Quote:
Originally Posted by techweenie
Not quite.
In 1977, there were no video display screens or CRTs available to consumers. All personal computers at the time used a separate box that could convert computer output into something a TV could display. Pre-eminent among them was the "Pixie-Verter" which came as a kit and had instructions that ended with 'don't solder this wire to that terminal, because it would violate FCC rules.' Naturally, that last connection made the Pixie-verter work.
I was at Apple at the time and we had to be very indirect about recommending how a buyer might display graphics.
Steve Jobs, May '77 with Apple II and prospective buyers
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The Apple ][ did it this way. The PET had a built in display. I was more of a mainframe user at the time: PR1ME. One of my highschool buddies had a brain infection and was home for a long time. His parents picked up a PET for him. He did the first Asteroids rip-off for the PET.
Our comp department picked up 1/2 dozen Apples and I think we built one from parts. Later on we picked up a couple of IBM PCs. When I went to college, 1983, I had to go back in time with a batch type system...awful...
As far as the "Pixie-Verter", this was the RF modulator of which I was speaking.