50 Years Ago We Constructed the First Hungarian Tube Computer, the M-3: Short Stories from the History of the First Hungarian Computer (1957-1960) - History of Computing: Learning from the Past - page 74

The M-3 computer operated at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences' Computer
Centre till 1965, when HAS bought a new URAL 2 (also tube) computer from the
Soviet Union. The M-3 computer was transferred to the Cybernetics Laboratory of the
József Attila University of Sciences, Szeged, which was headed by Academician
László Kalmár , Professor of Mathematics and Logic in the University. We had the
opportunity to establish the first Computer Centre in the country-side. The head of the
University's Computer Centre in Szeged was Dr Dániel Muszka.
In 1968 the M-3 became outdated again, the computer was disassembled and the
parts of the M-3 were then distributed among the various departments of the university.
The greatest achievement of the development of M-3 was the very early introduc-
tion of computer culture to the Hungarian scientific and research community. The
M-3 was and still is the symbol for the beginning of the age of computers in Hungary.
7 Technical Characteristics of M-3
7.1 Arithmetic Unit
31 bits/word, parallel computing, four registers, operational speed: addition: 60
microsec, substraction: 70-120 microsec, multiplication: 1.9 millisec, division: 2,0
millisec.
7.2 Input/Output Device
First: Siemens T-100 teletype, tape reader and puncher, 5 position telex code,
input/output speed: 7 chrs/sec.
Later the input device was a Ferranti photoelectric tape-reader, 8 position code,
speed: 300 chrs/sec, the output device was a Creed puncher, 8 position code, speed:
100 chrs/sec.
7.3 Memory
First a magnetic drum, 1 kWord (later: 1,6 kWord) capacity,
Later as back ground memory… two - simultaneously - running drums were
operating together (2x1600 Words), then, as operating memory: a ferrit core memory,
its capacity was: 1 kWord.
7.4 Control Unit
Two address code, 31 bits per instructions, 1 sign bit, 6 bits for operational code, 12
bits first address, 12 bits second address.
7.5 Power Supply
Total power dissipation: about 10-15 kW.
7.6 Parts Used (Approxomate Numbers)
About 500 logic units, about 1000 vacuum tubes, about 5000 cuprox diodes, about
4000 resistors, about 3000 capacitors.