Difference between revisions of "PDP-8"

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#REDIRECT [[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]].''
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{{Infobox Machine
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| name = PDP-8
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| image = PDP-8.jpg
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| caption = An original, transistorized PDP-8
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| manufacturer = [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]]
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| form factor = [[minicomputer]]
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| word size = 12 bits
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| 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)
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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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| year design started =
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| year first shipped  =
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| cpu                = 
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| operating system    =
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-->
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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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The PDP-8 was constructed with discrete [[transistor]]s, packaged into DEC's [[FLIP CHIP]] technology. 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, which was needed to support more than 4k [[word]]s of memory
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* Type 184 Memory Module
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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 systems 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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== Application software/Simulation software ==
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Mention in this video regarding a PDP-8 screen running J.H. Conways game of life:
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* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9Plq-D1gEk Inventing Game of Life - Numberphile]
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{{Nav PDP-8}}
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[[Category: PDP-8s]]
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[[Category: DEC Systems]]

Revision as of 12:57, 25 August 2019

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)
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. 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:

  • Type 183 Memory Extension Control, which was needed to support more than 4k words of memory
  • Type 184 Memory Module
  • Type 188 Memory Parity
  • Type 182 Extended Arithmetic Element, which supported hardware integer multiplication and division, multi-bit double-word shifts, and normalization

Operating Systems

The PDP-8 could run various operating systems including:

Emulators

There are various emulators for PDP-8 systems including:

Application software/Simulation software

Mention in this video regarding a PDP-8 screen running J.H. Conways game of life: