Digi-Comp I Redux

thingiverse

This Thing is my tribute to the individuals from the 1950's and 60's that helped to promote computer learning by marketing simple electric/mechanical "computing" devices. While not what we would consider true computers by today's standards, these machines were ingeniously designed, shipped with well written and instructive manuals, and most importantly were affordable to the average person. Lately I have been making replicas of some of these classic "computers". Originals are now rare and very expensive to buy when they infrequently appear for sale on eBay. In fact most of my replicas were modeled from photos because I could not find or afford an original. Today's Thing is a little different. It's a brand new machine that is a "mashup" of the following classics: <table><tbody><tr> <td height="100" width="125"><img src="https://content.instructables.com/FNQ/W6FW/K1QRUGJV/FNQW6FWK1QRUGJV.THUMB.jpg"></td> <td><a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1477209"><strong>Digi-Comp I</strong></a><strong>: </strong>My new design is mostly based on the mechanics and "programming model" from this machine.</td> </tr> <tr> <td height="100" width="125"><img src="https://cdn.instructables.com/F8I/TP0A/JRYUBCF3/F8ITP0AJRYUBCF3.THUMB.jpg"></td> <td><a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3418066"><strong>Digi-Comp II</strong></a><strong>:</strong> The look and feel of the new machine came from both my Digi-Comp II replica and the Digi-Comp I.</td> </tr> <tr> <td height="100" width="125"><img src="https://cdn.instructables.com/FK3/4NBA/JWL0TMQS/FK34NBAJWL0TMQS.THUMB.jpg"></td> <td><a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3689581/"><strong>Minivac 601</strong></a><strong>:</strong> From the Minivac 601 I used the old telephone switchboard patch cord mechanism to connect the solenoids to the proper logic elements.</td> </tr> <tr> <td height="100" width="125"><img src="https://cdn.instructables.com/FW6/70GL/JYSZBRTY/FW670GLJYSZBRTY.THUMB.jpg"></td> <td><a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3798555"><strong>GENIAC Redux</strong></a><strong>:</strong> The GENIAC Redux replica used magnetic reed switches and magnets to implement the logic elements. My new design follows suit.</td></tr> </tbody></table> I wanted my new machine to have the wonderful ascetic of these vintage models that I know and love. I want people to believe that it could in fact have be from the 50's or 60's. However since it is not a replica I didn't feel compelled to limit myself to the technologies of the era. What does this mean? Read on and find out. In the mean time here is a short video of Digi-Comp I Redux counting to 16. <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EURnpaVIK04" width="560"></iframe> Along with the STL files and instructions for this project, you will find a PDF of the manual that came with the original Digi-Comp I. All of the experiments from this manual can be "programmed" and "executed" on the Digi-Comp I Redux design presented here by following the manual's "coding sheets". In addition this new design adds ONE EXTRA BIT of precision, DOUBLING the numbers that can be expressed from 8 to 16! (Sorry I couldn't resist. You have to read some of the ads that were use to sell these vintage devices.)