Straight gives me gibberish, null gives me output. I'll find my straight. FWIW, if the SC40 is wired like a "real" DEC computer, then a null modem cable would be required between the console DB25 and a VTxxx. If the wiring (ground) was even close to correct, either crossed or non crossed should give NO characters. -:) None of the pins on the connector are ground. That'd explain some things. Two options: - A cable is loose/bad - In it's previus life someone had a ground loop, eg, like if you plug the SC40 in to a non-grounded plug and the terminal is grounded. Suggest you solve this problem, trace pin 7 back to the sparc board. ---P