Double Precision Decimal-to-Binary Conversion and Input (ASR-33) (Signed or Unsigned)

This document describes a PDP-8 software routine designed to convert a string of up to eight decimal digits, entered via an ASR-33 Teletype keyboard, into a double-precision, two's complement binary number.

Key features include:

• Input Handling: Supports signed (+, -, or space) and unsigned numbers. It allows for error correction using the "back-arrow" character and terminates upon input of non-digit characters.
• Constraints: Requires 110 core memory locations. The input is limited to a maximum speed of 10 characters per second.
• Capacity: When signed, the maximum accepted decimal number is 8,388,607 ($2^{23}-1$); when unsigned, the maximum is 16,777,215 ($2^{24}-1$).
• Usage: The routine is invoked by a JMS instruction, with the converted result stored in the memory locations immediately following the JMS call. It does not preserve the status of the AC (Accumulator) or Link registers.