Technical Design Labs

Technical Design Labs (TDL), founded 1976 by Carl Galletti and Roger Amidon, was an early producer of personal computers. TDL was based in Princeton, New Jersey, USA in the 1970s and early 1980s.[2][3][4]

Technical Design Labs, Inc.(TDL)(1976-1978)
Xitan, Inc.(1978-1979)
IndustryComputer hardware
Founded1976
FounderCarl Galletti
Roger Amidon
Defunct1979[1]
HeadquartersPrinceton, New Jersey
ProductsXitan

The company was later (1978) renamed Xitan, in honor of its primary product.[5][6]

In 1979, Neil Colvin formed what was then called Phoenix Software Associates after his prior employer, Xitan, went out of business. Neil hired Dave Hirschman, a former Xitan employee.[7][8][9]

In 1979 Carl Galletti and Roger Amidon had started a new business called Computer Design Labs that acquired the rights to all TDL software.[10][11]

Products

The company's Xitan had an S-100 bus and a Z-80-based CPU came in two configurations: the base Alpha 1 model and the Alpha 2.[12][13][14][15][16][17]

Other products from TDL for the Xitan and S-100 Z80-based computer systems:

  • Zapple Monitor
  • Micro-Seed a database management system for Xitan Z80 microprocessors.[2]
  • Z-Tel a text editing language for Z80 microprocessors.[2]
  • Video Display Board (VDB) for S-100 bus computers; capable of displaying text (25 rows x 80 characters) and graphics (160 x 75) that could display on a modified television.[2]
  • Interface One a 'plug-in' wiring board for development.[2]

See also

References
  1. BYTE News, Page 107, October 1979, BYTE Magazine, Two pioneer personal computer companies have shut their doors and are out of business . They are ... and Xitan Inc ( formerly TDL ). Their closings are attributed to poor business management , not lack of business.
  2. TDL Makes Four Offerings, Page 55, 1977-11-21, Computerworld
  3. Hardware and Software Products Catalog March 1977, Technical Design Labs(TDL)
  4. Jim Warren - Technical Design Labs booth, Computer History Museum, This is a black and white photograph. In the photograph, there are 8+ people, a computer monitor, a computer case, four publicity photographs and the "Xitan" logo.
  5. InfoViews:Bits & Bytes:The S-100 Bus: Past, Present, and Future (Part I), By Sol Libes, Page 7, 1980-02-18, InfoWorld, TDL (Technical Design Labs - later to become XITAN) started in mid 1976 in Roger Amidon's basement with a Z-80 CPU card and a powerful monitor software program.
  6. Acquisitions, Page 99, 1978-06-12, Computerworld, Xitan, Inc. has purchased the assets of Technical Design Labs, Inc., a firm that caters to the personal and hobbyist computer markets.
  7. ROM BIOS Puts Phoenix On Top of its Market By Ed Scannell, 1988-09-19, InfoWorld, Phoenix was founded in 1979 by Neil Colvin, then a 29-year- old graduate of MIT and founder of Xitan Inc, one of the first five PC manufacturers.
  8. Phoenix chief: to clone or not to clone? By Ed Scannell, Page 35, 1987-05-18, Computerworld, Neil Colvin, chief executive officer and chief scientist at ... He was also a cofounder of Xitan, which developed various operating
  9. Technical Forum:Technical Design Labs Relocatable Object Module Code Format, Volume 02 Number 11, November 1977, Byte Magazine, ..format used by Technical Design Labs, originated by Neil Colvin. This text was given to us at the TDL booth at the National Computer Conference in Dallas last June, and offered as documentation of a standard which is in use by that firm, and is reportedly being examined for adoption by two other major software vendors in the personal computing marketplace.
  10. Advertisement:Computer Design Labs, Microcomputing Magazine (August 1982)], We have acquired the rights to all TDL software (& hardware). TDL software has long had the reputation of being the best in the industry Computer Design Labs will continue to maintain, evolve and add to this superior line of quality software. Carl Galletti and Roger Amidon, owners.
  11. Computer Design Labs will continue to maintain, evolve and add to this superior line of quality software. — Carl Galletti and Roger Amidon, owners. Creative Computing Magazine (November 1979)
  12. Advertisement: XITAN Alpha 1 and Alpha 2 from Technical Design Labs, Published 1977, From Volume 1 Issue 1 of ROM Magazine.
  13. Phote:Technical Design Labs Z-80 Xitan uses a new monitor board that accepts TDL's relocatable software directly., Page 34 ,1977-10 , Popular Science, New home computers can change your life-style, By William J. Hawkins
  14. Single-Board S-100 Bus Processor Boasts Mini-Like Capabilities, Page 50, 1978-10-02, Computerworld
  15. Advertisement: XITAN Alpha 1 and Alpha 2 from Technical Design Labs, From Volume 1 Issue 1 of ROM Magazine. Internet Archive
  16. Xitan, Computer History Museum, Dimensions: 7 1/2 x 12 1/4 x 12 1/2 in. Description: One power supply units (PSU) are included in this artifact description. other appears to be manufactured by Teletype Corporation. Main system unit (Xitan) contains the following PCBs: 1. S-100 Backplane 2. "ZPU" Z80 CPU 3. "Expandoram" 8 x 4 x 4164 DRAM (likely 4K size) 4. "Versafloppy" FDD Controller 5. "Versafloppy II" FDD/HDD Controller 6. "SMB II" Serial Interface Board (kluge to baud rate controller box).
  17. TDL_Xitan Computer Systems Brochure, Chicago Classic Computing!
  18. Inside Track, By John C. Dvorack, Page 80, InfoWorld, 29 Oct 1984, ...from his days at the defunct S-100 firm Technical Design Labs: Roger Amidon and ... Amidon apparently had much to do with the QX-10's hardware design...
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