Console PDP 11/70

Console of PDP-11/70 in action.
Unfortunately a bit dark, but will be followed up by a better looking video

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• PDP
• RSX11
• console
• pdp-11
• pdp11

[chrigel1234]

What kind of test is this? Something self programmed?

[PDP11nl]

It's the systems idle loop, when no other programs are active. I beliewe it is the RSX-11M idle loop

[N64Guy]

NIGHT RIDER

[stevebasset]

Computers were far more interesting to look at then. Shame they done away with the 'flashing lights' :(

[DC3Dreams]

I think it's the RSTS/E idle loop. I think the RSX-11M idle pattern was a "racetrack" involving both the top and bottom rows of lights.

[mistie710]

@decapedude Yup. I worked on an 11/70 running RSTS/E v8, and I remember the idle loop as you suggest. Actually it was one of the few that got an upgrade to V10 (it skipped V9 for budget reasons), though it didn't last long after that.

Watching this makes a happy man feel very old...

[sbalogh53]

The following BLINKENLICHTEN sign was commonly seen in computer rooms and university physics labs...

ACHTUNG!

ALLES TURISTEN UND NONTEKNISCHEN LOOKENPEEPERS!

DAS KOMPUTERMASCHINE IST NICHT FÜR DER GEFINGERPOKEN UND MITTENGRABEN! ODERWISE IST EASY TO SCHNAPPEN DER SPRINGENWERK, BLOWENFUSEN UND POPPENCORKEN MIT SPITZENSPARKSEN.

IST NICHT FÜR GEWERKEN BEI DUMMKOPFEN. DER RUBBERNECKEN SIGHTSEEREN KEEPEN DAS COTTONPICKEN HÄNDER IN DAS POCKETS MUSS.

ZO RELAXEN UND WATSCHEN DER BLINKENLICHTEN.

[sbalogh53]

@unnaturaltragedy I think today's computers are too fast for lights. You would probably only get them all showing a constant blur. In the old days, you could roughly tell what a computer was doing by watching the light pattern on the front panel.

[sbalogh53]

ahhhh drool.... computers with flashing lights. How I miss those flashing lights.

[decapedude]

Cool. I think that the RSTS idle pattern had the lights moving left to right. As an tech, I used them to help me know when it was caught up in a loop or running slow.

[Wortinguk]

Later on that panel was replaced by the 'RDC' remote diagnosis control... far less interesting. I have an old console left over from when I did an upgrade... long time ago - bet the stores man has me on a black list for not returning it!.

[unnaturaltragedy]

That does it. I'm somehow incorporating scads of moving leds into my home "supercomputer" build. Its just too cool.