{"id":20416,"date":"2025-01-20T15:01:37","date_gmt":"2025-01-20T20:01:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/?page_id=20416"},"modified":"2026-06-22T14:47:54","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T18:47:54","slug":"vin43","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\/vin43\/","title":{"rendered":"Synertek SYM-1"},"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                        Synertek SYM-1\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=\"synertek-sym-1\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Synertek SYM-1<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250505_194054835-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250505_194054835-400x300.jpg\" alt=\"Synertek SYM-1 \" class=\"wp-image-20964\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250505_194054835-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250505_194054835-160x120.jpg 160w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250505_194054835-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250505_194054835-768x577.jpg 768w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250505_194054835-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250505_194054835-2048x1538.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250505_194054835-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250505_194054835-360x270.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>[vin43]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Synertek SYM-1 was a pioneering single board computer introduced in 1975, designed by Ray Holt for Synertek Systems. It was a significant product in the early microcomputer era, offering a complete and versatile platform for learning and development. The Synertek SYM-1 was a single-board &#8220;trainer&#8221; computer notable for its use of the 6502 processor, enhanced monitor ROM, expandable RAM, and versatile I\/O options, including an RS-232 serial port and a unique oscilloscope display interface. Its claim to fame was being a more advanced, compatible successor to the KIM-1, offering features like vectored I\/O routines and high-speed cassette storage, which made it popular for education, hobbyists, and as a development platform, selling&nbsp; ~50,000 units<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Manufacturer<\/strong>: Synertek<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Release Date<\/strong>: 1975<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cost at release<\/strong>: USD $240 (CAD ~$1,000 adjusted for inflation)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cost with peripherals<\/strong>: USD $800 (CAD ~$3,300 adjusted for inflation)<\/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><strong>CPU<\/strong>: Synertek 6502 running at 1 MHz<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Memory<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>RAM: 1 KB expandable to 4 KB on-board<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ROM: 4 KB (expandable to 24 KB)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ports<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>28-key dual-function keyboard<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>6-digit LED display<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>48 programmable parallel I\/O lines (expandable to 71)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Serial interface (RS-232 and teletype compatible)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Storage<\/strong>: Audio cassette interface<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dimensions<\/strong>: 10.75&#8243; x 8.25&#8243; x 0.5&#8243;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Power<\/strong>: Single 5V 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>: Supermon monitor<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p class=\"my-0\"><strong>Supported Languages<\/strong>: 6502 assembly (via its built-in monitor and optional Resident Assembler\/Editor), BASIC (through an add-on ROM), and could also run languages like Pascal, Forth, and even C with appropriate software tools and configuration<\/p><\/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 marker:text-textOff list-disc\">\n<li><p class=\"my-0\">The SYM-1 was originally called the VIM-1 (Versatile Input Monitor) and was designed by Ray Holt as a more advanced, compatible successor to the KIM-1<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p class=\"my-0\">It featured unique capabilities for its time, such as allowing an oscilloscope to be used as a 32-character display and included a high-speed (185 bytes\/second) cassette storage interface-much faster than its competitors<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p class=\"my-0\">The SYM-1 included a sophisticated monitor ROM (Supermon) with vectored I\/O, making it easy to interface with new hardware and develop custom routines-an approach later seen in the BBC Micro<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p class=\"my-0\">It was known for its robust I\/O lines, expandability, and the ability to run on a single +5V power supply, making it popular for education, prototyping, and embedded applications<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p class=\"my-0\">The SYM-1 was sometimes referred to as the VIM-1 in early documentation and circles<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p class=\"my-0\">While not as widely recognized as some contemporaries, it sold about 50,000 units and played a significant role in early microcomputer development and education, especially as a trainer and for hardware interfacing<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p class=\"my-0\">Its flexible ROM sockets allowed users to add languages like BASIC, Resident Assembler\/Editor, and Macro Assembler, making it adaptable for various uses<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p class=\"my-0\">The SYM-1\u2019s design and documentation inspired a dedicated user community and newsletters, such as the SYM-Physis User Group<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Donated by<\/strong>: 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>Synertek SYM-1 [vin43] The Synertek SYM-1 was a pioneering single board computer introduced in 1975, designed by Ray Holt for Synertek Systems. It was a significant product in the early microcomputer era, offering a complete and versatile platform for learning and development. The Synertek SYM-1 was a single-board &#8220;trainer&#8221; computer notable for its use of [&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-20416","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\/20416","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=20416"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/20416\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25129,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/20416\/revisions\/25129"}],"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=20416"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cu_page_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_page_type?post=20416"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}