Also, try doing a STARTSESS to a virtual port and compare the results of going to a nailed DTC port. There are user written applications which depend on nailed ports. If HP enhanced MPEiX to allow a STARTSESS to an IP address, or a HP "FOPEN" of a remote IP address as an interactive data device... then much of the need for DTC's would fade away. You can get some pretty good hardened PC's at a low cost. Now days the keyboards for HP terminals are made by Keytronix (Spokane WA) and are basically the same device as you see on an ordinary PC. You can by small book PC or thin client boxes for under $400 (monitor extra). Low cost B&W VGA monitors sell for about $100. I.E. you could devise a PC solution that would still operate in a nasty industrial environment. So I don't see the PC cost vs. dumb terminal cost as the main issue. I think the bigger issue is the nailed ports and better print page recovery that you get with the DTC's.