You can thank the space race for the desktop and laptop computers.

[Bokehboy]

But if you look at the sentence just before what I hi-lited it says up to apollo which leads me to believe it was digital. I am looking for confirmation.

You, Sir, are a steely eyed missile man! You are right that the AGC is analog and I was wrong there. I was right in that some of the other applications were analog so the AGC had to send it's digital signals to an analog converter! Yow, I am glad I was not one of their Avionics Specialists. Check this article out:

Apollo Artifacts: Apollo CSM Guidance Computer Compensation Module

Analog and digital!

[Bokehboy]

It's a shame America hasn't done anything to be proud of since then.

I believe that the spinoffs from the shuttle program alone far outnumber most of the best contributions from most other nations. You also need to consider the worldwide effort being put into the I.S.S.

Space Shuttle Spinoffs

NASA spinoffs, space benefits, space history, NASA space spinoffs, NASA technology products

Necessity is the mother of invention and traveling into space necessitated small, lightweight imaging gear. It is a good bet that without these ongoing programs you would not have the DSLR you have today or camcorders.

Lets not take this post down the tubes please.

Remember that the I.S.S. and further exploration of space are being done as a global effort.

[MoiVous]

So was it digital? or analog?

The computer was digital - it used binary words for instructions, and binary data exchange (it was programmed in assembler). Data was stored in core memory - binary (read digital) again.

Though from the other comments it obviously had analog inputs with A/D converters to get the data from analog sensors into the AGC and therefore provide the astronauts with data on DSKY. This is not uncommon, and we still use this in modern equipment.

You, Sir, are a steely eyed missile man! You are right that the AGC is analog and I was wrong there. I was right in that some of the other applications were analog so the AGC had to send it's digital signals to an analog converter! Yow, I am glad I was not one of their Avionics Specialists. Check this article out:

Apollo Artifacts: Apollo CSM Guidance Computer Compensation Module

Analog and digital!

Are you making fun of me?

And to program they used IBM 7094 computers with 64K of memory. And remember this was all punchcards.

I am.


For Grapeseedextractgr8s
:ugh:

[Bokehboy]

The computer was digital - it used binary words for instructions, and binary data exchange (it was programmed in assembler). Data was stored in core memory - binary (read digital) again.

Though from the other comments it obviously had analog inputs with A/D converters to get the data from analog sensors into the AGC and therefore provide the astronauts with data on DSKY. This is not uncommon, and we still use this in modern equipment.

True. It wasn't until recently that we switched from analog engine controls/sensors to digital on most aircraft gas turbine applications.

I am.


For Grapeseedextractgr8s
:ugh:

You're a butt head!

[MoiVous]

Here's a repository of documents about the AGC.....
Apollo Guidance Computer and Other Computer History

and at the moment our local radio ishttp://www.abc.net.au/science/moon/listeningandviewingguide/#abcDigitalRadio

True. It wasn't until recently that we switched from analog engine controls/sensors to digital on most aircraft gas turbine applications.

But are digital sensors accurate? With only on or off how can it compare to variable? Like a rheostat or potentiometer which can go in between 1 and 2?

I know on my radio which goes incrementally ie 1, 2, 3 etc. it always seems 2 isnt enough and 3 is too much. I like the old way better. Just always seems a compromise with digital.

[Bokehboy]

Are you making fun of me?

And to program they used IBM 7094 computers with 64K of memory. And remember this was all punchcards.

In aviation speak being a "Steely eyed missile man ( or woman)" is a compliment. It very high praise indeed.

In aviation speak being a "Steely eyed missile man ( or woman)" is a compliment. It very high praise indeed.

I just wish people would go back to speaking English. American English And definitely not that Damn Brit ish crap

[Blue]

It's a shame America hasn't done anything to be proud of since then.

How about Steven Sasson and the CCD and the digital camera?

Medical wise, how about PET & MRI?

How about the Baltimore classification system for viruses?

Polymerase chain reaction?

GPS?

[MoiVous]

But are digital sensors accurate? With only on or off how can it compare to variable? Like a rheostat or potentiometer which can go in between 1 and 2?

I know on my radio which goes incrementally ie 1, 2, 3 etc. it always seems 2 isnt enough and 3 is too much. I like the old way better. Just always seems a compromise with digital.

Your CD player etc use digital - the accuracy is a function of the number of samples converted to a number. eg with computer screen colour (RGB) colour is 0-255 levels in each channel - so 255 255 255 is white, but drop off a few numbers and its grayer. This has 65000 levels.

Thats potentially limiting, so other systems like CMYK or LAB add luminance, and give and give 2^4 levels - even more to play with....

Your CD player etc use digital - the accuracy is a function of the number of samples converted to a number. eg with computer screen colour (RGB) colour is 0-255 levels in each channel - so 255 255 255 is white, but drop off a few numbers and its grayer. This has 65000 levels.

Thats potentially limiting, so other systems like CMYK or LAB add luminance, and give and give 2^4 levels - even more to play with....

But an lp still gives better tonality