Viewdata terminal software: Any available to download?

[stephen_usher]

I was just wondering if there's any free to download Viewdata/Prestel terminal emulation software for the QL.

I've looked on the Dilwyn site and I can only find VT52/VT100/ANSI emulators.

[Andrew]

i believe there was a program called something like QeM that emulates Prestel.
I might have it on a disk image from a QL CLub from Sweden or Germany - I'll look for it.
I have no idea if it's free or not - I presume it is, because it was on a QL Club disk.

[stephen_usher]

Thanks.

[janbredenbeek]

I was just wondering if there's any free to download Viewdata/Prestel terminal emulation software for the QL.

Here is a small Viewdata terminal program I wrote back in the '80s. It's called QVIEW but has no relationship with the Minerva crew.

It uses MODE 8 and direct screen writes (sorry, but this was the only way I could get the graphics right) so if you want to use it with QPC2 you have to turn on QL screen emulation using QPC_QLSCREMU 8.

Also note that you have to supply the name of the serial port on the command line, e.g. EX QVIEW;'ser1'. Else, it tries to open SER2EI which may not work in your particular configuration.

Download link: https://files.bredenbeek.net/s/6Ce5CcD0vrYdCNWV

[stephen_usher]

Thanks

[ones' complement]

AFAIK the Quanta library has Lau Reeves/Stuart McKnights QVIEW program suite (BB host. editor etc - full programming environment for Viewdata). Within it is QVPr program.

• QVPr - Viewdata Terminal
  ========================
  
  QVPR is designed to integrate into the QVIEW system - it uses the same
  Teletext display routine as the the QVEd page editor & needs to have
  the QVIEW extensions present although QVEd itself does not need to be
  running.
  
  Starting for the first time is the usual EXEC QVPR_OBJ. It will then
  attempt to obtain use of ser2 & the modem from the BB. It will wait
  for a few seconds - if successful it will then start up. If it fails
  on the first attempt it goes to sleep - pressing G for Get or Q for
  Quit will re-try the modem or remove itself respectively.
  
  Once running, QVPR is a glass terminal ie most of what you type goes
  straight out to the modem - commands to dial numbers etc require that
  you read the appropriate Hayes or Native commands if using the
  Astracom 1000 series modems. Further information on the facilities
  available to QVPr is given by the Help key F1.
  
  You can print frames, snapshot them into QVEd pages ( it overwrites
  what was there so make sure it was a spare page!), upload QVEd pages
  to the remote system, pick out mailbox numbers that follow the Prestel
  convention etc.
  
  When finished with QVPr, you can return ownership of ser2 to the BB by
  pressing CONTROL/SHIFT/F5 which sends QVPr to sleep - you may then
  Quit to remove it or leave it in the machine until you next want to
  dial out - pressing Get will then restart it.

[Andrew]

I found the QeM disk, but I am not sure if it emulates Prestel or it needs a Prestel board.
I also found a disk labeled Terminals - also from a QL Users group.
I attached the disk images. Maybe it helps.

[janbredenbeek]

i believe there was a program called something like QeM that emulates Prestel.
I might have it on a disk image from a QL CLub from Sweden or Germany - I'll look for it.
I have no idea if it's free or not - I presume it is, because it was on a QL Club disk.

QeM is a terminal emulator from Jonathan Hudson. It was superseded by QTPI, which is written for the Pointer Environment.
It doesn't support Prestel but 'scrolling terminal' BBS (using VT52/VT100/ANSI standards) and X/Y/Zmodem file transfers.
Both QeM and QTPI can be downloaded from Dilwyn's site.

[Derek_Stewart]

Hi,

I used to use to Tandata software and Qualsoft Terminal, for Viewdata systems. But these terminals had problems on modern QL systems, I switched to QTPI which can be use in Extended Environment, or QEM with the Extended Environment installed, mainly for the use of batch downloading protocols like Zmodem.

There was a Qview Viewdata system, that was commercially available, but I have never seen the software available since the mid 1990s.

Viewdata died out, in favour scrolling ANSI BBS systems. It is a pity as there are some good Viewdata systems, which Acorn BBC computers still use now.

[stephen_usher]

Viewdata died out, in favour scrolling ANSI BBS systems. It is a pity as there are some good Viewdata systems, which Acorn BBC computers still use now.

Indeed, such as Telstar, which I connect to using the OPD and a virtual modem over VoIP, then the Internet.

I wanted to see if there was a way to get Viewdata on the QL so as to have it in tandem with the OPD at an exhibition in November.