The Interact Family Computer
The Interact Home Computer (also called The Interact Family Computer) is a 1978 American home computer made by Interact Electronics, Inc., of Ann Arbor, Michigan. It sold under the name "Interact Model One Home Computer". The original Interact Model One computer was designed by Rick Barnich and Tim Anderson in Ann Arbor.
Interact Electronics Inc was a privately held company that was funded by Hongiman, Miller, Swartz and Cohn, a law firm out of Detroit. The President/Founder of Interact Electronics Inc was Ken Lochner, who was one of the original developers of the BASIC language based out of Dartmouth College. Ken had started Interact Electronics Inc after founding the successful computer time-sharing company Cyphernetics in Ann Arbor, which was purchased by ADP in 1975.
The Interact Model One Home Computer debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago in June 1978, at a price of US$499 (equivalent to $2,300 in 2023). Only a few thousand Interacts were sold before the company went bankrupt in late 1979. Most were sold by the liquidator Protecto Enterprizes of Barrington, Illinois, through mail order sales. It was also sold at Highland Appliance in the Detroit area, Newman Computer Exchange in Ann Arbor, and Montgomery Ward in the Houston, Texas, area.
The computer didn't come with any operating system, but Microsoft BASIC V4.7 or EDU-BASIC (supplied with the computer) could be loaded from tape.
Probably the most successful application available for the Interact was a program called "Message Center". With it, a store could program a scrolling message which appeared on a TV screen (such as advertisements, or a welcome message to guests in like a lobby).
SN76477 Complex Sound Generator
The SN76477 is a sound chip produced by Texas instruments in 1978. This chip was used as the sound generator in arcade games, toys and home computers.
The SN76477 generates complex audio signal waveforms by combining the outputs of a low frequency oscillator, variable frequency (voltage controlled) oscillator (VCO) and noise source, modulating the resulting composite signal with a selected envelope and, finally, adjusting the signal's attack and decay periods. At each stage, the process can be controlled at the programming inputs of the signal modification and generation circuits, using control voltages, logic levels, or different resistor and capacitor values.
Texas Instruments SN76477 Sound Chip
The Texas Instruments SN76477 Complex Sound Generator is a sound chip produced in 1978. The chip was used in several arcade games, toys, computers and in hobby projects. The musical ability of this chip was limited due to the difficulties in controlling the pitch of the sound it produced.
The SN76477 generates complex audio signal waveforms by combining the outputs of a low frequency oscillator, variable frequency (voltage controlled) oscillator (VCO) and noise source, modulating the resulting composite signal with a selected envelope and, finally, adjusting the signal's attack and decay periods. At each stage, the process can be controlled at the programming inputs of the signal modification and generation circuits, using control voltages, logic levels, or different resistor and capacitor values.
CPU View - Zilog Z80 Family
The Z80 quickly became popular in the personal computer market, with many early personal computers, such as the TRS-80 and Sinclair ZX80, using the Z80 as their central processing unit (CPU). It was also widely used in home computers, such as the MSX range, SORD, and the Amstrad CPC, as well as in many arcade games. Additionally, it was also used in other applications such as industrial control systems, and embedded systems. The Z80 was widely used until the mid-1980s, when it was gradually replaced by newer microprocessors such as the Intel 80286 and the Motorola 68000.
The Z80 microprocessor was developed by Zilog, a company founded by Federico Faggin in 1974. The Z80 was released in July 1976, as a successor to the Intel 8080. It was designed to be fully compatible with the 8080, but also included new features such as an improved instruction set, more powerful interrupts, and a more sophisticated memory management system.
The Z80 quickly became popular in the personal computer
RAM max: 64kB
ROM: 2kB Sound Chip TI SN76477 Sound Generator Sound 1Voice, 4 Octaves sound Display 17x12 text in 8 colors
112x78 in 4 from 8 colors Best Text 17x12 Best Color 8 colors Graphics 112x78 Sprites none System OS BASIC (from Tape) Storage 1500 Baud Internal Cassette drive Original Price $499