PB-81 PROJECT RECORD
Archive Record: 81-X-018
Project Designation: PB-81
Year: 1981
Category: Experimental / OEM Visual Systems
Program Status: CLOSED
Archive Status: PARTIAL
Commercial Release: NONE
PB-81 was an experimental visual-systems platform developed during 1981 for evaluation of display-processing hardware, operator-interface configurations and externally supplied test software. The system combined standard Sinneslöschen components with project-specific interface hardware and was assembled in several configurations for laboratory and limited field evaluation. PB-81 was not offered as a standard commercial product.
Project Summary
Surviving engineering records describe PB-81 as a configurable test platform rather than a fixed system design. Recorded evaluation areas include:
- display timing and stability;
- vector presentation methods and programmable display timing;
- synchronized operator input;
- response-time measurement;
- external control interfaces;
- removable program loading;
- system-event logging;
- remote service and diagnostic communication.
Known Hardware Configuration
Display Processing: VDP-3 Vector Display Processor.
System Controller: Modified Sinneslöschen controller assembly; exact revision varies.
Display: Technical CRT with project-specific timing configuration. Several field references indicate display parameters could be altered according to installed test program.
Operator Interface: Project-specific external control assembly with synchronized input recording; layout not standardized between all units.
Program Storage: Removable program media; contents not included in surviving online archive.
Service Interface: Serial diagnostic interface supporting local service equipment and selected remote diagnostic procedures.
Software
Archive records identify multiple software revisions used during engineering and field evaluation. The software itself is not present in the current electronic archive. Available records do not identify a standard commercial package corresponding to the project.
Software Source: Project / externally supplied components
Distribution: Not recorded
Configurations
Configuration 1 — Engineering development — Sunnyvale R&D — CLOSED. Initial integration of display, controller and interface hardware.
Configuration 2 — Human factors / interface evaluation — Sunnyvale R&D — CLOSED. Modified operator-interface configuration associated with synchronized response-measurement equipment.
Configuration 3 — Display-system evaluation — Northwest Field Operations — Beaverton, Oregon — FIELD EVALUATION COMPLETED. Used outside the primary development laboratory.
Additional field configurations are referenced, but complete installation records have not been transferred.
Document References
81-PB — PB-81 Record Set — PARTIAL. Master archive reference.
81-PB-01 — PB-81 Engineering Summary — 02.11.81 — TRANSFERRED — 17 pages. General project objectives, subsystem descriptions and initial test configuration.
81-PB-02 — PB-81 Configuration Index — Revised 09.04.81 — TRANSFERRED — 9 pages. Laboratory and field configurations assigned to PB-81.
81-PB-03 — PB-81 Field Evaluation Index — 11.18.81 — PARTIAL. References installation, service and equipment-return records administered through Northwest Field Operations; several referenced documents have not been transferred.
81-PB-04 — PB-81 Service Record — 12.02.81 — INDEX ONLY.
Service Office: Northwest Field Operations
Service Class: Remote Diagnostic
Project: PB-81
Session Reference: 81-4F2
Associated service file: NOT TRANSFERRED
PB81-PH-02 — PB-81 Field Configuration Photograph — 1981 — FILE NOT PRESENT. Visible message: ELECTRONIC FILE NOT PRESENT. Image description is not included in the transferred index.
Archive Classification Note
The PB designation does not correspond to a standard Sinneslöschen product family. The prefix appears in surviving engineering indexes as a legacy project designation and is reproduced here without expansion. No subsequent catalog product using the PB prefix has been identified in the current online archive.
Field Evaluation
PB-81 field evaluation was coordinated through Northwest Field Operations in Beaverton, Oregon. Field configurations could differ in display hardware, operator-control arrangement, installed program revision, diagnostic configuration and communications equipment. Field installations were temporary and were not treated as commercial product deployments.
Final Disposition
Project engineering activity ended during 1981. Available records indicate that field equipment was scheduled for recovery, reassignment or return to engineering inventory following evaluation.
The transferred archive does not contain a complete disposition record for all PB-81 field configurations.
Related Records
- VDP-3 Vector Display Processor
- HFC-12 Operator Response Interface
- OEM-81-17 Remote Equipment Diagnostic Terminal
- OEM-81-24 CRT Timing Evaluation Assembly
Legacy Service Information
Some 1981 OEM service records refer to remote diagnostic sessions performed through an early Sinneslöschen telephone service system. Selected session indexes have been retained in the legacy service database. A valid project reference and session identifier may be required to query surviving records.
Electronic Documentation
The following archive reproductions are supplied as English-language PDF files.