Modern Tube computing

From: Tom Jennings <tomj_at_wps.com>
Date: Thu Jan 22 16:59:17 2004

On Tue, 2004-01-20 at 16:03, William Donzelli wrote:
> > Have we forgotten John Zabolitzky's MUNIAC?
>
> No, but I haven't heard anything about it since the initial flurry of
> activity.

I too will have to goolg this, never hoida dat.

> One thing I would find very interesting is making a tube computer (or
> rather just the building blocks) using technology from 1930.

Relays! Computing with 201s? EEEEaaagh...

I have a digital clock built entirely from "sensitive" relays. T-type
flip flops cascaded, decimal decoder built from steppers (yes, you could
do the whole clock w/4 steppers but what's the point). You can actually
see and hear ripple carry ripple!

It's all bakelite, nickel, redwood, fabric wire, brass thumbscrews, etc.

THe display is stacked glass sheets with numbers etched, with lamps
illuminating the edges (sound familiar). Not built yet, but I have an
old NLS display as standin.

Timebase is of course ... a pendulum! (No devices w/gain aloowed other
than relays). CdS cell for pickoff. Not built yet.
Received on Thu Jan 22 2004 - 16:59:17 GMT