IBM 2260 acoustic delay line

[Paul Berger]

On 2015-12-13 4:28 AM, Chuck Guzis wrote:
> On 12/12/2015 07:41 PM, dwight wrote:
>
>> I would assume it makes no sense to have it in the cable. It is
>> acoustic not electronic. Typically it would be a loop. Data and
>> possibly clock goes in one end.
>
> As a practical example, consider the Packard-Bell 250 computer. No, 
> not the Packard-Bell PC of the Israeli tank driver and his buddies, 
> but the real Packard Bell, maker of consumer radio and TV gear and 
> aerospace electronics.
>
> Since the thing could run from an ordinary wall outlet (something 
> around 1200W) and used only about 300 transistors (and lots of 
> diodes), it's pretty amazing for a 1961 22-bit minicomputer.
>
> It used magnetostrictive delay line memory, which is what I'd have 
> thought that the 2260 would have used.  Oh well, I guess IBM did 
> things their way...
>
> --Chuck
>
>
>
>
The 2260 control unit did use magnetostrictive delay line memory as did 
a few other IBM machines I am familiar with.    See 
https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_ibm2260Y27ar68_33742632 there is a 
very good description of the delay lines in that manual.

Paul.