How the Elliott 803 transistorized computer works
Learn about the Elliott 803, a transistorized computer made in the United Kingdom in the early 1960s.
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Transcript
NARRATOR: The 1960s saw the introduction of second-generation computers using transistors rather than valves. One of these second-generation machines was the Elliott 803.
REPORTER: Who might have bought a computer like this?
KEVIN MURRELL: Well, this particular machine, the Elliott 803, was very popular in universities.
REPORTER: And this is the input end?
MURRELL: Well, that's right. Programs for the computer were prepared offline, away from the machine, on a tape very similar to Colossus. And this punch tape has both the program and the data all on one tape.
REPORTER: Could we see it running?
MURRELL: Yep. I have loaded the program into the reader. We need to go back to the operator's console, set the instruction up ready to read the tape, and now Operate will start the tape loading.
Now that tape and the data will be loaded into the processor's central memory.
REPORTER: Right. OK. So where is the central processor?
MURRELL: Right. Well, the central processor is all of these cabinets, all five of the cabinets. And if I open this one, this is actually the memory cabinet. And this machine has got 4k of core memory.
REPORTER: How much power does this machine consume, Kevin?
MURRELL: Well, this machine operates at 25 watts DC. And if we look at the power supply, it's taking about 50 amps at the moment.
REPORTER: OK. So 50 times 25-- about 1 and 1/4 kilowatts.
MURRELL: That's right. That's about half an electric fire.
REPORTER: And what about the output? We've seen the input.
MURRELL: Well, output we also produce on paper tape. And a machine like this would actually punch the tape for the student.
And that paper tape would be returned back to the student to go back to their offline desk to print their results out.
REPORTER: So we've gone full circle. The student starts offline writing a paper tape, and then the paper tape is returned to the student. The student puts the paper tape into the offline reader, and gets back the printout.
MURRELL: Gets their results. That's right.
REPORTER: Who might have bought a computer like this?
KEVIN MURRELL: Well, this particular machine, the Elliott 803, was very popular in universities.
REPORTER: And this is the input end?
MURRELL: Well, that's right. Programs for the computer were prepared offline, away from the machine, on a tape very similar to Colossus. And this punch tape has both the program and the data all on one tape.
REPORTER: Could we see it running?
MURRELL: Yep. I have loaded the program into the reader. We need to go back to the operator's console, set the instruction up ready to read the tape, and now Operate will start the tape loading.
Now that tape and the data will be loaded into the processor's central memory.
REPORTER: Right. OK. So where is the central processor?
MURRELL: Right. Well, the central processor is all of these cabinets, all five of the cabinets. And if I open this one, this is actually the memory cabinet. And this machine has got 4k of core memory.
REPORTER: How much power does this machine consume, Kevin?
MURRELL: Well, this machine operates at 25 watts DC. And if we look at the power supply, it's taking about 50 amps at the moment.
REPORTER: OK. So 50 times 25-- about 1 and 1/4 kilowatts.
MURRELL: That's right. That's about half an electric fire.
REPORTER: And what about the output? We've seen the input.
MURRELL: Well, output we also produce on paper tape. And a machine like this would actually punch the tape for the student.
And that paper tape would be returned back to the student to go back to their offline desk to print their results out.
REPORTER: So we've gone full circle. The student starts offline writing a paper tape, and then the paper tape is returned to the student. The student puts the paper tape into the offline reader, and gets back the printout.
MURRELL: Gets their results. That's right.
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