ECHO IV, or ECHO 4 (Electronic Computing Home Operator, or Electronic Computer for Home Operation) is a prototype of a home computer developed by Westinghouse Electric engineer James (Jim) Sutherland in the mid-1960s (1965-1966).[1]
History
James Sutherland worked as an engineer for the American company Westinghouse Electric, designing fossil and nuclear power plant control systems. In 1959 the company built a computer called PRODAC IV (he was the designer of the arithmetic logic unit), using destructive-readout core memory and NOR logic.
When PRODAC IV was replaced by a UNIVAC design, some of the Westinghouse controller hardware was declared surplus in 1965. Sutherland took up surplus boards and memory to build a home computer, ECHO IV (the "IV" in ECHO IV came from the PRODAC IV). It was made public for the first time in 1966.[4]
The computer was working in the Sutherland's house until 1976, and was donated to the Computer Museum in Boston in 1984.[6]
Technical specifications
- Processor
- Add time: 216 μs
- Frequency: 160 kHz[11][10]
- Main memory:
- Input/Output:
- Physical specifications:
- Four large wooden cabinets, each with approximate dimension of:
- Width: 4 feet
- Height: 6 feet
- Depth: 2 feet
- Weight: about 800 pounds (360 kg)
Uses
- Accounting
- Household inventory
- Calendar
- Manage all digital clocks through the house
- Real-time clock with delay of 1 second
- Air conditioning management
- TV and television antenna management; on school nights children were required to answer questions if they wanted to watch television
- Meteorological program for reading and storing data from a meteorological station that was connected to ECHO IV and weather forecast
References
Bibliography
External links