Williams Tube memory, Selectron question, and Charactron

From: William Donzelli <aw288_at_osfn.org>
Date: Sun Aug 15 11:08:27 1999

> I imagine you're thinking of Williams Tube memory, which was used on
> various computers before core memory was available,...

A very close relative, but not the reference I had seen. I think the
thing that I saw was explaining a new tube that tried to simplify even
the Williams Tube.

> Does anyone know how RCA's Selectron memory tube worked? I've seen pictures
> but no explanation.

Do you have a number for it?

> Memory wasn't the only part of early computers that used special and somewhat
> bizarre electron tubes. One of the earliest CRT display devices was the
> Charactron.

There was also a monoscope character generator - essentially a camera
tube with a permanent image of characters. I suppose thru some rather
fancy scn circuitry, one could have a character ROM. RCA type 4560, for
those that care.

William Donzelli
aw288_at_osf.org
Received on Sun Aug 15 1999 - 11:08:27 BST