This must be a fairly early magazine computer - 1967

[silcreval]

Came across this recently the 'Wireless World Computer' published in the magazine in 1967.

I was amazed how early this was. There are schematics but not too much info on actually building the machine, in the magazine article. All transistor design of course and aimed at teaching.

More info here:

Wireless World computer

Also the Computer Conservation Society has a video showing a recreated system here

 

[Chuck(G)]

I'd call it a "calculator" more than a computer. Where's the stored program?

 

[daver2]

That was an 'add on' that came later. It is mentioned in the last part of the article with a description of the modifications to the earlier 'calculator' logic to support it.

I don't see any form of jump/branch in the instruction set. Well, what can you expect from so few transistors?

Dave

 

[Chuck(G)]

This is one I remember from PE back then: https://www.nzeldes.com/HOC/DialComp.htm
No transistors at all.

Even before that, things like tic-tac-toe games were implemented by high school students using things like stepping relays.

 

[silcreval]

That was an 'add on' that came later. It is mentioned in the last part of the article with a description of the modifications to the earlier 'calculator' logic to support it.

I don't see any form of jump/branch in the instruction set. Well, what can you expect from so few transistors?

Dave

I love how they leave the actual board layout as an exercise for the reader. The schematics look fairly complete, and I guess they were sufficient to construct the unit in the video.

 

[silcreval]

This is one I remember from PE back then: https://www.nzeldes.com/HOC/DialComp.htm
No transistors at all.

Even before that, things like tic-tac-toe games were implemented by high school students using things like stepping relays.

I remember seeing a few model railway controllers that hobbyists made - probably in the 70s - that used rotary controllers to 'select' things.

 

[daver2]

There is a tic-tac-toe game using neon glow lamps, valves and a small number of relays I fancy constructing sometime. See https://www.dos4ever.com/ring/Tick_Tack_Toe.pdf.

I can work out the offensive and defensive logic array - but I can't quite work out the special defensive logic yet. I must have another go when I book some holidays (to use up my leave before the end of the financial year).

Also, the number of neon glow lamps identified in the article (187) doesn't quite tally with the logic I have deduced.

Dave

 

[acorn_1401]

Really interesting @silcreval I really like this board. Would be interesting to see how much such a machine would have cost back in the day.