The Heathkit ET-3400 is a self-contained microprocessor training
system based around the Motorola 6800.
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In addition to the hardware, Heathkit put together several training courses:
- Microprocessor Course, EE-3401
- Microprocessor Interfacing Course, EE-3402
- Microprocessor Applications Course, EE-3405
There was also an add-on unit called the ETA-3400 Memory I/O Accessory, which added a more comprehensive debug monitor, BASIC language programmability, and a serial port (to attach to a "dumb" terminal).
I am interested in any hardware or documentation for these machines that you might have. If you would like a good home for your old Heathkit microprocessor equipment, please send me an e-mail.
The ET-3400 Microcomputer Learning System is a practical, low cost
microprocessor trainer; designed as a learning tool to teach microprocessor
operation, programming, and applications. The ET-3400 Trainer is designed to
accompany the EE-3401 Individual Learning Program on microprocessors.
All of the programming and hardware interface experiments supplied with
this course are implemented on the Trainer. While the Trainer was
designed primarily to accompany this course, it is a flexible,
general-purpose training unit and microprocessor breadboard. It can be
used in many other applications that require a low cost microprocessor-based
software development system or as a design aid for developing special
interfaces.
The ETA-3400 Memory I/O Accessory expands the capability of the ET-3400
Microprocessor Trainer by adding Tiny BASIC and a terminal monitor
(both in ROM), expnasion RAM, and audio cassette program storage. The
standard Accessory comes with 1,024 bytes of user RAM memory, which can
be expanded to a total of 4,096 bytes.
At the bottom of page 39:
Some chips of interest:
This manual describes the operation of your ET-3400/ETA-3400 microcomputer
system. The major operational features of the system are explained in the
sections titled "Heath/Wintek FANTOM II Monitor" and "Heath/Pittman Tiny
BASIC." The keyboard commands, "Monitor Listing," sample programs, and
memory maps are also included, as well as several article reprints from
"Kilobaud" magazine that will help you to more fully enjoy your
ET-3400/ETA-3400 Microcomputer System.
This Modification Kit will let you interface the ET-3400
Microprocessor Trainer with the ETA-3400 or EWA-3400
Microprocessor I/O Memory Accessory.
Another piece of trivia - before the ET3400 was ready, I did most of the
experiments on an EPA Associates computer. Then, I ported all the software
over to the ET3400 and finished the final few experiments. There were
about 10 times the experiments created than the ones that finally made
it to the final manual.
The following are titles and excerpts from manuals related
to the ET-3400:
This completes the "Initial Tests" of your Memory I/O Accessory.
Set the Memory I/O Accessory aside and proceed to the ET-3400 Trainer
Modification Kit. Then return to "Final Assembly and Operational Tests"
in this manual.
From Bob Furtaw (Manager of Heath Service Publications and Training, later
the Manager of Heath User's Group):
I worked at Heath company. When I designed all the experiments for the
ET3400 course while there, I did them all on a Motorola EXORciser and a
TI Silent 700. When the course manual was printed, I insisted that the
Assembly and Machine code be photo copied directly from the Silent 700
pages so there would be absolutely no mistakes in the process. In later
trainer revisions however, the pages were translated by humans so the
print would show up better in the final manuals. The person in charge
of the manual department didn't like the dot matrix print and reset all
the pages without my knowledge.