PDP-8/A Acquired Sept 2019

This Web page last updated May 14 2020. Background: I obtained a PDP-8/A system s/n AG13076 in Sept 2019. I examined it, but only tested the Programmer's Panel in my earlier acquired PDP-8/A. This page is just a stub, I'll fill it in as work and time permits.

To email me, see see my ordering Web page for my email addresses.

See my other DEC minicomputers as listed on my DEC Web page.

as acquired

The 8/A arrived in a large box, reasonably packed but dented. The damage was entirely mechanical - a tribute to DEC's industrial chassis! - and repaired. All electronics appeared intact. This looked like it was pulled from an industrial controller.

Removing the Programmer's Panel revealed the interior as shown.

Testing

As of last edit of this Web page, I've not tested this PDP-8/A system.

Rather than try to bring up the whole 8/A system, I chose to test the Programmers Panel and the DEC 8K core, on my other 8/A system. I'd not operated the prior 8/A in some time, but it seemed to come up and function reasonably well, without running programs or a serial console. When I stablized the power supply from use (starting up with a Variac), I then tested the complete Programmer's Panel from the newly-acquired 8/A. The Panel functioned fine. I also tested, another 8/A Programmer's panel I acquired prior - it too ran OK.

The 8/A system

PDP-8/A with Programmers Panel, 2 X 16K core, 3-board CPU set
no "limited function panel" but cable intact
three machine-tool boards: paper tape reader and two digital I/O
removed and stored intact, no dust or rats or moisture.

badges:
PDP-8/A 6-27-79 DEC acceptance date
Jun 80 OEM labels on pgrm panel
8A400-DP badge s/n AG13076

details on boards

boards:
G8018 regulator board
M8315/M8317/M8316 CPU board set
G650/H219B 16K X 12 core board set
/?/ Dataram 16K X 12 core board set
three-board Charmilles Andrews I/O for machine control

per-board:

Dataram 6-21-80 control board and
Dataram DR-118A 16K x 12 core board
seals intact

DEC G650, DEC H219B 16K X 12 core board
seals intact. 
One corner of control board bent 1/4" at lifter

Charmilles Andrews boards, "made in USA":
used for wire EDM control like EF-330

#1 "dual tape reader" has remex reference
106613-001, s/n 051, cables out to flatcable w/DB-25
may support Remex RRS 7200 reader

#2 "Axis drive interface (hex)"
106717-001. s/n?,, 
cables out to wide flatcable twisted pairs 2X20 IDC female

#3 "discrete I/O interface" 1980 build
106719-001. s/n 110
8 sets of lines, 8MHz crystal, has 4-switch DIP switch
comes out to two flatcable twisted pairs 2X10 IDC females 

Cables:

another cable has 4-pin male connector
Also 16-pin DIP cable, for 8/A limited function panel