Livermore Data Systems / was Re: what is this NCR modem? what did it go to?

Brent Hilpert bhilpert at shaw.ca
Mon Nov 27 15:46:50 CST 2017


On 2017-Nov-26, at 2:38 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote:
> On Sun, 26 Nov 2017, COURYHOUSE at aol.com wrote:
>> does the 71 sate seem early?
> 
> No, a 1971 date does not seem too early.
> 
> The price seems steep, even for a "relatively" early modem.
> 
> Bell 103 (300bps) dates from 1962.
> The Bell 101 (110 baud) was 1958.
> 
> SCROTUS "Carterfone" was 1968  (ruling permitting direct connect)
> 
> Bell 212A (1200bps) came out in 1976.
> 
> The Livermore Data Systems modems that I sold off were from about 1964?
> ...


Were those the Livermore Data Systems modems in a wood box you were selling?
Did you have anything to ascertain the 1964 date for LDS, or were you getting that date from the stuff on the web?

There's stuff reffed all over the web and youtube of some guy stating the LDS Model A (in the dovetailed wood box) as 1964 and maybe 1963, his unit is serial # 279.
	http://www.phreakmonkey.com/2009/05/1964-livermore-data-systems-model-modem_31.html
	etc.

He seems to be basing the claim on an LDS Model B unit (once at UCDavis, now at CHM)
	http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102630200
which claims circa 1965, and 'thus the model A should be at least a year earlier'.

I have an LDS Model A, serial # 858, the dates codes on the components are 1969 to 1970.
I'm a little skeptical the model was being made as early as 1964.

I wish the guy would, or knew to, simply open the unit and look at the date codes rather than guessing.

Someone in some comments suggests LDS wasn't building these until 1968, which strikes me as more plausible.



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