NLS - Revision history

FrankRahman: /* History */

2026-08-05T16:30:19Z

History

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:30, 5 August 2026
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	Subsidiary formed "Kaypro International" Jul 28, 1983<br>		Subsidiary formed "Kaypro International" Jul 28, 1983<br>
	(California Secretary of State Listing, https://bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov/search/business?name=kaypro)		(California Secretary of State Listing, https://bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov/search/business?name=kaypro)

			===History written in November 1982 (Excerpts)===
			<blockquote>
			Andrew F. Kay founded NLS in 1952 in order to develop a product that e first envisioned ten years earlier: the digital voltmeter. Kay felt that conventional meters require toomuch interpretation to be accurately read by inexperienced production line personnel. This often resulted in indifferent quality or costly post-production adjustments. Kay was certain that a non-ambiquous read-out would be welcomed by any industry to which the accurate setting of voltages was important. He was correct:the first digital voltmeter, or DVM, was delivered to the U.S. Naval Electronics Laboratory on Pt. Loma, San Diego, CA, in February 1953. It was esaily readable from a distance of forty feet, and inspired "Electronic Design" magazine to credit Andy Kay and NLS with starting the "digital revolution." In the ensuing three decades, more than a quarter million DVM's have been supplied by NLS, but they are by no means the company's only product.

			NLS has designed, manufactured and marketed a wide range of Digital Panel Meters and Portable Electronics Test Instruments, products that are known and used in laboratories and factories throughout the world. These include multi-function digital multimeters (both for permanent installation and portable use), portable oscilloscopes, and MLS [NLS?] Dynatracer (which adapts any oscilloscope input for use as a circuit assembly test instrument), and the Tracer (which is a self-contained CRT instrument that incorporates the features of the Dynatracer, and goes beyond that product by automating many of its manual functions).<br>
			(Company Background, November 16, 1982)
			</blockquote>

	===Changes in NLS's Product Line===		===Changes in NLS's Product Line===

FrankRahman: /* Changes in NLS's Product Line */

2026-08-02T23:52:00Z

Changes in NLS's Product Line

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	<br>		<br>
	(Kaypro, The Complete Business Computer Brochure, Nov. 1983 Likely)		(Kaypro, The Complete Business Computer Brochure, Nov. 1983 Likely)
			</blockquote>

			<blockquote>
			Organized in 1953 as Non-Linear Systems, Kaypro Corporation developed the first digital voltmeter and quickly established itself as a leader in the field of electronic test equipment used in missle systems. Within five years, the firm had grown to 150 employees, with annual sales exceeding five million dollars. Non-Linear Systems' products set standards of quality and accuracy for digital test equipment in aerospace and defense electronics.

			In 1972, the company developed a variety of consumer-oriented electronic test devices, including portable multimeters, oscilloscopes, temperature meters and other products. In addition, a world-wide network of distributors was established to provide sales and service for this growing line of products.

			(Presentation to the New York Society of Security Analysts, February 1, 1984)
	</blockquote>		</blockquote>

FrankRahman: /* NLS Punch Tape */

2026-07-31T14:08:35Z

NLS Punch Tape

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:08, 31 July 2026
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	==NLS Punch ~~Tape~~==		==NLS Tape Punch==

	{\|		{\|

FrankRahman: /* NLS Comparators */

2026-07-31T14:08:08Z

NLS Comparators

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:08, 31 July 2026
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	\|-		\|-
	\| NLS 50 Digital Comparator \|\| [[File:NLS 50.jpg]]		\| NLS 50 Digital Comparator \|\| [[File:NLS 50.jpg]]
			\|}


			==NLS Punch Tape==

			{\|
			\|-
			\| NLS 156 (RS3) Tape Punch \|\|
			[[File:NLS 156-RS3 Tape Punch.jpg]]
	\|}		\|}

FrankRahman: /* Changes in NLS's Product Line */

2026-07-05T20:02:31Z

Changes in NLS's Product Line

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:02, 5 July 2026
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	(Computer Shopper, August 1989)		(Computer Shopper, August 1989)
	</blockquote>		</blockquote>

			Also see [[NLS HiFi]] for the attempted stereo receiver.

	==Samples from a 1960's computer catalog==		==Samples from a 1960's computer catalog==

FrankRahman: /* NLS HiFi Unit */

2026-07-05T16:11:21Z

NLS HiFi Unit

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:11, 5 July 2026
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	NLS S-1 Base Configuration<br>		NLS S-1 Base Configuration<br>
	This is an example of NLS's mid 1960's laboratory voltmeter systems which including the ability to record data to a printer, paper tape or electronic reels for further analysis.		This is an example of NLS's mid 1960's laboratory voltmeter systems which including the ability to record data to a printer, paper tape or electronic reels for further analysis.

	~~==NLS HiFi Unit==~~
	{\|
	\|-
	~~\| [[Media:Electronics 1965 08 09 NLS HiFi.pdf\|Electronics August 9, 1965 article]]~~
	\|\|
	~~[[File:NLS HiFi cover.png]]~~
	\|}


	==Datico Missle System with M-24==		==Datico Missle System with M-24==

FrankRahman: /* History */

2026-07-04T09:21:35Z

History

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:21, 4 July 2026
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	(California Secretary of State Listing, https://bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov/search/business?name=kaypro)		(California Secretary of State Listing, https://bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov/search/business?name=kaypro)

			===Changes in NLS's Product Line===
	<blockquote>		<blockquote>
	The evolution of Kaypro Corporation began under the name Non-Linear Systems, Inc., organized in 1953. The company developed the first digital voltmeter and quickly established itself as a leader in the field of electronic test equipment. NLS has been a major supplier of digital voltmeters and ratiometers to large corporations in the aerospace industry.		The evolution of Kaypro Corporation began under the name Non-Linear Systems, Inc., organized in 1953. The company developed the first digital voltmeter and quickly established itself as a leader in the field of electronic test equipment. NLS has been a major supplier of digital voltmeters and ratiometers to large corporations in the aerospace industry.
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	<br>		<br>
	(Kaypro, The Complete Business Computer Brochure, Nov. 1983 Likely)		(Kaypro, The Complete Business Computer Brochure, Nov. 1983 Likely)
			</blockquote>

			<blockquote>
			From an interview of Andy Kay:<br>
			Peter Ruber: After manufacturing test instrumentation for 30 years, why did you switch to making computers?<br>
			Andy Kay: Most of the instrumentation we manufactured was for the military. By the early 1970s my contracts with the government began to evaporate. I learned through reading the electronics magazines that 90% of the electronics business was in computers. I was in the other 10%. And I said I wanted to be in the 90% group.
			PR: Did you have computer engineering expertise in-house?
			AK: I did not have computer engineers in-house, and I did not have money in-house either, so I couldn't do it. Instead, I bided my time by decreasing my dependence on the military by making much less expensive equipment that could be sold through distributors, and we built up a business that way. We gradually got away from the dependence on the military that by 1978, well, we weren't out of the military business entirely, but we were pretty much out of it.<br>
			(Computer Shopper, August 1989)
	</blockquote>		</blockquote>

FrankRahman: /* Manuals and Videos */

2026-07-03T15:04:01Z

Manuals and Videos

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:04, 3 July 2026
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	==Manuals and Videos==		==Manuals and Videos==

			"[[Media:DV Inside Story.pdf\|The Digital Voltmeter - An Inside Story]]"
			This is a booklet produced by NLS in 1963 to explain how their DVM works.

	[[NLS Manuals]]		[[NLS Manuals]]

FrankRahman: /* NLS Promotional Material */

2026-06-23T19:51:44Z

NLS Promotional Material

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:51, 23 June 2026
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	==NLS Promotional Material==		==NLS Promotional Material==

			[[File:NLS 50 ad.jpg]]<br>1959?

	{\|		{\|
	\|-		\|-
	\| [[File:Nls ad 4 major 1961?.jpg\|~~200px~~]]<br>1961? \|\|		\| [[File:Nls ad 4 major 1961?.jpg\|400px]]<br>1961? \|\|
	\|-		\|-
	\|		\|
	[[File:Nls ad Most Complete 1961? part 1.jpg\|~~200px~~\|top]]<br>1961?		[[File:Nls ad Most Complete 1961? part 1.jpg\|400px\|top]]<br>1961?
	\|\|		\|\|
	[[File:Nls ad Most Complete 1961? part 2.jpg\|~~200px~~\|top]]		[[File:Nls ad Most Complete 1961? part 2.jpg\|400px\|top]]
	\|}		\|}

	[[File:~~NLS 50 ad~~.jpg]]<br>~~1959?~~		[[File:Nls dvm may 1962.jpg]]<br>1962

	[[File:NLS 5005 ad.png]]		[[File:NLS 5005 ad.png]]<br>1965

	==NLS Meters==		==NLS Meters==

FrankRahman: /* NLS Meters */

2026-06-23T15:17:12Z

NLS Meters

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:17, 23 June 2026
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	[[File:NLS x-3 DVM.jpg]]		[[File:NLS x-3 DVM.jpg]]
	\|-		\|-
	\| NLS ~~MX2~~ Series Digital Multimeter \|\|		\| NLS MX1 Series Digital Multimeter \|\|
	[[File:NLS MX-1 front.jpg]]		[[File:NLS MX-1 front.jpg]]
	\|}		\|}