[sdiy] Analog Computers, Rocket City (was: Static ADC etc)

[Maarten Halmans]

>
> These old analogue computers could be pressed into audio synthesis 
> duties, couldn't they?
> Has anyone done it or were they all destroyed?

in the analog studio at the HKU in Hilversum(The Netherlands) we had an 
Hitachi 240 analog computer(and one in the basement for spareparts) You 
could setup filters, oscillators, amplifiers, mixers etc. with it. It also 
had some logic functions. It is of course a very mathematical aproach to do 
synthesis and you have do some math and make a sort of schematic before you 
even start patching. It has a very neat way of patch storage, you can  make 
a patch and when your done you can take of the complete frontpanel with all 
the cables and recall another patch by placing a different frontpanel in the 
machine.
The guy who taught before me at the HKU, rescued a lot of analog computers 
from the basements of dutch universities. He also has one and he still uses 
it for synthesis.
Some info on the hitachi.
http://www.vaxman.de/my_machines/hitachi/240/240.html
Cheers,
Maarten