Computer History: Early Remington Rand UNIVAC Vacuum Tubes, overview, vintage electronics, Sperry

Computer History: Remington Rand UNIVAC Computer Vacuum Tubes come in many varieties. This brief overview may help you identify several different branding styles and tube types. Just scratching the surface, but a good beginner's guide. UNIVAC I and UNIVAC II boards are discussed. Most vintage material here is 4k or HD. Time period is roughly 1949 to 1962. Six different tubes are highlighted. Comments from vacuum tube experts are appreciated as well. Runs 7 mins.
Original content created for educational purposes, discussion and comment.
Uploaded by Computer History Archives Project.

[@videolabguy]

Another awesome video! Another dangerous aspect of the 872A and 873A, all mercury rectifiers in general, is that when operating they throw out intense short wave ultraviolet light and can give you a very nasty sun burn. This is especially dangerous to the corneas of the eyes and will cause cataracts very quickly. In mere minutes.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi Videolabguy, wow, didn't know that! Good to know now. Thanks very much for the added info on that. ~ I have given some thought to how people buy and sell these on eBay, and mail them via USPS or whatever, without noticing that they are hazardous materials that could shatter and leak in transit. Warning labels? -- VK

[@mariosergiogroetares9343]

Grato!
Sempre excelentes vídeos!
Saudações brasileiras!

[@lawrenceshadai4966]

Many older documents may refer to the 25L6 as a "Beam Powered Pentode" instead of a tetrode. That is because the beam forming elements served the same function as a suppressor grid on a pentode.

[@headpox5817]

Thanks CHAP. Keep up the good work. The heat dissipated in those old machines with all those valves (tube=valve in Australia!), would have been incredible. Cheers.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Many thanks. Yes, some very real heat producers they were!!

[@bblod4896]

Great video, thanks for the look back.

[@frankowalker4662]

Great vid.
Those 7AK7 valves, (4:24), are called Locktals, due to the fact they lock into the sockets. They are a pain to work with, the pins are too thin and don't make very good contact with the socket and you have to push them to one side to unlock them from the socket, risking bending the pins. Locktals always have a metal silver base.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi Franko, thank you for the clarification on the 7AK7 tubes! Didn't know that. It seems odd someone would design pins so thin that one could bend them trying to force them in. If one broke off, the whole tube is useless. ) :

[@frankowalker4662]

@@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject They were invented for use in locations with lots of vibration. They were used in car radios and aviation electronic equipment.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Got it. That makes sense.

[@nickolaswilliams935]

I’m not aware of the 807 being used as a horizontal output tube in television service, but it’s octal counterpart the 6BG6 definitely was. They are both essentially the same tube as the 6L6G(C), but with a top anode connection and slightly higher peak inverse and pulse ratings as a result.

[@TheDrunkenMug]

Awesome information, thanks for posting!

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Glad you enjoyed it. thanks for the positive feedback. ~

[@SeanBZA]

807 tubes are still sought after, as high power RF amplifiers, and also as high power audio output stages.

[@lilblackduc7312]

Very nice! Thank you...

[@Diegoandrew]

Very nice

[@tpcdude]

Nice job!