{"id":20265,"date":"2024-12-11T11:29:59","date_gmt":"2024-12-11T16:29:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/?page_id=20265"},"modified":"2026-06-19T14:27:55","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T18:27:55","slug":"vin25","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\/vin25\/","title":{"rendered":"American Automation EZ-Pro Development System AA-547"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--white ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl  md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n            <div class=\"cu-textmedia flex flex-col lg:flex-row mx-auto gap-6 md:gap-10 my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 max-w-5xl\">\n        <div class=\"justify-start cu-textmedia-content cu-prose-first-last\" style=\"flex: 0 0 100%;\">\n            <header class=\"font-light prose-xl cu-pageheader md:prose-2xl cu-component-updated cu-prose-first-last\">\n                                    <h1 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold !mt-2 mb-4 md:mb-6 relative after:absolute after:h-px after:bottom-0 after:bg-cu-red after:left-px text-3xl md:text-4xl lg:text-5xl lg:leading-[3.5rem] pb-5 after:w-10 text-cu-black-700 not-prose\">\n                        American Automation EZ-Pro Development System AA-547\n                    <\/h1>\n                \n                                \n                            <\/header>\n\n                    <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\">Vintage Computing Collection<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"american-automation-ez-pro-development-system-aa-547\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">American Automation EZ-Pro Development System AA-547<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>[vin25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251008_175617462-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251008_175617462-400x300.jpg\" alt=\"American Automation EZ-Pro Development System AA-547\" class=\"wp-image-22977\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251008_175617462-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251008_175617462-160x120.jpg 160w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251008_175617462-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251008_175617462-768x577.jpg 768w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251008_175617462-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251008_175617462-2048x1538.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251008_175617462-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251008_175617462-360x270.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The American Automation EZ-Pro Development System AA-547 was a specialized hardware platform from the early 1980s designed for embedded systems development, particularly notable for its in-circuit emulation capabilities for microcontrollers like the Motorola 68HC11. Its claim to fame was serving as an essential tool for engineers to prototype, test, and debug embedded systems, making it a significant contributor to the evolution of embedded computing technology. While not a mass-market personal computer and thus not widely popular among general consumers, it was important within engineering and technical circles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Manufacturer<\/strong>: American Automation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Type<\/strong>: Embedded systems development platform<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Announced<\/strong>: December 1972<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Release Date<\/strong>: Early 1980&#8217;s<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cost at release<\/strong>: ~$18,000 (adjusted for inflation)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>MIPS<\/strong>: 0.3 (300 KIPS)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"hardware-specifications\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW36078203 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW36078203 BCX0\">Hardware Specifications<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Microcontroller: In-circuit emulator and debugger for microcontrollers commonly Motorola 68HC11<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Modular hardware design with multiple interface and emulation modules<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Support for real-time code testing and debugging directly on target hardware<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Serial and parallel I\/O ports for communication with host computers and target systems<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Expandable with additional peripherals for various microcontroller families<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"operating-system-programming-languages\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW136206418 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW136206418 BCX0\">Operating System &amp; Programming Languages<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW136206418 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Operating System<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Supported Languages<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Assembly language, for direct hardware control and efficiency.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>C, which became the industry standard for embedded systems due to its balance of low-level access and portability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Occasionally, C++ was also used for more complex projects, and BASIC or other languages could be used depending on the development tools available, but C and Assembly were predominant<figure><a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251008_175646804-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-large wp-image-22978\" src=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251008_175646804-400x300.jpg\" alt=\"American Automation EZ-Pro Development System AA-547\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251008_175646804-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251008_175646804-160x120.jpg 160w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251008_175646804-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251008_175646804-768x577.jpg 768w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251008_175646804-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251008_175646804-2048x1538.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251008_175646804-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251008_175646804-360x270.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"notables\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Notables<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The American Automation EZ-Pro Development System AA-547 was a niche, professional-grade embedded systems development tool, not a general-purpose computer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It was notable for its robust in-circuit emulation and debugging features, which allowed engineers to interact directly with microcontroller hardware during development.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The system played a key role in the transition from manual, hardware-based prototyping to more automated, software-driven embedded system design.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>While it did not have widely known nicknames, it was sometimes referred to simply as the &#8220;EZ-Pro&#8221; in engineering circles.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Its main historical significance lies in its contribution to advancing embedded systems engineering and prototyping during the early 1980s.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Due to its specialized function and high cost, it was uncommon outside of professional and academic environments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Donated by<\/strong>: Dr. Arlen Michaels<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\">Vintage Computing Collection<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>American Automation EZ-Pro Development System AA-547 [vin25] The American Automation EZ-Pro Development System AA-547 was a specialized hardware platform from the early 1980s designed for embedded systems development, particularly notable for its in-circuit emulation capabilities for microcontrollers like the Motorola 68HC11. Its claim to fame was serving as an essential tool for engineers to prototype, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":19704,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cu_dining_location_slug":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"cu_page_type":[90,123,131],"class_list":["post-20265","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","cu_page_type-vintage-computing","cu_page_type-vintage-inventory","cu_page_type-vintage-misc"],"acf":{"cu_post_thumbnail":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/20265","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20265"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/20265\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24879,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/20265\/revisions\/24879"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19704"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20265"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cu_page_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_page_type?post=20265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}