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HP Forum Archive 21

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Please help us to identify this logo from 1973
Message #1 Posted by Joerg Woerner on 2 May 2012, 10:03 p.m.

I guess some of you guys are at least sqr(8) years older than I am (born in 1960):

What company is this:

Thanks and Regards, Joerg

      
Re: Please help us to identify this logo from 1973
Message #2 Posted by John B. Smitherman on 2 May 2012, 10:28 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Joerg Woerner

Joerg, is it the Fairchild logo?

John

            
Re: Please help us to identify this logo from 1973
Message #3 Posted by Luiz C. Vieira (Brazil) on 3 May 2012, 12:50 a.m.,
in response to message #2 by John B. Smitherman

Hi.

I also thought so at first glance, but it is not quite the same. Check this logo (too big of an image to add).

I have already seen this before...

            
Re: Please help us to identify this logo from 1973
Message #4 Posted by Steve Leibson on 3 May 2012, 12:57 a.m.,
in response to message #2 by John B. Smitherman

Nope, not the famous Flying F logo of Fairchild, which was a slanted capital F. Here's the best compendium of semiconductor logos I've seen and this logo isn't among those listed:

http://www.classiccmp.org/rtellason/logos/semiconductorlogos.html

It looks like an "F" and a "T" to me. Can't think of a 1973 semiconductor company with those initials.

      
Re: Please help us to identify this logo from 1973
Message #5 Posted by Raymond Wiker on 3 May 2012, 12:56 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Joerg Woerner

Could be Ferranti... see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ferranti_logo.svg

      
Not Ferranti
Message #6 Posted by Frank Boehm (Germany) on 3 May 2012, 5:08 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Joerg Woerner


They used a simple "F" before and after 1973.

It seems only Unitrex/Eiko used this type of chip, I have a 1013, 1105, 1106 and #019 listed.

I found this as well: http://calculatorlaboratory.blog119.fc2.com/category4-4.html
Judging by the different housing, these might have been custom made for Eiko.

            
Caltex?
Message #7 Posted by Steve Leibson on 3 May 2012, 10:58 a.m.,
in response to message #6 by Frank Boehm (Germany)

According to the following article, Caltex made calculator chips for Eiko in this time period:

The Pocket Calculator Race

I've never heard of Caltex, but that period saw a lot of semiconductor vendors come and go.

                  
Re: Caltex?
Message #8 Posted by Joerg Woerner on 3 May 2012, 1:53 p.m.,
in response to message #7 by Steve Leibson

Would make sense - who knows their logo from the Seveties?

Thanks and Regards, Joerg

                  
Re: Caltex?
Message #9 Posted by Matt Agajanian on 3 May 2012, 2:37 p.m.,
in response to message #7 by Steve Leibson

Fascinating and very in-depth article. Thanks. Took a little skim but, later I'll give it a good read.

Thanks Steve

                  
certainly not Caltex
Message #10 Posted by Frank Boehm (Germany) on 3 May 2012, 2:59 p.m.,
in response to message #7 by Steve Leibson

Caltex uses a "CT" logo, the CPUs are named "CTxxxx". However this might be an OEM version done for Eiko, as the "golden legs" are commonly found on Caltex CPUs.
Judging by the article, as it states "Caltex manufactures a chip for Eiko", I'd say we can now be sure that these chips have been made by Caltex for Eiko - none of my Eiko calculators features a Caltex-branded CPU.
(Btw. it's true - the Caltex CPUs are a wicked piece of ****, no wonder, they disappeared from the market so soon...)

Edited: 3 May 2012, 3:13 p.m.

                        
Re: certainly not Caltex
Message #11 Posted by Eric Smith on 3 May 2012, 4:22 p.m.,
in response to message #10 by Frank Boehm (Germany)

A 1974 chip with the Caltex logo can be seen here.

The style of package doesn't mean much. Lots of semiconductor makers bought packages from the same suppliers.

Edited: 3 May 2012, 4:23 p.m.

      
Re: Please help us to identify this logo from 1973
Message #12 Posted by Richard Ottosen (Denver) on 3 May 2012, 12:53 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Joerg Woerner

Joerg:

What type of chip is it?

Although they were best known for core memory (and the Bi-Tran Six educational computer), I think that Fabri-Tek made solid state memory chips.

For reference, here is a picture with a logo:

http://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/physical-object/fabritek/102643016.lg.jpg

-- Richard

            
Re: Please help us to identify this logo from 1973
Message #13 Posted by Joerg Woerner on 3 May 2012, 1:30 p.m.,
in response to message #12 by Richard Ottosen (Denver)

It's a single-chip calculator circuit, we found out that it is the buggiest and weirdest chip ever. Found in the German Privileg 800 and the Unitrex 800k, both manufactured by Eiko in 1973.

Joerg

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