Dr. Ferenc Nagy (from Hungary?) writes:
 
> We have an old HP 3000 GX running MPE V. We are connected to our terminals
> by reial lines, with the spee 2400..4800 baud. The users of the terminals
> are not satisfied by this speed. They want to have the speed of their Novel
> network. Is it possible at all to build an Ethernet card into the above
> mentioned _old_ HP, and buy the apporpriate communication software _without_
> _changing_ _the_ _operation_ _system_? If yes then on what price?
> 19
> If not then what is the minimal hardware (HP 9xx) and software (MPE
> iX...) requirement allowing a smooth migration?
 
Theoretically, I believe it's possible to upgrade a 3000 GX  MPE/V
machine to use TCP/IP over a LAN. You probably need ThinLAN/V software
and some LAN Hardware from HP, as well as installing LAN boards into
the PC's, and LAN cabling (twisted pair or coax), and a terminal emulator
software allowing emulation of HP terminals incl. NS/VT protocol for the
PC's (Minisoft92 is the cheapest, Win Reflection for HP is probably the
best).
 
However, as far as I can remember, maximum memory on GX is 4 MB.
Installing the ThinLAN software will certainly increase the memory
pressure, and probably your users wouldn't get a better overall
throughput for typical applications.
 
Try to get a used HP3000/917LX, or an new /918LX with 64 MB of memory
(the later includes ThinLAN/iX software, and the LAN hardware port).
Avoid an older /922 or /925, they are much slower than /9x7 or /9x8,
and memory costs much more.
 
I wouldn't invest any significant amount into an old MPE/V system today
if the components cannot be used on an MPE/iX system at some later date.
 
 
Kurt Sager
 
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