Knowledge (XXG)

ICT 1301

Source 📝

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The line printer could print 600 lines of 120 characters per minute. It used a print barrel made up of 120 print wheels each with 50 characters around its edge. Each of the 120 print positions had a print hammer which when fired squeezed the paper and an inked ribbon between itself and the rotating
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TM4 tape decks, running at 75 inches per second for a throughput of 22,500 digits per second, could be connected. Spools could hold up to 3,600 feet (1,100 m) of tape and were of the three-prong design common at the time for professional audio recorders rather than the later industry standard
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Each digit was represented by two flux-reversal portions on the tape. The length of these segments determined the value of each digit. This meant that tape capacity was somewhat data dependent. The offcuts from damaged tape were compatible with the then normal audio tape recorders so there was a
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The ICT 1300 was identical to the 1301 in every way except that its card reader was limited to 300 cards per minute and its line printer was limited to 300 lines per minute. It tended to be sold with less core storage and drum storage and without magnetic tape. A drum with only a quarter of the
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The "High Speed" magnetic tape system (called tape type 1) used one-inch-wide (25.4 mm) magnetic tape running at 150 inches per second, with sixteen tracks at a density of 300 bits per inch. Eight of the tracks held data, with check data on the other eight, allowing single-bit errors to be
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The standard magnetic tape system (called tape type 3) used half-inch-wide (12.7 mm) magnetic tape with ten tracks at a density of 300 bits per inch. Four of the tracks held data, four more tracks held the inverse of the data and there was a
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corrected and double-bit errors to be detected. Up to eight tape decks could be connected, giving a throughput of 90,000 digits per second. Spools could hold up to 3,600 feet (1,100 m) of tape and were of three-prong design.
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was pure decimal and the arithmetic unit had no binary mode, only decimal or pounds, shillings and pence. The London University machine was restored to working condition by a group of enthusiasts completing their task in 2012.
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fashion—the 48-bit words were processed sequentially four bits at a time. A simple addition took 21 clock cycles; hardware multiplication averaged 170 clock cycles per digit; and division was performed in software.
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There was also a system based on quarter-inch magnetic tape. This had a single write head and two read heads. The read heads were identical but each read from half of the width of the tape.
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Over 200 computers in the range were delivered, making it the best selling second generation British computer. Had the development been faster, it would have had more commercial potential.
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Towards the end of the life of the 1301, a single ICT standard interface could be added to allow data to be written to the by-then industry-standard magnetic tape.
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The ICT 1302 was a larger version of the 1301 with the new ICT standard interface for connecting peripheral devices (the standard interface was later used on the
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The card reader could read 600 standard punched cards per minute, each with a capacity of up to 80 characters. The card punch could punch 100 cards per minute.
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The computer was announced in May 1960, though development had started much earlier. The first customer delivery was in 1962, a 1301 sold to the
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site formed in 1956. CDL was taken over by ICT, but the 1301 was built at the GEC site as ICT lacked the manufacturing capability at that time.
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A typical 1301 requires 700 square feet (65 square metres) of floor space and weighs about 5.5 short tons (5.0 t). It consumes about 13
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YouTube video "Galdor Computing and the ICT1301" 26 minute description of machine and its adventures 1962 to 2015, by Stuart Fyfe 2021
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for both groups of four. This allowed single-bit errors to be corrected and double-bit errors to be detected. Up to eight
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print barrel for a fraction of a second. It is reputed to be the first commercially produced barrel printer.
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A drum could record 12,000 words of data. It also had 400 words of 'reserved' storage where the computer's
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One or two paper-tape readers could be connected, each with a speed of 1,000 characters per second.
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Polish educational film (1967) about the basics of computer operation with ICT 1300 used as a prop
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Very few ICT 1301 computers remain in existence around the world, and of them, none is working.
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read/write heads fitted was commonly used, giving 3,000 words of 48 bits as backing storage.
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Backing store was magnetic drum and optionally one-inch-, half-inch- or quarter-inch-wide
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There is a third machine named Arthur located in Cumbria, UK. The machine belongs to the
633: 326: 200:. One of their main attractions was that they performed British currency calculations ( 569: 457: 1264: 920: 915: 910: 905: 897: 87:. Input was from 80-column punched cards and optionally 160-column punched cards and 84: 80:. The maximum size was 4,000 words. It was the first ICT machine to use core memory. 1239: 1059: 930: 99: 92: 88: 41: 1249: 982: 648: 422:"ICL Company Research and Development Part 2: Mergers and Mainframes, 1959-1968" 283: 154: 115: 37: 336:
A second ICT 1301, which is close to operating condition, is on display at the
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This is "Flossie" the original machine sold to London University.
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A paper-tape punch of 300 characters per second was available.
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joint subsidiary, Computer Developments Limited (CDL) at GEC's
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confectionery factory for calculating invoices and payroll.
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and although nearly complete, is not in working condition.
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The electronics consist of over 4,000 95:, and optionally to punched paper tape. 363: 1291:Computer-related introductions in 1962 566:Video of "Flossie" as she was in 2007. 163:Integrated circuits were not available 30:International Computers and Tabulators 481:ICL: A Business and Technical History 394:ICL: A Business and Technical History 7: 369: 367: 185:The 1301 was designed by an ICT and 161:operated when buttons were pressed. 420:Campbell-Kelly, Martin (May 1988). 14: 353:Time-Line Computer Archive museum 1166: 1165: 1074: 1073: 987: 986: 935: 934: 669:English Electric System 4 series 323:The National Museum of Computing 616:International Computers Limited 479:Campbell-Kelly, Martin (1989). 392:Campbell-Kelly, Martin (1989). 314:Existing and restored ICT 1301s 60:Example ICT 1301 Installation. 1: 575:3D Simulation of the ICT 1301 553:ICT 1301 resurrection project 106:(ALU) operated on data in a 460:. BBC News. 22 October 2012 338:Toitū Otago Settlers Museum 202:pounds, shillings and pence 20:and its smaller derivative 1307: 534:Time-Line Computer Archive 177:An ICT 1301 being used at 165:commercially at the time. 120:three-phase electric power 68:came in increments of 400 504:Flossie 1301 Project home 273:great deal of recycling. 1276:Transistorized computers 570:Pictures of the ICT 1301 133:(mainly OA5), germanium 1286:Early British computers 1271:ICL mainframe computers 506:Accessed 12 August 2017 262:expanding-hub design. 182: 124:printed circuit boards 102:of 1 MHz and its 61: 1162:Programming languages 429:ICL Technical Journal 176: 104:arithmetic logic unit 98:The machine ran at a 59: 331:University of London 198:University of London 179:Skandinaviska banken 153:, and a handful of 24:were early business 212:arithmetic as the 183: 181:, Gothenburg 1962. 89:punched paper tape 62: 1281:Decimal computers 1258: 1257: 1235:ApplicationMaster 1070:Operating systems 521:Otago Daily Times 435:(1). ICL: 175–179 242:bootstrap program 155:thermionic valves 1298: 1169: 1168: 1077: 1076: 990: 989: 938: 937: 609: 602: 595: 586: 541: 530: 524: 513: 507: 501: 495: 494: 476: 470: 469: 467: 465: 454: 445: 444: 442: 440: 426: 417: 408: 407: 389: 383: 382: 371: 157:and a few dozen 1306: 1305: 1301: 1300: 1299: 1297: 1296: 1295: 1261: 1260: 1259: 1254: 1164: 1156: 1072: 1064: 985: 977: 933: 925: 892: 815:ICL 2900 Series 809: 712:ICT 1900 series 706: 663: 619: 618:(ICL) 1968-2002 613: 549: 544: 531: 527: 514: 510: 502: 498: 491: 478: 477: 473: 463: 461: 456: 455: 448: 438: 436: 424: 419: 418: 411: 404: 391: 390: 386: 373: 372: 365: 361: 316: 308:ICT 1900 series 304: 295: 250: 231: 226: 214:instruction set 171: 126:each with many 108:serial-parallel 54: 12: 11: 5: 1304: 1302: 1294: 1293: 1288: 1283: 1278: 1273: 1263: 1262: 1256: 1255: 1253: 1252: 1247: 1242: 1237: 1232: 1227: 1222: 1217: 1212: 1207: 1202: 1197: 1192: 1186: 1181: 1175: 1173: 1158: 1157: 1155: 1154: 1149: 1144: 1139: 1134: 1129: 1124: 1119: 1114: 1109: 1104: 1099: 1094: 1089: 1083: 1081: 1066: 1065: 1063: 1062: 1057: 1052: 1047: 1042: 1037: 1032: 1027: 1022: 1017: 1012: 1007: 1002: 996: 994: 979: 978: 976: 975: 970: 965: 960: 955: 950: 944: 942: 927: 926: 924: 923: 918: 913: 908: 902: 900: 894: 893: 891: 890: 885: 880: 875: 870: 865: 860: 855: 850: 845: 840: 835: 830: 825: 819: 817: 811: 810: 808: 807: 804: 801: 798: 795: 792: 789: 786: 783: 780: 777: 774: 771: 768: 765: 762: 759: 756: 753: 750: 747: 744: 741: 738: 735: 732: 729: 726: 723: 720: 716: 714: 708: 707: 705: 704: 699: 694: 689: 684: 679: 673: 671: 665: 664: 662: 661: 656: 651: 646: 641: 636: 630: 628: 621: 620: 614: 612: 611: 604: 597: 589: 583: 582: 577: 572: 567: 561: 556: 548: 547:External links 545: 543: 542: 525: 508: 496: 489: 471: 446: 409: 402: 384: 362: 360: 357: 327:Bletchley Park 315: 312: 303: 300: 294: 291: 249: 246: 230: 227: 225: 222: 170: 167: 53: 50: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1303: 1292: 1289: 1287: 1284: 1282: 1279: 1277: 1274: 1272: 1269: 1268: 1266: 1251: 1248: 1246: 1243: 1241: 1238: 1236: 1233: 1231: 1228: 1226: 1223: 1221: 1218: 1216: 1213: 1211: 1208: 1206: 1203: 1201: 1198: 1196: 1193: 1190: 1187: 1185: 1182: 1180: 1177: 1176: 1174: 1172: 1163: 1159: 1153: 1150: 1148: 1145: 1143: 1140: 1138: 1135: 1133: 1130: 1128: 1125: 1123: 1120: 1118: 1115: 1113: 1110: 1108: 1105: 1103: 1100: 1098: 1095: 1093: 1090: 1088: 1085: 1084: 1082: 1080: 1071: 1067: 1061: 1058: 1056: 1053: 1051: 1048: 1046: 1043: 1041: 1038: 1036: 1033: 1031: 1028: 1026: 1023: 1021: 1018: 1016: 1013: 1011: 1008: 1006: 1003: 1001: 998: 997: 995: 993: 984: 980: 974: 971: 969: 966: 964: 961: 959: 956: 954: 951: 949: 946: 945: 943: 941: 932: 931:Minicomputers 928: 922: 919: 917: 914: 912: 909: 907: 904: 903: 901: 899: 898:ICL Series 39 895: 889: 886: 884: 881: 879: 876: 874: 871: 869: 866: 864: 861: 859: 856: 854: 851: 849: 846: 844: 841: 839: 836: 834: 831: 829: 826: 824: 821: 820: 818: 816: 812: 805: 802: 799: 796: 793: 790: 787: 784: 781: 778: 775: 772: 769: 766: 763: 760: 757: 754: 751: 748: 745: 742: 739: 736: 733: 730: 727: 724: 721: 718: 717: 715: 713: 709: 703: 700: 698: 695: 693: 690: 688: 685: 683: 680: 678: 675: 674: 672: 670: 666: 660: 657: 655: 652: 650: 647: 645: 642: 640: 637: 635: 632: 631: 629: 627: 622: 617: 610: 605: 603: 598: 596: 591: 590: 587: 581: 578: 576: 573: 571: 568: 565: 562: 560: 557: 554: 551: 550: 546: 540:, 3 July 2014 539: 535: 529: 526: 522: 518: 512: 509: 505: 500: 497: 492: 490:0-19-853918-5 486: 482: 475: 472: 459: 453: 451: 447: 434: 430: 423: 416: 414: 410: 405: 403:0-19-853918-5 399: 395: 388: 385: 380: 376: 370: 368: 364: 358: 356: 354: 349: 347: 343: 339: 334: 332: 328: 324: 319: 313: 311: 309: 301: 299: 292: 290: 287: 285: 280: 277: 274: 270: 267: 263: 260: 256: 247: 245: 243: 238: 234: 228: 223: 221: 218: 215: 211: 207: 203: 199: 194: 192: 188: 180: 175: 168: 166: 164: 160: 156: 152: 148: 144: 140: 136: 132: 129: 125: 121: 117: 112: 109: 105: 101: 96: 94: 90: 86: 85:magnetic tape 81: 79: 75: 71: 67: 58: 51: 49: 47: 43: 42:punched cards 39: 35: 31: 27: 23: 19: 1240:ReportMaster 1060:One Per Desk 983:Workstations 638: 624:Predecessor 538:Simon Maltby 537: 528: 520: 511: 499: 480: 474: 462:. 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Retrieved 432: 428: 393: 387: 379:newatlas.com 378: 350: 335: 320: 317: 305: 296: 288: 281: 278: 275: 271: 268: 264: 251: 239: 235: 232: 219: 195: 184: 113: 107: 97: 93:line printer 82: 63: 38:drum storage 21: 17: 15: 1250:DAP FORTRAN 702:System 4/75 697:System 4/72 692:System 4/70 687:System 4/50 682:System 4/30 677:System 4/10 649:Elliott 803 439:20 December 284:teleprinter 224:Peripherals 135:transistors 100:clock speed 78:parity bits 66:main memory 52:Description 34:core memory 1265:Categories 968:System Ten 626:mainframes 464:24 October 359:References 282:An online 255:parity bit 147:capacitors 1127:Executive 1107:superNova 973:System 25 151:inductors 143:resistors 141:GET872), 128:germanium 26:computers 1171:category 1152:MultiJob 1079:category 1050:DRS 6000 1045:DRS 3000 992:category 940:category 921:Level 80 916:Level 60 911:Level 50 906:Level 30 644:ICT 1501 639:ICT 1301 302:ICT 1302 293:ICT 1300 248:Optional 229:Standard 191:Coventry 137:(mainly 22:ICT 1300 18:ICT 1301 1184:Fortran 1142:MINIMOP 1137:MAXIMOP 1087:OpenVME 1040:DRS 500 1035:DRS 400 1030:DRS 300 1025:DRS 200 1020:DRS 100 346:Cadbury 342:Dunedin 169:History 139:Mullard 1215:Pascal 1132:GEORGE 1015:DRS 20 487:  400:  206:binary 159:relays 131:diodes 72:of 48 46:binary 1200:COBOL 1189:ALGOL 1102:VME/K 1097:VME/B 800:1907F 797:1907E 791:1906S 788:1906F 785:1906E 782:1906A 776:1905F 773:1905E 767:1904S 764:1904F 761:1904E 758:1904A 752:1903T 749:1903S 746:1903A 740:1902T 737:1902S 734:1902A 728:1901T 725:1901S 722:1901A 634:LEO I 425:(PDF) 259:Ampex 210:octal 70:words 28:from 1205:JEAN 1195:SOBS 1179:PLAN 1055:PERQ 1010:7561 1005:7503 1000:7502 963:ME29 958:2905 953:2904 948:2903 878:CAFS 873:2988 868:2982 863:2980 858:2976 853:2972 848:2970 843:2966 838:2960 833:2956 828:2955 823:2950 806:1909 803:1908 794:1907 779:1906 770:1905 755:1904 743:1903 731:1902 719:1901 659:KDF9 654:KDF8 485:ISBN 466:2012 441:2021 398:ISBN 74:bits 40:and 16:The 1245:RPG 1230:SFL 1225:SCL 1122:TME 1117:DME 1112:CME 1092:VME 888:OCP 883:DAP 536:", 519:", 340:in 325:at 310:). 208:or 187:GEC 118:of 116:kVA 1267:: 1220:S3 1191:60 449:^ 431:. 427:. 412:^ 377:. 366:^ 149:, 145:, 48:. 36:, 1210:C 1147:J 608:e 601:t 594:v 532:" 515:" 493:. 468:. 443:. 433:6 406:. 381:.

Index

computers
International Computers and Tabulators
core memory
drum storage
punched cards
binary

main memory
words
bits
parity bits
magnetic tape
punched paper tape
line printer
clock speed
arithmetic logic unit
kVA
three-phase electric power
printed circuit boards
germanium
diodes
transistors
Mullard
resistors
capacitors
inductors
thermionic valves
relays
Integrated circuits were not available

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