Floppy Days Episode 27 - Ohio Scientific Challenger

Nov 26, 2014

Main Topic: The OSI Challenger series of computers

 

At this point in the podcast run, we are still in the late 1970’s time frame, and the OSI machines fall into that time frame for their release.  No vintage computer historical journey would be complete without including these very important machines.  As usual, we’ll cover the history, technical specs, peripherals, Web sites, books, emulation and much, much more.  I am joined by special guest host Terry Stewart of the Classic Computers website who will help me cover these machines.  In addition, we are joined by OSI aficionados Mark Csele and David Fenyes who share their first-hand memories of the OSI.  But first, I’ll cover new acquisitions, news, and feedback before diving into the OSI.

 

Links Mentioned in the Show:

 

New Acquisitions/What I’ve Been up to

• TI-99 Extended BASIC Suite cartridge - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Extended-Basic-v2-7-Suite-Cartridge-/231378985072

• Microsoft BASIC II for the Atari 8-bit - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_Microsoft_BASIC

• CoCo SDC SD Card Interface for the TRS-80 Color Computer - http://cocosdc.blogspot.com/

 

News

• CSDB intro competition - http://csdb.dk/event/?id=2286

• Ben Heck’s Apple 1 Replica - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwO8CTSLTkiiDKhVfiUXyuzfbHMPOYVPj

• VCF East 10.0 - http://www.vintage.org

• Donkey Kong Junior for C64 - http://csdb.dk/release/?id=134342

• Another Apple-1 Goes for Auction - http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/03/us-auction-apple-idUSKBN0IN0ZX20141103

• Atari: Game Over Movie - http://video.xbox.com/movie/atari-game-over/4B8575C6-BD05-48E8-92C9-C61BA57E8025

• C64 Reset Magazine - http://reset.cbm8bit.com/

 

Ads

• COMPUTE! ISSUE 1 / FALL 1979 / PAGE 101 - Review of the Challenger 1P - http://www.atarimagazines.com/compute/issue1/3227_2_REVIEW_THE_CHALLENGER_1P.php

 

Software

• ad from Micro magazine, August 1981 - http://www.technology.niagarac.on.ca/people/mcsele/images/osiImages/AardvarkAd-Aug1981Micro.jpg

• Aardvark - http://www.lysator.liu.se/adventure/Aardvark.html

• price list at osiweb.org - http://www.osiweb.org/ads_and_catalogs/OSI%20software%20list.pdf

 

Books

• SAMS C4P Service Manual - http://www.osiweb.org/manuals/SAMS-C4P-Service-Manual.pdf

• Micro on the OSI - http://www.osiweb.org/books/Micro_on_the_OSI.pdf

• Third Book of OSI - http://www.osiweb.org/books/Third_Book_of_OSI.pdf

 

Manuals/Catalogs

• OSI Catalog - circa 1980 - http://www.osiweb.org/ads_and_catalogs/OSI_brochure.pdf

• OS65D v3.0 User Manual - http://www.osiweb.org/manuals/OS-65D_V3.0_usermanual.pdf

• OS65D Tutorial and Ref Manual - http://www.osiweb.org/manuals/OS65D%20Tutorial%20and%20Ref%20Manual.pdf

• OSI 8K BASIC in ROM MANUAL - http://www.osiweb.org/manuals/OSI_8K_Basic_in_ROM.pdf

• The C4P User's manual.  Shipped with C4P systems - http://www.osiweb.org/manuals/c4man.pdf

• OS-65D V3.2 Dissasembly Manual -  http://www.osiweb.org/manuals/OS65D_Dissasembly_Manual.pdf

 

Emulation

• WinOSI Emulator for Win32 - http://osi.marks-lab.com/

• OSI JavaScript Emulator - http://www.pcjs.org/devices/c1p/

• MESS - http://www.mess.org 

 

Buying and Using One Today (eBay and replicas)

• Notes on modern replacements for hard-to-find OSI components - http://www.osiweb.org/misc/osi-replacement-parts.txt

• Briel Computers Superboard III Replica - http://www.brielcomputers.com/wordpress/?cat=39 

 

Current Web Sites 

• Dave’s OSI Repository (David Fenyes) - http://www.osiweb.org/

• OSI Forum - http://www.osiweb.org/osiforum/

• Mark's Ohio Scientific/Compukit UK101 Archive - http://osi.marks-lab.com/

• Ohio Scientific Instruments Company facts and history - http://superboard.com.sapo.pt/seite4.html

• Professor Mark Csele - Ohio Scientific Computers - http://www.technology.niagarac.on.ca/people/mcsele/OhioScientific.html

• The Ohio Scientific C4P Page at 6502.org - http://www.6502.org/users/sjgray/computer/osi-c4p/

• oldcomputers.net - http://oldcomputers.net/osi-600.html - some information about the various OSI models

• old-computers.com - http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=572&st=1

• The Ohio Scientific Inc. Challenger 1P and 4P: As seen in Tezza's classic computer collection - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQUhFoBDGT0

• Tezza’s OSI C4P Adventure - http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2014-06-30-fixing-C4P-ram-expansion-board.htm

• Wikipedia - http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_Scientific