4051: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:48, 14 October 2022

Tektronix 4051

Graphics-capable desktop microcomputer

Produced from 1975 to (?)

Manuals

4050 Series Operator's Manual
4050 Series Reference Manual
4051 Graphic System Service Manual Vol.1
4051 GPIB Hardware Support
Tektronix GPIB Programming Guide (4050 series, TM5000 series)

4050 series manuals @ bitsavers
Tektronix 4051 BASIC Reference Guide (OCR)

(All manuals in PDF format unless noted otherwise)

Manuals – Specifications – Links – Pictures

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.

Option 1 adds a Data Communication Interface 021-0188-00 that attaches to the rear of the 4051 via a card-edge connector and provides an RS 232 port and two slots to accept expansion ROM cartridges/packs.

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

Museums

Videos

Tek 4051 at work @ YouTube
4051 introduction @ YouTube - part 1 / part 2 / part 3 / part 4 / part 5 / part 6 / Emulator

Software

Tektronix 4051/4052/4054 Program Files (GitHub repository)
4051 firmware listings (microfiche scans) @ bitsavers

Pictures

Front view
Keyboard
4051 with 4924 GPIB cartridge tape drive
4051 with connected DPO - WP1110
4051 with connected DPO - WP1110
021-0188-00 Option 1 Data Communication Interface
Back side detailed view
Back side detailed view
021-0188-00 Option 1 Data Communication Interface
021-0188-00 Option 1 Data Communication Interface
021-0188-00 Option 1 Data Communication Interface
Inside view
RAM board
main board
Screen without frame
Power supply
Power supply
ROMs closeup
4051 ad

Advertising

4051 advertising in Electronics magazine 1976

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 * [[Media:070-2056-01.pdf|4050 Series Reference Manual]]
 * [[Media:070-2065-00.pdf|4051 Graphic System Service Manual Vol.1]]
+* [[Media:070-2270-00.pdf|4051 GPIB Hardware Support]]
+* [[Media:070-3985-00.pdf|Tektronix GPIB Programming Guide]] (4050 series, [[TM5000]] series)
 * [http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/tektronix/405x/ 4050 series manuals] @ bitsavers
-* [[Media:Tek_4051_basicref.pdf|Tektronix 4051 BASIC Reference Guide (OCR, PDF)]]
+* [[Media:Tek_4051_basicref.pdf|Tektronix 4051 BASIC Reference Guide]] (OCR)
-* [[Media:070-3985-00.pdf|Tektronix GPIB Programming Guide]] (4050 series, [[TM5000]] series)
 }}
 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.