Computer MITS Altair 680

Computer MITS Altair 680
http://www.floydfolks.org & http://www.littlefamilyfarm.com 1-540-808-2880 - floydlcfgroup@gmail - Virginia 24091---

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MITS in Wikipedia ------ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro_Instrumentation_and_Telemetry_Systems

---The diminutive Altair 680 was one of the first three Motorola 6800 computers on the market, along with the SWTPC 6800 and Sphere. The MITS Altair company was owned by Ed Roberts. Roberts sold the company and went to medical school and is now a practicing MD.
Although the 680 was "pre-announced" on the cover of the November, 1975 issue of Popular Electronics (following the similar introduction of its big brother, the Altair 8800), the headline trumpeting "THE FIRST MOTOROLA 6800 COMPUTER PROJECT" was not the whole truth. Ironically, page 5 of the same magazine carried an ad for the Sphere, a 6800 based computer available in kit form for $860, and page 89 advertised the SWTPC 6800 kit at $450. It's hard to say which computer actually shipped first in quantity.
MITS offered a discount for orders placed before December 31, 1975, but the ads offering the discount featured a picture of the mock up 680 that appeared on the Popular Electronics cover (yes, the 680 was a mock up, just like the 8800 photo on the magazine cover the previous January). Also, the "December 31, 1975" discount ads appeared in Byte magazine as late as February 1976. From www.computercloset.com------Important Names & Words in the History of Microcomputers

Imsai, Adam Osborne, bugbook, Ed Roberts, floppy disk, RAM chip, TRS-80, radio shack, commodore, Steve Jobs, Steve Wuzniack, WOZ, Atrai, Osborne, Adam Osborne, Heathzenith Clivesinclair, polymorphic, Ex8l, Heathkit, colleco, IBM PC, IBM PC jr., DEC, Don Lancaster, Wayne Green, teletype, Hewlett Packard, Jon Titus, Bill Gates, Apple, Microsoft, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Digital, museum, cyber, TI, IC, micro processor, Intel, logic, memory, USB, robotics, server, data, history, fiber optic, gateway, internet, texting, computer, Moores law, IBM, cyber engineer, automation, personal computer, PC, John Von Neumann, Thomas Watson, Intel 4004
----This video was produced by the LCF Group, ( We are on The Crooked Road Heritage Music Trail and the Round The Mountain Artisan and Craftsman Venue as a great place to visit ) Floyd Professional Center, Village Green, Floyd Virginia. The LCF Group consist of David Larsen KK4WW, Gaynell Larsen KK4WWW and Dee Wallace KG4VMI. We are all radio amateurs and also are Directors of The Foundation for Amateur International Radio Service ( FAIRS) also located in Floyd Virginai. N4USA is the radio call for FAIRS and we have operated in Dominica as J79WW J79WWW J79VMI and many other countries. We are members of The Floyd Amateur Radio Society FARS. The LCF Group (1-540-745-2322) ham radio morse code cw transceiver radio receiver linear amplifier linear amp heathkit ten-tec cw http:// www.va-mountainland.com http://www.virginiamountainland.Com http://www.lcfarticles.com http://www.bugbookseries.com http://www.bugbookcomputermuseum.com http://www.bugbook-computer-museum.com http://www.bugbook.org http://www.bugbook.us http://www.bugbook.net http://www.bugbooks.info http://www.bugbooks.us , bugbook http://microcomputercollector.com in Floyd Virginia. Www.visitfloydvirginia.org www.floydvirginia.org compass magazine www.virtualblueridge.com blue ridge Parkway Destination Center www.floydtourismdirertory.com http://www.stpierrewoodworking.com http://www.floydcountyvirginia.org Bill St Pierre Floyd Virginia bugbookhistorical microcomputer museum ,http://www.floydcountyvirginia.org http://www.fairs.org http://www.floydfolks.org and http://www.microcomputerhistorymuseum.com

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• Altair
• 680
• microcomputer
• 6800
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• microprocessor
• chip
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• Roberts
• Dave
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• kk4ww
• J79USA
• Gaynell
• Dee
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• LCF
• group
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• bugbooks

[Phfreak57]

How much did it cost you? I'm actually looking to buy one as soon as I can.

[lcfgroup]

@Phfreak57 Hi Thank you for watching and the comment about the 680. I do not remember the cost - I do remember over the 40 years+ of collecting historical microcomputers I did not have opportunity to obtain more than 1 or 2.

[lcfgroup]

@Phfreak57 This was not a popular computer like the MITTS 8800. I am sure their are some available but don't want to suggest price - as you know it depends a lot on the seller - many folks just what to have the computer saved in a real collection or museum and will sell at a much more reasonable price than someone just selling as a business deal. What are you doing to find one of the 680 MITTS ? Dave

[lcfgroup]

We have Apple 1 Microcomputers in LCF Group - you can see all 4 in our LCF Group collection at Mike Willegal's ' Apple 1 Registry ' - Folks ask how did you ever get 4 Apple 1's - short answer - I have been involved in teaching, using, collecting & writing about computers at Virginia Tech & other places for over 54 years - started at Remington Rand Univac company in 1967 - I have advertised in various trade magazines ' wanted pre1980 microcomputers for historical collection' for past 40 yrs

[coddcore]

i want it instead my computer!!!=)

[lcfgroup]

@coddcore This is interesting computer but not very useful except for the historical interest. what is your computer?? DL

[Phfreak57]

@lcfgroup Well I just want to get one because I am a huge computer nerd and it would be the coolest thing to play with an old computer like this.

[go4idiots]

continue from first post:

and even a 8800 kit. great stuff but unfortunaly they dont produce the kits anymore and dont sell anything. its just the website left and a forum with tons of infos at altair680kit it is a do t com adress ;-) have a great day there in virginia.

[go4idiots]

i am currently learning all this microchip stuff, how to build up little things with microchips. how to programm them. but my hobby is more into ATmega microchips which has the memory built in allready (google for ATmega 128) one little chip can do the whole work of all the chips inside the MITS 680 and even faster but thats not the point. we speak about history here! i wish i have one of these. would love to play and learn how those machines worked. i found a website with kits of this 680

[coddcore]

@lcfgroup Intel Pentium Quad 2.8 Ghz, 4Gb DDR2 667Mhz GeForce 6800 512mb 500Gb hard disc? 22" SyncMaster2232BW =)