New Find: Tektronix 4052 +++

[Tony Duell]

> 
> On Tue, 2005-03-22 at 07:52 -0500, Joe R. wrote:
> >    My Tektronix magnetism is still working. Yesterday I got a call from one
> > of my sources to tell me that they had a new load of stuff but they added
> > that they thought it was all "crap". Went out there anyway and they first
> > thing that I found was a Tektronix 4052 computer :-).  Dug a little further
> > and found a Tektronix 4631 Hardcopy unit and two Tektronix 8" disk drives
> > :-) :-) :-) 
> 
> Nice. We've got one of those 4631 hardcopy units, but nobody with any
> knowledge about them (is there any particular Tek they're supposed to be
> used with?)

If it's the one I am thinking of, it connects up via a DA15 cable. It 
should work with any Tekky storage terminal (or 4051, 4052, which are 
based on storage termainals), although I think for some systems the hard 
copy connector (and a little PCB inside with some electronics on it) was 
actually an option that may not be installed.

The hard copu unit contains a sepecial 1-dimensional CRT (if you see what 
I mean ;-). The image on the storage target in the terminal is read out 
by raster-scanning it (!), and fed to said CRT. A piece of sensitised 
paper is moved past the front of the CRT, and thus the image is built up 
on the paper. There's some chemical fixing and heat drying too, but 
that's not too complicated.

I seem to rememebr the main problem is getting -- and affording -- the 
special paper. 


> 
> We've got a 4052, but the faceplate's smashed. I've not investigated
> whether it's just a piece of coloured glass / perspex (and so easily
> replaceable) or whether it's far more serious and may write off the
> whole unit :-(


What ever you do, don't throw out _any_ 405x parts. There are people 
looking for spares, options, etc.

That said, the front plate is just plastic. If the CRT is OK, it can be 
replaced. It _is_ the implosion guard for the CRT, so take care! If the 
CRT is damaged, you may well find one from a 4000-series storage terminal 
will work.

-tony