From boards to systems Cromemco

cromemco z-1 (1976)



cromemco system 1 (cs-1h) 1981



cromemco system 400 32-bit super microcomputer xxu (1985)

the first computer released cromemco z-1 in august 1976. z-1 came 8k of static ram , used same chassis imsai 8080 featured z80 microprocessor rather imsai computer s intel 8080 chip. z-1 succeeded z-2 in june 1977, featured 64k of ram , ability run cromemco dos (cdos), cp/m-like operating system. z-2 added parallel interface in addition rs-232c serial port , no longer included large panel of switches had been part of z-1 model.

cromemco re-packaged systems produce system one, followed larger system 2 , system three. system three, announced in 1978 capable of running both fortran iv , z80 basic programming languages. system 3 designed multiuser professional use , included optional hard disk, crt terminal, printer , main computer unit. in 1979, cromemco released cromix, first unix-like operating system microcomputers. cromix ran on system 3 , later run on cromemco systems using motorola 68000 series of microprocessors.

in 1982, cromemco introduced motorola 68000 cpu card systems. dual-processor card (called dpu) both motorola 68000 processor , zilog z-80 processor (for backward compatibility). system one, two, , 3 computers evolved 100-series, 200-series, , 300-series respectively. additionally 400-series introduced in tower-style case. dpu followed increasing capable xpu , xxu cards based on motorola 68000 family of processors. cromemco introduced c-10 personal computer in 1982, z-80 floppy disk based system low end of market.

by 1983, cromemco employed on 500 people , had annual revenues of us$55 million. company wholly owned garland , melen until sold dynatech in 1987 supplier colorgraphics weather systems subsidiary. european division of cromemco reorganized cromemco ag , still in business.