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<title>Processor Technology</title>

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<span id="openzim-page-title" class="mw-page-title-main"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Processor Technology</span></span>

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</style><table class="infobox ib-company vcard"><caption class="infobox-title fn org" style="font-size: 125%;">Processor Technology Corporation</caption><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image ib-company-logo logo"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image ib-company-logo logo"><div class="infobox-caption">6200 Hollis Street in <a href="Emeryville%2C_California" title="Emeryville, California">Emeryville, California</a>, site of Processor Technology Corporation's former headquarters</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Industry</th><td class="infobox-data category">Computer</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Founded</th><td class="infobox-data">April 1975<span style="display:none"> (<span class="bday dtstart published updated">1975-04</span>)</span> in <a href="Berkeley%2C_California" title="Berkeley, California">Berkeley, California</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Founder</th><td class="infobox-data agent"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409">

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</style><div class="plainlist"><ul><li>Gary Ingram</li><li>Bob Marsh</li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Defunct</th><td class="infobox-data">May 1979<span style="display: none;"> (<span class="dtend">1979-05</span>)</span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Fate</th><td class="infobox-data">Dissolved</td></tr></tbody></table>

<p><b>Processor Technology Corporation</b> was a <a href="Personal_computer" title="Personal computer">personal computer</a> company founded in April 1975, by Gary Ingram and Bob Marsh in <a href="Berkeley%2C_California" title="Berkeley, California">Berkeley, California</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Their first product was a 4K byte <a href="Random-access_memory" title="Random-access memory">RAM</a> board that was compatible with the <a href="Micro_Instrumentation_and_Telemetry_Systems" title="Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems">MITS</a> <a href="Altair_8800" title="Altair 8800">Altair 8800</a> computer but more reliable than the MITS board.<sup id="cite_ref-4KRA_RAM_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4KRA_RAM-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This was followed by a series of memory and <a href="I/O" class="mw-redirect" title="I/O">I/O</a> boards including a video display module.<sup id="cite_ref-PT_Ad_Oct_1976_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-PT_Ad_Oct_1976-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p><i><a href="Popular_Electronics" title="Popular Electronics">Popular Electronics</a></i> magazine wanted a feature article on an intelligent <a href="Computer_terminal" title="Computer terminal">computer terminal</a> and Technical Editor Les Solomon asked Marsh and <a href="Lee_Felsenstein" title="Lee Felsenstein">Lee Felsenstein</a> to design one. It was featured on the July 1976, cover and became the <a href="Sol-20" title="Sol-20">Sol-20</a> Personal Computer.<sup id="cite_ref-Marsh_1976_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Marsh_1976-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The first units were shipped in December 1976 and the Sol-20 was a very successful product.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The company failed to develop next generation products and ceased operations in May 1979.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2></div>

<p>Bob Marsh, <a href="Lee_Felsenstein" title="Lee Felsenstein">Lee Felsenstein</a> and <a href="Gordon_French" title="Gordon French">Gordon French</a> started designing the <a href="Sol-20" title="Sol-20">Sol-20</a> between April and July 1975. The Sol-20 utilized the <a href="Intel_8080" title="Intel 8080">Intel 8080</a> <a href="8-bit" class="mw-redirect" title="8-bit">8-bit</a> <a href="Microprocessor" title="Microprocessor">microprocessor</a> chip, running at 2 MHz. A major difference between the Sol-20 and most other machines of the era was its built-in video <a href="Device_driver" title="Device driver">driver</a>, which allowed it to be attached to a <a href="Composite_monitor" title="Composite monitor">composite monitor</a> for display. The Sol-20 consisted of a main <a href="Printed_circuit_board" title="Printed circuit board">motherboard</a> (PCB) mounted at the bottom of the case, and a five slot <a href="S-100_bus" title="S-100 bus">S-100 bus</a> card cage. The main PCB consisted of the <a href="CPU" class="mw-redirect" title="CPU">CPU</a>, memory, video display, I/O circuits. Inside the case included power supply, fan, and keyboard. The case was painted '<a href="IBM" title="IBM">IBM</a> blue' and the sides of the case were made of solid oiled walnut originally salvaged from a <a href="Gun_stock" class="mw-redirect" title="Gun stock">gun stock</a> manufacturer.<sup id="cite_ref-SS1_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-SS1-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>Processor Technology manufactured approximately 10,000 Sol-20 personal computers between 1977 and 1979. All Processor Technology products were available either fully assembled, or as <a href="Electronic_kit" title="Electronic kit">electronic kits</a>. Processor Technology also sold software on <a href="Compact_Cassette_(data)" class="mw-redirect" title="Compact Cassette (data)">Compact Cassette</a>. One side of the tape was recorded in CUTS format, and the other side was <a href="Kansas_City_standard" title="Kansas City standard">Kansas City standard</a> format. Gary Ingram and Steven Dompier wrote the original software utilities. Lee Felsenstein wrote the original user manuals as a contractor.

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Standards">Standards</h2></div>

<p>Processor Technology also designed several S-100 bus boards. The boards were meant to be compatible with the circuits of Sol-20.

</p><p>The <b>Video Display Module 1</b> (<a href="VDM-1" title="VDM-1">VDM-1</a>) was the original video display interface for S-100 bus systems.<sup id="cite_ref-Byte_Nov_1975_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Byte_Nov_1975-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The board generates sixteen 64-character lines of upper and lower case typeface on any standard <a href="Composite_video" title="Composite video">composite video</a> monitor or a modified TV set. Utilizing a 1,024 byte (1K) segment of system memory, the VDM-1 provided <a href="Memory-mapped_I/O" class="mw-redirect" title="Memory-mapped I/O">memory-mapped I/O</a> for high performance, and also included hardware support for scrolling. The VDM-1 Video Board was a great improvement over using a <a href="Teleprinter" title="Teleprinter">teletype machine</a> or a serial attached terminals, and was popular for owners of other S-100 bus systems such as the <a href="IMSAI_8080" title="IMSAI 8080">IMSAI 8080</a>.

</p><p>Another popular product was the <b>CUTS</b> Tape I/O Interface S-100 board. The CUTS board offered standard interface for saving and reading data from <a href="Cassette_tape" title="Cassette tape">cassette tape</a>, supporting both the Kansas City standard format, as well as their own custom CUTS format. Lee Felsenstein was key participant of the development of Kansas City standard format, the first cross-system data transfer standard for <a href="Microcomputer" title="Microcomputer">microcomputers</a>.

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Products">Products</h2></div>

<ul><li>Computers

<ul><li>Sol-PC — Single circuit board only without case or power supply; available as fully assembled or as kit form</li>

<li>Sol-10 Terminal Computer — Stripped-down model without 5 slot S-100 <a href="Backplane" title="Backplane">backplane</a>; available as fully assembled or as kit form</li>

<li>Sol-20 Terminal Computer — Includes 5-slot S-100 backplane; available as fully assembled or as kit form

<ul><li>Sol-20 price 1976 approximately $5000 CND with extra 16K card</li></ul></li></ul></li>

<li>S-100 bus boards

<ul><li><a href="VDM-1" title="VDM-1">VDM-1</a> — Video Display Module Board</li>

<li>3P+S — Input/Output Module 3 <a href="Parallel_port" title="Parallel port">Parallel</a> plus 1 <a href="Serial_port" title="Serial port">Serial</a> Board</li>

<li>4KRA — 4K <a href="Static_random-access_memory" title="Static random-access memory">Static Memory</a> Board</li>

<li>8KRA — 8K Static Memory Board</li>

<li>16KRA — 16K <a href="DRAM" class="mw-redirect" title="DRAM">DRAM</a> memory board</li>

<li>32KRA-1 — 32K DRAM memory board</li>

<li>CUTS — Tape I/O Interface Board, CUTS format and <a href="Kansas_City_standard" title="Kansas City standard">Kansas City standard</a> format</li>

<li>2KRO — <a href="EPROM" title="EPROM">EPROM</a> memory board</li>

<li>Helios II Disk Memory System</li>

<li>GPM — General Purpose Memory, <a href="Read-only_memory" title="Read-only memory">ROM</a> board held CUTER Monitor Program</li></ul></li>

<li>Software

<ul><li>SOLOS — <a href="Operating_system" title="Operating system">operating system</a></li>

<li>CUTER — <a href="Machine_code_monitor" title="Machine code monitor">monitor</a> program and cassette tape loader.</li>

<li>ASSM — 8080 <a href="Assembly_language#Assembler" title="Assembly language">assembler</a></li>

<li>BASIC/5 — 5K <a href="BASIC" title="BASIC">BASIC</a> <a href="Programming_language" title="Programming language">programming language</a></li>

<li>Extended Cassette Basic (8K) — BASIC Interpreter</li>

<li><a href="FOCAL_(programming_language)" title="FOCAL (programming language)">FOCAL</a> programming language</li>

<li><a href="PTDOS" title="PTDOS">PTDOS</a> — operating system for use with the Helios II Disk Drive</li>

<li>EDIT — 8080 Editor</li>

<li>8080 Chess — Chess Game</li>

<li><i><a href="Trek-80" title="Trek-80">TREK-80</a></i> — <i><a href="Star_Trek" title="Star Trek">Star Trek</a></i> Themed Game</li>

<li>GamePack 1 — Collection of Games - Volume 1</li>

<li>GamePack 2 — Collection of Games - Volume 2</li></ul></li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Works_cited">Works cited</h2></div>

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</style><cite id="CITEREFFreibergerSwaine2000" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Paul_Freiberger" class="mw-redirect" title="Paul Freiberger">Freiberger, Paul</a>; <a href="Michael_Swaine_(technical_author)" class="mw-redirect" title="Michael Swaine (technical author)">Swaine, Michael</a> (2000). <span class="id-lock-registration" title="Free registration required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/fireinvalleymaki00frei_0"><i>Fire in the Valley: The Making of the Personal Computer</i></a></span> (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>0-07-135892-7</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFVeit1993" class="citation book cs1">Veit, Stan (1993). <i>Stan Veit's History of the Personal Computer</i>. Alexander, North Carolina: WorldComm Press. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>1-56664-030-X</bdi>.</cite></li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2></div>

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<li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Freiberger (2000), 61-63</span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-4KRA_RAM-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4KRA_RAM_2-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/homebrewCC/HCC_Newsletter_V1_N05.pdf">|<cite id="CITEREFMarsh1975" class="citation journal cs1">Marsh, Robert (July 1975). "4KRA (4096 x 8 RAM) Static Memory Module". <i>Homebrew Computer Club Newsletter</i>. <b>1</b> (5). Menlo Park, CA: 2.</cite></a></span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-PT_Ad_Oct_1976-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-PT_Ad_Oct_1976_3-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation journal cs1">"Make a Giant of Your Minicomputer". <i>Byte</i>. <b>1</b> (14). Peterborough NH: Byte Publications: <span class="nowrap">72–</span>73. October 1976.</cite> A Processor Technology advertisement showing a motherboard with eight add-in boards.</span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-Marsh_1976-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Marsh_1976_4-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFMarshLee_Felsenstein1979" class="citation journal cs1">Marsh, Robert; Lee Felsenstein (July 1979). "Build the SOL Intelligent Computer Terminal". <i>Popular Electronics</i>. <b>10</b> (1). Ziff Davis: <span class="nowrap">35–</span>38.</cite></span>

</li>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Freiberger (2000), 153-155</span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-SS1-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-SS1_7-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFLundin2011" class="citation web cs1">Lundin, Leigh (2011-10-09). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.sleuthsayers.org/2011/10/apple-today.html">"An Apple Today"</a>. <i>Technology</i>. <a href="Orlando%2C_Florida" title="Orlando, Florida">Orlando</a>: SleuthSayers.org.</cite></span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-Byte_Nov_1975-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Byte_Nov_1975_8-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFProcessor_Technology1975" class="citation journal cs1">Processor Technology (November 1975). "8800 Hardware". <i>Byte</i>. <b>1</b> (3). Peterborough, NH: Green Publishing: 75.</cite> Processor Technology advertisement. The VDM-1 Video Display Module for the Altair computer generated 16 lines of 64 characters on a black and white TV. Kit price was $160, assembled $225. The Cromemco TV Dazzler first appeared in the April 1976 issue of Byte</span>

</li>

</ol></div></div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2></div>

<ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.sol20.org/">Archive of Sol-20 information</a></li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.oldcomputermuseum.com/">Collection of old analog and digital computers at www.oldcomputermuseum.com</a></li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://old-computers.com/MUSEUM/computer.asp?c=344">the SOL-20 at old-computers.com</a></li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.pc-history.org/sol.htm">Processor Technology SOL - PC History by Stan Veit</a></li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://vintagecomputer.ca/processor-technology-sol-pc-an-early-sol-20-minus-the-20/">Processor Technology SOL-PC – An early Sol-20 minus the 20</a></li></ul></div><div><div class="zim-footer">

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