Which box has the MOS Commodore KIM-1?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ก.ย. 2024
- In 1976, MOS Technology unleashed a box on the world, and, much to their surprise many tried to open it. While the KIM-1 doesn't have the fame of the Altair or the Apple I, it had quite a following in the mid 1970s. It's the first computer to use the 6502, and it's the first computer that Commodore shipped. It's a pretty important piece of computing history.
This should just be the first in a small series of videos about the KIM-1. At the very least, I plan to collaborate with another local KIM-1 owner to create a video that compares Rev. D and Rev. F boards.
Here are links to a few of the things mentioned in the video:
The 8-Bit Guy video "Rare Commodore Systems Found at Electronics Recycler." It looks like this system is a Rev. A board. The chips on his board appear to have early 1977 date codes. I saw at least a few week 7 chips. Most of the chips on my board are also 1977, but they are mostly around week 40.
• Rare Commodore Systems...
This is a like to the same video, but it starts where he begins to dig into the KIM-1. My power supply is quite a bit lest sketch than his!
• Rare Commodore Systems...
Collection of "KIM-1/6502 User Notes" from 1976 through 1980:
retro.hansotten...
Source code for KIM-1 Lunar Lander from The First Book of KIM:
github.com/jef...
Finally, if anyone has one of those SKE1-1 enclosures, I would love to see more detailed pictures of it. From some searching on the Internet, the only evidence this thing ever existed is images of a couple advertisements for the device. This definitely represents a gap the historical record.
Wow! Nice! What a prize. It looks to be in great condition.
In 1978 and 70 I was a senior in High School and went half days to the county career center to learn electronics. I talked them into buying a KIM-1 in Kit form. I think it was advertised in Byte Magazine. And I built the kit. By then I already owned my own TRS-80 Model 1.
A 6er and an 8er? Didn't you know you were supposed to pick a side? :)
@@TalesofWeirdStuff Funny! Nowadays we have the WD65C816, which solves all the 8-bit problems of the 6502: Namely having an x and y and stack register of only 8 bits. Well I haven't programmed for it yet and was very happy with a serious processor like the Z80!
BTW. For the Apple 2 there was a Z80-Pascal card that a lot of people bought, to have a serious processor!
I remember the KIM-1 from that time, and we considered bying one, but my friend bought an AIM instead which had an ASCII-keyboard on it. I waited a while and bought a TRS-80 model 1.
I have a beautiful REV-A KIM-1. As a collector, this is one of my favorite items. I am currently reading the MOS Hardware manual in PDF form of course, I do not want to damage my original manuals. PDFs also make is easy for me to zoom in as well. These manuals must have come out before the Motorola law suit, as a lot of the discussion is on the 6501.
I have also noticed, that the hardware manual really does not cover the KIM-1 hardware itself. It is more of a MCS6500 family builders guide.
That is one of the things that I love the most about vintage computers. The manuals that came with them or the cards that you purchased, they gave you a quick, but very detailed account of every chip and its function in the system. My favorite manuals are the ones that came with the Processor technology boards that I have. They give you all the information that you need in only about 60 to 75 pages.
I have not done a video on my KIM-1, so I really appreciate this video. I just ordered a plexiglass display casing for my KIM-1 that has a cut out so that you can access the keypad.
Although I am still waiting for it to arrive.
Thank you for making this great video on the KIM-1
They published several different manuals. Most of the documentation that came with my KIM-1 was general "MCS6500 family" documentation, but there was one manual specifically about the KIM-1. I suspect I will have to figure out how to scan at least that manual without damaging it.
@@TalesofWeirdStuff What is it called. There is probably already a PDF out there somewhere.
Thanks so much for this video, Ian. I hope someday to find one of these grails while riding my unicorn shod in unobtainium through BucketListembourg.
That stuff is out there... you just have to spend a lot of time looking for it.
I also have a MTU k-1008-11 which (as far as I've been told) was needed for the high resolution in PET and to donate the screen to the KIM-1! but I don't know if it works and in this case I don't have the courage to try it on the KIM-1, also because I don't have a suitable connector or even a power supply for it!
31:56 So the only fool who still turns it on is me? hahahaha!
I turn it on about once every 4 months to keep its capacitors working, which unfortunately there are a couple in my KIM-1 that show very slight traces of leakage. The storage of the KIM-1 in the wooden wine box, therefore, takes place with the computer upside down, to avoid any corrosion of the PCB. I don't know whether to replace those 2 capacitors, I would have to find an identical pair to keep it original as much as possible! However my KIM-1 works smoothly!
That is a good question. The capacitors on the KIM-1 do seem... different... from other capacitors that I have seen in old computers. I'm not really sure what to do about them.
@@TalesofWeirdStuff here in my area there is a very old electronics store, when this damn covid ends I would like to go and have a look at it, who knows if maybe it has something similar in stock?
the book you see in my video, maybe it contains Lunar lander in hexadecimal, I don't remember exactly. However, even when I pick up the KIM-1 I am afraid! However the power expansion connects to a normal power supply similar to that of a mobile phone (I don't remember the specifics at the moment and every time I take the KIM-1 box to check something I perform anti-electrostatic superstitious rituals) with a round connector quite similar. I would be happy to send you photos to help you. The fact is that the decision regarding your KIM-1 to turn it on is entirely up to you!
Based on my research, the book in your video, "The First Book of KIM-1" does have at least one version of Lunar Lander. That should be the same version as in the GitHub link in the description.
Once I get the courage to try turning it on... the various manuals and schematics should have enough information for me to build a reliable power supply. I also plan to enlist the help of people in my area who... actually know what they're doing. :)
@@TalesofWeirdStuff I agree, I also always thought when I turn on the KIM-1, even with that power supply device I have!