- VCF East 2023 - April 14-16 - InfoAge Science and History Museums, Wall, NJ
- VCF Southwest 2023 - June 23-25 (Tenative dates). More info to come
- VCF Midwest 2023 - September 9-10. More info to come
-
Please review our updated Terms and Rules here
TI 914 terminal
- Thread starter jbdigriz
- Start date
Chuck(G)
25k Member
Definitely not. Not that I wouldn't mind getting one of those, too.
Here's a pic of the keyboard,
https://deskthority.net/download/file.php?id=22403&sid=2fef7a7369e3a1a1b8205281d0f6fd76
which appears identical to a TI DXS-CRT kbd, except for the color:
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/wyEAAOSwEbhgOd4~/s-l1600.jpg
So, not 100%, but I'm thinking that terminal, the DXS-CRT,, is the same as a 914. It may look something like a 913, which was used with early 990s, but that's what I'm trying to determine Given the name of the DXS-CRT, it likely requires a controller board on the host, like a 911. Nice to know what machine either was used with, too.
Chuck(G)
25k Member
Oh, okay. The only TI terminals that I've ever seen and worked with have been their Silent 700 series. I remember lugging one of those things home with me on multiple occasions. Always one with the built-in acoustic coupler. Now that I think about it, I don't recall seeing any 900 series terminals when I visited a site hosting the ASC, though there must have been some tucked away there.
This photo of an ASC installation shows a terminal, but it doesn't look like any of the usual suspects
This photo of an ASC installation shows a terminal, but it doesn't look like any of the usual suspects
I think this is it in the bottom right corner of this ASC photo. Why I thought it may look somewhat like a 913. Hard to be sure, the shot is not too clear and the view of the keyboard is partially obstructed. Curious about the big boxy terminal now, too.
https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/still-image/Texas_Instruments/102622928.03.01.lg.jpg
https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/still-image/Texas_Instruments/102622928.03.01.lg.jpg
Last edited:
Chuck(G)
25k Member
Ah, thanks for pointing that out!
913 for reference on pages 3 and 4 of this brochure. (Also 733ASR and 743KSR) 913 clearly has different keyboard, but the term looks somewhat similar.
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/ti/990/brochures/990_Computer_Family_Brochure_Mar77.pdf
Yes, looking for all of them, too.
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/ti/990/brochures/990_Computer_Family_Brochure_Mar77.pdf
Yes, looking for all of them, too.
Last edited:
Chuck(G)
25k Member
I strongly suspect that the big boxy terminal is hardware-specific and geared toward running maintenance tasks. We had such beasts on the STAR also--the Maintenance Control Unit (MCU) which was a dedicated 16 bit mini, complete with drum, with tentacles reaching deep into the CPU. It initiated system startup, among other things--you could modify any register or memory location, trigger various events, etc. One of my projects at CDC was development of an RS232 interface so that the system could be tinkered with remotely.
Cool, didn't realize you were involved with the STAR. Yes, that's possible, or it might be a relatively dumb peripheral processor console. I'll ask one of my contacts who worked on the ASC about the terminals in those pics. Also, 980 minis were used as channel controllers for the later, secondary PAD storage on the ASC. The suspected 914 could be a terminal into one or more of them, but I've drawn a blank so far on 980 terminal info.
Don't want to go off-thread, but any quick pointers to STAR info?
Thanks,
jbdigriz
Al Kossow
Documentation Wizard
http://bitsavers.org/pdf/cdc/cyber/cyber_200
I have a lot more from a house cleanout a friend of mine did in San Jose
I'm trying to decide if I should move this into its own star subdirectory instead of cyber since
it really isn't a descendant of the 6600
I remember that directory now. Stack overflow strikes again. Thanks.
Chuck(G)
25k Member
Probably, it's nothing like any other CDC machine. Thank heavens for that--given the time, it was a remarkable effort that pushed IC technology pretty far, but also full of mistakes. I've never checked--do you also have an ETA 10 subdirectory--that was the last of the line, logically? Most CDC employees of the time were unaware of the project's existence.
It was fun while it lasted, however. You can see some of the thought in modern CPU vector extensions.
It was fun while it lasted, however. You can see some of the thought in modern CPU vector extensions.
Al Kossow
Documentation Wizard
no, I should check if I have anything scanned, or if CHM has any paper. we have a machine.
Chuck(G)
25k Member
Well, even in this day and age, a liquid N₂ cooled mainframe is pretty unusual...