Transistor

A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electronic signals and electrical power and has appeared throughout the Fallout series.

Background
In the real world, transistors are a fundamental building block of modern electronic devices and systems. The transistor revolutionized the field of electronics and paved the way for smaller and cheaper radios, calculators, and computers. Most transistors are made from very pure silicon in their manufacture, but various compound semiconductors are used for specialized applications.

Computers in the Fallout universe are more cumbersome than the ones in our world and most still use monochromatic, text-based displays. The personal computer as it exists in our world was never fully developed due to these limitations on compactness, and some computers still exist as large mainframes that can take up whole rooms. The users access them via terminals.

Nonetheless, some mainframes are highly advanced in terms of processing power, such as those capable of running artificial intelligence. Microchips also do appear to exist and can be seen among common household items, super computers, and energy weapons alike throughout the series.

Appearances

 * In a Fallout 3 random encounter, slaves that have been forced to wear slave collars can be found in the Wasteland. The Lone Wanderer can attempt to free them by disabling the collars, and if they pass a science check will mention tweaking a transistor to disarm them. Additionally, a malfunctioning Mister Handy can have its basic operations transistors removed, disabling it permanently.
 * Robert House says "Don't let the video screens and computer terminals fool you. I'm flesh and blood, not silicon." In the computer and electronics industry, silicon is near exclusively used in the manufacture of semiconductors and transistors.
 * The Cabot House terminal entries directly mention transistors existing in 2023: "I've been experimenting with some of the new transistors, and it looks possible to make a portable version of the Abremalin field generator." The Listening Post Bravo terminal entries mention a transistor radio: "four weeks stuck in this bunker with only military rations, old magazines and a transistor radio to keep me company."
 * One of Proctor Quinlan's possible responses about the Sole Survivor having to track down Paladin Danse mentions a "transistor radio". If the Sole Survivor expresses regret at having to hunt down Danse, Quinlan is surprised by the sentiment, then states, "doubtful. I wouldn't 'miss' a synth any sooner than I'd miss a transistor radio."
 * The Fallout 76 quest The Messenger requires a memory transistor for completion. The Scoot's shack terminal entries mention a "transistor radio" manufactured by General Atomics International.
 * The 2002 Fallout Bible does not mention transistors, but does mention "vacuum tubes" as part of the aesthetic as an element of Fallout world-building. Vacuum tubes or valves were precursors to the transistor before being almost entirely supplanted by them in modern electronics, however in Fallout's alternative timeline they were used concurrently.
 * The Reavers say various statements about the transistor, including, "For the glory of the transistor" and "Wait! Is this transistor reverse biased?" The Junction City enforcers describe the Reavers as worshipers of silicon.

Behind the scenes

 * Around June 2003, a conversation ensued between developer Joshua Sawyer on the Interplay Forums and a user on the No Mutants Allowed forums. Sawyer cites examples where transistors and integrated circuits can be found in Fallout. He also notes that he was unfamiliar with any developer at the time who used the lack of transistor to describe Fallout's setting.
 * In a followup in March 2019, Sawyer maintained his position on transistors in Fallout, reiterating how robots in the series are affected by EMP grenades "so the state of technology isn’t represented consistently."
 * A common but unsubstantiated claim is that the "transistor was invented in Fallout in 2067" or was never invented in Fallout. Variants of this unsupported claim appeared as early as 2008, and the myth has been repeated verbatim by other sources, including a Vice article, but the 2067 date is not supported by in-game evidence or by developer commentary.
 * Developer Joel Burgess mentions transistors and world-building during the Q&A session in a November 4, 2016 live-stream at Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy.

Joel Burgess: ''So transistors are part of the canonical, like it's from Fallout 1, that culture never invented transistors and part of that influences why you see big tube things. The interfaces in Fallout 1 and 2 are engineered in a way that, in a world without transistors, still gets really advanced technology. How is their technology different, by making this one butterfly effect change? This is an argument that I had, many, many times, with people working on 3 and 4, it's like that transistor decision about the world... That rule isn't just about the mechanics of "how do I build like a fusion car without a transistor, or whatever?" What does that say about the cultural priorities of the people who live in that world? So, for instance, one of the things about the setting of Fallout, for me is miniaturization of technology - it's not a priority. Right? For us, miniaturizing is really important, but people kind of forget. It's a common thing that people who have just played Fallout lightly don't realize is like, 'Oh yeah, technology stopped in the 50s.' No, actually, technology didn't stop in the 50s, it evolved beyond what we can do right now. And there's a lot of super sci-fi stuff in there, but just the expression of it is different. The argument I would get into with people is about security cameras. Level designers were building space and put CCTV cameras all around the building and everything like "Ah, this is great." No, no, no, no, no, look, this is somebody's house. Alright, in the world of Fallout, a miniaturized camera - they exist, but it would cost like 15 million dollars. I could go to Best Buy and buy one for 15 or 150 for a whole house setup of miniaturized cameras. But in their world, a camera that's miniaturized to that extent, would be extremely exotic technology that would only be used [in] like a super-high grade military complex or government applications. For somebody's who's coming into that canon and be[ing] like "Ah, I'm gonna make a thing and I've done levels before and I used cam..." and I'm like phbt, no, no, no, no... So you have these rules about the world. And that thing about the cameras, man, I got so tired of that argument because I knew I sound[ed] like a crazy peron every time. Right? But it's just this little thing, y'know, and I was like "why [are] aluminum bottles not the primary bottles, it's like an expression of that world...'' (Industry Guest: Joel Burgess From Ubisoft @1:27:30 Streamed live on Nov 4, 2016)


 * In January 2018, YouTuber Matt Barton, in a personal interview, chatted with developer Leonard Boyarsky on his past work on Fallout 1 and 2. In response to the question about what were the inspirations behind the very unique 1950s sci-fi theme for Fallout and the transition away from a pure Mad Max style, Boyarsky mentioned how he initially starting calling on vacuum tubes for their aesthetic value. Later on, Boyarsky mentioned his affinity for vacuum tubes to the team and was receptive to Tim Cain's idea of taking into account EMP susceptibility.