Digi-Comp 1: Toy Computer
erco
Posts: 20,256
My brother had one of the plastic all-mechanical computer toys back in the 1960's: http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Vtg-Digi-Comp-1-Real-Operating-Digital-Computer-In-Plastic-ESR-Inc-1963-/181649941925?ssPageName=ADME:SS:SS:US:3160&autorefresh=true
They're selling for top dollar on Ebay $150+ these days.
You could program them mechanically and clock them by cycling a slider plate back & forth. Rubber bands and wire levers toggle back and forth and you could do simple operations.
Seems like a natural to 3D print one, either as is or updated & improved. Still a mechanical computer, but maybe use a servo to cycle it slowly back & forth. A back burner project.
Marginally related, a computer timeline on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/215680269624920977
They're selling for top dollar on Ebay $150+ these days.
You could program them mechanically and clock them by cycling a slider plate back & forth. Rubber bands and wire levers toggle back and forth and you could do simple operations.
Seems like a natural to 3D print one, either as is or updated & improved. Still a mechanical computer, but maybe use a servo to cycle it slowly back & forth. A back burner project.
Marginally related, a computer timeline on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/215680269624920977
Comments
Seems thee's a v2 kit available...
As for the Pinterest picture...
It's seriously lacking in history.
Maybe the Antikythera mechanism doesn't need to be included, but not having such things as Napoleonic era silk looms is a serious oversight.
(The patterns were punched into paper, which was then interpreted by the looms )
Those looms started with perforated paper rolls, then punced cards... Which lead to a the punched cards used in pre-war sorting systems and post-war computers, which lead to paper tape storage, whih lead to magnetic tape storage...
http://shop.evilmadscientist.com/productsmenu/tinykitlist/375-dcii
Also check out their front page for a fun blog post about how NOT to solder:
http://www.evilmadscientist.com/
That is cool! A little on the pricey side, I won't be purchasing, but it would be fun to make one.
They should slow their laser down a bit, lots of wiggles in the lettering.
edit: oh, it's not a kit, it comes assembled and tested.
http://www.mindsontoys.com/kits.htm?dc1_main.htm
They're selling a Digi-Comp I v2 kit, not a Digi-Comp II... And at a much more affordable price.