed it is him!
UPDATE: 2019-09-07 - I just received an email reply from Philipp, asking if he still has this terminal. Here's an excerpt of his reply:
I still have my terminal, but I want to keep it for the moment. That
terminal is one of the Items I already have for a long time now. I was
collecting those roundly shaped devices back then (see also Intertec
Superbrain). Unfortunately the terminal is in a very sad condition. The
CRT is up to air and the rest seems also not to work properly.
So far I have not done anything to it. The orange screen you see on the
"monset" page is actually a CRT screen. I was experimenting with
replacement screens back then. The problem back then was that I did not
have the skills to create a dignified mod for that terminal. There was
not only the screen-problem, but also the keyboard that would have needed
some work done to it. However, now I could do it, it is still on my to-do-list.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE: 2019-10-14 - I just came from a visit to Philipp's house in a northwest suburb of Berlin, and I am thrilled to report that Philipp has decided to sell me this terminal! We shall begin reverse engineering and restoration of this terminal immediately upon my return to the USA. Please watch here at entrex480.blogspot.com to see updates of our progress with understanding this rare and enigmatic terminal.
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