The Computer Laboratory Relics Database
The database contains details of over 200 artifacts ranging from turn of the century calculating machines, through pieces of our early electronic machines (EDSAC I and II), to bits and pieces built for specific research projects, or extracted from interesting commercial machines.
There are also still significant holes in the database, being filled as time permits. All information and photographs produced by this Search facility are subject to the departmental Relics Project copyright and license terms.
Unique id/year of acquisition: CL-104/99
Name: Type 1 microprocessor boards
Other No marked on object:
Inscription:
Dimensions:
Description:
Class: computer
Machine name: CDCS
Condition:
Notes: Small servers in the Cambridge Distributed Computing System were based on the Z80 microprocessor. This is this first production version of the ``Type 1'', with 4K of static RAM and 1K of EPROM. The application code, typically programmed in assembly language, was downloaded over the ring interface. These systems were often used as peripheral drivers, and an area of the wire-wrapped board was left blank for special purpose interface hardware to be added.
See also: CL-105/99
See also: CL-106/99
See also: CL-107/99
Unique id/year of acquisition: CL-104/99
Name: Type 1 microprocessor boards
Group id: 2
Other No marked on object:
Inscription:
Dimensions:
Description:
Class: computer
Machine name: CDCS
Condition:
Notes: Small servers in the Cambridge Distributed Computing System were based on the Z80 microprocessor. This is this first production version of the ``Type 1'', with 4K of static RAM and 1K of EPROM. The application code, typically programmed in assembly language, was downloaded over the ring interface. These systems were often used as peripheral drivers, and an area of the wire-wrapped board was left blank for special purpose interface hardware to be added.
See also: CL-105/99
See also: CL-106/99
See also: CL-107/99
Unique id/year of acquisition: CL-105/99
Name: VDU concentrator boards
Other No marked on object:
Inscription:
Dimensions:
Description:
Class: computer
Machine name: CDCS
Condition:
Notes: The Z80 processor was also used to make terminal concentrators to connect simple character cell VDUs to the ring. A user of a ring terminal concentrator could connect to any machine on the ring and run several simultaneous sessions. The board shown here has UARTs and line drivers to connect eight terminals. This board was connected to a Type 1 processor by a short ribbon cable. All of these boards were later redesigned on printed circuit boards.
See also: CL-104/99
See also: CL-106/99
See also: CL-107/99
Unique id/year of acquisition: CL-105/99
Name: VDU concentrator boards
Group id: 2
Other No marked on object:
Inscription:
Dimensions:
Description:
Class: computer
Machine name: CDCS
Condition:
Notes: The Z80 processor was also used to make terminal concentrators to connect simple character cell VDUs to the ring. A user of a ring terminal concentrator could connect to any machine on the ring and run several simultaneous sessions. The board shown here has UARTs and line drivers to connect eight terminals. This board was connected to a Type 1 processor by a short ribbon cable. All of these boards were later redesigned on printed circuit boards.
See also: CL-104/99
See also: CL-106/99
See also: CL-107/99
Unique id/year of acquisition: CL-106/99
Name: Distributed Computer System 68000 case
Other No marked on object:
Inscription:
Dimensions:
Description:
Class: computer
Machine name: CDCS
Condition:
Notes:
See also: CL-104/99
See also: CL-105/99
See also: CL-107/99
Unique id/year of acquisition: CL-137/99
Name: CDCS photoresists portfolio
Photograph not applicable
Other No marked on object: none
Inscription: none
Dimensions: various
Description: Portfolio containing photoresists, some in colour, various sizes.
Class: other
Machine name: CDCS
Condition: some good, some poor and stuck together
Notes: Set of 15 photoresists depicting circuit boards. Unlabelled, but a note with one mentions that it is Master artwork for the Type 2 channel board processor board.
Notes
- Identifiers are written on objects in the format CL-uuu/yy/gg (u = unique identifier, y = year of acquisition or entry into database, g = group id. The group id is only used if there are more than one of a given object.) eg 80/99/3. This format was adopted to make the identifiers from this exercise distinct from any used in previous cataloguing attempts.
- Photographs. Where relevant the database contains a comma-separated list of Unix path names of pictures of the object, in jpeg format. If photos are available a thumbnail image will be shown as a search result. Click on this to see the full size image.
- Date format: dd.mm.yy
- Name format: Full first name (where known), else initial and surname
- Dimensions: max x next x min (all in mm)
- Lists in all fields are comma separated.
- n/a = not applicable
blank = no information entered
? = information uncertain or unknown
The database search allowed by this page is selective and will only display information that is present, i.e. it will not display labels for empty fields. - Not all information in the database is displayed on the web page produced by this search facility, some of it is private (eg location of object, for security reasons).
- The Notes section of the database may contain html formatting commands to allow it to be displayed to best advantage on the web pages output by this search facility.