Cybernex XL display video terminal
Dublin Core
Title
Cybernex XL display video terminal
Subject
computer hardware: display video terminal
Description
Historical Context:
In the 1950s, the operators of mainframe computers used dedicated consoles, hardcopy terminals (such as teletypes and modified electric typewriters), and a variety of cathode ray tube (CRT) displays to run and control data processing tasks. Computer consoles typically featured rows of switches and associated lights that allowed operators to run and control the execution of programs, analyze data stored in memory, and to control other hardware interfaced with computers. Hardcopy terminals were used to print on roles of paper information such as operator's commands, computer responses, and other console messages. Finally, CRTs were used to displaying information (e.g. memory contents) in a rudimentary graphical form.
The "glass teletype" that appeared in the mid-1960s was the first attempt at providing a single device allowing computer operators to run their systems having all the essential control and data processing information displayed on a screen. However, it was not until the early 1970s, when the first "dumb" video display terminals, featuring limited editing capabilities, were introduced (one of the earliest such terminals was the 7700A Interactive Display Terminal introduced by Lear Siegler Inc. in 1973). All these terminals shared the same basic keyboard-display-interface design: each featured a keyboard, a CRT screen that could display full sets of alphanumeric characters, and each had the capability to send and receive data via communication lines to a remote host computer. By the mid-1970s, video terminals became the most effective human-computer interface devices and they remain so until the mid-1980s, when they were displaced by microcomputers that could be interfaced with mainframes and minicomputers to perform terminal jobs in addition to microcomputing tasks, when PC monitors had become a common occurrence worldwide.
In Canada, the design and manufacturing of computer display terminals began in the early 1970s. Comterm Inc. (Montreal), Cybernex Ltd. (Ottawa), Electrohome (Kitchener), Lektromedia (Pointe Claire), NORPAK (Kanata), TIL Systems Ltd (Toronto), and Volker-Craig (Waterloo) were some of the pioneering companies.
Cybernex Ltd. was an Ottawa-based manufacturer of video terminals, co-founded in 1974 by James Gadzala, Colin Turner, Bruce Douglas, and David Londry. The company's first product was the D1600 digitizing video terminal for the aero photogrammetry industry. In the following years, the company introduced a broad line of display terminals including the LTL Series (1975), LGR Series (1976), TH Series (1977), MDL-100 Series (1978), XL-80 Series (1980) as well as RB, RG, RH, SA, and XM Series. The terminals offered emulation of several popular terminal models from vendors such as Adds, Basic Four, Burroughs, Data General, Digital Equipment Corp., Hewlett-Packard, Hezeltine, Honeywell, IBM, and Lear Siegler. Initially, the company's main clients were large Canadian corporations (including Bell Canada) and government departments. In 1982, Cybernex entered the US market.
In addition to its video display terminals, the company also manufactured the LC3 microcomputer for a range of applications including software development, industrial controllers, and systems for dedicated applications. The computer was built around the Motorola 6809 microprocessor and was offered with the Cymon operating system and Cybol programming language also developed by Cybernex.
Cybernex introduced its second generation of microprocessor-based highly successful video display terminals--the XL Series--in 1980. In their basic configuration, the XL terminals offered 12 inch green screens which could display 24 lines of 80 characters, and 82-key QWERTY-style detachable keyboard featuring a numeric keypad. The displays' hardware was controlled by the Motorola 6800 8-bit microprocessor. Options included white or amber screen with the 25th status line as well as an advanced keyboard featuring 107 keys including two rows of function keys.
The museum has an XL-8025 terminal, serial number 81024539, with an 82-key keyboard.
Note: the label attached to the bottom of the terminal has a handwritten model number XLGR-1 while the terminal's printed circuit board has XL-8025 etched on it.
In the 1950s, the operators of mainframe computers used dedicated consoles, hardcopy terminals (such as teletypes and modified electric typewriters), and a variety of cathode ray tube (CRT) displays to run and control data processing tasks. Computer consoles typically featured rows of switches and associated lights that allowed operators to run and control the execution of programs, analyze data stored in memory, and to control other hardware interfaced with computers. Hardcopy terminals were used to print on roles of paper information such as operator's commands, computer responses, and other console messages. Finally, CRTs were used to displaying information (e.g. memory contents) in a rudimentary graphical form.
The "glass teletype" that appeared in the mid-1960s was the first attempt at providing a single device allowing computer operators to run their systems having all the essential control and data processing information displayed on a screen. However, it was not until the early 1970s, when the first "dumb" video display terminals, featuring limited editing capabilities, were introduced (one of the earliest such terminals was the 7700A Interactive Display Terminal introduced by Lear Siegler Inc. in 1973). All these terminals shared the same basic keyboard-display-interface design: each featured a keyboard, a CRT screen that could display full sets of alphanumeric characters, and each had the capability to send and receive data via communication lines to a remote host computer. By the mid-1970s, video terminals became the most effective human-computer interface devices and they remain so until the mid-1980s, when they were displaced by microcomputers that could be interfaced with mainframes and minicomputers to perform terminal jobs in addition to microcomputing tasks, when PC monitors had become a common occurrence worldwide.
In Canada, the design and manufacturing of computer display terminals began in the early 1970s. Comterm Inc. (Montreal), Cybernex Ltd. (Ottawa), Electrohome (Kitchener), Lektromedia (Pointe Claire), NORPAK (Kanata), TIL Systems Ltd (Toronto), and Volker-Craig (Waterloo) were some of the pioneering companies.
Cybernex Ltd. was an Ottawa-based manufacturer of video terminals, co-founded in 1974 by James Gadzala, Colin Turner, Bruce Douglas, and David Londry. The company's first product was the D1600 digitizing video terminal for the aero photogrammetry industry. In the following years, the company introduced a broad line of display terminals including the LTL Series (1975), LGR Series (1976), TH Series (1977), MDL-100 Series (1978), XL-80 Series (1980) as well as RB, RG, RH, SA, and XM Series. The terminals offered emulation of several popular terminal models from vendors such as Adds, Basic Four, Burroughs, Data General, Digital Equipment Corp., Hewlett-Packard, Hezeltine, Honeywell, IBM, and Lear Siegler. Initially, the company's main clients were large Canadian corporations (including Bell Canada) and government departments. In 1982, Cybernex entered the US market.
In addition to its video display terminals, the company also manufactured the LC3 microcomputer for a range of applications including software development, industrial controllers, and systems for dedicated applications. The computer was built around the Motorola 6809 microprocessor and was offered with the Cymon operating system and Cybol programming language also developed by Cybernex.
Cybernex introduced its second generation of microprocessor-based highly successful video display terminals--the XL Series--in 1980. In their basic configuration, the XL terminals offered 12 inch green screens which could display 24 lines of 80 characters, and 82-key QWERTY-style detachable keyboard featuring a numeric keypad. The displays' hardware was controlled by the Motorola 6800 8-bit microprocessor. Options included white or amber screen with the 25th status line as well as an advanced keyboard featuring 107 keys including two rows of function keys.
The museum has an XL-8025 terminal, serial number 81024539, with an 82-key keyboard.
Note: the label attached to the bottom of the terminal has a handwritten model number XLGR-1 while the terminal's printed circuit board has XL-8025 etched on it.
Creator
Cybernex Ltd.
Date
1982
Coverage
North America, 1980s
Contribution Form
Online Submission
No
Files
Citation
Cybernex Ltd., “Cybernex XL display video terminal,” York University Computer Museum Canada, accessed April 25, 2024, https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/items/show/31.