The IBM 2790 Data Communications System was a family of devices intended for "in-plant data communications and production monitoring."
The 2790 consisted of the following components, all connected by a two-wire loop operating at 500 kbit/s:
The IBM 2715 transmission controller, which controlled the other system components. The 2715 could be attached directly to a System/360 multiplexor channel, to an IBM 1800 Data Acquisition and Control System, an IBM System/7, or to a 270x communications controller for remote host attachment. The 2715 could support up to 32 KB of magnetic core memory with a 1.2 μs cycle time, an internal disk for microcode load, a 2740 printer/keyboard, and a real time clock.
The IBM 2791 Area Station was a tabletop unit attached to the 2790 loop. The 2791 could read ten column identification badges and eighty column punched cards, and had a twelve key pad for direct entry of numeric data. The 2791 could attach up to thirty-two 2795/2796 data entry units, a 1053 printer, up to three 1035 remote badge readers, and an OEM device. The 2791 had nine user defined "transaction buttons".
The IBM 2793 Area Station was similar, but lacked the ability to accept input data directly. It could attach up to thirty-two data entry units and a 1053 printer.
The IBM 2795 and 2796 Data Entry Units "for reporting job and machine status and production information." Both had two ten-position switches and a ten column badge reader. The 2796 had an additional two switches and allowed for manual entry of up to four digits.
