...Origin of the Lexitron Videotype word processing computer. A unique tribute to the historic Lexitron Videotype Word Processing computer, from its conception in 1969 to its production in 1972, and its successful growth and eventual purchase by Raytheon Company. Models: Lexitron 911, Lexitron VT 1202, Lexitron VT 1303. (Run Time: 10 mins, with 3 min Photo Gallery)
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In the late 1960’s engineers, inventors and entrepreneurs Stephen L. Kurtin, Arnold J. Goldman, and Carver A. Mead developed ideas for major improvements in word processing. They conceived a breakthrough concept built around a full page text display. In 1969, they co-founded AutoScribe, the company that was to market the first electronic word processing machine. In addition to many other advancements, including direct-interactive editing, the machine used a new “hybrid vector display” cathode ray tube technology. * * On October 7, 1971, AutoScribe changed its name to Lexitron, and moved to a large facility at 9600 De Soto Avenue, Chatsworth, California.
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The “Videotype 900” series was introduced in 1972, with the “Videotype Model 911. Thousands of Lexitron’s were sold, with the U.S. Government, law firms, and large businesses being some of the best customers. Competition from other major vendors, a series of economic recessions, and the rise of home computers with word processing software, proved a major challenge to the dedicated word processing industry. Raytheon sold Lexitron to TELEX Corporation in 1984.
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Additional Technical Info:
The 9xx systems all used Assembler as the programming language and many PROMS to store the assembled binary code. Even when they used an 8080 processor for the coms cards (“Interact”), they still used Assembler. The VT series all continued with assembler. It was Intel 8080 based, so porting over the time-tested coded blocks was pretty straightforward. ItIt is also interesting to note that the memory card in the VT-11xx and VT-12xx machines came with 32 Kb (not Gb) of RAM and only upgradeable to 64 Kb (64 Kb was the maximum addressable by the 8080 microprocessor). That was for both program and data (the displayed page) concurrently. So that means that program storage in RAM had to be very efficient. There was a later version of the VT-1303 that that had a paged-96 Kb RAM board for their “advanced” records management system (RMS).
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