---
title: I.S.T.C. (Informatic Systèmes Télécom) 5000
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Professional Computer
origins:
- France
years:
- '1978'
cpus:
- Z80
params:
  name: '5000'
  image: /media/museum/photos/istc_5000_1s.jpg
  company: /companies/i-s-t-c-informatic-systemes-telecom
  company_name: I.S.T.C. (Informatic Systèmes Télécom)
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: '5000'
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: I.S.T.C. (Informatic Systèmes Télécom)
  - label: TYPE
    value: Professional Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: France
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1978'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: Basic (on disk)
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Full stroke keyboard with function keys and numeric keypad.
  - label: CPU
    value: Z80
  - label: RAM
    value: from 24 KB to 64 KB
  - label: ROM
    value: 64 KB
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 80 x 24
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: Unknown
  - label: COLORS
    value: Unknown, but built-in display is amber only.
  - label: SOUND
    value: Unknown
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: Unknown (heavy !)
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: from 2 to 5 x S100 compatible expansion buses, RS232 connector
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: |-
      Model 5000: 1 or 2 x 5.25'' disk-drives (300 KB each)\
      Model 5500: 1 or 2 x 5.25'' disk-drives (1 MB each)
  - label: OS
    value: CP/M ?
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: Built-in power supply
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: Communication card, parallel printer, 20 MB hard-disk
  - label: PRICE
    value: 28700 FF HT (France, october 1979)
  tabs:
  - photos
  - adverts
  photos:
  - title: ISTC 5000
    subtitle: ''
    text: The picture was taken from an old magazine (sept. 1978)
    image: /media/museum/photos/istc_5000_1.jpg
  - title: NICE PICTURE
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to [www.silicium.org](http://www.silicium.org) for this picture
    image: /media/museum/photos/istc_5000_silicium.jpg
  - title: ISTC 5500
    subtitle: ''
    text: This is the ISTC 5500 released in 1981. It had slightly better features. Notice that on the picture it is in fact a 5000, and a 5 has been added later "by-hand" on the label...
    image: /media/museum/photos/istc_5500_3.jpg
  adverts:
  - title: FRENCH AD (JAN. 1980)
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/pubs/istc_5000_pub_fr_1.jpg
  - title: 5500 ADVERT (JAN. 1981)
    subtitle: ''
    text: This is a french advert for the ISTC 5500 published in january 1981. Its is exactly the same advert used for the model 5000, apart some modification in the description (disk drive capacity). Even the picture is still the same, with a "5" added with a pen, by hand !!!
    image: /media/museum/pubs/istc_5500_pub_1.jpg
  comments:
  - author: Thomas Chambless (Earth)
    date: Friday 22nd June 2007
    text: I used to have one of these, it was a horrible computer because of the weight.
  - author: Carsten Busse (Germany)
    date: Saturday 12th May 2007
    text: |-
      Just reading the Advertisements from this funny thing and comparing with your datasheets:

      In Octobre 1979 this machine did cost 28.700F, not the 36.000F you have in the Technical Information

      (The advertisement from Jan 1980 gives reference to the price from Octobre 1979)

      The Disk drives in the 5000 model are described as 300Kbyte disk drives, the one in the 5500 model as 2MBytes Disk drives, also containing a 20 Mbyte hdd

      so actually it had not only better disk drives, but also a harddisc

      Sadly there is no other information to gather from them, and i personally was 3 years old when they came out - so i cannot say much about them from my own experience, just translated the ads
  oc_id: 1030
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230601214403/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1030
    date: '2023-06-01'
---

Little is known about this system. Help welcomed !

I.S.T.C. (Informatic Systèmes TéléCom) was a french company which was selling imported computers from USA, like the [Apple II](/museum/apple-ii/) or the [Compucolor](/museum/isc-intelligent-systems-corp-compucolor-ii/). So it wouldn't be surprising if the ISTC 5000 was also an imported system. But which one ? We have not found the answer yet...

It is a big system with a built-in 10'' amber display (80 x 25 characters) and one or two integrated 5.25'' disk-drives (143 KB or 403 KB formated).

Following software was available : Basic (delivered with the system), Macro Assembler, Extended Basic, Fortran IV ANSI, CP/M, Cobol, Pascal...

A **5500** model was also released a bit later (1980), with slightly better features (disk drives capacity : 1 MB each)...

<table> <tr> <td></td> <td>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.</td> <td></td> </tr> </table>