--- 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 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/) comments: - author: Usram (France) date: Sunday 26th September 2021 text: 'Adress for the Signetics 2650 instructions manual here : http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/components/signetics/2650/Signetics_Instructor_50_Users_Guide_Aug1979.pdf' - author: George (Netherlands) date: Wednesday 6th December 2017 text: |- I''m the proud owner of a Signetics Instructor 50. I got the machine running with an AC power supply, but the heat sink of the old fashioned 7805 got pretty hot, so I switched it off. I don''t have the original power supply unit, but looking at the schematics, I guess it should be 8V AC? In the schematics I see a 5V (DC?) line and an 8V (AC?) line. Does anyone have the original adapter and can info and/or pictures be shared? I have 6 thick Philips manuals, but they are all in Dutch (no problem for me of course). Happy to share. Instructional manuals can easily be found through Google, in English. I saw the post from 2016 in this forum about someone who destroyed the machine by mixing up 110V and 220V (actually it is 230V since 1982 or so...), but actually I don''t understand how that could have destroyed the machine, I''d say only the power supply is gone (or worst case the 7805 and maybe a few other components). - author: Nick (Netherlands) date: Tuesday 11th April 2017 text: If anyone has manuals, parts or expansions for the Instructor-50 in Europe please contact me, or leave a message here. I''ve got mine up and running but no manuals. Mine came from a lot of 70''s computer hardware from the Philips NatLab in Eindhoven. - author: Jp (Belgium) date: Thursday 7th July 2016 text: |- Hello, Again, I as interested in the 220 Volt version, and you can''t really converted to 110 Volt. Mine died because of it, it came from the US and was converted but the heat sink was enough to fry an egg. So if Thijs (Veldhoven, Netherlands) you still have it let me know. alcanjp at yahoo dot com Thanks - author: Jp (Belgium) date: Thursday 7th July 2016 text: |- Hello, I am still looking for a Signetics Instructor 50, Mine died\ Please contact me at alcanjp at yahoo dot com thanks - author: Alfred (U.S.A.) date: Monday 17th August 2015 text: |- I am interested in getting a Instructor 50 if someone has one available.\ Please contact me at: cto AT teltrust DOT com - author: Thijs (Veldhoven, Netherlands) date: Friday 27th February 2015 text: |- I have a complete instructor 50 including manuals.\ Didn''t use it for ages but it should be working.\ For anyone who is interested. - author: Hans (DE) date: Thursday 21st November 2013 text: 'Little counting error: It got 15 address lines, so capable to addresss 32k (14 would result in 16k). Memory was non continous addressed as 4 pages of 8k each.' - author: jp (Belgium) date: Friday 7th June 2013 text: I have a Signetics Instructor 50 that works, but was converted to work on 220V I am looking for the original adapter for it. Or simply a full working unit. - author: jp (Belgium) date: Friday 7th June 2013 text: I have a Signetics Instructor 50 that works, but was converted to work on 220V I am looking for the original adapter for it. Or simply a full working unit. - author: Simon Favre (USA) date: Thursday 13rd September 2012 text: I have one of these. Haven''t done much with it other than fix up the power supply with a regulator. I''m not sure how complete the manuals are, but I do have some. - author: James Jacobs (Canberra) date: Tuesday 14th August 2007 text: I am the programmer of Ami/WinArcadia, the most advanced and comprehensive emulators of the Signetics-based systems. I am interested in adding support of the Signetics Instructor 50 and/or Adaptable Board Computer to the emulators. If someone has the relevant documentation and/or dumps of software this would enable the emulators to support these machines. Many thanks. 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.