Back in the early 80s before computers have the multimedia capability they can only display a really limited number of colors. None of the computers back then in the 80s can do multimedia except one and that is the Commodore amiga family computer. Back in the mid-80s to 90s amiga computers are the only computer out there that can do multimedia. Before amiga arrived digital multimedia has to be done with an expensive SGI machine and I'm pretty sure that no one can afford a super expensive SGI machine. But know things are about to change because when the company named amiga created and published the Commodore amiga computers into the world personal multimedia is now possible. But how? How can such a forgotten computer have so much impact on modern computing as a whole? Well sit back and let me tell you a story about the legendary first personal multimedia computer called the Commodore amiga computer.
In the beginning...
back In the mid-70s atari were expanding. Having developed arcade machines for several years, they are trying to expand their technology into the living rooms throughout the world. To assist with this, a gentleman by the name Jay Glen miner was recruited to develop custom integrated circuits by Harold lee. During his early work career, he worked at various startups including general microelectronics where he gained an impressive knowledge of MOS technology. Armed with his knowledge he successfully reduced the atari 2600 display hardware down to a plethora of discreet components into a single Television Interface Adapter chip. The 2600, as we know went on to be one of the most successful video game consoles of all time. Immediately after Jay miner would begin the development of a new set of chips; the color television interface adapter, the alphanumeric television interface controller, and a pot keyboard integrated circuit. Offering input and output control for the new line of atari 8 bit computers.
At the time the designs Jay created were impressive, offering 40 on-screen colors and a custom accelerated, allowing the 8-bit line to live well into the late 80s. By this point, atari had been sold to Warner communication to provide suitable funding to market and deliver their home systems, but ray Kassar CEO and the new corporate management was more interested in milking their current technology rather than advancing development. Jay and his team were keen to initiate a new project based around the brand spanking new Motorola 68000, but with atari uninterested, left the company in 1980, and went back to medical development for a company named Xymos, helping to create a remote-controlled pacemaker.
Another atari employee who had left at around the same time was the first atari 2600 programmer, Larry kaplan. Larry was unhappy with the lack of recognition atari attributed to their designer and had left atari in 1979 to found activision, the first third party game developer who put the game creators at the core of their work. in 1982 with the console market slowing somewhat, Larry felt the urge to pursue something more exciting. after seeing the Nintendo Famicom at the consumer electronics show, he contacted his former colleague Jay, with the idea of creating a new company that would manufacture cartridges and peripherals for existing machines.
the investment was needed and along with a few wealthy dentists who was keen to cash in on the videogame craze, Jay found additional interest, courtesy of his current employment. Bert Braddock, Jay's boss at Xymos was keen to get both onboard and on the company's board. he quickly encouraging the texas owner of Xymos to invest and agreed to the team using the Xymos semiconductor labs.
and so in June 1982 work began from a small office at 7, 3350 Scott Boulevard, Santa Clara with larry as vice president and jay in charge of the hardware, a chief executive and president was also brought on board, Dave Morse, head of marketing at Tonka toys (and yes that's the same Dave morse who would go on to head up Epyx). with a team in place and a suitable investment, the name 'Hi-Toro' was conjured for the venture, sounding both hi-tech and Texan. the founding idea was for Larry to design games for Atari 2600 and other systems, whilst Jay designed the chips for the cartridges and other new accessories.
By October Ben Baddock was keen for Nolan Bushnell to come on board as a board director chairman. Larry pull up his old atari boss to suggest it, but in a twist, Nolan ended up convincing to come and work for him. Only a few months after setting up Hi-Toro, Larry was gone, and Dave would ask Jay to take his place. the company was then split into 2 segments; one division, under Dave Morse would continue work on software and peripherals for existing game consoles, whilst under Jay guidance, the other would begin focus on his old dream of creating a new computer system based around the Motorola 68000 processor.
this required some convincing for their dentist investors. but still excited by the growing games market, they agreed to Jay's plans to create a new powerful game console. whilst Jay slyly worked on the basis that it could be expandable to a full blown computer. codenamed 'Lorraine' after the wife of Dave Morse, a naming tradition formed at atari for labeling chips after girlfriends so outsiders didn't realize what they were discussing.
that is all for Part 1 now stay tuned for part 2 of this blog post
Edit: part 2 can be found here