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title, categories, types, origins, years, cpus, params
title categories types origins years cpus params
OHIO Scientific Challenger
Computers
Professional Computer
U.S.A.
1977
6502A
name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread adverts oc_id source
Challenger /media/museum/photos/osi_challenger_small.jpg /companies/ohio-scientific OHIO Scientific
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NAME Challenger
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MANUFACTURER OHIO Scientific
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TYPE Professional Computer
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ORIGIN U.S.A.
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YEAR 1977
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BUILT IN LANGUAGE OSI Basic on some models
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KEYBOARD Mechanical keyboard
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CPU 6502A / 6800 depending models
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RAM 1KB / 4KB / 16 KB (up to 192 KB)
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ROM up to 16KB
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TEXT MODES 16x64
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COLORS optional
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SOUND No
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I/O PORTS serial interface
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POWER SUPPLY 110v
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PERIPHERALS many expansions available, including: serial, parallel, tape, floppy drives, A/D converters, memory expansions, graphics card, multi processor
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PRICE depends on models: from $439 to $2599 in 1977
adverts
1276
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US ADVERT (JANUARY 1977) /media/museum/pubs/osi_challenger_pub-1977_3.jpg
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US ADVERT (1977) /media/museum/pubs/osi_challenger_pub-1977_2.jpg
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US ADVERT (1977) /media/museum/pubs/osi_challenger_pub-1977_1.jpg
1311
url date
https://web.archive.org/web/20230413211421/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1311 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)