website/content/museum/mos-technology-kim-1.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
MOS TECHNOLOGY KIM 1	Computers	Home Computer	U.S.A.	1975	6502	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos adverts hardware connectors emulators links docs oc_id source KIM 1 /media/museum/photos/mos_kim1.jpg /companies/mos-technology MOS TECHNOLOGY label value NAME KIM 1 label value MANUFACTURER MOS Technology label value TYPE Home Computer label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR 1975 label value KEYBOARD Hexadecimal keyboard, calculator type label value CPU 6502 label value SPEED 1 MHz label value RAM 1152 bytes label value ROM 2 KB (assembler) label value TEXT MODES 6 digits LED screen label value GRAPHIC MODES None label value COLORS No label value SOUND Various square wave frequencies could be produced by software label value SIZE / WEIGHT Unknown label value I/O PORTS tape interface, bus expansion, serial (to connect to a terminal) label value POWER SUPPLY 5V / 1.2A and 12V / 100mA. The 12V was only needed for the serial function label value PERIPHERALS Unknown label value PRICE $250 (USA, 1975) photos adverts hardware connectors emulators links docs 161 title subtitle text image COMMODORE VERSION When Commodore bought MOS Technology in 1976, KIM 1 boards were sold with the 'Commodore - MOS' label Thanks to **Richard de Keijzer** /media/museum/photos/mostech_kim1_commodore_2.jpg title subtitle text image LABEL CLOSE-UP Thanks to **Richard de Keijzer** /media/museum/photos/mostech_kim1_label_1.jpg title subtitle text image DOUBLE SIDE CIRCUIT Picture showing all the tracks of the double side circuit. /media/museum/photos/mostech_kim1_doubleside_1.jpg title subtitle text image KIM-1 SCHEMA /media/museum/photos/mostech_kim1_schematics_1.jpg title subtitle text image KIM-1 MANUALS These are the original programing, hardware and KIM-1 user manuals, dated 1976. /media/museum/photos/mos_kim1_manuals_1.jpg title subtitle text image KIM CALCULATOR #1 This antique calculator is not really a calculator, but an ideal case for a KIM-1 board equiped with a full stroke keyboard and a nice display ;-)\ See the next picture for further details. /media/museum/photos/mostech_kim1_calculator_2.jpg title subtitle text image KIM CALCULATOR #2 Inside the KIM calculator. /media/museum/photos/mostech_kim1_calculator_1.jpg title subtitle text image 1976 ADVERT null title subtitle text image RAM BOARD /media/museum/hardware/mostech_kim1_ramboard_1.jpg title subtitle text image PAPER TAPE READER This paper tape reader manufactured by the Teleterminal Corporation and called the Fly Reader could be connected to the Kim 1 board. It could read a paper tape at 300 characters per second. The advantage of the paper tape reader was it could read a little part of a program, even a single character. Unfortunately, it wasn't a puncher and the user had to acquire already punched tapes. /media/museum/hardware/mostech_kim1_papertape_1.jpg title subtitle text image CARDEDGE CONNECTORS Basically it's not easy to get or find the specifications of the cardedge connectors you need for the "A" and "E" slots of a KIM-1. In the manual "KIM-1 Hints" you can find the folowing text:\ 4. WHERE CAN I GETMORE 44-PIN EDGECONNECTORS FOR KIM?\ The connector is a standard part - you can order a Vector No. R644 from most electronic supply houses.\ The connector is also carried by most Radio Shack stores as Part No.276-548. Unfortunately Vector No. 644 is not easy to find. Radio Shack Stores are unknown with Part No.276-548. So I tried to find the Specifications nowdays, and some Part No. for Europe. Outside Europe, you can always go to your local dealer with the specifications. Specifications:\ Cardedge Connector 44 (2x22) 3,96MM or 0,156"\ Part No.\ Conrad Electronics: 74 07 05-44\ Local Dealer: 05.34.2.22B (Print Solder) 05.34.2.22C (Hand Solder) Thanks to **Richard de Keijzer** from the Netherlands for these info. /media/museum/connectors/mostech_kim1_connector_1.jpg title url platform text Soft6502 http://www.crbond.com/soft6502.htm Windows KIM 1 simulator and 6502 programming trainer title url platform text MESS (Multi Emulator Super System) http://www.mess.org Other platform MESS emulates the KIM-1 for many platforms title url platform text The Incredible KIMplement http://www.floodgap.com/retrobits/kim-1/ Other platform KIM-1 emulator for the Commdore 64 !!! title url text Everything you want to know about the KIM 1 is here ! http://ftp.funet.fi/pub/cbm/schematics/kim-1/index-t.html title url text KIM-1 page http://home.hccnet.nl/g.baltissen/kim.htm Nice description with original docs, ROM sources and more title url text Online manuals http://www.ping.be/kim-1__6502/ Online user manual, hardware manual and programming manual! title url text The KIM-1 Enthusiasts Page http://www.kim-1.com/ Nice site with photo gallery, documentations and more title url cover text KIM-1 USER'S GUIDE http://www.commodore.ca/manuals/kim1/kim1_users_guide.txt /media/museum/docs/couvs/vide.gif [**KIM-1 USER'S GUIDE**](http://www.commodore.ca/manuals/kim1/kim1_users_guide.txt)written by MOS Technology  compiled/archived by www.commodore.ca\  type of document : TXT\  source : [www.commodore.ca](http://www.commodore.ca) title url cover text KIM-1 HARDWARE MANUAL http://www.commodore.ca/manuals/kim1/kim1_hardware.txt /media/museum/docs/couvs/vide.gif [**KIM-1 HARDWARE MANUAL**](http://www.commodore.ca/manuals/kim1/kim1_hardware.txt)written by MOS Technology  compiled/archived by www.commodore.ca\  type of document : TXT\  source : [www.commodore.ca](http://www.commodore.ca) title url cover text KIM-1 HINTS http://www.commodore.ca/manuals/kim1/kim1_hints.txt /media/museum/docs/couvs/vide.gif [**KIM-1 HINTS**](http://www.commodore.ca/manuals/kim1/kim1_hints.txt)written by MOS Technology  compiled/archived by www.commodore.ca\  type of document : TXT\  source : [www.commodore.ca](http://www.commodore.ca) title url cover text KIM-1 MONITOR SOURCE CODE http://www.commodore.ca/manuals/kim1/kim1_mon.txt /media/museum/docs/couvs/vide.gif [**KIM-1 MONITOR SOURCE CODE**](http://www.commodore.ca/manuals/kim1/kim1_mon.txt)written by MOS Technology  compiled/archived by www.commodore.ca\  type of document : TXT\  source : [www.commodore.ca](http://www.commodore.ca) 149 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230608152603/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=149 2023-06-08

This prehistoric computer has no "real" keyboard and no video output, program are entered by the small hexadecimal keyboard (located in the lower right part of the picture) and results are displayed on the small LED "screen" (it can display only 6 digits). It has a simple monitor that allows one to examine & modify memory, load and save paper tape, load and save cassette tape, run and debug programs through a 'single step' mode. The monitor works with the built in keypad and LEDs, or a terminal like the Teletype ASR33.

It is possible to connect the KIM to a terminal via a dedicated serial port.

Soon after release, Commodore Business Machines would buy out MOS Technologies and distribute the KIM-1 with a Commodore name on it.

Bob Leedom reports :
The KIM-1 had "no video output", you say? And the "small LED screen...can only display 6 digits"?
Not quite. The software could address each segment of the 7-segment displays in the "LED screen". As a result, tremendous ingenuity was unleashed by the KIM-1 User's Group, and the display was used for many clever things.
The editors published my version of the artificial intelligence board game (in which the computer learns which moves lose, and never makes those moves again, until it's eventually unbeatable), my baseball game (two-player or you vs computer, six kinds of pitches possible, scoreboard, men-on-base display, lots more), and my semi-successful commercial entry called KIM-venture (a tiny version of Adventure, with XYZZY-type secret word, monsters, treasures, 26 rooms, and more).
It was an amazing little computer. Mine still works!