26 Mar
2021
26 Mar
'21
2:33 p.m.
I think it really depends on what reader he is putting it on. If it is a standard newer 8
bit reader, the ASR33 punched tape is fine.
Dwight
________________________________
From: cctalk <cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org> on behalf of Steve Malikoff via
cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Friday, March 26, 2021 2:15 PM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Subject: Re: punching paper tape
Guy said
You are correct, the Whirlwind tape was only seven
tracks wide, with
the same pitch as what became eight-track tape.
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/mit/whirlwind/Whirlwind_Paper_Tape_Format.pdf
I'll admit that I was expecting it to be hard to find someone with an
eight-track punch and blank tape, without even trying for seven track...
There are a few of the original Flexowriters out there somewhere, but
I'm certainly not going to try using one. The tape is for "pedagogical"
purposes, so indeed seven would be better than eight, but eight will do
fine.
But if you can suggest a way to punch a seven track paper tape, I'm
glad to give it a try!
Do you have some more detailed specs for Whirlwind tape?
I can add it to ptap2dxf https://github.com/1944GPW/ptap2dxf
It can do 8-level, 7-level, 5-level, Creed, USN Wheatstone, Morse, Teletype chadless and
variations of those (mirrored, inverse, letters, sprocket hole any position etc) so
another
obscure format would be fun to add. Only a few of these have been physically tested mind
you, as I don't have anything to read the odd ones with.
Steve.