4004

From: Frank McConnell <fmc_at_reanimators.org>
Date: Wed Jun 11 08:59:37 1997

jpero_at_mail.cgo.wave.ca writes:
> Hi, The grey/beige HP terminal with heavy keyboard that have
> black and white "squashed" monitor shaped does have this 8008 chip
> in one of its "card". Accessible by tripping two catches between the
> shells to hinge up the monitor to reveal the cards in bottom case
> part.

What you're writing about is the HP 264X line of terminals. They
don't all use 8008 CPUs. The 2640s do, but I'm sure the 2645s use
8080s (and think the 2641, 2644, 2648A do too), and the 2647F uses some
proprietary HP CPU. Not sure about 2642, 2647A, or the 2649s which
are customized for specific applications, e.g. there was a flavor of
2649 used as the system console for HP 3000/33 minis.

Fun terminals. I could go on for a while about them.

The 2640s and 2641/4/5s have a facility allowing the downloading of
code from the host. Somewhere around here I have a Space Invaders
game and a Pac-Man game that run in the 2645s, and have heard of a
driving game. Also have heard that some folks in the Gaithersburg, MD
area turned a 2645 into some sort of BBS some years ago.

The "two catches" are hidden. Look on the case left and right sides,
you will see horizontal slots between the base and the CRT housing.
Inside those horizontal slots, a couple of inches back from the front,
are vertical slots. The object is to stick a "terminal key"
(basically a thin flat piece of metal, but a stiff paperclip can be
made to serve) into those slots to push open the catches that are at
the top of the slots. While pushing, lift the CRT housing. If like
most of us you have no more than two hands (and only one key) you may
find it convenient to do one side at a time, which is OK.

-Frank McConnell
Received on Wed Jun 11 1997 - 08:59:37 BST