[COFF] Re: Silicon Manuals Scanned (was: Bell Labs MAC-8 Processor User's Manual Scanned)

[COFF] Re: Silicon Manuals Scanned (was: Bell Labs MAC-8 Processor User's Manual Scanned)

[segaloco via COFF]

On Thursday, February 19th, 2026 at 19:31, segaloco via COFF <coff@tuhs.org> wrote:

> Passing along word that I've just scanned and uploaded the Bell
> Laboratories MAC-8 Processor User's Manual:
> 
> https://archive.org/details/mac-8-processor-users-manual
> 
> This CPU is an 8-bit microprocessor designed at Bell Laboratories for
> telecom applications.  The canonical development environment was
> PWB/UNIX running a MAC-8 oriented SGS along with hardware debugging
> provided by the MAC Tutor single-board computer and PLAID debugger.
> Applications include the PROETEL microcomputer used within AT&T for
> e-telemetry applications.
> 
> - Matt G.
> 
> 

So having some motivation to keep scanning things, I threw in the
August, 1965 TI Semiconductor and Components Catalog.  Adjacent to UNIX
and WECo stuff, I've been watching for other formative documents and
milestone literature that isn't currently scanned and pick up stuff like
this sometimes:

https://archive.org/details/ti-semiconductor-and-components-catalog-august-1965

This catalog among other things marks the announcement of the Series 74
TTL family, one of the most well known logic families.  The initial
members are given, establishing some timelines then on when various
74-series members were added.  No datasheets unfortunately, but future
scan is a 54/74 seminar book from the year after which contains the
November, 1965 datasheets for the 54 and 74 families.  Both are listed
as revisions of the August 1965 sheets, so there were datasheets out
by the time this catalog was published.  Either way, I have not
identified datasheet references predating August 1965, although
literature suggests the SN5400 was around by 1964.

Anywho, I am finally starting to chip away at my scan pile, I've got a
few other TI things of this era filling in timelines on introduction of
various TTL ICs as well as some RCA literature in the same vein
concerning the CMOS CD4000 series.  I hope to shed a bit of light on the
very early histories of these ubiquitous logic families and give better
insight as to when individual members and variations in implementation
technology were introduced.

If anyone is aware of any such efforts similar to what TUHS is doing for
UNIX history but the history of components, especially ICs, I'd love to
organize these efforts a little better to build a concise and effective
components history database.

- Matt G.

[COFF] Re: Silicon Manuals Scanned (was: Bell Labs MAC-8 Processor User's Manual Scanned)

[segaloco via COFF]

Sharing another tranche of documents I've scanned recently:

https://archive.org/details/am-2900-bipolar-microprocessor-family-1975-06

This is the earliest Am2900 databook from what I know, before I could go
as far back as 1977.  The Am2901 is of interest to me as the processing
slice combined to make the core of the WECo 3B computer.

https://archive.org/details/rca-integrated-circuits-product-guide-june-1968
https://archive.org/details/rca-integrated-circuits-new-product-news-august-1968

These two RCA guides include the introduction of the COS/MOS CD4000 line
of CMOS digital logic.  The former still contains all such silicon by
"TA" development codes.  All but one (as hinted at by footnotes) is then
given by its final CD4* designation in the later issue.  Unfortunately
no datasheets are present in this literature, but pricing info is given
for early CD4000 and a few other families in the August, 1968 guide.

https://archive.org/details/rca-cos-mos-product-guide-january-1971
https://archive.org/details/rca-cos-mos-product-guide-march-1971

These are then RCA COS/MOS guides from a few years later.  The March
issue in particular seems to both introduce the purple accenting that
would become synonymous with COS/MOS and also the "CD4000A" series
featuring tolerances as low as +3Vcc.  I scanned both in color to show
the contrast between just a few months.  The black and red speaks a bit
more to my personal sensibilities, but it didn't seem to last long.
However, I have to wonder if black and red was ultimately abandoned due
to its being so common in RCA imagery already by that time.

Regarding RCA, I do have in the mail two red binders of many RCA
component datasheets from the late 60s.  I suspect '68 or '69.  In any
case the auction didn't have enough photos to tell if CD4000 (or TA*)
stuff was present, we'll see.

https://archive.org/details/solid-state-devices-handling-and-selection-guide-june-1972

This one I was particularly excited to come across.  This is a 1972
guide from Western Electric detailing various solid state devices
available for design engineers.  Among them are the linear and digital
IC families 41* and 502*.  These guides are not databooks in that they
do not contain complete datasheets.  However, pinouts and some data are
given.  These and newer chips are then documented in the 1973 and onward
Silicon Integrated Circuits manuals.  I have a smattering of this stuff
I intend to scan as well, but just haven't yet.

Anywho, the next stuff I'm scanning is more UNIX oriented so will hit
the TUHS list instead.

- Matt G.

P.S. I've been turning a focus to historic IC literature of all kinds
lately, if you have any early literature, especially '64-'65 Ti54/74 and
'68-'69 RCA COS/MOS stuff, I'd be happy to arrange scanning operations.