How the Apple 1 computer works.
The 8-Bit Guy・17 minutes read
The Apple 1 computer is rare with only around 200 still in existence, and building a replica is an option due to high costs. The assembly process involves finding and assembling various parts, with soldering in IC sockets being the most time-consuming part, providing insight into the challenges faced by Jobs and Wozniak.
Insights
- Building an Apple-1 computer involves intricate assembly processes, with soldering IC sockets being particularly time-consuming due to the numerous chips on the board. This complexity provides a glimpse into the challenges Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak faced during the creation of the original Apple-1, showcasing the meticulous nature of their work.
- The Apple-1's video display system, limited to ASCII characters due to the character ROM, operates independently from the computer section, utilizing shift registers to store characters. Despite the basic operating system booting to WozMon for machine code input, loading BASIC from a cassette via the Apple Cassette Interface was necessary in the original setup, highlighting the technological constraints of the era and the evolution of computing alternatives like the SmartyKit and PE6502 computer for Apple-1 replication.
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Recent questions
What is the Apple 1 computer?
The Apple 1 is a rare computer with only around 200 still in existence. It is known for being one of the first personal computers ever created, designed by Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs in the 1970s.
How does the video display of the Apple 1 work?
The video display section of the Apple 1 works independently from the computer section. It is limited to ASCII characters due to the character ROM and uses shift registers to store characters, which limits random character modification.
What is the operating system of the Apple 1?
The Apple 1's operating system is basic, booting up to WozMon for typing in machine code. In 1976, loading BASIC from cassette was required, using the Apple Cassette Interface (ACI) with additional ROM chips.
Is building an Apple 1 recommended for beginners?
The assembly process of building an Apple 1 is complex and not recommended for beginners. It involves finding and assembling various parts, soldering in IC sockets, and dealing with expensive and hard-to-find components.
Are there alternatives to assembling an Apple 1 replica?
Yes, alternatives to assembling an Apple 1 replica include the solder-less SmartyKit and the PE6502 computer, both of which are Apple-1 compatible. Additionally, the Green Delicious emulator on a Commodore 64 functions as a virtual machine, running code natively on the C64's CPU with included BASIC in ROM and disk loading capabilities.
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Summary
00:00
Building Apple-1: Rare Computer Assembly Insights
- Apple 1 is a rare computer with only around 200 still in existence.
- Building an Apple-1 is an option due to the high cost of purchasing one.
- The process of building an Apple-1 involves finding and assembling various parts.
- Soldering in IC sockets is the most time-consuming part, with around 63 chips on the board.
- The assembly process gives insight into the challenges faced by Jobs and Wozniak.
- The video display section of the Apple 1 works independently from the computer section.
- The Apple 1's video display is limited to ASCII characters due to the character ROM.
- The video system uses shift registers to store characters, limiting random character modification.
- The assembly process is complex and not recommended for beginners, with parts being expensive and hard to find.
- The Apple 1's operating system is basic, booting up to WozMon for typing in machine code.
13:02
"Apple-1 Setup: Loading BASIC from Cassette"
- The Apple-1 setup in 1976 required loading BASIC from cassette, necessitating the Apple Cassette Interface (ACI) with additional ROM chips.
- To load BASIC, the ACI card is inserted into the expansion slot, and a cassette recorder is connected to the interface.
- The process involves starting the ROM code at C100, loading the program into memory, and executing it to run BASIC on the Apple-1.
- Alternatives to assembling an Apple-1 replica include the solder-less SmartyKit and the PE6502 computer, both Apple-1 compatible.
- The Green Delicious emulator on a Commodore 64 functions as a virtual machine, running code natively on the C64's CPU with included BASIC in ROM and disk loading capabilities.
