Computer History: IBM 1401 Announcement 1959 Data Processing Mainframe 7070, RAMAC Endicott, & more

Exploring the 1401 Computer: Original IBM 1401 Computer Product Announcement, October 5, 1959, for IBM’s 1401 Transistorized, General Purpose Mainframe Computer. Title: “Balanced Data Processing.” Features IBM 1401 Data Processing Machine. Opening narrator, Mr. Gilbert E. Jones, Manager, IBM Data Processing Division, gives an overview of the 1401 through various cut-away segments to other managers at various IBM facilities, including Poughkeepsie, Endicott and San Jose. Includes exceptionally detailed film footage of the IBM 1401, the IBM 7070, and many peripherals. The film shows the IBM 1401 used to interface to the IBM 7070 (card-to-tape, tape-to-card, and tape-to-print).

Detailed explanations reveal IBM’s 1950’s era professionalism and attention to manufacturing and testing details. IBM President Thomas J. Watson, Jr. gives the closing remarks.
Special thanks to Robert Garner for supplying a digital copy of this very rare IBM film.
Partial restoration by Computer History Archives Project for IBM Archives.
Run time approx 59 mins. Black & White, w/sound.
Comments are welcome!

Time Index:
01:00
Gilbert E. Jones, Director of IBM Data Processing Division
Talks about IBM’s presentation to 100 sites in U.S. and Canada.
Talks about IBM sites all over the country.

Dan {Hilliard?} IBM
Discussion of IBM 1401 CPU, IBM 1402 Card Read-Punch, 1403 Printer
Difference between 1401 Model A and Model B.

13:50
Bill {Hoddes?} of IBM Endicott, New York
Talks about use of Magnetic Tape (IBM 729) with the 1401.

17:50
Jim {Beazer?} Endicott, NY
IBM 700-7000 series interfaces with the IBM 1401

22:10
Owen Scott, General Manager, General Products Division

IBM internal testing centers for equipment sound levels, climate response, etc.

26:00
Y.P. {Dorton?}, of IBM San Jose, California
Describes new facilities at San Jose

33:00
Joe {Prevalin?}, of IBM Poughkeepsie
7000 series

34:40
IBM 7070 excellent film footage (rare)
7070 Console
7500 Card Reader
7550 Punch
7400 Printer
7300 RAMAC

38:00
Creation of IBM Data Centers
W.B. {McWood?} General Manager, IBM Data Systems Division, Poughkeepsie
39:00
IBM 7070-7090 manufacturing plant (great film footage)

41:49
IBM Education Center

45:20
IBM 357 Data Collection System; and 026 card punch

49:00
Jones talks about IBM Industry Specialists

50:00
Hugh {Hennig?} of IBM Endicott, NY
1401 can work with the IBM Series 1200 “Character Sensing Equipment”
(MICR – Magnetic Ink Character Recognition)
1201 Proof Inscriber
1202 Utility Inscriber
1210 Sorter-Reader

55:16
Thomas J. Watson, Jr. speaks for 3 minutes
Ending—

Recommended Resources: - - - -

IBM 1401 Videos and References
The IBM 1401 Demo Lab and Restoration Project
http://ibm-1401.info/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUh7W...

Ken Schirriff’s Blog
http://www.righto.com/2015/03/

Origins of Architecture and Design of the IBM 1401
http://ibm-1401.info/1401Origins.html

Computer History Archives Project (Videos)
   / @computerhistoryarchivesproject