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Board from 60's early military computer: UNIVAC CP-901

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D Straney:
Was buying some interesting-looking cheap salvaged avionics to open up a bit ago, when I noticed that the seller also had these intriguing boards for $10, so couldn't resist tossing one in the cart: https://www.ebay.com/itm/144368442255

The eBay listing indicated "Hughes" for some reason, but the Univac logo on the back side showed it was from an old computer, old enough to use individual SSI logic gates.  Searching the RM1001X part number on the ICs led me to a very helpful document, which explained the technical and historical background, and that one of the computers with these ICs, the CP-901, was used in the P-3C military aircraft, which matches the source given in the eBay listing and explains the connection and application.

Fascinating stuff - apparently the RM1001X ICs on this board are quad 2-input NAND gates.  As typical for plenty of early-IC-based computer designs, the logic was implemented completely with NAND gates, with 2 types of ICs: this quad 2-input NAND, and a dual 4-input NAND.  This was long before CMOS processes were established and even before TTL, so it used DTL with gold-doped bipolar transistors to reduce the storage time (and therefore turn-off delays), before Baker clamps became a better way to go about this.  Date codes on the ICs show they were made in 1970, which was roughly 3 years into the CP-901's lifecycle.

Anyways, thought other people might be interested in seeing and hearing about these.






Edit: better photos

Alex Eisenhut:

--- Quote from: D Straney on August 23, 2023, 03:46:01 am ---Was buying some interesting-looking cheap salvaged avionics to open up a bit ago, when I noticed that the seller also had these intriguing boards for $10, so couldn't resist tossing one in the cart: https://www.ebay.com/itm/144368442255

--- End quote ---

"NO INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING" before anyone gets too excited.

cfbsoftware:

--- Quote from: Alex Eisenhut on August 24, 2023, 04:09:27 pm ---"NO INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING" before anyone gets too excited.

--- End quote ---
I just checked and International Shipping is now included (except for 11 countries).

xrunner:

--- Quote from: D Straney on August 23, 2023, 03:46:01 am ---Fascinating stuff - apparently the RM1001X ICs on this board are quad 2-input NAND gates.  As typical for plenty of early-IC-based computer designs, the logic was implemented completely with NAND gates, with 2 types of ICs: this quad 2-input NAND, and a dual 4-input NAND.  This was long before CMOS processes were established and even before TTL, so it used DTL with gold-doped bipolar transistors to reduce the storage time (and therefore turn-off delays), before Baker clamps became a better way to go about this.  Date codes on the ICs show they were made in 1970, which was roughly 3 years into the CP-901's lifecycle.

--- End quote ---

Can you try to activate one of the devices and see if the logic function works?  :popcorn:

Alex Eisenhut:

--- Quote from: cfbsoftware on August 24, 2023, 10:27:03 pm ---
--- Quote from: Alex Eisenhut on August 24, 2023, 04:09:27 pm ---"NO INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING" before anyone gets too excited.

--- End quote ---
I just checked and International Shipping is now included (except for 11 countries).

--- End quote ---

IDK I still see "NO INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING"?

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