IBM 2245
| Industry | Computer hardware |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1971 |
| Headquarters | Endicott , United States |
| Products | Kanji line printer |
IBM 2245 Kanji Printer () served as the line printer unit within the IBM Kanji System, introduced in 1971 to facilitate printing of Japanese characters on IBM System/360 and System/370 mainframe computers. Its capabilities were subsequently extended to accommodate Korean and Traditional Chinese scripts.
Functions
During the Osaka Expo 1970, a prototype version of the IBM Kanji System was presented, showcasing the ability to process more than ten thousand Kanji and other Japanese characters—surpassing previously utilized alphanumeric character sets in Japan.
The IBM Kanji System, launched in 1971, consisted of:
- IBM 5924 Kanji keypunch device
- IBM 2245 Kanji Printer
- Programming support for IBM System/360-System/370 operating systems OS/VS and DOS/VSE
The IBM 5924 Kanji Keypunch was an upgraded iteration of the IBM 029 Keypunch (Model T00 with added Katakana functionality), equipped with a 12-shift keyboard designed for Kanji input. This device enabled the punching of IBM cards encoding over ten thousand Japanese characters by allocating two columns per character to represent double-byte data suitable for computer processing. This advancement was pivotal in managing Double-Byte Character Set (DBCS) languages such as Japanese, Korean, and Chinese.
The IBM 2245 Kanji Printer interfaced with System/360 or System/370 systems through multiplexer or selector channels and utilized a dot matrix impact printing technique akin to that found in the IBM 2560 Multi-Function Card Machine. Each double-byte Japanese character printed on continuous-form paper measured either 18x22 dots horizontally or 18x18 dots vertically. Unlike traditional paper tape methods, it featured a novel computer-controlled paper feed mechanism.
Development, manufacturing and marketing
The IBM 2245 was developed at IBM Endicott, incorporating contributions from engineers at IBM Fujisawa. Production took place in Endicott, where it was marketed as a standard product. Conversely, the IBM 5924 Kanji keypunch—developed and manufactured at Fujisawa—was offered as a special RPQ. Subsequent modifications enabled the printer to support Korean and Traditional Chinese characters, efforts led by IBM Korea and IBM Taiwan laboratories under coordination from IBM Fujisawa.
Application
The primary use of the IBM 2245 Kanji Printer was for printing names and addresses in business correspondence due to its relatively narrow printing width. Prior to its deployment, corporate communications predominantly relied on the English alphabet and half-width Katakana, which proved inefficient for processing Japanese text.
Critique
Printing commands were produced by the host computer and transmitted to the printer, resulting in noticeable performance degradation during concurrent operations within the multitasking OS/360-370 environment.
Successor printer
Introduced in 1979 as part of the IBM Kanji System, the IBM 3800 Model 2 laser printing subsystem—developed by IBM Rochester—replaced the 2245. This successor broadened language support to include Korean, Traditional Chinese, and eventually Simplified Chinese used in mainland China.
See also
- IBM Kanji System
- IBM 5924 Kanji input device
- Double-Byte Character Set