8008 Microprocessor and how it became Intel's first 8 bit chip.

Updated 11-7-15
Here is a fascinating story about the how the Intel 8008 microprocessor chip became the first 8 bit chip designed at Intel. The 8008 microprocessor used the logic  of the Datapoint 2200 terminal.

Datapoint 2200 terminal 

The Datapoint 2200 terminal - was an 8 bit programmable computer that came to market in 1971 --- way before Apple, IBM or Microsoft.





Datapoint 2200 terminal - audio description of the terminal/ computer and the Datapoint Corporationa and the 8008 microprocessor.

   More information "CLICK"

Here is a good look at the Datapoint Corporation  and a good read - also a lot of early history about the first microprocessor chips and Intel.

"Datapoint - The lost story of the Texans Who Invented the Personal Computer Revolution" by Lamont Wood - ISBN 978-1-936449-36-1
(2010) 325 pages

This book is about "Computer Terminal Corporation" and later known as Datapoint.

If you are interested in the start of the microcomputer revolution and the history of the pioneers - this is a must read book. Amazon Link


Click photo to enlarge 

The Man Who Invented the PC,Invention & Technology, Fall 1994 , by Lamont Wood.

David Larsen

 I have 2 of  the Datapoint terminals in our museum and they always generate a lot of interest and questions for the curator.

           .^{"by David Larsen"  KK4WW Computer Collector Historian}

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Computer Museum Assistant Curator Emily Wilson is off to College

Floyd, Virginia 

LR David Larsen - Emily Wilson 

info click

I am sad and glad today 11-25-14. Sad because Emily Wilson is leaving the position  of Assistant Museum Curator and glad because she is attending college to pursue a degree as a medical laboratory technician. I am always happy for our staff to move on to pursue their dreams.  Emily began work as Assistant Curator after High School graduation last June and has been a tremendous help to improve our museum. She worked on improving all the displays and was a great host to museum visitors.We will miss Emily and can only wish her well in this new adventure and career.

To enlarge "CLICK" on Photo

LR David Larsen - Emily Wilson 

Here is me your Museum Curator with Emily and some of our 20 cabinets and shelves of displays that she helped make into a welcome experience for our visitors. Emily helped make video's, QR codes for hearing a description of a vintage computer with a smart phone by just clicking on the code, writing description of many displays - & much more. Emily was great as assistant curator in our museum. Thank You , Emily for all the help.

Alice Cox - Planting trees at Chantilly RV Park

Alice Cox  has been helping at our Chantilly Farm and  occasionally at the museum. Alice will be working as Assistant Curator off and on as time allows. Alice came to work the same time as Emily after High School Graduation last Spring. Alice and Emily both started as Summer Interns and continued working into the Fall. Alice was off to college at Virginia Tech this fall however she had a great opportunity when voted in as the state office for FFA as state Recorder & continued here at the LCF group.  Her position with FFA for the year is not full time and when not assisting the FFA Alic is working with our LCF Group. Alice is mostly working as a manager at of the grounds at our Chantilly Farm just a few miles from the museum. We are delighted with the assistance Alice has provided as we develop the farm festival venue and new full service RV and Camp grounds.  She will continue her work here at the museum and farm for this school year and then start at Virginia Tech in the fall of 2015 working on her Agricultural Education degree.  We are sure happy to have her here for until she is off to college in the Fall of 2015.

David Larsen

We are all home for the Thanksgiving Holiday - several of our  team were without power for a few days but all is OK now Friday November 28th.  At our house we will have about 32 family members here for dinner - this is day after Thanksgiving however two turkeys are ready to be served. A Happy and Great Thanksgiving to all our readers and we will miss Emily when we start back at the Museum on Monday.

.^{"by David Larsen"  KK4WW Computer Collector Historian}   
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Vintage Computer Rare SCELBI on display in "Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum"

The SCELBI 8B is a rare computer - according to the developer Nat Wadsworth only about 200 SCELBI computers were made in 1974/75.  One hundred of them were the 8B (Business Model).
Click on Photo to enlarge

SCELBI 8B Microcomputer

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Mike Willagel (on  his blog) indicated only about 12 original  models are know to be in museums. Mike estimates 20 to 40 originals still in collections and closets.  This SCELBI  has been in our collection 25 years and I purchased it from Robert Forman of Portland, Oregon. Robert purchased the bare boards and built the computer adding his own customs cards you see on the right side of the computer.

Mike Willagel has made clone cards for the SCELBI & some folks have made clone computers from the cards.


Go here for more information about the computer in this blog including a video with close up view of the cards & original purchase receipt   "CLICK".

   
          David give a little history about his SCELBI Microcomputer

Click on photo to enlarge 

Display in museum with SCELBI  Microcomputer 

The SCELBI computer is on the second shelf down - right side, 

Computers in this display case top L-R Superjolt, LSI 11,the Tent card describing the SCELBI and copy of 1974 SCELBI advertisement.

2nd shelf Commodore 128 and SCELBI 8B.

Bottom shelf HP 85 microcomputer & Kaypro lugable computer.

On the top of case is a display of amateur radio publications.

SCELBI computer information

Close up of tent card describing the SCELBI in display case and copy of  First SCELBI advertisement in 1974 OST amateur radio magazine. A copy of the 1974 QST is in our collection.

You can read the tent card information and see the advertisement
Click on the  photo to enlarge and read.




More Reference information about SCELBI Computers.

Mike Willegal's hobby Blog

Build Your Own SCELBI

John Calande - His SCELBI Clone
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Bell & Howell Apple 2 computer

We have been busy today in the museum. Packed this Bell & Howell Apple 2 for shipment to "Alex's Apple Orchard" Museum collection.


It is not known how many of these computers are in collections however they are becoming rare and collectible.

Bell & Howell Apple ll computer

When Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs started to sell the Apple 2 computer - Jobs was not sure he could sell in the educational market and made a deal with Bell & Howell to sell to schools.   Jobs realized very soon he did not need  Bell & Howell and canceled the agreement.

David Larsen

We are having a good time with our "Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum" in Floyd, Virginia. Lots of visitors and nice to have Grayson a doing an Independent Study as graduate student from Virginia Tech (VT). Grayson is back September 2015 for one more "Special Study Course" at the museum. I taught about using early microcomputers at VT for 31 years and retired in 1998.

.^{"by David Larsen"  KK4WW Computer Collector Historian}   
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Vintage Computer - the first portable computer at 200 lbs - Autonetics Recomp 501 (1958)

                  Click photo to enlarge

info click

Autonetics Recomp 501 digital computer

The Autonetics Recomp 501 is also the very first commercial transistor digital computer. Autonetics computer is now displayed in our museum.  We moved the computer from the warehouse into the museum to help show the time line of computing before the microcomputer revolution.  This computer is serial # 003 & some components in it are date coded 1958 - this may be the earliest transistor digital computer in any a museum.  We are  delighted to have it -- WOW it is small but very heavy - about 200 lbs.

Autonetics Recomp computer in museum

The computer looks good with all the cards exposed - here it is in the museum.  The size is about 30 inch's high & 40 inch's in length.

It looks like a nice piece of art with all the cards, gold connectors and 1000's of wires connecting the cards.





    David tells about the Autonetics computer he acquired 25 years ago.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Click on photo to enlarge

1958 ad for first 200 lb transistor computer

 This has to be the very first advertisement for a portable computer -about 1958. Look at the photo and see the two fellows carrying this 200 lb computer onto a construction site – WOW what a imagination. This computer is very heavy and these fellows are carrying it like it is only  30 lbs.

Here is some text from the advertisement.

200 lb computer – Portable Digital Computer that can solve your problems where they happen.

It may be a highway construction job --- oil exploration --- and aerial exploration. Where ever your problems happen – in the field – office – or lab.

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Autonetics Recomp 501 digital computer

Here is one side panel with the PC cards. It is built very solid and must have taken a very long time to build by hand.

Autonetics Recomp 501 digital computer

There must be at least 1000 wires in the backplane - all white. Building this computer required lots of Advil. This photo shows only a small part of the wiring.

Autonetics Recomp computer 

Drum memory - looks like the all the registers as well as the data are on this form of memory - ie Accumulator - the instructions were executed serially so this is a very slow computer. 

Autonetics Recomp 501 digital computer

Archive photograph - full operational setup.  This photo takes away the idea that this is a portable computer.

Here is link to another Autonetics computer that I worked on in 1960 and the Recomp computer supplied many ideas for this ICBM computer.



A good look at the RECOMP-11 photo album  "CLICK" 

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A few references for the seriously interested - a service manual and more.

More photos and information about our Autonetics computer.

Recomp service manual - just in the event you have one and need to get it running.

This list claims the Recomp is the 118th type of digital computer every made
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David Larsen

I have had this computer in my collection for 25 years or more and wish I had records of where it came from. I just remember it being in a corner with about 10 or so minicomputers. Most of the minicomputers have gone out to other collectors like Bob Rosenbloom 

.^{"by David Larsen"  KK4WW Computer Collector Historian}   
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Vintage Computer - Super Jolt a 1975 microcomputer using the 6502 Microcomputer

Super Jolt Computer

info click

The Jolt computer used the 6502 microprocessor and was somewhat advanced in 1975. This is before the Apple 1 or Apple ll and the same year as the Altair 8800 microcomputer. The Altair 8800 sold for $395 in kit from with no software and a very small memory. The Jolt came with a monitor debugger program called Demon and had an interface for the Teletype (RS232 20 MA current loop). The wired unit sold for $348 and kit $249.  Accessory cards were also available like the 4kb RAM memory card for $320. However the computer never became very popular.

Here  is a video I made with Ray Holt telling his Jolt story. I made this at the Vintage Computer Festival SE 4.0 in April 2016.


Click on image to enlarge and read.

Jolt full page advertisement

The Jolt microcomputer was released in 1975 by Microcomputer Associates. The company was founded by Ray Holt and Manny Lemas.  The company was later acquired by Synertek, a second source manufacturer of the 6502, and renamed Synertek Systems. Synertek went on to produce the popular SYM-1 microcomputer. Ray Holt did some early microprocessor development work for use in the F-14 Tomcat aircraft.  This work was classified and Ray's design work during the period 1968 to 1970 may have been the very first microprocessor chip set .

Super Jolt Computer

The Super Jolt computer is on display in our "Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum"  located in Floyd , Virginia. The computer card is setting on top of original box from Jolt. I don't remember just when or who I received the computer from & the box also has a SYM-1 in it. Microcomputer Associates/Synertek produced these computers - this was a nice addition to our collection with 2 new and never used microcomputers.

Super Jolt Microcomputer CPU section

CPU section of the Super Jolt Microcomputer.

Memory Section - Super Jolt

The Super Jolt has more memory the the first Jolt.

David Larsen

.^{"by David Larsen"  KK4WW Computer Collector Historian}   
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VIntage Computers "BUGS" in action Bugbook Computer Museum

Click on Photo's to enlarge 

Cord Johnson - Artist 

Museum Bugs

The original "Bugs" logo you see to the right have been associated with my work and projects for more then 40 years. This summer Cord Johnson  joined our LCF Group as Office assistant and demonstrated his art skills by making some very creative variations of the "Bug's" logo.

 I was so pleased with  wonderful creative ideas in the caricatures he inked that I ask him to create a series of Bug logos. Cord liked the idea and created a group of very eclectic Bug personalities.

Please view these Bug drawings and help name them - Cord and I look forward to hearing your ideas. Just add your ideas as a comment to blog - thank you.

To enlarge "CLICK" on image's

1 Museum Bug Logo

Already used this one with the new Apple 1 display in our museum.

 2 Museum Bug Logo

Don't be late !!






Cord tells how he got the idea to make these drawings.

4 Museum Bug Logo

What a great day.

5 Museum Bug Logo

We can kick this to a win.




Cord - Comments:
 I was immediately attracted to the bugs when i first saw them. They have so much personality that I couldn't help but want to draw them doing goofy things. It seemed as if they were fully developed characters right out of a comic strip and I had been wanting to try my hand at making a comic strip but couldn't think of any good characters.The bug on the left looked like the spunky, fun-loving, jokester, while the bug on the right with the glasses looked like the studious scientist who would play "straight man" to all the jokes. 

     When I drew them, I tried to stay true to the originals as best as i could. However, they naturally developed slightly into my own style. No artist's style is exactly like another's. There were also certain changes I made on purpose, such as giving the bug on the left three sets of arms instead of eight sets because I quickly learned that trying to draw sixteen total arms was time consuming and messy. Cord Johnson.

To enlarge "CLICK" on photo's

6 Museum Bug Logo

These QR codes work great.

7 Museum Bug Logo

Be friends

8 Museum Bug Logo

Keep the ideas coming !

9 Museum Bug Logo

Hmmmm here is the answer.

10 Busy Museum Bug

WOW I will get this done fast.

11 Museum "Bug" in Office

Think I will just take the day off.

12 Museum Ham "Bug" 

Ham radio or pork?

13 Museum - Jamming 

   Friday night "Jamboree"

14 Museum Bug "Hamming"

Ham Radio "N4USA" Floyd VA

15 Museum Bug Ham Antenna 

Good Antenna's







I will be a delight to use these new Bug's as branding in some of my future computer and electronics projects. Thank you Cord.

David Larsen

Art is not Cord's career goal but he sure has some great creative skills. Cord will be leaving  for school at "Johnson College" in Nashville in a few days and we will miss him here at the LCF Group. This could be a great side consulting business for him --- need some help that would use Cord's art skills?
^{"by David Larsen"  KK4WW Computer Collector Historian}   
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Vintage Computer PDP8S now up and running.

info click

Here is an update on the Digital Equipment PDP8S that was hidden in my museum warehouse for over 24 years.


Click photo to enlarge 

Lyle Bickley & his PDP8S

Lyle Bickley new owner of minicomputer PDP8S serial number 203 reports on 7/18/14.





Hi Dave,

I was chatting with Michael from the RICM and was about to ask him to
watch the video on your website of you finding and opening the box
containing the PDP-8/S you sold me. But I couldn't find it on your
website. - (Here is the link to video- & here is link about my visit to Lyle in California - Dave)

BTW: Since we last chatted my PDP-8/S has been up and running most of
the time. A couple of weeks ago, another transistor went out - and
memory began to fail. I found and replaced it - and now it's working
100% again. So far I've replaced a total of about 32 transistors and
over a dozen diodes.

I recently went through CPU and memory timings in great detail - and
now they meet all of DEC's specifications.

My 8/S passes all DEC diagnostics - and runs FOCAL w/o a hitch.

Bob build a cool I/O interface for the 8/S (and made one for me, too)
that emulates a TTY, high speed paper tape (partial), A->D, D->A and
incremental plotter. He does the hardware and I'm in the process of
modifying the drivers in FOCAL to support all of the above ;)

I hope all is well with you and Gaynell!

Cheers,
Lyle

David Larsen

Just great to have this PDP8S with Lyle and up to date running condition.

^{"by David Larsen"  KK4WW Computer Collector Historian}   
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