Object Record
Images
Additional Images [5]
Metadata
Accession number |
2003-1 |
Catalog Number |
2003-1-2352 |
Collection |
Perham Collection of Early Electronics |
Collector |
Perham Foundation |
Object Name |
Computer, Digital |
Title |
Apple I computer, ca 1976. |
Description |
Apple I Computer circuit board, on wood display board. Accompanied by tape recorder, program audiocassette, and operation manual. The Apple 1 was restored to working condition in May and June of 2013 by volunteer Ralph Simpson and three Apple engineers: Dr. Wendell Sander, Allen Baum, and Dan Kottke. On June 18, 2013, Steve Wozniak powered up this Apple 1 at the History San Jose Collections Center during a live press event. Read more about the restoration: https://www.historysanjose.org/wp/wp-admin/post.php?post=2198 200 Apple 1's were manufactured of which 175 were sold from May 1976 to Oct. 1977. The first batch of 100 were made without a PCB manufacturer identified, like this example. The second batch of 100 were made by NTI, with that logo printed under "Palo Alto." The date code on the 6502 microprocessor is 1576, meaning it was made in the 15th week of 1976. This would place it in the first week of April, 1976, coincidentally the date of incorporation of Apple Computers. The original Apple 1 only included the motherboard and chips, the buyer had to supply the mounting board, transformers, keyboard, monitor, additional memory, cassette interface card and cassette tape player. The two larger white ceramic chips on the bottom left are the 6820 PIA chip (Peripheral Interface Adapter) and the MOS 6502 microprocessor chip. The white ceramic 6820 is very rare, the only known examples are the press photo (that machine is missing) and the first hand-made Apple 1 bought by Woz and given to Liza Loop. During the press event at History San Jose on 6/18/2013, Woz said the History San Jose Apple 1 looks like an early hand-built version. On the back of the board are hand-written numbers, 01-0019. Apple did not have serial numbers for the Apple 1, but the Byte Shop numbered some of the machines they sold. Also note the wires soldered on the back. These were modifications made by the owner to change some functions in the keyboard. The Apple 1 is accompanied by a cassette tape player, the data input device. See attached photograph showing the small board that installs vertically on the Apple 1 motherboard, used to attach the cassette tape player. This was a separately priced item from Apple, cost $75. Note the 2 chips in the middle have a homemade metal strip glued on, this was done by the original owner to act as a heat sink. Other proms on the motherboard also have similar heat sinks added. The transformer was not included in the Apple 1, so owners supplied their own. In this case, the original owner had a very unique transformer and power arrangement. He moved the rectifier off the motherboard and put it on the large heat sink to the right of the transformer. He also added EMI Filtering and 2 fuses. (See attached photograph) The unusual keyboard was hand-built from Radio Shack. The original owner mounted this on the wood board and added the Clear / Reset buttons on the top left. Normally, to have the enter function the user would key "Cntl" then "M". This keyboard uses "Shift" then "M" instead. For the press event in June 2013, Simpson and Apple engineers bypassed the cables and used the keyboard connected via a cable supplied by Wendell Sander. Another anomaly is the first character entered is ignored and characters are displayed starting with the second character entered. At the 6/18/2013 press event, the Apple 1 was signed twice, first by Dr. Wendell Sander and second by Steve Wozniak. Wendell did most of the work in restoring the Apple 1. (Above description and detail was provided by volunteer Ralph Simpson, who researched the Apple 1 as part of the restoration work in 2013). |
Year Range from |
1976 |
Year Range to |
1977 |
Provenance |
Originally owned by Winston Gayler. Acquired by History San Jose in 2003 as part of the Perham Collection of Early Electronics. |
Dimensions |
W-23 D-11 inches |
Depth (in) |
11.000 |
Width (in) |
23.000 |
Donor |
Perham Collection of Early Electronics |
Subjects |
Apple Computer, Inc. Apple I (Computer) Computers (LCSH) |
Number of images |
11 |