Running IBM 604, 1948 computer

The IBM 604 Electronic Calculating Punch with Type 521 Card Reader/Punch, 1948. The 604 performed addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division hundreds of times faster than any of IBM's earlier electromechanical machines, and was the first IBM product to use modular vacuum-tube based pluggable units, later used in IBM's NORC and 701 computers. The 604 was programmable via plugboard and could execute a program of up to about 60 steps. Footprint: 53 by 33 inches; contained 1100 vacuum tubes and 125 relays. Power consumption 7.59 Kva. Weight: 1949 pounds. More than 5000 were sold (or, rather, rented at $645 per month, 1948 dollars, for the 604 and 521).

I filmed this for an exhibion which was held in 2008/9 at the Amsterdam based Science Center NEMO. I asked if the film could be released to the public: that could be done, if a NEMO sign would appear in the video. Hence: here it is.

The voice explaining how it works belongs to Hans Sprengler of the IBM museum in Sindelfingen, Germany: "Haus zur Geschichte der IBM Datenverarbeitung", or the House of the History of IBM Data Processing.

Видео Running IBM 604, 1948 computer канала Krijn Soeteman