--- title: MOS TECHNOLOGY KIM 1 categories: - Computers types: - Home Computer origins: - U.S.A. years: - '1975' cpus: - '6502' params: name: KIM 1 image: /media/museum/photos/mos_kim1.jpg company: /companies/mos-technology company_name: MOS TECHNOLOGY specs: - label: NAME value: KIM 1 - label: MANUFACTURER value: MOS Technology - label: TYPE value: Home Computer - label: ORIGIN value: U.S.A. - label: YEAR value: '1975' - label: KEYBOARD value: Hexadecimal keyboard, calculator type - label: CPU value: '6502' - label: SPEED value: 1 MHz - label: RAM value: 1152 bytes - label: ROM value: 2 KB (assembler) - label: TEXT MODES value: 6 digits LED screen - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: None - label: COLORS value: 'No' - label: SOUND value: Various square wave frequencies could be produced by software - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: Unknown - label: I/O PORTS value: tape interface, bus expansion, serial (to connect to a terminal) - label: POWER SUPPLY value: 5V / 1.2A and 12V / 100mA. The 12V was only needed for the serial function - label: PERIPHERALS value: Unknown - label: PRICE value: $250 (USA, 1975) tabs: - photos - adverts - hardware - connectors - emulators - links - docs forum_thread: 161 photos: - title: COMMODORE VERSION subtitle: '' text: |- When Commodore bought MOS Technology in 1976, KIM 1 boards were sold with the 'Commodore - MOS' label Thanks to **Richard de Keijzer** image: /media/museum/photos/mostech_kim1_commodore_2.jpg - title: LABEL CLOSE-UP subtitle: '' text: Thanks to **Richard de Keijzer** image: /media/museum/photos/mostech_kim1_label_1.jpg - title: DOUBLE SIDE CIRCUIT subtitle: '' text: Picture showing all the tracks of the double side circuit. image: /media/museum/photos/mostech_kim1_doubleside_1.jpg - title: KIM-1 SCHEMA subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/mostech_kim1_schematics_1.jpg - title: KIM-1 MANUALS subtitle: '' text: These are the original programing, hardware and KIM-1 user manuals, dated 1976. image: /media/museum/photos/mos_kim1_manuals_1.jpg - title: 'KIM CALCULATOR #1' subtitle: '' text: |- This antique calculator is not really a calculator, but an ideal case for a KIM-1 board equiped with a full stroke keyboard and a nice display ;-)\ See the next picture for further details. image: /media/museum/photos/mostech_kim1_calculator_2.jpg - title: 'KIM CALCULATOR #2' subtitle: '' text: Inside the KIM calculator. image: /media/museum/photos/mostech_kim1_calculator_1.jpg adverts: - title: 1976 ADVERT subtitle: '' text: '' image: null hardware: - title: RAM BOARD subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/hardware/mostech_kim1_ramboard_1.jpg - title: PAPER TAPE READER subtitle: '' text: This paper tape reader manufactured by the Teleterminal Corporation and called the Fly Reader could be connected to the Kim 1 board. It could read a paper tape at 300 characters per second. The advantage of the paper tape reader was it could read a little part of a program, even a single character. Unfortunately, it wasn't a puncher and the user had to acquire already punched tapes. image: /media/museum/hardware/mostech_kim1_papertape_1.jpg connectors: - title: CARDEDGE CONNECTORS subtitle: '' text: |- Basically it's not easy to get or find the specifications of the cardedge connectors you need for the "A" and "E" slots of a KIM-1. In the manual "KIM-1 Hints" you can find the folowing text:\ 4\. WHERE CAN I GETMORE 44-PIN EDGECONNECTORS FOR KIM?\ The connector is a standard part - you can order a Vector No. R644 from most electronic supply houses.\ The connector is also carried by most Radio Shack stores as Part No.276-548. Unfortunately Vector No. 644 is not easy to find. Radio Shack Stores are unknown with Part No.276-548. So I tried to find the Specifications nowdays, and some Part No. for Europe. Outside Europe, you can always go to your local dealer with the specifications. Specifications:\ Cardedge Connector 44 (2x22) 3,96MM or 0,156"\ Part No.\ Conrad Electronics: 74 07 05-44\ Local Dealer: 05.34.2.22B (Print Solder) 05.34.2.22C (Hand Solder) Thanks to **Richard de Keijzer** from the Netherlands for these info. image: /media/museum/connectors/mostech_kim1_connector_1.jpg emulators: - title: Soft6502 url: http://www.crbond.com/soft6502.htm platform: Windows text: KIM 1 simulator and 6502 programming trainer - title: MESS (Multi Emulator Super System) url: http://www.mess.org platform: Other platform text: MESS emulates the KIM-1 for many platforms - title: The Incredible KIMplement url: http://www.floodgap.com/retrobits/kim-1/ platform: Other platform text: KIM-1 emulator for the Commdore 64 !!! links: - title: Everything you want to know about the KIM 1 is here ! url: http://ftp.funet.fi/pub/cbm/schematics/kim-1/index-t.html text: '' - title: KIM-1 page url: http://home.hccnet.nl/g.baltissen/kim.htm text: Nice description with original docs, ROM sources and more - title: Online manuals url: http://www.ping.be/kim-1__6502/ text: Online user manual, hardware manual and programming manual! - title: The KIM-1 Enthusiasts Page url: http://www.kim-1.com/ text: Nice site with photo gallery, documentations and more docs: - title: KIM-1 USER'S GUIDE url: http://www.commodore.ca/manuals/kim1/kim1_users_guide.txt cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vide.gif text: |- [**KIM-1 USER'S GUIDE**](http://www.commodore.ca/manuals/kim1/kim1_users_guide.txt)written by MOS Technology  compiled/archived by www.commodore.ca\  type of document : TXT\  source : [www.commodore.ca](http://www.commodore.ca) - title: KIM-1 HARDWARE MANUAL url: http://www.commodore.ca/manuals/kim1/kim1_hardware.txt cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vide.gif text: |- [**KIM-1 HARDWARE MANUAL**](http://www.commodore.ca/manuals/kim1/kim1_hardware.txt)written by MOS Technology  compiled/archived by www.commodore.ca\  type of document : TXT\  source : [www.commodore.ca](http://www.commodore.ca) - title: KIM-1 HINTS url: http://www.commodore.ca/manuals/kim1/kim1_hints.txt cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vide.gif text: |- [**KIM-1 HINTS**](http://www.commodore.ca/manuals/kim1/kim1_hints.txt)written by MOS Technology  compiled/archived by www.commodore.ca\  type of document : TXT\  source : [www.commodore.ca](http://www.commodore.ca) - title: KIM-1 MONITOR SOURCE CODE url: http://www.commodore.ca/manuals/kim1/kim1_mon.txt cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vide.gif text: |- [**KIM-1 MONITOR SOURCE CODE**](http://www.commodore.ca/manuals/kim1/kim1_mon.txt)written by MOS Technology  compiled/archived by www.commodore.ca\  type of document : TXT\  source : [www.commodore.ca](http://www.commodore.ca) oc_id: 149 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230608152603/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=149 date: '2023-06-08' --- This prehistoric computer has no "real" keyboard and no video output, program are entered by the small hexadecimal keyboard (located in the lower right part of the picture) and results are displayed on the small LED "screen" (it can display only 6 digits). It has a simple monitor that allows one to examine & modify memory, load and save paper tape, load and save cassette tape, run and debug programs through a 'single step' mode. The monitor works with the built in keypad and LEDs, or a terminal like the Teletype ASR33. It is possible to connect the KIM to a terminal via a dedicated serial port. Soon after release, Commodore Business Machines would buy out MOS Technologies and distribute the KIM-1 with a Commodore name on it. **Bob Leedom** reports :\ The KIM-1 had "no video output", you say? And the "small LED screen...can only display 6 digits"?\ Not quite. The software could address each segment of the 7-segment displays in the "LED screen". As a result, tremendous ingenuity was unleashed by the KIM-1 User's Group, and the display was used for many clever things.\ The editors published my version of the artificial intelligence board game (in which the computer learns which moves lose, and never makes those moves again, until it's eventually unbeatable), my baseball game (two-player or you vs computer, six kinds of pitches possible, scoreboard, men-on-base display, lots more), and my semi-successful commercial entry called KIM-venture (a tiny version of Adventure, with XYZZY-type secret word, monsters, treasures, 26 rooms, and more).\ It was an amazing little computer. Mine still works!