5 ms·

Can anyone explains how does this computer works ? Anyway this is really cool. A manual computer is a great project idea.

by bibyte 8y ago

maxander 8y ago
It looks like each of those little bead thingies is a transistor; each has three wires leasing up to it with a little loop at the end. Presumably, a charge from the loop to the side can flip the bead, and this makes it conduct. It’s surprising that that works, to say the least. :)
- MrEldritch 8y ago
  They're relays, not transistors. But you've got the right principle.
iguessthislldo 8y ago
It doesn't look like there any real explanation of the architecture beyond this logic diagram: http://www.ireneposch.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/logic-diagram-controll-unit-1_small-1024x338.jpg http://www.ireneposch.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/logic-d... From this it looks like there's two 8 bit registers on the left with control signal coming from the top of the image. There's some logic going on on the right, but it strikes me as not complete though. The fact I can't read the writing doesn't help. There are two Youtube channels I know of where they make a computer and don't assume much about the watcher's prior experience: This channel show a person building a more normal relay computer: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5-_rpS40owFzVVuxDF70Tw/videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5-_rpS40owFzVVuxDF70Tw/vid... This playlist shows another person building a more more normal computer out of silicon chips: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLowKtXNTBypGqImE405J2565dvjafglHU https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLowKtXNTBypGqImE405J2... If you want to know how this computer works, the first one will give you some idea because it's made of relays too, but the second one in particular gives a good, detailed, complete walkthrough of a working computer.

5 ms·

Can anyone explains how does this computer works ? Anyway this is really cool. A manual computer is a great project idea.

by bibyte 8y ago

Can anyone explains how does this computer works ? Anyway this is really cool. A manual computer is a great project idea.

maxander 8y ago
It looks like each of those little bead thingies is a transistor; each has three wires leasing up to it with a little loop at the end. Presumably, a charge from the loop to the side can flip the bead, and this makes it conduct. It’s surprising that that works, to say the least. :)
- MrEldritch 8y ago
  They're relays, not transistors. But you've got the right principle.
iguessthislldo 8y ago
It doesn't look like there any real explanation of the architecture beyond this logic diagram: http://www.ireneposch.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/logic-diagram-controll-unit-1_small-1024x338.jpg http://www.ireneposch.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/logic-d... From this it looks like there's two 8 bit registers on the left with control signal coming from the top of the image. There's some logic going on on the right, but it strikes me as not complete though. The fact I can't read the writing doesn't help. There are two Youtube channels I know of where they make a computer and don't assume much about the watcher's prior experience: This channel show a person building a more normal relay computer: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5-_rpS40owFzVVuxDF70Tw/videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5-_rpS40owFzVVuxDF70Tw/vid... This playlist shows another person building a more more normal computer out of silicon chips: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLowKtXNTBypGqImE405J2565dvjafglHU https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLowKtXNTBypGqImE405J2... If you want to know how this computer works, the first one will give you some idea because it's made of relays too, but the second one in particular gives a good, detailed, complete walkthrough of a working computer.