FW: DecTape & LincTape.

From: O. Sharp <ohh_at_drizzle.com>
Date: Mon Oct 4 22:50:48 2004

Paul Koning observes:

> Are the DECtape marks 6 bits even on the PDP-8? That would be
> strange, it would mean there would be two mark words per 3 data words.

Strange but true. I got the info from a DEC _Small Computer Handbook_ for
1967, and confirmed it in a later 8/I edition because it didn't make
sense to me either. :) It does show kind of an odd overlap, but
evidently they liked it anyway.

What machine did DEC first use DECtape (not LINCtape) for? If it was
something with an 18-bit word length maybe it would make sense, but I
remember reading somewhere that it was first used on the PDP-5...

                 -O.-
Received on Mon Oct 04 2004 - 22:50:48 BST