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The Elektor Junior Computer was a simple
pictures of the Junior-Computer and several expansion boards
elektuur unofficial Junior computer website
Early microcomputers
The Elektor Junior Computer was a simple 6502
The MOS Technology 6502 (typically pronounced "sixty-five-oh-two" or "six-five-oh-two") William Mensch and the moderator both pronounce the 6502 microprocessor as ''"sixty-five-oh-two"''. is an 8-bit microprocessor that was designed by a small te ...
-based microprocessor development board
A microprocessor development board is a printed circuit board containing a microprocessor and the minimal support logic needed for an electronic engineer or any person that wants to become acquainted with the microprocessor on the board and to lea ...
published in the 1980s in the Dutch, German and later French, Spanish, British and Indian versions of '' Elektor/Elektuur'', in the form of a series of articles, and four books. It was developed by the German engineer Loys Nachtmann.
The Junior Computer was a virtual clone of the KIM-1
The KIM-1, short for ''Keyboard Input Monitor'', is a small 6502-based single-board computer developed and produced by MOS Technology, Inc. and launched in 1976. It was very successful in that period, due to its low price (thanks to the inexpe ...
, only it did not use the special I/O+ROM chips ( MCS6530) but rather an off-the-shelf 6532 RIOT and a 2708 1K EPROM
An EPROM (rarely EROM), or erasable programmable read-only memory, is a type of programmable read-only memory (PROM) chip that retains its data when its power supply is switched off. Computer memory that can retrieve stored data after a power s ...
. It also had a different physical shape, as it used the Eurocard board, and a 31-pin DIN connector for I/O and a DIN 41612
DIN 41612 was a DIN standard for electrical connectors that are widely used in rack based electrical systems. Standardisation of the connectors is a pre-requisite for open systems, where users expect components from different suppliers to operat ...
connector for system expansion. It was delivered as an electronic kit
An electronic kit is a package of electrical components used to build an electronic device. Generally, kits are composed of electronic components, a circuit diagram (schematic), assembly instructions and often a printed circuit board (PCB) or ...
, or could purchased as two printed circuit board
A printed circuit board (PCB; also printed wiring board or PWB) is a medium used in Electrical engineering, electrical and electronic engineering to connect electronic components to one another in a controlled manner. It takes the form of a L ...
s (main board and Seven-segment display
A seven-segment display is a form of electronic display device for displaying decimal numerals that is an alternative to the more complex dot matrix displays.
Seven-segment displays are widely used in digital clocks, electronic meters, basic ...
board) only, for components to be installed.
As it was much lower in price than an original KIM, many more Junior computers (several thousands) were used in the Netherlands, Germany and France, than original KIM-1s.
Later extension boards were developed, and a BASIC interpreter was ported.
Elektor expansion boards specifically for the Junior were an I/O interface card (including a 6522 VIA, a tape recorder interface and a RS-232
In telecommunications, RS-232 or Recommended Standard 232 is a standard originally introduced in 1960 for serial communication transmission of data. It formally defines signals connecting between a ''DTE'' (''data terminal equipment'') such a ...
port), a VDU (video terminal
A computer terminal is an electronic or electromechanical computer hardware, hardware device that can be used for entering data into, and transcribing data from, a computer or a computing system. The Teleprinter, teletype was an example of an e ...
) (an improvement of the previous "elekterminal" design), an EPROM and SRAM expansion board, a 16/64 KB DRAM
Dynamic random-access memory (dynamic RAM or DRAM) is a type of random-access semiconductor memory that stores each bit of data in a memory cell, usually consisting of a tiny capacitor and a transistor, both typically based on metal-oxid ...
board and EPROM programmer board, and a floppy disk controller
A floppy-disk controller (FDC) has evolved from a discrete set of components on one or more circuit boards to a special-purpose integrated circuit (IC or "chip") or a component thereof. An FDC directs and controls reading from and writing to ...
, as well as a dozen smaller boards for small improvements and interfaces.
External links
pictures of the Junior-Computer and several expansion boards
elektuur unofficial Junior computer website
Early microcomputers