website/content/museum/signetics-instructor-50.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Signetics Instructor 50	Computers	Professional Computer	U.S.A.	1978	Signetics 2650	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos adverts emulators links docs oc_id source Instructor 50 /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_system_s1.jpg /companies/signetics Signetics label value NAME Instructor 50 label value MANUFACTURER Signetics label value TYPE Professional Computer label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR 1978 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE Hexadecimal Monitor label value KEYBOARD 1 hexadecimal keypad + 1 function keypad label value CPU Signetics 2650 label value SPEED 895 kHz label value CO-PROCESSOR Signetics 2656 label value RAM 128 bytes (used by the monitor) + 512 bytes (free for the user) label value ROM 2 KB (monitor) label value TEXT MODES LED display - 1 line of 8 characters label value GRAPHIC MODES None label value COLORS None label value SOUND None label value SIZE / WEIGHT 35 (W) x 25 (D) x 7.5 (H) cm / 1.1 kg label value I/O PORTS Tape interface, S100 compatible expansion bus label value BUILT IN MEDIA None label value POWER SUPPLY External power supply (5V or 8V depending on models) label value PRICE 350$ (USA, 1978) photos adverts emulators links docs 1003 title subtitle text image INSTRUCTOR 50 /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_system_s2.jpg title subtitle text image EARLY MODEL Early models were labeled ''Signetics 2650 Instructor'' /media/museum/photos/signetics_instructor-50_3.jpg title subtitle text image KEYBOARD The right keypad allows to enter Hexadecimal data, the left one manages the ROM monitor - program Run/Stop, breakpoints, CPU registers and memory contents. /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_keyboard_s1.jpg title subtitle text image I/O SWITCHES Each parallel I/O line has its own switch and LED. /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_keyboard_s2.jpg title subtitle text image 2650 INSTRUCTIONS All the 2650 instructions along with their Hex codes are printed onto the user panel. /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_keyboard_s3.jpg title subtitle text image BACK SIDE S100 connector and AC adaptor jack. /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_rear_s1.jpg title subtitle text image UNDERNEATH Thanks to **Rainer Bauer** /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_underneath_s1.jpg title subtitle text image SIGNETICS LABEL Thanks to **Rainer Bauer** /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_label_s1.jpg title subtitle text image MOTHERBOARD **(1)** 512 Bytes RAM chips (4x2112)\ **(2)** 2656 chip, holds the clock generator, 2 KB ROM (Monitor), 128 bytes RAM and I/O decoding\ **(3)** Signetics 2650 CPU\ **(4)** Parallel lines decoder\ **(5)** Tape recorder jacks /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_mainboard_s1.jpg title subtitle text image RUNNING /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_mainboard_s2.jpg title subtitle text image MANUALS Complete set of Signetics and Instructor 50 manuals, along with the Instructor demo cassette. Thanks to **Rainer Bauer** /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_manuals_s1.jpg title subtitle text image LOGIC DIAGRAM /media/museum/photos/signetics_instr50_diagram_s1.jpg title subtitle text image US ADVERT Advert for Instructor 50, Byte March 1979, Page 45. Thanks to Adam Trinfo for this advert /media/museum/pubs/byte%20%28pub%20for%20instructor%2050%29%28march%201979%2C%20page%2045%29.jpg title url platform text WinArcadia http://amigan.classicgaming.gamespy.com/ Windows emulates the Emerson Arcadia 2001 console family, the Interton VC 4000 console family, the Elektor TV Games Computer and the Signetics Instructor 50 computer title url platform text AmiArcadia http://amigan.classicgaming.gamespy.com/ Amiga OS emulates the Emerson Arcadia 2001 console family, the Interton VC 4000 console family, the Elektor TV Games Computer and the Signetics Instructor 50 computer title url text Amigan Software http://amigan.classicgaming.gamespy.com/ A lot of interesting info and documentation here title url cover text SIGNETICS INSTRUCTOR 50 MANUAL http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/components/signetics/2650/Signetics_Instructor_50_Users_Guide_Aug1979.pdf /media/museum/docs/couvs/signetics-2650_usermanual_s.jpg [**SIGNETICS INSTRUCTOR 50 MANUAL**](http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/components/signetics/2650/Signetics_Instructor_50_Users_Guide_Aug1979.pdf)written by Signetics  type of document : PDF\  size : 20 MB\  source : [BitSavers](http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/) 1029 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230606131744/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1029 2023-06-06

The Instructor 50 was a small system designed to teach the use and programmation of the Signetics 2650 CPU. But it was also a real micro-computer with a tape interface to save and load programs, and a S-100 compatible expansion bus.

It actually belonged to a second generation training computers: unlike its predecessors, it wasn't just a raw electronic board, but offered a real plastic case, S-100 bus, tape-interface, etc....

The built-in display was only a eight-digit, seven-segment LED display... When turned on it displays "HELLO". The keyboard was made of an hexadecimal keypad (16 keys) and function keypad (12 keys). Interaction is also made through 8 parallel I/O switches and their corresponding LEDs.

The only software built-in the system was the monitor (called User System Executive or USE), used to program the Instructor 50. Of course, programmation was made in hexadecimal through a simplistic assembler.

The 2 KB ROM was used to store the monitor. RAM was 640 bytes, but 128 bytes were used by the monitor, leaving 512 bytes for programmation. But having 14 address lines, the 2650 CPU was capable of addressing 32K bytes !

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.