Motorola offers new NMOS microcomputer kit, Educator II

Motorola's HEP/MRO Operations group has introduced an 8-bit microcomputer system in kit form. Called the Educator II, the kit contains an NMOS 8-bit MPU, PIA, 128x8-bit static RAM, two TTL 512x4-bit ROMs, and a TTL clock circuit. The NMOS components are the HEP versions of the M6800 microcomputer products. Educator II utilizes the full instruction set and address modes of the MC6800 MPU. The clock frequency is approximately 625 kHz.

An executive program, residing in the ROMs, contains routines for examining and modifying memory locations and MPU registers, servicing interrupts, transferring programs to and from cassette tapes, searching tapes for specific programs, and testing the finished kit. The executive uses 14 bytes of RAM for a scratchpad; the remaining 114 bytes are for user programs. An optional 128x8-bit RAM can be added to the pc board for larger user programs.

Educator II is housed in an aluminum case. Front panel toggle switches and LEDs are used to enter and display machine code. Edge connectors on the pc board provide an interface to the PIA and address, data, and control busses for system expansion. According to Motorola, accessories planned for the near future include a keyboard kit, video display kit, a module card rack and power supply, memory modules, and applications programs on cassettes.

Educator II retails for $169.95 and is available from selected Motorola HEP and MRO distributors and other distributors, nationally. A comprehensive construction/instruction manual is included with the kit. The additional 128x8-bit RAM is $19.04; a power supply designed specifically for Educator II is also available for $29.95.