Computer History RCA 3301, Spectra, PENTAGON 1960's-early '70's Underground Data Center IBM STRATCOM

Computer History: RCA 3301 REALCOM Real-Time Computer at the PENTAGON’s underground Data Center (1963-1971). Rare Color Film of the RCA 3301, IBM 360 Computer and the Army’s STRATCOM telecommunications center and underground computer data center beneath the Pentagon. Government film gives unique tour of both facilities. Seen are RCA 3301, RCA Spectra 70 and IBM System/36, and other equipment. Run time: 10 minutes.
The 3301 is a rare machine, since very few were ever made. It was superseded by the RCA Spectra 70 line, and then, in 1971, RCA exited the commercial computer business and sold its remaining computer line, including the Spectra machines, to Sperry Rand (UNIVAC). This compilation is provided for educational use and historical comment.

For more information on the
RCA 3301 REALCOM Computer, see Ed-Thelen’s Computer Site at:

RCA 3301 REALCOM sales brochure
Courtesy of the Computer History Museum

IBM information courtesy of:
IBM Archives and DataPro Research Corporation
Original Credits:
ARC Identifier 36259 / Local Identifier 111-TAR-29
EXCERPT FROM : ARMY REPORTS NUMBER 29 - COMMUNICATION, EVALUATION, MOTIVAT

[just_passing_through]

What an amazing time to work in IT. Punchcards, OCR recognition, integrated typewriters… Living the dream.

[Blasserman]

I worked on stuff about 8 years after this. 800/1600 CPI tape drives, 10/20 MB disk drives, and analog power supplies were some of the stuff I worked on in the late 70's.

[birdy]

im always impressed by the footage you post. im SO thankful you have it and share it publicly!

[HPro]

This was state of the art at the time!! If you loved IT and worked there you would be very lucky!

[jeffhyche]

They knew how to make colorful computers back then.

[robertkat]

That is what we used on the DEW Line in Cambridge Bay NWT.

[tomdchi]

"A volume capacity which is almost limitless..." Not just kilobytes, but MEGAbytes of data storage!

[marktubeie]

I have a feeling Colonel Taylor's voice had been dubbed by a voice actor, he sounds _very_ familiar.

[dadsview]

This is how they implemented a secure email system before the Internet and a manual cell phone system. Mind boggling how much this must have cost. Imagine a multi-million dollar(in 1960 dollars!) IBM 360 along with dedicated staff of programmers to handle 20, 000 emails a day. Retyping every message and generating reports in order to justify the cost.

[charlesbaldo]

I wouldn't be surprised if this equipment is not still in use.

[shabbysnubtide]

Voiceover by William Conrad - A Quinn Martin Production.

[lanz]

Are those integrated ashtrays in the first shown console?

[JonTheBrush]

OH my! that HP Electronic Counter @9:08 - just gorgeous

[paiddj]

I wish everything still operated this way. I'm the kind of guy that won't pay to upgrade what works.

[reinplat]

"Connor, can you help us?
This is Montana Civil Defence. Where did you say you were again?"

[Baseball]

“Technical Control” experts @9:00… was hoping my MOS would be mentioned.

[BeerAndWarcraft]

This is still way more innovative than anything the Apple corporation has come up with ....

[WacKEDmaN]

"Real time service"....or is that "Reel time service" ?? :P

[john-lenin]

OCR to Paper Tape is the future! (I had to use paper tape in high school and Junior College and punch cards in college.)

[roachtoasties]

I can now sleep soundly at night, knowing the Pentagon has everything under control. I wonder if the Pentagon will ever release the biggest secret, on how what telephone calls make it into that sophisticated communication system at the start of this video. There was not one phone call with a message about their car warranty expiring. Amazing! People will pay handsomely today, to find out how that technology worked. ;)