website/content/museum/ohio-scientific-challenger-iii.md

---
title: OHIO Scientific CHALLENGER III
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Professional Computer
origins:
- U.S.A.
years:
- '1978'
cpus:
- '6502'
params:
  name: CHALLENGER III
  company: /companies/ohio-scientific
  company_name: OHIO Scientific
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: CHALLENGER III
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: OHIO Scientific
  - label: TYPE
    value: Professional Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: U.S.A.
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1978'
  - label: CPU
    value: 6502 + 6800 + Z80/8080
  - label: SPEED
    value: 1 Mhz / 2 Mhz
  - label: RAM
    value: 32 KB (up to 1 MB !)
  - label: ROM
    value: Unknown
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: Expansion slots
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: One or two 8'' disk-drives
  - label: OS
    value: OS-65U, OS-65D, CP/M
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: Internal P.S.U.
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: RS-232 card, Centronics card, etc.
  - label: PRICE
    value: $3481 with a dual F.D. drive unit
  tabs:
  - photos
  - adverts
  - links
  - docs
  photos:
  - title: STANDING RACK SYSTEMS
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      In 1980, Ohio Scientific produced multi-users systems in standing racks, based on its three microprocessors board (6800, 6502, Z80).

      The basic **C3-A** version included 48 KB of static RAM, dual 8'' floppies and 17 OSI slots. (Price: $7000)\
      The **C3-B** added an OkiData 3306 74 MB Winchester disk working under the OS-65U or CP/M operating systems and allowing up to 8 users. (Price: $14000)\
      The **C3-C** used the Shugart SA4008 29 MB Winchester disk (Price: $11000)

      At this time, Ohio Scientific said:

      Ohio Scientific produced the first large capacity fixed media hard disk (Winchester) based microcomputers in 1977. Since then we have shipped more of these systems than the rest of the microcomputer industry combined.
    image: null
  - title: THE CHALLENGER PRINTER
    subtitle: ''
    text: It can print 65 lines / minute.
    image: null
  - title: THE DELUXE CRT TERMINAL
    subtitle: ''
    text: This upper-lower case X-Y addressable CRT terminal (actually a Lear-Siegler ADM3A) was available with the printer and the Challenger III in a 'bundle' for (relatively low) price of $6000 !
    image: null
  adverts:
  - title: OHIO BROCHURE
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  links:
  - title: Web Wiz CAPTCHA
    url: http://www.webwizcaptcha.com
    text: ''
  docs:
  - title: SUPERBOARD II / CHALLENGER 1P - USERS MANUAL
    url: null
    cover: null
    text: |-
      **SUPERBOARD II / CHALLENGER 1P - USERS MANUAL**\
      written by Ohio Scientific

       compiled/archived by David Wilson\
       type of document : PDF\
       size : 2,7 MB\
       source : www.old-computers.com
  - title: THE 8K BASIC-IN-ROM - REFERENCE MANUAL
    url: null
    cover: null
    text: |-
      **THE 8K BASIC-IN-ROM - REFERENCE MANUAL**\
      written by Ohio Scientific

       compiled/archived by David Wilson\
       type of document : PDF\
       size : 576 KB\
       source : www.old-computers.com
  - title: CHALLENGER 1P - TECHNICAL REPORT
    url: null
    cover: null
    text: |-
      **CHALLENGER 1P - TECHNICAL REPORT**\
      written by Ohio Scientific

       compiled/archived by David Wilson\
       type of document : PDF\
       size : 1,4 MB\
       source : www.old-computers.com
  - title: THE CHALLENGER CHARACTER GRAPHICS REFERENCE MANUAL
    url: null
    cover: null
    text: |-
      **THE CHALLENGER CHARACTER GRAPHICS REFERENCE MANUAL**\
      written by Ohio Scientific

       compiled/archived by David Wilson\
       type of document : PDF\
       size : 1,3 MB\
       source : www.old-computers.com
  comments:
  - author: Barry Hammer
    date: Thursday 31st May 2012
    text: The company I work for owned to C3B computers. Each was a 3 user system with 80 Meg hardrives. One system was older and used less reliable boards. The newer had many less problems. Over time the two systems became one 5 user unit with 2 80 Meg hard drives. We ran that computer non stop 24 7 for serveral years after the OSI company was gone. All the boards had tin plate sockets and were fine as long as the unit remained running. If you had to power down for some reason, you had to open the unit up and remove all the chips from their boards. Clean and reseat them. Over the many years that I operated this computer I had changed out most of the sockets and connectors on the back plane with gold plated parts. When the computer was finally shut off for the last time it was a very reliable unit. Kind of sad tosee it gone. I wish I could find one.
  related:
  - /museum/ohio-scientific-challenger-1p
  - /museum/ohio-scientific-challenger-4p
  - /museum/ohio-scientific-challenger-ii
  - /museum/ohio-scientific-superboard-ii
  oc_id: 47
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230609190413/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=47
    date: '2023-06-09'
---

This computer was an enhanced version of the [Challenger IIp](/museum/ohio-scientific-challenger-ii/). The motherboard was equipped with 3 microprocessors: 6800, 6502A and Z80. An optional 74 MB harddisk was available ($6000 !).

It was supplied with a word processor called WP-1 and a database called DMS. An enhanced version of the operating system allowed to connect up to 16 terminals to the computer at one time.

---

About OSI, **Frank Leonhardt**\* adds:\
Unfortunately OSI did not get its model numbers straight - it was a very disorganised company. A lot of users got the circuit diagrams for bits of OSI equipment and modified one board to another, as they were all made up of the same parts - and dealers would mix and match boards to build a machine to customers requirements.

Their final machine was the **Challenger 5**, which was a bit like the Challenger 3 but it had five processors - again, OSI could not decide which 16-bit processor was going to WIN so they added a 68000 and a Z8000 to the C3. They never believed that the 8086 would become popular. I know someone connected to their main dealer who saw something about this, but I don't think they were ever sold.

The 74Mb Winchester disk was real - amazing for 1978. Apparently it was very unreliable until the guy who owned it (Dave Graham) covered the outside of the box with lots and lots of fans.

\* Frank was the first Technical Editor for the famous **Personal Computer World** magazine, England's (Europe's) biggest computer magazine - founded in 1978.