Changeset 460 in t29-www
- Timestamp:
- Sep 7, 2013, 12:43:23 PM (11 years ago)
- Files:
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- 4 edited
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de/rechnertechnik/gamma55.php
r459 r460 15 15 </div> 16 16 </div> 17 <p>Eine "neue" Computer-Anlage von BULL beglückt unser Museum: BULL Gamma 55, nach dem Zusammenschluss von Bull mit General-Electric auch mit "GE-55" bezeichnet. Diese Anlage war 26 Jahre lang in der Schweiz komplett mit allen notwendigen Unterlagen (Manuals, Lochkarten...) eingelagert und erblickt jetzt wieder das Licht der Welt. <br>17 <p>Eine "neue" Computer-Anlage von BULL beglückt seit 2012 unser Museum: BULL Gamma 55, nach dem Zusammenschluss von Bull mit General-Electric auch mit "GE-55" bezeichnet. Diese Anlage war 26 Jahre lang in der Schweiz komplett mit allen notwendigen Unterlagen (Manuals, Lochkarten...) eingelagert und erblickt jetzt wieder das Licht der Welt. <br> 18 18 Sie wurde 1966 von BULL (Frankreich) entwickelt und kam 1967 auf den Markt. Gedacht war die GE-55 für kleine und mittlere Betriebe, die bisher auf "elektronische Rechenanlagen" aus Kostengründen weitgehend verzichten mussten.<br> 19 19 Dieser Computer zeigt, welche ungeheuerlichen Schritte Mitte der 60er Jahre vollzogen wurden. Während im GAMMA 10 alle Befehle und Rechenschritte mittels unzähliger aufwändiger "Zyklen" durch logisch aktive (und damit störanfälliger) Schaltungen generiert wurden, geschieht dies im GE-55 in einem riesigen Festwertspeicher in Form eines gefädelten ROMs. Hier sind sogar ganze Mikroprogramme abgelegt. Das vereinfachte den Aufwand an Logik-Bauelementen sehr stark. … … 33 33 34 34 September 2013: <b id="ge55">Der Rechner läuft!</b> <br> 35 Nach langem Suchen aller versteckter Fehler ist die Anlage nun funktionsfähig. Auch größere Gebrauchs-Programme die dabei waren, laufen einwandfrei. Mehr als 25defekte Transistoren und Dioden mussten aufgefunden werden. Diese Bauteile sind während des "Stillstandes" innerhalb der letzten 33 Jahre kaputt gegangen. Nach umfangreichen Recherchen stellen wir fest: Dies ist der einzige Gamma 55 unseres Planeten der noch funktioniert!<br>35 Nach langem Suchen aller versteckter Fehler ist die Anlage nun funktionsfähig. Auch größere Gebrauchs-Programme die dabei waren, laufen einwandfrei. Mehr als 30 (!!) defekte Transistoren und Dioden mussten aufgefunden werden. Diese Bauteile sind während des "Stillstandes" innerhalb der letzten 33 Jahre kaputt gegangen. Nach umfangreichen Recherchen stellen wir fest: Dies ist der einzige Gamma 55 unseres Planeten der noch funktioniert!<br> 36 36 Wer sich für den Aufbau und die Programmierung des Rechners interessiert, kann hier nachlesen (in deutscher Sprache): <a href="http://www.technikum29.de/download/Manuals-Bull%20GE55/"> BULL Gamma 55 Manuals </a> </p> 37 37 -
en/computer/gamma10.php
r455 r460 6 6 require "../../lib/technikum29.php"; 7 7 ?> 8 <h2>A second generation calculator: TheBULL GAMMA 10</h2>8 <h2>A second generation calculator: BULL GAMMA 10</h2> 9 9 10 10 <div class="box center auto-bildbreite"> … … 123 123 <p>While our GAMMA 10 is in a very good shape, we cannot use the 124 124 printer any more, since all electronics are missing.<br> 125 But we were very lucky: We got a printer from the "Federation des Equipes Bull"126 from France which is a perfect match for our Gamma 10. Although some parts like 127 the outer enclosing are missing we can use parts from another printer that is 128 beyond repair to restore this printer to working condition. Nevertheless this129 was a lot of work.</p>125 But we were very lucky: An original printer has been donated to the museum by 126 the F.E.B. (Federation des Equipes Bull) in France. Although the enclosure is 127 missing completely as well as some other parts, we were able to rebuild a 128 fully functional printer basied on this devices together with the parts 129 already in the collection. The result is remarkable (see below).</p> 130 130 131 131 <div class="box center auto-bildbreite"> 132 132 <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/bull-i50,vor-nachher.jpg" alt="Drucker-I 50" width="851" height="316" /> 133 133 <div class="bildtext"> 134 <p><b>BULL I 50: Before a printer fragment and afterwards fully functional </b></p><br> 135 </div></div></p> 134 <p><b>BULL I 50: Before a printer fragment and afterwards fully functional </b></p> 135 </div></div> 136 137 <p class="small"> 138 Some interesting technical data: The computer contains more than 4,000 139 discrete transistors, about 10,000 diodes and more then 2,500 test points 140 which aide the service technician. 141 Tracking down errors by swapping boards was not possible since the logical 142 functions are spread over the whole chassis and are not concentrated on 143 single cards. A typical errorneous function had to be traced from card 17, 144 which is connected to card 95, which is, in turn, connected to card 43 and 145 card 293 which contains a flipflop which is necessary to implement this 146 particular basic function. Without detailed schematics and cycle diagrams it 147 would be impossible to repair this machine.</p> 148 149 136 150 137 151 -
en/computer/gamma55.php
r303 r460 37 37 38 38 The basic implementation of the machines makes heavy use of mechanical 39 parts but at least the card reader is an optical device.<br> 39 parts but at least the card reader is an optical device.<br> 40 40 41 <div class="box left"> 41 <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/ge-55-2.jpg" alt="Während der Restauration" width="566" height="322" /> 42 <div class="bildtext"> 43 44 <p>During reconstruction: 45 The picture on the left shows the system during the refurbishment of 46 the cabinets etc.</p> 47 </div> 48 </div> 42 <a class="popup" href="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/ge-55-2.jpg"> 43 <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/ge-55-2.jpg" alt="Während der Restauration" width="565" height="323" /></a> 44 45 <div class="bildtext"> 46 <p>The system during the refurbishment of 47 the cabinets <a class="popup" href="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/ge-55-2.jpg"> (enlarge picture) </a><br> </p> 48 </div> 49 </div> 50 49 51 50 52 <p>Our machine can be programmed in machine language or some kind of a … … 66 68 same time other companies like UNIVAC or IBM already employed 67 69 integrated circuits (DTL, Diode-Transistor-Logic) for their machines.<br> 70 </p> 71 72 September 2013: <b id="ge-55">Success! The machine is up and running!</b><br> 73 After a substantial amount of time spent for debugging, the machine is now 74 fully operational again. More the 30 (!!) defective transistors and diodes had to 75 be traced down and replaced to achieve this. These parts failed silently 76 during the 33 years in storage. We can now proudly state that this is the 77 only surviving Gamma 55 on earth which is still running. If you are 78 interested in details concerning the architecture and programming of the 79 machine, have a look here (in German only): <a href="http://www.technikum29.de/download/Manuals-Bull%20GE55/"> BULL Gamma 55 manuals </a> </p> 68 80 69 We are still working on restoring this wonderful machine to working 70 condition. So stay tuned, we will post status updates along the 71 process. 72 </p> 81 <div class="box left"> 82 <a class="popup" href="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/leser617.jpg"> 83 <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/leser617.jpg" alt="Card-Reader" width="402" height="249" /></a> 84 <div class="bildtext"> 85 <p>Card-Reader <a class="popup" href="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/leser617.jpg">(enlarge picture)</a><br> </p> 86 </div></div> 87 The card reader of the GE55 can be seen on the left of the pictures (without 88 its cover. It is interesting to see that Bull solved every problem for which 89 as (practical) mechanical solution exists in a mechanical way (as compared to 90 our times where microcontrollers are abundant even in applications which 91 might be implemented more easily with a mechanical approach). The card is 92 coupled to a punched tape which generates the clock signal for reading the 93 card's columns. Although this part can wear out easily, it is nevertheless an 94 ingenious solution.<br> 95 Also visible is the projection display: 10 digits and two 96 additional symbols are displayed by an array of incandescent lamps with 97 associated lenses. This is the main way of communicating with the machine 98 like today's video terminals. 99 The picture below shows the read-only-memory containing 1024 words. A very 100 heavy contraption but very maintainable. (Both pictures can be enlarged by 101 clicking on them.) 102 103 104 <div class="box right"> 105 <a class="popup" href="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/ge55-rom.jpg"> 106 <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/ge55-rom.jpg" alt="Read-only-memory" width="399" height="259" /> </a> 107 <div class="bildtext"> 108 <p>Right: Read-only-memory removed from the machine. 109 <a class="popup" href="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/ge55-rom.jpg">(enlarge picture)</a><br></p> 110 </div> 111 </div> 73 112 74 113 <div class="cols"> … … 87 126 input/output devices and one high speed channel used by external 88 127 memory units or a fast line printer...<br> 89 </div>90 <div class="rightcol"><blockquote><p class="small">91 128 ....the cycle time is 7.9 us. Characters are represented by their 92 129 respective ISO-code. The core memory is used as data and program 93 130 memory. A since byte, comprised of 8 data bits and one parity bit, 94 131 stores a single alphabetical character or up to two numerical 95 digits...<br> 132 digits... 133 </div> 134 <div class="rightcol"><blockquote><p class="small"> 96 135 97 136 Instructions are analyzed and executed under control of a -
en/news.php
r454 r460 5 5 6 6 $neues_menu = <<< MENU 7 8 - titel: "Gamma 55 is up und running" 9 text: "" 10 link: "#September_2013" 11 7 12 - titel: "Punch-Card-Music" 8 13 text: "Technique and art" … … 17 22 link: "#March_2013" 18 23 19 - titel: "NCR446"20 text: "Paper tape accessories"21 link: "#February_2013"22 24 23 25 … … 36 38 <ul class="news-feed"> 37 39 38 40 <li><h3>September 2013</h3> 41 <div class="box left"> 42 <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/leser617.jpg" alt="Lochkartenleser" width="241" height="149" /><br><br> 43 </div> 44 Success! The BULL GAMMA 55 is up and running! An historical moment, <a href="/en/computer/gamma55.php#ge-55"><b>look here</a></b><br><br><br><br> 45 46 39 47 <li><h3>May 2013</h3><br> 40 48 <div "box left clear-after"> … … 60 68 <a href="/en/devices/functional-explanation-pianola.php/"> <b>Functional explanation of the pianola</b></a> 61 69 </li> 62 <li><h3>February 2013</h3> 63 <div class="box left"> 64 <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/handlocher.jpg" width="341" height="214" /> 65 </div> 66 Also accessories for paper tape provide an insight into the early storage media. <br> <a href="/en/computer/commercial.php#acc"><b>Look here:</b></a> 67 <div class="clear"></div></li> 70 68 71 69 72
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