--- title: Polymorphic POLY 88 categories: - Computers types: - Professional Computer origins: - U.S.A. years: - '1976' cpus: - 8080A params: name: POLY 88 image: /media/museum/photos/polymorphic_poly88_system_1.jpg company: /companies/polymorphic company_name: Polymorphic specs: - label: NAME value: POLY 88 - label: MANUFACTURER value: Polymorphic - label: TYPE value: Professional Computer - label: ORIGIN value: U.S.A. - label: YEAR value: '1976' - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: None - label: KEYBOARD value: Full-stroke 54 keys (made by Cherry) - label: CPU value: 8080A - label: SPEED value: 2 MHz 8080A, running at 1.8432 MHz (so that it could be easily divided to produce standard baud rate clocks) - label: RAM value: 512 bytes to 32 KB. - label: VRAM value: 1 KB - label: ROM value: Monitor 1 KB (2 KB optional) - label: TEXT MODES value: 40 chars x 25 lines - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: Semi-graphic mode (128 x 48) - label: COLORS value: Monochrome - label: SOUND value: None standard (available through S100 boards) - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 11(W) x 17.5(H) x 43 (D) cm. - label: I/O PORTS value: Keyboard, tape recorder, printer, video vomposite - label: BUILT IN MEDIA value: None - label: POWER SUPPLY value: Built-in PSU - label: PERIPHERALS value: |- Video, keyboard, cassette, serial interfaces.\ Some Altair S-100 cards - label: PRICE value: From $595 to $1350 tabs: - photos - adverts - hardware - software - emulators - links forum_thread: 554 photos: - title: 'SYSTEM #1' subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/polymorphic_poly88_system_2.jpg - title: FRONT PANEL subtitle: '' text: Unlike competitors systems of the time (Imsai, Altair) the POLY 88 front panel only featured Power and reset switches. image: /media/museum/photos/polymorphic_poly88_frontpanel_1.jpg - title: BACK PANEL subtitle: '' text: 'Note the red switch used to modify the tape record speed (300 - 1200 bauds); and the serial number: 1904!' image: /media/museum/photos/polymorphic_poly88_backpanel_1.jpg - title: INSIDE subtitle: '' text: |- Full system featuring 32 KB of RAM, video, keyboard and cassette interfaces. **(1)** Cassette interface\ **(2)** Keyboard cable coming from the video board\ **(3)** Cassette interface cable coming from a serial port of the CPU board\ **(4)** CPU board\ **(5)** Video / Keyboard board\ **(6)** 16 KB static RAM card\ **(7)** 8 KB static RAM card (Polymorphic)\ **(8)** Second 8 KB static RAM card image: /media/museum/photos/polymorphic_poly88_inside_1.jpg - title: BACKPLANE subtitle: '' text: |- The backplane supported: **(1)** Power supply filtering components\ **(2)** Five S-100 connectors, an expansion connector for additional cards\ **(3)** Fan and reset switch connector image: /media/museum/photos/polymorphic_poly88_backplane.jpg - title: CASE FRAME subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/polymorphic_poly88_chassis.jpg - title: COMPLETE SYSTEM subtitle: '' text: Cherry keyboard, Sanyo 9" monitor and General Electric data recorder. image: /media/museum/photos/polymorphic_poly88_system_3.jpg - title: ASSEMBLY, ADJUSTMENTS MANUAL subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/polymorphic_poly88_manual_1.jpg adverts: - title: U.S. ADVERT (1976) subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/pubs/polymorphic_poly88_pub_1.jpg - title: 'U.S. ADVERT (1977) #1' subtitle: '' text: This advert (May 1977) introduced the **System 16**, same as assembled System 7 with 16 Kb of RAM. ($1995) image: /media/museum/pubs/polymorphic_poly88_pub_2.jpg - title: 'U.S. ADVERT (1977) #2' subtitle: '' text: |- An advert dédicated to Polymorphic BASIC language features and to a new version of the system named System 0. The **System 0** was intended for the users who already have a S-100 Bus based system and wanted to transform it into a Poly 88 system. It consisted of the central processor card with ROM monitor, the video card and the cassette interface, all in kit form. Price: $525 image: /media/museum/pubs/polymorphic_poly88_pub_3.jpg hardware: - title: POLY88 DISK KIT subtitle: '' text: 'The advert says : "Each kit contains a brushed aluminium front panel and walnut cabinet"!' image: /media/museum/hardware/polymorphic_poly88_diskkit.jpg - title: CPU BOARD subtitle: '' text: |- The CPU board features ROM, RAM and serial I/O. It could be used as a stand-alone system, connected to a serial Input / Output device (Teletype). **(1)** 512 bytes of RAM holded in 4 \* 9111 chips (256\*4)\ **(2)** 8080 chip. Here a NEC version\ **(3)** Sockets for additonal 2 KB ROM chips\ **(4)** 1 KB Boot ROM chip\ **(5)** Serial connectors image: /media/museum/hardware/polymorphic_poly88_cpuboard_1.jpg - title: VIDEO BOARD subtitle: '' text: |- This board manages video output and keyboard input. **(1)** composite video output connector\ **(2)** Character generator ROM chip\ **(3)** 8 \* 2111 memory chips (256 bits \* 4) holding 1 KB of video RAM memory\ **(4)** Keyboard connector image: /media/museum/hardware/polymorphic_poly88_videoboard_1.jpg - title: 8 KB RAM BOARD subtitle: '' text: 8 KB static RAM are made of 64 \* 2102 RAM chips (1K \* 1 bit). image: /media/museum/hardware/polymorphic_poly88_8kramboard_1.jpg - title: 16 KB RAM BOARD subtitle: '' text: |- This standard S-100 bus 16 KB memory board cames from California Computer Systems. The memory is broken into four 4 KB groups which are independantly addressable. **(1)** Power regulators (one per chips row)\ **(2)** Led indicators for board selection and bank selection\ **(3)** Bank and address select switches\ **(4)** Ram is arranged in four 4 KB independant groups image: /media/museum/hardware/polymorphic_poly88_16kramboard_1.jpg - title: PROCESSOR CLOSE-UP subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/hardware/polymorphic_poly88_proc8080_1.jpg - title: CASSETTE INTERFACE subtitle: '' text: |- The cassette interface operates through the serial port of the CPU board.\ It could read/write programs at 30 or 120 chars per second. Selection was made with the red switch. image: /media/museum/hardware/polymorphic_poly88_k7interface.jpg screenshots: - title: BASIC INTERPRETER subtitle: '' text: A diskette version was also available with data files management addition. image: /media/museum/software/polymorphic_poly88_k7basic.jpg - title: ASSEMBLER AND MONITOR. subtitle: '' text: These tools were delivered with each Poly 88 version. image: /media/museum/software/polymorphic_poly88_k7asm.jpg emulators: - title: Bob Bybee's PolyMorphic Emulator program url: http://www.bybeeweb.com/pm.htm platform: MS DOS text: Polymorphic systems emulator ! links: - title: Polymorphic documentation url: http://www.hartetechnologies.com/manuals/PolyMorphic/ text: '' - title: www.retrotechnology.com url: http://www.retrotechnology.com/restore/poly_restore.html text: A page dedicated to the restoration of a Poly 88 related: - /museum/polymorphic-system-8813 oc_id: 563 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230531223712/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=563 date: '2023-05-31' --- The POLY 88 was a S-100 bus based computer sold in kit or assembled versions. The small case could receive the 8080 CPU board and three additional S-100 cards. Daughter boards were provided by Polymorphic to expand system capacities: video, keyboard, serial and cassette interfaces. The system was also compatible with Altair peripherals. Originally, the computer was sold with the name "Micro-Altair", but MITS (the Altair manufacturer) required to change it quickly. So the company name became Polymorphic and its first computer, the POLY 88. In 1976, five versions were proposed:\ **System 1** Kit version including 512 bytes RAM, 1 Kb. ROM monitor, 16 lines x 32 chars. video interface, keyboard input port and power supply. ($595)\ **System 2** System 1 plus 64 chars. per line option and cassette interface kit. ($690)\ **System 3** System 2 plus 8 Kb. of RAM, Basic and Assembler programs on cassette tape. ($990)\ **System 4** Complete kit including System 3 plus TV monitor, keyboard and cassette recorder ($1350)\ **System 7** System 4 assembled and ready to use. ($1350) Thanks to **Leon H. Schindel** for his invaluable help
We need more info about this computer ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system, please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.