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Resurrect Your Old Code With a DIY Punch Card Reader

Posted by timothy on from the convert-your-existing-recipe-cards dept.

First time accepted submitter mchnz writes "Need to read in some old punch cards? Have a hankering to return to yesteryear? I've combined an Arduino, the CHDK enhanced firmware for Canon cameras, and the Python Image Library to build a reader for standard IBM 80 column punch cards. You can see it in action in "Punch Card Reader — The Movie" or read more about it." This is an inspiring, intimidating project.

2 of 100 comments (clear)

  1. That's cheating! by gallondr00nk · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I was expecting something that mimicked the original way these cards were read. Anyone can take a photo of a punchcard :)

  2. Re:OK, show of hands ... by rasper99 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I have punch cards on my desk at work so I can remember back to a time when computers and software worked reliably. Why read the holes if the keypunch machine printed the characters above the columns?

    I also have the heads and voice coil from a 185MB CDC removable disk drive (approx 15" long) in case I have to smack some young whippersnapper upside the head!