Pdp-8/e & Pdp-8/m Small Computer Handbook

This handbook provides comprehensive documentation for the Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) PDP-8/E and PDP-8/M minicomputers. It serves as a complete reference guide for users, covering hardware, software, system operations, and maintenance.

Key areas covered in this document include:

• System Overview: An introduction to the PDP-8 family, describing the features of the PDP-8/E, such as its OMNIBUS internal bus system, 1.2-microsecond memory cycle time, and compact design.
• Standard Operation: Procedures for operating the system, including console controls, loading data using loaders (RIM and BIN), and basic system initialization.
• Programming: Foundational information on memory addressing, instruction sets (memory reference, augmented, and operate instructions), and basic programming techniques (subroutines, loops, and logic operations).
• Options and Peripherals: A detailed catalog of available hardware options, including memory expansion, real-time clocks, power-fail detection, and various input/output devices like teletypes, paper tape readers, plotters, and disk drives.
• Interfacing and Installation: Technical guidelines for designing custom interfaces, including information on bus structures, signal timing, and module logic, as well as instructions for physical installation.
• Support Services: An overview of DEC's customer services, including maintenance contracts, depot-level repair, and comprehensive training programs (both hardware and software) offered at various global facilities.
• Manufacturing Story: A visual guided tour of DEC's manufacturing and quality control processes, highlighting the rigorous testing components undergo, from incoming inspection to thermal shocking and vibration testing.

The document includes extensive appendices featuring program abstracts for the vast library of available software, tables of instructions and codes, and guides for technical manuals.