old-computers.com/website
1
0
Fork 0
Code Issues Pull Requests Actions Packages Projects Releases Wiki Activity
Files
de1901464948adcd7a58f8e108309a930123ffe8
website/content/museum/mits-altair-8800.md
T

353 lines
16 KiB
Markdown
Raw Blame History

This file contains invisible Unicode characters
This file contains invisible Unicode characters that are indistinguishable to humans but may be processed differently by a computer. If you think that this is intentional, you can safely ignore this warning. Use the Escape button to reveal them.
---
title: MITS ALTAIR 8800
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Professional Computer
origins:
- U.S.A.
years:
- '1975'
cpus:
- Intel 8080A
params:
name: ALTAIR 8800
image: /media/museum/photos/mits_altair-8800_2.jpg
company: /companies/mits
company_name: MITS
specs:
- label: NAME
value: ALTAIR 8800
- label: MANUFACTURER
value: MITS
- label: TYPE
value: Professional Computer
- label: ORIGIN
value: U.S.A.
- label: YEAR
value: '1975'
- label: KEYBOARD
value: No keyboard, but switches on front panel.
- label: CPU
value: Intel 8080A (rarely 8080)
- label: SPEED
value: 2 MHz (each instruction takes 4 clock cycles)
- label: RAM
value: 256 bytes (you had to buy this memory board)
- label: ROM
value: None
- label: TEXT MODES
value: None (optional 64 x 12 card)
- label: GRAPHIC MODES
value: None
- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
value: Unknown
- label: I/O PORTS
value: Unknown
- label: POWER SUPPLY
value: Unknown
- label: PRICE
value: $595
tabs:
- photos
- adverts
- hardware
- emulators
- links
- docs
- videos
photos:
- title: LARGE VIEW
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/altair_8800_system_s1.jpg
- title: 'FRONT PANEL #1'
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/altair_8800b_fpanel_1.jpg
- title: 'FRONT PANEL #2'
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/altair_8800b_fpanel_2.jpg
- title: TOP VIEW
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/altair_8800b_top_1.jpg
- title: INSIDE
subtitle: ''
text: Note that the back plane didn't receive all of its S-100 connectors. Only the CPU board is inserted.
image: /media/museum/photos/altair_8800b_inside_1.jpg
- title: ALTAIR PERIPHERALS
subtitle: ''
text: Various peripherals including a paper tape reader and 8'' floppy drive units
image: /media/museum/photos/altair_8800_peripherals_1.jpg
- title: THE TARBELL CASSETTE INTERFACE
subtitle: ''
text: This interface can be used with IMSAI or ALTAIR. It transfers from 187 to 540 bytes / second
image: /media/museum/photos/tarbell_k7.jpg
- title: BILL GATES
subtitle: ''
text: Bill Gate giving a demonstration of its first BASIC interpreter, written for the Altair 8800.
image: /media/museum/photos/altair_8800_billgates_1.jpg
- title: PROGRAM EXAMPLE
subtitle: ''
text: |-
An example of assembly program user could enter using sense switches.
Thanks to **Mark Thompson**
image: /media/museum/photos/altair_8800_progsample_1.jpg
- title: PAPER TAPES
subtitle: ''
text: |-
Original Altair paper tape programs. This Assembler package consisted of a **Monitor**, an **Editor**, an **Assembler** and a **Debugger**.
Thanks to **Mark Thompson**
image: /media/museum/photos/altair_8800_papertapes_1.jpg
adverts:
- title: FIRST ADVERT
subtitle: ''
text: 'This painting was the first and the best known MITS Altair advert. It was created by Kim Behm who has since become a well-known artist. At the first beginning of the personal computers era, this advert seems to be saying: In a near future, everybody around the world will have access to a personal computer.'
image: /media/museum/pubs/altair_8800_pub_1.jpg
- title: 'ADVERT #2'
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to **Mark Thompson**
image: /media/museum/pubs/altair_8800_franklinad_1.jpg
- title: POPULAR ELECTRONICS
subtitle: ''
text: Cover and extracts of a 6 page article in the January 1975 issue of Popular Electronics
image: /media/museum/pubs/altair_8800_popularelectronics_1.jpg
- title: SHOW BAG
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/pubs/altair_8800_bag_1.jpg
- title: 1976 PRICE LIST
subtitle: ''
text: |-
Notice that the 16K static RAM expansion is more expensive than the computer itself.
Thanks to **Mark Thompson**
image: /media/museum/pubs/altair_8800_pricelist_1.jpg
- title: 1976 XMAS CATALOG
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to **Mark Thompson**
image: /media/museum/pubs/altair_8800_xmascatalog_1.jpg
- title: 'MITS BROCHURE #1'
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to **Mark Thompson**
image: /media/museum/pubs/altair_8800_brochure_1.jpg
- title: 'MITS BROCHURE #2'
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/pubs/altair_8800_salebrochure_s1.jpg
- title: ALTAIR 'MOBILE' COURSE
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to **Mark Thompson**
image: /media/museum/pubs/altair_8800_course_1.jpg
- title: COMPUTER NOTES
subtitle: ''
text: |-
This fanzine - one of the first of the microcomputers era - was published by the Altair User Group
Thanks to **Mark Thompson**
image: /media/museum/pubs/altair_8800_compnotes_1.jpg
- title: ALTAIR CONVENTION
subtitle: ''
text: |-
The first Altair Convention was here announced in the Computer Notes magazine.
Thanks to **Mark Thompson**
image: /media/museum/pubs/altair_8800_compnotes_2.jpg
- title: BIT SHOPPER
subtitle: ''
text: Spring 1978 issues of Byte Shopper
image: /media/museum/pubs/altair_8800_bitshopper_1.jpg
- title: EARLY ADVERT (SEPTEMBER 1975)
subtitle: ''
text: from Creative Computing magazine
image: /media/museum/pubs/mits_altair_pub-creative-compuetug%20sept1975.jpg
- title: EARLY ADVERT (SEPTEMBER 1975)
subtitle: ''
text: from Creative Computing magazine
image: /media/museum/pubs/mits_altair_pub-creative-computing-sept1975_2.jpg
- title: EARLY ADVERT (NOVEMBER 1975)
subtitle: ''
text: from Creative Computing magazine
image: /media/museum/pubs/mits_altair_pub-creative-computing-nov1975.jpg
hardware:
- title: FLOPPY DISK SYSTEM
subtitle: ''
text: |-
Advert (March 1977) said:
"The North Star Micro-Disk System uses the Shugart minifloppy disc drive. The controller is an S-100 compatible PC board with on-board PROM for bootstrap load. It can control up to three drives. With the PROM bootstrap, we provide our powerful extended Basic (10 Kb) with sequential and random disk file accessing.\
Each 5.25'' diskette has 90k data byte capacity. Basic loads in less than 2 seconds.
Micro-Disk system (kit) **$699**\
Micro-Disk system (Assembled) **$799**\
Additional drive **$425**\
Diskette **$4.5**"
image: /media/museum/hardware/altair_8800_fd_1.jpg
- title: CPU CARD
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/hardware/altair_8800_card_cpu_1.jpg
- title: 1 KB STATIC RAM
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/hardware/altair_8800_card_1kstatic_1.jpg
- title: 4 KB DYNAMIC RAM
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/hardware/altair_8800_card_4kdram_1.jpg
- title: SERIAL I/O CARD
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/hardware/altair_8800_card_serialio_1.jpg
- title: TEST CARD
subtitle: ''
text: Tis card was used to test each contact of a S-100 connector
image: /media/museum/hardware/altair_8800_testconnectorboard.jpg
- title: US ADVERT (1977)
subtitle: ''
text: You could use these joysticks with the Altair or any S100 bus system. They connect to the Cromenco D+7/A I/O board and were meant to play the games available for the Cromenco TV Dazzler, the first video card for personal computer.
image: /media/museum/hardware/cromenco-joysticks_pub_1-1977.jpg
emulators:
- title: SIMH
url: http://simh.trailing-edge.com/
platform: Windows
text: Windows emulator for a lot of mini computers. Sources are available so you can compile them for your own platform.
- title: Altair and IMSAI Emulators
url: http://www.threedee.com/jcm/emu8080/index.html
platform: Other platform
text: A list of Altair / IMSAI emulators
links:
- title: Altair 8800 brochures
url: http://altair.ftldesign.com/
text: 1974 - 1976 Altair 8800 Brochures and Price Lists
- title: 'Computers : from the past to present'
url: http://www.eingang.org/Lecture/altair.html
text: Altair page
- title: The Virtual Altair Museum
url: http://www.virtualaltair.com/
text: Infos about MITS/Pertec Altair 8800/680b/MITS 300/Attache systems
docs:
- title: OPERATOR'S MANUAL
url: http://www.1000bit.net/support/manuali/manuali.asp
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/mits_altair8800_operator-manual.jpg
text: |-
[**OPERATOR'S MANUAL**](http://www.1000bit.net/support/manuali/manuali.asp)written by MITS
 compiled/archived by Robert Krten\
 type of document : PDF\
 size : 5,5 MB\
 source : [www.1000bit.net](http://www.1000bit.net)
- title: ASSEMBLY MANUAL
url: http://www.1000bit.net/support/manuali/manuali.asp
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/mits_altair8800_assembly-manual.jpg
text: |-
[**ASSEMBLY MANUAL**](http://www.1000bit.net/support/manuali/manuali.asp)written by MITS
 compiled/archived by Robert Krten\
 type of document : PDF\
 size : 7 MB\
 source : [www.1000bit.net](http://www.1000bit.net)
- title: THEORY OF OPERATIONS - MANUAL & SCHEMATICS
url: http://www.1000bit.net/support/manuali/manuali.asp
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/mits_altair8800_theory-of-operation.jpg
text: |-
[**THEORY OF OPERATIONS - MANUAL & SCHEMATICS**](http://www.1000bit.net/support/manuali/manuali.asp)written by MITS
 compiled/archived by Robert Krten\
 type of document : PDF\
 size : 387 KB\
 source : [www.1000bit.net](http://www.1000bit.net)
- title: VARIOUS SCHEMATICS
url: http://www.1000bit.net/support/manuali/manuali.asp
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/mits_altair8800_schematics.jpg
text: |-
[**VARIOUS SCHEMATICS**](http://www.1000bit.net/support/manuali/manuali.asp)written by MITS
 compiled/archived by Robert Krten\
 type of document : PDF\
 size : 936 KB\
 source : [www.1000bit.net](http://www.1000bit.net)
videos:
- title: MITS Altair 8800 demonstration
url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAhp_LzvSWk
text: 'Length: 8 min 45 s'
- title: How the Altair 8800 started the PC revolution
url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVwfDA4watU
text: 'Length: 7 min 40 s'
- title: ALTAIR 8800 -The Computer that started Microsoft
url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD4xHCW9YCQ
text: 'Length: 3 min 14 s'
comments:
- author: Jay Lucas (United States)
date: Thursday 28th November 2019
text: Hi All, I''m Jay Lucas, and I have been "into" microcomputers for a long time. My wife is cleaning out the basement, and if anyone wants my old Altair 8800, or its 8" Floppy drive, or one of three Apple Newtons, or any of my 4 Macintosh original computers, let me know. jaylucas@me.com or phone at 703.347.2000 (text preferred). I''m in Alexandria, VA.
- author: David Payne (Melbourne, Australia)
date: Monday 10th February 2014
text: |-
"Forbidden Planet" was set on Altair 4 which would usually mean the 4th planet orbiting Altair counting outwards. Likewise Earth is sometimes referred to as Sol 3.\
I think the Star Trek planet was another number presumably orbitting Altair. Given the size of the brightness at the end of "Forbidden Planet" it would have to be much further out or in a different fictional universe.
- author: David Payne (Melbourne, Australia)
date: Monday 10th February 2014
text: |-
I think after the first 30 or so bytes the loading process would get tiresome, particularly if you had nearly finished $ someone kicked the power plug as happened at Steve Dompier''s famous demo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daisy_Bell
- author: James Parsons (U.S.A.)
date: Wednesday 6th November 2013
text: Ahh it would be fun to flip the data and address bus''s on and off :D
- author: James Parsons (U.S.A.)
date: Wednesday 6th November 2013
text: Ahh it would be fun to flip the data and address bus''s on and off :D
- author: Dave Brandt (US)
date: Monday 11th April 2011
text: Ha! The name Altair came from the great sci-fi movie of the 1950''s, ''''Forbidden Planet", starring Leslie Nielson. Evidently Mr. Roddenberry was a Forbidden Planet fan as well!
- author: Pete Bickerdike (USA)
date: Monday 5th January 2009
text: |-
I had an early Altair bought as a kit from Dick Heiser''s computer store in Los Angeles, had it in my Winnebago motorhome with a LS 7700A terminal.
On a trip around the US in the motorhome, I bought a second dynamic 4K card from Bruce Seals (later to become Seals Electronics - another story) at his Knoxville, TN Byte Shop. The card didn''t work, stopped at MITS in NM on the way back to California, they showed me their repair facility and said that I could leave the card to be repaired if I wanted, said "no thanks" after seeing the 50 or 60 card pile awaiting repair.
I fixed the card myself, finding the refresh timimg was off, they used one-shots to time the refresh, with poor timing components. It took a dual trace scope and careful comparison against my working 4K card.
I used the Altair for many years, toggling in the bootstrap loader for the basic loaded from cassete tape.
- author: Paul Stevens (South Africa)
date: Tuesday 4th June 2002
text: In 1975 When Bill Gates and Paul Allen Got their lates copy of Popular Electronics With The Story about the Altair 8800 they realised that this was what they were waiting for, they started a new company soon after called Micro-Soft
- author: Jay S. Curtis (NY)
date: Tuesday 21st May 2002
text: I built the IMSAI 8080(A) in '76. It took 4 months and cost $625 at the time. I sold it in 1980 after upgrading to text video (TV) and 1K ram for $800
- author: Martin (Sweden)
date: Monday 25th March 2002
text: |-
Hello all!\
I wonde if there is a homepage where\
you can find the manuals for the Altair\
cause i got the emulator but i dont know\
how to use it (=
related:
- /museum/imsai-8080
oc_id: 62
source:
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230413211213/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=62
date: '2023-04-13'
---
This computer was one of the first "home" computers ever made, it was sold as a kit, but for additional money, you could buy one fully assembled.
It had no keyboard, the "program" had to be entered with the switches located on the front panel of the "computer", and as it didn't have video output (yet), the result was displayed via LEDs.
Another computer which had almost the same characteristics was launched by IMSAI and was called [IMSAI 8080](/museum/imsai-8080/) (see both in the "Emulators" section).
The ALTAIR 8800 had one input port, also called the "Sense Switches" (I/O address 255) which was the left hand 8 address switches. Address 255 was also used on the IMSAI. The IMSAI front panel differed from the Altair in that you could also output to port 255 to a displayed LED buffer above the sense switches - a feature the Altair did not have (it only had input). The Altair sense switch were used during boot into Altair DOS to specify the terminal port to the DOS.
MITS made several peripherals and cards for this computer, namely, a video card, a serial card to connect a terminal, a RAM expansion card and a 8" floppy drive that used hard sectored floppies and stored 300 KB.
Several models were launched, they had the same characteristics except the CPU (8080 and later 8080A).
Believe it or not, the name "Altair" comes from Star Trek! The young daughter of the 'Popular Electronics' magazine editor gave it the name of the destination planet of the Enterprise from the episode she was watching.
Reference in New Issue View Git Blame Copy Permalink