The SYM-1 was a single board "trainer" computer produced by Synertek circa 1978. Originally called the VIM-1 (Versatile Input Monitor), that name was changed for legal reasons sometime between April and August 1978.
The SYM-1 was a competitor to the popular MOS Technology KIM-1 system, with which it was compatible to a large extent. Compared to the KIM-1, enhancements included the ability to run on a single +5 volt power supply, an enhanced monitor ROM, three configurable ROM/EPROM sockets, RAM expandable on-board to 4 kibibytes, an RS-232 serial port, and a "high speed" (185 bytes/second, the KIM-1 supported about 8 bytes/second) audio cassette storage interface. It also featured on-board buffer circuits to ease interfacing to "high voltage or high current" devices.
One rather distinctive capability of the SYM-1 was its ability to allow an oscilloscope to be added to provide a 32 character display under software control.
Synertek sold ROMs which could be installed to add the BASIC programming language or a Resident Assembler/Editor (RAE). Synertek contracted with a company called Eastern House Software to port their Macro Assembler/Editor (MAE) into an 8K ROM. The author of MAE, RAE, and another version sold by Skyles Electric Works was Carl Moser. MAE was sold in various forms not only for the SYM-1 but also for other 6502-based computers including Commodore, Atari, KIM, and Apple. Other forms of MAE included a cross-Assembler for 6800 and 8085 -- and an offering of these cross Assemblers was planned for RAE.
主要参数编辑本段回目录
| Description | |
| Manufacturer | Synertek Systems |
| Model | Sym-1 |
| Date Announced | 1978 |
| Date Canceled | Unknown |
| Number Produced | About 50,000 |
| Country of Origin | United States |
| Price | $240 |
| Current Value | $50+ |
| Specifications | |
| Processor | MOS 6502 (manufactured by Synertek) |
| Speed | 1 MHz |
| RAM | 1K-4K onboard |
| ROM | 4K |
| Storage | Typically Cassette Tape |
| Expansion | Expansion bus for various peripherals, 4 ROM sockets for additional functionality. |
| Bus | Semi-proprietary, shared with Rockwell AIM-65. |
| Video | 6 character LED |
| I/O | Serial and Cassette IO on-board |
| OS Options | Monitor, BASIC and other ROM options |
| Notes | The Synertek SYM-1 was a 6502 evaluation system designed to showcase the 6502, much like the KIM-1. Built later, the SYM-1 offered several things the KIM-1 did not including on-board ROM and an on-board speaker. |
| Related Items in Collection | KIM-1, Rockwell AIM-65 and others. |
| Related Items Wanted | Manuals, additional ROMs, software, keyboard and other expansions. |
| Released: | 1978 |
| Price: | US $239 |
| CPU: | Synertek 6502 @1MHz |
| RAM: | 1K, 4K max on-board |
| Ports: | Two edge-card 8-bit ports |
| Display: | 6-digit LED |
| Storage: | TTY, audio cassette |
| OS: | "Monitor" in ROM |
1978年编辑本段回目录
详解编辑本段回目录
 |  |
| NAME | SYM1 |
| MANUFACTURER | Synertek |
| TYPE | Home Computer |
| ORIGIN | U.S.A. |
| YEAR | 1978 |
| BUILT IN LANGUAGE | Hexadecimal monitor - Assembler |
| KEYBOARD | 29 'sensitive' keys |
| CPU | Synertek 6502 |
| SPEED | 1 MHz |
| RAM | 1 KB expandable to 4 KB on board |
| ROM | 4 KB |
| TEXT MODES | 6 digit LED display |
| SOUND | Built-in loudspeaker |
| I/O PORTS | Tape recorder, Serial RS232, 51 I/O lines connector |
| OS | Supermon monitor |
| POWER SUPPLY | External 5V - 1.5A power supply unit |
| PERIPHERALS | ASCII Keyboard, expansion slots card |
| PRICE | $239 |
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It is a simple computer systems made from basic hardware and software components. Best uses include learning to program, simple machine control, and sensor monitoring.
The SYM-1 is similar to the KIM-1, another single board computer (SBC) which was released by MOS two years earlier, in 1976.
While more advanced than the KIM-1, the SYM-1 was designed to use the same peripheral cards and data storage protocols for compatibility reasons.
Data storage includes audio cassette, TTY (hard copy output), and paper tape. A floppy drive can be used, but only with additional hardware. The on-board piezo-speaker 'beeps' when a key is pressed, or when directed by the program.
This particular SYM-1 has an expansion chassis with 5 additional slots for expansion cards. 
It also has two 6522 VIA (Versatile Interface Adapter) chips, and sockets for addition ROMs. This is apparently more than just a memory expansion card.
From the Synertek SYM-1 manual:
More is always better!
This particular SYM-1 has an expansion chassis with 5 additional slots for expansion cards. It also has two 6522 VIA (Versatile Interface Adapter) chips, and sockets for addition ROMs. This is apparently more than just a memory expansion card.
From the Synertek SYM-1 manual:
Twenty Important Cassette Recording Guidelines
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More is always better!
参考文献编辑本段回目录
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SYM-1
http://www.vintage-computer.com/sym1.shtml
http://oldcomputers.net/sym-1.html
http://oldcomputers.net/sym-1.html
