diff --git a/src/mess/drivers/esq1.c b/src/mess/drivers/esq1.c
index 3fdd8c3d735..74ecc39fb93 100644
--- a/src/mess/drivers/esq1.c
+++ b/src/mess/drivers/esq1.c
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ static void esq1_doc_irq(device_t *device, int state)
 
 static UINT8 esq1_adc_read(device_t *device)
 {
-	return 0x80;
+	return 0x00;
 }
 
 void esq1_state::machine_reset()
@@ -282,17 +282,16 @@ static void duart_tx(device_t *device, int channel, UINT8 data)
 
 	if (channel == 1)
     {
-        #if 0
-        if (data >= 0x20 && data <= 0x7f)
-        {
-            printf("%c", data);
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            printf("[%02x]", data);
-        }
-        #endif
-
+		#if 0
+		if ((data >= 0x20) && (data < 0x80))
+		{
+			printf("%c", data);
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			printf("[%02x]", data);
+		}
+		#endif
         state->m_vfd->write_char(data);
     }
 }
@@ -391,12 +390,12 @@ static INPUT_PORTS_START( esq1 )
 	PORT_BIT(0x0002, IP_ACTIVE_HIGH, IPT_KEYBOARD) PORT_CODE(KEYCODE_2) 			PORT_CHAR('2') PORT_CHANGED_MEMBER(DEVICE_SELF, esq1_state, key_stroke, 0x91)
 	PORT_BIT(0x0004, IP_ACTIVE_HIGH, IPT_KEYBOARD) PORT_CODE(KEYCODE_3) 			PORT_CHAR('3') PORT_CHANGED_MEMBER(DEVICE_SELF, esq1_state, key_stroke, 0x92)
 	PORT_BIT(0x0008, IP_ACTIVE_HIGH, IPT_KEYBOARD) PORT_CODE(KEYCODE_4) 			PORT_CHAR('4') PORT_CHANGED_MEMBER(DEVICE_SELF, esq1_state, key_stroke, 0x93)
-	PORT_BIT(0x0010, IP_ACTIVE_HIGH, IPT_KEYBOARD) PORT_CODE(KEYCODE_5) 			PORT_CHAR('5') PORT_CHANGED_MEMBER(DEVICE_SELF, esq1_state, key_stroke, 0x94)
-	PORT_BIT(0x0020, IP_ACTIVE_HIGH, IPT_KEYBOARD) PORT_CODE(KEYCODE_6) 			PORT_CHAR('6') PORT_CHANGED_MEMBER(DEVICE_SELF, esq1_state, key_stroke, 0x95)
-	PORT_BIT(0x0040, IP_ACTIVE_HIGH, IPT_KEYBOARD) PORT_CODE(KEYCODE_7) 			PORT_CHAR('7') PORT_CHANGED_MEMBER(DEVICE_SELF, esq1_state, key_stroke, 0x96)
-	PORT_BIT(0x0080, IP_ACTIVE_HIGH, IPT_KEYBOARD) PORT_CODE(KEYCODE_8) 			PORT_CHAR('8') PORT_CHANGED_MEMBER(DEVICE_SELF, esq1_state, key_stroke, 0x97)
-	PORT_BIT(0x0100, IP_ACTIVE_HIGH, IPT_KEYBOARD) PORT_CODE(KEYCODE_9) 			PORT_CHAR('9') PORT_CHANGED_MEMBER(DEVICE_SELF, esq1_state, key_stroke, 0x98)
-	PORT_BIT(0x0200, IP_ACTIVE_HIGH, IPT_KEYBOARD) PORT_CODE(KEYCODE_0) 			PORT_CHAR('0') PORT_CHANGED_MEMBER(DEVICE_SELF, esq1_state, key_stroke, 0x99)
+	PORT_BIT(0x0010, IP_ACTIVE_HIGH, IPT_KEYBOARD) PORT_CODE(KEYCODE_5) 			PORT_CHAR('5') PORT_CHANGED_MEMBER(DEVICE_SELF, esq1_state, key_stroke, 0x99)
+	PORT_BIT(0x0020, IP_ACTIVE_HIGH, IPT_KEYBOARD) PORT_CODE(KEYCODE_6) 			PORT_CHAR('6') PORT_CHANGED_MEMBER(DEVICE_SELF, esq1_state, key_stroke, 0x94)
+	PORT_BIT(0x0040, IP_ACTIVE_HIGH, IPT_KEYBOARD) PORT_CODE(KEYCODE_7) 			PORT_CHAR('7') PORT_CHANGED_MEMBER(DEVICE_SELF, esq1_state, key_stroke, 0x95)
+	PORT_BIT(0x0080, IP_ACTIVE_HIGH, IPT_KEYBOARD) PORT_CODE(KEYCODE_8) 			PORT_CHAR('8') PORT_CHANGED_MEMBER(DEVICE_SELF, esq1_state, key_stroke, 0x96)
+	PORT_BIT(0x0100, IP_ACTIVE_HIGH, IPT_KEYBOARD) PORT_CODE(KEYCODE_9) 			PORT_CHAR('9') PORT_CHANGED_MEMBER(DEVICE_SELF, esq1_state, key_stroke, 0x97)
+	PORT_BIT(0x0200, IP_ACTIVE_HIGH, IPT_KEYBOARD) PORT_CODE(KEYCODE_0) 			PORT_CHAR('0') PORT_CHANGED_MEMBER(DEVICE_SELF, esq1_state, key_stroke, 0x98)
     #endif
 INPUT_PORTS_END
 
diff --git a/src/mess/machine/esqvfd.c b/src/mess/machine/esqvfd.c
index 94139b10fd4..02081ff240c 100644
--- a/src/mess/machine/esqvfd.c
+++ b/src/mess/machine/esqvfd.c
@@ -169,6 +169,12 @@ void esqvfd_t::update_display()
             {
                 UINT32 segdata = conv_segments(font[m_chars[row][col]]);
 
+				// force bottom bar on all underlined chars
+				if (m_attrs[row][col] & AT_UNDERLINE)
+				{
+					segdata |= 0x0008;
+				}
+
                 output_set_indexed_value("vfd", (row*m_cols) + col, segdata);
 
                 m_dirty[row][col] = 0;
@@ -190,6 +196,22 @@ machine_config_constructor esq2x40_t::device_mconfig_additions() const
 
 void esq2x40_t::write_char(int data)
 {
+	// ESQ-1 sends (cursor move) 0xfa 0xYY to mark YY characters as underlined at the current cursor location
+	if (m_lastchar == 0xfa)
+	{
+		for (int i = 0; i < data; i++)
+		{
+			m_attrs[m_cursy][m_cursx + i] |= AT_UNDERLINE;
+			m_dirty[m_cursy][m_cursx + i] = 1;
+		}
+
+		m_lastchar = 0;
+		update_display();
+		return;
+	}
+
+	m_lastchar = data;
+
     if ((data >= 0x80) && (data < 0xd0))
     {
         m_cursy = ((data & 0x7f) >= 40) ? 1 : 0;
@@ -203,10 +225,14 @@ void esq2x40_t::write_char(int data)
                 m_curattr = AT_BLINK;
                 break;
 
-            case 0xd1:  // blink stop
-                m_curattr &= ~AT_BLINK;
+            case 0xd1:  // blink stop (cancel all attribs on VFX+)
+                m_curattr = 0; //&= ~AT_BLINK;
                 break;
 
+			case 0xd3:	// start underline
+				m_curattr |= AT_UNDERLINE;
+				break;
+
             case 0xd6:  // clear screen
                 m_cursx = m_cursy = 0;
                 memset(m_chars, 0, sizeof(m_chars));
@@ -355,4 +381,3 @@ esq2x40_sq1_t::esq2x40_sq1_t(const machine_config &mconfig, const char *tag, dev
     m_cols = 40;
     m_Wait87Shift = false;
 }
-
diff --git a/src/mess/machine/esqvfd.h b/src/mess/machine/esqvfd.h
index 67f783be8dc..a423864cbaa 100644
--- a/src/mess/machine/esqvfd.h
+++ b/src/mess/machine/esqvfd.h
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ protected:
     int m_cursx, m_cursy;
     int m_rows, m_cols;
     UINT8 m_curattr;
+	UINT8 m_lastchar;
     UINT8 m_chars[2][40];
     UINT8 m_attrs[2][40];
     UINT8 m_dirty[2][40];