Stellar GS-1000 Graphics Computer

From: Tony Duell <ard_at_p850ug1.demon.co.uk>
Date: Fri Jan 28 18:34:17 2005

> Grr wrong side of the pond! I have a particular interest in early*
> graphics systems too.
>
> *for suitable values of early :-)

Remind me to show you the manuals for my I2S 'image processor and
display' units sometime. Late 1970's vintage, loads of TTL (a few
thousand ICS!) and DRAMs The resolution is not great by today's standards
(512*513 pixes, 24 or 30 bit colour), but they have some interesting
features, like the 'feedback ALU' (regard 2 of the byteplanes as a 16 bit
'accumulator plane', then combine (essentially any of the functions
available from the 74x181 ALU chip) the contents with the contents of
another byteplane, the result going back to the accumulator).

And I should also show you the manual for my HP1350 'Graphics
Translator'. A device that takes in simplified HPGL over an HPIB
interface and outputs X/Y/Z analogue signals to a vector display. The
interesting thing is that it's all done with random logic, there's no
processor, or anything resembling a processor, in there.

-tony
Received on Fri Jan 28 2005 - 18:34:17 GMT