[sdiy] Cool Patch Matrix

[larry at unicode.com]

Oh My God!!

These may be 'new' but they go back to the 1940's, 50's, & 60's!

IBM sold 'programmable' collating, calculating, and printing equipment,
based on holerith punched cards!  I actually ran into some of this equipment
when I first started college in the early 70's and this stuff was used to
produce listings for programs without running them through the main frame.

Operators had stores of 'programs' made by wiring the plug boards and, once
tested, they were kept, prepatched, in cabinets for later re-use.  Once they
were done with a 'program', the cords were removed from the panels for use
in doing new programs.

No ability to handle pots, but yes, I would think you could build a 'patch
memory' using these.

Cost is another thing however!

Larry T.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
> [mailto:owner-synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl]On Behalf Of Michael Ruberto
> Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2005 12:36 PM
> To: synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
> Subject: [sdiy] Cool Patch Matrix
>
>
> Since the US Navy is deep sixing it's F14s I have been having fun
> tinkering
> with the old test benches for their avionics. One bench in
> particular really
> got my interest. It has a removable patch panel which accepts these small
> plugable jumpers. When you have completed using your patch you
> simply swap
> the patch panel for another, thus allowing you to "store" your
> patches. Of
> course the implications were obvious and I had to find out just who
> manufactured the patch panel. After some digging in pubs and a
> few minutes
> on the military parts locator website I found the company.
> Prepare to drool...
>
> http://www.macpanel.com/Images/Gallery%201/pages/140%20series.htm
>
> Now I must find out how to obtain them!
>
> M. A. Ruberto
>
>
>