Comments on: Apple 1 trivia question http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982 computers, trains, wargames, fish, railroads and more Thu, 19 Mar 2015 11:08:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1 By: Mike http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982&cpage=1#comment-2104 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 13:57:51 +0000 http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982#comment-2104 Now the answer, as of today.

Woz has indicated in the past to me, that the contract manufacturer was in Santa Clara, he didn’t indicate who they were.

There are two versions of original Apple 1’s. The first version has no logo for the PCB fab/assembly house. The second version has an NTI logo. Each of the versions has slightly different solder mask characteristics, so they were probably made by different outfits. However, it is possible that in the 6 months or so between runs, that the fab house changed specs and added the logo.

On the other hand, the Cassette Interface Adapter comes with two different logos. One is an NTI logo, that appears the same as that seen on second run motherboards. The second logo is SCC. I don’t know which run of ACI cards came first, though checking date codes on chips may reveal the details. I just haven’t taken the time to do this.

So we have three “types” of PCBs.

No logo
NTI
SCC

Who made the “no logo” cards is just speculation at this point – nobody really knows. However, I had some help from the Santa Clara library historian in researching NTI and SCC. I went to the Santa Clara library, because Woz indicated in an email sometime back that the boards were made and assembled in Santa Clara.

SCC – almost certainly turns out to be Santa Clara Circuits.

From a business directory from 1977 it is located at:
1881 Martin Ave.
Santa Clara, CA 95050

They are listed in the directory as a manufacturer and wholesaler of circuit boards. Note that at the time, Atari was located one block away at 2175 Martin Ave, so it is almost certain that Jobs and Woz knew of this place.

Woz indicates that SCC “sounds right”. However, this isn’t a part of the story that he has been retelling as a part of his “standard” talk, so details could be forgotten over time. Also, what about the NTI logos on the PCBs? I’ve checked with some other early Apple employees, but haven’t received any good information from them, at least so far.

NTI is more difficult, but the historian was able to find a reference to a newsletter from a company in Mountain View called NTI that made circuit boards. Unfortunately the newsletter is dated 1985, but it is the most likely lead. Is it possible that SCC subcontracted out the PCB fab to other companies like NTI?

In a way, this is a trick question, as we don’t know for sure. I have one or two more leads to follow up on, but we may never get a solid answer to this question.

]]> By: Antoine Vignau http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982&cpage=1#comment-2103 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:41:43 +0000 http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982#comment-2103 Hi Mike,
from note 6 of your Apple 1/I page, it appears that the boards were wave soldered by NTI and probably another coany, see the applefitter.com forum @ http://www.applefritter.com/node/24536

Antoine

]]> By: Mike http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982&cpage=1#comment-2102 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:27:16 +0000 http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982#comment-2102 The original Apple 1’s vias are filled in with solder. This would not happen if the board was hand soldered. This indicates that the boards were wave soldered at a contract manufacturer. Also the copper area around the big heat sink shows wrinkles in most all of the original Apple 1s. This is also an indication of a wave soldering process. Steve Woziniak has confirmed this, saying that once the boards were assembled by the contract manufacturer, they were tested in famous garage. Next post, I’ll talk a little bit about the contract manufacturer.

]]> By: Mike http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982&cpage=1#comment-2096 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:28:17 +0000 http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982#comment-2096 Look closely at the vias at the top part of the two images – do you see any differences?

]]> By: bill Martens http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982&cpage=1#comment-2094 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:29:44 +0000 http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982#comment-2094 Homebrew Computer Club

]]> By: Mike http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982&cpage=1#comment-2089 Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:13:34 +0000 http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982#comment-2089 Ok – here is a visual hint

]]> By: bill Martens http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982&cpage=1#comment-2088 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:01:44 +0000 http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982#comment-2088 I know that Steve Jobs, Woz, Bill Fernandez, and Daniel Kottke built the Apple-1’s but if not in the garage or in Woz’s bedroom, then another possibility might be Bill’s house.

]]> By: Mike http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982&cpage=1#comment-2087 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:53:16 +0000 http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982#comment-2087 you must feel the force around you

]]> By: Dan Mc http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982&cpage=1#comment-2086 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:10:37 +0000 http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982#comment-2086 Hmmm. I feel a disturbance in the Force, as if one of my long held beliefs cired out in terror and then was suddenly silenced.

]]> By: bill Martens http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982&cpage=1#comment-2085 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:57:26 +0000 http://www.willegal.net/blog/?p=1982#comment-2085 Only other place they could have been built at the time was in Woz’s Bedroom

]]>