PDP8/e programmers consoles
Ed Sharpe
couryhouse at aol.com
Sat Mar 17 07:05:43 CDT 2018
back in the day (70s) when selling these things 2ed hand E was ind. M and F were always LED... I preferred the leds Ed#
In a message dated 3/16/2018 7:31:26 PM US Mountain Standard Time, cctalk at classiccmp.org writes:
On Fri, Mar 16, 2018, 20:58 allison via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
wrote:
> On 03/16/2018 08:28 PM, Charles Dickman via cctalk wrote:
> > So the PDP8/e used the KC8-EA programmers console which has
> > incandescent indicator lamps and the PDP8/f used the KC8-FL
> > programmers console which has LED indicator lamps.
> Wrong. The 8f uses the same as the 8e. It was the 8m that had the
> LED console. If memory serves it was date of design that influenced it.
>
I have seen several 8/f systems that have LEDs, for what it's worth. I can
only imagine DEC was transitioning the 8/m and 8/f to take LEDs instead of
incandescents.
>
> I can be certain as I have an 8f built in 1973. I've since moded it to
> take bright yellow LEDs as lamps are not easy to find and annoying
> to replace. If I care to I can put the lamps back. Since I put
> operational
> over absolute faithful its better as is, less digging in the box.
>
The bulbs are still available on Mouser. I've ordered a bunch for my 8/e
and have been very happy with them.
http://so-much-stuff.com/pdp8/repair/bulbs.php
>
> However its possible to swap the panels, I tried it once and it pass diags
> and worked fine. Didn't like the red.
>
I've found that my LED 8/m is very hard to read, as the LEDs are very dim.
>
> >
> > Another console question...
> >
> > Has anyone ever seen a PDP8/i style console for the PDP8/e? Looking at
> > the way the PDP8/e console functions, it should be possible to time
> > multiplex all the register to the data bus so they are all visible at
> > once when the machine is halted.
> No and can't! The 8i (nor the 8L) was not omnibus.
>
I think he's aware (hence "style").
Kyle
>
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