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title, categories, types, origins, years, cpus, params
title categories types origins years cpus params
OHIO Scientific Challenger 1P
Computers
Home Computer
U.S.A.
1979
6502
name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos links docs related oc_id source
Challenger 1P /media/museum/photos/ohioscient_challenger1p_system_1.jpg /companies/ohio-scientific OHIO Scientific
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NAME Challenger 1P
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MANUFACTURER OHIO Scientific
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TYPE Home Computer
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ORIGIN U.S.A.
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YEAR 1979
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BUILT IN LANGUAGE Microsoft BASIC
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KEYBOARD Full stroke 53 keys
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CPU 6502
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SPEED 1 MHz.
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CO-PROCESSOR None
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RAM 4 KB (static) expandable to 8 KB on board
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VRAM 1 KB
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ROM 8 KB
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TEXT MODES 24 chars. x 24 lines
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GRAPHIC MODES Only built-in graphic characters
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COLORS Monochrome
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SOUND No sound
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SIZE / WEIGHT Unknown
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I/O PORTS Tape recorder (input/output jacks for 300 baud Kansas City Standard tape storage), Composite video
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POWER SUPPLY Built-in 5V power supply unit
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PERIPHERALS 24 KB memory board, floppy discs
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PRICE About $350
photos
links
docs
794
title subtitle text image
BACK SIDE /media/museum/photos/ohioscient_challenger1p_back_1.jpg
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Web Wiz CAPTCHA http://www.webwizcaptcha.com
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SUPERBOARD II / CHALLENGER 1P - USERS MANUAL null /media/museum/docs/couvs/challenger_user-manual.jpg **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
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THE 8K BASIC-IN-ROM - REFERENCE MANUAL null /media/museum/docs/couvs/doc_ohio-scientific_osi-basic.jpg **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
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CHALLENGER 1P - TECHNICAL REPORT null /media/museum/docs/couvs/challenger-1p_technical-report.jpg **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
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THE CHALLENGER CHARACTER GRAPHICS REFERENCE MANUAL null /media/museum/docs/couvs/challenger_characters-graphics-reference-manual.jpg **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
/museum/ohio-scientific-challenger-4p
/museum/ohio-scientific-challenger-ii
/museum/ohio-scientific-challenger-iii
/museum/ohio-scientific-superboard-ii
813
url date
https://web.archive.org/web/20230206200042/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=813 2023-02-06

Ohio Scientific, based in Ohio, USA, were the makers of the Superboard II. The Challenger 1P and Challenger IIP-MF were essentially cased versions of this single board system with integrated keyboard, a single 5Volt power supply and the first 6502 version of Microsoft BASIC interpreter.

An optional floppy disk controller and a extra 24K of ram for this unit was available using a 610 expansion board.

The C1P-MF was an upgraded version of the C1P having 20 KB of RAM and one 90 KB floppy disc drive. Memory could be upgraded up to 32 KB.

The Superboard and its derivatives had good user support and many programs were available.


Some additional information from Mark Alsing:
It had basic keyclick sound capability that could be added by popultaing components (resitors and caps) on the main board.An RS-232 interface could also be added this way and there was a cut-out on the back to mount a DB-25 connector for it. Video output was composite and required an RF modulator to display output on a regular TV. I had a MicroVerter box that put the output on ch. 13 or 14.

Ken Jordan, a game developer who got his start on the OSI-C1P, reports :
The text mode was really 32 x 32, but because of TV overscan only 24 x 24 was used.
As was common, I soldered Atari joysticks to the numeric keys to allow gaming (there was a standard for this mod).