UNIVAC I - Revision history

Jnc: Upgrading a UNIVAC I to a UNIVAC II

2025-07-04T04:43:40Z

Upgrading a UNIVAC I to a UNIVAC II

Jnc: /* External links */ +UNIVAC I Computer System

2025-06-02T13:45:12Z

‎External links: +UNIVAC I Computer System

Jnc: Created by Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation

2025-05-31T19:27:13Z

Created by Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation

Jnc: /* Further reading */ +docs

2023-07-11T23:12:59Z

‎Further reading: +docs

Jnc: Better cat

2023-01-03T14:10:56Z

Better cat

Jnc: use new inst speed

2022-08-09T00:09:28Z

use new inst speed

Jnc: +cat

2018-12-16T22:25:00Z

+cat

Jnc: Proper cat

2018-10-21T20:08:54Z

Proper cat

Jnc: avoid redir

2018-04-28T16:50:11Z

avoid redir

Jnc: More details

2018-04-28T16:48:12Z

More details

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:43, 4 July 2025
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	A careful, slow power-on procedure, in which the filaments in the tubes were slowly warmed up, produced very reliable operation. (No doubt prior experience with tubes in the [[ENIAC]] had educated the UNIVAC's builders.)		A careful, slow power-on procedure, in which the filaments in the tubes were slowly warmed up, produced very reliable operation. (No doubt prior experience with tubes in the [[ENIAC]] had educated the UNIVAC's builders.)
		+
		+	A UNIVAC II could be upgraded to a [[UNIVAC II]] with a number of changes, the most significant of which was the replacement of the delay line main memory with the then newly-invented [[core memory]].

	{{semi-stub}}		{{semi-stub}}

@@ Line 37: / Line 37: @@
 * [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/univac/univac1/ Univac I] - documentation at [[Bitsavers]]
 ** [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/univac/univac1/UNIVAC1_Maintenance_Manual_Jan58.pdf UNIVAC I Maintenance Manual]
+* [https://vipclubmn.org/Articles/UNIVAC_I_Technical.pdf UNIVAC I Computer System] - considerable technical detail
 [[Category: Mainframes]]

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 }}
-The '''UNIVAC I''' ('UNIVersal Automatic Computer'; originally, just plain '''UNIVAC''', until later models appeared) was the first commercially-available computer in the US.
+The '''UNIVAC I''' ('UNIVersal Automatic Computer'; originally, just plain '''UNIVAC''', until later models appeared) was the first commercially-available computer in the US. It was created by [[Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation]], before that was acquired by [[Remington Rand]].
 It was a [[vacuum tube]] machine, using mercury [[delay line]]s for [[main memory]], with 1000 [[word]]s organized as 100 lines of 10 words each (to reduce access times over fewer, larger lines). The [[Central Processing Unit|CPU]] operated in digit-serial mode (i.e. a digit at a time), to match the memory. Its [[word]] size was 72 bits, with two [[instruction]]s per word, with 12 digits/characters per word; it stored numbers with a form of [[binary-coded decimal|packed decimal]], with digits being represented as their character equivalents.

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 }}
-The '''UNIVAC I''' ('UNIVersal Automatic Computer'; originally, just plain 'UNIVAC', until later models appeared) was the first commercially-available computer in the US.
+The '''UNIVAC I''' ('UNIVersal Automatic Computer'; originally, just plain '''UNIVAC''', until later models appeared) was the first commercially-available computer in the US.
 It was a [[vacuum tube]] machine, using mercury [[delay line]]s for [[main memory]], with 1000 [[word]]s organized as 100 lines of 10 words each (to reduce access times over fewer, larger lines). The [[Central Processing Unit|CPU]] operated in digit-serial mode (i.e. a digit at a time), to match the memory. Its [[word]] size was 72 bits, with two [[instruction]]s per word, with 12 digits/characters per word; it stored numbers with a form of [[binary-coded decimal|packed decimal]], with digits being represented as their character equivalents.
@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 {{semi-stub}}
 [[Category: Mainframes]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:10, 3 January 2023
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	{{semi-stub}}		{{semi-stub}}

−	[[Category: ~~Computers~~]]	+	[[Category: Mainframes]]

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 | <!-- architecture = [[]] -->
 | year design started = Early 1947
-| year first shipped = March. 1951
+| year first shipped = March, 1951
 | form factor = [[mainframe]]
 | word size = 72 bits
 | physical address = 3 digits (decimal)
 | logic type = [[vacuum tube]]s
-| design type =  serial asynchronous
+| design type = serial asynchronous
-| clock speed = 2.25 Mhz (basic - serial machine; add - 120 μsec for operation, 525 μsec for complete instruction)
+| clock speed = 2.25 Mhz
-| memory speed = 400 μ sec (maximum)
+| instruction speed = 120 μsec (add, excluding memory access) <!-- 525 μsec max -->
 | predecessor = [[EDVAC]]
 | successor = [[UNIVAC II]]
@@ Line 19: / Line 20: @@
 The '''UNIVAC I''' ('UNIVersal Automatic Computer'; originally, just plain 'UNIVAC', until later models appeared) was the first commercially-available computer in the US.
-It was a [[vacuum tube]] machine, using mercury [[delay line]]s for [[main memory]], with 1000 [[word]]s organized as 100 lines of 10 words each (to reduce access times). The [[Central Processing Unit|CPU]] operated in digit-serial mode (i.e. a digit at a time), to match the memory. Its [[word]] size was 72 bits, with two [[instruction]]s per word, with 12 digits/characters per word; it stored numbers with a form of [[binary-coded decimal|packed decimal]], with digits being represented as their character equivalents.
+It was a [[vacuum tube]] machine, using mercury [[delay line]]s for [[main memory]], with 1000 [[word]]s organized as 100 lines of 10 words each (to reduce access times over fewer, larger lines). The [[Central Processing Unit|CPU]] operated in digit-serial mode (i.e. a digit at a time), to match the memory. Its [[word]] size was 72 bits, with two [[instruction]]s per word, with 12 digits/characters per word; it stored numbers with a form of [[binary-coded decimal|packed decimal]], with digits being represented as their character equivalents.
-The only [[input/output]] devices were [[magnetic tape]] units, the 'UNISERVO'. Data could be tranferred to and from tape with offline peripherals which allowed use of printing, keyboard input, and [[punched card]]s.
+The only [[input/output]] devices were [[magnetic tape]] units, the 'UNISERVO'. Data could be transferred to and from tape with off-line [[peripheral]]s which allowed use of printing, [[keyboard]] input, and [[punched card]]s.
 A careful, slow power-on procedure, in which the filaments in the tubes were slowly warmed up, produced very reliable operation. (No doubt prior experience with tubes in the [[ENIAC]] had educated the UNIVAC's builders.)

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:25, 16 December 2018
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	{{semi-stub}}		{{semi-stub}}
		+
		+	[[Category: Computers]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:08, 21 October 2018
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	A careful, slow power-on procedure, in which the filaments in the tubes were slowly warmed up, produced very reliable operation. (No doubt prior experience with tubes in the [[ENIAC]] had educated the UNIVAC's builders.)		A careful, slow power-on procedure, in which the filaments in the tubes were slowly warmed up, produced very reliable operation. (No doubt prior experience with tubes in the [[ENIAC]] had educated the UNIVAC's builders.)

−	{{stub}}	+	{{semi-stub}}

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 The '''UNIVAC I''' ('UNIVersal Automatic Computer'; originally, just plain 'UNIVAC', until later models appeared) was the first commercially-available computer in the US.
-It was a [[vacuum tube]] machine, using mercury [[delay line]]s for [[main memory]], with 1000 [[word]]s organized as 100 lines of 10 words each (to reduce access times). The [[Central Processing Unit|CPU]] operated in serial mode (to match the memory). Its [[word]] size was 72 bits, with two [[instruction]]s per word.
+It was a [[vacuum tube]] machine, using mercury [[delay line]]s for [[main memory]], with 1000 [[word]]s organized as 100 lines of 10 words each (to reduce access times). The [[Central Processing Unit|CPU]] operated in digit-serial mode (i.e. a digit at a time), to match the memory. Its [[word]] size was 72 bits, with two [[instruction]]s per word, with 12 digits/characters per word; it stored numbers with a form of [[packed decimal]], digits being represented as their character equivalents.
 The only [[input/output]] devices were [[magnetic tape]] units, the 'UNISERVO'. Data could be tranferred to and from tape with offline peripherals which allowed use of printing, keyboard input, and [[punched card]]s.