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1964 Antique Modem Live Demo
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Circa 1964 Livermore Data Systems "Model A" Acoustic Coupler Modem, live demonstration.
Background: This modem was given to me ~1989 by the widow of a retired (IBM?) engineer. Computerhistory.org has a Model B dated 1965, and I've seen a ~1967 Model C written up in a magazine. (Interestingly, incorrectly identified as being only 110 baud.)
Even better than seeing it in a museum, I decide to hook the trusty Model A up and make it talk to something. After some trial and error, I manage to get it to talk to a terminal server at work and use it to connect to a linux box. It's ALIVE! So, 45 years after it's creation, this antique modem gets to send data to and from the modern Internet.
Enjoy!
- K.C.
Background: This modem was given to me ~1989 by the widow of a retired (IBM?) engineer. Computerhistory.org has a Model B dated 1965, and I've seen a ~1967 Model C written up in a magazine. (Interestingly, incorrectly identified as being only 110 baud.)
Even better than seeing it in a museum, I decide to hook the trusty Model A up and make it talk to something. After some trial and error, I manage to get it to talk to a terminal server at work and use it to connect to a linux box. It's ALIVE! So, 45 years after it's creation, this antique modem gets to send data to and from the modern Internet.
Enjoy!
- K.C.
May 28, 2009 12:22 AM
Re: 1964 Antique Modem Live Demo
Innneresting. The proposed acoustic coupler 300 baud standard wasn't until 1972. So this creature was well ahead of its time. But to put that speed in perspective, a 1 MB file transfer would take over 7 hours.
That said, if anyone cares, my first modem back in 1984 was 1200 baud. Then I went off the Hayes compatible and onto the US Robotics proprietary HST modems. My 9600 cost $600 in 1986 and would only connect with a Hayes at 2400 but if I used the Zmodem protocol could get an effective bitrate of five figures per second with another HST modem on the other end.
That said, if anyone cares, my first modem back in 1984 was 1200 baud. Then I went off the Hayes compatible and onto the US Robotics proprietary HST modems. My 9600 cost $600 in 1986 and would only connect with a Hayes at 2400 but if I used the Zmodem protocol could get an effective bitrate of five figures per second with another HST modem on the other end.
By: spam_vigilante
