Computer Museum of America - Grand opining July 20,2019

Computer Museum ofAmerica

The Grand Opening 

Computer Museum of America
 Roswell, Georgia - July 20,2019
Up Dated 10/5/2020

Our entire historical microcomputer collection (Bugbook Microcomputer Museum) of 13,000 items was acquired by the Computer Museum of America. David Larsen

See videos of displays 10/5/2020 "CLICK"

Click photo to enlarge.

David and Gaynell Larsen during the
Grand Opening of the Museum
at the  Apollo 11 Moon lander replica.  

The grand opening of the Computer Museum of America (CMoA) was an awesome event. The date was picked to to be the same day of the year on the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing - July 20th.  The museum founder,  Lonnie Mimms,  is a long time collector of computers and  user of  computers. The museum has so many exciting attributes & amenities it is hard for me to give proper credit in a short blog. Take a look at the Facebook Page here. Look here of wonderful photos of the opening.

Lonnie Mimms museum
founder giving introduction
to the museum at the
Fundraiser event July 13th

From Computer Museum of America - Web Site
"After 40 years of collecting technology and four years of testing temporary exhibitions, the Computer Museum of America (CMoA) will be opening the doors to its new permanent home on July 20,2019. The CMoA will preserve the achievements of the digital revolution to educate, entertain and inspire the innovator in us all."

Karin Mimms
Vice President of the
Museum

Karin Mimms - Vice President speaks about goals of museum and introducing special guests at the Friday ( 7/13/19) Fundraiser  Event.
The opening week was in three parts - The Fundraiser Event on Friday the 13th, the Opening Celebration on Wednesday the 17th and the Grand opening for the public on Saturday the 20th.

David Larsen with NASA Astronaut
Dr. Sandra Magnus

NASA Astronaut Dr. Sandra Magnus was a very inspirational speaker about how her dream as a young person led to become a NASA Astronaut. Dr. Magnus made several shuttle flights and spent time on the Space Station. She is a wonderful enthusiastic advocate encouraging young people to pursue a career in STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math).  One the museums mission is to inspire young folks to develop an interest & career in the the field of science (STEM).

Cray 1-M/2300

The museum has a wonderful representation of computers and technology items on display with great information about each artifact. The museum has one of the largest collection of Cray Super Computers in the world.

Cray 1 Serial #13
1979

This information came in the shipping container with the Cray-A.

Amazing supercomputer at that time.

50 miles of wire
32,000 circuit cards
250,000 integrated circuits.
Much more click photo to read.

Digital Equipment Corporation
"PDP-12"

The museum displays an excellent selection of Super Computers, Minicomputers, Microcomputers and some components of historical mainframe computers.  This just the Grand Opening - there are 250,000 artifacts in the archives and the number of artifacts on display will be growing and rotating on a regular basis.

David Larsen
with Mark 8 Computer

The museum has a good representation of Microcomputers on display - you can see some of them in the photos here.

The "Mark 8" computer in this photo was designed by my colleague Dr. Jon Titus.  Jon published his design in "Radio Electronics" magazine in the May, June and July issues 1974. Jon is given credit for being the one of the first to build an operational computer using a microprocessor chip and showing others how to build the computer.

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Dr. Cyndy Moya  with
 Lonnie Mimms 

The museum had a large number of interesting visitors for the Grand Opening day.  Here is Dr. Cyndy Moya, Collections Manager at the "Living Computer Museum" in Seattle, Washington. On the right is Lonnie Mimms, Founder of the "Computer Museum of America". The "Living Computer Museum" founder was Paul Allen.

IBM  card sorter, collator etc

Some items on display from the old mainframe computers. Here are peripheral devices from the 1950/60s . A  key card punch, collator, card sorter and more.






Here is my audio description of the aswsome events during the Inaugural Opening of the Museum

My son, David Larsen Jr.,
at the July 13th Fundraiser

Visiting the CMoA and Roswell, GA for the the week of July 13- 20th Grand opening events for the museum was a very rewarding experience for Gaynell and I. To be with Lonnie and Karin Mimms and all the people that helped make Lonni's vision of a great computer and technology museum a reality was awesome.

This is just a start and the museum will be constantly evolving and expanding.  Lonnie has more than 250,000 technology artifacts in the collection with more being added every week. The museum has a second level floor of about 120,000 sq ft for expansion and more could be added - lots of room for expansion.

Museum Entrance at
5000 Commerce Parkway.

When in the Roswell, Georgia area,  I highly recommend a visit to the museum (About 20 miles north of Atlanta). The CMoA is open on Saturdays 10 to 5 PM and on Sunday 12 to 5 PM. Here is how to get there - Google Map. 

David Larsen
 Blog Author

"by David Larsen"  Board member of  "Computer Museum of America", Chantilly Farm owner, Computer Historian, and amateur radio operator -KK4WW   & N4USA .  I work out of one of the Tiny Homes at Chantilly Farm. A great place to work if you like the to be out in nature. I am 81 and ready to sell Chantilly Farm - I have a few more  projects I would like to do - if you have an interest to know more give me a call. 540 392  2392.

The "Bugbook"
Bugs

I am still collecting vintage computers & receive a calls very often about an old computer. Getting older and time to sell my chantillyfarm  -- Give me a call for information..

Schoolsky Apple-1 sells for $401,000 delivered to new owner

Schoolsky Apple-1 computer
sold at auction and is picked up
for delivery to new owner.

The Schoolsky Apple-1 computer was sold by Chartitybuzz at auction for $401,000  9/26/17.  The currier "Dynamic Packaging" driver  Paul Puletti arrived about 9 AM on Wednesday 10/4/17 for pickup and delivery to new owner. This computer has been part of David Larsen's "Bugbook Computer Museum" for the past 23 years.  It will diven directly from the courier in Richmond,VA to the  new owner in NY by FedEx Critical and should arrive Thursday 10/5/17

                                                       

Apple-1 computer on table with
David Larsen (L) & Paul Puletti (R

David Larsen seller of his Schoolsky Apple-1 computer on the left. On the right is Paul Puletti of Dynamic Packaging in Richmond Virginia. Paul will pick up the compute and take it to Richmond and build the special container to send the Apple-1 on to the new owner by Fedex Critical custom delivery.

David Larsen signs
pickup papers for
the Schoolsky
Apple-1 computer

Assigning the Schoolsky Apple-1  over to the Currier Dynamic Packaging.

Paul loading Apple-1
computer into van for first
part of delivery transfer  to
Fedex in Richmond Virginia

I signed off on the computer and it is now up to Paul to get it to the new owner.

David and Paul with van
loaded Apple-1
Schoolsky Computer

The Apple-1 and the other items are loaded ready to go to Richmond, Virginia.

FedEx Critical delivery 

WOW This is the FedEx Critical truck that made the delivery from the Richmond office of  Dynamic Packaging in Richmond Virginia to the new owner in NY. FedEx has two drivers for these high value loads.

We loaded it at 2:38 AM 10/5/17 and it was delivered to its new home just under 9 hours later at 11:30.

The Schoolsky Apple-1 computer as packaged by Dynamic Packaging and is the only cargo in this the truck  (shown above).  It must have been a little lonely in the back of the truck for the 9 hour trip to NY.

See how the Apple-1 computer was packaged in this wooden container.


Here is a detailed look at what was included with the Schoolsky Apple-1 computer.

Video -  shipping the Schoolsky Apple-1 from Floyd VA  4.24 minutes   

Video - David describing the Apple-1 before it was packed up for new owner 2 minutes 

Video - Documentation as part of Schoolsky Apple-1 computer sale  2.59 minutes    

"by David Larsen"  Computer collector and historian. Working with Charitybuzz auctioning the Apple-1 was a great experience. Charitybuzz was a real pleasure to work with - I owe the team at Charitybuzz big thank you and lots of gratitude. David KK4WW

Martin Research Mike 2 Computer - vintage 1975

info click

An early addition to my computer collection was the Martin Research Mike 2 computer in December of 1979. Their are not many of these in existence & I am delighted to have the computer in our museum. Little information is available on the internet and what I found have links on this post.

Click photo to enlarge 

Martin Research Mike 2 Computer 1975

The Mike 2 is a bare-bones system–just the CPU board with a 20-key keypad and a seven-digit displays. The customer supplied his own cabinet and power supply. The system was upgradeable to the faster 8080-based Mike 303A. The Mike series was for hobbyists looking for an inexpensive entry-level system.

Video of this computer "CLICK"


Donald P. Martin wrote the book "Microcomputer Design"  in 1976 (2nd edition) here is the whole  225 page PDF "CLICK"  

CPU board 

CPU board uses the Intel  8008 Microprocessor.

Memory Board 

The memory board uses 2112 RAM chips and 1702A EPROM Chips







Click on photos to enlarge 

Interface connections 

The computer boards are connected together with a flat cable and the cable would connect to additional cards or equipment for interfacing.






1975 Purchase information from  Classic Tech
Martin Research Mike 203A (Mike 2)/Mike 303A (Mike 3) (1975, computer trainer)
Original Retail Price: $270 kit (Mike 2)/$395 kit, $495 assembled (Mike 3)
Base Configuration: 8008 (Mike 2)/8080 (Mike 3) CPU, up to 4K RAM, PROM storage, seven-digit LED, hex keypad, monitor software, operation manual
Important Options: I/O interface
Martin Research Mike 8 (1977, computer trainer)
Original Retail Price: $895
Base Configuration: Z80 CPU, 4K RAM, 1K ROM, LED readout, integral hex keypad, EROM programmer, power supply

The Martin Research Mike 2 microcomputer had a number of  "First"

-- Used the first Intel 8 bit microprocessor 8008
-- Used the first Intel EPROM 1702A
-- Advertised in the first issue of Byte Magazine September 1975
-- Almost had the first single board microcomputer - instead they put the computer on 3 boards. Jon Titus is given credit in Wikipedia for the his MMD1 being the first microcomputer - see info "CLICK"

The Advertisement for Martin Research Mike 2 computer in Byte Magazine issues #1,2,&3 full page "CLICK"

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Here are a few comment from Paul Roberson about Martin computers
I'm actually wondering if this is a Mike 2 - in the sense of the 'standard' version.

1) If you look at the board markings (which definitely are) they are very clearly labelled with (i) MR's address/other details and (ii) the product name (423A Mike 2-2) which is correct. The CPU board is labelled "401C" and is clearly a production run of some sort but it doesn't look to be the same set as the others.

2) The design of the board doesn't match the descriptions. One thing all the documents agree on is that the Mike 2 had the facility to save and restore all the registers. The problem is this is impossible on an 8008 without extra hardware - you need two external octal latches to store registers in while you manipulate them and you can't get round it with clever coding - this is because you can only access memory via HL. 

You also need latches to decode the bus at the various clock times. There one 3205 (3-8 decoder) - one of these is mandatory to decode timing information because of the 8008 package size, (this could be done using standard logic). Additionally, it has superfluous (and optional) I/O and the "Extra" pads which aren't connected to anything.

It could be a "Mike 1" which apparently existed (it's a simpler design), possibly a "Mike 4" which existed but wasn't released according to the MR book (the numbering and the clock circuitry are the same), or perhaps the process controller that is described in the Martin Research document (it has extensible I/O and no debugging) - as you say in the video, it looks like it was connected to *something*.

Or it could be that the adverts are fibbing about what the machine can do :)

The only other known pictures of Mike-2 machines are all top down shots where you can only see the console board.

Regards,

Paul Robson

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David Larsen

My Wife & I  had a wonderful time at the 18th birthday party for our granddaughters (twins) in Maryland and they also graduated on the same day - WOW great day May 6th 2015. Things have slowed some at our Chantilly Farm however still smaller events 13th a Wedding, 16th Virginia Crooked Road Show, and 20th a Prom Dance in the barn. I did have time to do a several video's and a blog this week. Still having fun at 76 yrs. 

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

Computer Museum - Visiting the Museum - Floyd Virginia

info click

It is always a pleasure to have fellow computer collectors visit the museum and learn about their  collections. Malcolm Macleod  (visited 4-29-15) from Australia and has a  serious collection of computers. We had a wonderful time talking about the history of early microcomputers.

I have moved my entire collection and museum displays to the Computer Museum of America. However please do come by Floyd, Va for a visit. I am still here and have office in town and other projects  in our wonderful Blue Ridge Mountain town. 


Click on photo's to enlarge

David Larsen & Malcolm Macleod

Comments about museum by Malcolm - short video 

David Larsen,museum curator and Malcolm Macleod, historical computer collector from Australia in front of "Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum" story board.

David & Malcolm at Apple-1 display

Malcolm and David at Apple-1 display and calculator display on the right. Museum has 19 display cases - more than 350 items on display.

Museum warehouse ALTAIR 8800's

In addition to the museum Malcolm and I  spent a lot of time looking thought the museum warehouse. Malcolm in warehouse at IMSAI and ALTAIR area.

Malcolm added to his collection while at our museum and filled his suit case with a microcomputer - The

Micro 68 a 1976 microcomputer made by "Electronic Product Associate, Lamont Wood's book about Datapoint , 8080 Octal Code Card , Bugbooks 3, 4 and 5.

Museum warehouse Lisa computers

Malcolm at Apple area with Lisa computers. A lot of Apple computers including original Apple-1 (This is not in warehouse - stored at the Bank in Vault)





Click Photo's to enlarge 

Lisa computer in original box warehouse view

Malcolm in warehouse next to Lisa computer in original box and view of storage shelves with inventoried microcomputer memorabilia. Several Lisa computers and 2 are in their original box.





Malcolm added to his collection while at our museum and filled his suit case with a microcomputer -

Micro 68 a 1976 microcomputer made by "Electronic Product Associate, Lamont Wood's book about Datapoint , 8080 Octal Code Card , Bugbooks 3, 4 and 5.

Malcolm took in lots of computer history during his US visit in addition to our museum he attended  the  "Vintage Compute Festival" - East 10 ( Wall, NJ 4-17/19-15) and "Vintage Computer Festival"- Southeast  3 ( Roswell, GA 5-3-15). Malcolm commented  "VCF Southeast was a lot of fun" & "I’ve managed to get some goods tips for getting my PDP-8’s up and running".

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One of our 19 displays in the museum.
Click on photo to enlarge 

Display case #8

More reason to visit our museum in Floyd, VA
Content - ALTAIR 8800, ALTAIR 680, Exact copy of MARK-8 in the Smithsonian Museum, Commodore PET, TSR80-1, original copy of "Popular Electronics" 1-1-75 (ALTAIR 8800 article), Wooden Case from my original Apple-1, Original ALTAIR brochure, First IBM PC,Lots of small memorabilia and much more.

Curator David Larsen describes content of case 8 Audio "CLICK"

Small memorabilia in Case #8

This is close up of small memorabilia in Case #8.








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David Larsen

I hope you take the time to visit the museum and out wonderful Blue Ridge Mountain area of Floyd County Virginia. Floyd is loaded with Appalachian culture, mountain music and art,42 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Chantilly Festival Farm and a whole lot more. Floyd is a very popular destination on Virginia's "Crooked Road Heritage Music Trail".  See you in FLoyd !!!

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

Vintage Computer - Datapoint 1100 - 8 bit computer

Datapoint 1100

Bugbooks

I received this Datapoint 1100 from the same person that provided the Datapoint 2200 terminal/computer and was told it was a prototype. I made some assumptions about this computer that were wrong and I also called it a 2100 in some of my information.  Gordon Peterson was kind to correct me on this and the Datapoint 1100 is a version of the 2200 without the tape storage drives in the case. It did have a storage drive but it was in a separate case or operating table. This is not a prototype but is a nice unit and I am glad to have it in my collection. Thank You - Gordon for getting me on board with the correct information.

I have made several post (listed below) here on my blog about the Datapoint 2200 and it is a very interesting story of perhaps the start of personal computers - long before MITS ALTAIR 8800, Apple , Microsoft or IBM.


To enlarge "CLICK" on photo

Datapoint 1100

This looks like a Datapoint 2200 without the cassette tape decks for mass storage.

Datapoint 1100

The inside looks very similar to the Datapoint 2200 without the 2 audio cassette drives for mass storage.

Datapoint 1100

This unit was tested April 1975.

Datapoint 1100

This name and serial number tag  indicates it is an 1100 and serial number #100.





Here is some great research about the first microprocessor - Ken Shirriff's Blog 


Older post about the Datapoint 2200:

Intel 8008 Microprocessor began as a 'Computer Terminal Corporation 2200" - an Electronic Data Terminal

Vintage Computers - The Datapoint 2200 & "Computer Terminal Corporation" THE REST OF THE STORY!!

"The Lost Story of the Texans Who Invented the Personal Computer Revolution"  a 327 page book by Lamont Wood & published in 2010.

                                                    Video about the Datapoint 1100
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We always have interesting visitors in our Computer Museum with great stories about their experience with vintage computers - Here is a video with Virginia Tech Professor Bill Green. He makes some nice comments about our museum.  "CLICK TO VIEW"

During the late 80's I was able to find  this fine Datapoint1100 & Datapoint 2200. They are both in the   "Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Collection".

 ^{"by David Larsen"  KK4WW Computer Collector Historian}     Send Message    Like us on Facebook  My Blog about hometown Floyd VA

Altair 8800 Computer for sale

The computer has been sold - thank you to all that inquired about this Altair. 

info click

MITS ALTAIR 8800 computer for  Sale. This computer has been restored to working order by Win Heagy. Win has been a vintage computer collector for years and has restored many old computers including an original Digital Equipment PDP-8 minicomputer (PDP-8 work is still in progress). The ALTAIR 8800 is in nice condition and displays very nicely. I have posted many photo's below to show various aspects of the computer and the documentation that comes with the 8800. It is nice to have this computer operational and ready for a new home after resting in our museum warehouse for more then 25 years.

The computer serial number is 220414K and I believe the numbering started at 220000 --- that would make this number 414 in order of production. The K at the end of the serial number indicates that the computer was sold as a kit and it was up to the purchaser to assemble and test the product. The low serial number would put the computer in the first month or two of production by Ed Roberts "MITS" company --- a nice early ALTAIR 8800 computer.

Video of computer in various modes of operation "CLICK".

Contact me here for purchase or more information.

An ALTAIR 8800 sold today on Ebay for $9001 and a few weeks ago one sold for about $10,000. If mine does not sell soon I will remove it for sale and put it on Ebay. 4-12-15 - Checking the Ebay sale -- it did not make the reserve price so hi bid was $9001 but no sale.

Click on photo's to enlarge

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

This card  has a serial # on the card of 0456K.

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

This card has a serial number of 0457K.

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Altair 8800

Win Heagy and his PDP-8 computer 

Here is Win Heagy picking up his PDP-8 at our computer warehouse.


More info about Win's PDP-8 "CLICK"





Here are some comments about the ALTAIR 8800 computer by Win Heagy.

1. Runs warm with the cover on.  If you plan to use it for extended
periods of time, consider installing a fan.
2. Some small dings and marks on the exterior, as is to be expected in
a 35+ year old machine.
3. In order to modify the original hardware as little as possible, an
extension cable was made for the original 2SIO serial cable.  A large
piece of white heat shrink tubing covers the DB25 connectors of this
extension cable and the original cable.  This extension can be removed
or reworked as desired.
4. The 4K RAM card was used for loading 4K BASIC in the video.
5. The MITS 1K Static RAM card was not extensively tested.  The RAM
test routine I have did not seem to work properly on this card.
However, as is seen in the video, I toggled in the “Kill the Bit”
program from the front panel using this card as the RAM card and it
works.  The RAM chips are soldered on this board.
6. Most of the documentation included with the system is not original.
Most of the manuals and other documentation is available online.
7. The 2SIO card is picky.  Be sure to use a good quality USB->Serial
adapter - or a real serial port on a PC.  The 2SIO expects serial
level voltages and some adapters cheat a little.  I had four different
adapters and only one worked.
8. A second serial cable/connector is included for the second port on
the 2SIO card.  This cable and port was not tested.

David Larsen

I am selling this and other duplicate computers from the collection to help pay the rent in the commercial rented space used by our museum. We try to have the museum open regular hours and have paid help as assistant curators in the museum. We live in a very rural area of the Blue Ridge mountains and not many retro computer folks to volunteer in the museum. Our little town of Floyd, Virginia only has a population of about 400. The county population is small and we are in a beautiful place with 42 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway as our Eastern boundary. The county is agriculture based and is known for it wonderful mountain music and many very creative artisans. 

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