Colby Computer
Chuck Colby | |
|---|---|
| Occupation(s) | Electronics engineer, innovator, founder and president of Colby Systems Corporation |
| Known for | Developing first DVR-based video surveillance systems, pioneering portable DOS and Macintosh computers |
Chuck Colby was a pioneering electronics engineer, chief innovator, and the founder and president of Colby Systems Corporation (which later became Colby Computer, Inc.). He gained recognition for developing the first video surveillance systems based on DVR technology and was a trailblazer in portable computing, being among the first to launch both DOS and Macintosh portable computers, alongside numerous other technological breakthroughs.
Early Innovations
At just 12 years old, Colby created the Colby TR-2 transistor radio, potentially the earliest pocket-sized transistor radio. By age 15, he constructed the world's inaugural home earth satellite station, capable of intercepting signals from Sputnik. During his college years, he attracted media coverage for establishing TV stations that transmitted video between locations and later engineered a video security system for NASA.
He also collaborated on designing Atari Pong’s "Syzygy" prototype, which was housed in a suitcase for investor presentations; this prototype was later donated to the DigiBarn Computer Museum in 2003.
In the 1980s, Colby introduced and marketed the first PC clone motherboard and was one of the earliest providers of portable, expandable DOS-compatible computers such as the Colby PC-1[1] and PC-5,[2] during an era when most portable machines ran CP/M. This advancement was notable because DOS supported applications addressing up to one megabyte of memory, compared to CP/M’s 64Kb limit, allowing more sophisticated software. Colby Systems further advanced early portable Macintosh conversions,[3][4] including durable "luggable" models like the MacColby and WalkMac laptops featuring a 68030-based SE/30 motherboard,[5] which remained competitive even after Apple launched its Macintosh Portable with a slower 68000 processor.
Colby is mentioned in Steve Wozniak's memoir iWoz as having introduced Wozniak to early satellite television, which inspired Wozniak to depart Apple and invent the first programmable learning TV remote, the CL 9. Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza-Time Theaters, described Colby as "a fountain of ideas," symbolizing inventive creativity.
In November 2020, Colby's estate announced his passing.
Innovations
- Classmate Tablet Computer
- IBM Clone Motherboard
- Portable DOS Computer
- PDA and Wearable Computing Device
- Telephone Answering Device
- Cassette Tape Fast-Winder
- Cantaloupe Sorting Machine
- Home Satellite Earth Station
- Affordable TV Camera
- Police Hostage Communication Phone
- DVD Jukebox System
- Police Radar Detection Device
- Police Vehicle Mac Computer
- Underwater Television Camera
- Pocket-Sized Transistor Radio
- Video Modem Device
- Portable Video Editing Unit
- Pocket Data Terminal
- Keyboard with Corded Trackball
- Low-Cost 1" Square TV Camera
- Affordable Digital Stopwatch
- Plasma Display Macintosh
- Driver Alert System
- Color Organ Device
- Low-Cost Video Earth Station
- Police Car DVR/Computer System
- Wireless Telephone Device
- Digital Airport Security System
- Casino Surveillance Recorder in Las Vegas
- Low-Cost Video Conferencing Equipment
- NASA Video Security System
- MPEG-2 Digital Video Recorder
- MPEG-1 Digital Video Recorder
- Portable Macintosh Computers and Laptops
- Heads-up Display Macintosh
- Tempest Macintosh Model
- Portable Pong Gaming Console
- Cellular Video Transmission System
- Low-Cost Carry-on People Mover
- Wireless Two-Way Video Conferencing System
- Ergonomic Robotic Controller Device
- One-Way Motion Sensing Switch
- Customized 1949 Studebaker Vehicle
- TV Production Van with Four-Channel Audio System
- Citizen Band Walkie-Talkies
- Handheld Laser Pointer Device
- Robot with Four-Way Articulating Wheels
- Voice-Activated Switch Device
- Portable Paging Center and Video Editing System
- Colby DVR-5000 Digital Recorder
- Mobile TV Units for Military Use
- Telephone Remote Activation Switch
- Color Videomodem VM-4
- Wireless Video Cameras
- Phone Card Dialer Device
- Video Editing System Using 2" Tape
- TV Camera Embedded in 35mm Film Camera Viewfinder
- Sing-and-Strum Wireless Guitar Pickup
- Scuba Slurp Gun Device
- Rack-Mount PC Unit
- Affordable Folding Motorized Wheelchair
- Low-Cost VideoPhone Device
- Transportable Satellite Uplink Station
- Streaming MPEG Video via T1 Line System
- MPEG-2 Portable Digital Video Recorder
- Low-Cost 360-Degree Television Camera
External links
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