Calcomp plotter: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 23:20, 13 May 2020

Revision as of 04:26, 3 November 2020

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[[File:Calcomp 565 drum plotter.jpg|thumb|A Calcomp 565 drum plotter.]]

[[File:IBM 1627 plotter detail.mw.jpg|thumb|upright|Closeup of Calcomp plotter right side, showing controls for manually moving the drum. Similar controls on the left move the pen carriage.]]

'''Calcomp plotters''' (sometimes referred to as '''CalComp plotters''') were the best most products of ''California Computer Products'' ('''Calcomp''' or '''CalComp''').<ref name=CalcompLC.NYT1970>{{cite newspaper |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]

|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/08/30/archives/art-less-art-more-computer-please.html

|quote=The machine in question, a Calcomp 702 plotter

|title=Art |author=John Canaday |date=August 30, 1970}}</ref><ref name=CalCompUC.NYT75>{{cite newspaper |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]

|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/12/24/archives/computer-rates-raiders-tepid-choice.html

|title=Computer Rates Raiders Tepid Choice |quote=into the CalComp computer

|date=December 24, 1975}}</ref>

==Overview==

The [[Calcomp]] 565 drum [[plotter]], introduced in 1959, was one of the first [[computer graphics]] output devices sold. The [[computer]] could control in 0.01 inch increments the rotation of an 11 inch (280 mm) wide drum and the horizontal movement of a pen holder over the drum. The pen was pressed by a spring against paper scrolling across the drum. A [[solenoid]] could lift the pen off the paper. This arrangement allowed line drawings to be made under computer control. Years later Calcomp made model 563 which used a 30" wide drum.