The Digital Group
Encyclopedia
The Digital Group was the first company to produce a system built around the Zilog
Z80
processor. Their hobbyist-targeted products were based on a system of interchangeable boards and components which allowed users to upgrade to different CPUs without having to replace their peripherals. Their products included the MOS
6502
and Motorola
6800
processors. They were established circa 1975 and went into bankruptcy liquidation in late 1979.
Peripherals included an inexpensive printer and a very unusual quad phi-deck cassette tape system for storing programs and data.
The company was notorious for its unreliability in delivering ordered products. They were shipped to customers not as systems from inventory but one board or peripheral at a time, meaning one could wait a while from receipt of the first component to having received enough components to build a working system.
In 1978 or 1979 they finally had cases (very well-designed and professional looking for the time period) that reportedly were even harder to get than the rest of the components.
They were sometimes referred to as the Denver Donkeys.
External links
Zilog
Zilog, Inc., previously known as ZiLOG , is a manufacturer of 8-bit and 24-bit microcontrollers, and is most famous for its Intel 8080-compatible Z80 series.-History:...
Z80
Zilog Z80
The Zilog Z80 is an 8-bit microprocessor designed by Zilog and sold from July 1976 onwards. It was widely used both in desktop and embedded computer designs as well as for military purposes...
processor. Their hobbyist-targeted products were based on a system of interchangeable boards and components which allowed users to upgrade to different CPUs without having to replace their peripherals. Their products included the MOS
MOS Technology
MOS Technology, Inc., also known as CSG , was a semiconductor design and fabrication company based in Norristown, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is most famous for its 6502 microprocessor, and various designs for Commodore International's range of home computers.-History:MOS Technology, Inc...
6502
MOS Technology 6502
The MOS Technology 6502 is an 8-bit microprocessor that was designed by Chuck Peddle and Bill Mensch for MOS Technology in 1975. When it was introduced, it was the least expensive full-featured microprocessor on the market by a considerable margin, costing less than one-sixth the price of...
and Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
6800
Motorola 6800
The 6800 was an 8-bit microprocessor designed and first manufactured by Motorola in 1974. The MC6800 microprocessor was part of the M6800 Microcomputer System that also included serial and parallel interface ICs, RAM, ROM and other support chips...
processors. They were established circa 1975 and went into bankruptcy liquidation in late 1979.
Peripherals included an inexpensive printer and a very unusual quad phi-deck cassette tape system for storing programs and data.
The company was notorious for its unreliability in delivering ordered products. They were shipped to customers not as systems from inventory but one board or peripheral at a time, meaning one could wait a while from receipt of the first component to having received enough components to build a working system.
In 1978 or 1979 they finally had cases (very well-designed and professional looking for the time period) that reportedly were even harder to get than the rest of the components.
They were sometimes referred to as the Denver Donkeys.
External links
- Examples of Digital Group equipment.
- History of The Digital Group.
- DigiBarn Systems pictures of The Digital Group Systems, including a scan of bankruptcy auction notice