14 Jun
2020
14 Jun
'20
9:46 a.m.
Add on? solid state memory unit? some semi companies made tjem. For add to Dec and dg??
Dunno. A guess
....?? ed smecc
On Sunday, June 14, 2020 Joshua Rice via cctalk <Rice43 at btinternet.com; cctalk at
classiccmp.org> wrote:
Hi all.
I recently bought a mystery blinkenlight panel. Closer inspection reveals it was
manufactured by Intel in the early 70?s (1973), and some people on the book of faces
suggested it was part of a ?device multiplexer?(?)
I?m 95% confident it?s not strictly a ?computer? blinkenlight panel, but rather an
attached device, but that still hasn?t helped me narrow down what exactly it was from.
I?ve not seen any early Intel stuff as rack-mount, so i?m wondering if it was a prototype,
or maybe a piece of internal/non-commercial hardware for Intel's own use.
I?m hoping someone here might be able to shed some light on this mystery.
Pictures: https://imgur.com/gallery/lD74oSy <https://imgur.com/gallery/lD74oSy>
Thanks in advance.
Josh Rice
14 Jun
14 Jun
1:01 p.m.
On Sun, Jun 14, 2020, 12:46 PM ED SHARPE via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org wrote:
Add on solid state memory unit some semi companies made tjem. For add to
Dec and dg? Dunno. A guess
.... ed smecc
On Sunday, June 14, 2020 Joshua Rice via cctalk <Rice43 at btinternet.com;
cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Hi all.
I recently bought a mystery blinkenlight panel. Closer inspection reveals
it was manufactured by Intel in the early 70?s (1973), and some people on
the book of faces suggested it was part of a ?device multiplexer?(?)
I?m 95% confident it?s not strictly a ?computer? blinkenlight panel, but
rather an attached device, but that still hasn?t helped me narrow down what
exactly it was from.
I?ve not seen any early Intel stuff as rack-mount, so i?m wondering if it
was a prototype, or maybe a piece of internal/non-commercial hardware for
Intel's own use.
I?m hoping someone here might be able to shed some light on this mystery.
Pictures: https://imgur.com/gallery/lD74oSy <
https://imgur.com/gallery/lD74oSy
Thanks in advance.
Josh Rice
Its reminiscent of a similar looking front panel here
https://www.vintagecomputer.net/browse_thread_record.cfm?id=678
Bill
1:04 p.m.
thus? my? comment? of? an add on memory? store? etc...---? ?Ed? SMECC?In a message dated
6/14/2020 1:01:19 PM US Mountain Standard Time, billdegnan at gmail.com writes:?
I?m 95% confident it?s not strictly a ?computer? blinkenlight panel, but rather an
attached device, but that still hasn?t helped me narrow down what exactly it was from.
1:05 p.m.
On 6/14/2020 2:01 PM, Bill Degnan via cctalk wrote:
On Sun, Jun 14, 2020, 12:46 PM ED SHARPE via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
wrote:
4004 or 8008 development system? bitsavers intel databook 1975
had a bit on them ... just front panel picture and call us for more
information.
Add on solid state memory unit some semi companies made tjem. For add to
Dec and dg? Dunno. A guess
.... ed smecc
On Sunday, June 14, 2020 Joshua Rice via cctalk <Rice43 at btinternet.com;
cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Hi all.
I recently bought a mystery blinkenlight panel. Closer inspection reveals
it was manufactured by Intel in the early 70?s (1973), and some people on
the book of faces suggested it was part of a ?device multiplexer?(?)
I?m 95% confident it?s not strictly a ?computer? blinkenlight panel, but
rather an attached device, but that still hasn?t helped me narrow down what
exactly it was from.
I?ve not seen any early Intel stuff as rack-mount, so i?m wondering if it
was a prototype, or maybe a piece of internal/non-commercial hardware for
Intel's own use.
I?m hoping someone here might be able to shed some light on this mystery.
Pictures: https://imgur.com/gallery/lD74oSy <
https://imgur.com/gallery/lD74oSy>
Thanks in advance.
Josh Rice
Its reminiscent of a similar looking front panel here
https://www.vintagecomputer.net/browse_thread_record.cfm?id=678
Bill
> 
5:15 p.m.
It would be useful if the legends on the panel were actually readable by
mere mortals.
Intel Memory Systems was very big in the early-mod 1970s. The reason
was pretty simple--they offered add-on memory for IBM S/370 and other
vendors cheaper than the OEMs could.
--Chuck
15 Jun
15 Jun
3:01 a.m.
Somehow it seems the thread got fragmented. I posted it to the other half of this thread.
Here?s a link to a high-quality picture of the front panel, straight from the listing.
Turns out i?m crap at taking steady photos
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/dysAAOSwqqJehZ-Y/s-l1600.jpg
<https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/dysAAOSwqqJehZ-Y/s-l1600.jpg>
On Jun 15, 2020, at 1:15 AM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
It would be useful if the legends on the panel were actually readable by
mere mortals.
Intel Memory Systems was very big in the early-mod 1970s. The reason
was pretty simple--they offered add-on memory for IBM S/370 and other
vendors cheaper than the OEMs could.
--Chuck
3:40 a.m.
-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk <cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org> On Behalf Of Joshua Rice via
cctalk
Sent: 15 June 2020 11:02
To: Chuck Guzis <cclist at sydex.com>; General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-
Topic Posts <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Subject: Re: : Unknown Intel blinkenlight panel circa 1973
Somehow it seems the thread got fragmented. I posted it to the other half of
this thread.
Here?s a link to a high-quality picture of the front panel, straight from the
listing. Turns out i?m crap at taking steady photos
Its not so much being steady, if you are using a SmartPhone its getting it to focus when
you are close.
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/dysAAOSwqqJehZ-Y/s-l1600.jpg
<https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/dysAAOSwqqJehZ-Y/s-l1600.jpg>
Nice so appears to be 16-bit memory, with the ability to write either byte independently.
The numbering on the address doesn't seem to match PDP-11 or DG NOVA .
But the numbering doesn't seem to match. I wonder if some kind of mainframe...
On Jun 15,
2020, at 1:15 AM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
wrote:
>
> It would be useful if the legends on the panel were actually readable
> by mere mortals.
>
> Intel Memory Systems was very big in the early-mod 1970s. The reason
> was pretty simple--they offered add-on memory for IBM S/370 and other
> vendors cheaper than the OEMs could.
>
> --Chuck 
4:41 a.m.
On 6/15/20 3:40 AM, Dave Wade via cctalk wrote:
Nice so appears to be 16-bit memory, with the ability
to write either byte independently. The numbering on the address doesn't seem to match
PDP-11 or DG NOVA .
But the numbering doesn't seem to match. I wonder if some kind of mainframe...
16-bit 360/370 memory? were there 370 systems with a 16-bit data path?
big-endian byte addressing (note there is one bit missing on the adr, A31)
8:19 a.m.
The IBM mainframe memory add ons I was familiar with were from Itel rather than Intel. I
don?t see how intel could have had semi memory for mainframes in the early 1970s.
Sent from my iPhone
On Jun 15, 2020, at 8:32 AM, Joshua Rice via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
?Somehow it seems the thread got fragmented. I posted it to the other half of this
thread.
Here?s a link to a high-quality picture of the front panel, straight from the listing.
Turns out i?m crap at taking steady photos
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/dysAAOSwqqJehZ-Y/s-l1600.jpg
<https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/dysAAOSwqqJehZ-Y/s-l1600.jpg>
On Jun 15, 2020, at 1:15 AM, Chuck Guzis via
cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
It would be useful if the legends on the panel were actually readable by
mere mortals.
Intel Memory Systems was very big in the early-mod 1970s. The reason
was pretty simple--they offered add-on memory for IBM S/370 and other
vendors cheaper than the OEMs could.
--Chuck
8:44 a.m.
On 6/15/20 8:19 AM, Jay Jaeger wrote:
The IBM mainframe memory add ons I was familiar with
were from Itel rather than Intel. I don?t see how intel could have had semi memory for
mainframes in the early 1970s.
Intel used to brag in its ads that it manufactured more memory than IBM.
Look into some of the old (75-78) Computerworld ads online,say:
shorturl.at/djnEV
For a timeline of add-on memory see:
https://www.intel-vintage.info/timeline19691979.htm
Particularly those entries starting with "IN-"
Cheers,
Chuck
9:18 a.m.
can anyone tell me what this is (manufacturer)? The font and such looks
similar to the panel you are discussing in this thread.
http://vintagecomputer.net/pictures/2017/Temple/Manual-Automatic-Switch-Con…
thanks
Bill
On Mon, Jun 15, 2020 at 11:44 AM Chuck Guzis via cctalk <
cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
On 6/15/20 8:19 AM, Jay Jaeger wrote:
Intel used to brag in its ads that it manufactured more memory than IBM.
Look into some of the old (75-78) Computerworld ads online,say:
shorturl.at/djnEV
For a timeline of add-on memory see:
https://www.intel-vintage.info/timeline19691979.htm
Particularly those entries starting with "IN-"
Cheers,
Chuck
The IBM mainframe memory add ons I was familiar
with were from Itel
rather than Intel. I don?t see how intel could have had semi
memory for
mainframes in the early 1970s.
9:19 a.m.
Yes, but that is *MID* 70s, not early 70s
Sent from my iPhone
On Jun 15, 2020, at 10:44 AM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
?On 6/15/20 8:19 AM, Jay Jaeger wrote:
The IBM mainframe memory add ons I was familiar
with were from Itel rather than Intel. I don?t see how intel could have had semi memory
for mainframes in the early 1970s.
Intel used to brag in its ads that it manufactured more memory than IBM.
Look into some of the old (75-78) Computerworld ads online,say:
shorturl.at/djnEV
For a timeline of add-on memory see:
https://www.intel-vintage.info/timeline19691979.htm
Particularly those entries starting with "IN-"
Cheers,
Chuck
9:41 a.m.
I did say that (with a pun): "Intel Memory Systems was very big in the
early-mod 1970s." in my original post.
The "mod revival" occurred in the UK in the late 1970s.
--Chuck
On 6/15/20 9:19 AM, Jay Jaeger wrote:
Yes, but that is *MID* 70s, not early 70s
Sent from my iPhone
> On Jun 15, 2020, at 10:44 AM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
wrote:
>
> ?On 6/15/20 8:19 AM, Jay Jaeger wrote:
>> The IBM mainframe memory add ons I was familiar with were from Itel rather than
Intel. I don?t see how intel could have had semi memory for mainframes in the early
1970s.
>>
>
> Intel used to brag in its ads that it manufactured more memory than IBM.
> Look into some of the old (75-78) Computerworld ads online,say:
>
> shorturl.at/djnEV
>
> For a timeline of add-on memory see:
>
> https://www.intel-vintage.info/timeline19691979.htm
>
> Particularly those entries starting with "IN-"
>
> Cheers,
> Chuck
--
--Chuck
Sent from my digital computer
10:21 a.m.
On 06/15/2020 10:19 AM, Jay Jaeger via cctalk wrote:
The IBM mainframe memory add ons I was familiar with
were from Itel rather than Intel. I don?t see how intel could have had semi memory for
mainframes in the early 1970s.
We had Intersil static RAM on our IBM 370/145
machines in
the early 1970's. These were serviced by
Memorex. It looks like some of the revision dates on the
schematics are 1977, though.
Jon
14 Jun
14 Jun
5:47 p.m.
On 06/14/2020 03:05 PM, ben via cctalk wrote:
4004 or 8008 development system? bitsavers intel
databook
1975
had a bit on them ... just front panel picture and call us
for more information.
Nope, way too many address bits, and 16 bits plus parity
data word.
Could possibly be some in-house test panel for a custom
manufacturing or test system.
It definitely looks like a one-off and not a production unit.
Jon
1:26 p.m.
That would my my guess as well; add-on semiconductor memory for a 16-bit minicomputer. I
know Intel made the in-4011 for the PDP-11, but I never saw a picture of it.
Camiel
On Jun 14, 2020, at 6:46 PM, ED SHARPE via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Add on solid state memory unit some semi companies made tjem. For add to Dec and dg?
Dunno. A guess
.... ed smecc
On Sunday, June 14, 2020 Joshua Rice via cctalk <Rice43 at btinternet.com; cctalk at
classiccmp.org> wrote:
Hi all.
I recently bought a mystery blinkenlight panel. Closer inspection reveals it was
manufactured by Intel in the early 70?s (1973), and some people on the book of faces
suggested it was part of a ?device multiplexer?(?)
I?m 95% confident it?s not strictly a ?computer? blinkenlight panel, but rather an
attached device, but that still hasn?t helped me narrow down what exactly it was from.
I?ve not seen any early Intel stuff as rack-mount, so i?m wondering if it was a
prototype, or maybe a piece of internal/non-commercial hardware for Intel's own use.
I?m hoping someone here might be able to shed some light on this mystery.
Pictures: https://imgur.com/gallery/lD74oSy <https://imgur.com/gallery/lD74oSy>
Thanks in advance.
Josh Rice
5:18 p.m.
As a totally unrelated aside, few remember that Intel also made
wristwatches. They had a subsidiary, Microma, that turned them out.
National Semiconductor also made wristwatches.
--Chuck
1419
days inactive
1420
days old
16 comments
10 participants
participants (10)
-
aek＠bitsavers.org -
bfranchuk＠jetnet.ab.ca -
billdegnan＠gmail.com -
camiel＠vaxbarn.com -
cclist＠sydex.com -
couryhouse＠aol.com -
cube1＠charter.net -
dave.g4ugm＠gmail.com -
elson＠pico-systems.com -
Rice43＠btinternet.com