15 Oct
2000
15 Oct
'00
3:25 p.m.
Robert Suding's favorite of the processors they supported was certainly the
Z80, but since they only had an 8K memory board up into '79, at which time
they finally got their long-overdue 32K memory cards out, and since I don't
think they ever came out with a current (for the time) FDC, I don't think
they ever got an OS running on it.
Of those of us who used it, the DG model was adequate, and, even
comparatively clean. The 6502 CPU board had 2K of RAM on board and a 1702,
providing 256 bytes of Original Robert Suding monitor code. It talked to
the audio cassette interface located on the same board with the video
interface. Many of us, including myself, limited the amount of DG hardware
we used by running homebrew hardware, which is what I did, but I followed a
model designed by Tommy Billings, on a 44-pin bus. That has outlasted the
DG stuff.
Dick
----- Original Message -----
From: The Forslunds <forslund(a)tbaytel3.tbaytel.net>
To: <classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Sunday, October 15, 2000 1:44 PM
Subject: Re: Who collects (reads the mailing list...?) vintage computers
Hi Dick,
You wrote:
> Though I never got "into" the Digital Group hardware to any extent, it
was
> made here, in the Denver area, and since I once
worked for one Robert
> Suding, who was one of the DB principals and the mind behind many of the
> decisions (except the ones made by Dick Bemis, the "business-head") and
who
> still lives in this area, albeit in retirement, I
do have a couple of DG
> boards, and have had a small exposure to the stuff. They made several
CPU
> boards to go with their various CPU's and,
depending on which CPU you
have,
> I may be able to help you with some software. My
interest, however, was
in
> the 6502 CPU, which means I will be of little
help if you have the 6800
or
Z80.
Thanks for the information on the digital group. I'm very interested
in the history of these older computers, and especially the digital
group.
It's the Z-80 kit that i built. The system had 4 boards - no fancy
cases ;-). However, my nephew has the system at this time, but I'm
hoping to get it back sometime. Good to hear that there are others
out there interested in digital group systems. I was _very_ impressed
with the system back in the 70's and it performed very well for me
for years, and i was disappointed when they folded. I only regret
that I didn't purchase the other 3 processor boards - 6800, 8080 and
6502. I would like to play with these now.
Bob
Dick