Talk:UNISERVO I

This document quotes the George Gray UNIVAC I history (see http://www-static.cc.gatech.edu/gvu/people/randy.carpenter/folklore/v5n1.html) which is in conflict with the UNIVAC I documents on bitsavers. The U-I programming manual states the tape densities were "100 pulses per inch" for U-I operation and "20 pulses per inch" for compatibilty with the UNITYPER.

A few minor points

• The UNISERVO I wasn't phase encoded. The first phase-encoded drive from UNIVAC was the UNISERVO IIIC, which was 1000 BPI, 1 mil Mylar tape, 3600 feet per reel. If it had been phase-encoded, it wouldn't have needed a clock track.
• The UNISERVO motors were powered by McIntosh audio power amplifiers. --John Nagle (talk) 19:21, 12 December 2007 (UTC)

More info on tape format: [1][2] John Nagle (talk) 19:24, 1 February 2016 (UTC)

Table of tape formats: File:U.S. Census Bureau Tape Formats (1972).png. John Nagle (talk) 20:10, 1 February 2016 (UTC)

Weight of UNISERVO 1 Tape

The article quotes a weight of 25 pounds. I think there's a decimal missing. The one I use for a paper weight weights just over one pound, although I believe some of the tape is missing. The correct weight should probably be "about 2.5 pounds." --Bob Brown (talk) 22:56, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

It's metal tape which weighs a lot more than one would think. It is not likely an error so unless someone wants to research it I suggest we leave it alone. Tom94022 (talk) 08:01, 7 March 2024 (UTC)

I have one. With some tape missing, my reel weighs just over a pound.

UNISERVO I tape on a scale showing a weight of one pound 1.5 ounces.

--Bob Brown (talk) 14:22, 7 March 2024 (UTC)

Read the reference - it says 25 lbs. Maybe the reference is wrong, so go find a better RS instead of this OR. Tom94022 (talk) 23:47, 7 March 2024 (UTC)

Producing an artifact that contradicts The Register, hardly an authoritative source, is not original research. (I've done original research; this isn't it.)

In any case, https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/computer-science/magnetic-tape Scroll down to find "A single reel with tape weighed about 3 pounds." That's still too much, but it's a lot closer to reality than 25 pounds.

There are other sources that say four pounds and five pounds. They are wrong. Bob Brown (talk) 22:21, 9 March 2024 (UTC)

So here is a better reference - http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/univac/univac1/UNIVAC1_Operating_Manual_1954.pdf. I think u can change the article to "about 3 lbs". Tom94022 (talk) 00:37, 10 March 2024 (UTC)