I had a video board and keyboard on my Gimix SS-50 system.

Why?

1.  The video board/monitor is much faster than a terminal even at 115,200 baud. 2.  A Video board, keyboard and monitor was way cheaper back then than a terminal (Yes there was the SWTPc CT64 and the Lear Siegler ADM-3A kits, but fully loaded they weren't all that cheap). 3.  If the video board supports any kind of graphics that is another reason.  The Gimix video board supported graphics with a RAM character generator.

On 8/30/2023 2:38 PM, W2HX via cctalk wrote:
Hi all,

I recently acquired an S-100 computer, and it came with a video card and a 
keyboard (3rd party products, not originally equipped with these). I am trying 
to figure out the benefits of having a video card and keyboard vs just using a 
serial port and terminal. Certainly if the video card supported graphics, that 
would be a reason to go that route over a terminal. As for the keyboard, 
ok-maybe you need specific keys for a specific application. But I don't 
understand the video monitor. I could understand maybe if there was an RF 
modulator so that you could use a standard TV. That would save the builder some 
money. But this computer just provides composite.

Other than graphics (and maybe some special function keys for an application on 
a keyboard), why would an S-100 builder in those days opt to buy a video card 
instead of a terminal?

Thanks for the bandwidth.

73 Eugene W2HX
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