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Byte Incorporated BYT-8 computer from the personal collection of Byte Shop founder Paul Terrell, a proprietary S-100 bus microcomputer introduced in the late 1970s as the “house brand” system for the iconic Byte Shop chain of computer stores. Designed for sale through Byte Shop locations, the BYT-8 gave Terrell’s growing retail network its own branded computer product rather than relying exclusively on systems manufactured by outside firms. The simple unit measures 15˝ x 7˝ x 12˝ and features a front panel with “Start/Restart” toggle switch and power indicator. Untested and in very good cosmetic condition, with scattered surface marks and scuffs. Accompanied by modern photocopies of BYT-8 advertisements and operating instructions.
Based on the industry-standard S-100 bus—widely adopted in early hobbyist and commercial microcomputers—the BYT-8 utilized a specialized backplane motherboard and could accommodate a variety of expansion boards, including 4K and 16K RAM cards, 3P+S I/O cards, and the VDM-1 video display module. It was retailed in its base format for $349.
As his retail network expanded, Byte Shop founder Paul Terrell established Byte, Inc. to support the growing enterprise. The BYT-8 was produced as a proprietary retail product for Byte Shop computer stores, while a closely related version was offered through Olson Electronics as the Olson 8080 Personal Computer. Surviving examples of the BYT-8 are extremely rare, representing a little-known but important branch of the Byte Shop story and the early effort to bring microcomputers from the hobbyist marketplace into retail showrooms.
From the Paul Terrell Collection
