Using Apple II as a dumb terminal?

[Anonymous]

Heyo,
I’ve been trying to use my Apple iie as a dumb terminal by following this helpful guide on reddit ( https://www.reddit.com/r/apple2/comments/v6q4ad )
However, it just doesn’t work for me. After the last step to type in the exec::: command, the cursor just blinks and Terminal on my MacBook is unresponsive. I’m using Proterm on my Mac and I even bought the same cable the guy used in the tutorial. Any help?

 

[Mk.558]

Not an Apple // nerd.

What version of OS X / macOS are you using? Tried using the built-in Terminal program?

It's basically setting up a serial console. I wrote a section on it in my signature. Won't be updated for Version 4.0 so it's fine as is for now.

 

[Anonymous]

I’m using a 2015 intel MacBook Air running OS Monterey (version 12.7.6) because the serial to usb drivers didn’t seem to work on a newer M1 Mac.

 

[Mk.558]

Try using the built-in terminal. Check that the path to getty is correct. Try using a Linux VM and see if that works.

 

[desertrout]

I was trying to make this work a few months ago with getty in Terminal with *some* success (to a silicon Mac fwiw) and really should come back to it. I can't remember my setup with the Apple II, but I remember having an easier go using Kermit on DOS, but generally the result was the same - connect and login no issue, execute terminal commands and so on but I don't see the output on the console after I log in. It seems that getty on macos doesn't seem to work very well for this purpose.

You can quickly test if your cable and terminal/console settings are working just using 'screen' in Terminal; you should be able to send/receive keystroke data each way. Using an app like Serial is easier, since you have better control over local-echo etc, which you don't in screen for some reason (afaict), just note it's a paid app. Minicom also works well, I've used that for serial data transfer to my HX-20 with good success.

Always an excellent resource: http://www.applefool.com/se30/#serialdata
And: https://pbxbook.com/other/mac-tty.html

I'm waiting on some new jumper blocks for my SSC, once those come in I'll give this another shot.

 

[4seasonphoto]

What serial device are you attempting to connect to? If you are attempting to connect two computers, you'll want a null modem adapter.

Also, with USB-Serial adapter plugged into the Mac, what results does "lsusb" reveal? If you don't see your device listed, there's likely a driver issue.

 

[Anonymous]

I’m using this cable: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000067RWK/

And running ls /dev/cu.* does give me the correct /dev/cu.usbserial

I’m blindly following the reddit instructions, and I don’t know the inner working of the terminal, so if Screen would work better than Getty, how would I go about using it?

 

[desertrout]

The instructions are suggesting the layers at play here; you open the Terminal app, then launch a virtual terminal with 'screen', then launch the 'getty' utility inside of that screen session to provide the console with a login prompt and access to your Mac's file system.

A screen session itself is basically an open serial pathway, and if your cables and console settings are lined up right, you should be able to type on your Mac and text will appear on your A2, and vice versa. But there are a lot of links in this chain, and those Reddit instructions are glossing over a few - specifically the A2 side of this.

That cable should be fine as an adapter, but you may need a null cable or adjust your serial card accordingly. What card are you using?

The instructions suggest using Modem Manager, which requires some configuration (full manual is here: https://mirrors.apple2.org.za/ftp.apple.asimov.net/images/communications/Modem Mgr manual.rar). Other comm software will work for this, but no matter what you'll need to make sure you're adjusting the settings to match the baud rate (whatever you choose, but 9600 is fine) and the usual 8-N-1 (8 data bits, no parity bit, 1 stop bit).

Sort of related question: are you able to use ADT Pro?

 

[Anonymous]

I’m using the Apple Super Serial II card and yes, I can use ADT Pro. I set the card up using the manual as if it were using a printer, so SW1 is 0001011 and SW2 is 1001000 (1 is on, 0 is off)

 

[desertrout]

OK, good - if ADT Pro works, then your cable situation is good.

Just noting your SSC jumper settings... I believe SW1-6 must always be 1; SW1-5 and SW-6 together set the comm mode, either printer or modem; 0,1 for printer mode, 1,1 for modem mode. Perhaps ADT Pro ignores jumpers with software overrides, Modem Manager may not.

FWIW ADT Pro instructions say to use SW1: 1001111 and SW2: 1101100. Maybe that doesn't make a difference if the card is ultimately being software controlled... Who knows. But these settings equal 300 baud, modem mode, 1 stop bit, carriage return delay, 80 characters per line, line feed, no interrupt, and RS232C standard.

Using the ADT Pro jumper settings on my SSC, and setting my baud rate to 300 on both sides (using Modem Manager on my IIe), I can login and use my Mac's file system. It's slow, but it *is* working...

 

[Anonymous]

Oops! Apologies, I thought your question of being able to use adt pro was if I had the knowledge to, not if I had successfully executed it. I have it set up, but I haven’t tried it yet as unfortunately when I was pulling out the modem/terminal jumper block, I snapped a pin off ;( maybe come back to this thread once I think of a solution….

 

[desertrout]

Ah, that makes sense. This may be helpful: https://archive.org/details/super_serial_card_050-0045-a_schematic/page/n1/mode/1up

 

[desertrout]

Oops! Apologies, I thought your question of being able to use adt pro was if I had the knowledge to, not if I had successfully executed it. I have it set up, but I haven’t tried it yet as unfortunately when I was pulling out the modem/terminal jumper block, I snapped a pin off ;( maybe come back to this thread once I think of a solution….

Just thinking about this, that jumper block would be easy enough to replicate by either wiring the connections directly in the jumper's socket, or using another 16 dip socket as a platform and wiring that. The schematic I shared above shows how it's wired:

 

[epooch]

when I was pulling out the modem/terminal jumper block, I snapped a pin off ;( maybe come back to this thread once I think of a solution….

I soldered up a few spares when I had the same issue. Let me know if you want me to send one out to you.

 

[epooch]

For future reference you can use an 16 pin dip IDC plug and solder little jumpers as in the SSC schematic that desertrout posted.

Add a label with an arrow, and you get something like this:

 

[Anonymous]

Okay! I'm back. Thanks to Epooch for sending me a replacement jumper! Anyways, I used IN#1 at the basic command to test the card, that seems to work as the Apple SSC prompt can be accessed. I then used ADTPro, which doesn't work. My host computer says Request: Desktop Contents (the desktop is where I put the directory) and on the Apple II it says Host Timeout. What gives?

 

[epooch]

1. Make sure the jumper is pointing to Terminal and you use a straight through serial cable. Do not use a printer cable or null modem.
2. Make sure the SSC is in slot 1, 2, or 3
3. Make sure the dip switches match the ADT pro instructions
4. You can connect directly from the mac Terminal to test things out:

screen -L /dev/cu.usbserial 300,cs7,cstopb

(replace cu.usbserial with the actual name of your device in the dev folder)

Then, after reset, if you do PR#1 and IN#1 on the apple II, you should be able to send text back and forth.

 

[Anonymous]

So I got ADTPro working, and I followed your steps. Terminal on my Mac is giving me the error, "Sorry, could not find a PTY". I've been using this cable, as the original reddit post said that this one worked (https://shorturl.at/JD4sy). Not sure if it's a null modem or a straight through.

 

[Arbee]

"Could not find a PTY" is a software issue, it's unrelated to the cable.

 

[epooch]

"Could not find a PTY" is a software issue, it's unrelated to the cable.

I agree. That usually means something already has it open. could it be getty or is ADT pro still running?