ACFA-8

ACFA-8

ACFA-8

Microcomputer

The ACFA-8 (Affordable Computers for All-8) was a microcomputer based on the Motorola 6808. It was released in 1979 by Andrew M. Veronis, a doctorate of computer science more well-known for his books on computer engineering.

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Description and history

The ACFA-8 was a single-board microcomputer running the Motorola 6808. The board's memory layout comprised an array of eight chip sockets, onto which 3 KB or 6 KB DRAM chips can be populated, for a maximum of 48 KB of RAM.[1] As stock it came with 16 KB of RAM.[2] The computer's cassette interface supports the Kansas City standard, and the computer came shipped with 8-KB BASIC on cassette.[1] The board features a built-in color RF modulator; American buyers got shipped a color video display for the price of the computer.[3]: 52  Both American and overseas buyers however both got the board with an enclosure, a keyboard, and the power supply unit.[1][2][3]: 52 

The ACFA-8 was one of the few microcomputers based on the 6808 microprocessor, being a lesser-cost component in the Motorola 6800 family. It was more popular with embedded processing systems in industrial environments.[4] The computer came shipped with manuals describing the principles of operation, which Electronics Today International described as "really a computer course on their own".[2] ACFA, Inc. (Affordable Computers for All), was founded by Andrew M. Veronis, a doctorate of computer science more well-known for his books on computer engineering.[2] In the United States, the computer sold for $695 as an assembled kit or $595 unassembled. Computer journalist Fred Ruckdeschel felt that it needed an additional $300 in hardware on top of the cost of the unassembled kit to bring it on par with its contemporaries. To that end the ACFA-8 came with a RS-232C serial port for peripherals including teletypes.[3]: 52 

ACFA, Inc. was incorporated at 130 Main Street in Annapolis, Maryland.[5] This location was previously the home of Wicker Basket Ltd., a seller of wicker furniture, cookware, and fine china. Veronis bought that company in 1977 and was the proprietor of the store for a few years.[6] Veronis forfeit ACFA shortly after its incorporation.[5] He continued working in the computer industry in the following decades while also teaching computer science at the University of Maryland, College Park.[7]

References

  1. [1]
    Staff writer (September 1979). "Bits and pieces". Personal Computer World. Vol. 2, no. 5. Sportscene Publishers. p. 29 – via the Internet Archive.
  2. [2]
    Budgett, Henry (October 1979). "MicroCoup" (PDF). Electronics Today International. Vol. 8, no. 10. Modmags. p. 53.
  3. [3]
    Ruckdeschel, Fred (June 1979). "A Personal Computer Directory". On Computing. Vol. 1, no. 1. McGraw-Hill. pp. 50–61 – via the Internet Archive.
  4. [4]
    Nadeau, Michael (2002). Collectible Microcomputers. Schiffer Book for Collectors (Illustrated ed.). Schiffer Publishing. p. 8. ISBN 9780764316005 – via Google Books.
  5. [5]
    "A.C.F.A., Incorporated". Maryland.gov. Government of Maryland. n.d.
  6. [6]
    Staff writer (December 30, 1977). "Wicker basket's new owner". The Evening Capital. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. [7]
    Sioris, Dennis (March 2000). "RADM Sirois on CG Training Initiatives". Navigator: The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Magazine. Vol. 27, no. 1. Coast Guard Auxiliary Association. p. 34 – via Google Books.
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