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.

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.

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

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 ...