Datapoint 2200
| Datapoint 2200 | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Manufacturer | Computer Terminal Corporation |
| Type | Personal computer |
| casing | plastic |
| publication | June 1970 |
| End of production | 1979 |
| processor | 8 bit, consisting of standard TTL components. |
| random access memory | standard 2 kB , expandable up to 16 kB |
| graphic | text only, 80 × 12 characters |
| operating system | Datapoint O / S |
The Datapoint 2200 was a mass-produced, programmable computer terminal , which was introduced to the public by Computer Terminal Corporation (CTC, later Datapoint Corporation) in June 1970 (delivery of the first devices in 1971). It was designed by CTC as a versatile, inexpensive terminal that could be connected to a variety of mainframes by loading various terminal emulations from tape . However, some business customers (e.g. the Pillsbury Company ) realized that this so-called “programmable terminal” could take over the tasks of a simple computer, and then used their devices as stand-alone computer systems. Significantly, the terminal's multi-chip CPU ( processor ) became the ancestor of the x86 processor architecture on which the original IBM PC and its descendants were based.
technical description
The Datapoint 2200 had a built-in keyboard , a built-in monochrome monitor (green) with 12 lines by 80 columns and two 47 characters per inch cassette drives with a capacity of 130 kB each. The size of 24 cm × 47 cm × 50 cm and the shape (a box with a protruding keyboard) corresponded roughly to the IBM Selectric ball-head typewriter . Initially, the terminal was available with a Diablo 2.5MB 2315 removable rack hard drive along with modems , various types of serial ports , parallel ports , printers, and a punch card reader . An 8-inch floppy disk drive and other, larger hard drives were later also available. An industry standard 7/9 track (selectable) magnetic tape drive became available in 1975. At the end of 1977 Datapoint presented the ARCNET for local networking. The original type 1 was delivered with a 2 kB serial shift register as main memory, which could be expanded to 8 kB. Type 2 used denser 1 kBit RAM chips, so that the basic configuration corresponded to 4 kB of memory and could be expanded to up to 16 kB. The starting price was around $ 5,000 (equivalent to $ 29,000 in 2014), and a full 16 kB Type 2 2200 had a list price of just over $ 14,000. The 2200 model was followed by 5500, 1100, 6600, 3800, 8800, etc.
The seed of the x86 architecture
Aside from being one of the earliest personal computers , Datapoint 2200 has another connection to computer history. The original design called for a single-chip, 8-bit microprocessor for the CPU, rather than a processor made up of discrete TTL modules as was common at the time. In 1969, CTC hired two companies, Intel and Texas Instruments (TI) , to build the chip. TI was unable to manufacture a reliable chip and withdrew from the contract. Intel, in turn, could not meet CTC's deadline, whereupon the two companies renegotiated their contract, whereby CTC retained its money and Intel retained the rights to the finally completed processor.
CTC manufactured the Datapoint 2200 with about 100 TTL components ( SSI / MSI chips) instead of a microprocessor, while Intel's single-chip design was finally published in April 1972 under the name Intel 8008 . Nevertheless, the 8008 CPU is of pioneering importance. It was the ancestor of Intel's 8-bit CPU line, which was followed by assembly-level compatible 16-bit CPUs - the first members of the x86 family, as which the instruction set later became known. The 8008 itself was used in the first microcomputers such as the SCELBI, MCM / 70 and Micral .
responsible person
The original instruction set was developed by Victor Poor and Harry Pyle. The TTL design ultimately used was done by Gary Asbell. The product design (the exterior including the company logo) comes from Jack Frassanito.
specification
Main unit
- CPU: 8 bit, made from standard TTL components. The Intel 8008 was an almost 100% compatible implementation.
- RAM: 2 kB, expandable to 16 kB
- Graphics: text only, 80 × 12 characters
- Storage: 2 cassette drives, optional 8-inch Shugart floppy disk drive
Accessories
The users of the 2200 and the subsequent terminals could ultimately choose from several additional devices. Were among them
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Datapoint 2200 Reference Manual Version I and Version II . Datapoint Corporation, 1972.
- ^ Wood, Lamont: Forgotten PC history: The true origins of the personal computer. August 8, 2008, accessed September 21, 2014 .
- ^ "Thirty-five years of innovation" (page 10) intel , 2003
- ↑ Dalakov, Georgi: History of Computers and Computing, Birth of the modern computer, Personal computer, Datapoint 2200. April 23, 2014, accessed September 21, 2014 .