I do have a laptop but not the correct cable. I can get away with a 25 pin to 9 pin with 232 null modem on Tac 20/32, but wasn't sure if they did some funky stuff to force you to purchase the proper orange cable.
I do have a scope, I did not think of verifying with that method but could be worth a shot. I'll gladly tell if I get around to it.
I hear ya, its definitely the easier option to get a fresh set of modern problems!