[GreenKeys] Selectric Printer

[Dave G4UGM]

Whilst the 2741 is one incarnation of the IBM Selectric mechanism being used as printer or terminal, it does not use ASCII. Some used EBCDIC code and other used “Correspondence” so the code matches the Tilt and Turn bits. Long ago I had a 2741 printer attached to 6809 micro but its long gone. I do own two selectrics but neither is currently working. One is a MagCard II for which a terminal conversion kit was available. The other is a “model 85” which uses a selectric ball but does not drive it with tilt and rotate tapes like the original selectric.

 

I hope to get these working some day, but as I am in the UK Bill’s help would be too expensive! If any one knows of any UK restorers I would be interested.

 

When you say “dopes any one know of one working” do you want to visit and watch, I visited the UK IBM museum at Hursley and they have one set up in a demo mode.

 

http://hursley.slx-online.biz/

 

but you can only visit in pre-arranged groups. Again in the UK there is also one on the console of the IBM 1130 @ the TNMOC which I believe works, but again I don’t know any demo schedule.

 

http://www.tnmoc.org/news/current-projects/ibm-1130-system-restoration-during-2011

 

Dave

G4UGM

 

 

 

From: GreenKeys [mailto:greenkeys-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of David Burns
Sent: 23 November 2014 17:40
To: greenkeys at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] Selectric Printer

 

The selectric mechanism in an ASCII  terminal was the IBM 2741 which ran at 134.5 baud...."Not Your Average" baud rate.  The odd baud rate means that to see RTTY on it, a baud-rate converter is needed.  Maybe somebody has done it, but a Model 15 is easier.

Here's a YouTube video <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRsLCF4KNzg>   of somebody testing a 2741.

The computer console for Series 360 computers was the IBM 1052.

The IBM "Memory Typewriter" was the Model 85.

The selectric mechanism was designed for human-speed use from a keyboard, and the mechanism proved not as durable as would be hoped when driven from sources other than a keyboard.

That said, if you have a selectric mechanism, Bill Skillman can get it running 'just fine':  http://www.selectric.com/

-Dave in Boston

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