3
Getting Started

After you install your VT420, you must set some of the terminal's operating features to

• Select the correct dialect for your keyboard.
• Run one or two sessions with one or two cables.

This chapter provides step-by-step instructions. All other VT420 operating features are already set to a factory-default setting that works with most Digital systems.

You may have to set some features to match your host system. For example, the VT420 must use the same communication baud rate as your host system.

Also, the terminal ID must match the software running on the host. If the message unknown terminal type appears on the screen, you must set the correct terminal ID. This chapter provides the instructions to

• Set the baud rate.
• Set the correct terminal ID.

The VT420 has a series of set-up screens that list the terminal's operating features. You can examine and change feature settings from the keyboard. The procedures in this chapter explain how to use some set-up screens. If you want to know more about set-up, or if you want to set a feature not covered here, see Chapter 5.

Selecting the Correct Keyboard Dialect

The VT420 has keyboard models for a number of dialects. The initial setting for the keyboard dialect feature is North American Keyboard.

If you have the North American/United Kingdom keyboard, you can skip this procedure, unless you want to use the British dialect. If you have any other keyboard model, you must complete this procedure to select the correct keyboard dialect.

1. Press the F3 (Set-Up) key to enter set-up. The Set-Up Directory screen appears (Figure 3-1). The cursor is on the Global field.

   Figure 3-1 Set-Up Directory

2. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor to the North American Keyboard field.
3. There are many possible settings for the keyboard dialect. Use the Enter key to move through the settings until you find your keyboard dialect.
4. After your setting appears, use the arrow keys to move to the Save field.
5. Press Enter. This saves your keyboard dialect setting.
6. Press F3 (Set-Up) to leave set-up.

Two Sessions: If you plan to run two sessions, you must select the keyboard dialect for each session independently. To select the keyboard dialect for the second session, first set-up the VT420 for two sessions (next section). Then press the F4 (Session) key and repeat the procedure above.

Setting Up the VT420 for One or Two Sessions

The VT420 has two communication (Comm) ports that let you run one or two sessions -- the Comm1 port and the Comm2 port. These ports provide the cable connections to your host system(s). To set up the terminal correctly, you must know

• How many sessions you want to run -- one or two.
• Which port(s) you are using: Comm1, Comm2, or both.
• What type of cable(s) you are using: RS-232 or DEC-423.

If you are unsure, see the "Cable Connections" section in Chapter 2. After you identify the port(s) and cables in use, go to the section that matches your installation.

• One session (one cable).
• Two sessions (two cables).
• Two sessions with SSU software (one cable).

Remember, the terminal must use a separate cable for each session, unless your system has SSU software or a DECserver 200 or DECserver 300 terminal server. SSU lets you run two sessions over one cable, and these terminal servers have SSU software.

The primary Comm1 port has two connectors -- a 25-pin, RS-232 connector and a 6-pin DEC-423 connector. The secondary Comm2 port has a 6-pin, DEC-423 connector. You can also use the Comm2 port to connect a local printer to the VT420.

Setting Up for One Session (One Cable)

You only need one communication cable to run one session. You can connect the cable to either of the connectors on the primary Comm1 port -- 25-pin RS-232 or 6-pin DEC-423. After you connect your cable, you must check the settings on the Global Set-Up screen.

1. Press the F3 (Set-Up) key to enter set-up. The Set-Up Directory screen appears (Figure 3-1). The cursor is on the Global field.
2. Press the Enter key. The Global Set-Up screen appears.
3. Check the setting of the second field on the second line. This setting assigns a session to the Comm1 or Comm2 connectors. There are four possible settings:

   S1=Comm1 (default)
   S1=Comm1,S2=Comm2
S1=Comm2,S1=Comm1
Sessions on Comm1

   The correct setting for your setup is the default setting of S1=Comm1.

   If the setting is correct, go on to the next step.

   If the setting is incorrect:

   1. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor to the field.
   2. Press Enter until the S1=Comm1 setting appears.
4. Check the setting of the first field on the third line. This setting selects the active connector on the Comm1 port. There are two possible settings:

   Comm1=RS-232
Comm1=DEC-423

   The setting should match the connector you are using. If the setting is correct, go to the next step.

   If the setting is incorrect:

   1. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor to the field.
   2. Press Enter until the correct setting appears.
5. If you changed any settings in the previous steps, continue with this procedure.

   If you did not change any settings, you can press F3 (Set-Up) to leave set-up.

6. After you select the correct settings, use the arrow keys to move to the To Directory field.
7. Press Enter to return to the Set-Up Directory. The cursor is on the Global field.
8. Use the arrow keys to move to the Save field.
9. Press Enter to save all the current settings in each set-up screen. A Done message appears at the bottom of the screen.
10. Press F3 (Set-Up) to leave set-up.

Setting Up for Two Sessions (Two Cables)

When you use two communication cables, you connect one cable to the terminal's Comm1 port and one cable to the Comm2 port. After you connect your cables, you must change some settings on the Global Set-Up screen to match your cable connections.

1. Press the F3 (Set-Up) key to enter set-up. The Set-Up Directory screen appears (Figure 3-1). The cursor is on the Global field.
2. Press the Enter key. The Global Set-Up screen appears.
3. Check the setting of the second field on the second line. This field assigns each session to the Comm1 and Comm2 ports. There are four possible settings:

   S1=Comm1 (default)
   S1=Comm1,S2=Comm2
S1=Comm2,S2=Comm1
Sessions on Comm1

   To run two sessions over two communication cables, you can use one of two settings:

   S1=Comm1,S2=Comm2	Assigns session 1 to the Comm1 port and session 2 to the Comm2 port.
   S1=Comm2,S2=Comm1	Assigns session 1 to the Comm2 port and session 2 to the Comm1 port.

   NOTE: When you connect your VT420 to two different systems, the VT420 always opens session 1 first. You should match session 1 with the computer you use most often.

   If the setting is correct, go on to the next step.

   If the setting is incorrect:

   1. Use the arrow keys to move to the field.
   2. Press Enter until the correct setting appears.
4. Check the setting of the first field on the third line. This setting selects the active connector on the Comm port. There are two possible settings:

   Comm1=RS-232
Comm1=DEC-423

   The setting should match the connector you are using. If the setting is correct, go to the next step.

   If the setting is incorrect:

   1. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor to the field.
   2. Press Enter until the correct setting appears.
5. If you changed any settings in the previous steps, continue with this procedure.

   If you did not change any settings, you can press F3 (Set-Up) to leave set-up.

   After you select the correct settings, use the arrow keys to move to the To Directory field.

6. Press Enter to return to the Set-Up Directory.
7. Use the arrow keys to move to the Save field.
8. Press Enter to save all the current settings in each set-up screen. A Done message appears at the bottom of the screen.
9. Press F3 (Set-Up) to leave set-up.

When you use two cables to run two sessions, you must set the baud rate for each session independently. See "Selecting the Correct Baud Rate" later in this chapter.

Chapter 7 describes how to use two sessions.

Setting Up for Two Sessions with SSU Software (One Cable)

If your host system has Digital's SSU software, the VT420 can run two sessions over one communication cable. Your system manager can tell you if your host system has SSU software.

Connect the communication cable to either connector on the Comm1 port -- the 25-pin, RS-232 connector or the 6-pin, DEC-423 connector. After you connect the cable, change the settings on the Global Set-Up screen to match your cable connection.

1. Press F3 (Set-Up) key to enter set-up. The Set-Up Directory screen appears (Figure 3-1). The cursor is on the Global field.
2. Press the Enter key. The Global Set-Up screen appears.
3. Check the setting of the second field on the second line. This field assigns each session to the Comm1 or Comm2 port. There are four possible settings:

   S1=Comm1 (default)
   S1=Comm1,S2=Comm2
S1=Comm2,S2=Comm1
Sessions on Comm1

   To assign both sessions to the Comm1 port, you use the Sessions on Comm1 setting.

   If the setting is correct, go on to the next step.

   If the setting is incorrect:

   1. Use the arrow keys to move to the field.
   2. Press Enter until the Sessions on Comm1 setting appears.
4. Check the setting of the first field on the third line. This setting selects the active connector on the Comm1 port. There are two possible settings:

   Comm1=RS-232
Comm1=DEC-423

   The setting should match the connector you are using. If the setting is correct, go to the next step.

   If the setting is incorrect:

   1. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor to the field.
   2. Press Enter until the correct setting appears.
5. If you changed any settings in the previous steps, continue with this procedure.

   If you did not change any settings, you can press F3 (Set-Up) to leave set-up.

   After you select the correct settings, use the arrow keys to move to the To Directory field.

6. Press Enter to return to the Set-Up Directory.
7. Use the arrow keys to move to the Save field.
8. Press Enter to save all the current settings in each set-up screen. A Done message appears at the bottom of the screen.
9. Press F3 (Set-Up) to leave set-up.

Chapter 7 describes how to use two sessions.

Selecting the Correct Baud Rate

The VT420 is initially set to a baud rate of 9600. This setting works with most Digital systems. The baud rate setting must match the baud rate of your host system. If you are unsure what baud rate your host system uses, ask your system operator or system manager.

To set the baud rate, you use the transmit = and receive = features on the Communications Set-Up screen.

1. Press the F3 (Set-Up) key to enter set-up. The Set-Up Directory screen appears (Figure 3-1). The cursor is on the Global field.
2. Use the arrow keys to move to the Comm field.
3. Press the Enter key. The Communications Set-Up screen appears:
4. Use the arrow keys to move to the Transmit = field.
5. The Transmit = field is initially set to 9600. You should use a setting that matches your host system. There are eight possible settings.

   Use the Enter key to scroll through the settings.

   NOTE: Next to the transmit = feature is the receive = feature. Most systems use the same speed to transmit and receive. The initial setting for receive = is Receive=Transmit, so the receive speed automatically changes to match the transmit speed you select.

6. After you select the correct setting, use the arrow keys to move to the To Directory field.
7. Press Enter to return to the Set-Up Directory.
8. Use the arrow keys to move to the Save field.
9. Press Enter to save all the current settings in each set-up screen. A Done message appears at the bottom of the screen.
10. Press F3 (Set-Up) to leave set-up.

If you plan to run two sessions with two communication cables, you must set the baud rate for each session independently. To set the baud rate for the second session, first set up the VT420 for two sessions ("Setting Up for Two Sessions (Two Cables)"). After you complete all the steps in that section, press the F4 (Session) key and repeat all the steps in this section.

Selecting the Correct Terminal ID

VT series text terminals are designed to identify themselves to the host software upon request, so the software can automatically recognize the terminal's operating features. If your software has not been updated recently, it may not recognize the VT420 ID response. For example, if the messsage unknown terminal type appears on the screen, you should change the terminal ID feature as follows:

1. Press the F3 (Set-Up) key to enter set-up. The Set-Up Directory screen appears (Figure 3-1). The cursor is on the Global field.
2. Use the arrow keys to move to the General field.
3. Press the Enter key. The General Set-Up screen appears.
4. Use the arrow keys to move to the VT420 ID field.

   Use the Enter key to scroll to the VT320 ID settings.

5. After you select the correct setting, use the arrow keys to move to the To Directory field.
6. Press Enter to return to the Set-Up Directory.
7. Use the arrow keys to move to the Save field.
8. Press Enter to save all the current settings in each set-up screen. A Done message appears at the bottom of the screen.
9. Press F3 (Set-Up) to leave set-up.