A Transistorized Digital Computer

Abstract : The M-54 general-purpose transistorized digital computer is described. The computer is a modification of one of the first transistorized computer models (unspecified) developed at the Moscow 'Order of Lenin' Power Engineering Institute. This single-address machine is capable of executing 16,000 additions, 3,000 multiplications, or 33,000 logic operations/sec in the fixed point mode. In the floating point mode, 5,000 additions/sec are possible. The machine uses 5,200 transistors, 13,500 semiconductor diodes, and 100,000 magnetic cores. The arithmetic unit has a parallel action adder-accumulator acting on 40-bit words. The main core memory has a capacity of 4,096 20-bit words. Access time is 10 mu sec. The read-only memory capacity, 4,096 20-bit words, uses ferrite cores and an access time of 3.mu sec. The magnetic tape-file memory, capable of reading or recording 2,000 words/sec., has a capacity of 100, 000 20 bit words. Two such units may be used in the system. Input is from a perforated tape; input speed is 100 20-bit words/sec. The output unit is in the form of a line-at-a-time printer capable of delivering 10 lines/sec, with each line containing 11 positions. Four persons are required for normal servicing. (Author)