| Hewlett-Packard First Generation Computer Census |
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| Written by Accutron on 2006-10-08 |
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For photographs and historical information, please refer to the
Hewlett-Packard 2114B Computer exhibit in our electronics museum.
Please note that this article is about the first generation of Hewlett-Packard minicomputer products released in the 1960s,
and is unrelated to any first-generation computers, such as the Harvard Mark I or ENIAC. HP's earliest systems use
third-generation hardware.
In June 1969, Diebold performed a census of all computers installed worldwide at that time, a mere 62,000 systems.
Among those systems, 20,000 were IBM 360, 14,000 were IBM 1401, and exactly 3,834 machines were DEC PDP-8 series.
Trailing far behind their competitors, Hewlett-Packard had approximately 400 installed systems, encompassing all models
of 2116, 2115 and 2114 available at the time. By 1971, HP released the improved 2100A, instantly sunsetting
all of their previous systems. Based on the Diebold survey and subsequent termination of the 2116/2115/2114, it is
reasonable to estimate that less than 1000 of these first generation HP computers were produced.
As would be expected, very few of these computers have survived the intervening 40 years. This census is an effort to assess
the number of first generation HP real-time computer CPUs currently held by museums and collectors. The following models are included in
the census:
HP 2116A
HP 2116B
HP 2116C
HP 2115A
HP 2114A
HP 2114B
If you have a first-generation HP computer in your possession, please submit your
information via E-mail. Your entries will be added to the census
table below. Exact model number, owner name or nickname, and location (city, state, country) are required. Additional information regarding
core size and system functionality is also preferred. Functionality ratings are defined as follows:
5/5: Fully functional
4/5: Powers up with minor defects
3/5: Powers up with moderate defects
2/5: Powers up with major defects
1/5: Non-functional / does not power up / catches on fire
We would also
like to hear from anybody who can confirm or deny the existence
of the HP 2114C. A sales brochure exists for this model, but there are no known machine examples. If this computer
exists, it would inarguably be the rarest of the early HP computers.
HP 2116/15/14 Differential Specifications
*Includes required 2161A power supply.
†Wide Temperature core option available: 0°-50°C, 80%RH @ 50°C.
| CPU Model |
2116A |
2116B |
2116C |
2115A |
2114A |
2114B |
2114C |
| Release Date |
1966-11 |
1968-09 |
1970-10 |
1967-11 |
1968-10 |
1969-11 |
1970-10 |
| Clock Rate (MHz) |
10 |
10 |
10 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
| Memory Cycle Time (usec) |
1.6 |
1.6 |
1.6 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
| Default Memory (kw) |
4 |
8 |
8 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
| Maximum Memory in Mainframe (kw) |
8 |
16 |
32 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
16 |
| Maximum Memory w/ Extender |
16 |
32 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
| I/O Channels in Mainframe |
16 |
16 |
16 |
8 |
8 |
7 |
6 |
| I/O Channels w/ Extender |
48 |
48 |
48 |
24 |
24 |
24 |
23 |
| I/O Channels w/ Multiplexer |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
56 |
56 |
56 |
| Internal Power Supply |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Extended Arithmetic Available |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
| Direct Memory Access Available |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
| High Speed I/O Available |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Memory Protect Available |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Mass (kg) |
104 |
104 |
104 |
72.6* |
43.1 |
48 |
46 |
| Vertical Footprint (mm) |
801.1 |
801.1 |
801.1 |
577.8* |
304.8 |
304.8 |
304.8 |
| Base Power Consumption (W) |
1000 |
1000 |
1000 |
600 |
500 |
500 |
500 |
| Operational Temperature (°C) |
0-55 |
0-55 |
0-55 |
10-40 |
10-40 |
10-40† |
10-40 |
| Operational Humidity (RH @ °C) |
95% @40 |
95% @40 |
95% @40 |
80% @40 |
80% @40 |
80% @40† |
80% @40 |
The Census
There are currently 28 computers recorded in this census.
| CPU Model |
Core Size |
Functionality |
Owner |
Location |
| 2116A |
Unknown |
Unknown |
Sheila Isaacs |
NY USA |
| 2116A |
8K |
2/5 |
Tim Riker |
Salt Lake City, UT USA |
| 2116B |
Unknown |
Unknown |
Bolo's Computer Museum (Yves Bolognese) |
Switzerland |
| 2116B |
Unknown |
Unknown |
Robert Garner |
CA USA |
| 2116B |
16K |
3/5 |
Bob Shannon |
Leominster, MA USA |
| 2116C |
Unknown |
Unknown |
Computer History Museum |
Mountain View, CA USA |
| 2116C |
Unknown |
4/5 |
Hans Kulk (restorationist) |
Netherlands |
| 2116C |
8K |
5/5 |
headmark23 (eBay seller) |
San Jose, CA USA |
| 2116C |
8K |
5/5 |
HP Computer Museum (Jon Johnston) |
Australia |
| 2116C |
8K |
5/5 |
HP Computer Museum (Jon Johnston) |
Australia |
| 2116C |
Unknown |
2/5 |
William Maddox |
Unknown |
| 2116C |
Unknown |
1/5 |
William Maddox |
Unknown |
| 2116C |
16K |
4/5 |
Bob Shannon |
Leominster, MA USA |
| 2116C |
32K |
5/5 |
Shiresoft (Guy Sotomayor) |
San Jose, CA USA |
| 2115A |
Unknown |
Unknown |
Computer History Museum |
Mountain View, CA USA |
| 2115A |
Unknown |
Unknown |
jam68000 (eBay buyer) |
Unknown |
| 2115A |
Unknown |
Unknown |
Dr. Michael Pearson |
West Chester, PA USA |
| 2115A |
8K |
3/5 |
Bob
Shannon |
Leominster,
MA USA |
| 2114A |
Unknown |
4/5 |
Hans Kulk (restorationist) |
Netherlands |
| 2114A |
Unknown |
1/5 |
Hans Kulk (restorationist) |
Netherlands |
| 2114A |
Unknown |
1/5 |
Jeff Moffatt? |
CA USA? |
| 2114A |
8K |
5/5 |
Bob Shannon |
Leominster, MA USA |
| 2114B |
Unknown |
Unknown |
Australian Computer Museum Society |
Australia |
| 2114B |
Unknown |
Unknown |
Bolo's Computer Museum (Yves Bolognese) |
Switzerland |
| 2114B |
Unknown |
Unknown |
Computer History Museum |
Mountain View, CA USA |
| 2114B |
8K |
5/5 |
Jay Jaeger |
USA |
| 2114B |
4K |
4/5 |
Vintage Technology Association (Micah Mabelitini) |
Dayton, OH USA |
| 2114B |
8K |
5/5 |
Bob Shannon |
Leominster, MA USA |
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