PDP-8: (and others) anyone tried NVRAM simulation of hard drives?

From: Ethan Dicks <erd_6502_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Sun Feb 2 12:40:01 2003

--- ben franchuk <bfranchuk_at_jetnet.ab.ca> wrote:
> ...However getting back to the original question about the PDP without
> I/O, a console I/O is mandatory for use of a PDP-8. Not having a 8
> I can't tell however if the standard serial I/O had a option for RS232
> output.

RS-232 did not come to the PDP-8 until the days of the OMNIBUS. The
KL8E and descendents had circuits to drive either an EIA (RS-232) line
or a 20mA line out of a 40-pin connector. Earlier machines, esp. those
that used the W076 20mA paddle card, were strictly 20mA. This is not
to say that nobody could make an EIA converter card for an older
machine; far from it. I'm just saying that DEC did not, and I don't
think anyone else did either.

Back in those days, if you needed a console, you had an ASR-33 or
equivalent. Glass TTYs didn't come out until the early 1970s.

-ethan
Received on Sun Feb 02 2003 - 12:40:01 GMT