Intertec Superbrain
|
The twin-Z80 Intertec Superbrain. | |
| Manufacturer | Intertec Data Systems Corp. |
|---|---|
| Type | microcomputer |
| Release date | 1979 |
| Operating system | CP/M |
The Intertec Superbrain was an all-in-one commercial microcomputer first sold by Intertec Data Systems Corp. in 1979. The machine ran the operating system CP/M and was somewhat unusual in that it used dual Z80 CPUs, the second being used as a disk controller. In 1983, the basic machine sold for about $2000.
There were several variants, including the Superbrain II, Superbrain II Jr., "QD" (quad density disk drives) and "SD" (super density) models.
The Superbrain is notable for being at the user end of the first Kermit connection in 1981.
The machine was practical and useful in the office environment, but somewhat limiting until the arrival of the first 5MB hard disks in one of the floppy drive bays. This was soon replaced by the 10MB Winchester thus effectively removing all limitations on what could be programmed and stored.
Specifications
| Model Number | Processor | Disk Drives | Clock Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 (Compustar) | Z80 | No drives network device | 4 MHz |
| Jr | Z80 | 170Kb | 4 MHz |
| QD (Quad Density) | Z80 | 340Kb | 4 MHz |
| SD | Z80 | 780Kb | 4 MHz |
Peripherals
- DSS-10 10Mb Hard Disk
- CDC 96Mb Hard Disk with removable platter
- Priam 14" 144mb Hard Disk
Applications
- Microsoft Basic
- 8080 Assembler
- Microsoft Cobol 74
External links
- Intertec SuperBrain DAVES OLD COMPUTERS
- Superbrain at Old Computer Museum
- Marcus Bennett's Superbrain documentation
- Video walkthrough of restored unit on YouTube