Difference between revisions of "PDP-8 family"

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(Three now, not two.)
 
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the PDP-8 was a 12-bit minicomputer produced by [[DEC]].  
+
The '''PDP-8 family''' was a range of 12-[[bit]] [[minicomputer]]s produced by [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]].  
  
 
== Models ==
 
== Models ==
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| Model Name  || Introduced || Discontinued || Cost || Implementation || Notes
 
| Model Name  || Introduced || Discontinued || Cost || Implementation || Notes
 
|-
 
|-
| [[PDP-5]]  || 1963      || 1967        || ???  || Discrete transistors, wirewrapped?? ||
+
| [[PDP-5]]  || 1963      || 1967        || ???  || [[Transistor]] [[System Module]]s || Effectively, the prototype
 
|-
 
|-
| [[PDP-8]]  || 1965      || 1969        || $18,500 || Transistor [[Flip-Chip]]s ||
+
| [[PDP-8]]  || 1965      || 1969        || $18,500 || Transistor [[FLIP CHIP]]s
 
|-
 
|-
| [[LINC-8]]  || 1966      || 1969        || ???    || Transistor Flip-Chips
+
| [[LINC-8]]  || 1966      || 1969        || ???    || Transistor FLIP CHIPs
 
|-
 
|-
| [[PDP-8/S]] || 1967      || 1970        || $10,000 || Transistor Flip-Chips || '''Unbelievably''' slow
+
| [[PDP-8/S]] || 1967      || 1970        || $10,000 || Transistor FLIP CHIPs || [[Serial computer|Serial]], ''unbelievably'' slow
 
|-
 
|-
| [[PDP-8/I]] || 1968      || 1971        || ???    || TTL Flip-Chips ||  
+
| [[PDP-8/I]] || 1968      || 1971        || ???    || [[Transistor-transistor logic|TTL]] FLIP CHIPs ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| [[PDP-8/L]] || 1968      || 1971        || ???    || TTL Flip-Chips || smaller version of PDP-8/I
+
| [[PDP-8/L]] || 1968      || 1971        || ???    || TTL FLIP CHIPs || Stripped down PDP-8/I
 
|-
 
|-
| [[PDP-12]] || 1969       || ???          || ???    || TTL Flip-Chips || new version of LINC-8
+
| [[LAB-8]]   || 1968       ||             ||         ||               ||
 
|-
 
|-
| [[PDP-8/E]] || 1970       || 1978        || ???    || ???            ||
+
| [[PDP-12]] || 1969       || ???          || ???    || TTL FLIP CHIPs || New version of LINC-8
 
|-
 
|-
| [[PDP-8/F]] || 1972       || ???          || ???    || ???            || Based on PDP-8/E CPU
+
| [[PDP-8/E]] || 1970       || 1978        || ???    || [[DEC card form factor|quad]] [[printed circuit board|PCBs]]  || First [[OMNIBUS]]
 
|-
 
|-
| [[PDP-8/M]] || 1972      || ???          || ???    || ???            || OEM PDP-8/F
+
| [[PDP-8/E|PDP-8/F]] || 1972      || ???          || ???    || quad PCBs || Smaller PDP-8/E
 
|-
 
|-
| [[PDP-8/A]] || 1975       || ???          || ???    || LSI ICs        ||  
+
| [[PDP-8/E|PDP-8/M]] || 1972       || ???          || ???    || quad PCBs || [[Original Equipment Manufacturer|OEM]] PDP-8/F
 
|-
 
|-
| [[DECmate I]]|| 1980      || 1984        || ???    || [[Intersil 6100]] || Desktop form factor
+
| [[PDP-8/A]] || 1975      || ???          || ???    || single hex PCB ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| [[DECmate II]]|| 1982    || 1986        || ???    || [[Harris 6120]] || Desktop
+
| [[VT78]]  || 1978        || 1980        || ???    || [[Intersil 6100]] || [[Personal computer|Desktop]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[DECmate I]]|| 1980      || 1984        || ???    || [[Harris 6120]] || Desktop
 +
|-
 +
| [[DECmate II]]|| 1982    || 1986        || ???    || Harris 6120  || Desktop
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[DECmate III]] || 1984  || 1990        || ???    || Harris 6120    || Desktop
 
| [[DECmate III]] || 1984  || 1990        || ???    || Harris 6120    || Desktop
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| [[DECmate III|DECmate III+]] || 1985 || 1990 || ??? || Harris 6120    || Desktop
 
| [[DECmate III|DECmate III+]] || 1985 || 1990 || ??? || Harris 6120    || Desktop
 
|}
 
|}
as well as two microprocessor implementations:
+
as well as three [[microprocessor]] implementations:
  
 +
* Fabri-Tek [[Fabri-Tek MP12|MP12]]
 
* Intersil 6100 used in the [[VT78]]
 
* Intersil 6100 used in the [[VT78]]
 
* Harris 6120, used in the [[DECmate]] systems
 
* Harris 6120, used in the [[DECmate]] systems
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== Architecture ==
 
== Architecture ==
  
See [[PDP-8 Architecture]]
+
See [[PDP-8 architecture]]
  
 
== Operating Systems ==
 
== Operating Systems ==
 +
 +
* [[OS/8]]
 +
* [[TSS/8]]
 +
* [[RTS/8]]
 +
 +
==See also==
 +
 +
* [[PDP-8 Memory Extension units‎‎]]
 +
 +
==External links==
 +
 +
* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/pdp8 PDP-8] - Original PDP-8 documents at Bitsavers
 +
* [http://www.vaxarchive.org/hardware/pdp11/pdp8rc.tar PDP-8 reference card] (images in TAR file)
 +
* C. Gordon Bell and John E. McNamara, [http://gordonbell.azurewebsites.net/Computer_Engineering/00000201.htm The PDP-8 and Other 12-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
 +
* [https://www.pdp8online.com/ Online PDP-8 Home Page] - David Gesswein's PDP-8 site
 +
** [http://www.pdp8online.com/query_docs/query_all.html PDP-8 Document Search Results]
 +
* [http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/pdp8/ Highgate's PDP-8 Page]
 +
* [http://homepage.cs.uiowa.edu/~jones/pdp8/models/ PDP-8 Models and Options] - Douglas Jones' PDP-8 site
 +
* [https://ethw.org/File:OMNI-pdp8.pdf The PDP-8] - "The first ‘personal’ computer for engineers and scientists ushered in the minicomputer era", John Voelker, IEEE Spectrum
 +
* [https://www.ricomputermuseum.org/collections-gallery/equipment/pdp-8s "Rhode Island Computer Museum: Digital Equipment PDP-8/S, S/N 517"] - "The PDP-8/S ... was designed by Saul P. Dinman and was the first CPU to cost less than $10,000. It ... does not contain any integrated circuits. Just the processor contains 1001 transistors."
 +
* [https://relaysbc.sourceforge.net/devlog.html "A relay PDP-8 ?"] is a paper design by Joe Allen for a 227-[[relay]] computer implementation that executes the PDP-8 instruction set.
  
 
{{Nav PDP-8}}
 
{{Nav PDP-8}}
 +
{{Nav DEC}}
 +
 +
[[Category: DEC Architectures]]
 +
[[Category: PDP-8s]]

Latest revision as of 09:16, 30 July 2024

The PDP-8 family was a range of 12-bit minicomputers produced by DEC.

Models

Model Name Introduced Discontinued Cost Implementation Notes
PDP-5 1963 1967  ??? Transistor System Modules Effectively, the prototype
PDP-8 1965 1969 $18,500 Transistor FLIP CHIPs
LINC-8 1966 1969  ??? Transistor FLIP CHIPs
PDP-8/S 1967 1970 $10,000 Transistor FLIP CHIPs Serial, unbelievably slow
PDP-8/I 1968 1971  ??? TTL FLIP CHIPs
PDP-8/L 1968 1971  ??? TTL FLIP CHIPs Stripped down PDP-8/I
LAB-8 1968
PDP-12 1969  ???  ??? TTL FLIP CHIPs New version of LINC-8
PDP-8/E 1970 1978  ??? quad PCBs First OMNIBUS
PDP-8/F 1972  ???  ??? quad PCBs Smaller PDP-8/E
PDP-8/M 1972  ???  ??? quad PCBs OEM PDP-8/F
PDP-8/A 1975  ???  ??? single hex PCB
VT78 1978 1980  ??? Intersil 6100 Desktop
DECmate I 1980 1984  ??? Harris 6120 Desktop
DECmate II 1982 1986  ??? Harris 6120 Desktop
DECmate III 1984 1990  ??? Harris 6120 Desktop
DECmate III+ 1985 1990  ??? Harris 6120 Desktop

as well as three microprocessor implementations:

  • Fabri-Tek MP12
  • Intersil 6100 used in the VT78
  • Harris 6120, used in the DECmate systems

Architecture

See PDP-8 architecture

Operating Systems

See also

External links