I collect SYM-1s for some reason...I have about five of them so far.

Anybody else collect 6502 SBCs?

Toshi

Hi Toshi,

If you haven't already, be sure to check out the SYM-PHYSIS magazines online in the "Simple Microcomputers and Trainers" section of 6502.org.

René Sommerlatt is currently working on scanning in the remaining issues and they will appear in the coming months.

Best Regards,
Mike

_________________
- Mike Naberezny (mike@naberezny.com) http://6502.org

I seem to have gathered a few pieces. Basicly systems I couldn't afford at the time or couldn't find when I could afford them. You might be able to help me with my SYM-1 provided I get it running. See my posting on PROM's.

Hi Toshi,
i do collect everything on SYM-1 and AIM-65.I own also a complete C128
from Commodore plus various Apple II's but my favorite is the Sym-1.
Mine is still with MON1.0. I should get an Eprom burner this week to install MON1.1.
Most differences are in the K7 area,both hard- and soft-wise.
I'm the guy who should scan Symphysis for Mike (plus various VERY
IMPORTANT stuff around the SYM) but some pages were photocopied with glitches and i'm still waiting for Mike to provide them to me again (i heard it was 8meg or so......).The bulk of work is already done and ready
to get burned on a cd (it's around 300 meg,mostly PDF).
It would be nice if someone could provide the 6502 community with the
4K Assembler rom image of the AIM-65,the editor being already in the 8K
original rom.
And also stuff on interfacing Disks to Aim and SYM (see Symphysis).I'm not sure that the Dos'es available then are not still copyrighted or that the autors are willing to provide the source for them.One of my projects is to interface the Commodore 1541 to the Sym.Seems to be easy even if
a bit slow (serial link) as the Dos is contained within the Floppy and
documentation is widely available on the net. (And the 1541 board makes a nice SBC as it contains a 6502,a 2116,roms and 2x6522! along with a serial interface (in fact a slowed down serial IEE-488)!!)
Well if i can help someone with documentation or Eproms........Don't be
shy!!
May the 6502 be with you !.

René.

Hi everyone:

I have been off the system for a bit and just worked thru the back email and even larger batch of junk trash email that seems the norm today.

I had responses on both postings so I am saying thanks.

The old C64 disk drive is not something I took much thought of. I remember it as a bit of a head banger with the software protection. I have a C128 with memory expansion the later 5 1/4 drive and a 3 1/2 inch drive and color monitor for the C64 side and a green screen for the CPM operation. I also have an Atari 130 XE with an ATR 8000 expansion with mixed disks and CPM operating system.

You have gotten me to think. When I started in computers I worked for the WANG Corportation as a Work Processing Field Service Engineer. The days of the 8080 and Z80.

They were doing things then that you wouldn't believe with the limits of the hardware. Even without adding much memory you should be able to set up a disk operating system that will move blocks, 256/512/1024/4096 bytes between the disk system and the terminal or computer. They were able to support 24 different connections including printers, workstations, and archiving workstations with this simple system using the 8080. The Z80 just made things move easier with the command structure it used. And all the system connections were serial out on two coax cables.

They were the first people I know of using virtual memory, they had a computer sytem know as VS. These were business sytems in every meaning of the word and would run the word processing programs as well.

If you have ever seen the old leading edge word processor program or Multimate you have some idea as to what the WP systems were like. In the worst case of a power failure or drop out you ususally only lost a sentence or paragraph The backup was transparent to the user and did not take off the operating speed of the person at the workstation.

Rene tell us some more about what you have been able to do, any luck getting a hard drive interface working with the Aim or Sym?

Aww... Now I know why I can't get my hands on a MOS KIM-I or a Synertek SYM-I for love nor money... I've only ever seen one SYM on ebay -- it had a huge reserve (the auction hit $200 before the "Reserve Met" message appeared)...
Not to start a flamewar here, but it does seem a little "off the mark" to more-or-less hoard these machines when there are people looking for them. Ah, well... Such is life.

_________________
Phil "Philpem" Pemberton
http://www.philpem.me.uk/

Phil,don't blush when you say you like the Jupiter Ace.Me too and i can
only regret the day i gave it away,Forth being so cute (and so obscure !!!).
The Sym goes so high on eBay because it's a nostalgia support,not because it's an advanced piece of technology (well,but back in the seventies.....).
I auctioned for a KIM-1 in Germany some weeks ago,price lagering at 30 Euros : i did not get it,it went for 200 Euros plus(> 200 $),and no books,even no 6502 !!!.
I have got the Commodore 1541's and 1571's i was looking for,along with
the internal Dos source.I'm digging into it but time's running so fast !!!
It sure it's slow,several IDE interfaces are available on the Web,but all
this is for FUN.
Sym-1 owners unite !!
Christmas,Christmas,Christmas.....

René.

For me, my nostalgia is limited to the systems of the early 80s which were 6502 derivatives - the Apple //c (65C02) and IIgs (65C816); the C64 (6510); the Atari 2600 (6507).

I've never seen or used one of those TRUE classics. :þ

I have a SYM DOS that is centered around a Commodore 1541 disk drive. The DOS was written by Don Jordan who was selling them in 1984. The DOS has links to the SYM Monitor, RAE and BASIC. I burned the DOS code into EPROM and a very simple interface (one or two 7400 series) plugs into one of the SYM connectors. I used this for a while but later replaced it with one that I built up using a more robust DOS.

I described this later one at http://www.gbronline.com/n5fee/

_________________
Dallas Shell
SYM-1
web pages moved to 6502.org

I'm still trying to figure out how to program a WesternDigital WD1770 floppy disk controller. I've got one sitting on my desk just begging to be used, but I can't find any usable source code that will drive it (pardon the pun) successfully. Yes, this chip is very similar to the other 177x-series devices - any code for a 1771 or 1772 will likely work on my 1770.
Also, has anyone got a WD1772 or another WD1770 for sale? I like to keep spares in my parts box, just in case the inevitable happens.

_________________
Phil "Philpem" Pemberton
http://www.philpem.me.uk/

Phil,

The first DOS I made work on my SYM was built using a Radio Shack TRS 80 floppy controller board. This board used a WD 1793 disk controller. I used it because I had one (in 1985) and it had most of the electronics to support the disk controller chip. I later built up a new controller from scratch using the WD 2793. The same DOS software with minor changes ran both just fine. Take a look at my web site to see both systems.
www.gbronline.com/n5fee/
I have described this in a couple of post on this forum. I plan on posting some more details like source code, object code etc when I get time. This is a pretty good DOS for the SYM. I have not used your particular controller chip, but I will bet they are compatible. I think some of the earlier ones only allowed certian sector densities and the later ones had more features. They also made some versions that had inverted data lines so you had to use inverting buffer IC's



Dallas Shell

_________________
Dallas Shell
SYM-1
web pages moved to 6502.org

Hi together!
I'm quite new here. In 1978, I started a new hobby: After reading the first "CHIP" I bought a "ALPHA-1" from MCS Berlin. After spending a lot of money in keyboard, video-adapter, RAM, tiny basic, I bought a "Video Genie I" (TRS80 compatible). Ten years later I got my first IBM compatible and I stopped programming.
Now, I discovered again the skill to program an 8-Bit-Processor and I started with 8051 and derivate (Atmel 89AT2051). But then I collected several single-board-computers. In the moment I have:
8085: Siemens ECB-85, UMS-85 by "ELO" magazine
Z-80: Micro-Professor I with Eprommer & BASIC, ZILOG Z80 KIT by Kontron, Z80 EMUF by "mc" magazine
6502: Siemens PC-100, 6504 EMUF by "mc"
I know the "mc" magazine built an AIM-65-compatible with 1541-Floppy (C-64) and RS-232; and I got a few "mc" with description of the project - but not complete. I try to connect a 1541 floppy to my PC-100 (I know it works with SYM-1, thanks!)
I´m only an enthusiast of programming in assembler. I like sitting in my room with a sbc - one side a soldering iron - other side paper and pencil.
I would like to have a nice diskussion of programming here, hints and tips. Perhaps I can give a few, too.
greetings
Karlheinz (Charly)

I see by your name that you are a Ham radio operator, I am N5FEE. I have been using the sym-1 since the late 70's. I have posted a bunch of information about the commodore diskk dirive and the SYM in the Nostolga area. I also have some information on a much more robust DOS written for the SYM there as well. I have soldered up all of my projects from scratch as well. There is nothing like an education learned from doing it.

_________________
Dallas Shell
SYM-1
web pages moved to 6502.org

I am sort of a collector.

My first 6502 SBC is a KIM-1 i bought in 1978
My second is a Elektuur Junior bought in 2003
The third is a VIM-1 (aka SYM-1) bought in 2003

The KIM-1 was the main computer from 1978 to 1984: programming, adding hardware, member and editor of KIM users club, writing in popular electronic magazine about it. Great fun and quite influencal for the years after.

You can find some of the (dutch) 6502 SBC history on my wwebpage at http://members.chello.nl/h.otten
I plan to add more info on the Junior Computer, a popular build-yourself clone of the KIM-1 publsihed by the european magazine Elektuur/Elektor

Yes, I ended up with 6 KIM-1 boards, an AppleII+ with all the goodies, and a real rare Robot (Maxx Steele) that runs a 6502 inside. It's quite a piece of work.