If you don't need to be compatible with standard 8 bit tapes, you can always write out two characters per byte. Would be great for DEC 12-bit (PDP-8) machines also. It's still a really cool punch unit. Or follow Doug Jones attempt at making an 8 bit unit out of two 6 bit ones here (if you can find another 5 or 6 bit unit):
https://homepage.cs.uiowa.edu/~dwjones/pdp8/UI-8/bugs.shtml#69 The two characters/byte would be fine for just storing programs and showing off how paper tape was used. Bob
On 3/29/2025 9:41 AM, W2HX wrote:
ok thank you. I wonder if this would be useful for playing around. I guess it could punch 5 level given the right data. But for vintage computer use, I would think i would need at least 7 bits....What do you think?
73 Eugene W2HX
On 3/29/2025 9:26 AM, W2HX wrote:
My Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@w2hx/videos
ok more internal pictures. Looks like 7 punches. Does this mean it is a 6-bit (6 data holes, 1 index)?
