PDP-8/11 field maintainance suitcase

UvA Computer Museum catalogue nr 95.17

pdp8 koffer
This suitcase features a built-in fast (300 char/sec) papertape reader, enabling the maintainance engineer to use diagnostics software on papertape (in the 70's this was the standard medium for system software; however many machines could only read papertape through a teletype terminal, at only 10 characters per second).
By rearranging circuit boards in the reader's backplane it can be adapted for use with either PDP-8 or PDP-11 computers. The instrument is still in operational condition and has been very useful in bringing to life some of our computers.
This object was donated by Mr. L.D.J. Reeser.

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