[SunRescue] smallest portable vt100?

[Ken Hansen]

Bill,

The rub is going to be the battery, IMHO.

You could go very small, like the IBM PC110 (486 palmtop, TFT screen), but
that tends to cost about $400-500 for a decent kit, or something
inexpensive, like a 386 laptop - but the 386 laptop would require you to
most likely buy/rebuild the battery pack, bumping cost up to over your $150
threshold.

If you could find the money, the Portege 3020 from HiTechCafe.com would have
been a great option at $450, but they appear to have finally sold-out.

A Toshiba or IBM 486 laptop with a good battery may be your best bet, but
the weight will be high...

That $150 target is rough... Your targets of weight, battery life and
low-cost (<$150) are at odds, something will most likely have to give. The
best bet is a 486 from a friend with a known-good battery, IMHO.

Maybe a Thinkpad 701c - that would address small, batteries can be gotten
easily, and with a 486 processor, Linux/*BSD is an option. I have seen
starter kits for < $100 at recent computer shows in my area...

Good luck,

Ken

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Bradford" <mrbill at mrbill.net>
To: <geeks at mrbill.net>; <rescue at mrbill.net>
Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2001 3:54 AM
Subject: [SunRescue] smallest portable vt100?


> I have a need for a small-as-possible-but-still-decent-keyboard
> portable computer/handheld/etc capable of functioning as a
> 9600 baud serial console terminal (VT100 emulation) for a Sun
> machine, that can run on batteries for two hours or so while driving
> the serial port.
>
> (I'm tired of not having a console available for machines when I need one
> while installing boxes in the datacenter....)
>
> I've been looking at getting a Poquet PC
(http://www.cadigital.com/palmtop.htm),
> but they're around $150, which is more than what I wanted to spend.
>
> There's always the Palm/Newton angle, but I want something with a *real*
> keyboard.
>
> I'll go with an older P75 laptop if I *have* to, but something smaller
that
> I could carry in a backpack or kit bag would be best...
>
> 80x25 screen, 9600 baud serial port (standard DB9 or DB25), and decent
> keyboard with all keys (esc, etc) is pretty much all I require.
>
> Suggestions?
>
> Bill
>
> --
> Bill Bradford
> mrbill at mrbill.net
> Austin, TX
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