Texas Instruments 733 KSR Terminal 0973953-0001 115VAC 260W For Parts

Texas Instruments 733 KSR Terminal 0973953-0001 115VAC 260W For Parts

The Texas Instruments 733 KSR (Keyboard Send/Receive) Terminal is a standalone hardcopy terminal from the 1970s–early 1980s, designed to connect to mainframes, minicomputers, and time-sharing systems via serial interfaces. It combines a keyboard (not visible — lid-open photos show the print/paper mechanism) with an integrated thermal or impact print mechanism that produces a paper record of all transmitted and received data. This unit is being sold AS-IS for parts or repair and is not guaranteed to be functional.

Specifications & What's Included

• Manufacturer: Texas Instruments Incorporated, Houston, Texas
• Model: 733 KSR Terminal
• Part Number: 0973953-0001
• Voltage: 115 VAC
• Frequency: 48–62 Hz
• Current: 2.5 A
• Power: 260 W
• Safety: UL Listed Electronic Data Terminal 750A, NFPA Type II
• Country of Manufacture: USA
• Form Factor: Desktop / tabletop unit with hinged lid
• Internal print mechanism with paper platen and paper roll present
• Logic/interface circuit board present (left interior)
• Terminal configuration DIP switch label and paper loading/cleaning instruction labels visible on interior lid
• Rear interface connector panel and power cable present
• Right-side acoustic coupler port housings present
• Sold AS-IS — unit only, no external data cables confirmed included

Applications

KSR terminals like the TI 733 were a fundamental part of time-sharing computing in the 1970s. They connected to mainframes and minicomputers — including IBM System/370, DEC PDP and VAX systems, and various time-sharing services — over RS-232 serial or current-loop interfaces, at baud rates typically ranging from 110 to 9600. The built-in printer produced a continuous paper transcript of the session, which served as the operator's record before CRT displays became standard. The acoustic coupler ports on the right side allowed the terminal to be connected via a telephone handset to remote computers over the public telephone network — a common arrangement for dial-up time-sharing access in that era. By the mid-1980s, KSR hardcopy terminals were largely replaced by CRT video display terminals (VDTs), making examples like this primarily of interest to collectors, computer history enthusiasts, and technicians sourcing parts for restoration projects.