 | |
 A North Star Horizon computer | |
| Manufacturer | North Star Computers |
|---|---|
| Type | Personal computer |
| Release date | November 1977 |
| Introductory price |
|
| Discontinued | Early 1980s |
| Units sold | 10,000-100,000+ |
| Operating system | CP/M, NorthStar DOS |
| CPU | Z80 @ 4MHz |
| Memory | 16K or more |
| Storage | 5.25 floppy drive(s) holds 90KB each |
| Display | 80 x 24 text mode |
| Graphics | RS-232 port |
| Sound | None |
| Power | Integrated 250W P.S.U. |
| Dimensions | 50.8 x 44.4 x 18.4 cm |
| Mass | 20 kg |
| Successor | North Star Advantage |
The North Star Horizon was a popular 8-bit S-100 bus computer introduced in October 1977.[1][2][3] Like most S-100 machines of the era, it was built around the Zilog Z80A microprocessor, and typically ran the CP/M operating system. It was produced by North Star Computers, and it could be purchased either in kit form or pre-assembled.[4] The North Star Horizon was one of the first computers to have built in floppy drives [5] as well as being one of the first personal computers to have a hard disk drive.[6]
- ^ North Star Computer Catalogs (PDF). North Star Computer. 1979.
- ^ "S-100 Bus / IEEE-696 Archive: North Star Computers Manuals". www.hartetechnologies.com. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
- ^ "NorthStar Horizon computer". oldcomputers.net. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
- ^ "Horizon, The Complete Computer". Byte. 2 (10). Peterborough NH: Green Publishing: 21. October 1977. The introductory advertisement for the North Star Horizon computer. The price for a Z80 CPU, 16K of RAM and a single floppy drive was $1599 kit and $1899 assembled. Dual drive systems were $1999 kit and $2349 assembled.
- ^ "NorthStar Horizon computer". www.oldcomputers.net. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^ "NorthStar Horizon Personal Computer". National Museum of American History. Retrieved 26 July 2016.