{"id":20396,"date":"2025-01-20T13:50:26","date_gmt":"2025-01-20T18:50:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/?page_id=20396"},"modified":"2026-06-19T15:32:27","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T19:32:27","slug":"vin34","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\/vin34\/","title":{"rendered":"Heathkit H-100"},"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                        Heathkit H-100\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=\"heathkit-h-100\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Heathkit H-100<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>[vin34]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20260318_190312478-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20260318_190312478-400x300.jpg\" alt=\"Heathkit H-100\" class=\"wp-image-23917\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20260318_190312478-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20260318_190312478-160x120.jpg 160w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20260318_190312478-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20260318_190312478-768x577.jpg 768w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20260318_190312478-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20260318_190312478-2048x1538.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20260318_190312478-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20260318_190312478-360x270.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Heathkit-Zenith Z-110, introduced in 1982, was notable for its dual-processor architecture (Intel 8085 and 8088), allowing it to run both CP\/M and a version of MS-DOS called Z-DOS, and for its advanced graphics capabilities, which surpassed many contemporaries and made it popular for early CAD applications. Its claim to fame was its versatility, expandability (with S-100 slots), and its position as a bridge between the kit-computer era and factory-assembled personal computers, reflecting a shift in the home and business computing markets. While it was quite popular in the US, especially in educational and business settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Manufacturer<\/strong>: Heathkit (kit version), later sold assembled by Zenith Data Systems<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Release Date<\/strong>: 1982<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Type<\/strong>: Desktop Computer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Model: H-100-I (Kit version of Z-100)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cost at release<\/strong>: USD $3,499 (CAD ~$12,800 adjusted for inflation)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cost with peripherals<\/strong>: USD $5,499 (CAD ~$20,000 adjusted for inflation)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>MIPS<\/strong>: 0.37 (370 KIPS)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\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 marker:text-textOff list-disc pl-8\">\n<li><strong>CPU<\/strong>: Dual 8085 and 8088<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Memory<\/strong>: 128 KB, expandable to 192 KB on the mainboard and up to 768 KB using S-100 expansion cards.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Storage<\/strong>: Two 320 KB 5.25-inch floppy disk drives<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Display<\/strong>: 640\u00d7225 pixel bitmap display, supporting 8 colors (low-profile model) or up to 8-level greyscale (all-in-one model); advanced graphics for its era.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Video RAM<\/strong>: Up to 64 KB dedicated for graphics.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Expansion<\/strong>: Five S-100\/IEEE-696 expansion slots for peripherals and additional memory.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ports<\/strong>: Two RS-232 serial ports, one Centronics parallel printer port, and a light pen port.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Power<\/strong>: 300-watt switching power supply.<\/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 marker:text-textOff list-disc\">\n<li><p class=\"my-0\"><strong>Operating System<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Z-DOS (a non-IBM compatible version of MS-DOS, sometimes simply called &#8220;Zenith&#8217;s version of MS-DOS&#8221;)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>CP\/M-85 (for the 8085 processor) and CP\/M-86 (for the 8088 processor).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Concurrent CP\/M-86 and UCSD Pascal<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p class=\"my-0\"><strong>Supported Languages<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><p class=\"my-0\">Microsoft BASIC (BASIC-80 for CP\/M-80, Z-BASIC for Z-DOS)<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p class=\"my-0\">Microsoft FORTRAN-86 (for Z-DOS)<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p class=\"my-0\">Microsoft COBOL-86 (for Z-DOS)<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p class=\"my-0\">Microsoft Pascal (for both CP\/M and Z-DOS)<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p class=\"my-0\">Microsoft BASCOM-86 (for Z-DOS)<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p class=\"my-0\">Assembly language (with available assemblers and editors for CP\/M and Z-DOS environments)<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p class=\"my-0\">UCSD Pascal and other languages available for CP\/M systems<\/p><\/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 Z-110 was nicknamed the &#8220;low-profile&#8221; model of the Z-100 series, designed without an internal monitor for flexibility and compactness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It featured a rare dual-processor setup (Intel 8085 and 8088), allowing it to run both CP\/M and a non-IBM compatible version of MS-DOS (Z-DOS), which was unusual for its time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Its graphics capabilities were advanced, supporting 640\u00d7225 resolution with 8 colors-superior to IBM\u2019s CGA and even rivaling the Hercules Graphics Card-making it popular for early CAD and graphics applications.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Z-110 used the S-100 bus, a hallmark of earlier hobbyist systems, but was sold both as a kit (Heathkit) and pre-assembled (Zenith), bridging the gap between DIY and commercial PCs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>While not fully IBM PC compatible, it could run some generic MS-DOS software, and third-party solutions existed to improve compatibility.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Its place in computing history is as a transitional machine: robust, versatile, and influential in both educational and professional settings during the early 1980s<\/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>Heathkit H-100 [vin34] The Heathkit-Zenith Z-110, introduced in 1982, was notable for its dual-processor architecture (Intel 8085 and 8088), allowing it to run both CP\/M and a version of MS-DOS called Z-DOS, and for its advanced graphics capabilities, which surpassed many contemporaries and made it popular for early CAD applications. Its claim to fame was [&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],"class_list":["post-20396","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","cu_page_type-vintage-computing","cu_page_type-vintage-inventory"],"acf":{"cu_post_thumbnail":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/20396","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=20396"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/20396\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24967,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/20396\/revisions\/24967"}],"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=20396"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cu_page_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_page_type?post=20396"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}