Difference between revisions of "PDP-8"

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''For information about the PDP-8 family in general, see [[PDP-8 family]]''
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''This article is about the first PDP-8, which had that name without a model suffix. For information about PDP-8's in general, see [[PDP-8 family]].''
  
 
{{Infobox Machine
 
{{Infobox Machine
 
| name = PDP-8
 
| name = PDP-8
 
| image = PDP-8.jpg
 
| image = PDP-8.jpg
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| imgwidth = 150px
 
| caption = An original, transistorized PDP-8
 
| caption = An original, transistorized PDP-8
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| manufacturer = [[Digital Equipment Corporation]]
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| manufacturer = [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]]
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| word size = 12 bit
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| form factor = [[minicomputer]]
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| word size = 12 bits
 
| year introduced = 1965
 
| year introduced = 1965
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| year discontinued = 1969
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| architecture = [[PDP-8 architecture|PDP-8]]
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| physical address = 32k words (requires optional Type 183 Memory Extension)
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| virtual address = 4k words
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| design type = [[clock]]ed random [[logic]]
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| clock speed = 1.333 MHz
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| cycle time = 1.5 μseconds
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| memory speed = 1.5 μseconds
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| memory mgmt = bank select
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| logic type = [[diode transistor logic|DTL]]
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| bus arch = Negative I/O Bus
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| predecessor = [[PDP-5]]
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| successor = [[PDP-8/I]]
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| price = US$18,500
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| cpu                = 
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| operating system    =
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}}
 
}}
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The '''PDP-8''' (now often known as a '''Straight 8'''; the name dates from the late 60's, apparently adopted to allow disambiguation), the first model of the [[PDP-8 family]], was [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]]'s major breakthrough, and now considered the first really successful [[minicomputer]]. It was, by a significant amount, the cheapest computer yet made at the time.
  
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Introduced in 1965, the PDP-8 was DEC's major breakthrough. The cheapest minicomputer yet made, at an initial cost of $18,500. The PDP-8 was transistorized and constructed out of DEC's [[Flip-chip]] technology.
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The PDP-8 was constructed with discrete [[transistor]]s, packaged into DEC's [[FLIP CHIP]] technology; mostly R- and S-series, in [[DEC card form factor|standard-length single-height]] (width) format, with a few dual-height.
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It could perform an addition to the [[accumulator]] in 3.0 μseconds, and a 12 by 12 bit multiplication with 24 bit result in 15 μseconds (average; range 9 to 21), using the optional math extension hardware (below).
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==Options==
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Options included:
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* Type 183 Memory Extension Control, [[bank switching]] needed to support more than 4K [[word]]s of memory
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* Type 184 4KW Memory Module (up to 7)
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* Type 188 Memory Parity
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* Type 182 [[Extended Arithmetic Element]], which supported [[hardware]] integer multiplication and division, multi-[[bit]] double-word shifts, and [[normalization]]
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== Operating Systems ==
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The PDP-8 could run various [[operating system]]s including:
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*[[OS/8]]
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*[[TSS/8]]
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*COS-310
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== Emulators ==
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There are various emulators for PDP-8 systems including:
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*[[SIMH]]
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==External links==
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* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/pdp8/pdp8 PDP-8] - Original PDP-8 documents at Bitsavers
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* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9Plq-D1gEk Inventing Game of Life - Numberphile] - PDP-8 screen running J.H. Conways game of life
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* [https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/firsts-history-computing-paul-g-allen-collection/pdp-8-minicomputer-chess-set-115/230053 PDP-8 minicomputer] - from [[Paul Allen]]'s collection at the [[Living Computer Museum|LCM]], includes several images
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{{Nav PDP-8}}
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[[Category: PDP-8s]]
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[[Category: DEC Systems]]
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[[Category: 12-bit Computers]]

Latest revision as of 21:54, 23 April 2025

This article is about the first PDP-8, which had that name without a model suffix. For information about PDP-8's in general, see PDP-8 family.


PDP-8
PDP-8.jpg
An original, transistorized PDP-8
Manufacturer: DEC
Architecture: PDP-8
Year Introduced: 1965
Year Discontinued: 1969
Form Factor: minicomputer
Word Size: 12 bits
Logic Type: DTL
Design Type: clocked random logic
Clock Speed: 1.333 MHz
Cycle Time: 1.5 μseconds
Memory Speed: 1.5 μseconds
Physical Address Size: 32k words (requires optional Type 183 Memory Extension)
Virtual Address Size: 4k words
Memory Management: bank select
Bus Architecture: Negative I/O Bus
Predecessor(s): PDP-5
Successor(s): PDP-8/I
Price: US$18,500

The PDP-8 (now often known as a Straight 8; the name dates from the late 60's, apparently adopted to allow disambiguation), the first model of the PDP-8 family, was DEC's major breakthrough, and now considered the first really successful minicomputer. It was, by a significant amount, the cheapest computer yet made at the time.

The PDP-8 was constructed with discrete transistors, packaged into DEC's FLIP CHIP technology; mostly R- and S-series, in standard-length single-height (width) format, with a few dual-height.

It could perform an addition to the accumulator in 3.0 μseconds, and a 12 by 12 bit multiplication with 24 bit result in 15 μseconds (average; range 9 to 21), using the optional math extension hardware (below).

Options

Options included:

Operating Systems

The PDP-8 could run various operating systems including:

Emulators

There are various emulators for PDP-8 systems including:

External links


v • d • e PDP-8 Computers, Software and Peripherals
PDP-8s: PDP-5 • PDP-8 • LINC-8 • PDP-8/S • PDP-8/I • PDP-8/L • PDP-12 • PDP-8/E • PDP-8/F • PDP-8/M • PDP-8/A

Workstations: VT78

Also: PDP-8 family • PDP-8 architecture • PDP-8 Memory Extension units

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