Discussing SDS with a friend of mine, he sent me the link to the Wikipedia article about them. Reading their history from the 1960's, there was a follow up section concerning a new start in the late '70s using a 6502 based MPU:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientifi ... _new_start
I could find very little information about this computer. Only this article from Computerworld:
https://books.google.com/books?id=sglMa ... 20&f=false
Anyone else have information on this computer?
Dave...
Scientific Data Systems Model 420
Re: Scientific Data Systems Model 420
I couldn't find anything. The 420 seems to have been positioned mainly as a word processor - the Computerworld article you linked (Feb '79) says there was an "MPU-based computer" planned as a near-future product.
- BYTE, Jan 1980
See also p14 of this PDF.
And yet, p22 of this PDF (1983) says the 420 runs Basic.
Quote:
Inexpensive Word
Processor Capable of
Powerful Formatting and
Text Editing
The SDS 420 consists of a video
display, keyboard, floppy disk storage
that will store 1.2 M bytes of memory,
computer, and printer. In addition to
standard formatting, the SDS 420 word
processor has instructions for right
justification, underline, bold text, in¬
clude a file, indent, exdent, columns,
decimal alignment, headings, footings,
subscripts and superscripts. The 12-inch
screen will display 25 lines of 80
characters per line with variable speed
scrolling. The printer will print up to 96
standard characters at 45 characters per
second.
The system retails for under $12,000
from Scientific Data Systems, 12640
Beatrice St, Los Angeles CA 90066.
Processor Capable of
Powerful Formatting and
Text Editing
The SDS 420 consists of a video
display, keyboard, floppy disk storage
that will store 1.2 M bytes of memory,
computer, and printer. In addition to
standard formatting, the SDS 420 word
processor has instructions for right
justification, underline, bold text, in¬
clude a file, indent, exdent, columns,
decimal alignment, headings, footings,
subscripts and superscripts. The 12-inch
screen will display 25 lines of 80
characters per line with variable speed
scrolling. The printer will print up to 96
standard characters at 45 characters per
second.
The system retails for under $12,000
from Scientific Data Systems, 12640
Beatrice St, Los Angeles CA 90066.
See also p14 of this PDF.
And yet, p22 of this PDF (1983) says the 420 runs Basic.
Re: Scientific Data Systems Model 420
BigEd wrote:
I couldn't find anything. The 420 seems to have been positioned mainly as a word processor - the Computerworld article you linked (Feb '79) says there was an "MPU-based computer" planned as a near-future product.
- BYTE, Jan 1980
See also p14 of this PDF.
And yet, p22 of this PDF (1983) says the 420 runs Basic.
- BYTE, Jan 1980
See also p14 of this PDF.
And yet, p22 of this PDF (1983) says the 420 runs Basic.
Thanks so much for your deep search. You uncovered much more than I did. I had come to the conclusion that it never shipped, yet the last link you posted said it was used by a contractor and installed on a naval ship. Curious that so few references are made to this machine. And only the WikiPedia article claims that it used a 6502. The mystery deepens.
Dave...
Re: Scientific Data Systems Model 420
Oh, found a bit more, looking for confirmation of the 6502. It's here:
- p78 Personal Computing April 1979
Looking again at your original article link, looks like the 420 was out, as a computer, and the upcoming product was some kind of central fileserver.
Also, much less useful, one line in a table from Jan 1981:
https://archive.org/details/InterfaceAge198101/page/n79
Although it does say the 420 cost $8k whereas the 432 is $19k, also 6502 powered... so then I found this in "The Seybold Report on Word Processing" by Seybold Publications, 1980"
It seems the 420 had 32k RAM, the 432 had 56k. And there was a 421 and 422.
- Article in Personal Computing April 1979
Quote:
Small Business Computer from Scientific Data
A new small business microcomputer system has been announced by Scientific Data Systems, Inc.
Designed for professional use, the SDS 420 system is self-contained in a small desk-top cabinet. All sub-systems are modular for simple servicing.
The system includes a 2 MHz 6502A microprocessor. Instruction times are 1 microsecond minimum and 3.5 micro-seconds maximum Its 32K bytes of memory with 250 nanosecond cycle time is expandable to 56K and contained on a single PC board.
From 1-1/2 to 10 Megabytes of floppy-disk storage is included on the high speed PerSci dual-diskette, single/double density drives. Dual head drives are optional and up to four drives can be supported by the system.
A high resolution Ball Brothers 12-inch CRT display with 25 lines of 80 characters per line and an independent 2K byte refresh memory is also included.
The SDS has a 71 -key alphanumeric detachable keyboard with decimal pad, cursor control, reset and interrupt keys and three user-programmable keys.
The SDS 420 employs an extended 12K BASIC interpreter which provides all the features of standard BASIC plus commands for formatted printing; the input of strings with embedded terminators; extensive string manipulative commands: file interface to random, sequential or keyed files with indexed sequential access; I/O device handling; error handling; extensive screen window management; and source file editing. The keyed file interface makes it possible to write data manipulation programs in BASIC with minimum commands.
Single unit price is $7700. For more information contact
A new small business microcomputer system has been announced by Scientific Data Systems, Inc.
Designed for professional use, the SDS 420 system is self-contained in a small desk-top cabinet. All sub-systems are modular for simple servicing.
The system includes a 2 MHz 6502A microprocessor. Instruction times are 1 microsecond minimum and 3.5 micro-seconds maximum Its 32K bytes of memory with 250 nanosecond cycle time is expandable to 56K and contained on a single PC board.
From 1-1/2 to 10 Megabytes of floppy-disk storage is included on the high speed PerSci dual-diskette, single/double density drives. Dual head drives are optional and up to four drives can be supported by the system.
A high resolution Ball Brothers 12-inch CRT display with 25 lines of 80 characters per line and an independent 2K byte refresh memory is also included.
The SDS has a 71 -key alphanumeric detachable keyboard with decimal pad, cursor control, reset and interrupt keys and three user-programmable keys.
The SDS 420 employs an extended 12K BASIC interpreter which provides all the features of standard BASIC plus commands for formatted printing; the input of strings with embedded terminators; extensive string manipulative commands: file interface to random, sequential or keyed files with indexed sequential access; I/O device handling; error handling; extensive screen window management; and source file editing. The keyed file interface makes it possible to write data manipulation programs in BASIC with minimum commands.
Single unit price is $7700. For more information contact
Looking again at your original article link, looks like the 420 was out, as a computer, and the upcoming product was some kind of central fileserver.
Also, much less useful, one line in a table from Jan 1981:
https://archive.org/details/InterfaceAge198101/page/n79
Although it does say the 420 cost $8k whereas the 432 is $19k, also 6502 powered... so then I found this in "The Seybold Report on Word Processing" by Seybold Publications, 1980"
Quote:
The model 420 includes dual 8" floppy diskettes storing 600,000 characters each and its suggested retail price is $8,400 without ... And for even more disk storage, there is the model 432, which includes 56K bytes of RAM, dual 8" floppy disks storing 600,000 characters ...
Re: Scientific Data Systems Model 420
Thanks for all the info, Ed. It seems there was some UK involvement with the software and later hardware, so perhaps you'd have better luck tracking down an actual machine.