NABU Network

Families, schools, or individuals would purchase a NABU Personal Computer,{{Cite web |title=nabu PC |url=https://hackaday.com/tag/nabu-pc/ |access-date=2022-12-21 |website=Hackaday |language=en-US}} which would be connected via cable TV to NABU's servers.{{Cite magazine |last=Langdell |first=James |date=1984-10-02 |title=Software Direct to Your Door Via Modem, Cable TV |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d-tPdHcBE9wC&dq=NABU+Network+PC+-wiki&pg=PA54 |magazine=PC Mag |volume=3 |issue=19 |page=54 |access-date=2023-03-23}} In addition to normal PC capabilities of the time, the computer could download software and information content through the cable feed and could upload primitive information back up to the servers. Applications included games, the programming language Logo, news/current events, and rudimentary PC banking/shopping. At its peak, approximately 100 applications were available.

The NABU Network can be credited as being the first online version of fantasy baseball. The game, aptly named Managers Baseball, allowed for choosing teams based on the real names and statistics of MLB teams and players. Player performance in the game was based on real life player statistics and as a Manager you would draft your team and compete against another owner in a mock up game in a purely managerial role.

The NABU Personal Computer cost $950 CAD, approximately the same price as the wildly successful Commodore 64 at the time, and the network service cost $8 to $10 per month.{{cite web | url=http://www.pcworld.ca/pages/newscolumn.aspx?id=f83fbbf00a01040800fa55e65be39dac |title=NABU Network |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060503090652/http://www.pcworld.ca/pages/newscolumn.aspx?id=f83fbbf00a01040800fa55e65be39dac |archive-date=2006-05-03 |access-date=2015-02-05 |url-status=dead}}

{{More citations needed section|date=November 2020}}

File:PXL 20221219 002643189 (52573656443).jpg

{{Infobox information appliance

| name = NABU Personal Computer

| aka =

| logo =

| image =

| caption =

| developer = NABU Network Corporation

| manufacturer =

| family =

| type =

| generation =

| releasedate = {{Start date|1982}}

| lifespan =

| price =

| discontinued =

| unitssold =

| unitsshipped =

| media =

| os =

| power =

| soc =

| cpu = Zilog Z80A @ 3.58 MHz

| storage = Optional hard drive

| memory = 64 KB

| display = 256×192 graphics, 16 colours

| graphics = Texas Instruments TMS9918A

| sound = General Instrument AY-3-8910

| input =

| controllers =

| camera =

| touchpad =

| connectivity = Serial port; Cable modem via network adapter

| service = Nabu Network

| dimensions =

| weight =

| topgame =

| compatibility =

| predecessor =

| successor =

| related =

| website =

}}

The heart of a NABU Personal Computer is a Z80A processor chip running at 3.58 MHz, 64 KB RAM, a Texas Instruments TMS9918A video chip with 16 KB RAM, a General Instrument AY-3-8910 sound chip, and a Western Digital TR1863 UART to connect to the interface module (below).{{cite web |title=Nabu PC Technical Specifications |url=https://bitsavers.org/pdf/nabu/Nabu_PC_Technical_Specifications_198406.pdf |date=June 8, 1984}}{{Cite web |title=DAVES OLD COMPUTERS- Nabu |url=http://dunfield.classiccmp.org/nabu/index.htm |access-date=2022-12-21 |website=dunfield.classiccmp.org}}{{cite web |title=NABU Personal Computer Diagnostics and Repair Manual |url=https://www.nabunetwork.com/stuff/docs/Nabu_PC_Diagnostics_V1.7.6.pdf |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=nabunetwork.com}} Data was served via a Gould SEL minicomputer. By default, the PCs lacked any individual offline storage, but an optional hard drive could be purchased.

The interface module included four socketed chips: a TR1865CL-04 full-duplex UART, an SC87253P 8-bit microprocessor, an N8X60N FIFO I/O controller and a pre-programmed ROM. The remainder of the parts on the board were numerous 74LS series logic ICs. There was an RF module that down-converted signals from the cable connection and up-converted requests to be sent to the server. There were four circuit boards for frequency synthesis, data in and out and RF conversion and dual helical coil bandpass filters. Download speeds over the cable TV line were up to 6.4 Mbit/second.

The NABU service first became available in 1983 through Ottawa Cablevision and Skyline Cablevision, through the efforts of John Kelly and Bruce Hempell. The project was heavily subsidized by the Canadian government. A major weakness of the Ottawa network was the strictly one-way connection as it was implemented on Ottawa Cablevision. The NABU system itself was bi-directional, but most cable networks of that era did not support this feature due to the cost required for a bidirectional cable infrastructure — a "chicken and egg" problem that limited NABU's market potential.

The fact that network access was limited to the NABU Personal Computer, forcing the subscriber to buy it, was mentioned as problematic by 1984, with the company accumulating $5 million losses.{{Cite magazine |last=McCarthy |first=Michael |date=1984-11-05 |title=News from here and there |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oC4EAAAAMBAJ&dq=NABU+Network+PC&pg=PA15 |magazine=InfoWorld |volume=6 |issue=45 |page=15 |access-date=2023-03-23}}{{Cite magazine |last=McCarthy |first=Michael |date=1984-10-15 |title=Tidbytes |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DS8EAAAAMBAJ&dq=NABU+Network+PC&pg=PA9 |magazine=InfoWorld |volume=6 |issue=42 |page=9 |access-date=2023-03-23}} The same year Campeau Corporation, a major investor in NABU, pulled out.{{Cite news |last=Powell |first=James |url=https://www.ottawamatters.com/remember-this/remember-this-the-nabu-network-1102262 |title=Remember This? The NABU Network |publisher=Ottawa Matters |date=2018-10-29 |access-date=2020-01-04}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1984/11/21/nabu-ends-service-to-customers/777e5114-8ba8-4c78-9dd6-13466253c114/ |title=NABU Ends Service to Customers |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=1984-11-21 |access-date=2020-01-04}}

Another network was started in Japan. However, NABU never achieved commercial success and ceased operation in 1985.

[https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca York University Computer Museum] (YUCoM) and Center for the History of Canadian Microcomputing Industry provides a display and a virtual tour of this and other Canadian inventions.{{cite web|url=http://www.cse.yorku.ca/museum/v_tour/artifacts/artifacts.htm |title=YUCoM Artifacts - 1970 |publisher=Cse.yorku.ca |date= |access-date=2017-04-30}}{{cite web|url=http://www.yorku.ca/yfile/archive/index.asp?Article%3D758 |title=YFile - York computer museum boots up |access-date=2012-02-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090104105929/http://www.yorku.ca/yfile/archive/index.asp?Article=758 |archive-date=2009-01-04 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.cse.yorku.ca/museum/press/nabu_y_file.pdf |title=NABU Network was an idea well ahead of its time |publisher=YFile – York's Daily Bulletin |date=April 28, 2009 |access-date=2017-04-30}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cse.yorku.ca/museum/press/OttCit_collect.pdf |title=Homepage (Archived) |publisher=The Ottawa Citizen – canada.com |date=March 4, 2004 |access-date=2017-04-30}}{{cite web|last=Sutcliffe |first=Mark |url=http://www.cse.yorku.ca/museum/press/ky.html |title=NABU Network an idea well ahead of its time |publisher=Cse.yorku.ca |date=2009-04-24 |access-date=2017-04-30}}{{cite web|url=http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20091117/OTT_Nabu_091117/20091117 |title=Nabu memories are rekindled in Ottawa | CTV Ottawa | CTV News |access-date=2012-02-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120603132516/http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20091117/OTT_Nabu_091117/20091117 |archive-date=2012-06-03 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.itincanada.ca/index.php?cid%3D331%26id%3D11215 |title=IT in Canada - Canada's Only Integrated Social Media News Network |access-date=2012-02-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827083103/http://www.itincanada.ca/index.php?cid=331&id=11215 |archive-date=2011-08-27 }} In 2009, the museum version was officially demonstrated, and in 2010, the development of a software emulator of the Nabu network began.https://ottawa-future.com/uk/eternal-istoriya-the-nabu-network {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}

On November 26, 2022, Adrian Black, creator of the YouTube channel Adrian's Digital Basement, published a video showcasing a NABU PC{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Ernie |title=2,200 Forgotten Vintage Computers Are Being Liberated From a Barn in Massachusetts |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/2200-forgotten-vintage-computers-are-being-liberated-from-a-barn-in-massachusetts/ |access-date=27 December 2024 |work=VICE |date=28 June 2023}} however, it did not come with the adapter that was required for the computer to operate properly; and so he reached out to the community for help on getting his unit operational.{{Citation |title=The 80s computer you've never heard of: The NABU PC | date=26 November 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLYjZoShjy0 |language=en |access-date=2023-02-26}} Another YouTuber, [https://synthiam.com/About/DJ-Sures DJ Sures], had published a video four days prior showcasing another NABU PC, and began working on how to program it.{{Citation |title=01 - NABU computer network adapter simulator | date=22 November 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wtfhyzVhNw |language=en |access-date=2023-02-26}} Sures, with the help of Leo Binkowski (one of the original NABU software programmers), has published a series of videos on things he has done to create an entire community of NABU users worldwide.{{Cite web |title=NABU Computer Hacking - YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNT_tjSHIQ3lGJR_zOqh9gGeHzykR0spq |access-date=2023-02-26 |website=www.youtube.com}} The [https://nabu.ca/software vast software library that DJ Sures had created] included Cloud CP/M (the first internet-connected CP/M), Cloud GUI (CP/M File Manager), SlideShow, NABULIB (C Library), and dozens of CP/M utilities that enhanced the Cloud CP/M experience. DJ has a very detailed [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNT_tjSHIQ3lGJR_zOqh9gGeHzykR0spq&si=Y1bLstLLILxziTpb youtube series] that documents the progress of his NABU hacking and software.

On December 5, 2022, NabuNetwork.com was launched as a NABU resource. The website includes a serial number tracker to see where all the NABU computers are around the world.{{Cite web |title=NABU Personal Computer Information Center |url=https://www.nabunetwork.com/ |access-date=2023-02-26 |website=www.nabunetwork.com {{!}} The NABU Network }}

Emulation of the NABU is also possible through a core added to MAME by a GitHub user with the handle "brijohn".{{Cite web |title=GitHub - brijohn/mame at nabupc_wip |url=https://github.com/brijohn/mame |access-date=2023-02-26 |website=GitHub |language=en}} Marduk, a dedicated NABU emulator created by another GitHub user with the handle "buricco", is also available.{{Citation |last=buricco |title=buricco/marduk |date=2023-02-24 |url=https://github.com/buricco/marduk |access-date=2023-02-26}}

• Teletext
• Minitel

{{reflist|30em}}

{{commonscat}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20091030145020/http://atomic.speculation.org/Graphics/1982-00-00%20Ottawa%20Nabu/ Hardware Photos]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20190512175931/http://www.xydirect.com/msx/ShortComents.asp?IdRom=helitank Play Nabu Game Online] "ASCII CORPORATION HELITANK, (C) NABU NETWORK CORP., 1983"
• [http://www.ieee.ca/millennium/telidon/telidon_nabu.html IEEE Canada page describing NABU project]
• [https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/nabu YUCoM NABU Reconstruction Project]
• [https://ia801401.us.archive.org/0/items/nabu-personal-computer-users-guide/NABU%20Personal%20Computer%20User%27s%20Guide.pdf User's Guide] [https://bitsavers.org/pdf/nabu/ Technical Documentation]
• [https://github.com/randomvariations/nabu.cpm CP/M using a serial terminal]

Category:History of Ottawa

Category:Wide area networks

Category:Internet in Canada

Category:Companies based in Ottawa

Category:Defunct companies of Ontario

Category:Technology companies established in 1982

Category:Companies disestablished in 1985

Category:History of telecommunications in Canada

Category:1982 establishments in Ontario