ELF II

The Netronics ELF II was an early microcomputer trainer kit introduced about 1977 featuring an RCA 1802 microprocessor, 256 bytes of RAM, 0 bytes of ROM, DMA based bit mapped graphics, hex keypad for user interaction and DMA based program loading, a two digit hexadecimal LED display, an LED on the special processor Q line, and 5 expansion slots. Available accessories included the giant board (ROM monitor + I/O), 4 KiB (static) RAM board, color bo... more

The Netronics ELF II was an early microcomputer trainer kit introduced about 1977 featuring an RCA 1802 microprocessor, 256 bytes of RAM, 0 bytes of ROM, DMA based bit mapped graphics, hex keypad for user interaction and DMA based program loading, a two digit hexadecimal LED display, an LED on the special processor Q line, and 5 expansion slots. Available accessories included the giant board (ROM monitor + I/O), 4 KiB (static) RAM board, color board, power supply, and case. RS-232 terminals could be interfaced with the unit. Available software included Tiny BASIC and a text editor. The ELF part of the name came from an earlier machine called the "COSMAC ELF", published as a construction project in Popular Electronics magazine. An important improvement on its predecessor was an etched PCB and a hexadecimal keypad instead of toggle switches for entering a program. less