Difference between revisions of "K-Byte"

Revision as of 23:54, 7 August 2019

K-Byte was a software developer and contract manufacturer of electronic parts once based in Troy, Michigan. It was originally a division of Kay Enterprises Co. (owned by Koltanbar Engineering) until it was sold to Patrick J. Flynn in 1983.

The first half of the 1980s brought growth and deals with companies like CBS and Atari; a manufacturing plant opened in Gaylord, Michigan. Unfortunately, nonpayment by some customers led K-Byte to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1986. Tampa, Florida-based Reptron Electronics acquired the company later that year and eventually closed the original K-Byte facility in Troy.

Under Reptron, the K-Byte Manufacturing division (later folded into Reptron Manufacturing Services) grew to include plants in Tampa, Florida, and Hibbing, Minnesota. The Gaylord and Hibbing plants closed in 2007 after Reptron was purchased by Kimball Electronics.

• Associated Press. "Hibbing electronics firm to be shuttered." StarTribune 27 Oct. 2007. Web. 31 Aug. 2011. [1]
• Bloomberg Businessweek. "Patrick Flynn: Executive Profile & Biography - BusinessWeek." Bloomberg Businessweek. Bloomberg Businessweek, 2011. Web. 31 Aug. 2011. <http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=334403&ticker=CMG:US&previousCapId=26446&previousTitle=CHIPOTLE%20MEXICAN%20GRILL%20INC>.
• "Kimball Electronic’s official announcement, Plant History." Gaylord Herald News 23 May 2007. Petsokey News. Web. 31 Aug. 2011. [2]
• Kopy-Rite. "History of KOPY-RITE software manufacturing, from diskette and tape duplication to CD, CD/R and DVD, DVD/R Replication, Duplication." Kopy-Rite. Kopy-Rite, 2002. Web. 31 Aug. 2011. <http://www.kopyrite.com/history.htm>.
• Markoff, John. "Two corporate giants jump into software publishing." InfoWorld 1 Nov. 1982: 1+. Google Books. Web. 31 Aug. 2011. [3]
• Reptron Manufacturing Services. "Reptron." Reptron Manufacturing Services. Reptron Manufacturing Services, 2006. Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Web. 31 Aug. 2011. <http://web.archive.org/web/20070221234555/http://www.reptronmfg.com/locations.php>.
• "Space Game For Atari." Compute! January 1983: 225. Classic Computer Magazine Archive. Web. 31 Aug. 2011. [4]

Research Methods: Actual mentions, interviews, online resources (see Links), shared staff

5200

• K-Razy Shoot-Out (US Publisher: CBS Electronics) [Dr. Keith Dreyer, Torre Meeder]
• Mountain King (US Publisher: CBS Electronics) [Bob Matson]

Not technically developed by K-Byte. Matson said he wrote the game for E.F. Dreyer, Inc., a company founded by Dr. Keith Dreyer and Torre Meeder. [5] (Incidentally, E.F. Dreyer was Keith's father.)

Adam

• The Best of Electronic Arts (unreleased?) (Coleco)

Apple II

• G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (programming) (US Publisher: Epyx)
• Science Literacy: The Lio Project (US Publisher: Looking Glass Learning Products) [Bob MacDowell]
• Science Literacy: Lortep Project (US Publisher: Looking Glass Learning Products) [Bob MacDowell]
• Street Sports Soccer (US Publisher: Epyx)
• Summer Games II (US Publisher: Epyx)

Atari 8-bit

• Barnyard Blaster (US Publisher: Atari Corp.)
• Boulders and Bombs (US Publisher: CBS Software) [Torre Meeder, Dr. Keith Dreyer]
• Jack and the Beanstalk (unreleased)
• K-Klimber (unreleased) [Bob MacDowell]
• K-Razy Antiks (US Publisher: CBS Software) [Kenneth Otto, Merrilee Otto]
• K-Razy Kritters (US Publisher: K-Byte, CBS Software) [Torre Meeder, Dr. Keith Dreyer]
• K-Razy Shoot-Out (US Publisher: K-Byte, CBS Software) [Keith Dreyer, Torre Meeder, Chuck Miller]
• K-Star Patrol (US Publisher: CBS Software) [Dr. Keith Dreyer, Torre Meeder]
• Math Mileage (US Publisher: CBS Software) [Marcia Burrows]
• Mountain King (US Publisher: CBS Software) [Bob Matson]

Not technically developed by K-Byte. Matson said he wrote the game for E.F. Dreyer, Inc., a company founded by Dr. Keith Dreyer and Torre Meeder. [6] (Incidentally, E.F. Dreyer was Keith's father.)

• Satan's Hollow (unreleased) (CBS Software) [Tom Sonday?]

Commodore 64

• 4x4 Off-Road Racing (programming) (US Publisher: Epyx)

Game Design, Theme: Ogdon Micro Design

• Ballblazer (US Publisher: Epyx; UK Publisher: Activision)
• Crystal Castles: Diamond Plateaus in Space (EU Publisher: US Gold)
• Defender (US Publisher: Atarisoft) [Joe Simko]
• Donkey Kong (US Publisher: Atarisoft) [Doug Dragin]
• Math Mileage (US Publisher: CBS Software) [Doug Dragin]
• Missile Command (unreleased) (Atarisoft) [Bob MacDowell]
• Mountain King (US Publisher: Beyond) [Doug Dragin]
• The Sporting News Baseball (programming) (US Publisher: Epyx)

Game Design: Ogdon Micro Design

• Street Sports Football (programming) (US Publisher: Epyx)

Game Design: Ogdon Micro Design

• Street Sports Soccer (programming) (US Publisher: Epyx)

Game Design: Ogdon Micro Design

• Track & Field (US Publisher: Atarisoft) [Joe Simko, Dan Danhof & Matt Decker]
• World Games (programming, music) (US Publisher: Epyx)

IBM PC

• Ballblazer (unreleased) (Epyx)
• Koronis Rift (unreleased) (Epyx)
• Murder on the Zinderneuf (US Publisher: Electronic Arts)
• M.U.L.E. (US Publisher: IBM)

TI-99/4A

• Donkey Kong (US Publisher: Atarisoft) [Douglas Craig, Howard Scheer]
• Moon Patrol (US Publisher: Atarisoft) [Douglas Craig]
• Ms. Pac-Man (US Publisher: Atarisoft) [Howard Scheer]
• Pac-Man (US Publisher: Atarisoft) [Howard Scheer]

Unknown

• APBA Major League Players Baseball
• Pole Position (Atarisoft) [Tom Sonday?]

VIC-20

• K-Razy Antiks (US Publisher: CBS Software) [Steve Adams]
• K-Razy Shoot-Out (unreleased) (CBS Software?) [Bob MacDowell]
• K-Star Patrol (US Publisher: CBS Software) [Jim Stolzenfeld]
• Mountain King (US Publisher: Beyond) [Jim Stolzenfeld - programmer; Bob MacDowell - video design]

Links

• AtariAge thread
• Former K-Byte programmer Howard Scheer remembers colleague Tom Sonday
• 1984 WXYZ-TV report on K-Byte