KIM-1

The KIM-1 (Keyboard Input Monitor) was released by MOS Technology in 1976 as a low-cost development system for the then-new 6502 microprocessor. It was intended for engineers and hobbyists and quickly became one of the most popular training and prototyping systems of its era.

With just a hexadecimal keypad, six 7-segment LED displays, and 1 KB of RAM, it allowed direct memory manipulation and program entry. Despite its minimalism, it was immensely influential, forming the foundation for many homebrew systems and even some early commercial computers.

💡 Did You Know?

• The KIM-1 was one of the first systems available to hobbyists that used the MOS 6502 chip, which also powered the Apple I, Commodore PET, Atari 2600, and Nintendo Entertainment System
• Its design was later used as the foundation for the Commodore PET
• Expansion boards added serial ports, displays, keyboards, and more

🗃 Related Systems

• Apple I
• Commodore PET
• Altair 8800