vintagecomputer.com

Synertek SYM-1

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:25:38 +0000

The Synertek SYM-1 was a 6502-based single board computer produced by Synertek in 1978; it was a derivative of MOS Technology’s KIM-1. Synertek the company began life back in 1973 as a semiconductor manufacturer based in the United States. Their early products consisted of many different custom designed devices, such as static RAMs, ROMs and both dynamic and static shift registers. Customers of their products included both Atari and Apple who used these devices in their respective console and home based computer lines. Synertek managed to acquire the chip manufacturing company Microcomputer Associates which led to a slight name change called Synertek Systems Inc.

As with any popular system, no matter the time era if a product is found to be popular and selling well then competitors will always jump onboard to either mimic the same success by offering an improved version or will look to undercut it by providing a similar system for less money. In this case Synertek opted for the former route to building a successful system out of the SYM-1 and didn’t look to compete with other microcomputer manufacturers on price, but rather by building a system that would be superior to all and on all fronts from the base unit.

The Synertek SYM-1 was a versatile and sophisticated single board computer, allowing for development of further more powerful microcomputer based systems. At the time it was a direct competitor of the more popular and established KIM-1 system. Although the SYM-1 had an advantage as it contained a number of enhancements such as an improved monitor ROM, three configurable ROM sockets, expandable on board RAM up to 4 kilobytes, an RS232 serial port, a high speed cassette storage device interface and the functionality to run on a single 5 volt power supply. The serial port was a significant improvement over the KIM-1’s allowing for a data transfer rate of 185 bytes per second compared to the lower specification KIM-1’s 8 bytes per second.

Even though the SYM-1 was much more advanced than the KIM-1, the SYM-1 was well designed and as such was able to take advantage of the established KIM-1’s peripheral cards and data storage functions. The system can even be accessed without the need for an external monitor, using the 28-key keypad and the 6-digit LED display. The system had four ROM sockets to allow for permanent program storage. The operating system ‘Supermon monitor’ program was based in one ROM and BASIC or other applications installed in the other ROMs that load on boot up.

Synertek would sell ROMs that when installed allowed for the addition of the BASIC programming language or others such as the Resident Assembler Editor. Another language that could be installed onto a ROM was the Macro Assembler Editor. It was created by a company called Eastern House Software who had also sold the same Macro Assembler to other companies who produced 6502-based computers such as Commodore, Atari, Kim and Apple. As an evaluation board the SYM-1 could be hooked up to an Oscilloscope providing a 32 character display under software use.

MOS KIM-1

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:07:53 +0000

The MOS KIM-1 was a single board computer created by MOS Technology in 1976. The acronym KIM stood for Keyboard Input Monitor, which I’m sure their marketing department spent a good few seconds coming up with. The MOS-1 was developed out of MOS Technologies need to build a processor that couldn’t be plugged into existing Motorola motherboards, as Motorola where suing them for previously producing a processor that did just that. With a capable processor but no available motherboard to use, an electrical engineer at MOS called Chuck Peddle designed what we now know as the KIM-1.

The MOS KIM-1 was able to establish itself well in the market and built up a loyal following of hobbyists due to its cheap price point. The system was initially intended as a training and development tool to allow engineers to become accustomed with the new CPU used for industrial applications. The system came fully assembled and housed a large operating system; this allowed the KIM-1 to be directly attached to a Teletype like the ASR-33 or to terminals like the ADM-3. By adding a cassette tape drive the user would have a complete system for creating programs.

Most hobbyists purchased the system to hone their skills in developing programs written in Assembly language. This spawned the creation of numerous books on the subject with different programs listed for turning the KIM-1 into a variety of different tools. One popular book was by Jim Butterfield, it was titled as ‘The First Book of KIM’ which allowed the programmer access to fully understanding the capabilities of the machine. The book detailed programs with code and then explanations of what the lines of code meant and how they produced the resultant effect. Programs ranged from simple recreational games and educational programs to full blown diagnostic and utility programs designed to make the KIM-1 a more powerful machine.

Over time the KIM-1 kept growing in popularity and saw rise to a series of changes through both its hardware and software. There where additional RAM chips available to increase the systems available memory, this allowed for more complex procedures to take place on the KIM-1. One of the benefits of the additional RAM was to allow the introduction of the Tiny BASIC programming language as a platform for the microcomputer. Although the BASIC program was hampered by the fact it had to load onto the system through the cassette tape drive and could take up to 20 minutes to load.

The KIM-1 consisted of a single printed circuit board, with three main integrated circuits, a MCS6502 CPU and two MCS6530 peripheral memory devices. It also housed six 7-segmented LEDs and 24-key keypad. A short while into the KIM-1’s lifetime its parent company MOS Technology was bought out by Commodore who continued production of the unit in its original form for a little while. The KIM-1’s original designer Chuck Peddle began work on a newer version that retained the core abilities of the processor but with the additions of a full keyboard, monitor and cassette drive.

Commodore Pet

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:49:02 +0000

The Commodore PET was Commodore’s first fully featured computer for the home computer market. Introduced to the world in 1977 the Commodore PET soon became a best seller in the North American educational markets and spawned a whole host of products based on its 8-bit microprocessor. This firmly managed to create the first inroads for Commodore into the home and education spheres. This would later lead to Commodore producing some of the most successful home based systems in the early 1980’s with the Commodore 64 and in the early 1990’s with the Amiga 500 personal computer systems.

Back in the 1970’s Commodore was a manufacturer of calculators based upon Texas Instruments chips; however when Texas Instruments decided to raise the wholesale price of these chips Commodore found that it was no longer cost effective. This lead Commodore to investigate producing their own chip set, they made contact with MOS Technology who were in the early stages of manufacturing their 6502 microprocessor. After much discussion MOS Technology engineers managed to convince the owners of Commodore that the Calculator market was finished and that the brave new frontier was in home based computers.

Jack Tramiel the owner of Commodore insisted that the team members at MOS their newly acquired semiconductor company start work on creating a computer in time for the 1977 Consumer Electronics show. With only a six month window to work within the team managed to produce the first all in one home computer, the Commodore PET or if you prefer the Personal Electronic Transactor, what a beautiful name. The first of the PET range was the PET 2001 with a 6502 processor at its core it controlled the screen, keyboard, cassette tape storage and any attached peripherals that used anyone of the PET’s available expansion ports.

The PET 2001 came in a couple of different outfits initially; there was a choice of having either 4KB or 8KB of 8-bit RAM however the 4KB version was eventually scrapped. The single board computer utilized a built in monochrome monitor that could display 40 characters over 25 lines. The PET 2001 also had an inbuilt Datassette positioned at the front of the machine providing data storage facilities, it could transfer data at a rate of 1500 baud to tape. Also at the front of the machine was a small keyboard on the right hand side that wasn’t very big due to the Datasette taking up a large portion of the left hand area.

At launch the PET 2001 enjoyed a little bit of success however there were a number of complaints about the systems less than convenient keyboard. Considering the size of the actual machine the keyboard was ridiculously small, and clearly not aimed at anyone that would have to endure typing for any serious length of time. This issue was resolved when Commodore released an updated version with the PET 2001-N and PET 2001-B versions. These allowed for a larger keyboard to dominate the front area of the machine with the Datasette relegated from the casing to being an external only peripheral.

Commodore’s new PET-N range came with a newer version of the previous models motherboard and shifted focus from having static RAM only to using dynamic RAM instead. This resulted in various different models being made available based on the amount of dynamic RAM they contained. At the lower end was the 8KB version followed by 16KB and 32KB also, sales for the new machines were so good that Commodore expand the sales territory of the PET to include Europe also.

With sales of the Commodore PET 2001 continuing to stay strong the last version of the PET in its classic form was the PET 4000 series. The PET 4000 was in essence a glorified version of later PET 2000 series with a larger monitor and a newer version of the BASIC programming language. The PET 4000 built up a stronghold as a functional machine for school use, as its tough external metal construction stood up well to the rough classroom use. Another reason for its relatively wide success in the classroom was due to its ports that allowed for local area networks to be easily setup and allow shared access of printers and disk drives.

There were two final systems released under the PET moniker, the first was the CBM 8000 and the last was the SP9000 known also as the SuperPET. The CBM 8000 shipped with a newer display chip that rendered it incompatible with the programs already established for the previous PET machines and as such the system didn’t have much commercial success. The SB9000 was based on the same framework as the CBM8000 but had an additional CPU, more RAM and included more programming languages. The SuperPET system was mainly used in universities as a smart terminal for teaching students how to program.

The PET’s graphics capabilities were very limited so Commodore released a High resolution graphics boards to allow it to compete with the Apple II and Commodore’s own VIC-20. Some people at the time assumed that the PET range would find favor with only casual computer users, but hobbyists noticed the huge potential due to the options and flexibility built into the PET. From the way it handles strings and machine language access to the second cassette interface made the system suitable for expansion and enhancement.

Overall the PET platform provided entry for many to owning a home computer due to its low entry price point. Schools and universities also embraced the system due to its easy ability to program using BASIC. For many school children of today the functionality of the PET computers would not be understood for its significance in what home computers of that era established over 30 years ago. The y allowed for accessibility to hardware that previously would have always been out of the reach of everyday school children or undergraduates. We now take computers for granted and are underwhelmed with quite how powerful these machines actually are, and it’s only now that we can truly appreciate just how far things in the computer world have come along.

Commodore 64 User Guide

admin — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:10:23 +0000

Below is the Commodore 64 User Guide Thanks to the guy’s at Project 64. Check out their site for more Commodore 64 documentation.

COMMODORE 64 USER’S GUIDE
_____
/ ___|___
| / |__/ c o m m o d o r e
| \___|__\ C O M P U T E R
\_____|

USER’S MANUAL STATEMENT

“This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and if
not installed and used properly, that is, in strict accordance with the
manufacturer’s instructions, may cause interference to radio and
television reception. It has been type tested and found to comply with
the limits for a Class B computing device in accordance with the
specifications in Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC rules, which are designed
to provide reasonable protection against such interference in a
residential installation. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this
equipment does cause interference to radio or television reception,
which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user
is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures:

- reorient the receiving antenna,

- relocate the computer with respect to the receiver,

- move the computer away from the receiver,

- plug the computer into a different outlet so that computer and
receiver are on different branch circuits.

“If necessary, the user should consult the dealer or an experienced
radio/television technician for additional suggestions. The user may
find the following booklet prepared by the Federal Communications
Commission helpful: ‘How to Identify and Resolve Radio-TV Interference
Problems.’ This booklet is available from the U.S. Government Printing
Office, Washington, D.C. 20402, Stock No. 004-000-00345-4.”

COMMODORE 64 USER’S GUIDE

Published by
Commodore Business Machines, Inc.
and
Howard W. Sams & Co., Inc.

FIRST EDITION
THIRD PRINTING-1983

This manual is copyrighted and contains proprietary information. No part
of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of COMMODORE BUSINESS MACHINES, Inc.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

1. SETUP
1.1. Unpacking and Connecting the Commodore 64
1.2. Installation
1.3. Optional Connections
1.4. Operation
1.5. Color Adjustment

2. GETTING STARTED
2.1. Keyboard
2.2. Back to Normal
2.3. Loading and Saving Programs
2.4. PRINT and Calculations
2.5. Precedence
2.6. Combining Things

3. BEGINNING BASIC PROGRAMMING
3.1. The Next Step
GOTO
3.2. Editing Tips
3.3. Variables
3.4. IF … THEN
3.5. FOR … NEXT Loops

4. ADVANCED BASIC
4.1. Introduction
4.2. Simple Animation
Nested Loops
4.3. INPUT
4.4. GET
4.5. Random Numbers and Other Functions
4.6. Guessing Game
4.7. Your Roll
4.8. Random Graphics
CHR$ and ASC Functions

5. ADVANCED COLOR AND GRAPHIC COMMANDS
5.1. Color and Graphics
5.2. PRINTing Colors
5.3. Color CHR$ Codes
5.4. PEEKs and POKEs
5.5. Screen Graphics
5.6. Screen Memory Map
5.7. Color Memory Map
5.8. More Bouncing Balls

6. SPRITE GRAPHICS
6.1. Introduction to Sprites
6.2. Sprite Creation
6.3. Additional Notes on Sprites
6.4. Binary Arithmetic

7. CREATING SOUND
7.1. Using Sound if You’re Not a Computer Programmer
7.2. Structure of a Sound Program
7.3. Sample Sound Program
7.4. Making Music on Your Commodore 64
7.5. Important Sound Settings
7.6. Playing a Song on the Commodore 64
7.7. Creating Sound Effects
7.8. Sample Sound Effects To Try

8. ADVANCED DATA HANDLING
8.1. READ and DATA
8.2. Averages
8.3. Subscripted Variables
One-Dimensional Arrays
Averages Revisited
8.4. DIMENSION
8.5. Simulated Dice Roll With Arrays
8.6. Two-Dimensional Arrays

APPENDICES
Introduction
A: COMMODORE 64 ACCESSORIES AND SOFTWARE
B: ADVANCED CASSETTE OPERATION
C: COMMODORE 64 BASIC
D: ABBREVIATIONS FOR BASIC KEYWORDS
E: SCREEN DISPLAY CODES
F: ASCII AND CHR$ CODES
G: SCREEN AND COLOR MEMORY MAP
H: DERIVING MATHEMATICAL FUNCTIONS
I: PINOUTS FOR INPUT/OUTPUT DEVICES
J: PROGRAMS TO TRY
K: CONVERTING STANDARD BASIC PROGRAMS TO COMMODORE 64 BASIC
L: ERROR MESSAGES
M: MUSIC NOTE VALUES
N: BIBLIOGRAPHY
O: SPRITE REGISTER MAP
P: COMMODORE 64 SOUND CONTROL SETTINGS

INDEX

INTRODUCTION

Congratulations, on your purchase of one of the best computers in the
world. You are now the proud owner of the COMMODORE 64. Commodore is
known as The Friendly Computer company, and part of being friendly is
giving you easy to read, easy to use and easy to understand instruction
manuals. The COMMODORE 64 USER’S GUIDE is designed to give you all the
information you need to properly set up your equipment, get acquainted
with operating the COMMODORE 64, and give you a simple, fun start at
learning to make your own program.
For those of you who don’t want to bother learning how to program,
we’ve put all the information you need to use Commodore programs or other
prepackaged programs and/or game cartridges (third party software) right
up front. This means you don’t have to hunt through the entire book to
get started.
Now let’s look at some of the exciting features that are just waiting
for you inside your COMMODORE 64. First, when it comes to graphics you’ve
got the most advanced picture maker in the microcomputer industry. We
call it SPRITE GRAPHICS, and it allows you to design your own pictures in
4 different colors, just like the ones you see on arcade type video
games. Not only that, the SPRITE EDITOR let’s you animate as many as 8
different picture levels at one time. The SPRITE EDITOR will soon be
available as software program that you can load directly into your
COMMODORE 64. You can move your creations anywhere on the screen, even
pass one image in front of or behind another. Your COMMODORE 64 even
provides automatic collision detection which instructs the computer to
take the action you want when the sprites hit each other.
Next, the COMMODORE 64 has built-in music and sound effects that rival
many well known music synthesizers. This part of your computer gives you
3 independent voices, each with a full 9 octave “piano-type” range. In
addition you get 4 different waveforms (sawtooth, triangle, variable
pulse, and noise), a programmable ADSR (attack, decay, sustain, release)
envelope generator and a programmable high, low, and bandpass filter for
the voices, and variable resonance and volume controls. If you want your
music to play back with professional sound reproduction, the COMMODORE 64
allows you to connect your audio output to almost any high-quality
amplification system.
While we’re on the subject of connecting the COMMODORE 64 to other
pieces of equipment … your system can be expanded by adding
accessories, known as peripherals, as your computing needs grow. Some of
your options include items like a DATASSETTE recorder or as many as 5,
VIC 1541 disk drive units for the programs you make and/or play. If you
already have a VIC 1540 disk drive your dealer can update it for use with
the COMMODORE 64. You can add a VIC dot matrix printer to give you
printed copies of your programs, letters, invoices, etc… If you want to
connect up with larger computers and their massive data bases then just
plug in a VICMODEM cartridge, and get the services of hundreds of
specialists and a variety of information networks through your home or
business telephone. Finally if you’re one of those people interested in
the wide variety of applications software available in CP/M, the
COMMODORE 64 can be fitted with a plug-in Z-80 microprocessor.
Just as important as all the available hardware is the fact that this
USER’S GUIDE will help you develop your understanding of computers. It
won’t tell you everything there is to know about computers, but it
will refer you to a wide variety of publications for more detailed
information about the topics presented. Commodore wants you to really
enjoy your new COMMODORE 64. And to have fun, remember: programming is
not the kind of thing you can learn in a day. Be patient with yourself
as you go through the USER’S GUIDE. But before you start, take a few
minutes to fill out and mail in the owner/registration card that come
with your computer. It will ensure that your COMMODORE 64 is properly
registered with Commodore Headquarters and that you receive the most
up-to-date information regarding future enhancements for your machine.
Welcome to a whole new world of fun!

NOTE:
Many programs are under development while this manual is being
produced. Please check with your local Commodore dealer and with
Commodore User’s Magazines and Clubs, which will keep you up to date on
the wealth of applications programs being written for the Commodore 64,
worldwide.

1. SETUP

1.1. Unpacking and Connecting the Commodore 64

The following step-by-step instructions show you how to connect the
Commodore 64 to your television set, sound system, or monitor and make
sure everything is working properly.
Before attaching anything to the computer, check the contents of the
Commodore 64 container. Besides this manual, you should find the
following items:

1. Commodore 64
2. Power supply (black box with an AC plug and supply cord)
3. Video cable
4. TV Switchbox (small silver box with short antenna leads).

If any items are missing check back with your dealer immediately for a
replacement.
First, let’s take a look at the arrangement of the various connections
on the computer and how each functions.

/####\——–^–\
/#### |
/#### |
____/#### |
/ |
| —- —- __ /-\ |
| \–/ \–/ == \_/ |
\________________\___/______/____|__/
\/ / |
3 2 1
GAME POWER POWER
PORTS SWITCH SOCKET

___/###\__/##_##_##_##_##_##_##_##_##_##_##_##_##_##_##_##\__
|————————————————————-|
| |
| |
| |
| +————–+ /-\ /-\ +——+ +———-+ |
| |==============| [=] O \_/ \_/ |======| |==========| |
+—–/————-/—-/—–\—–\——–\———\—–+
/ / / \ \ \ \
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
CARTRIDGE CHANNEL TV AUDIO/VIDEO SERIAL CASSETTE USER
SLOT SELECTOR CONNECTOR CONNECTOR PORT INTERFACE PORT

SIDE PANEL CONNECTIONS

1. POWER SOCKET. The free end of the cable from the power supply is
attached here to supply power to the Commodore 64.
2. POWER SWITCH. Turns on power to the Commodore 64.
3. GAME PORTS. Each game connector can accept a joystick or game
controller paddle, while the lightpen can only be plugged into the
game port closest to the front of your computer.

REAR CONNECTIONS

4. CARTRIDGE SLOT. The rectangular slot to the left accepts program or
game cartridges.
5. CHANNEL SELECTOR. Use this switch to select which TV channel the
computer’s picture will be displayed on.
6. TV CONNECTOR. This connector supplies both the picture and sound to
your television set.
7. AUDIO & VIDEO OUTPUT. This connector supplies direct audio, which
can be connected to a high quality sound system, and a “composite”
video signal, which can be fed into a television “monitor”.
8. SERIAL PORT. You can attach a printer or single disk drive directly
to the Commodore 64 through this connector.
9. CASSETTE INTERFACE. A DATASSETTE recorder can be attached to the
computer so you can save information entered for use at a later
time.
10. USER PORT. Various interface cartridges can be attached to the user
port, such as the VICMODEM, or RS 232 communication cartridge.

1.2. Installation

CONNECTIONS TO YOUR TV

Connect the computer to your TV as shown below.

TV
Switchbox +–+—————–+–+
+—–+ | | /————-\#| |
/—————#= =| |= | | | |#| |
| +–#–+ | | | |#| |
| \\_ | | | | | |
| \_ | | | | | |
To TV | To 300 Ohm | | \————-/ | |
Signal # Antenna Input +==+=================+==+
Jack |
/————————\
| |=—\
| #################### ## | |
| #################### ## | |
| ################## ## | |
| ############## ## | |
\________________________/ |
|
|
|
+—+
| | Power
| | Supply
+—+
|
|

1. Attach one end of the TV cable to the phono type TV signal jack at the
rear of the Commodore 64. Just push it in. Either end of the cable can
be used.
2. Connect the other end of the cable to the antenna switchbox. Just push
it in.
3. If you have a VHF antenna, disconnect it from your TV set.
4. Connect your VHF antenna cable to the screw terminals labeled “antenna
input” on the switchbox. If your antenna cable is the round 75-ohm
coax type, use a 75-ohm to 300-ohm adapter (not supplied) to attach
your antenna cable to the switchbox.
5. Connect the twin lead output cable of the antenna switchbox to the VHF
antenna terminals of your TV set. If your set is one of the newer
types with a round 75-ohm VHF connector, you will need a 300-ohm to
75-ohm converter (not supplied) to connect the switchbox to the 75-ohm
VHF antenna input on the set.
6. Set the TV’s VHF tuner to the channel number indicated on the
computer’s channel selector switch (channel 3 move the switch to the
left, channel 4 move the switch to the right). If a strong local TV
signal is present on one of these channels, select the other channel
to avoid possible interference.
7. Plug the power supply cable into the power socket on the side of the
Commodore 64. Just push it in. It is “keyed” to allow insertion in
only one direction, so you can’t connect the power cord the wrong way.
The power supply converts household current into the form the computer
uses.

/+—————+
+ | |
| | | |
| | | |
/ | | | |
|========| | |
|========| | |
/ | | | |
| | |
| | _ _ /
| | |O| |O| |
+ | # # |
\+—–\—/—-+
\ /
| |
| |
| |
++-++
75 Ohm to |___|
300 Ohm —-> | |
Adapter | |
+—+
\=/
###
Your 75 Ohm —-> | |
Coax VHF Antenna | |

/———– ———–\
| /==\ /==\ /==\ |
| ||__|| ||__|| ||__|| |
| \__/ \__/ \__/ |
\__________________________/
^ To VHF
_|___ ANT.
+—+/
300 Ohm | ||
to 75 Ohm –> | ||
Adapter ++-++/
| |
| |
|_|/
/

The Commodore 64 is now correctly connected. No additional connections
are required to use the computer with your TV. The antenna switchbox will
connect the computer to the TV when the slide switch is in the “computer”
position. When the switch is in the “TV” position your set will operate
normally.

___/###\__/##_##_##_##_##_##_##_##_##_##_##_##_##_##_##_##\__
|————————————————————-|
| |
| |
| |
| +————–+ /-\ /-\ +——+ +———-+ |
| |==============| [=] O \_/ \_/ |======| |==========| |
+————————————————————-+
^
To |
TV Signal |
Jack
| Back of Your TV
# _/—————————–
| | /
\ / +——————————–
| |
\__________I______________________
| \
|——-+ |
| UHF | |
| O O | |#|
| VHF | |
||O| |O|| /———=-\
/| # # | | COMPUTER |
/ |-|—|-+ | | |
200 Ohm | | | | | |
VHF | | \_____| | |
Input | \_________| | |
| | | |
| | TV |
| Antenna ->| |O| |O| |
| Switch \___#___#___/
| Box | | __
| |___|/
__/
Your VHF
Antenna
(If Used)

1.3. Optional Connections

Since the Commodore 64 furnishes a channel of high fidelity sound, you
may wish to play it through a quality amplifier to realize the best sound
possible. In addition, the Commodore 64 also provides a standard
“composite” video signal, which can be fed into a television monitor.
These options are made possible by the audio/video output jack on the
rear panel of the Commodore 64. The easiest way to gain access to these
signals is by using a standard 5-Pin DIN audio cable (not supplied). This
cable connects directly to the audio/video connector on the computer. Two
of the four pins on the opposite end of the cable contain the audio and
video signals. Optionally, you can construct your own cable, using the
pinouts shown in Appendix I as a guide.
Normally, the BLACK connector of the DIN cable supplies the AUDIO
signal. This plug may be connected to the AUXILIARY input of an
amplifier, or the AUDIO IN connector of a monitor or other video system,
such as a video cassette recorder (VCR).
The WHITE or RED connector usually supplies the direct VIDEO signal.
This plug is connected to the VIDEO IN connector of the monitor or video
input section of some other video system, such as a VCR.
Depending on the manufacturer of your DIN cable, the color coding of
the plugs may be different. Use the pinouts shown in Appendix I to match
up the proper plugs if you don’t get an audio or video signal using the
suggested connections.

__###__################################__
/ \
| Audio/Video |
| Output |
|—————–_—_——————-|
| ========= = o | | | | ===== ========= |
+—————————————–+

^
|

/-\
| |
| |
#
|
|
To AUXILIARY |
INPUT or |
____________ TUNER INPUT |
/ \ / \ To VIDEO IN
+—-++————++—-+ +————+—+
| || ### ====== || | | /——–\ | O |
| || === OoooO || | || || = |
| ||————|| | || || o |
| || | | | || | | \________/ | |
| || | | | || | +————+—+
+—-++============++—-+
TV Monitor
Audio System

If you purchased peripheral equipment, such as a VIC 1541 disk drive or
a VIC 1525E printer, you may wish to connect it at this time. Refer to
the user’s manuals supplied with any additional equipment for the
procedure for connecting it to the computer.

A completed system might look like this.

[ Picture omitted ]

1.4. Operation

USING THE COMMODORE 64

1. Turn on the computer using the rocker switch on the right-side panel
when you’re looking at the computer from the front.
2. After a few moments the following will be displayed on the TV screen:

**** COMMODORE 64 BASIC V2 ****
64K RAM SYSTEM 38911 BASIC BYTES FREE

READY.
_

3. If your TV has a manual fine tuning knob, adjust the TV until you get
a clear picture.
4. You may also want to adjust the color and tint controls on the TV for
the best display. You can use the color adjustment procedure described
later to get everything setup properly. When you first get a picture,
the screen should appear mostly dark blue, with a light blue border
and letters.

If you don’t get the expected results, recheck the cables and
connections. The accompanying chart will help you isolate any problem.

TROUBLESHOOTING CHART

Apple Macintosh

admin — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:03:23 +0000

The first Apple Macintosh was a personal computer released in 1984. In 1983 Apple had released a business computer called the Lisa with a graphical user interface, and mouse, which was a far cry from other computers at the time which mostly used MS-DOS. The Lisa was never really meant as a personal computer and retailed at $10,000, but Apple was very pleased with its concept and had started working on an affordable variation, a personal computer that was affordable for its time, and that used the Lisa’s graphical user interface design. The result was the Apple Macintosh which was launched in January of 1984 with the sales price of $2,495.

Apple Computers spent an enormous amount of money on promoting the Macintosh, including a 1.5 million dollar groundbreaking commercial that ran during Super Bowl XVIII depicting the coming of Macintosh to save the world from an Orwellian depicted IBM status quo. The company also spent 2.5 million dollars to buy all of the advertising pages in 1984′s post election issue of Newsweek Magazine. Apple spent so much on the ads for the Apple Macintosh that they raised the actual price of the computer from $1,995 to $2,495.

The Macintosh was very different compared to other computers at the time. Most systems at the time were running MS-DOS, or similar variations. The Macintosh ran a single user, single tasking operating system, known as Mac System Software, which came on a 400 KB floppy disc. The 1984 Apple Macintosh was extremely user friendly, with a menu bar that included File, Edit, Search, Format, Font, and Style options, which were revolutionary in its day, and still in use close to 30 years later. The 1984 Apple Macintosh most closely resembles personal computers used today more so than any other computer systems around at the time.

Specs

The 1984 Apple Macintosh used a Motorola 68000 processor. Its initial speed was 8 MHz. It had 128 KB of RAM as well as 64KB of ROM. Storage included a built in 200K 3.5″ floppy drive, with optional external 3.5″ floppy drives. I/O included parallel and serial, and video was 512 x 364 monochrome.

Legacy

Initially the first Apple Macintosh grabbed hold of the public’s imagination with its marketing as a personal computer for the people, while painting other computers at the time as stale, boring, and rigid. They were targeting everyday people, and not just businesses and hobbyists. It was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature both a mouse and GUI (graphic user interface). The Apple Macintosh, or the Mac as it is more commonly known today, continued to evolve and eventually led to technological innovations used everyday, including the iPhone, iPad, and several other Apple devices, and devices based on Apple innovations.

Interesting Facts

“1984″, the name of the commercial that introduced the public to the Apple Macintosh personal computer, and caused quite a stir all over the media was directed by Ridley Scott, who also directed the movies “Alien”, “Blade Runner”, and several other successful films.

MITS Altair 8800

admin — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:38:03 +0000

The MITS Altair 8800 was a computer sold in 1975 through popular hobbyist magazines like Radio-Electronics, and Popular Electronics. MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) had hoped to sell a couple of hundred to hobbyists and enthusiasts and were shocked when their niche hobby computer sold thousands in the very first month. The Altair 8800 was originally marketed towards hobbyists who enjoyed putting together their own electronics, and the computer was sold as DIY kit with parts and circuit boards buyers could put together themselves. The extra orders that pushed the sales over initial projections were from people and businesses who wanted a computer already assembled. The DIY kit originally sold for $439, but MITS also sold assembled Altair 8800s for $621.

The MITS company was founded by Ed Roberts and Forrest Mims, two friends who had worked at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory, in 1969. They worked out of Roberts’ garage and initially worked on and sold transmitters, model rockets, and calculators. The company soon began taking off when it released its MITS Altair 8800 in 1975. The sales of their Altair 8800 were so beyond their initial expectations that they had to hire more than quadruple their starting staff to maintain orders. Their company went from 20 employees to 90 in less than a year to keep up with demand.

Specs

The processor was the Intel 8080 or 8080a. Initial speed for the Altair 8800 was 2 MHz. RAM was 256 bytes to 64K. ROM was optional, and the most common one ordered for it was the Intel 1702 EPROMS at 256 Bytes. The Altair 8800 did not come with an operating system in ROM and required the user to start it up by using front panel switches turned on in a specific order. Several storage options were offered including paper tape, cassette tape, and both 5.25″ and 8″ disks. Expansion was unique, with the original kit offering 4 slot motherboards with room for 4 in the case for a total of 16 total slots. Later models were made available with 18 slots. It used the S-100 Bus and offered an optional I/O, either serial or parallel. OS options included MITS DOS, CP/M, or Altair Disk BASIC.

Legacy

The Altair 8800 is considered by most to be the first commercially successful personal computer. It was the first computer to not only cater to hobbyists and electronic enthusiasts, but to also reach out and become accepted by businesses and regular people who wanted to own their very own computer, without knowing the ins and outs of them. Many consider the Altair 8800 with launching a new era of microcomputers and several small computer systems for both individuals and businesses soon followed from different computer companies.

Interesting Facts

The Altair 8800 would help to launch Microsoft as well, who would go on to redefine modern personal computers. A young Bill Gates and Paul Allen designed Altair BASIC and sold it to MITS, and would go on to form Microsoft soon after.

Commodore 64

admin — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:48:39 +0000

Today we live in an age where we all expect results in an instant, as society seems to have lost its patience for waiting for stuff to just happen let me take you on a journey back to a much simpler time, the 1980’s and the birth of the Commodore 64 home computer. Back then the standard of computer graphics would be caveman like when compared to today’s home consoles with their realistic high definition graphics and surround sound capabilities. The commodore 64’s graphics were crude block like pictures, and it would be no exaggeration to say that the sound would be put to shame by a child’s first keyboard.

Commodore International the company behind the imaginatively named Commodore 64 started out as a manufacturer of calculators back in the 1970’s. When they stopped focusing on calculators they produced their first retail 8-bit home computer called the VIC-20 in 1980. By 1982 the VIC-20 had become the best selling home computer on the market and lead to the introduction of the Commodore 64 in the same year.

In the early 80’s Commodore’s main competitor in the personal computer market was Atari and by 1983 their rivalry had led to a price war seeing prices of home computers fall drastically. Atari found it could no longer compete with Commodore’s aggressive pricing and marketing campaigns and left Commodore to take control of the market. The other notable competitor to Commodore at the time was Apple with their Apple II but at more than twice the price of the Commodore 64 found itself more of a niche product rather than mass market. This occurred despite the fact that the Apple was a better spec machine with more advanced higher resolution graphics.

The Commodore 64 would eventually go on to not only become Commodore’s best selling computer but the biggest selling home computer of all time with over 15 million units sold. The Commodore appealed to the market at the time featuring superior graphics and sound capabilities compared to the previous VIC-20 model. Another reason for the wide spread success of the machine was due to the extensive library of games made available for the system. It has been estimated that about 10,000 commercial titles were made available during the Commodore 64’s lifetime.

The age of these early home based machines lead to the rise of many bedroom programmers, who found comfort in the ease with which they could get to grips with the coding and architecture of the system. Many now run multimillion dollar companies such as the founders of Codemasters Software who began writing software on the Commodore.

The Commodore 64 didn’t have an operating system and used a ROM based version of the BASIC programming language to access the kernel. The version of BASIC used was very limited in its capabilities with no direct commands for either sound or graphics. Most programs had to be written in assembly language using machine code which allowed for maximum speed with minimum memory resource usage.

The graphics chip for the Commodore allowed 16 colors to be displayed on screen with 8 hardware sprites per scanline. The chip allowed for a reasonable standard of graphics during the 1980’s especially when compared to rival machines from Apple and Atari. Pixels moved smoothly across the screen regardless of the video mode being employed, the only notable anomaly were the borders it produced around the screen.

The sounds that could be achieved on the Commodore 64 were synonymous with the machine and became an iconic feature at the time. The SID chip as it was called was capable of 3 channels of sound allowing for the distinctive tunes that became as popular as the games they were created for. The sound chip was designed by Bob Yannes who was disappointed with the sound chips of the time so embarked on developing what was then regarded by many as one of the most sophisticated sound chips of that era. He continued to further his work in the sound chip field and is now well respected for his work in creating modern sound synthesizers.

The Commodore 64 had a variety of different peripherals that could be attached to the external cartridge port. The company produced three different models of floppy drive for the machine as well as a dot-matrix printer, modem and mouse. Of all the peripherals commodore made the most widely used would have been the Commodore 1530 Datasette. The Datasette was a glorified cassette player that was used to run software cassette tapes. It would become the bane of many a gamers’ life as the software would be painfully slow to load.

Back in the 1980’s people knew how to wait as they simply had no choice, the humble VCR which was a revelation as they now had the ability to record and watch back their favorite TV shows. The downside was that they had to wait for what seemed like forever when they had to rewind the cassette, the same scenario played out with the Walkman cassette players in homes and schools across the globe. Nothing however could compare to the Datasette which had a tendency to load for a good fifteen minutes and then crash. The cassette would then have to be rewound and started from the beginning with fingers crossed that all would go well on the next attempt.

The benefit of having an easy delivery system for software like a cassette led to many people attempting to create their own programs, as it was easy enough to program and then transfer to a cassette tape. As cassettes were cheap to buy you could easily create programs and sell them on to others and start up in business.

As the Commodore 64’s got more popular the games from more established gaming companies started to utilize gaming cartridges that used the cartridge port. This allowed for games to be priced more favorably for them to make profit and establish Commodore 64 as a pioneer in the game console market that saw rise towards the end of its life in the late 1980’s the advent of Sega and Nintendo entering the market.

Commodore 64 User Guide

AT&T 6310 User Guide

admin — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 06:49:42 +0000

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SAFETY SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE AT&T PC 6310

The AT&T PC 6310 meets the following environmental and safety specifications.

Physical Characteristics (All Configurations)

CPU Monochrome Monitor Color Monitor Keyboard

(Approx.)
Size: 15″x16 1/2″x8″ 12″x12 1/4″x 12″ 14″x14″x14 1/2″ 20″x8 1/2″x1″

Weight: 35lbs 17lbs 27lbs 4 1/2 Ibs

Electrical
100-130; 320 volt amps maximum, 59-61 Hertz
Idle power usage under 200 watts
Maximum power usage 240 watts

Ambient Temperature
Operating: +10 to +140 degrees Centigrade (+50 to +104 degrees Fahrenheit)
Storage: -40 to +60 degrees Centigrade (-40 to+140 degrees Fahrenheit)

Relative Humdity
Operating: 20% to 80% RH, non-condensing
Storage: 5% to 95% RH, non-condensing

Altitude
Operating: Sea Level to 10,000 feet
Storage: Sea Level to 30,000 feet

Standards
UL 478 and 114
CSA 154 and 143
FCC Part 15, Subpart J, Class B

Acoustic Noise Level
53 dBA maximum

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

ABOUT THE SYSTEM 1-1

THE MAJOR COMPONENTS                                                        1-2
The Basic Module                                                                          1-3
The Keyboard                                                                                1-4
The Mouse                                                                                      1-7
The Video Display                                                                          1-8

2.INSTALLATION

UNPACKING YOUR SYSTEM 2-1

CONNECTING EXTERNAL COMPONENTS 2-1
The Back Panel 2-1

CONNECTING YOUR VIDEO DISPLAY                                       2-3
Connecting a Monochrome Video Display                                   2-3
Connecting a Color Video Display                                                 2-4

CONNECTING A KEYBOARD 2-6

CONNECTING A PRINTER 2-7

DISKETTE DRIVE PROTECTION CARD 2-7

CONNECTING THE SYSTEM TO A POWER OUTLET 2-7

AT&T PC 6310

3. DISKETTES, DISKS, AND DRIVES

DISKETTES                                                                                           3-1
Care and Handling                                                                               3-2
Labels                                                        3-3
Write Protection                                                                                  3-3

THE DISKETTE DRIVE                                                                       3-4
Inserting A Diskette                                                                            3-5
Removing A Diskette                                                                           3-6

HARD DISKS 3-6

4. GETTING STARTED

HARDWARE                                                     4-1
The Keyboard                                                                                       4-1
Typewriter Keys                                                                                  4-3
Special Purpose Keys                                   4-4
Cursor-Control Keys                                        4-5
Numeric Keys                                                                                        4-6
Function Keys                                                4-7
Model 303 and Model 302 Keyboard Differences                            4-8
System reset                                                                                          4-9

STARTING THE SYSTEM 4-10
Power Up 4-10

Autodiagnostics                                            4-10
Autodiagnostic Messages                                  4-11
How To Respond To Autodiagnostic Error Messages   4-11
Getting Ready                                             4-13

SETTING THE DATE AND TIME                                  4-13
The Date Command                                        4-13
The Time Command                                        4-14
Diskettes, Drives, and Compatibility                4-14

PREPARING A DISK FOR USE                                  4-15
What Is Formatting and Why Is It Necessary?        4-16
The System Directory                                    4-16

HOW TO FORMAT 4-16

COPYING DISKETTES                                           4-17
Application Software Diskettes                        4-17
Copy Protection                                            4-18
Making Backups                                            4-18
Making a Backup                                         4-18

LISTING VOLUMES 4-19

FILE MANIPULATION 4-20

Copying A File 4-21
Deleting A File 4-22

HARD DISK OPERATIONS 4-22

VII

A. CUSTOMER DIAGNOSTICS

INTRODUCTION A-1

LOADING CUSTOMER DIAGNOSTICS                          A-1
CUSTOMER DIAGNOSTICS options                        A-2
Running CUSTOMER DIAGNOSTICS                        A-2

SYSTEM SETUP UTILITY A-3

RUNNING SYSTEM SETUP A-5

VIII

INTRODUCTION

ABOUT THE SYSTEM

This AT+T Personal Computer offers a new level of high performance and configurability. The system uses a fast CPU (8 MHz) to provide high speed processing. Data storage and retrieval is enhanced through the use of an integrated 20, 40 or 70-MB hard disk unit.

The system can support several operating systems, including:

• MS-DOS
• XENIX

The flexibility of the system is further enhanced by the wide range of programming languages it supports, including:

• BASIC Interpreter and BASIC Compiler
• COBOL
• RM COBOL
• Pascal
• FORTRAN
• C Language
• Assembler
• DEBUGGER
• RPG II
• PL/1

1-1

Programmers can thus select the most appropriate language for solving their data processing problems, while users new to computing can develop their skills in a variety of disciplines.

The flexibility of the system’s software is matched by its hardware. Memory capacity starts at 512-KB and can be expanded to 7-MB if the Xenix operating system is being used.

The system can be configured with either a monochrome or a color video display; both support advanced graphic capabilities.

A wide variety of printers is available for connection to the system, offering a range of print speeds and special characteristics.

Space exists in the basic module for the insertion of a wide selection of communication boards. The range and power of the system’s hardware, the problem-solving capability of its software, and its total interactive nature combine to make AT&T’s Personal Computer second to none.

THE MAJOR COMPONENTS

Before installing your system, we suggest that you spend a few minutes familiarizing yourself with some of the standard components of the system: the basic module, the keyboard, the display, and the printer.

1-2

THE BASIC MODULE

The basic module of the system is made up of several elements, including a diskette drive and an integrated hard disk unit (optional). The video display can be placed on top of the basic module. The basic module is shown in Figure 1-1.

Fig. 1-1

1-3

THE KEYBOARD

The keyboard is connected via a plug connection to the basic module.

fig. 1-2

fig. 1-3

1-4

The Keyboard can be set to a convenient operating angle by rotating the feet to the desired position.

fig. 1-4

1-5

The Keyboard Lock

The keyboard can be locked with a key on the front of the basic module. This will prevent any entries being made from the keyboard into the system. The lock can be engaged with the system powered on or off. Next to the lock is a light switch which indicates if the keyboard is locked when the system power is on.

fig. 1-5

1-6

The Mouse

The mouse is an optional graphics/decision selection input device. It is attached to the Model 302 keyboard via the socket. The socket illustrated in the accompanying photograph. The socket is protected by a plastic cover which must be removed before the mouse can be connected.

fig. 1-6

For systems having a Model 303 keyboard, the mouse is connected via a mouse interface board at the reasr of the basic module.

1-7

The Video Display

The system supports two different video display units, monochrome and color. Both support advanced graphics capabilities. The monochrome video display is illustrated in Figure 1-7 and the color display in Figure 1-8.

fig. 1-7

1-8

fig. 1-8

1-9

2. INSTALLATION

INSTALLATION

UNPACKING YOUR SYSTEM

The three main elements of the system are the basic module, the video display, and the keyboard.

These components are packed in shaped polystyrene shells before being placed in their shipping cartons. The polystyrene shells protect the modules against damage during transit. To unpack your system, open the shipping cartons and carefully lift both polystyrene shells together with the component out of the carton. Then remove the polystyrene shells from the component. Unpack the video display, basic module, and keyboard in this way and place them at the site you have chosen. You will also find, in the basic module’s shipping carton, the keyboard lock keys, the User’s Guide, and the AC power cable, used to connect the system to the power supply.

Remove the transparent plastic coverings from each device. (We suggest that you keep all the packaging materials. You will find them useful if you ever move your system to a different location.)

CONNECTING EXTERNAL COMPONENTS

This section provides the information you need to connect the external components of your system. Before doing anything else, though, you will have to familiarize yourself with the back panel of the basic module. You will need a screw driver to connect the components to your system.

THE BACK PANEL

All external components of a system are connected through one of the sockets on the back panel of the basic module. Each socket provides a different interface connection, as shown in Figure 2-1.

2-1

Fig. 2-1 Back Panel

• The socket labelled CRT is used to connect your video display.
• The parallel interface socket is for connection of components using a parallel interface, such as most printers.
• The serial interface socket is for connection of components using a serial interface, such as a modem or a plotter.
• The optional interface slots are for connection of components using still other types of interface.

Having looked at the back panel, you can now begin connecting your components. Keep a screwdriver close at hand and do not connect the system to the power outlet.

2-2

IMSAI 8080

admin — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 01:17:01 +0000

The IMSAI 8080 was one of the earliest microcomputers released for the public, and was released towards the end of 1975. It was made and sold by IMS Associates Inc. It was essentially a clone of the earlier released MITS Altair 8800, and is known to most computer historians as the first clone computer, or computer designed specifically to mimic another computer system. The IMSAI 8080 was originally sold as a DIY kit in December of 1975, but eventually sold as already assembled machines. The DIY version sold for a little over $400 at the time, and the assembled units selling for around $600. These prices closely resembled the pricing for the MITS Altair 8800 charged.

The origins of the IMSAI 8080 are quite interesting. IMS Associates Inc actually wanted to purchase several Altair 8800s from the MITS company, but delivery time for these microcomputers would have taken a substantial amount of time, as MITS had originally only planned to sell a couple of hundred and were shocked to immediately get orders numbering in the thousands. IMS decided they would make their own, essentially making their own version of the Altair 8800. The IMSAI 8080 actually had several advantages over the Altair 8800 at first, including easier assembly, more motherboard slots, and a larger power supply. This attracted quite a number of buyers and reviews for the IMSAI 8080 were very positive. In 1976 Altair acknowledged these advantages and released their Altair 8800B which shared many of the same features as the IMSAI 8080.

Specs

The processor for the IMSAI 8080 was the Intel 8080. Initial speed was 2 MHz. Ram started at 256 bytes and up, usually 8K. There was no ROM in the microcomputer, although PROM could be added. Storage was the same as the Altair 8800, with paper tape, cassette tape, and both 5.25″ and 8″ disk drives available as options. Expansion included up to 22 slots, and it used an S-100 bus. Terminal based video and optional video cards were available for the unit. I/O included both serial and Parallel. OS options included CP/M, Northstar DOS, and several others.

Legacy

The IMSAI 8080 is widely recognized as the first clone computer, and along with the MITS Altair 8800 it was based on, started a new era for microcomputers that would go on to launch the personal computer boom years later. It was one of the first microcomputers to appeal not only to hobbyists and enthusiasts, but also to businesses and people who weren’t necessarily interested in the ins and outs of the machines, but just wanted to own and use one. It may also be the most successful clone, as it sold more than the MITS Altair 8800, and the company actually lasted longer.

Interesting Facts

In the popular 1983 suspense film “WarGames”, Matthew Broderick’s character uses the IMSAI 8080 along with other tools to engage in his hacker activities. For many Americans this was their first exposure to personal use microcomputers. The IMSAI 8080 was also featured in the crime movie “Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead”.

IBM 5100

admin — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:37:56 +0000

The IBM 5100 Portable Computer was a portable computer initially sold towards the end of 1975. It was IBM’s more advanced version of their earlier Special Computer APL Machine Portable. It is also recognized as the predecessor to the more popular IBM PC which would be released in 1981. The IBM 5100 was very much ahead of other similar machines at the time, like hobbyist microcomputers MITS Altair 8800, and the IMSAI 8080, and was priced much higher as well. While microcomputers of the time could be bought as DIY kits for under $500, the IBM 5100 ranged from roughly $9,000 to $20,000 depending on the options. Because of this price, and the advanced technology, the IBM 5100 was marketed more towards engineers, analysts, statisticians, and other problem solvers and big businesses.

The IBM 5100 was marketed as the world’s premiere portable computer. It weighed a little over 50 lbs, and unlike many microcomputers at the time, it came fully assembled with integrated features like a keyboard and CRT display, as well as system software. The entire unit could fit into an optional case for the machine, which would allow owners to transport their computer easily from one place to another. Although out of the general computer and hobbyist enthusiast’s budget at the time, it received rave reviews from electronic magazines of the time. People marveled at how much information could be stored, and features integrated into what at the time was a very small functional computer.

Specs

The IBM 5100 used a board level microprocessor known as PALM (Put All Logic in Microcode). Initial speed was roughly 2 MHz. Memory varied depending on the features the buyer chose but it ranged from 16KB to 64KB RAM, and 32KB to 64KB ROM. Storage was provided by a 1/4 inch cartridge tape drive using DC300 cartridges to store 204 K bytes. It used a 16-bit address bus. It came with an internal CRT which displayed 16 lines of 64 characters, and was equipped with a connector that an external video monitor could be attached to if the owner bought a separate external monitor. It was equipped with an integrated keyboard and could be purchased with APL, BASIC, or both.

Legacy

The IBM 5100 was one of the first widely marketed personal computers, and the most advanced and innovative one of its time. No other micro or personal computers at the time even came close to its integrated features and technology, and it is widely considered the first all in one assembled portable computer system of its kind in the history of computers. Its high price tag made it unsuccessful as far as sales went, but it would eventually lead to the 1981 IBM PC, and all the more well known personal computers that would follow.

Interesting Facts

During 2000-2001, a bulletin board poster who went by the name John Titor caused a sensation around the internet and on popular radio shows like Coast To Coast AM by claiming to be a time traveler from the year 2036. Titor claimed that he had been sent back in time to find an IBM 5100.