---
title: Olivetti Prodest PC 128S
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- Italy
years:
- '1987'
params:
  name: Prodest PC 128S
  image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_system_s1.jpg
  company: /companies/olivetti
  company_name: Olivetti
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: Prodest PC 128S
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Olivetti
  - label: TYPE
    value: Home Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: Italy
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1987'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: BBC BASIC Version 4
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Full-stroke 93-key with 10 function keys and numeric keypad
  - label: CPU
    value: 65C12 - CMOS version of the 6502 with minor technical changes
  - label: SPEED
    value: 2 MHz
  - label: RAM
    value: 128 KB
  - label: ROM
    value: '64 KB - OS: 32 KB, BASIC: 16 KB, ADFS: 16 KB'
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 80 x 32/25 (2 colors) / 40 x 32/25 (2 or 4 colors) / 20 x 32 (16 colors) / 40 x 25 (Teletext display)
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: 640 x 256 (2 colors) / 320 x 256 (4 colors) / 160 x 256 (16 colors)
  - label: COLORS
    value: 16 (8 colors + flashing option)
  - label: SOUND
    value: 4 channels, 7 octaves
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: |-
      Keyboard unit: 42.5 (W) x 21.7 (D) x 7.7 (H) cm\
      Expansion unit: 35.1 (W) x 33.3 (D) x 9.5 (H) cm
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: RGB & Composite video out, RS232 (optional), Econet port (optional), Parallel printer, Disk-drive, Joystick/mouse, expansion edge connector
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: 1 or 2 3.5'' 640 KB floppy-disk drives
  - label: OS
    value: ADFS
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: Switching PSU in the expansion box
  - label: PRICE
    value: Unknown
  tabs:
  - photos
  - links
  forum_thread: 1028
  photos:
  - title: LARGE VIEW
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_system_s2.jpg
  - title: TOP VIEW
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_topview_s1.jpg
  - title: RUNNING SYSTEM
    subtitle: ''
    text: Welcome logo of the utility and programs diskette.
    image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_bootscreen_s1.jpg
  - title: MAIN UNIT
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_mainunit_s1.jpg
  - title: LEFT & RIGHT SIDES
    subtitle: ''
    text: On the right side, the bus expansion connector.
    image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_bothsides_s1.jpg
  - title: OLIVETTI LOGOS
    subtitle: ''
    text: Nice Italian design.
    image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_keyblogos_s1.jpg
  - title: REAR SIDES
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      Main unit, from left to right:\
      • Expansion connector (right side)\
      • RGB DIN socket\
      • Composite video jack\
      • locations for optional RS232 and Econet connectors\
      • Joystick/mouse DB9 connector\
      • Parallel printer connector\
      • External floppy-disk drive DB25 connector\
      • DC 5V input conector. Power is supplied by the expansion unit

      Expansion unit\
      • Male and female power plugs, fuses and power switch.\
      • 5V power lead and disk interface flat cable, both are nornally connected to the main unit.
    image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_rearside_s1.jpg
  - title: MAINBOARD
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **(1)** Empty sockets for the optional RS232 interface\
      **(2)** Connectors for the optional Econet card\
      **(3)** SAA-5050 Teletext character generator (Mode 7)\
      **(4)** Custom chip. Address decoder for various peripherals\
      **(5)** 65SC12 microprocessor\
      **(6)** Custom chip dedicated to ROM and RAM bank switching\
      **(7)** 64 KB system ROM. Up to 4 additional ROMs can be added\
      **(8)** 128 KB RAM chips (4x4464)\
      **(9)** Custom chip in charge of the video RAM management\
      **(10)** 6845 video chipset (First IBM PC monochrome and colour cards used the same chipset)\
      **(11)** Custom chip used to manage the system's data bus\
      **(12)** 6522 VIA chips (Versatile Interface Adapter) in charge of various I/O\
      **(13)** Western Digital WD1772 floppy-disk controller
    image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_inside_s1.jpg
  - title: INSIDE THE EXPANSION MODULE
    subtitle: ''
    text: Sony double-sided, single density floppy-disk drive and switching PSU, also used for the main unit. Provision is made for a second 3.5" drive.
    image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_insidefdunit_s1.jpg
  - title: MANUALS
    subtitle: ''
    text: User manual, command summary cards for the 'Sheet' word processor, spreadsheet and database programs, Welcome diskette and even the warranty card :-)
    image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_manuals_s1.jpg
  - title: ORIGINAL BOXES
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_boxes_s1.jpg
  links:
  - title: PC128S Olivetti Prodest
    url: http://pc128s.altervista.org/
    text: Italian website dedicated to the PC128S Olivetti Prodest
  oc_id: 1055
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230608072917/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1055
    date: '2023-06-08'
---

The Olivetti PC 128S was exactly the same machine as the Acorn [BBC Master compact](/museum/acorn-computer-bbc-master-compact/). It was sold only in Italy.

Olivetti merely transformed the case design with nice blue and grey patterns and translated all the programs of the original Acorn Welcome disk, as well as the manual into Italian language.

Although it was one of the most advanced 8-bit computer, the PC 128S, like its predecessor, the [PC 128](/museum/olivetti-prodest-pc-128/), didn't meet a large success, mainly because it came to late on the market, just at the time when the new Atari and Commodore 16-bit machines were launched in Europe.