website/content/museum/synertek-sym1.md

title, categories, types, origins, years, cpus, params

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Synertek SYM1	Computers	Home Computer	U.S.A.	1978	Synertek 6502	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos adverts hardware links docs oc_id source SYM1 /media/museum/photos/synertec_sim1_system_1.jpg /companies/synertek Synertek label value NAME SYM1 label value MANUFACTURER Synertek label value TYPE Home Computer label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR 1978 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE Hexadecimal monitor - Assembler label value KEYBOARD 29 'sensitive' keys label value CPU Synertek 6502 label value SPEED 1 MHz label value RAM 1 KB expandable to 4 KB on board label value ROM 4 KB label value TEXT MODES 6 digit LED display label value SOUND Built-in loudspeaker label value I/O PORTS Tape recorder, Serial RS232, 51 I/O lines connector label value OS Supermon monitor label value POWER SUPPLY External 5V - 1.5A power supply unit label value PERIPHERALS ASCII Keyboard, expansion slots card label value PRICE $239 photos adverts hardware links docs 837 title subtitle text image SYM-1 /media/museum/photos/synertec_sim1_system_2.jpg title subtitle text image FIRMWARE ROMS Monitor, RAE and BASIC language into Signetics ROM modules /media/museum/photos/synertec_sim1_romsoft_1.jpg title subtitle text image KTM2 VIDEO INTERFACE & KEYBOARD Thanks to **Peter de Vroomen** /media/museum/photos/synertec_sim1_ktm2_s1.jpg title subtitle text image COMPLETE SYSTEM Complete system with monitor, tape recorder, RAM expansion card, external PSU, Synertek BASIC interpreter and a whopping 8 KB of available RAM. Thanks to **Peter de Vroomen** /media/museum/photos/synertec_sim1_completesys_s1.jpg title subtitle text image SYNERTEK DOCUMENTATION /media/museum/photos/synertec_sim1_docset_1.jpg title subtitle text image THE BOX /media/museum/photos/synertec_sim1_box_1.jpg title subtitle text image FRENCH ADVERT (1979) /media/museum/pubs/synertek_sym1_pub_1.jpg title subtitle text image KTM-2 KEYBOARD This Synertek keyboard provided a video interface, a composite video connection, as well as two serial ports (110 to 9600 baud) for connection to the SYM board and another device such a printer. /media/museum/hardware/synertec_sim1_keyboard_1.jpg title subtitle text image EXPANSION BOARD This board made by Seawell Marketing and labelled LBM-4052 (Little Buffered Mother) allowed up to four SYM-1 compatible boards to be attached to the bus /media/museum/hardware/synertec_sim1_expansboard_1.jpg title subtitle text image RAM BOARD 16 KB RAM board to be connected to the expansion board /media/museum/hardware/synertec_sim1_ramboard_1.jpg title url text 6502.org - the 6502 processor ressource http://www.6502.org/trainers/synertek/ This section of the website contains information and binaries for the Synertek Systems SYM-1 Single Board Computer title url cover text SYM-1 REFERENCE MANUAL http://www.6502.org/oldmicro/synertek/sym-1.htm /media/museum/docs/couvs/sym-1%20reference%20manual.jpg [**SYM-1 REFERENCE MANUAL**](http://www.6502.org/oldmicro/synertek/sym-1.htm)written by Synertek  compiled/archived by Leland Goertz, René Sommerlatt, and Dallas Shell\  type of document : PDF\  size : 14 MB\  source : [6502.org](http://www.6502.org/) title url cover text SYM-1 TECHNICAL NOTES http://www.6502.org/oldmicro/synertek/sym-1.htm /media/museum/docs/couvs/sym-1%20technical%20notes.jpg [**SYM-1 TECHNICAL NOTES**](http://www.6502.org/oldmicro/synertek/sym-1.htm)written by Synertek  compiled/archived by Leland Goertz, René Sommerlatt, and Dallas Shell\  type of document : PDF\  size : 4.3 MB\  source : [6502.org](http://www.6502.org/) title url cover text HARDWARE THEORY OF OPERATIONS MANUAL http://www.6502.org/oldmicro/synertek/sym-1.htm /media/museum/docs/couvs/sym1%20-%20hardware%20theory%20of%20operations%20manual.jpg [**HARDWARE THEORY OF OPERATIONS MANUAL**](http://www.6502.org/oldmicro/synertek/sym-1.htm)written by Robert A. Peck  compiled/archived by Leland Goertz, René Sommerlatt, and Dallas Shell\  type of document : PDF\  size : 3.4 MB\  source : [6502.org](http://www.6502.org/) title url cover text MONITOR THEORY OF OPERATIONS MANUAL http://www.6502.org/oldmicro/synertek/sym-1.htm /media/museum/docs/couvs/sym1%20-%20monitor%20theory%20of%20operations%20manual.jpg [**MONITOR THEORY OF OPERATIONS MANUAL**](http://www.6502.org/oldmicro/synertek/sym-1.htm)written by Robert A. Peck  compiled/archived by Leland Goertz, René Sommerlatt, and Dallas Shell\  type of document : PDF\  size : 6.6 MB\  source : [6502.org](http://www.6502.org/) 856 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230603005508/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=856 2023-06-03

Synertek was one of the suppliers of the 6502 processor, and the SYM-1 was intended as a chip evaluation board for hardware developers that were interested in programming and interfacing a 6502.

The SYM-1 was a single board computer. It had a hexadecimal display and a hex keypad for programs and data entry. It was originally called the VIM-1 until MOS Technology objected to the name.

It was actually quite a copy of the MOS KIM 1 offering same fonctionalities plus some enhanced features and connection capabilities, including a true serial RS232 interface instead of a 20mA current loop in the KIM. It also shared same I/O connectors with another 6502 development system, the Rockwell AIM-65

A ROM chip contained the hexadecimal monitor (written by Manny Lemas, the co-founder of Microcomputer Associates) as well as standard I/O routines. Several programming language and utility software were later released. Among them: RAE-1 (Resident Assembler and Editor), FORTH and various flavors of BASIC, of which a powerful single precision version that needed the use of a video terminal.

Like other evaluation boards of the times, the SYM-1 was delivered with a full set of documentations which covered all of the 6502 hardware and software capabilities.

It was reported to us that the Sym card also came in a 6809 version that supported Motorola compatibility.

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Ray Holt, the designer of the SYM card, sent us this note:
Hi,
I was the designer of the SYM and JOLT in 1974-78. The JOLT sold about 5000 units worldwide and the SYM sold 50,000. Today the Super Jolt, an enhanced version, is still in manufacturing and is being use in an audio tester for the deft. The SYM is still in operation at the Navy lab in San Diego in the Robart robot.
http://www.spawar.navy.mil/robots/land/robart/robart.html

My earlier microprocessor design for the F14 fightjet can be viewed at:
http://www.microcomputerhistory.com

Regards, Ray

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.