Английская Википедия:ECHO IV
ECHO IV, or ECHO 4 (Electronic Computing Home Operator, or Electronic Computer for Home Operation) is a prototype of a home computer developed by Westinghouse Electric engineer James (Jim) Sutherland in the mid-1960s (1965-1966).[1]Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn
History
James Sutherland worked as an engineer for the American company Westinghouse Electric, designing fossil and nuclear power plant control systems. In 1959 the company built a computer called PRODAC IV (he was the designer of the arithmetic logic unit), using destructive-readout core memory and NOR logic.
When PRODAC IV was replaced by a UNIVAC design, some of the Westinghouse controller hardware was declared surplus in 1965.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Sutherland took up surplus boards and memory to build a home computer, ECHO IV (the "IV" in ECHO IV came from the PRODAC IV). It was made public for the first time in 1966.[2]Шаблон:Sfn
The computer was working in the Sutherland's house until 1976, and was donated to the Computer Museum in Boston in 1984.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn[3]
Technical specifications
- Processor
- TransistorizedШаблон:Sfn (2N404), with RTL NOR logic elements[4]Шаблон:Sfn
- 120 circuit modulesШаблон:Sfn[5]
- 18 commands
- 4 registers
- Add time: 216 μs
- Frequency: 160 kHz[6]Шаблон:Sfn[5]
- Main memory:
- 8,192 15-bit words,Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn[5] magnetic coreШаблон:Sfn
- Input/Output:
- paper tape reader and punch
- keyboard made from parts of IBM Selectric typewriter
- Kleinschmidt teleprinter
- Physical specifications:
- Four large wooden cabinets,Шаблон:Sfn each with approximate dimension of:
- Width: 4 feet
- Height: 6 feet
- Depth: 2 feetШаблон:Sfn
- Weight: about Шаблон:ConvertШаблон:Sfn
- Four large wooden cabinets,Шаблон:Sfn each with approximate dimension of:
Uses
- Accounting
- Household inventory
- Calendar
- Manage all digital clocks through the house
- Real-time clock with delay of 1 second
- Air conditioning management
- TV and television antenna management; on school nights children were required to answer questions if they wanted to watch television
- Meteorological program for reading and storing data from a meteorological station that was connected to ECHO IV and weather forecastШаблон:Sfn
References
Bibliography
External links
- ECHO IV photos with description: Шаблон:Cite web
- Шаблон:Cite web
- Шаблон:Citation
- Шаблон:Cite journal
