Hello from Imperial Beach California

[ChadSD]

Just wanted to take the the time to introduce myself.
I’ve dabbled in collecting computers for over a decade and really want to just have fun and learn the art of old systems. I’m mostly interested in the Altair, Apple II, TRS-80 and my beloved Challenger 1P. If you are looking to have fun and perhaps discuss a thing or two about vintage computers please reach out. I have a lot to learn and want to get a few of my systems up and running for some fun.

Nice to meet you all.

The Chad

 

[ClassicHasClass]

Howdy. San Diego was my home town. Welcome.

 

[johnx993]

Hi Chad,
Welcome to the forums!

I've been interested in the OSI machines lately.
I've been primarily focused on S-100 and SS-50 hobbyist machines.
But I'm looking to expand by horizons.
So tell me what do you like about your Challenger 1P?
I'm trying to convince myself to buy one.

Any suggestions appreciated!

-John

 

[ChadSD]

O.S.I. Challenger series were computers that kind of fell off the map. The company easily should’ve went places. Obviously the 6502 is the most inportant aspect. My Challenger 1P is a Rev B and it’s working.
Love the look of it and it’s paired with and 81’ zenith data systems monitor. Having one is fun, pair it with a Data recorder and your off and running. I would get one, it’s a once in a lifetime.

My focus is on my Altairs 8800 and 8800b that I want to get to actually work other than just turn on. I’m not knowledgeable in that aspect though.

I also have two Rev0 Apple II Rev1 and 3 and 7. Commodore and TRS. Good times in my storage unit, lol

 

[ChadSD]

Howdy. San Diego was my home town. Welcome.

Awesome. Nice to meet you

 

[MiaM]

O.S.I. Challenger series were computers that kind of fell off the map. The company easily should’ve went places. Obviously the 6502 is the most inportant aspect. My Challenger 1P is a Rev B and it’s working.
Love the look of it and it’s paired with and 81’ zenith data systems monitor. Having one is fun, pair it with a Data recorder and your off and running. I would get one, it’s a once in a lifetime.

My focus is on my Altairs 8800 and 8800b that I want to get to actually work other than just turn on. I’m not knowledgeable in that aspect though.

I also have two Rev0 Apple II Rev1 and 3 and 7. Commodore and TRS. Good times in my storage unit, lol

You might already know this if you are into OSI, but:
A perhaps surprising place OSI went was that some of their designs were (afaik licensed) repurposed as DIY projects by the dutch DIY electronics magazine Elektor. Elektor started out with a "junior computer" that kind of was a redesign of the KIM-1 or similar 6502 trainers, and then they added a bunch of cards to it. One card was a floppy controller that used the same design as the OSI one, with a Motorola 6850 UART instead of a "real" floppy controller chip, and they also used the DOS and whatnot from OSI.

I wonder if OSI would had lived longer if they would had partially gone more into the DIY market and also perhaps repurposed some of their designs to become accessories for other computers. Sure, disk drives were expensive themselves, but random google AI slop summary indicates that a Shugart compatible drive would had cost $300-$400 in 1982, while a Commodore 1540 cost $599 when released, soon lowered to $549. And in particular it took two years for Commodore to release a disk drive for the VIC 20. The OSI floppy controller on a VIC 20 cartridge could probably had sold in at least some quantities between 1980 and 1982, even though it would had compared badly to Commodores drive with the OSI only capable of IIRC 90k per disk while the 1540/1541 storing 170k per disk.
Also their video and serial port hardware could also had been made into accessories for other computers.

 

[johnx993]

O.S.I. Challenger series were computers that kind of fell off the map. The company easily should’ve went places. Obviously the 6502 is the most inportant aspect. My Challenger 1P is a Rev B and it’s working.
Love the look of it and it’s paired with and 81’ zenith data systems monitor. Having one is fun, pair it with a Data recorder and your off and running. I would get one, it’s a once in a lifetime.

My focus is on my Altairs 8800 and 8800b that I want to get to actually work other than just turn on. I’m not knowledgeable in that aspect though.

I also have two Rev0 Apple II Rev1 and 3 and 7. Commodore and TRS. Good times in my storage unit, lol

Sounds like we have been working the opposite ends of the stick!
I've completed my 'Altair journey'; and I'm just now getting into the OSI machines. The opposite of you.

Probably the best advice I can give on the Altairs is to have a plan - what you want each system to do. And that will drive what S-100 cards are in each.
-J

 

[djg]

I wonder if OSI would had lived longer if they would had partially gone more into the DIY market

They targeted DIY market in the beginning. This catalog offers bare boards and kits in addition to complete systems.
https://osi.marks-lab.com/reference/files/OSI 1976 Winter Catalog.pdf
They were targeting business more later. The catalogs no longer offered bare boards. Don't know if they still sold them. They did sell boards targeting experimenters.

 

[ChadSD]

Sounds like we have been working the opposite ends of the stick!
I've completed my 'Altair journey'; and I'm just now getting into the OSI machines. The opposite of you.

Probably the best advice I can give on the Altairs is to have a plan - what you want each system to do. And that will drive what S-100 cards are in each.
-J

I recently acquired a work 6502 OHI 1p. The thing is beautiful. It does have an EPROM chip replacement but I have all the original chips. I did not work on it. Having a Zenith monitor to good with it puts it into the cool category. I’m kinda all over the place the right now with interest. I’m trying to figure out why I have in this Vector 1 I have. Going to open it up Ray and see where I’m at with that.