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kim-1 rev history?

billdeg

billdeg

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Nov 18, 2003
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I am looking for a history of the KIM-1 revs. I am curious which revs were MOS and which were CBM. Also, are there ROM changes per rev? If I discover a good reference I will post a reply.

UPDATE: On my site I've started a thread for a new KIM rev D I bought on Ebay (link below). My KIM rev D may be from the transition between MOS and Commodore, I hope it's not a clone - there is a metal plate like the Commodore but no engraving. Also no production date stamp. Board-wise it's a match for an F or G rev. I have never seen an E rev.

http://vintagecomputer.net/browse_thread.cfm?id=571
thm_KIM-1_revD_PA2079.JPG

b

UPDATE #2: I have concluded this is a Rockwell KIM-1 rev D.
 
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are you sure? then what do you think? I saw that ebay listing too, so you are saying it is a later MOS KIM or transitionary KIM?
 
Yes, I saw Falter's described unit, compared with this Rockwell KIM I found:
http://www.hansotten.com/uploads/kim1/kim5.jpg
...and also the Ebay Rockwell KIM-1 which appears to be a much newer model (Ebay 151370960621)

...although it's not easy to see, the hansotten.com unit appears to be the closest match to mine. Note the character display cover matches mine and imagine my unit with the Rockwell card present. Those 6500 chips on the Rockwell units are all MOS's.

Very possible that during the period of the rev D MOS OEM'd assembled KIM-1's to Rockwell. If so these would be MOS KIM's sold by Rockwell rather than Rockwell licensed and assembled KIMS like you see in that Ebay auction.

Agree?

Bill
 
This is just theorizing so please take it for what it's worth.

MOS made the KIM-1 to be able to show people how their chips worked. It was a trainer/development board so they could sell chips. Since Rockwell sold KIM-1's (as the evidence shows) I would assume it was for the same purpose; to show off their chips. They would be pushing their R6502 chip. The picture you have isn't detailed enough to be able to check this. It does have a display cover but is your unit made up of 6 individual 7 segment displays with a cover or is it one solid unit? The early MOS units featured a similar solid display along with square buttons on the keypad. Yours has the newer Commodore keypad but perhaps the MOS display. It is Commodore, after all. They used up what they had (or acquired). As for the sticker, that would fit on any KIM-1.

Does your unit have any other manufacturers chips on it other than MOS? If not, I think it's genuine. Since falter has one, it might be worth comparing. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a picture of his anywhere.



To be totally honest, I'm not sure why a competitor would sell an OEMed version or even clone it.
 
thanks.
1. Rockwell took the OEM KIM boards and put them into a larger system with their parts included. It was prob cheaper during the time of the rev D to take assembled boards from MOS and insert them into their portion of the units they sold "with KIM inside" (?), The Rockwell units are more than just a hobbyist board in other words.
2. My board can be seen in much better detail on my web site if you click on the link above. (http://vintagecomputer.net/rockwell/kim-1/). Unfortunately the other KIM I am comparing with has no larger image than what I have to go on, but take a look at all of the pics on http://www.hansotten.com/uploads/kim1 - looks like a match to me.
3. My unit has NEC RAM, but many other Commodore KIMs have the same exact chips 2102. MOS/NEC/Rockwell branded chips are a factor, but it's more important to be able to compare with the rev D boards.

take a look at my web site, I have more links and ideas.

Bill
 
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