1 Topic by jackneve (edited by jackneve 2022-05-31 16:58:37)

  • Registered: 2022-01-21
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Topic: DEC PDP8 ancient computer

I have just watched this retro visit to a Digital (company name, DEC) PDP 8 computer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZrhgsRsiRg

It's what we used at GEC in the years around 1970 to do all tests on the X3 UK satellite in manufacture.

The demonstrator shows paper tape read and punched  quite slowly on the side of the teleprinter,  but he mentions a fast reader, I think he said x10 speed on reading. The DEC provided tapes were folded in (maybe 8inch)  intervals rather than rolled. When read, they naturally re-folded themselves.

  • Alfred
  • Alfred
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Re: DEC PDP8 ancient computer

jackneve wrote:

Digital (company name, DEC)

Or to give it its full name, Digital Equipment Corporation.

jackneve wrote:

The DEC provided tapes were folded in (maybe 8inch)  intervals rather than rolled. When read, they naturally re-folded themselves.

I’d forgotten those folded paper tapes! Come to think of it, though, it’s probably about forty years since I last saw one.

The installation where I saw a PDP-8 had a PDP-15 and similar model (i.e. also newer than the PDP-8). The newer machines used magnetic tape for storage, but they still had a bootstrap loader on paper tape.

"Has it ever struck you that life is all memory, except for the one present moment that goes by you so quick you hardly catch it going?"
― Tennessee Williams