Datapoint 2200 Emulator!

Discussions
1

I just happened across this today - it is still a work in progress, but the demo looks very impressive.

The emulator code is here:

An Unlisted demo of the emulator in action is here (running some CTOS software):

The Datapoint 2200 was a product sold around 1971, and “famous” for using a set of TTL chips that were essentially a precursor to the Intel 8008, combining a crisp 80x8 CRT, and a decent full keyboard. It booted from a tape, a piece of software called “CTOS” (Cassette Operating System). I’m not sure about RAM specs.

Within about a year, there were a few iterations of the Datapoint 2200 – a kind of “version 1”, “version 2” and A and B variants. I forget all this specifics, other than the very first version was extremely slow (due to being a literal 1-bit serial processor, which is said to be why Intel’s are all little endian – since the existance of the 2200 nudged them to complete the 8008). This was improved within the first year of release, and a subsequent variant eventually had a ROM boot and didn’t rely on the tape.

There were multiple shops around 1969/1970 that saw the vision of personal computers then, as evident by patents. To me, this parallels somewhat the story of the upright piano about 130 years earlier – the idea was there, but the technical execution was difficult (taking a horizontal keyboard to strike vertical strings is actually a hard thing, the details was in the clever lever-action design of the hammers). Then there were also setbacks due to shop fires, and also legal disputes over patents. It took about 20-40 years to get a reliable consumer upright piano (between about 1810 and 1850, in time for the Great Exhibit of 1851). Another parallel is that by 1880, there were so many cheap upright pianos, there was basically a market crash due to saturation – which to me parallels the game/microcomputer crash of 1983, the market was saturated there also).

The other background here is, Datapoint was “afraid” of IBM (somewhat). That is, they knew it was a general purpose reprogrammable computers, but how to advertise it as such? No one knew what to do with a computer (no one besides specially trained engineers had any idea how to write software). No one went to a store and bought a computer, you only leased time on them from mega-corps. And trying to call it a computer, you didn’t want to tangle with the legal might of IBM as a competitor (but the background here was, IBM had two anti-trust lawsuits that really beat down their aggressive culture by the 1980s-- part of the saga of why OS/2 failed, but that’s another story). Anyhow, Datapoint (nor anyone) knew how to advertise a personal computer. And to avoid any attention from large-corp competition, they chose to just call them “Smart Terminals” (or “Intelligent Terminals”) – even though they were fully programmable, it avoided calling them a “computer”.

Sorry for the tangents - but working Datapoints are very hard find, and this emulator seems very well done. So its neat to finally get insight into how it actually worked.

4 Likes
2

Very nice! Some good Datapoint 2200 photos in the linked repository:

I received this Datapoint 2200 (Version II) as a trade with a German collector for a Q1 computersystem. The 2200 was delivered as a kit, but I am pretty sure all parts are present. The goal is to revive this very interesting milestone in computer history.

(I had to look up the Q1 - see wikipedia and see this emulator and these docs)

1 Like
3

The Q1 is “confusing” (to me). There is a rumor that Q1 (the corporation) constructed an 8008 based computer in the early 1970s - one that looked more like a typewriter. Maybe it was a prototype, but I’ve not found more real evidence it really existed. The “real” Q1 first computer is a later 1970s system that was Z80 based - and it did have an outstanding asthetic (I think within the past few years, I recall an article saying that two in mint condition had been found unexpectedly – but that article incorrectly called them early 1970s systems, which would have been before the Z80 even existed).

Q1 are still great systems, a very interesting case, keyboard, and screen integration. Just not 8008-related.

4

Hmm, why do you say “rumour”? It seems documented. Admittedly, perhaps only two were sold, but that’s still a product. See here and links within:

But Q1 Corporation (acquired in 1974 by Nixdorf Computer AG) delivered another significant first: about two years before MITS, they designed, manufactured and sold the Q1 microcomputer, featuring the same Intel 8008 that was too late for CTC. The first Q1 was sold in December of 1972 (!), only 8 months after the 8008 was released by Intel. The Q1 was, therefore, the first true microcomputer—that is, the first fully-integrated desktop computer featuring a single-chip microprocessor for CPU.

5

That reminds me that DEC had also a 8008 system around late 1975. DEC MPS, I don’t think that many sold. It was programed via a PDP-8. Of course the word 8008 was never seen in the documentation.
It was called a LSI chip.

6

My problem with the claims is the lack of any technical reference, user guide, or price sheet.
Since Litton was military related, I can forgive a disclosed price sheet. But a proper product should have some sort of operating manual.

The photo at the top of this page is what I mean (which incidentally a very similar looking device existed in Nov 1969, the Daedalus - but similarly, other than an ad in Datamation, I haven’t confirmed any were actually built). That is, I’m meaning the 1972 device said to be based on an 8008 - yes, based on testimony, it probably did exist (but I’d consider more in a prototype category than an actual production system – prototypes are still influential, showing “art of the possible”).
Q1 Corporation and Daniel Alroy - the creator of the first microprocessor personal computer

The black sleek Q1’s are all post 1977 and inside will have a Z80 inside. I’ve seen these various found later Q1/Lite (sleek/curved case). Very nice looking units, no doubt on those.

For the 1974 generation of Q1’s claimed to be 8080-based - I’m still not seeing a user guide or price sheet on those, or a physical reference. Granted systems like that at the time probably negotiated a lease plan more than a concrete price. The sales brochure still seems artist-concept.

7

Those 8008s were so slow - they were probably just too embarrassing to really promote, and with no real cost advantage (yet). Obviously that rapidly changed, but there was that 5-year window where TTL solutions were still faster than early microprocessors. I’ve no real data on that - other than I think both Wang and Xerox were doing TTL systems clear to the end of the 70’s. Or that HP9830 I think is another example.

1 Like
8

For reference, DP2200 running a version of BASIC.

1 Like
9

The original VAX was 74SXX with 16K drams. You had the first big market split then with fast big memory around then. Time sharing like the VAX, or Single users with Bit Mapped systems with mouse and display,

1 Like
10

“Photos in the linked repository”? How do I find them? Thx

11

Datapoint stayed with discrete chips for their 2200 (versions 1 and 2) because the 8008 was delayed, AND 10x too slow. Intel finally accomplished the required speed in their second-generation NMOS-based 8080, some two-years later! But by then, Datapoint had moved-on to their next-generation 5500 model, which again out-performed the second-gen 8080.

12

You should see them inline in the README - as it happens several of them are hosted at imgur, which isn’t available to me in the UK, but it looks like github has helpfully proxied a copy.

For example
https://camo.githubusercontent.com/6e455d2843df74c08e5ff9819f547c613255d20b4f1e2c3920d69ff52f42cd98/68747470733a2f2f692e696d6775722e636f6d2f705036447a43322e6a7067 as seen below:

1 Like