website/content/museum/microcomputer-associates-inc-jolt.md

---
title: MICROCOMPUTER ASSOCIATES INC. Jolt
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- U.S.A.
years:
- '1975'
cpus:
- Mos Technology 6502
params:
  name: Jolt
  company: /companies/microcomputer-associates-inc
  company_name: MICROCOMPUTER ASSOCIATES INC.
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: Jolt
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Microcomputer Associates Inc.
  - label: TYPE
    value: Home Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: U.S.A.
  - label: YEAR
    value: November 1975
  - label: END OF PRODUCTION
    value: '1978'
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: none (V.24, teletype connection)
  - label: CPU
    value: Mos Technology 6502
  - label: SPEED
    value: 1 MHz
  - label: RAM
    value: 512 bytes (expandable up to 4 KB)
  - label: VRAM
    value: None
  - label: ROM
    value: 1 KB
  - label: SOUND
    value: None
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: Terminal Interface (TTY or EIA)
  - label: OS
    value: DEMON(TM) machine language monitor/debugger
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: Power supply. +5, +12 or -10(?) volts (sold seperately)
  - label: PRICE
    value: $249 (1975, U.S.A.)
  comments:
  - author: Ray Holt (USA)
    date: Wednesday 17th August 2016
    text: |-
      Hi to all that have commented. I am very sorry I missed some required responses. Please go to my website and you can send a contact message to me from there. Thanks for remembering the JOLT. It was a great little workhorse.

      Ray
  - author: Ray Holt (USA)
    date: Monday 29th April 2013
    text: |-
      If anyone has questions about the F-14 CADC, Jolt, Super Jolt or SYM early computers just let me know.

      Ray Holt\
      Designer
  - author: Achim (Germany/USA)
    date: Thursday 24th June 2021
    text: For a long time I have been looking for the JOLT. I already had it in my hands, but the owner sold his whole collection to someone else. If anyone has a JOLT to offer, please contact me through my website.
  - author: Jim GIlmore (USA)
    date: Monday 7th March 2016
    text: |-
      I still have the Jolt system I purchased in 1977. I have the CPU, 2k EPRom board, Power supply and all the original documentation. It used a machine language program blown into 1702A EPROMs It was used to control audio sources (reel to reel, carts stuido and network ) for a radio station. It was used very successfully for many years before the advent of the modern hard disc based play out systems.

      Always reliable, it still functions (at least the last time I tried it about a year ago).

      A truly great little computer!
  - author: Achim
    date: Thursday 3rd March 2016
    text: |-
      Hi,\
      In 2015 I had the chance to get hands on the JOLT. Unfortunately it was not for sale. I would love to get this early computer. Any offer welcome.\
      Achim
  - author: john erling grande (norwey)
    date: Thursday 18th September 2014
    text: |-
      hi Ray holt , i wonder if i can be abel to recreat your 20 -bit procsesor for the f-16 tom cat , i am intrested in it becuse i have class in computer and electronics . and i belive you mad the first ever microprossesor unit with working cpu ram,rom etc

      pleas answer if you can it will be a great help to our class :) thanks before hand
  - author: Tim Kowalski (Illinois USA)
    date: Wednesday 16th July 2014
    text: |-
      Microcomputer Associates was one of my first employers. I worked with Manny and Ray packing the kits and soldering the assembled boards. I was one of the first 5 employees - Ray, Manny, Frank, Darrel and myself.\
      I would love to get in touch with these guys again. Ray, Manny and Frank were my mentors.
  - author: Tom Anderson (USA)
    date: Sunday 20th March 2011
    text: |-
      The JOLT was my first computer. It was a great little machine. I did a number of interesting projects in the physics lab, connecting it geiger tubes and the like for counting decays per unit time, etc.

      Anyway, I still have it, as well is some of the literature. I could post some photos, if I could figure out how to do it. This form does not seem to allow it.
  oc_id: 875
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230607064545/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=875
    date: '2023-06-07'
---

On December 1975, the coveted inside-front-cover of Byte magazine contained a two-page advertisement for "the world's lowest cost computer system". This was perhaps the first non-MOS Technology 6502 based computer system to come to market, behind only the [TIM](/museum/mos-technology-tim/) and possibly [KIM-1](/museum/mos-technology-kim-1/). The computer was named Jolt, and it was marketed by Microcomputer Associates Inc. as both a kit for $249, or fully assembled and tested for $348 (Dec. 1975 Byte).

Microcomputer Associates also sold add-ons for the basic system. They included 4 kilobytes for $265, an I/O card for $96, and a power supply for $145.

The Jolt is somewhat famous for the part it played in the development of the prototype Atari 2600 VCS, which was assembled using the Jolt computer board.

Jolt was designed and developed by **Raymond M. Holt**, Founder and Executive Vice-President of Microcomputer Associates. Holt went on to design the [SYM-1](/museum/synertek-sym1/) single-board computer, a KIM-1 clone. In the late 1990's Holt was finally given government permission to discuss his role in the development of the F-14 Tomcat. Holt claims he designed and developed the worlds first microprocessor one year before Intel.

**Manny Lemas** was the co-founder of Microcomputer Associates, Inc. Ray Holt was the hardware side and he was the software side of the business. He wrote the **DEMON** (Debugger/Monitor) software for the JOLT.\
This software was actually developed for MOS Technology for use in the TIM chip and the KIM-1 single board computer. M.A. was granted rights to its own version of the software for use in the JOLT.

Part of text and picture provided by [Brian Bagnall](http://www.mts.net/~bbagnall).

<table> <tr> <td></td> <td>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.</td> <td></td> </tr> </table>