Homemade computer from 1967

What kind of computer could you do in 1967? If you were a reader of the British magazine Wireless World, you could, according to the instructions in the rooms for August-December 1967, assemble the Wireless World Computer . For the manufacture of a digital computer will need:

● 400 germanium transistors (type 2G371);
● 1800 carbon film resistors for 0.25 W;
● 66 silicon transistors;
● 450 silicon diodes (type 1S130);
● 325 polyester capacitors;
● 24 electrolytic capacitors;
● 24 switches;
● 66 neon panel lights (D795 Bulgin);
● 8 prototypes 0.15 "Veroboard type, 17" x 3¾ ";
● 1 Mullard OAZ211;
● 2 transistors Mullard OC28;
● 2 Texas 1S410R, 1 1S410 diodes;
● 1 silicon rectifier diode.
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According to the instructions of the journal, the parts will cost only 50 pounds (about $ 125 at the rate of 1967) or about $ 900 in current money, taking into account inflation. A computer can add, subtract, multiply and divide eight-bit numbers.

Numbers are entered manually into the computer in binary form using a set of switches, and the result is displayed by the glow of indicator lights.

The design of the desktop binary computer Wireless World Computer was developed by the employee of the magazine Wireless World Brian Crank (Brian Crank). It was assumed that cheap homemade computers can be installed in schools to demonstrate the capabilities of digital computing.

Some experts believe that Brian Krenk’s computer is a bit like his other British EDSAC computer from 1949. The author was probably familiar with the architecture of a more ancient ancestor, in turn, copied from American EDVAC. In the Wireless World Computer manual, the instructions are also called “orders” (orders), as in EDSAC.


EDSAC

The author acknowledges that the logic of the Wireless World Computer is not always minimized, but in its entirety the logical functions better illustrate the operation of the machine.



The specifications of Wireless World Computer are not impressive by modern standards. But this is 1967 and the ancient germanium transistors. Such transistors were much cheaper and worse than the silicon ones that just appeared on the market. Probably, in 1967 they could be bought completely for cheap on sale. Now the machine of such rare components will cost several times more expensive than a modern computer.