4051: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 12:34, 29 October 2020

The Tektronix 4051 is a graphics-capable desktop microcomputer produced by Tektronix in the late 1970s through the early 1980s. The display is similar to the Tektronix 4010 terminal, using a direct-view storage CRT display (like an analog storage scope) to avoid the need for video RAM.

An all-in-one design, the 4051 includes display, keyboard, CPU and a 300 kByte DC300 quarter-inch cartridge tape drive in a single desktop case, and includes a GPIB interface. A simple operating system and BASIC interpreter are stored in ROM.

The storage tube display allows the screen to retain images drawn to it, eliminating the need for frame-buffer memory, and allowing the resolution to be as high as the display hardware can handle - logical coordinates are 1024 by 1024 of which the physical screen displays 1024 by 780. This type of display does not require a raster buffer memory, so all memory can be dedicated to programs and data.

The 4051 is based on an 8-bit Motorola 6800 CPU running at 1 MHz, and normally shipped with 8 kB of RAM expandable to 32 kB using 8 kB modules.

The remaining 32 kB of address space is reserved for ROM, which can be expanded using one or two external ROM cartridges of 8 kB each. The ROM includes six character sets and an extended dialect of BASIC including various vector drawing commands.

The 4051 was released in 1975 for the base price of $5,995 (2020 value $28,960). Adding the optional RS-232 interface allowed it to emulate a Tektronix 4012 terminal.

Key designer of the 4051 was Hiro Moriyasu.

Links

General Information

Manuals

4050 series manuals @ bitsavers

Museums

Pictures

Communication Interface
Communication Interface
Communication Interface
Inside view
RAM board
main board
Screen without frame
Power supply
Power supply
ROMs cloaseup
4051 with connected DPO - WP1110
4051 with connected DPO - WP1110
Back side
Back side detailled view
Back side detailled view
Back side detailled view
Front view
Keyboard
4051 ad

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 ==Links==
+===General Information===
 * [[Media:4051_Brochure.pdf|Tektronix 4051 Brochure (PDF)]]
-* [http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/tektronix/405x/ 4050 series manuals] @ bitsavers
 * [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tektronix_4050 Tektronix 4050 series at Wikipedia]
 * [[Media:Tekscope_1975_V7_N5.pdf | Tekscope 1975 Vol.7 No.5: ''A desk-top graphic computing system'']]
 * [http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pdf/tektronix/405x/Tektronix-4051-1976.pdf 4051 leaflet from 1976]
+===Manuals===
+* [http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/tektronix/405x/ 4050 series manuals] @ bitsavers
+===Museums===
 * [http://www.tekmuseum.com/tek-museum_009.htm 4051 @ tekmuseum.com]
 * [http://www.datormuseum.se/computers/others/tektronix-4051 4051 @ Dalby Datormuseum]
+===Videos===
 * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yCHW0tQrAA Tek 4051 at work] @ YouTube
 * 4051 introduction @ YouTube - [https://youtu.be/xWrIS_l5HWk part 1] / [https://youtu.be/wZKfOTkEZKU part 2] / [https://youtu.be/DvcFw9jPLEs part 3] / [https://youtu.be/-lUSDb-1NDg part 4] / [https://youtu.be/V3ET9xRb82c part 5] / [https://youtu.be/tXeQoHw950E part 6] / [https://youtu.be/a94uJjTOjTY Emulator]
+===Software===
+* [https://github.com/mmcgraw74/Tektronix-4051-4052-4054-Program-Files Tektronix 4051/4052/4054 Program Files] (GitHub repository)
+===Miscellaneous===
 * [https://webzoom.freewebs.com/henry0077/Scan529.jpg Tek 4051 aboard a US Navy SSBN submarine]

4051: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 12:34, 29 October 2020

See Also

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