Tindie

VGA Serial Terminal Kit for RC2014

(5 Reviews)

ANSI / VT-100 Serial Terminal board with VGA and USB keyboard support

Designed by Marco Maccaferri, Ships from Italy

ANSI / VT-100 Serial Terminal board with VGA and USB keyboard support

This is a serial terminal add-on board for the RC2014 computer that adds support for VGA text at 80x25 with 16 colors, ANSI / VT-100 terminal emulation, and USB keyboard support. Why did you make i...

Why did you make it?

I did this to make the RC2014 computer less dependent from a PC connected with a serial cable.

What makes it special?

The board uses a single Parallax Propeller microcontroller running at 80MHz to generate the VGA signals at 720x400@70Hz and the USB host protocol. It connects directly with the standard RX and TX lines on the bus and doesn't require any dedicated driver.

Compatible with all RC2014 configurations, including the Mini variant.

Notes

This is the Full Kit version, see my other listing for the PCB only.
Basic electronics components knowledge and soldering skills are required to build this product. If you are unsure, please ask before purchase.
The USB host supports keyboards only, no other devices are supported including hubs.
The Propeller microcontroller doesn't have hardware support for USB host, the implementation is all software, and despite it was tested with different keyboard models and manufacturers there is absolutely no guarantee that it works with your keyboard.
The EEPROM is pre-programmed with the latest firmware available at the time of purchase. Future updates requires to program the EEPROM with a Propeller-compatible uploader using the programming header or an external device capable of programming serial EEPROMs.

Review Breakdown

Average Ratings

Product: (5.00)

Documentation: (4.00)

Shipping: (5.00)

Communication: (4.00)

Daniel | April 1, 2019

Excellent design, very high fun factor

This module is a game changer. Adding video and keyboard support to my RC2014 has allowed it to become its own independent computer. Assembly was very straightforward, with all components identified and clearly oriented in the provided assembly diagram. All components were well packaged and accounted for. Worked perfectly after assembly and very neat to have a computer that beeps when you turn it on.

The trickiest part was finding a compatible USB keyboard. I actually tried four different models -- two generic Amazon.com ones didn't work at all. Then I tried an OEM Dell keyboard (chiclet-style) from 2018, which worked but had an annoying re-typing kind of problem when one key was released while another was pressed (causing the first key to fire twice). Finally, another OEM Dell keyboard from 2015 (non-chiclet-style) worked flawlessly.

Graham | Nov. 21, 2018

Excellent product

Arrived quickly, well packaged, colour printed documentation and easy to put together. No config needed to set it up, truly plug and play. I can't fault this item at all, I'm going to get great use out of it. I've only got two USB keyboards and it works with either of them.

Randal | May 15, 2018

Awesome Addition!

I found the VGA Serial Terminal Kit by Marco Maccaferri to be well designed and executed. The kit was neatly documented and easy to assemble. I had no problems testing the module and it worked the first time I plugged it in. The "beep" from the on-board speaker upon startup is a nice addition and sounds just like an older computer booting. I enjoy the flashing block cursor and the ease of incorporating ANSI color codes into your programs. Every key on my "standard" Logitech Keyboard works as expected, and the Module observes the "NumLock" key, as well as the arrow keys, in addition to the directional arrows overlaid on the keypad. Function keys F1 through F10 work (by sending a control sequence), as well as the Delete, Home, and End keys.
When looking at the characters on the screen very closely, one can observe a bit of "waviness". I'm not sure if it is the Terminal Kit, or my aged flatscreen monitor. The effect is unnoticeable from a reasonable distance, so I am not concerned with it. I did try another "slot" in my RC2014 Pro backplane, but the effect remained. I will try another monitor to see if it persists, and try to update this review.
Overall, I would highly recommend this module for anyone that would like to work with their RC2014 system without the use of another computer as a terminal.

Karl Albert | March 28, 2018

Brilliant card

Bought this card, assembled it and inserted into rc2014.
Work nearly flawless, may be some interference on the screen depending on card position and proximity to screen.
I prefer this module more than the usb/hdmi raspberry pi card, due to ease of use, no need for external power and more retro look. I ordered the card with German keyboard driver, this work well with my Norwegian keyboard.

David | Jan. 19, 2018

Shipped fast and works great!

This is a nice little kit for getting a VGA terminal up and running on your rc2014. I had no issues assembling it based on the provided instructions and it worked fine in both basic and CPM.