Server for the videotex system (Bildschirmtext)
BTX-Server is a simple and still buggy server for old Videotex-Systems (called BTX in Austria and Germany).
Step 1: Set up the directory
Put the file "btx_server.js" into a directory. Make a subdirectory called "pages", which contain your BTX pages in CEPT code.
Step 2: Install node.js
BTX-Server is written in JavaScript for node.js, so you need to install Node.js on your machine. You get it from http://nodejs.org
Step 3: Install serialport
You will need node.js support for a serial connection on your PC. To get this just install a node.js package called "serialport" with the command "npm install serialport".
Step 4: Connect the PC with the Videotex decoder
The connection of your computer with Videotex decoder depends on your hardware. Often it works via a USB-to-RS/232 plug, where one end goes into your PC via USB and the other end to your Videotex decoder.
Set up a serial port connection between you PC and your Videotex decoder. Then, on your PC start the BTX server with "node btx_server.js ".
Example to start the server from the command line: node btx_server.js COM2 4800
On the Videotex decoder you can then call up a Videotex page or enter a command like so:
- *nnnn# ... Show file / page nnnn on the Videotex decoder
- cls ...... Clear the screen
- dir ...... List directory
- ls ....... List directory
- cd ....... Change directory
- pwd ...... Print current directory
- log ...... Log the sent characters
- nolog .... Turn off the logging
Norbert Kehrer, April 2016