The Micro Works Digisector DS-69 / DS-68B digitizers were really cool tech in the 1980s. Looking back, I got to play with video digitizers, the Super Voice speech synthesizer that could “sing”, and even the E.A.R.S. “electronic audio recognition system” for voice commands. All of this on my Radio Shack Color Computer 3 in the late 1980s.

How many decades did it take for this tech to become mainstream in our phones or home assistants? We did it first ;-)

The DS-69 could capture 128×128 or 256×56 photos with 16 grey levels (4-bit greyscale). It also had a mode where it would capture 64 grey scales, though there was no viewer for this and I cannot find any attempts I made to use this mode.

I did, however, find some BASIC which I *think* I wrote that attempted to read a .PIX file and print it out to a printer using different ASCII characters to represent 16 different levels of grey. For example, a space would be bright white at level 0, and a “#” might be the darkest at level 15.

First, GREYTEST.BAS just tried to print blocks using these characters. I was testing.

5 DIM GR(15):FORA=0TO15:READGR(A):NEXT10 PRINT#-2,"Grey Scale Printer Test:":PRINT#-215 FORA=0TO10:FORB=0TO15:PRINT#-2,STRING$(5,GR(B));:NEXT:PRINT#-2:NEXT99 END100 REM * Grey Scale Characters (0-15)105 DATA 32,46,58,45,105,43,61,84,86,37,38,83,65,36,77,20

I asked the Google search engine, and its Gemini A.I. answered:

Dec.  ASCIIValue Character----- ---------------------------32    Space (invisible character)46    . (period or full stop)58    : (colon)45    - (hyphen or minus sign)105   i (lowercase i)43    + (plus sign)61    = (equals sign)84    T (uppercase T)86    V (uppercase V)37    % (percent sign)38    & (ampersand)83    S (uppercase S)65    A (uppercase A)36    $ (dollar sign)77    M (uppercase M)20    NAK (Negative Acknowledge - a non-printable control character)

I must have been manually counting how many “dots” made up the characters and sorting them. I recall starting with the HPRINT font data in ROM (which is what my MiniBanners program used) to count the set dots in each letter, but the printer fonts would be different so I expect this table came from trial and error.

The 20 NAK (non printable) is an odd one, so I wonder if my printer DID print something for that – like a solid block graphic.

Proving memory is not always faulty, I also found TEST.BAS which appeared to open a .PIX file and print it out using this code:

0 POKE150,44:PRINT#-2,CHR$(27)CHR$(33)CHR$(27)CHR$(77)CHR$(27)CHR$(64)CHR$(15)1 PRINT#-25 DIM GR(15):FORA=0TO15:READGR(A):NEXT10 OPEN"D",#1,"SMILE.PIX",1:FIELD#1,1ASA$11 PRINTLOF(1)15 FORA=1TO64:PRINTA:FORB=0TO127:GET#1,A+B*64:GR=ASC(A$)20 PRINT#-2,CHR$(GR(GR AND15));25 NEXT:PRINT#-2:NEXT:CLOSE99 END100 REM * Grey Scale Characters (0-15)105 DATA 32,46,58,47,62,63,61,84,86,37,38,90,65,69,77,35

I see line 10 opens the file with DIRECT mode with a field size of 1 assigned to string variable A$. This means doing a GET #1,X (where X is a byte offset in the file) would get that byte into A$ so I could get the ASCii value of it (0-15) and use that to know which character to print.

I have no idea if this worked… So let’s give it a try.

I see the program print “8192”, which is the Length Of File. A 128×128 image of bytes would be 16384 in size, so I am guessing each byte has two pixels in it, each 4-bits.

I see I am ANDing off the upper bits in line 20. It looks like I am throwing away every other pixel since no attempt I made to read those other 4-bits. This is likely because this was printing on an 80 column printer, which would not print 128 characters on a line. Instead, 64 would fit.

And, wow! It actually works! I had to reduce the font size down for it to display in the WordPress blog, but here is the output. Step back from the monitor if you can’t see it.

################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################///////////::/:/:::.:::::..:.:: ::/.:://///>>=%V%%V%TT===>>>//?>::.. :. .  .. . :.. . ::: . :::.:::::::://:::/:::://///////////////////:////:://::::.::::...:::.::////>/>?=%EAEMAMEEEMEAAME&%VT=?>//::::.  .: . .::.. :::.. .. .::::::::.//:://///////////>///////////://///:://::::.:::::.:::://>/??TV%%&EMMMMMEEMMMMMAEMMEEAA&ZVT=?>::.. .: . ...   :::...:.:.::::.:::..:::////://///////////////////:///:::./.::...:::::////??V%AEEMM##MM###MMMMMMMMMMEAEMMMEEZZZ&V=>//:::    :... :::  .:::.::..:::::/:://////////////////////////:://::::/:::::   :::///?T%AAM#MMMM#M########M#MMM#MMAEMAEMMAAA&ZZ&V=/:: .  :..   :: . ..:.::  :::::/:::////:///////////////////:::://:::./ .:. :.::?/?T%ZEMEMMMMM###########M#MM##M#MMMAAAEEMEEMMAZZZT>/:. :: .  :  . ... :: :::::.:::::://:///////////////////:::::::::.. ::. ./?>?T&AAEMMMMMMM#MM########MMMMMMM###MMMAAAAAAEMMMMMEA&=//:::   ... .  .:..   .:::...::::/::///////////////////::::.:::::   :: :?=T%MEEEEMMMMMMMMMM#####M#MMMEAEAMM##MMMMMEEEAAEMMEM#MAMT>/:::.  .: .  .. .    ::... :::::/:::////:////////://::::...::. . .::>=V%AEMEAEEMMEMMEMEMMMMM#M#MEEAZZ&%&ZEEMMAEMMMMMMMMMMMMMMEAZT>//:. .  .  . ..    :::.. :::.::::://:::///////:::::::::. .:.   :?TT&AEEEZAEEEEZEZZZEEMEEEMMMM#MAAZ&&V&V&ZAMMMAMM###MMMM#M#MEMAAT?//: :. .  .  .    :::.  ::...:::/:/:::////://:::. :::   :: .:/?T%&EM#AAEMMAEZA&ZAZZEAAZAMMMMMMAAAZAVVVV%&AM#MMEMM##MMM####MMMAZ%>//::  .  .  . .  :::.. :. ..:::::/:::///:://:::: :::   ::.:>?VZAEMMAZEMMEAAAZZAZAZEAAEAAZEAMEMAA&&%VVVV&AMM#MMMMM#######M###M&V?//::: .  .  .    :: .  :... :::::/:::///:://.::. .:.    ::/?%AAAMMEAEMMEMAAZAAAZAAEAAZZ%%%ZAEEAA&Z&%V%%&AAM#MMMMM#######MM#M#ZTV>//:: .   . .    ..:   :. . :::::/:::////://.:.  .:: . .:/>%EEAEMEEE#MMMMAAAEAZZZEA&ZZZVVVVZZAZAZAZZ%V&&AMEMMM##MM#M######M#MM&T?//:::.  .  .    ...   :... :::::::::///:://.::.. .: . .:=VZMZEMEMMMM#MEEAAMAZZ&AA%&&Z%TVTTV&&&&ZEEZZZV&ZA#MMMM#############MEZ=T>/::/.  .  .    :: .  :..../:::./:::/.::::/.::.  .. .  :T%MEAMEEMMMMMEMAAEA&%%ZZ%VV&&TTTTTTTV&&ZAEAZAE&&ZAEMM########M#M#M#MMMM&?/::/.  .  .    .:    :. . .:: ..:::///:::/ ..   .: .  /T&EZEEMMMMMMMEAZEZ%VV&&&%VVZVTTTTTTTTVT%&EAMEEMAZAME#M#M######MMMM##MMMZT?/:/. ..  .    .:    :.   :.:..::::///::/: ..   .. .  :T&&&EMMMMM##MMEMA&%VVTVTVT%%VTTTTTTTT=TTTVZZAMMME&VTTTVZEM#ZAM########MM%?///:...  .    ...   .... .:: ..::::..:::/ :.    .   .:T&&AEAMM#####MME%V%VVTTTTTT%VTTTTTTTTTTTTV%TVV&VV=.  .>=T%ZMZAEM##MMMMMZ&VV?///::  .    .:    ::   :.:  ::::/:/:::/ :..  .  .  :?%&AM#MM#####EMZVVTVTTTTTTVV&TTTTTTTTT%&VTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT%&EEE#####MMA&%T?///:::..    :.    :. . :::: .:::://:::/ :.    .   ../=VZMM#######MEAAEZ%VTTTVVVV%%VVTT=T=TTTTTTTT=>TTTTTTTTTTVTT&TT&E######MEV=/////::.:.   :: .  :. . .::.:.:::://:::/ :.   .. ...::/VZMM#######E%TTTTVVTTTTVTTTTTEVT===ZTTTVTV%? ?VZZ%V%&VVVT=VTTTTZM#######MZVTT=>::::   :.    :: . ..: ..::::::::// .. . .. . ..: =ZMM##VZEEEZ&TVVTTTTTTTVTTTVV&M#TZE#%TTTV%ZV&EEEATTTTTTTTTVTTTTT&MEAAEE#M#MZTT?>?>//:.::.   ::.. ..:   :::/.::::/ :.   .     :..?&E###MMM#MZ%VTTTTT/ .=T&V&V%%EZT=T%ATTTTTTTTTT=TTTTTTTTTTVTTT=TVZMEAZZZEM##M&=>/:/::.:: .  :: .  .: .::::::/::// :.   .   .....>%M#M##M##MZ%TTVVZZAEA##ZVTTV&ET=>>=%ETTTTTTTTTTTTT===TTT=%TTTTTTZEE&&&%A&###M%=>>///::::.  :: .  .: . ::::/:::// :    ..    :::=VZ#M#####MZTTVV%VTTTTTVVTTV%&ZT===?=TA%T=TTTT=====??=TTTVVTTTTTV&AAAEZZVVAMM#E&T>///:::.  :::   ..: ..::://:::// :.    :    .://VA#M#####E%TTTTTTTTTTT=TTTTTATT=>=?=??%Z%TTTT==??>/??TV%TTTTTTTTAE#MAAE&VE###EA&?///:::.   :: . ..: ..:::::/::// : .  .  . ....>VE#M####METTTTTTTTT==TTTTTTZZTT==>?=?T==TZZZV=TV%%%EZ%TTT=TTTTTTV&%%&ZAZZ####EAZT>///::.. ::. . ..: . :::.:::://.:     : .  .::V&M#######ATTTTTTTTT===?==VAE%T==>??=??==TTTTTTT======TTT=T=TTTTTTTVVTT&EM###M#EAV>///:::. :::    .: .:::://:/:// :.   .. . .::=&E########EETTTTTTTT===T%&T%%TVVTTTVVZE%==TTTTT=T=?====?====TTTTTT=?TTTTAMMMMEMAZVT??//://:::: .  .. ..:::..::://.: .  .: .::/?%MM##MMM#MMMZ%Z%ZZ&ZEAZ%TVTTTVV%MA%VV&TV&VVTTTTTVTTTT=TTTTTTTTTTTT==???TVEMMM#MMAVT=///////.::: . ..: ..:::///:://.:   ..:.:>TVZMM###EEAMMM#A%TTTTTTTTTTTTTVTV%V%T%VVTTTT====?==TVTTTTTTTTTTTTTT=VT==TT%AM####EAZ?>/////////:::..  .:...::://::://.: . .:::/?T%E#####E&AEMEMMZTTVTTVTTTTTTTVVTTVTTTTTTT=????=?>=TTTTTTTTTTTT=TTTTZ###########M&&V?>/////://:::::. ..: ..:::.:::://.:. ..::/=%AAM######A&A#MMMEVTVTVTTTTTTVTTTTVTTTT===?=?===?====TVVTT==??====?=TZ#########MMMZ%?>/////:::..::: ....:.. :::./::://.:...::/TV&V&M#######MMMMMME%TVVVVTTTTVTTTTTVVV%%VVVV%%%%%%VZ&ZMM&TT==?>===T?=VE##########ME%=//////::::: ::: ::... ..:::///:::/.::/:/>=T=>TZM##M#M#######EMZVVT%VTTTTTV&&ZZAVTTT?//=>/?//?/??TZV%T==???===TTT%#############ET>/////::::..::: : .::.. :::.:/:://:::////////TTAMMEMM######MMMM%VVVTTTTTTT&##AVT==>>>?===T==V=&TTT=T===>?====TTTEM#########EMM#V?/////:::::.::: : :.:..:::://::://:://////////=TZMM#M###########%VVTTT=T=TTTTVVTTTVVVTTTTTTTTTTTTT==?=?>?T==TTTAM#########MMMZA&=>>///::::..::....::: .::::///://///////////>>TVE###############E%VVTTTT==T=TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT===>>??===?=TTT&M###########MMEAAT>>///:::::/:::...:::...:::/:::////////////>=TZM#################AVVTTTTTTT==TTTTTTTT=T??===?T===>>>>?=TTT=TV&Z###########MMMEAAV?>///:::::::::::.:::../:::://:://////////?T%EM###M###############MVVTTTTTTTTTTTT=TTTT==???=>=>?>>>>?==TTTT%&&E######M###M##MEMA&?>////::/./::::..::: ./::://////////>>>>=V&AM##MMM################MZ%TTVTTTTTTT==?==???>///?>/??>??===TVV%Z&VA########MEMMMM#ME&T>>///::://:::::/::: .::::///::///>>>>?TV%EM#MME&M##################MZVVVTTT==T==>=?>/>>/>>?>/>=T=TTTTVV&&%%%E###########M#M###M&=>///::/:::::::/:::../:::////////>/>?TVA%AMMME%&M###################EZ%VTTTTTT==?=?>??>?????=TTTVVV&&%&%%VV%M##################AV>////:://:::::/:::::/:/:///://////=TV%%VMMEM&TZM###################EZA%V%VVVTTTTT=TTTT==TTTTVVVVV&&&&VVTT&AM##################M%?////:///::::/:::::./::////////>??TVV%T%MEAA%VZA###################EA%%&Z%%VVV%TVTVTTTTVV&&VVV%%&Z&%%VVT%AM###############M###M%?/////////::///::::./:::///////==TVT%TV%MMAEVV&A###################MA&V&%%VVVVVTVVVTV%VVV%&V%%%&&%%TVVV%AAM##############MM##MEV?////////:::///:::/./:::///////TVV%V&VAMMMMMVVZE########MMMM########MA%%%VVVV%%VVVVTV%V%V&&&Z&%V%VTTVVVZM#M#############MMM#ME&=>/////////::///:::////::///////TV%&ZZEAM####MM############MMM#######MMZ&%VVVVVV%VVV%%&VV&&&%%V%VTTTT%ZAE#####M##MMMM####MMMMA&T>>/>///////::///:::::///////////T%V&&MAMM####################M########MEZ&%VVVTTVVVVT&VVV%%%%VVTTTVV&AEM###M###############MMAVT>>/>/////////////>>?????>///////T&%&&EAM################################EA&VVVVTTVVTTTTVTVTVVTTTVV%AAMM##################MMMEA%TT?===TTT===TVTTTTTTVTTTTTTTT=?>>TVVT%&EEM##############################MMEZ&%VVTTVVTTTTVVTTTTTVVV%ZAM#M#M################MMMMM##MMEZZ%%V%%VVVVTTTTVTTTTVVTVTTTVTTVVV%V&AM#M#M###########################MEAZ&%%TVTVTTTTTVVTTV%VT%EMEEMMMM######################MMMAZZAAZAZ&&V%VVTTVTTTTTVTTTTTVTT&VT%V%&ZM####M#M#######################MMZZ&%%%%VVVTVVVVVVVTTVV&EEEAMEME####M####################M#MMMMEEAEZ&&ZTTVTTVTTVTVTTTVTTVVT%VTVVZM#MMMMMM#MM################MMMMMMA%&&ZVTVVVVTVVTTTTTVZAEAAZAAEEMM######################M#####MEAAAMEZZTTVTTTTTVTTTTTVTTV%T%TTVV%EMMM###MMMMMM#MMMEMEEEMEMMM###MMEEZV&VVTVTTTTTTTTTTTV&V&ZAZEMMMM########################MMEMMMMEMMMMZ%TVVTTTTTTTTVTTVVTVVT%TTVT%ZM###M#M##MMMAAAAZAAEZEEEMEMM#MEAMZZ%%TVTTTTTTTTTTTVVV&ZZAZMM#######################MM####MMMMEMEMMZ%TTTVT==T=TTTVTTVTTVVV%VVVV%&AMEEEE#EMM#MMM#MMMMEEAAMEEMMMMMAAEZ&&TVVTTTTTVTTTTVV&%&ZEMMM#############MMMM#######MMMMMMMMEAAAZE%TVTTTTTTT==TTTTTTTTVTV%TVVV%EAEEAAAZEAZEEEEEEAAEAEZAAEAMMEAEAAAZ%VTTTTTTTTTTTTTVVT%&EE################MMM########MMMEEMMEE%%VTVVTTTTVT==T==TTTTTTTV%V%%TV%VZMMMAMMEEZZAZAMAA&&Z&AEEMEAEEEAZAZ&&%TTTTTTTTTTVTTT%%%V&AE#MM########MMM#M##MMM########MMMAAA%VVTTTVTTTTTTTT====TTVTTTT################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################

And here is a screenshot of it, if that did not work:

DS-69 .PIX file printed in ASCII.

Well that’s neat. I wonder what I did with this.

Until next time…