All of the machines and systems shown here are preserved in the depths of the "Computer Garage" and most are in operational condition! (many are used on a regular basis)
All images and video clips herein are Copyright ©
1996,1997,1998,1999,2000 James Willing
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with inclusion of the above copyright notice. Any other use is prohibited
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Digital PDP-8/i
The third model in the PDP-8 line, and the last to have the 'full' programmers panel. (all of the indicator lamps)
Look closely toward the right side of the panel and you will see one of my favourite features. There is actually an indicator light for every instruction that the processor knows how to execute! (there are only 8 after all...) Plus the functional states. You really could see straight into the mind of this computer!
Another rarely seen feature on computers, look toward the left side of the panel and you will see the listing for the system boot loader actually screened on the panel! Hard to lose it that way.
Then here we have a view of the inside of the 8/i, the RF08 and DECtape controllers, and the DECtape controller console.
(additional details to follow)
Digital PDP-8/e
A 12 bit data word, 15 bit addressing (with a few twists),
and most commonly found with either 4k or 8k of 12 bit wide core memory!
Some amazing things were done in 8k of core! The PDP-8 series was one of
the most (if not the most) popular minicomputer made. Switches and
lights! (incandecents to boot!) Those were the days!
The basic CPU consisted of three boards, with two additional boards joining the set if the optional 'Extended Arithmetic Element' (EAE) were added. Then the I/O boards, one board as an "RF" shield between the other cards and core memory array, three more boards for each 4k or 8k x 12 bit core array, then the bus loads card (bus terminator).
(more details to follow)
Digital PDP-8/m
Functionally identical to the PDP-8/e, this entry in the PDP-8 family came in a smaller chassis and with LEDs for the programmers console indicators rather than incandescent lamps. Also, the programmers console on this unit was an option and the unit was frequently seen with a minimal console consisting of a power switch, and a start (run) switch.
Digital PDP-8/a 420
(pictures and details to follow)
Digital PDP-11/24
The Unibus based version of the PDP-11/23 microcomputer. This example
is the large chassis version.
Digital PDP-11/34a
(details to follow)
Digital PDP-11/44
Digital PDP-11/70
Digital Vax 11/750
Not to be confused with the British vacuum cleaner, the Digital VAX (short for Virtual Address eXtention) computer line moved the DEC line of computers forward to the 32 bit architecture that would remain popular for a number of years.
The VAX 11/750 was actually the second model in the VAX minicomputer line to be introduced, the first being the much larger and slightly faster VAX 11/780. All in all it is quite amazing what was (and still is) done on these systems when you consider the number of tasks and users that were frequently supported on one VAX system such as this. For those in the audience with mHz envy, brace yourselves! The master CPU clock in the 11/750 runs at... (drum roll please...) 6mHz!!!
One of the most popular selling features of the VAX systems (not available in the later MicroVAX systems) was the built in PDP-11 emulation mode which allowed users of the Digital PDP-11 series computers to painlessly (more or less) move up to the higher performance VAX systems without sacrificing their existing software base.
The unit shown here has one of the optional expantion chassis installed on the left side of the CPU (not shown) which provided an additional 24 slot UNIBUS expantion backplane beyond the integral backplane in the system unit. As the UNIBUS chassis occupies only the top third of the expantion chassis, it was not unusual to find the rest of the available space used for either additional options or for storage of spare parts, systems documentation, etc... (and I found some interesting things stored in this one when I got it!)
Digital Vax 11/780
Its big! its bad!! Its the first!!! (of the VAX series)
Coming soon to a web page near you!
Trivia question! What machine found on these pages can be found inside of a VAX 11/780?
And to those who think trying to compare processor speeds today is tough, the '780 brought with it a rating of 1 MIPS which was standard enough, but also carried the rating of 1 VUP (Vax Unit of Processing) which became a common reference measurement for quite some time.
Hewlett Packard 1000F minicomputer
(aka: HP 2117F)
Introduced: ???
Price at Introduction: $?,???.00
A pair of HP 1000F (aka: 2117F) computers that once saw service on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation (yes, we checked... they're cold)
(obviously, they have not had a serious cleaning yet...)
Seeburg SS160 Showcase (circa 1966)
Puzzled yet? If you recognize the name or designation, you probably are. If not, the picture will do it for you.
So... what is this particular entry doing here? Allow me to explain...
This unit shares an interesting trait with some other units shown here. (other than being part of the collection!) Unlike many of it's predecesors and for that matter it's successors which used mechanical means for storing the selections of records to be played, this unit like many in the Seeburg line uses Core Memory!
more details to follow...