---
title: Alpha Micro 1000 Series
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Professional Computer
origins:
- U.S.A.
years:
- '1982'
cpus:
- '68000'
params:
  name: 1000 Series
  image: /media/museum/photos/alphamicro_1000_system_1.jpg
  company: /companies/alpha-micro
  company_name: Alpha Micro
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: 1000 Series
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Alpha Micro
  - label: TYPE
    value: Professional Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: U.S.A.
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1982'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: None
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Serial video terminal
  - label: CPU
    value: '68000'
  - label: SPEED
    value: Unknown
  - label: RAM
    value: From 128 KB to 8 MB
  - label: ROM
    value: Unknown
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 80 chars. x 25 lines
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: None
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: From 3 (built-in) to 68 serial I/O
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: 1 or 2 x 800 KB 5'' F.D. drives
  - label: OS
    value: AMOS, PICK
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: Built-in Power supply unit
  - label: PRICE
    value: From $10,000
  tabs:
  - photos
  - emulators
  forum_thread: 593
  photos:
  - title: REAR SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      Notice:\
      • The three built in serial ports (upper left corner)\
      • The eight additional serial ports for video terminals\
      • The Video In, Video Out and Video I/O plugs. The AM-1000 was designed to use a VCR tape recorder/player as a backup device and could install the OS from a VCR tape.
    image: /media/museum/photos/alphamicro_1000_back_1.jpg
  - title: OPENED
    subtitle: ''
    text: The main circuit card is a large custom card that is almost as big as the case. The card hinges up to reveal the power supply and hard drive (here a 190 MB Maxtor) and floppy drive (if equipped).
    image: /media/museum/photos/alphamicro_1000_opened_2.jpg
  - title: MAIN BOARD
    subtitle: ''
    text: The main board has no bus system in it but does have a connector for an optional I/O card on the left-hand side. It also has a connector for a daughterboard on the right-hand side. Joe's system has an AM-706 memory card there **(2)**. It also has an optional I/O card installed in the left-hand side, a PIICEON SR 1000-8P **(1)**. This adds 8 additional serial ports to the system.
    image: /media/museum/photos/alphamicro_1000_mainboard_1.jpg
  - title: I/O CARD CLOSE-UP
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/alphamicro_1000_iocard_1.jpg
  - title: RAM CARD CLOSE-UP
    subtitle: ''
    text: The RAM card is fitted with 36 TMS 4256-12 memory ICs (4 Mb with parity).
    image: /media/museum/photos/alphamicro_1000_ramarea_1.jpg
  - title: SERIAL CONNECTORS
    subtitle: ''
    text: Serial connectors of the optional I/O card and built-in system I/O connector.
    image: /media/museum/photos/alphamicro_1000_serialcon_1.jpg
  - title: SYSTEM CHANGE HISTORY
    subtitle: ''
    text: This label lists all the installed components - part numbers and serial numbers - when the computer left the factory. Later additions/replacements could be noted down.
    image: /media/museum/photos/alphamicro_1000_systemchanges_1.jpg
  emulators:
  - title: VAM - Virtual Alpha Micro
    url: http://www.otterway.com/am100/
    platform: Multiplatform
    text: Open source emulator for the AM-100 micro computer that runs on Linux, Windows, or Macintosh desktops and can run AMOS and all associated programs.
  oc_id: 606
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230528024543/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=606
    date: '2023-05-28'
---

The Alpha Micro 1000 was a line of systems based on the 68000 microprocessor. According to customer requests, each system could be configured from a single user microcomputer with 128 KB of RAM, up to a 60-users system with 3 MB of RAM and 2.4 GB of disk storage.

The operating system of the 1000 series was AMOS, a multi-user, multi-tasking and timesharing system allowing the user to easily add terminals and printers to the current configuration. Several programming languages were available to build AMOS compatible applications: BASIC, PASCAL, LISP, ASSEMBLER, FORTRAN and COBOL.

Alpha Micro offered innovative hardware solutions and high technology firsts provided by a third company called Macrotech:\
\- a 1 MB RAM Board\
\- an intelligent I/O board using DMA\
\- the only 6MB piggyback board available\
\- etc...

The system used a standard VHS Video Tape Recorder for back-ups, and most software updates from Alpha Micro and other software houses were supplied in this form.\
In the UK this caused a few problems as you had to obtain NTSC-compatible players.

The Alpha Micro company still exists. You can find the latest info on the Amos and Alpha micro systems [here](http://www.amos-online.com/amphtm/home.htm#).

Thanks to **Joe** for additional pictures and information