Questions on the days finds

From: Joe <rigdonj_at_intellistar.net>
Date: Sun Feb 14 20:32:47 1999

At 07:33 PM 2/13/99 -0800, you wrote:
>On Sat, 13 Feb 1999, Zane H. Healy wrote:
>
>> I was out doing a little junking and ran across a interesting little ROM
>> Pack. It is a Tektronix "4052 Character and Symbol" pack (C) 1981. Am I
>> correct in assuming that it is for a Tek terminal?
>
>No, not a terminal but the second generation of the MC6800 based 4051
>micro-computer that Tek marketed in the mid/latter '70s.

  That ROM was used on both the 4052 and 4054 but not on the 4051. The 4051
first appeared in the 1978 (I think) catalog and last appeared in the 1984
one. I'm not sure of the dates for the 4052 and 4052 but both are in the
1982 and 1983 Tek catalogs.

 The 4052 used
>bit slice technology in lieu of the MC6800.

  Yes but what's interesting is that the bit-slice 4052 is software
compatible with the 6800 powered 4051!!! The 4052 is a 16 bit machine. I'm
guessing that Tektronix used the bit slice CPU so that they could retain
the same software but gain the power of the 16 bit system.

 The 405x series had a
>backpack that would accomodate two ROM Packs, and a 'toaster' was an
>optional accessory for those who needed more capacity.

   I have a "toaster", it has eight ROM sockets. Neat device and a hell of
a lot more complicated than you'd expect. It maps all of the (8) plug in
ROMs into the same address space and switches them in and out automaticly.
Each system can use two "toasters" at a time.

   Joe
Received on Sun Feb 14 1999 - 20:32:47 GMT