TX-0 - Revision history

Jnc: /* External links */ +A collection of images

2025-09-25T15:32:18Z

‎External links: +A collection of images

2025-06-10T14:19:10Z

Designers

2024-03-19T22:25:00Z

Add instructions

2024-03-19T18:41:09Z

‎External links: +A Functional Description of the TX-0 Computer

2024-02-27T12:39:47Z

‎External links: +TX-0 history

2024-01-08T08:26:54Z

Many early computers were unique.

2023-12-21T21:40:14Z

Better cat

2023-07-19T06:56:00Z

2023-07-19T06:32:38Z

‎Registers: This is the first design.

2023-07-17T19:00:27Z

Flesh out a bit, so I can understand how to use the panel.

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 ** [http://bitsavers.org/pdf/mit/tx-0/TX-0_history_1984.txt TX-0 history]
 * [https://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/4132/RLE-TR-627-42827671.pdf RLE-TR-627 TX-0 Computer History]
 * [https://webmuseum.mit.edu/detail.php?module=subjects&type=related&kv=288 TX-0] - has some images
 * [https://www.computerhistory.org/pdp-1/2e1b209cb40237b91228cdf26a60e3f8/ MIT TX-0 Computer]

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:19, 10 June 2025
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−	The '''TX-0''' was a [[transistor]] computer (reportedly the first ever built), at the MIT Lincoln ~~laboratory~~. It was a predecessor to the [[TX-2]], and an influence on the design of the [[PDP-1]]. It was in some sense a successor to the [[Memory Test Computer]], itself a spin-off of the pioneering [[Whirlwind]].	+	The '''TX-0''' was a [[transistor]] computer (reportedly the first ever) built at the MIT [[Lincoln Laboratory]]. It was a predecessor to the [[TX-2]], and an influence on the design of the [[PDP-1]]. It was in some sense a successor to the [[Memory Test Computer]], itself a spin-off of the pioneering [[Whirlwind]]. [[Ken Olsen]] was the engineer in charge, and [[Wesley Clark]] was the chief [[logic]] designer.

	For [[input/output\|I/O]], it had a [[Flexowriter]], a [[paper tape]] reader and punch, and a [[display]] [[cathode ray tube\|CRT]]. The [[front panel]], in addition to the usual operations, had an [[array]] of [[switch]]es which allowed any combination of the bottom 16 [[main memory]] locations to be substituted by a line of switches.		For [[input/output\|I/O]], it had a [[Flexowriter]], a [[paper tape]] reader and punch, and a [[display]] [[cathode ray tube\|CRT]]. The [[front panel]], in addition to the usual operations, had an [[array]] of [[switch]]es which allowed any combination of the bottom 16 [[main memory]] locations to be substituted by a line of switches.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-The '''TX-0''' was a [[transistor]] computer (reportedly the first ever built), at the MIT Lincoln laboratory. Predecessor to the [[TX-2]] and an influence on the [[PDP-1]] design. It was in some sense a successor to the [[Memory Test Computer]], itself a spin-off of the pioneering [[Whirlwind]].
+The '''TX-0''' was a [[transistor]] computer (reportedly the first ever built), at the MIT Lincoln laboratory. It was a predecessor to the [[TX-2]], and an influence on the design of the [[PDP-1]]. It was in some sense a successor to the [[Memory Test Computer]], itself a spin-off of the pioneering [[Whirlwind]].
-==Registers==
+For [[input/output|I/O]], it had a [[Flexowriter]], a [[paper tape]] reader and punch, and a [[display]] [[cathode ray tube|CRT]]. The [[front panel]], in addition to the usual operations, had an [[array]] of [[switch]]es which allowed any combination of the bottom 16 [[main memory]] locations to be substituted by a line of switches.
-These are the registers in the original design.  Later updates changed some register widths and added registers.
+It had a [[word]] size of 18 [[bit]]s, and its only generally program-accessible [[register]] was the [[accumulator]]. The first two bits of the [[instruction]] were an [[operation code]] (yes, it only has 4 basic instructions); the remaining 16 bits were an [[address]] (or specified the action selected for the "operate" instruction). The instructions were:
 {| class="wikitable"

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 * [http://bitsavers.org/pdf/mit/tx-0/ TX-0] - documents at [[Bitsavers]]
 ** [http://bitsavers.org/pdf/mit/tx-0/TX-0_history_1984.txt TX-0 history]
 * [https://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/4132/RLE-TR-627-42827671.pdf RLE-TR-627 TX-0 Computer History]
 * [https://www.computerhistory.org/pdp-1/2e1b209cb40237b91228cdf26a60e3f8/ MIT TX-0 Computer]
 * C. Gordon Bell, Gerald Butler, Robert Gray, John E. Mcnamara, Donald Vonada, and Ronald Wilson, [http://gordonbell.azurewebsites.net/Computer_Engineering/00000146.htm The PDP-1 and Other 18-Bit Computers], in C. Gordon Bell, J. Craig Mudge, John. E. McNamara, ''Computer Engineering: A DEC View of Hardware Systems Design'', Digital Press, Bedford, 1978 - Some material on the TX-0, and also covers its descendants (including the [[PDP-1]])

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 The '''TX-0''' was a [[transistor]] computer (reportedly the first ever built), at the MIT Lincoln laboratory. Predecessor to the [[TX-2]] and an influence on the [[PDP-1]] design. It was in some sense a successor to the [[Memory Test Computer]], itself a spin-off of the pioneering [[Whirlwind]].
 ==Registers==
@@ Line 42: / Line 40: @@
 | 11 || OPR ''x'' || Execute the instruction.
 |}
 ==External links==
 * [http://bitsavers.org/pdf/mit/tx-0/ TX-0] - documents at [[Bitsavers]]
 * [https://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/4132/RLE-TR-627-42827671.pdf RLE-TR-627 TX-0 Computer History]
 * [https://www.computerhistory.org/pdp-1/2e1b209cb40237b91228cdf26a60e3f8/ MIT TX-0 Computer]

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 * [https://www.digibarn.com/stories/linc/documents/LINC-Personal-Workstation/LINC-Personal-Workstation.pdf The LINC Was Early and Small] - lengthy personal memoir by Wesley Clark; it also covers the TX-0
-[[Category: Computers]]
+[[Category: Early Computers]]
 [[Category: 18-bit Computers]]

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 | 00 || STO ''x'' || Store TAC in memory location ''x''.
 |-
-| 01 || ADD ''x'' || Add memory location ''x'' to AC.  (Clear AC first to examine.)
+| 01 || ADD ''x'' || Add memory location ''x'' to AC.  (Check MBR to examine.)
 |-
 | 10 || TRN ''x'' || Change to '''normal mode''' and start running at location ''x''.

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 ==Registers==
 {| class="wikitable"
 ! Name || Size (bits) || Meaning
 |-
 | MBR || 18 || Memory buffer register
 |-
 | MAR || 16 || Memory address register