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tube logic

A project log for Hot logic

Ridicule doesn't kill but HV does. I hope to avoid both while using some 1Ж29Б-В and 6Н21Б

yann-guidon-ygdesYann Guidon / YGDES 04/11/2017 at 02:074 Comments

I'm still a bit puzzled by how to do logic circuits with tubes.

Looking at an old report about transistors, I see the following diagram using DCTL (Directly Coupled Transistor Logic, such as used in the CDC6600):

Doing a XOR is pretty easy, thanks to the ability of transistors to work in parallel (OR) and series (AND).

At first sight, triodes can only do OR because the voltage differential between anode and cathode is so high !

The differential is usually overcome with a coupling, DC-blocking capacitor, at least in audio circuits, which makes the tubes work only in pulse/transient mode, which is not desired.

The pentodes have differentials of 0V-45V-60V so maybe a 15V Zener could work to make AND gates, but am I daydreaming ?

I should look at the schematics of the ENIAC, when I find the link again.


Thanks to the many comments on https://hackaday.com/2017/04/15/hackaday-prize-entry-hot-logic I found and recovered several resources about tube logic.

Daaaammmnnn....

For example I found the following circuit in the IBM 604 manual (1958 era):

What ?

Resistors ?

-100V ??

Maybe I'm too modern and I know "it works" but I think it's just ridiculous...


Other converging resources about the ENIAC, covered by @Al Williams:

http://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/text/Knuth_Don_X4100/PDF_index/k-8-pdf/k-8-r5367-1-ENIAC-circuits.pdf

The data matrices use resistos, not diodes...

Discussions

Andrew Starr wrote 04/16/2017 at 23:20 point

It's physics, man :) Remember to keep one hand in your pocket when debugging!

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Yann Guidon / YGDES wrote 04/17/2017 at 01:54 point

doing electronics with only one hand is not electronics at all, it's called electricity. I didn't pay for that crap. That sucks, I'm outta here now...

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bjarni wrote 04/15/2017 at 20:59 point

Look for a pdf named "Basic Principles of Vacuum Tube Logic Circuits", a compendium which includes among other things parts from the amazingly educational customer engineering manual for the IBM 604: http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/ibm/604/227-7609-0_604_CE_man_1958.pdf

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Yann Guidon / YGDES wrote 04/16/2017 at 20:43 point

Yes ! I only found it now :-D

Damned, these things are horrible ... -100V rail ???

I will update the log :-)

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