Windows 10 / 64 bit  terminal emulators - suggestions for free emulators - RS232 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: wizard69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2020, 01:53:59 am
content: Hi Guys;The evil IT people forced us to Windows 10 64 bit which has raised hell with my ability to support ancient equipment in a factory. So amongst other things I need to find a flexible terminal emulator that runs well under Windows 10 / 64 bit. Instead of trying out what I can find online I thought it might be better to ask what people deep into this work use. The usage is mostly in maintenance mode (possibly some development work) in a plant with all sorts of devices with RS232 ports. Imagine configuring an RF generator, process pump, transducer interface and such. Devices you might find in a modern highly automated manufacturing plant.I mentioned flexible because I need an easy way to configure end of lines, send odd characters, possibly even inter-character pacing. I do use Eclipse but don't like the lack of flexibility for setting up ports there. That might be due to lack of documentation / knowledge of the TM part of Eclipse.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2020, 02:18:11 am
content: I use TeraTerm. It is small, works everywhere and has all the features you need.

author: wizard69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2020, 02:50:36 am
content: Thanks GuysI will give Teraterm a spin.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2020, 03:48:56 am
content: I've been using PuTTY for many years, it does everything I've ever needed a terminal to do.

author: chriva
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2020, 07:43:23 pm
content: TeraTerm. Hands down, TeraTerm!It doesn't have as many features as putty but it makes up for it by doing the things it can really, really well.

author: wizard69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2020, 08:54:21 am
content: Will be in at work tomorrow (today), hopefully I will have time to check both of these suggestions out. At home I run Linux so I have lots of options there. At work I needs something that a variety of technicians can adapt to under Windows 64.

author: chriva
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2020, 08:59:57 am
content: If you know of anything similar to TeraTerm in particular I'd be forever grateful. Been using screen and it's frankly a artrithis inducing trainwreck with its weird keyboard combination. Not friendly to Nordic keyboard layouts

author: DimitriP
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2020, 09:12:30 am
content: Quote<flogging evil IT people emoticon>

author: Bicurico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2020, 09:18:24 am
content: HyperTerminal from old Windows installations still work on Windows 10 64bit.Regards,Vitor

author: kosthala1
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 13, 2020, 08:35:41 am
content: You can try the attached one.Not advanced as teraterm, but it is simple to use and portable.

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2020, 08:49:47 am
content: I'd be confronting the evil IT people with a good dose of garlic breath first,and hope they turn to dust like previous IT vampires I've had strong words with,= problem solved, and retro back to the Windows that workedFailing that, can't you use a personal laptop 'discretely' that runs the way you prefer?----------------------what's with some IT people anyway? did they miss the memo that win 10 is a NO GO for serious IT admin work and especially SECURITY and privacy ?

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2020, 11:43:41 am
content: I user Terraterm a lot but sometimes there are more appropriate alternatives. YAT is one such that gets heavy use for particular scenarios:https://sourceforge.net/p/y-a-terminal/wiki/Home/

author: chriva
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2020, 12:46:15 pm
content: You're forgetting they have actual workstation versions of their operative systems.In windows 10 pro and up you can apply group policies to kill all annoying "features" btw. If you run Home edt you're just asking for a headache

author: notsob
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2020, 10:08:46 pm
content: There is also "coolterm" - freeware, give it a tryhttps://freeware.the-meiers.org/

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2020, 10:55:17 pm
content: Quote from: chriva on May 13, 2020, 12:46:15 pmIIRC its only win 10 Server you can do that withBoth Pro and Home still surf to MS for unwanted band-aids and security fillers when mom callsSomeone correct please if I missed the bus on Pro

author: SilverSolder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2020, 01:18:38 am
content: Quote from: Bicurico on May 11, 2020, 09:18:24 amNow that's a blast from the past. I just tried it and it does work... for the simplest stuff, it might be handy!(Normally I use Putty)

author: wizard69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2020, 04:31:08 am
content: Sadly I have no control over those IT people, I'd run Linux if I could. In any event things at work have not gone as planned as I've been putting out fires for the last couple of days.As for IT hey can't seem to grasp that in a manufacturing plant I have tools to support that where built yesterday (fairly easy) sitting next to hardware that might be 20+ years old. Of course everything in between and some of those controls require running specific software to access the controls in a reasonable manner. Said software ended support 15 years ago and the company responsible doesn't exist anymore. IT's response is "upgrade" having no idea what that involves.Quote from: Electro Detective on May 13, 2020, 08:49:47 amWell I suppose I could but at the moment I don't have one. I got really pissed with the high failure rate for laptops, with one that I owned going on the blink very shortly after the warranty expired. That was the last one which followed even more dramatic failures before that. So I threw caution to the wind, resurrected an old desktop I hadn't used in like 8 years, put in new guts and now have myself a very nice Linux desktop box that runs like a champ. I'm just not convinced that laptops make sense for me personally right now, iphone handles my mobile needs.AT work frustration is high anyways (more stupidity that I can enumerate), I could easily do an early semi retirement if the cash was there. The department is on its third manager in a couple of years and frankly I'm not sure he will have any more luck with the upper layers of management than those before him.Quote

author: JPortici
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2020, 05:47:14 am
content: i prefer Realtermhttps://sourceforge.net/projects/realterm/can't find the appeal to putty or teraterm, even windows has SSH (whenever i need it) and to talk to our hardware and send/receive short strings of hex i find realterm to have the best user interface (aka it works exactly as it would if i had written it)

author: drussell
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2020, 07:06:27 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on May 13, 2020, 12:44:22 pmWindows 7freesupport has ended.It is still supported with security updates, etc. if you pay for them, for atleastthe next three years.Last time I checked, there was even still an officially supported edition of XP Embedded, used in things like POS terminals.

author: ebclr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2020, 08:13:46 am
content: If you want the one that does all things, on terminal space, Try the most complete onehttps://mobaxterm.mobatek.net/

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2020, 10:11:50 am
content: What 'support' or 'security fillers' would OP wizard69 need for any abandoned Windows OS that's running abandoned vintage software ?Surely the ransomware codetards aren't that desperate during these trying times, to chase that market too?Those I.T. people need to source a new street dealer for better quality choof

author: chriva
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2020, 10:37:50 am
content: Quote from: Electro Detective on May 13, 2020, 10:55:17 pmIf you really want to lock down EVERYTHING you can throw blocks in the HOSTS file (or just block it in your company firewall). This is doable even on home edt.Pro and higher:I do find the reluctance to update really stupid if I'm honest here. I can understand if you don't want them to run during business hours (something that is also configurable in group policies. My machines are configured to ONLY update when I chose to).Don't want the annoying apps? -Slipstream a script during installation and it won't install them. You can then fiddle in group policies to disable the store and the ability to run any apps at all.Windows Antivirus junk -Also group policies.Group policies can also be slipstreamed as a file during installation so there's no need to do it manually.win + r and gpedit.msc. The most useful command you'll ever need to know.And lastly: I can understand if you want Linux. It's a great tool in the box and I use it daily (Debian fanboy), but it does NOT belong in a normal business environment for anything else than servers.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2020, 01:23:10 pm
content: Quote from: JPortici on May 14, 2020, 05:47:14 amI know nothing about this (other than going to look at it after this recommendation) but I note that there is a newer version than the SourceForge one (and SF has/had a bad rep for hanging onto stuff that's been moved away). Try:https://realterm.i2cchip.com/

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2020, 01:34:35 pm
content: QuoteI ran up my laptop yesterday to quickly check out some stuff then shut it down. Or tried - it decided it's going to install some update, so I couldn't put it away until that had done it's stuff.That's one aspect. The other is that I prefer to use my computers just like I drive a car - that is, I don't think about it. I'm thinking about what I want to achieve, not the mechanics of doing that. Go round this corner? Done, I don't have to think that I need to turn the wheel a bit - no! a bit more! oh, too much - it's a sub-conscious thing. Similarly, I don't want to be thinking this is a right click or drag'n'hold or whatever, I want it to just happen. Microsofts updates often break things and change things so you're always aware that you're using the OS, much like if the car manufacturer nipped into my garage one night and changed the wheel to a lever.Actually, I hate taking my car into a garage because the blighters move the seat. I can put it back where it was, but they change the rake too and it takes me weeks to not quite get it back to how it was but close enough to stop feeling like something is wrong.If Microsoft would just fix things, fine, but they don't. And you don't have a choice about whether to accept the new non-windowed windows or invisible buttons and scrolling hints that only showafteryou start scrolling, etc.

author: chriva
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2020, 01:41:33 pm
content: That's also an option in gpeditAdministrative templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Update -> "Do not adjust default option to 'install and Shut down'.. "You can also opt out of non-important updates and only install things that are critical for your safety (like the smb1 flaw that enabled wannacry).I get where you're coming from the the problem is very much possible to fix

author: SilverSolder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2020, 01:56:01 pm
content: Quote from: dunkemhigh on May 14, 2020, 01:34:35 pmModern user interface designers are just not very good at their jobs. They have no idea of the concept of "affordance", for a start. They seem to think that as long as they keep putting vast expanses of white on the screen they are creating beatuiful art... and that is more important to them than the information that the site or application is supposed to let you interact with.

author: wizard69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2020, 07:12:52 pm
content: I'm kinda stuck with some version of Windows due so many pieces of software used for machine maintenance and programming. I'm actually thankful for hardware that can still be interfaced with via a terminal emulator, too much these days requires a proprietary IDE. Getting those IDE's (often unsupported) to run under Windows 10 is a significant chore. I wouldn't doubt that support for Windows 10 is the driver but it is still frustrating.Quote from: blueskull on May 13, 2020, 12:44:22 pm

author: Lockon Stratos
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2020, 08:13:30 pm
content: Quote from: chriva on May 14, 2020, 10:37:50 amForget hosts file:https://web.archive.org/web/20190806191758/https://www.petri.com/windows-10-ignoring-hosts-file-specific-name-resolutionAnd yes, im one of those "big bad tinfoil hat wearing win10 haters"....

author: chriva
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2020, 08:47:35 pm
content: Quote from: Lockon Stratos on May 24, 2020, 08:13:30 pmTell me why any one those would be a bad thing to let through?Several of them are for updates and I'm going to repeat myself there: YOU are the problem if you think updating your computer is a bad thing. Idiots like that is the sole reason wannacry got so widespread.None of their ad or telemetry servers are let through if you block them. Which is the only thing you should be concerned with...

author: SilverSolder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2020, 08:52:02 pm
content: Quote from: Lockon Stratos on May 24, 2020, 08:13:30 pmI guess a proper external firewall is what's called for?

author: Lockon Stratos
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 06:16:19 am
content: Quote from: chriva on May 24, 2020, 08:47:35 pmThe only problem here is MS using their customers asbetaalpha testers for the corporate version. Way too much bugs, when i sit down to my PC i want to play games and not worry about "what they did broke this time again". And the fact that they added undocumented "features" to their products for the umpteenth time in a row..... I have 0 trust in this company.Quote from: SilverSolder on May 24, 2020, 08:52:02 pmYeah, but its more efficient if you just ditch it, not worth the time and effort.

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 06:54:17 am
content: Microsoft Confirms New Windows 10 Update WarningKB4556799 breaks windows again.What terminal software were you using before the evil people forces you to the dark side?

author: wizard69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2020, 04:20:13 am
content: A big thank you to everybody that responded to the question.In case you are wondering I was able to fix this issue with the terminal emulator in Eclipse. In this case an RF generator was not communicating with the controlling PC after a power glitch. Eventually after a period of head scratching we realized that some how the RF amp was set to echo characters totally screwing up the data stream coming back. Turned echo OFF, saved the data and are good once again. No idea how the setting got flipped.Sadly I only work on this piece of equipment every couple of years and they call me the expert.

author: wizard69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2020, 04:31:50 am
content: Quote from: Jeroen3 on May 25, 2020, 06:54:17 amActually the Windows 10 machine is relatively new coming from our deeply lovedIT department a few months ago. Before that we had a 32 bit XP machine and I was running Hyperterm. Nothing works well in 64 bit Windows 10. Just the day before yesterday Windows E-mail stopped working correctly for me, did nothing but come in the next day and it no longer works properly.It really make you wonder why MicroSoft is so incompetent when it comes to its OS. I mean really Mac OS and Linux has been 64 bit for years and are worlds ahead of MicroSoft as far as OS stability is concerned. Sadly I run Fedora and even a distro like this, that isn't really there for stability, is far better than Windows 10! It really boggles the mind that MS can't do better.

author: SilverSolder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2020, 12:04:51 pm
content: Quote from: wizard69 on June 11, 2020, 04:31:50 amWindows 7 exists in a 64 bit version and is rock solid.It seems to me the problem with Win 10 is the constant stream of updates - the OS never gets a chance to settle at a "rock solid" level... sooner or later, an update will eventually be installed (without meaningful user consent - i.e. the user may not care about the feature being added) that accidentally breaks existing functionality.The older model of keeping a version of Windows stable for years (fixes only, no big enhancements) before moving on to the next version (new features) had a lot going for it. The Windows 10 way (we keep messing with it forever) is pretty crazy when you think about it, but all part of the current business fad of everything having to be a subscription.

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 12, 2020, 11:06:56 am
content: You see. Microsoft actually has a separate product lines for rock solid windows now!Windows 10 Home get immediate updates. (beta)Windows 10 Pro gets delayed updates. (production)Windows 10 Enterprise has optional feature updates. (stable)Windows 10 LTSCdoesn't even get feature updates. (long term)This one doesn't even have the Edge yet, is also lacks the store and an image viewer.To update Windows 10 LTSC you have to reïnstall it. When you download the image today, it's supported for 10 years bugfix only. For you scopes and machines, get this one through your volume licenser.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2020, 05:02:15 am
content: LTSC might actually be a usable OS, that solves one of my biggest gripes. Unfortunately it doesn't do much for the other which is the fugly half baked UI that has that crufty unfinished and inconsistent feel of open source from 20 years ago. If they'd just take the Win10 LTSC framework and mate it with a slightly updated Win7 GUI complete with proper theme support I think they might have a winner. That doesn't seem to be the direction they've been going though.

author: SilverSolder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2020, 04:34:46 pm
content: Quote from: james_s on June 29, 2020, 05:02:15 amI agree that Win 10 looks/feels like an abandoned "pimp my ride" project, with a mix of different UI paradigms in effect depending on where you go - all over the map. Disastrously poor product management, but at least Win 10 is in a somewhat usable state now.