Front panel - Revision history

Jnc: /* External links */ +The Computer Front Panel

2024-01-21T23:04:07Z

‎External links: +The Computer Front Panel

Jnc: Also control panel

2024-01-05T13:18:34Z

Also control panel

Jnc: /* See also */ +DEC indicator panel

2024-01-03T15:54:37Z

‎See also: +DEC indicator panel

Jnc: +cat

2018-12-13T02:51:06Z

+cat

Jnc: Add image of a KA10 FP

2018-11-22T16:51:38Z

Add image of a KA10 FP

Jnc: A pretty good start

2018-11-03T01:15:59Z

A pretty good start

New page

A '''front panel''' or '''front console''' (also '''operator's console''' or '''programmer's console''') is, on older computers, a panel containing a collection of lights and switches which allows manual control and operation of the computer.

Typical operations which can be performed from the front panel include examining and depositing in locations in [[main memory]] and [[register]]s, starting and [[halt]]ing the [[Central Processing Unit|CPU]], and [[debug]]ging initial [[program]]s by [[single-step]]ping the CPU and watching what it does.

Front panels represented a considerable expense - not so important with early computers, which cost a fortune, but it increasingly became an issue. Some [[minicomputer]]s went through a stage where special [[microcode]] allowed the CPU to communicate with the [[operator]] over an [[asynchronous serial line]] attached to a [[terminal]] to perform the operations performed by an old-style front panel.

Modern [[microcomputer]]s have dispensed with the front panel functionality completely; everything is done by [[software]] running on the machine.

{{semi-stub}}

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:04, 21 January 2024
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	* [[DEC indicator panel]]		* [[DEC indicator panel]]
		+
		+	==External links==
		+
		+	* [http://www.quadibloc.com/comp/panint.htm The Computer Front Panel]

	[[Category: Hardware Basics]]		[[Category: Hardware Basics]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[Image:KA10FrontPanel.jpg|thumb|right|400px|A front panel from a [[KA10]]]]
-A '''front panel''' or '''front console''' (also '''operator's console''' or '''programmer's console''') is, on older computers, a panel containing a collection of lights and switches which allows manual control and operation of the computer.
+A '''front panel''', often called a '''control panel''' or '''front console''' (also '''operator's console''' or '''programmer's console''') is, on older computers, a panel containing a collection of lights and switches which allows manual control and operation of the computer.
 Typical operations which can be performed from the front panel include examining and depositing in locations in [[main memory]] and [[register]]s, starting and [[halt]]ing the [[Central Processing Unit|CPU]], and [[debug]]ging initial [[program]]s by [[single-step]]ping the CPU and watching what it does.

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:54, 3 January 2024
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	{{semi-stub}}		{{semi-stub}}
		+
		+	==See also==
		+
		+	* [[DEC indicator panel]]

	[[Category: Hardware Basics]]		[[Category: Hardware Basics]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:51, 13 December 2018
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	{{semi-stub}}		{{semi-stub}}
		+
		+	[[Category: Hardware Basics]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:51, 22 November 2018
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		+	[[Image:KA10FrontPanel.jpg\|thumb\|right\|400px\|A front panel from a [[KA10]]]]
		+
	A '''front panel''' or '''front console''' (also '''operator's console''' or '''programmer's console''') is, on older computers, a panel containing a collection of lights and switches which allows manual control and operation of the computer.		A '''front panel''' or '''front console''' (also '''operator's console''' or '''programmer's console''') is, on older computers, a panel containing a collection of lights and switches which allows manual control and operation of the computer.