Tektronix 4010

The Tektronix 4010 series comprised a range of computer terminals that handled both text and graphics, relying on storage-tube technology. The family launched in the 1970s, with the 11-inch 4010 and the 19-inch 4014 becoming the most recognized models; a 25-inch 4016 also existed but saw less adoption. These terminals dominated the computer-aided design market through the 1970s and into the early 1980s. Their main advantage over earlier graphics terminals, like the IBM 2250, was cost. Because the storage-tube screen held an image until the user deliberately erased it, the terminal needed no extra electronics or computer memory to keep the display alive. This was a significant saving when memory was expensive. The technology behind the 4010 series traced back to Tektronix’s direct-view bistable storage tube, first used in a 1963 oscilloscope and later in the 601 monitor in 1968. Before Tektronix entered the terminal market itself, third parties built displays around these tubes—for example, MIT’s Advanced Remote Display Station and Digital Equipment Corporation’s KV8I and KV8E, which used the 611 monitor. Those early units were essentially just a CRT with basic electronics; the host computer had to generate the display by directly driving the CRT signals. Tektronix’s own first terminal was the 4002, released in 1969, followed by the 4002A in 1971, priced at $9,400 plus a $150 host adapter. These combined a storage tube with circuitry to decode host commands. A unique feature of the 4002 was a small refresh-based section of the screen for status messages and command entry, though refreshing it fell to the host computer. The 4002 was gradually replaced by the 4010 starting in 1972. Simplifications and changes brought the 4010’s price down to $3,950, with a $290 adapter. Variants included the 4012 (which added lowercase characters) and the 4013 (with an APL character set); both features could be added to a base 4010 via plug-in boards. In the 1980s, a version using a built-in RS-232 port and a number of missing features was released as the 4006, which was small enough to fit on a desk, selling for $2,995. The 4014, introduced at $8,450, offered a 19-inch screen and a more ergonomic design. It added many new capabilities that made it especially popular for CAD work, to the point that some consider the 4014 a separate line or the family’s defining model.