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Relay computer. Look out Propeller. — Parallax Forums

Relay computer. Look out Propeller.

RonPRonP Posts: 384
edited 2011-01-28 23:56 in General Discussion
Hello All,

Found this page. Relay Computer thought some of you might find this interesting.

Pictures and Videos at the bottom of page.

-Ron

Comments

  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2011-01-21 23:49
    Meh, In my day we didn't have relays, only wood and marbles : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcDshWmhF4A

    Once we built a divide by four counter out of pneumatic RAMS and spool valves at school. That technology would have made a rather large computer:)
  • RonPRonP Posts: 384
    edited 2011-01-21 23:59
    @Heater

    Now thats a nice adding machine. It could add faster with more gravity.:smile:
  • bsnutbsnut Posts: 521
    edited 2011-01-22 01:42
    Ron,

    I was looking at the relay computer and it is pretty interesting. I have been an electrician for 22 years doing control work troubleshooting relay logic and this takes it to a different level. I hope, I don't have to troubleshoot this one.

    This also gives me a good reason to respect the ones who built the early computers.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2011-01-22 03:17
    Strangely enough I had been day dreaming about a relay based version of the ZPU processor as is emulated by Zog on the Prop. Thing is the basic ZPU has a very small instruction set of only byte wide instructions but there is the GCC C compiler for it so you can get programming at a high level immediately.

    Well that thought did not last long, but the idea of a discreet transistor or TTL chip version still appeals to me.

    As much as I like heaters, tubes are out due to expense:(
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2011-01-22 05:42
    Ron, that's a very good url. At the university, we built computer circuits from manual switches. In a demonstration at the university, using my "manual" switch computer, I had to act like the relays by manually throwing multiple switches. It was more of a test in personal memory, under those conditions of bright lights with all those people watching. I'm looking forward to building one of these "more modern" relay computers.

    http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~harry/Relay/
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,261
    edited 2011-01-22 08:52
    Friggin' fantastic! Plywood and relays, I love this guy. Better yet, he has towering stacks of interconnected plywood boards; it looks like Humanoido and I collaborated on a plywood/relay supercomputer!
  • kf4ixmkf4ixm Posts: 529
    edited 2011-01-22 08:56
    Heater. wrote: »
    Once we built a divide by four counter out of pneumatic RAMS and spool valves at school. That technology would have made a rather large computer:)
    Not to mention, VERY loud i bet!
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2011-01-22 09:40
    kf4ixm,
    Not to mention, VERY loud i bet!

    No, only low pressure stuff in the lab for us students. Actually it sounded rather good, like an old steam traction engine ticking over.
  • UnknownUnknown
    edited 2011-01-22 09:49
    I think it would be prone to mechanical failure. If one of those relays are slow then you are bound to get computing errors. You would have to devise a system to test a relay for speed to see if it was working correctly...
  • Martin_HMartin_H Posts: 4,051
    edited 2011-01-22 17:21
    That relay computer was inspired by Harry Porter's relay computer. He's a CS professor and has a lot of education materials about his relay computer. I read through his educational materials and it really tied CPU design together. While I took circuit design courses, as well as a computer design class, they never went from gates to finish with a single design.
  • HollyMinkowskiHollyMinkowski Posts: 1,398
    edited 2011-01-23 05:45
    That is so cool!

    I guess that someday there will be a museum display somewhere that starts with mechanical
    and relay computers on one end and progresses up to (and perhaps beyond?) quantum computers.

    The trouble with quantum computers is that if you observe them they stop working (they are really shy)..LoL
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2011-01-25 06:53
    erco wrote: »
    it looks like Humanoido and I collaborated on a plywood/relay supercomputer!
    It would be an amazing machine if we did... but we'll need a rather large warehouse to hold it, unless we can distribute various parts of it to our Forum friends homes and then do the linking by internet.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2011-01-25 07:07
    Humanoido,

    What a brilliant idea, distributed relay computing over the internet. The network delays would not slow it down much.

    But how would we be sure our collaborators are really using relaysand not cheating with some Visual Basic or such?
  • davejamesdavejames Posts: 4,047
    edited 2011-01-25 12:24
    @RonP - that was just TOO cool! Thanks for posting.

    @Heater - at least tubes keep you warm. (smiles)

    DJ
  • RavenkallenRavenkallen Posts: 1,057
    edited 2011-01-25 20:04
    That is really cool. I'll have to make one of those:)
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2011-01-27 06:29
    Heater. wrote: »
    Humanoido,
    What a brilliant idea, distributed relay computing over the internet. The network delays would not slow it down much.
    But how would we be sure our collaborators are really using relays and not cheating with some Visual Basic or such?
    WebCams. :)
  • K2K2 Posts: 693
    edited 2011-01-27 07:00
    Heater. wrote: »
    Humanoido,

    What a brilliant idea, distributed relay computing over the internet. The network delays would not slow it down much.

    But how would we be sure our collaborators are really using relaysand not cheating with some Visual Basic or such?

    Simple. If the response time is excessive, we can be sure they are using VB. (jk)
  • skylightskylight Posts: 1,915
    edited 2011-01-27 07:00
    What is interesting about these retro projects is that these guys are using present day knowledge of computing to utilise the sort of equipment that was available in the 40's to build a CPU.
    Just imagine what the scientists of the 40's could have come up with had they had those diagrams and present day thinking of computing, how the way they used their logic with the best they had at the time without the improvements and structure that present day engineers would work to, I wonder just how advanced our culture would be today?
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    edited 2011-01-27 09:31
    This is cool if only for the sounds it makes! Thanks for posting.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2011-01-27 10:23
    Humanoido,
    WebCams

    Excellent suggestion. I think we need the audio to go with it, just for effect.

    I suspect we'll need a Prop or two for interfacing relays to PC to internet. Were do we start?
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2011-01-28 23:56
    Heater. wrote: »
    Humanoido, Excellent suggestion. I think we need the audio to go with it, just for effect. I suspect we'll need a Prop or two for interfacing relays to PC to internet. Were do we start?
    A couple props for interfacing to the web is entirely allowed.

    Like other projects we start with the idea and examine what was previously accomplished.

    We think about how we can add value and uniqueness to the project.

    Then we sketch it on a dinner table napkin, and consider the parts required, time and cost.
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