This is a short video of our engineer powering up and fondling my Hewlett-Packard 2114B minicomputer.
Built in 1969, the 2114B uses a 16-bit derivative PDP-8 architecture, as do all of HP's earliest systems. Its technology consists of SSI TTL, DTL and CTL integrated circuits, and ferrite core memory. The 2114B is perhaps the most refined of HP's first-generation systems, with its relatively compact chassis and DMA capability.
The 2114B operates at 8 MHz and has a full 16-bit bus. This particular example is equipped with 4kw x 16 bits of Ampex ferrite core memory, barely visible at the rear left of the unit. The card cage is also visible, and contains the ALU, instruction decoder, shift register, timing generator and core sense amplifiers.
Several years ago, I retrofitted the incandescent front panel lamps with yellow LED substitutes that produce a very authentic light without the need for periodic replacement. The 2114 front panel requires 63 lamps, and is unique in its use of illuminated proximity-sense touch switches.
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