--- title: Signetics Instructor 50 categories: - Computers types: - Professional Computer origins: - U.S.A. years: - '1978' cpus: - Signetics 2650 params: name: Instructor 50 image: /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_system_s1.jpg company: /companies/signetics company_name: Signetics specs: - label: NAME value: Instructor 50 - label: MANUFACTURER value: Signetics - label: TYPE value: Professional Computer - label: ORIGIN value: U.S.A. - label: YEAR value: '1978' - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: Hexadecimal Monitor - label: KEYBOARD value: 1 hexadecimal keypad + 1 function keypad - label: CPU value: Signetics 2650 - label: SPEED value: 895 kHz - label: CO-PROCESSOR value: Signetics 2656 - label: RAM value: 128 bytes (used by the monitor) + 512 bytes (free for the user) - label: ROM value: 2 KB (monitor) - label: TEXT MODES value: LED display - 1 line of 8 characters - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: None - label: COLORS value: None - label: SOUND value: None - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 35 (W) x 25 (D) x 7.5 (H) cm / 1.1 kg - label: I/O PORTS value: Tape interface, S100 compatible expansion bus - label: BUILT IN MEDIA value: None - label: POWER SUPPLY value: External power supply (5V or 8V depending on models) - label: PRICE value: 350$ (USA, 1978) tabs: - photos - adverts - emulators - links - docs forum_thread: 1003 photos: - title: INSTRUCTOR 50 subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_system_s2.jpg - title: EARLY MODEL subtitle: '' text: Early models were labeled ''Signetics 2650 Instructor'' image: /media/museum/photos/signetics_instructor-50_3.jpg - title: KEYBOARD subtitle: '' text: The right keypad allows to enter Hexadecimal data, the left one manages the ROM monitor - program Run/Stop, breakpoints, CPU registers and memory contents. image: /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_keyboard_s1.jpg - title: I/O SWITCHES subtitle: '' text: Each parallel I/O line has its own switch and LED. image: /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_keyboard_s2.jpg - title: 2650 INSTRUCTIONS subtitle: '' text: All the 2650 instructions along with their Hex codes are printed onto the user panel. image: /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_keyboard_s3.jpg - title: BACK SIDE subtitle: '' text: S100 connector and AC adaptor jack. image: /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_rear_s1.jpg - title: UNDERNEATH subtitle: '' text: Thanks to **Rainer Bauer** image: /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_underneath_s1.jpg - title: SIGNETICS LABEL subtitle: '' text: Thanks to **Rainer Bauer** image: /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_label_s1.jpg - title: MOTHERBOARD subtitle: '' text: |- **(1)** 512 Bytes RAM chips (4x2112)\ **(2)** 2656 chip, holds the clock generator, 2 KB ROM (Monitor), 128 bytes RAM and I/O decoding\ **(3)** Signetics 2650 CPU\ **(4)** Parallel lines decoder\ **(5)** Tape recorder jacks image: /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_mainboard_s1.jpg - title: RUNNING subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_mainboard_s2.jpg - title: MANUALS subtitle: '' text: |- Complete set of Signetics and Instructor 50 manuals, along with the Instructor demo cassette. Thanks to **Rainer Bauer** image: /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_manuals_s1.jpg - title: LOGIC DIAGRAM subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_diagram_s1.jpg adverts: - title: US ADVERT subtitle: '' text: |- Advert for Instructor 50, Byte March 1979, Page 45. Thanks to Adam Trinfo for this advert image: /media/museum/pubs/byte%20%28pub%20for%20instructor%2050%29%28march%201979%2C%20page%2045%29.jpg emulators: - title: WinArcadia url: http://amigan.classicgaming.gamespy.com/ platform: Windows text: emulates the Emerson Arcadia 2001 console family, the Interton VC 4000 console family, the Elektor TV Games Computer and the Signetics Instructor 50 computer - title: AmiArcadia url: http://amigan.classicgaming.gamespy.com/ platform: Amiga OS text: emulates the Emerson Arcadia 2001 console family, the Interton VC 4000 console family, the Elektor TV Games Computer and the Signetics Instructor 50 computer links: - title: Amigan Software url: http://amigan.classicgaming.gamespy.com/ text: A lot of interesting info and documentation here docs: - title: SIGNETICS INSTRUCTOR 50 MANUAL url: http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/components/signetics/2650/Signetics_Instructor_50_Users_Guide_Aug1979.pdf cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/signetics-2650_usermanual_s.jpg text: |- [**SIGNETICS INSTRUCTOR 50 MANUAL**](http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/components/signetics/2650/Signetics_Instructor_50_Users_Guide_Aug1979.pdf)written by Signetics  type of document : PDF\  size : 20 MB\  source : [BitSavers](http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/) oc_id: 1029 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230606131744/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1029 date: '2023-06-06' --- The Instructor 50 was a small system designed to teach the use and programmation of the Signetics 2650 CPU. But it was also a real micro-computer with a tape interface to save and load programs, and a S-100 compatible expansion bus. It actually belonged to a second generation training computers: unlike its predecessors, it wasn't just a raw electronic board, but offered a real plastic case, S-100 bus, tape-interface, etc.... The built-in display was only a eight-digit, seven-segment LED display... When turned on it displays "HELLO". The keyboard was made of an hexadecimal keypad (16 keys) and function keypad (12 keys). Interaction is also made through 8 parallel I/O switches and their corresponding LEDs. The only software built-in the system was the monitor (called User System Executive or USE), used to program the Instructor 50. Of course, programmation was made in hexadecimal through a simplistic assembler. The 2 KB ROM was used to store the monitor. RAM was 640 bytes, but 128 bytes were used by the monitor, leaving 512 bytes for programmation. But having 14 address lines, the 2650 CPU was capable of addressing 32K bytes !
We need more info about this computer ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system, please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.