Technical Notes

Network IV was controlled by a Data General Nova 1210 minicomputer. The Nova controlled the display which comprised 1024 (64x16) GE R6A neon glow lamps. The Nova also controlled a sound synthesizer system featuring three custom Moog-style analogue synthesizer “instruments” and a bank of 32 resonators. There was a input console of 8x8 buttons. In the equipment room photo above, the Nova computer on the right and the rack to its left holds the audio synthesizers and display controllers.

Technical description of Network IV by James Seawright.

While the Network IV no longer exists, the design documentation and program survives allowing it to be conserved in an emulated model running the original program in Network IV Rebooted.

The original glow lamps from Network 24 were saved and shipped back to NY when the sculpture was decommissioned. About 20% of the lamps still work. In 2024, Andrew Seawright created a tribute sculpture called Network 24 using original Network IV glow lamps.