Computer History: Early Vacuum Tube Computers Explained, Educational & Historical 1945-1960s

Published at : 23 Dec 2025

Welcome to Computer History Archives Project. In this educational video we focus on the subject of Early Vacuum Tube Computers, and provide a brief, non-technical overview of several early vacuum tube computers. Early computers mentioned include Colossus, ENIAC, UNIVAC I, UNIVAC 120, Harwell Dekatron, LEO I, IBM SAGE, and Whirlwind. Intended as a very basic introduction to the topic, it also mentions specific tube types found in UNIVAC 1 and Whirlwind 1 computers. Production/editing by Computer History Archives Project (CHAP). We produce educational and historical content on Computer History, for review and comment. Run Time: approx. 13 mins.

With Special Thanks to:
LEO Computers Society, http://www.leo-computers.org.uk/
(LEO 1)
The National Museum of Computing, http://www.tnmoc.org/
(Dekatron Computer)
Anthrobotic videos, http://anthrobotic.com/
(UNIVAC 120 film)

Suggested Resources:
Southwest Museum of Engineering, Communications and Computation, http://www.smecc.org/
The Computer History Museum, Mountain View California, http://www.computerhistory.org/
IBM Archives, http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/
Ed Thelen’s Antique Computers site, http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/
UNISYS Corporation, http://www.unisys.com/about-us/company-history

Suggested Films:
"Electronics at Work" 1943 film on Vacuum Tubes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eDb8ojvreo

Vacuum Tubes: Triode & Multipurpose Tubes, 1943 US Army Training Film
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igGu-I7Cg6A

Click on the link below to see more Computer History Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOyJD0RHtF_77_oAf5tT1nQ/videos