Are Player Pianos Early Computers ?
By Jody Kravitz
John,
I think that calling early digitally controlled textile looms and pianos "computers" to be quite an exaggeration. However its clear that the underpinnings of "digital control" started evolving a long time ago (the looms _ARE_ given credit in my computer textbooks).
Now although I have said player pianos are not "computers", there are some really interesting digitally controlled analog functions that take place in the reproducing pianos. The manifold pressure is controlled by a "digital to analog converter" and in some cases involves a very interesting analog feedback mechanism, and the crescendo involves an analog "integrator".
These functions were never mentioned in my textbooks. In as much as Robbie Rhodes has a master's degree in "control systems", I wonder if his professors ever talked about the location of reproducing pianos on the "control system evolution" totem pole ?
Jody
CC: rrhodes@foxtail.com
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