IBM 2260
| IBM 2260 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Manufacturer | IBM |
| Model | 2260 |
| Lifetime | |
| Introduced | 1965 |
| Introductory Price | $1,000 |
| Discontinued | 1971 |
| Communication | |
| Interface | IBM 2848 |
| Baud Rates | Up to 2400 bit/s |
| Character Modes | |
| Resolutions | 6x40, 12x40, 12x80 |
| Attributes | Normal |
The IBM 2260 terminal was IBM's first CRT terminal, introduced in 1965.[1] It provided a visual interface for the IBM System/360 mainframe, replacing or supplementing teleprinters and keypunches.
Contents
Design and Architecture
The 2260 was a monochrome raster display with a unique vertical scan orientation; scan lines moved from top to bottom rather than the conventional horizontal sweep.[2] The display was driven by an external IBM 2848 Display Control unit, which could manage up to 24 terminals depending on the configuration.[3]
The system used acoustic (sonic) delay lines for memory instead of expensive magnetic core storage. These delay lines consisted of nickel wires approximately 50 feet long, where bits were stored as physical torsional vibrations traveling at the speed of sound through the metal.[1]
Discontinuation and Replacement
By the early 1970s, the 2260's technology was becoming obsolete. In May 1971, IBM announced the 3270 Information Display System as the direct successor to the 2260.[4] The 3270 series addressed several limitations of the 2260, most notably by increasing the maximum character display to 1,920 characters (24 rows of 80), which became a de facto industry standard.[1]
Transitioning from the 2260 to the 3270 required significant software conversions. IBM discouraged continued use of the 2260 by omitting support for it in newer communications software like the Network Control Program (NCP) for 3704/3705 controllers and the Virtual Telecommunications Access Method (VTAM).[5] While third-party manufacturers offered 2260-compatible replacement terminals to bridge the gap, the superior performance and lower costs of the 3270 led to the 2260's withdrawal from primary marketing by late 1971.[1]
Configurations
The terminal was available in three primary models, defined by the character capacity provided by the 2848 controller:
- Model 1: 240 characters (6 rows of 40)
- Model 2: 480 characters (12 rows of 40)
- Model 3: 960 characters (12 rows of 80)
Keyboards were optional, as some units were sold as display-only stations for status monitoring.[3] The keyboard layout and mechanics were based on the IBM 029 keypunch, providing a familiar interface for data entry personnel.[2]
Communication
The 2260 could be attached locally to a System/360 channel via the 2848 controller or used remotely. In remote configurations, the 2848 used a Data Set Adapter to communicate over telephone lines at speeds up to 2400 bit/s.[3] It notably used a 1965 draft version of the ASCII standard (ASA X3.4-1965) which differed from the final version adopted later in the decade.[2]
Images
External Links
- IBM 2260 on WikiPedia
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Ken Shirriff. "IBM, sonic delay lines, and the history of the 80x24 display". http://www.righto.com/2019/11/ibm-sonic-delay-lines-and-history-of.html. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Wikipedia contributors. "IBM 2260". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_2260. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 IBM Corporation (1968). "Systems Reference Library Operator Manual: IBM 2260 Display Station". http://www.columbia.edu/cu/computinghistory/2260manual1968.pdf. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
- ↑ IBM Corporation (1971). "An Introduction to the IBM 3270 Information Display System". http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/3270/GA27-2739-1_An_Introduction_to_the_IBM_3270_Information_Display_System_May71.pdf. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
- ↑ Datapro Research Corporation (1974). "All About CRT Display Terminals". https://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/datapro/datapro_70/70D-010-20_All_About_CRT_Display_Terminals_Apr1974.pdf. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
