Vector Graphic, Inc. Vector 1

Posted on by Jeff and David

vg_logoVector Graphic, Inc., like Cromemco which we recently covered, started out by creating expansion cards for S-100 systems. Thier first products were an 8K static RAM card and a 256×256 pixel “high resolution” card, called HRG, or High Resolution Graphics.

Before long, and also like Cromemco, Vector Graphic produced THEIR first S-100 clone, the Vector 1 computer, which went fully to market in 1977. One of the founders, Bob Harp, was the one who initially designed the Vector 1 system. Within the company, Bob was joined as co-owner by his wife Lore Harp, along with their next door neighbor, Carol Ely. Together, they springboarded a company that within four years, surpassed $3,000,000 revenue per month.

That was just a brief company introduction. M Continue reading “Vector Graphic, Inc. Vector 1”

Holiday Season Memories: Your FIRST Computer

Posted on by Jeff and David
Santa Delivers Fun!

It’s 1970-something or 1980-something and you just woke up from a long winter’s nap with sugarplums dancing in your head…

Who are we kidding…?!?

You couldn’t sleep A WINK due to the anticipation of waking up one morning to see what you could find for yourself in that pile of colorfully wrapped packages.

But wait… what is that big one in the back? You push all of the other gifts aside and pull it near you. Oh my, it’s a HEAVY ONE!!! You rip away at the well crafted wrapping to reveal a…
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Heathkit H8

Posted on by Jeff and David
Heathkit H8
Heathkit H8

Heathkit was a long established electronics retailer, specializing in build-it-yourself electronic kits. In the wake of Altair’s original move to create a home computer for consumers, Heathkit believed they, too, could capitalize on the homebrew personal computer market. The result was the Heathkit H8 computer, introduced in July 1977. The H8 is similar to other S100 class computers in the sense that it used an Intel 8080 CPU, had a backplane expansion bus, and CP/M was commonly used on it, but the similarities ended there. Heathkit’s engineers noted the need to correct some major flaws in the S100 bus design, like having the +5 volt and ground pins right beside each other. Uncorrected, it was possible to short the power supply if a card was inserted crooked or a piece of metal dropped in the S100 slot at the right position. After all, this was the 70’s. You can’t have one of those low hanging disco chains getting in the works and shorting things out when bending over to insert an S100 card.

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