---
title: OHIO Scientific Challenger
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Professional Computer
origins:
- U.S.A.
years:
- '1977'
cpus:
- 6502A
params:
  name: Challenger
  image: /media/museum/photos/osi_challenger_small.jpg
  company: /companies/ohio-scientific
  company_name: OHIO Scientific
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: Challenger
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: OHIO Scientific
  - label: TYPE
    value: Professional Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: U.S.A.
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1977'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: OSI Basic on some models
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Mechanical keyboard
  - label: CPU
    value: 6502A / 6800 depending models
  - label: RAM
    value: 1KB / 4KB / 16 KB (up to 192 KB)
  - label: ROM
    value: up to 16KB
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 16x64
  - label: COLORS
    value: optional
  - label: SOUND
    value: 'No'
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: serial interface
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: 110v
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: 'many expansions available, including: serial, parallel, tape, floppy drives, A/D converters, memory expansions, graphics card, multi processor'
  - label: PRICE
    value: 'depends on models: from $439 to $2599 in 1977'
  tabs:
  - adverts
  adverts:
  - title: US ADVERT (JANUARY 1977)
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/pubs/osi_challenger_pub-1977_3.jpg
  - title: US ADVERT (1977)
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/pubs/osi_challenger_pub-1977_2.jpg
  - title: US ADVERT (1977)
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/pubs/osi_challenger_pub-1977_1.jpg
  oc_id: 1311
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230413211421/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1311
    date: '2023-04-13'
---

In 1977 computing industry is changing fast. Ohio Scientific Instruments who were making a lot of expansion boards for their 400 single-board computer, called "Superboard", realize that it would be nice to sell all this hardware, all assembled, in a single case, ready to plug and use.

That's what is a Challenger computer, more a concept than a single system. Indeed under the name Challenger came different configurations based around the Superboard system:

\- Challenger 65-1k: 6502A CPU, serial interface, 1KB memory for $439 (january 1977)\
\- Challenger 65-4k: same as 65-1K but with 4KB RAM, for $529 (january 1977)\
\- Challenger 65V-4k: same as 65-4k but with an OSI 440 Video Board. No need for an expensive terminal. Just plug your keyboard and monitor to this video board and you're ready to go. $675 (january 1977)\
\- Challenger 68-1k: based on the 6800 CPU with 1k RAM and serial interface. $459 (january 1977)\
\- Challenger 68-4k: same as above with 4KB RAM and OSI BASIC 4k delivered on paper tape. $529 (january 1977)