Difference between revisions of "Altair 8800"
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| + | ==Further reading== | ||
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| + | * Michael Nadeau, ''Collectible Microcomputers'' (Schiffer Book for Collectors), Schiffer, Atglen, 2002 | ||
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** [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/mits/8800/Altair_PriceList_19750401.pdf MITS Altair Price List] | ** [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/mits/8800/Altair_PriceList_19750401.pdf MITS Altair Price List] | ||
* [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6495019 MITS Altair 8800 microcomputer] - one from [[Paul Allen]]'s collection at the [[Living Computer Museum|LCM]], includes several images | * [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6495019 MITS Altair 8800 microcomputer] - one from [[Paul Allen]]'s collection at the [[Living Computer Museum|LCM]], includes several images | ||
| + | * [https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/firsts-history-computing-paul-g-allen-collection/mits-altair-8800b-microcomputer-131/230069 MITS Altair 8800B microcomputer] - another one from Allen's collection | ||
[[Category: 8-bit Personal Computers]] | [[Category: 8-bit Personal Computers]] | ||
Latest revision as of 17:22, 29 April 2025
The Altair 8800 from MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) was the first mass-produced personal computer to be openly available. It was introduced in January, 1975, as a kit; later, pre-assembled units were made available.
It was a microcomputer, built around an Intel 8080 microprocessor. The early 8800's were unreliable, and had a weak power supply; the later 8800a was better, but it was only with the 8800b that it became really reliable. It originally came with no peripherals, just a front panel; later, a variety of optional add-on units, including a floppy disk drive, were made available.
It is famous for being the machine that got Bill Gates and Paul Allen started; MITS did a deal with them to write a BASIC interpreter for it (Allen was actually hired as a MITS employee).
The Altair 8800 was implemented as a set of cards (a CPU card, a main memory card, optional serial line or disk controller cards, etc) connected by a bus on a 100-pin backplane. Both MITS and third-party companies produced cards using this bus; this 100-pin Altair bus led to the standardization of the S-100 bus, which is very similar, but not 100% compatible.
Further reading
- Michael Nadeau, Collectible Microcomputers (Schiffer Book for Collectors), Schiffer, Atglen, 2002
External links
- 8800 - documentation at Bitsavers
- MITS Altair 8800 microcomputer - one from Paul Allen's collection at the LCM, includes several images
- MITS Altair 8800B microcomputer - another one from Allen's collection
