The Mark-8 Minicomputer

The Mark-8 Minicomputer was the worlds first widely available personal computer. Introduced in the July 1974 issue of Radio Electronics. What made it even more personal is that you had to build it yourself!

The Digital Group

Among the earliest of all companies to offer a personal computer, the digital group began in August '74, initially  to support the Mark-8. They were among the first to offer users a "warm boot" from built-in ROM.

Mos Technology Kim-1 

MOS Technologies introduced the 6500 series microprocessors in early '75, and the Kim-1 as a demonstrator meant for engineering commercial product development. It turned out that the primary customers for this single board computer were hobbyist. 

The first batch of 6502 processors had flaws that made some functions unusable. Mine is one of these early versions. (Remember the early "math challenged" Pentium chips?)

Digital Group TV Typewriter

After the introduction of the Mark-8, the digital group was formed to sell improvement information and add-on's to the Mark-8. This video card was their first product.  

Generic Picture of ADM-3A

Homebrew Apple 1 

The Apple 1 is widely considered the most collectable of all old computers. Go figure. In 1977 I put this homebrew version together from plans drawn by Steve Wozniak.

ASR-33 Teletype

The most common input/output device of the minicomputer and early microcomputer era was the ASR-33 Teletype. This versatile machine was available in a variety of configurations, but most coveted by early hobbyist was the version shown here. This version included a keyboard and papertape reader/punch. The machine communicated via serial interface at 110 baud, or ten characters per second.

Document Archives

Looking for something Mark-8 or digital group related? Odds are good that I have it somewhere... If I have scanned it, it will show up here. Eventually.