PDP-8 family: Difference between revisions

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the PDP-8 was a 12-bit minicomputer produced by [[DEC]]. It came in the following variants
''For information about the PDP-8 [[architecture]] in general, see [[PDP-8 architecture]].''


{{Infobox Machine
The '''PDP-8 family''' was a range of 12-[[bit]] [[minicomputer]]s produced by [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]].
| name = PDP-8
| image = PDP-8.jpg
| caption = An original, transistorized PDP-8
| manufacturer = [[Digital Equipment Corporation]]
| word size = 12 bit
}}


== Models ==


* PDP-8
{| class="wikitable"
* LINC-8
|-
* PDP-8/S
| Model Name  || Introduced || Discontinued || Cost || Implementation || Notes
* PDP-8/I
|-
* PDP-8/L
| [[PDP-5]]  || 1963      || 1967        || ???  || [[Transistor]] [[System Module]]s || Effectively, the prototype
* PDP-12
|-
* PDP-8/E
| [[PDP-8]]  || 1965      || 1969        || $18,500 || Transistor [[FLIP CHIP]]s
* PDP-8/F
|-
* PDP-8/M
| [[LINC-8]]  || 1966      || 1969        || ???    || Transistor FLIP CHIPs
* PDP-8/A
|-
| [[PDP-8/S]] || 1967      || 1970        || $10,000 || Transistor FLIP CHIPs || [[Serial computer|Serial]], ''unbelievably'' slow
|-
| [[PDP-8/I]] || 1968      || 1971        || ???    || [[Transistor-transistor logic|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        || ???    || [[DEC card form factor|quad]] [[printed circuit board|PCBs]]  || First [[OMNIBUS]]
|-
| [[PDP-8/E|PDP-8/F]] || 1972      || ???          || ???    || quad PCBs || Smaller PDP-8/E
|-
| [[PDP-8/E|PDP-8/M]] || 1972      || ???          || ???    || quad PCBs || [[Original Equipment Manufacturer|OEM]] PDP-8/F
|-
| [[PDP-8/A]] || 1975      || ???          || ???    || single hex PCB ||
|-
| [[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|DECmate III+]] || 1985 || 1990 || ??? || Harris 6120    || Desktop
|}
as well as three [[microprocessor]] implementations:


as well as two microprocessor implementations.
* Fabri-Tek [[Fabri-Tek MP12|MP12]]
* Intersil 6100 used in the [[VT78]]
* Harris 6120, used in the [[DECmate]] 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 DEC}}
 
[[Category: DEC Architectures]]
[[Category: PDP-8s]]

Latest revision as of 14:09, 19 September 2025

For information about the PDP-8 architecture in general, see PDP-8 architecture.

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

Operating Systems

See also

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

v • d • e Digital Equipment Corporation
18-bit machines - PDP-1 • PDP-4 • PDP-7 • PDP-9 • PDP-15

12-bit machines - PDP-5 • PDP-8 • LINC-8 • PDP-12

36-bit machines - PDP-3 • PDP-6 • PDP-10

16-/32-/64-bit machines - PDP-11 • VAX • MIPS • Alpha

Also: Buses • Peripherals • Part numbers • Engineering drawings

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